Troubleshooting Computer Problems

This page covers the common questions you should think about when you run into a computer problem. These are the same type of questions that the MSIS Helpdesk staff would ask as they try to assist. By following these troubleshooting tips you may be able to solve your own problem in a short amount of time. It also helps to narrow down, logistically, the possibilities of failure. If, after initial troubleshooting, your computer still does not work, at least you will be able to describe the problem to someone else in a much more informed manner.

Common problems and solutions:

• Basic Knowledge.
• General Advice.
• "Computer doesn't start up at all."
• "Computer gets stuck starting up the operating system."
• "I can't move the mouse" or "the keyboard doesn't respond."
• "I can't read the floppy disk."
• How to tell if your computer is "on" the network.
• "I can't log in to the network."
• "I can't use e-mail."
• "I can't print."
• "I can't get onto the Web."
• "My software application doesn't work."
• "My computer keeps crashing in..(Word,Excel,etc.)"
• Data or File related troubleshooting

Basic Knowledge

You should know some basic information about your computer:

1. Is it a Mac or PC? Who is the manufacturer (Dell, IBM, Apple, no name)?
2. Operating System and version (OS 9.0 or X for Mac, Windows 98, 2000 or XP)?
3. Approximate amount of ram (memory) in your computer. This is a number similar to 128 megabytes or 1 or more gigabytes.
4. What were you LAST doing when you encountered a problem? How many programs were running? What were you working on? Was the document local (on your hard drive), or on a network drive?
5. Were you logged on to the SoM network?

General Advice

• Reboot: 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! ("It's a mystery.")
  
  
• 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. Please note:  If your PC is part of the SoM Network, your computer will automatically receive virus definition updates.
  
  
• 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?
  
  
• 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.
  
  On Mac start Safari (or any other browser) if you can browse the Internet you are connected to the network.
  

Hardware Related Troubleshooting

"Computer doesn't start up at all."

1. Check to ensure that the power cords and power strip are firmly connected. Check all cable and power connections. Restart the power strip if you have one.
2. Is there electricity? Is the power strip on? Is the monitor on? Is the hard drive on?
3. Does either the monitor, or computer green light come on? Does the monitor light come on green at all, even briefly, or is it orange?
4. Do you hear the hard drive start up?
5. Do you get error messages? If you do get error messages write them down-thoroughly.
6. When did it last work?
7. What was the last thing you did before shutting it down?
8. Did you install new software, or hardware? Did you delete any files?

"Computer gets stuck starting up the operating system."

1. Do you get error messages or nothing? If you do get error messages write them down.
2. When did it last work?
3. What was the last thing you did before shutting it down?
4. Did you install new software, or hardware? Did you delete any files?
5. For Mac, try starting system with extensions off (you do this by restarting while holding down "shift" key). Then turn extensions on with extension manager slowly to find problem.
6. In Windows press "F8" at start up, and try launching in "Safe Mode".

"I can't move the mouse", or "the keyboard doesn't respond."

• Check the cable connections between mouse, keyboard and the computer. Are they in the right ports?
• Swap the mouse or keyboard temporarily with one that you know works on another machine. Does it work now?
• Try restarting with the cables connected correctly.

"I can't read a floppy/zip disk or CD"

1. Does your computer recognize the drive? (Usually A: for floppies)
2. Can you read ANY other floppy disks, or none?
3. Can it be read in another computer? Mac or PC?
4. What type of disk is it? Is it high density, low density, Mac or PC formatted?
5. Run a complete AntiVirus scan of the floppy disk.
6. Can you read anything off the disk, or is it just a problem with one file?
7. Copy the file(s) to the local hard drive, then try to open it.

Network Related Troubleshooting:

How to tell if your computer is 'on' the network

Does your computer connect to the SoM network and allow you access to the Internet?

For Windows:

1. At start up, does your computer have a green background with the WSU SoM Logo in the corner?  Does it prompt to log into the MED domain (Press CTRL-ALT-DELETE)? Did you log in, at startup, without errors, to the MED domain?
2. Do you get any error messages when starting your Internet browser?

For Mac (OSX):

1. Go System Preferences. Choose Network. Is the Built-in Ethernet selected? Do you have an IP address ("provided by the DHCP server")? If not, then check your network cable connections and then restart you Mac.

"I can't log onto the network."

1. Can anyone in the office log in on any other computer?
2. Can you log on, with your own SoM login ID and password, to someone else's computer, just not your own?
3. Can someone else log onto your computer as themselves?
4. Are you sure you remember your password? Is the cap's lock key on?
5. Check network cables, remove and put back in.
6. Did you get any error messages on startup?

"I can't use e-mail."

1. Are you connected to the network?
2. Can anyone in the office get into their mail on any other computer?
3. Do you remember your password?
4. Can you get to the OWA home page: http://owa.med.wayne.edu/ in the browser window?  Can you log into the OWA website if you have an exchange mailbox with the School of Medicine?

"I can't print."

1. Are you connected to the network?
2. Are you printing to a local or network printer?
3. If it is a network printer, can anyone in the office print from any other computer to that printer?
4. Can you print to any other printer?
5. Try turning printer on and off. Check printer network cables, remove and put back in.
6. Is there a paper jam at the printer?
7. On a PC, go to Start > Settings > Printers. Is the printer you want listed? Is it shaded out?  If you can open up the printer, check the printer queue. Has it stalled, or is a job stuck in it? Try deleting the print job. 
8. On a Mac, go to chooser. Do you see all the printers listed on the right? Are you selecting the proper driver - Adobe or HP, etc.? Is your printer listed? Are other printers listed? Try setting it up again.

"I can't get onto the Web."

1. Can anyone in the office get onto the web, from any other computer?
2. On a PC, click start menu, choose Programs, choose Accessories and select SOMUtils - choose "MSIS Computer Info" - do you see an IP Address that starts out with 146.9.XXX.XXX?
3. On a Mac, go to TCPIP control panel, and check the server is set to use DHCP if you are in a building that is setup to use a DHCP connection.

Software Related Troubleshooting

"My software application doesn't work."

1. When did it last work? Has this software been working recently, or is this the first time you've tried it?
2. Did you delete, or move any files?
3. If this is the first time you've tried it? Did you try to install it yourself? From disk, or over the network?
4. If installed over the network, did you receive any error messages during or after the installation?
5. Are you on the network?
6. On a Mac, try rebuilding the desktop (do this by restarting while holding down the option and apple clover key).
7. Reload the software.

"My computer keeps crashing in... (Word, Excel, etc.)."

1. Try opening different files in the program, not the same one each time. It may be a data problem, not the software.
2. Try shutting down and restarting the computer.
3. Reload the software.

Data or File Related Troubleshooting (Word, Excel, etc.)

1. Try opening file from hard disk first, not from a floppy disk/CD or memory stick.
2. Open file and save it with a different name. The original may be corrupted.