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The computer doesn't work

In class you only have afew minutes to try and sort it out
If it can't be easily fixed.....do something else.

The computer won't start at all (no sounds/lights)

Is the computer turned on? (check all plugs and buttons)
Are the plugs/power leads working (swap the leads around)
Is the wall socket working?

No picture

Is the monitor turned on?
Is the monitor cable properly connected?
Is the brightness or contrast turned down?
Has the power gone down and the monitor needs to be turned back on?
Has a screen saver or power saver blanked the screen? -press a key/move the mouse

No sound

Are the speakers turned on?
Are the speakers volume controls turned down?
Are the speakers plugged into the computer?
Is the sound turned down on the computer? -there is a little speaker picture on the bottom left of the screen- click on it to see the volume settings

The mouse pointer is not moving

or the computer says that it cannot find a mouse
Is the mouse plugged in?
If you have a semerc mouser attached.....
Is the switch on the semerc mouser in the correct setting
Try unplugging the semerc mouser and plugging in the mouse directly (you will have to restart the computer)

Printer doesn't print

Is the printer turned on? (check light)
Is the printer connected to the computer?
Are the cables secure?
Is there another device sharing the printer connection? (a scanner/zip drive) if so they must also be switched on.
Is there paper in the printer
try pressing the resume/online button on the printer.
try turning the printer off and then back on again

Errors when the computer is running

The computer stops working: system hangs

and does not respond to the mouse or keyboard
press the Num Lock or the Caps lock key on the keyboard if the indicator lights on the keyboard change then the entire system is not down and you can wait for a couple of minutes. If you see or hear harddisc activity then the computer is probably still busy.
If there is no sound or response then the computer is probably down.
Simultaneosly press down the CTRL, ALT and DEL keys. If only one or a few applications have stopped responding but the rest of the system is still working you should see the Close Program dialogue box that will list the current applications give you three choices:
select End task
If the system remains stable repeat this procedure with all applications that are listed as not responding.
If this does not make the computer work again (and it usually doesn't) pressing CTRL, ALT and Delete twice will restart the computer
If the computer still shows no response then press the reset button on the computer.
If there is no reset button then you will have to turn the computer off and back on again.
Windows will have to run Scan disk on restarting (which might take some time).

Occaisionally you may get a general protection fault (GPF). You will usually get this message in the form of a dialogue box with the options to close the application or to ignore the problem. First try pressing the Ignore button repeatedly until the dialogue box goes away. Then save your work and do a normal shut down and reboot the computer. If repeated attempts to press the ignore button do not result in the dialogue box closing, then you will lose some of your work and you will have to press the Close button.

Safe mode

Sometimes Windows will fail to start up and will go into safe mode. Safe mode loads only the mininimum number of device drivers needed to get Windows working (for example you cannot print in Safe mode) and has safe mode written all over the screen. Close down and try restarting.

Printer prints rubbish

Is the correct printer driver running? Check in printer dialogue box that the right printer is mentioned (ie if you are using an Epsom make sure it doesn't say Canon). There might be several different printers listed, choose the right one.

A general cure for most of the dificulties in Windows is to shut it down and restart it
try it, if this doesn't work use the computer as a teaching example:
IT POS. KS3.
'consider the limitations of IT tools and information sources, and of the results they provide, and compare their effectiveness and effeciency with other methods of work'
and go and do something else.