How to Do Basic Technology Troubleshooting On Your Own

By: Mrs. Mary Love Carlile

A. General Tech Troubleshooting Checklist Is the computer turned on? Is the computer plugged in? Is the power strip turned on and plugged in? Is the keyboard working? If not, see Keyboard Troubleshooting Checklist. Is the mouse working? If not, see Mouse Troubleshooting Checklist. Are all cables and cords securely connected at both ends? - Turn off the computer, unplug cables and plug them back in. Is the computer frozen? Did the computer crash? If so, see Freezes and Crashes Troubleshooting Checklist. Is the temperature in the room where the computer sits more than 80 degrees? If so, wait until the room is at a cooler temperature and see if the problems persist. Generally, the hotter a room, the more likely a computer is to malfunction. Has new hardware or software been installed recently? If so, there could be a conflict. Contact Computer Support. Note what happens before and during the problem and include that information when you contact Computer Support. Power Troubleshooting Checklist Is the computer plugged into the electrical outlet? If a power strip is being used, is it turned on? (There is usually a light that shows that the power strip is turned on.) Is the power strip working properly? (If possible, try another one to be sure.) Is the electrical cord/cable securely plugged into the computer? Is the computer turned on? Freezes and Crashes Troubleshooting Checklist When a freeze or crash occurs, try to move the mouse. If the mouse responds when it is moved, the computer is not frozen, it is not responding to the selected application. Push the keystroke combination Ctrl + Alt + Delete. If a dialog box appears, highlight the programs name and then End Task for the application that is not responding. If Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't work, restart the computer. Use the reset button to do this, if the computer has one, or the power switch if it doesn't. If the computer is still frozen, shut down the computer again, wait 10-15 seconds then turn the computer on again to see if that will solve the problem. If possible, run a virus check on the computer to look for a possible virus. Keyboard Troubleshooting Checklist Press the Caps Lock key to see if the keyboard is responding. If the keyboard is working the Caps Lock light will blink on and off as the Caps Lock key is pressed. Check the cable that connects the keyboard to the computer to make sure it is securely attached at both ends. Take the cable out of the back of the computer, blow any dust out of the plug, and reattach it to the computer. If that doesnt work, depress each of the Shift keys 3-4 times each and try again. If the keyboard still does not respond, use the mouse to restart the computer. Restarting the computer will usually fix response problems. Mouse Troubleshooting Checklist Does anything happen when the mouse is moved? Is the mouse cable securely plugged into the computer? If not, securely plug it in. If so, unplug it and then plug it in again. The mouse may not have loaded when the computer was turned on. Try restarting the computer. Is the mouse slow? If so, clean it. Is the mouse pointer jumping around or hard to control? If so, clean it. Monitor Troubleshooting Checklist Is the monitor turned on? Is the monitors electrical cord/cable securely plugged into the electrical outlet or power strip? I. If a power strip is being used, is it turned on? (There is usually a light that shows that the power strip is turned on.) Are all cables connected? Is a blank screen saver being used? (Move the mouse and hit any key on the keyboard to check this.) Is the monitor in sleep, suspended, or hibernate mode? (Press the Ctrl key or the Enter key to test this.) Has the monitor brightness control been turned down too far? Brightness control buttons are located on the monitors (usually on the front, at the bottom). Check the monitor's brightness by making adjustments using the brightness control buttons. Try restarting the computer. G. Speaker Troubleshooting Checklist Are the speakers turned on? If not, turn them on and try again. Is the speakers electrical cord/cable securely plugged into the electrical outlet or power strip? If a power strip is being used, is it turned on? (There is usually a light that shows that the power strip is turned on.) Is the speaker cable securely plugged into the correct port in the back of the computer? (If it is a Dell, the speaker connection should be in the middle hole.) Printer Troubleshooting Checklist Is the printer turned on? If it isn't turn it on and try printing again. Is the printer electrical cord/cable securely plugged into the electrical outlet or power strip? If a power strip is being used, is it turned on? (There is usually a light that shows that the power strip is turned on.) Is the power strip working properly? (If possible, try another one to be sure.) Is the printer cable securely plugged into the printer and into the correct port in the back of the computer? (Check both connections to see if they are secure.) Does the printer have paper? Does the printer have a paper jam? If it does, remove the paper, close the printer, wait for it to warm up again, then try printing at that point. Is one of the lights blinking? Check the printer cartridges to be sure they dont need to be changed. Are both lights blinking? If so, contact Computer Support. Does the print problem occur when printing from only one software program or from all programs? If the problem happens when printing from only one software program, it is a software problem, and you will have to contact the software company for technical assistance. If the problem takes place when printing from all software programs, it is a problem with the printer hardware or the printer software (the driver). Is the correct printer selected? Check the print queue. If everything appears to be correct, turn off the printer. Close all open applications and turn off the computer. Turn the printer on and then turn the computer on. Try printing again. Network Troubleshooting Checklist Are you getting a network window when you turn on the computer? Are there lights on on the hub? If there are no lights on, check the AC adapter to be sure its plugged in on both ends. Are the network cables (the ones that look like phone cables) plugged in securely on both ends? Shut down the computer, wait 10-15 seconds then turn the computer on again to see if that will solve the problem.

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