This document provides troubleshooting tips for common computer problems. It recommends saving work frequently to prevent losing data if electricity or connections fail. Simple issues like ensuring power and cables are connected should be checked first. It also provides guidance on using passwords correctly, resolving printing problems, closing unresponsive programs, restarting computers, and using the undo and help functions.

1. TROUBLESHOOTING
Common Problems and Possible Solutions

2. TROUBLESHOOTING
ALWAYS!
Save your work,
and save it often!!
Why?
Electricity goes out.
Cables are unplugged.
Computers “lock up”
Save Your Work!!

3. TROUBLESHOOTING
Look for the simple cause/solution
first! Is the power turned on (computer,
monitor, printer, etc.?)
Is everything plugged in?
Is a caps-lock or number-lock
pressed (or does one need to be
pressed?)
Keep it Simple…

4. TROUBLESHOOTING
Passwords:
•Are you typing the upper and lower-case letters correctly?
•Is the “Caps-Lock” key turned on or off?
PINs (Personal Identification Numbers)
•Check your Number-Lock key!
Confusing letters an numbers?
•Letter: O (capital Oo) or Number:0 (zero)
•Letter: l (lower-case Ll) or Number: 1 (one)
Passwords/Logins

5. TROUBLESHOOTING
Your Document Won’t Print!
•Are you answering all of the windows that
pop up?
•Is there paper in the printer?
•Is everything turned on and plugged in?
The printout doesn’t look like what you see on the screen.
• Are you using the correct print option? Some web sites have a
special print option that you should use instead of in the browser!
•If in doubt, look for a print-preview option.
Printing

6. TROUBLESHOOTING
Your program isn’t responding. It’s “Locked up”.
•Hopefully, you have been saving your work!
•Try to close the program and re-open it.
•Use CONTROL-ALT-DELETE to close the program (See next
slide)
•Reboot (restart) the computer (See upcoming slide!)
“Locked Up”

7. TROUBLESHOOTING
Control-Alt-Delete
These are 3 keys on your keyboard.
1. When told to hold down a key, do not let go
until you’ve finished all 3 steps!
2. Press and hold the Control (CTRL) key.
3. Press and hold the Alternate (ALT) key.
4. Press the Delete (DEL) key.
5. (Now you can release all 3 keys.)
Locked Up: Control-Alt-Delete

8. TROUBLESHOOTING
If you do not
immediately see a
window like this, you
might need to click a
button that says “Task
List”
Highlight your program
on the list, and then click
“end task”
Locked Up: Control-Alt-Delete

9. TROUBLESHOOTING
If you cannot close the program with Control-
Alt-Delete, try shutting down the computer and
restarting it.
This looks different on different computers, but
use the option on the screen for shutting down.
Locked Up

10. TROUBLESHOOTING
To be very thorough, use the SHUTDOWN
option, to completely turn off the computer
(Don’t just use RESTART.)
Locked Up

11. TROUBLESHOOTING
What if…
The computer will NOT RESPOND AT ALL!!!
Entire Computer is Locked Up

12. TROUBLESHOOTING
Sometimes, you’re left with no choice,
and will need to turn off the computer at
the power switch.
Do this as a last resort.
You may need to hold the power button
for a few seconds before the computer
turns off.
Locked Up

13. TROUBLESHOOTING
Did we mention…
ALWAYS!
Save your work
often!!
Save your work!!

14. TROUBLESHOOTING
Mistakes (or “D’OH!”)
When using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint…)
and similar programs.
Meet your new
friend…
The UNDO button!
Meet the “Undo” Button!

15. TROUBLESHOOTING
UNDO
If you’re working in a program such as Microsoft Word, and you do
something accidentally, such as…
•Delete text
•Change format (size, shape, etc) of your text
•Not sure what you did, but you don’t like it!
Click UNDO.
•Must be soon after you’ve made the mistake, though!
Undo

16. TROUBLESHOOTING
How do I….
Use the “Help” function to find answers for
yourself.
In Microsoft programs, look
for a question mark at the
top, right corner of the
window.
(Also try pressing F1 key!)
Using “Help”

17. TROUBLESHOOTING
Search for what you
would like to do with
the help window.
Using “Help”

18. TROUBLESHOOTING
Click on the best
matching instructions.
Using “Help”

19. TROUBLESHOOTING
Follow the instructions!
The biggest challenge
with “Help”, is often
knowing the name of
what you want to do!
Using “Help”