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Common Tech Problems

Your K-5 students should be able to solve

Hardware
Computer/monitor/k Is the power cord plugged in?
eyboard/mouse
doesn’t work Is the keyboard/mouse/monitor plugged into the
CPU?

Is the computer/monitor power button on?


Sound doesn’t work Are the speakers plugged in—correctly—to the CPU?

If you have headphones, are they plugged in—


correctly—to the CPU (match the colors)
Is the volume up?

Is there any sound playing?


Monitor went black Is it still plugged in? Is it seated correctly (wiggle
and push—make sure it’s really plugged in)
Windows
I can’t find my MS Did you look on the desktop? The Start button?
Office program Under ‘All Programs’?

Right click on the desktop; select ‘new’. Pick the MS


Office app you need

Push the Start Button and Search for any file ending
in .doc or docx (depending upon which version of
Word you own). Your search should read: *.doc or
*.docx. When it finds a data file (a document created
in MS Word), open it. That will open Word
Start button is gone Push the Flying Windows key
Taskbar is gone Hover over the bottom of the screen. Did it
reappear?

Is it on the side of the screen?


Push the Flying Windows (85% of taskbar tasks are
to open a new program)
Taskbar was moved Drag and drop it back to where you like it
Desktop icons are all Right click on the desktop. Select ‘arrange’ and how
messed up you want them sorted
Screen says ‘Ctrl- Hold down Ctrl+Alt with your left hand, and push
Alt-Del” ‘delete’ with your right
Within a program
I can’t find the file Search for it (see instructions above)

Open the Recycle Bin. Is it in there?


I need today’s date Hover over the clock in the lower right corner. It’ll
show the date

Start typing the date (you probably know the month)


and Word usually fills it in for you

Shift+Alt+D is the keyboard shortcut for date


I erased my Ctrl+Z will undo one step at a time for up to 200
document/text/para steps
graph
Program disappeared Is it on the taskbar? Click to re-activate
Program froze There’s probably a dialogue box open somewhere.
Look around the screen. When you find it, it’ll want
you to answer a question

You might have gotten out of it. Re-select it on the


taskbar
Menu command is You’re probably in the middle of something you don’t
grayed out, won’t even know about. Push ‘Esc’ (for ‘escape’) four times
work and try again
I can’t exit a Alt+F4 closes most programs. Or Ctrl+W
program
Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then select the Task Manager.
From there, pick the ‘applications’ tab and close your
program.
Double-click doesn’t Click and then push enter.
work
Shift key won’t Is your Caps Lock on?
capitalize
From the Internet
Top toolbar Push F11
disappeared
It’s too small Ctrl++ zooms in, as does Ctrl+ rolling the mouse wheel

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