The document provides guidance on basic computer troubleshooting. It recommends first restarting the computer to solve most problems. It also advises checking for updated virus software and scanning for viruses. The document outlines steps to determine if an issue is related to hardware, software, networks or specific files. It provides troubleshooting guides for issues like failure to start, no screen image, printer problems, and non-working mouse or keyboard. The guides methodically have the user check connections, settings and basic components to diagnose common issues.

1. COMPUTER LITERACY
IT 1

3. General Advice
Computer Troubleshooting
Guide
Exercises

4. Reboot
Virus check
See if you are "on" the network
Determine the scope of the problem

5. If something is not working, or crashed, first
restart your computer. This solves most problems.
We cannot always explain why it crashes or
freezes, occasionally, just accept it as part of the
computer world

6. Virus check
Check to see if your virus scanning software
is up-to-date. Minimally, each month you
should update your Antivirus software with
the latest virus definitions, in order for it to be
effective against the latest viruses. You can
typically download new virus definitions from
the manufacturer site of your Antivirus
software. After updating your virus definitions,
run a complete scan of your hard drive.

7. Determine the scope of the problem
Try to determine if it is hardware,
network, software related or a specific file
problem. Is it with the whole office or
studio, on only one platform (only Macs
or PC's), or just your computer? Is it with
one specific program, or one specific file?

8. See if you are "on" the network
Not being connected to the network is the
culprit in most printing, web and e-mail
problems.
Here is how to test for network
connections:
In Windows, start Internet Explorer (or any
other browser), if you can browse the
Internet you are connected to the network.

9. Computer
Troubleshooting

10. When turning the computer,
it does not start.
Yes Is the power switch on? No Turn on the power switch
Yes
Is the power cable Find a live outlet and
No
plugged into a live outlet? plug it in.
Yes
Is the power connected Connect the cable to
No
to the computer? the computer.
Yes
No Turn on the power button.
Is the power button
turned on?
Contact
Yes Computer
Specialist.

11. No image appears on the screen when the computer starts
Is the monitor’s power
Yes No Turn on the power switch
switch on?
Is the monitor’s power
Yes Cable plugged into a live No Find a live outlet and
outlet? plug it in.
Is the printer cable connected
Yes
to the computer? No Connect the monitor cable
To the computer.
Does the brightness
Yes Adjust brightness and
and contrast controls No contrast controls
adjusted properly?
Contact
Yes
Computer
Specialist.

12. The printer doesn't print
Yes Is the printer’s power
No
switch on? Turn on the power switch
Is the printer’s power Find a live outlet and
Yes cable plugged into a live No
plug it in.
outlet?
Is the monitor cable connected Connect the printer cable
Yes to the computer? No to the computer.
Yes Is the correct printer is chosen No Open the Chooser and
in the chooser select the right printer.
Does the printer port selected Ensure the chooser
Yes In the Chooser match the port No printer port
connected to the printer cable that matches the port.

13. Yes Yes
Contact
Restart the computer Computer
Restart the printer
Specialist.

14. The mouse or keyboard does not work properly.
Yes Is the keyboard attached to No Connect the keyboard to
the keyboard? the computer
Is the mouse connected/ Connect the mouse to
Yes No
attached to the computer? The computer
Yes Does it have a mouse ball? No Replace the mouse ball.
Are the contacts on the Remove the mouseball
Yes No
mouse clean and clean the contacts
rollers on it.
Contact
Yes Restart the printer Computer
Specialist

19. Questions:
1. This solution solve almost all of the problems
encountered by the computer.
2. What will you do if all the solution you know
doesn’t work at all?
3. What will you do if all of your file is in your
diskette, and when you insert it to your
computer it was not recognized but your
computer offers to initialize it?

20. 1. Reboot
2. Ask for assistance from a computer
specialists.
3. If anything has been previously saved
on the diskette and this recognition
problem also occur on the computer
and you been able to restart your
computer, you will need assistance
from computer specialists. But if
tnothing has been save previously,
initialize your diskette. And if the
problem occur also in your computer
run a utility program on disk.

21. REFERENCES:
www.yahoo.com
http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/ants/support/
basictroublesooting.htm
http://pcs.suite101.com/articla.cfm/basic_
troubleshooting
http://kb.wayne.edu/index.p[hp?article=4
21#General_Advice