Handbook of Computer Troubleshooting

Michael Byrd, Jim Pearson, Robert A. Saigh

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781136598739
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

More than just a quick-fix manual for the do-it-yourselfer, this book covers all aspects of small business computing. The Handbook of Computer Troubleshooting is a complete guide for solving the most typical problems most users will encounter. Both the neophyte and experienced user will find helpful tips to solve the more irksome, yet common, problems. Topics covered include: Hardware * Graphics Software * The Internet * Ergonomics * Keyboards * Networks * Company Addresses * Utilities Software * Educational Software * Printers * Monitors * Security Threats * Web Sites * and much more.

Chapter 1
Hardware

INPUT DEVICES

Mice

So many types of mice and trackpads exist that we can cover only the most recurrent types and problems you may encounter. With most problems, first turn the monitor and computer off and back on. You can also solve many problems by calling the manufacturer or going to the manufacturer’s web site; many sites offer troubleshooting information. Check all connections before assuming a worst-case scenario.

1. My mouse has stopped responding, is sticky, or only likes moving in one direction (say, horizontally as opposed to vertically). What can I do about it?

• Check that all connections are still tight and the mouse cable is connected to the right port on the computer. If both mouse AND keyboard don’t work, the computer has probably locked up, which means the mouse may be all right. Try the following:

1. Turn off the computer and monitor completely.

2. Turn your mouse upside down, take out the trackball by twisting the door (usually counterclockwise), and remove the door to get to the ball.

3. Clean the trackball with soap and warm water. Avoid getting lint on the ball.

4. Inside the trackball holding area are two black rotating axles (perpendicular to one another) for horizontal and vertical screen movement and one white small axle (at a 45 degree angle to the other axles for diagonal movement). Remove dirt from the center of the white axle and the sides of the black ones by gently scraping it off with a fingernail or use a cotton swab with cleaning liquid.

5. You can also clean the area with compressed air but do this gently.

6. Replace the trackball.

7. Close the trackball door.

8. Turn the monitor and computer back on.

9. Test the mouse on a smooth surface, preferably a mouse pad.

Hint 1

Think of any mouse whether with a top trackball (like Microsoft’s EasyBall) or a bottom trackball (like the standard PS/2 mouse) as a manual floor sweeper. Whatever the ball of the mouse comes in contact with may be swept into the innards of the device. If you eat while working at any computer, grease from your fingers or small particles of food may begin to interfere with mouse operation. Therefore:

• Keep the mousepad clean and dustless.

• Don’t eat anything while working at the computer.

• Don’t drink anything unless the liquid is in a sealed container. I like to keep what I’m drinking in a travel mug or the kind of bottle bicyclists use (and I keep the container on the floor).

• Buy a can of compressed air and clean the keyboard and mouse periodically—but only when the computer is turned off.

Hint 2

Learn to use more keyboard commands; these are faster than a mouse and useful in case of mouse emergencies. Experiment with the command keys (Fl through F12) and combinations of the command keys with Alt, Shift, and Ctrl keys, etc. Create a list of these commands to keep handy. I can get all of my e-mail without ever using the mouse. Think of that as a useful possibility—or a challenge.

Definitions

A Trackball: Looks like an upside-down mouse with a large ball facing up. EasyBall is one example. Some people prefer the trackball because it reduces arm and wrist motion.

2. My mouse in Windows 3.x will not respond at all. What can I do about it?

• If the mouse is moving but the buttons are not responding, perhaps someone has switched your left and right buttons. To fix this:

1. Double-click on the Main icon, the Control Group icon, and then the Mouse icon.

2. Make sure the Swap Left/Right Buttons checkbox has not been checked (Alt+S).

3. If the Swap Left/Right Buttons checkbox has been set for a left-handed person, switch back to right-handed use, or vice versa (Alt+R or Alt+L).

