troubleshooting guide

GST BOCES
Network Computer User
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE/SELF HELP SHEET
SPECIAL NOTE: If you are having an ongoing or continual problem with your PC – it is extremely helpful if you use our problem log sheet located on the Help Desk main page. Complete this form and fax it to the Help Desk at 795-5307. This helps computer services quickly find the best solution for each specific problem.
Things to try before calling the GST BOCES Technical Support Help Desk:
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
 Is your monitor turned on? (Is there a green light glowing near the controls?)
 Is your computer turned on? (Is there a green light glowing on the CPU of the PC?)
 Is the computer plugged into the wall? Are all other cables, including the network cable, securely plugged in at both ends?
 Is your sound turned on?
 Have you tried rebooting (restarting) or powering down the computer AND logging back in to network?
LOG-IN TO NETWORK:
 Are you connected to a network? Do you know your domain name and login name?
 Are you trying to log in to Windows, the network, Outlook, or another network application? Make sure you are using the correct password for the application you are trying to log into, as some users have different passwords for different applications. Read the title bar to see what application you have open.
 Is your network cable firmly attached at both ends?
 Have you forgotten your network password? If so, Please call the Help Desk and they can assist you with a password reset. Is CAPS LOCK off? (look for green light by Caps Locks on top right on keyboard- tap Caps Lock key to turn off)
 Are you entering your log-in name correctly? (First initial and last name. If you have a common last name, someone else in the system may already have this log-in, and you may need to use the first two letters of your first name and your last name.) NOTE: If you are unsure of your user name – call the help desk at 795-5324 and they can give you your correct username.
 Have you tried totally deleting and retyping log-in name, password and domain?
 Have you tried rebooting the computer and logging in again to the network?
OUTLOOK
 Do you have an Outlook account? (If not, please contact your District Technology Coordinator.) Please complete a user authorization form and submit this form.
 Have you forgotten your password? (Try the same password you used to log into the network. Otherwise, call the help desk and they will help you set a new password.)
 Make sure you have Outlook open, and not another application. (Read the title bar to see what application you have open.) Make sure you are using the correct password for the application you are trying to log into, as some users have different passwords for different applications.
 Are you entering your log-in name correctly? Have you tried totally deleting and retyping both login name and password? If you are using Outlook Web Access make sure you are preceding your login name with GST\ (\ backslash key is the key above the enter key) or Elmira\.
 Are you receiving an error message not relating to your user name and/password? What does the error message say?
 Have you maximized your Outlook main window so you can see all the features, folders, buttons and toolbar?
 Have you tried rebooting (restarting) the computer, logging on again to the network, and logging in again to Outlook?
LOCKUPS:
 Have you tried Control/Alt/Delete to force quit the program you were using or to restart the computer? Have you tried this procedure several times?
 If your computer doesn’t respond to this…hold in the power button on the CPU/Computer for about 10 to 15 seconds. Leave the pc powered off for about 30 seconds to clear out any errors it may have. Power on and log in.
PRINTER:
 Is the printer turned on?
 Is the correct printer selected for this printing job?
Go to the printer control panel (START/SETTINGS/PRINTERS) and double-click on the icon for your printer.
 Are printing jobs stuck in the “queue?” On the PRINTER menu, click “Purge print documents.”
 Do you need to switch your default printer to a different machine? Right click on the desired printer icon and select “Set as default”
 Is your printer in “pause” mode? On the Printer menu, de-select “Pause Printing.”
 Is your printer “offline?” On the Printer menu, de-select “Use printer offline.”
 Have you rebooted the computer and tried again to print the document?
 If you are using a networked printer, please call the Help Desk to clear the queue. Be prepared to give your room number/location, and the make, and model number of the printer.
CAN’T FIND A DOCUMENT:
 What is the name, or approximate name, of the file?
 Which drive is it saved on (C drive local hard drive, H drive your home network drive)?
 Have you run “Find File” from the Start menu?
 In the drop down window Files of Type - select All Types (*.*)
 Are you trying to find a file that is on your classroom log-in while you are logged in on your adult log-in (or vice versa)? If so, log in with the correct log-in and either make a floppy disk copy of the file or e-mail it to yourself on GroupWise as an attachment. Then log in with the other log-in and access the file as needed.
 Call the Help Desk, if the file you have lost was on a Network Share drive, the file can be restored, as backups of Network share drives, are done nightly.
If you are still experiencing difficulties please contact the GST BOCES Technical Support Help Desk at 795-5324 or use the form on your Start Menu - HelpDesk Menu - E-Mail to Technical Support HelpDesk.
Please be prepared to give them the following information:
 Name, School District, School, Room/location, detailed information about the problem, model of your computer , computer name.
 Please be specific and detailed when reporting any problem by phone or by e-mail.
 What were you doing on the computer when the problem first occurred?
 What error message, if any, did you receive? Please give exact wording? Write down the error message.
 What remedies, if any, have you tried and what were the results?
 Have there been any changes to your machine lately – moved your computer, changed offices, installed any new software, etc.
 If you need a file restored from a backup – What is the file name? What exact subdirectory is/was it located in? What day was it lost/damaged?
*** You can find your computer name by :
Right clicking on My Computer
Left clicking on Properties
Left clicking on the Computer Name Tab
Middle of the page, Full Computer Name
If you are in Elmira your Host Name and IP Address show up on the upper right corner of your Desktop.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC SOFTWARE QUESTIONS: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sites for Microsoft Office software
NOTE: These FAQs are from university sites outside of SCT BOCES and are provided for your reference only. Do not use the links at these sites to contact the help desks of these universities!
Word
http://www.iup.edu/helpdesk/service/pc/software/office/wordfaq.shtm
http://www.desu.edu/aco/faq.php
http://www.its.uiowa.edu/cs/office/index-wordprocessing.htm
Excel
http://www.iup.edu/helpdesk/service/pc/software/office/excelfaq.shtm
http://www.desu.edu/aco/faq.php
http://www.its.uiowa.edu/cs/office/Excel-tips.htm
Access
http://www.iup.edu/helpdesk/service/pc/software/office/accessfaq.shtm
http://www.its.uiowa.edu/cs/office/index-databases.htm
PowerPoint
http://www.iup.edu/helpdesk/service/pc/software/office/pptfaq.shtm
http://www.desu.edu/aco/faq.php
http://www.its.uiowa.edu/cs/office/index-presentation.htm