Hardware

• The first thing to try when your computer, printer or other device is malfunctioning is to turn it off and back on to see if this resolves your problem.
  
  
• If you are on a Macintosh computer and your computer freezes half way through startup try rebooting and hold down the Shift key to turn off all Extensions and Control panels. If the computer boots up then you have a bad or conflicting Extension or Control panel. The next thing to do is to go under the Apple Menu and select Control panels and double click on the Extensions Manager control panel. Once the window opens go under the Selected Set bar, click on the bar and select Mac OS x.x All. Now try restarting your computer to see if it will startup OK. If it does return to the Extensions Manager and click on one of the unchecked boxes and restart to see if that piece of software was the cause of your problem. You may have to repeat this numerous times to find the software that was causing the problem. Once you find the software that was causing your problem you will have to restart with the Shift key held down and then repeat the steps above. If you have any trouble with these steps call Dennis Aubuchon (935-4262) or Frances Thuet (935-6705) for assistance.
  
  
• If your computer starts normally but nothing appears on your monitor make sure that there is power to the monitor. Then check the data cable that goes from the monitor to your computer to make sure that it is plugged in securely. If you still get nothing on the screen try hooking the monitor up to another computer to make sure that the monitor is not just a bad monitor. If the monitor works properly on another computer then the problem could be with the computer itself and you should call either Dennis or Frances for assistance.
  
  
• If your printer fails to show up on the network try powering it off and back on first. If this doesn't work make sure that the network cable is plugged in securely to the printer and the wall outlet. If you have an Asante Print box hooked up to your printer try powering the printer and print box off then turn the print box back on first and then the printer.
  
  
• If your keyboard or mouse stop functioning make sure that they are plugged in securely or try unplugging them and then plug them back in again. If this doesn't work you may need a new keyboard or mouse.
  
  
• If your mouse is sticking as you try to drag the cursor across the screen it probably just needs to be cleaned. This can be done with regular Isopropyl alcohol and a small screwdriver or pocket knife. To do this remove the cover for the mouse ball and remove the ball. Each mouse has at least two rollers inside that need to be scraped clean of built up dust and dirt using the alcohol and screwdriver. Once each roller has been cleaned clean the mouse ball as well and then replace the ball and cover.

Software

• Software can be difficult to troubleshoot because it can be hard to determine if it is the software or the operating system. The first thing to try is to determine what version of software you're running and go to the manufacturers web site to see if there is a newer version that might correct your problem.
  
  
• If you are having difficulty using your software most software packages have a built in Help pull down menu that may help you with your problem.

Recommendations

• If you do not already have a good surge protector plugged into your computer equipment I would highly recommend doing so. These devices will help protect your equipment from hardware failure. To do an even better job of protecting your equipment you can get an Uninterruptable Power Supply or UPS. These devices give you battery backup for your equipment and start around $75.00 for about 5 minutes of power. The department has it set up so that in the event of a power outage the outage will usually last for 10 seconds or less. The best brands to buy are APC or Tripp Lite and can be purchased from MicroWarehouse or Corporate Express.
  
  
• If you find that you are needing to run a Windows program on your Macintosh and really don't want to purchase a whole new computer I would recommend purchasing Virtual PC for Macintosh. This program runs on your Mac and allows you to run virtually any Windows program. It's actually like having two computers in one and the program retails for $189.95 from MacWarehouse.