3. My mouse in Windows 95 will not respond at all. What can I do about it?

• If the mouse is moving but the buttons are not responding, perhaps someone has switched your left and right buttons. To fix this:

1. Click on the Start button, Settings, and then Control Panel.

2. Click on the Mouse icon.

3. Click on the Buttons tab.

4. If Button configuration has been set for a left-handed person and you’re right-handed, switch it by pressing Alt+R; if you want to set it for left-handed use, press Alt+L.

• If the mouse buttons have not been switched but are still not responding, the buttons themselves may be dead. Borrow a friend’s mouse and see if it works. If it does, your own mouse is dead and must be replaced. (Since standard mice are cheap, it’s a good idea to have a spare around at all times.)

• If you have just bought the mouse, make sure the connection to the port does not need an additional piece. For instance, Synaptics had an ergonomic keyboard that required an interconnection piece (serial to PS/2 connector) for some mice but not others. To see if you have the correct mouse device selected:

1. Press the Start button.

2. Type the letter s (for Settings), or use the up arrow key to maneuver to Settings.

3. Type the letter c (for Control Panel), or use the right arrow key (and press the Enter button).

4. Use the down and right/left arrow keys to maneuver to the System icon(or, quickly type the letters s and then y to get to the System icon).

5. Press the Enter button once the icon has been highlighted (dark blue).

6. Use the Ctrl+Tab buttons to go to the Device Manager tab (second tab).

7. Press the Tab button.

8. Use the down arrow key to go to Mouse (or, quickly type the three letters m, o, and then u,).

9. Press the right arrow key.

10. Press the down arrow key to highlight your mouse device.

11. Press the Tab button (to highlight the Properties button below).

12. Press Enter.

13. Press the Ctrl+Tab buttons to go to the Driver tab (second tab).

14. If the listed mouse device does not match what you have, call your place of purchase and ask which mouse device should be listed and how to get it. Or, call the mouse manufacturer directly and ask the same questions.

4. My mouse will still not respond. What can I do?

• If the mouse is neither moving nor clicking, perhaps the computer has lost the drivers for the mouse. To check this, do the following:

1. Save whatever document you were working on before shutting the system down. If you cannot save with the mouse, use keyboard functions such as Alt+F followed by clicking on the S key (S=Save for most Windows programs).

2. Turn off the computer completely, wait about fifteen seconds, and turn it back on to see if the problem goes away.

• If the first step proves unsuccessful, see if you have the correct virtual mouse driver, usually named vmouse.vxd, lmouse.vxd, msmouse.vxd, or a special company abbreviation with the .vxd extension. These files can usually be found in the Windows (or Windows.000) folder using Windows Explorer or My Computer. In Windows 3.1, the file is usually mouse.drv, found by using File Manager. To check the mouse driver in Windows 95:

1. Press the Start button

2. Type the letter s (for Settings), or use the up arrow key to maneuver to Settings.

3. Type the letter c (for Control Panel), or use the right arrow key (and press the Enter button).

4. Use the down and right/left arrow keys to maneuver to the System icon (or, quickly type the letters s and then y to get to the System icon.

5. Press the Enter button once the icon has been highlighted (dark blue).

6. Use the Ctrl+Tab buttons to go to the Device Manager tab (second tab).

7. Click on the Driver tab at the top of the dialog box. This driver dialog box will show what kind of driver you have; you will probably be able either to see Driver file details or Update driver.

8. Use the down arrow key to go to Mouse (or, quickly type the three letters m, o, and then u,).

9. Press the right arrow key.

10. Press the down arrow key to highlight your mouse device.

11. Press the Tab button (to highlight the Properties button below).

12. Press Enter.

13. Press the Ctrl+Tab buttons to go to the Driver tab (second tab). This driver dialog box will show what kind of driver you have.

14. To see what kind of driver you have, press the Tab button to activate the Driver File Details…button and press the Enter button.

15. Or, if you wish to update the driver, press the Tab button to go to the Update Driver…button and press the Enter button. You must have a CD-ROM or floppy disk that contains the new driver. If not, download the updated driver from the manufacturer’s web site via the Internet. Once you have the correct file, press the Tab button to get to the Update ...