Frequently Asked Questions and Problems -- & Some Solutions

Question: What are the most important things I need to do with my tablet?

Answer:

1. Turn your tablet off completely before leaving the building with your tablet.

2. After using the computer off site, be sure to turn it off completely before returning to school. Letting the tablet go to sleep or into hibernation is not good enough.

3. If you have a problem with your tablet turn it off completely, wait 30 seconds and turn it back on. Turning a computer off, letting it sit for a few seconds and turning it back on solves about 75% of all computer problem.

Question: I have a problem what should I do first.

Solution: Determine what is happening, in what program and what were you doing when the error occurred, so if you need to go to the help desk you can describe the problem with, what happens, when does it happen etc.

Question: What is the most common “repair fix”

Solution: Turn the tablet off, wait 30 seconds and turn the tablet back on.

This will take care of about 75% of the problems.

Question: My pen (stylus) doesn’t work

Solution: Reseat the battery

How To:

Tap the pen horizontally on a desktop or other hard flat surface. Rotate the pen and tap it again. Do this until you have work all the way around the pen, then hold the pen at a right angle to the desk an tap the eraser end.

Tap Gently! If that doesn’t work, the help desk will replace it.

Question: Lost Documents

Solution: Manually Synchronize My Documents

How To: Click on Start > Right Click on My Documents > Synchronize

Most documents are lost by not properly shutting the tablet off when leaving school or leaving home without shutting it off.

ALWAYS – Insure that the files synchronized the first thing in the morning and the last thing you do before leaving school. If you don’t you’ll lose information.

Place your music files into the folder “MyStuffNotBackedUp” or your tablet will have problems synchronizing because music files can not be saved on the server with the synchronized files.

Question: No Network Access (at school)

Solution: Network Card Turned Off – Not connected to the Wireless Network

How To:

1. Check the Wireless Card - Press FN + F2 to turn on the network wireless card.

2. Check the tablets LEDs to insure it is on.

3. Check the Wireless Connection - Right-Click the wireless icon in the system tray (bottom right) à Click “View Available Wireless Networks" à You should see – MHS Connected à Click the Refresh Option on the left.

4. Use a Hard Wire to Connect to the Network – use a hard wire (patch cable – each teacher has one) to connect the computer to the network. Log in to the network, the wireless icon may connect then.

5. No Success – Take the tablet to the help desk.

Question: Music goes to My Music in My Documents

Solution: Edit Windows Media Player default settings

How To:

1. Open “MyStuffNotBackedUp” on the Local Disk (C:) Drive à

2. Right-Click New Folder à Name it “Music”

3. Open Windows Media Player & maximize the window

4. Goto the Tools Menu à options à Rip Music Tab à Rip Music to this Location à

5. Click the Change button à Browse to the Local Disk (C:) /MyStuffNotBackedUp/Music à Click Apply and then OK

Note: Ripped Music will now go to this folder by default and not be synchronized to the server. Do NOT download music at school.

Question: How Do I Print to a Classroom Printer?

Solution: Install the Printer

How To:

Start à Settings à Printers and Faxes à Click the Add Printer Icon à Next à Select – “A Network printer or a printer attached to another computer à Next à Select “Find a printer in the directory”, click Find Now, select the printer from the drop down list, click OK à Click “Yes” or “No” for the default printer option and click next à Finish

Question: Battery – Power Issues

It is safe to transport your laptop in STANDBY. The hard drive is shut down and is using a small amount of power. Shut the Tablet Off if your laptop is going to be off for a longer period of time. This also insures proper file synchronization.

Question: I am having file synchronization problem, what can I do?

Solution: File Synchronization

How To:

By design offline file synchronization happens when you log on to (turn on), or log off (turn off) your computer. You must turn your tablet off completely before leaving the building with it. After using the computer off site, turn it off completely before returning to school. Letting the tablet go to sleep or into hibernation is not good enough.

However, there maybe times you need to manually force synchronization. This can be done three different ways.

1. If the files have not synchronized.

If the files have not synchronized the synchronizing icon will show up in the bottom left of the screen in the taskbar with a yellow “!” or a blue “i” in its lower left. Double clicking the icon will start manual synchronization.

Figure 1 – File Synchronization

If you can not find a file, don’t panic, your computer probably needs to be synchronized. If the synchronization button is available you files have not synchronized, double click the icon, and (usually) the lost file will reappear.

If you have a few files that will not synchronize (music and movie files that were not put in C:MyDocumentsNotBackedUp), right click the file synchronization icon and select files. The list of files being synchronized is displayed. Delete the troublesome files.

2. Going through the Start Menu. (the synchronization icon isn’t in the taskbar)

By navigating to the start menu, going to programs, then accessories, and clicking “Synchronize”, and following the dialogs presented will also force a manual synchronization of your offline files.

Figure 2 – All Programs à Synchronize

3. From “My Documents” folder

When shutting down open your “My Documents” folder and do manual file synchronization. I know the machine should do it automatically, but if you have or are have trouble finding your files at home, do a manual synchronization.

On the “My Documents” menu bar just click “Tools” and from the drop down menu select “Synchronize”. The “Items to Synchronize” window will open, select the items you want to synchronize and click the synchronization button.

Figure 3 – My Documents Menu

Figure 4 – Items To Synchronize Window

Steps to finding “lost” files.

1. If the synchronize button is in the taskbar, the files have not been synchronized. Double click the icon to synchronize the offline and network files.

2. Check the “Recycle Bin”

3. If the files are still lost, reboot the computer. Rebooting the computer will correct about 75% of any and all computer problems.

4. Look in drive “Z:” and in C:MyStuffNotBackedUp.

5. Still no luck…Do a file restoration.

File insurance – If the document is important a second copy can be saved by using “Save As” and having the file saved into “C:MyStuffNotBackedUp”. The MyStuff….. folder is not synchronized and stays with the tablet. But, when the tablet needs to be re-imaged the MyStuff… files will be lost unless they have been manually moved to either a USB flash drive or the students network drive.

Saving important document to a USB flash drive is very good insurance. USB flash drives can be purchased at prices starting at around $7.00 at True Value. Duckwall probably carries them also.

If the student takes his or her tablet home without shutting it off before leaving school they will not have their files available at home. Letting the tablet go to sleep, or hibernate when leaving school will not allow the files to synchronize. As a result of not shutting off properly the student’s work will not be available away from school. The “My Documents” folder will not open.

Question: How do I do recover a lost file?

General Information:

The server that your files are synchronized to does a quick backup 3 times per day. The first at 7AM, the second at noon and the third backup at 3 PM. You can quickly and easily access your files that have been backup. These files are called “Shadow Copies”.

How to: Recover a Deleted File

To recover a deleted file, use the following procedure:

1. Right click on the “My Documents” icon and from the drop down menu and double click Properties.

Figure 1 – My Documents drop down menu

2. The “My Documents Properties” window will now open. Click on the “Previous Version Tab” which opens a window with a list of times and days you’re your files and document were backed up.

Figure 2 – Showing the Previous Versions Tab

3. Click on the Day and time that you want to see the backed up files. You will probably see 15 to 20 days worth of backups that you can select from. Click on the date and time that you want to see the backup files and then click the VIEW button.

Figure 3 – Showing the dates and time of file back ups

4. Clicking the view button allows you to see all the folders and files that we in your “My Documents” at that time. (Figure 4)

Notice the Title bar gives the date and time that of your “My Documents” folder.

Double clicking on a folder will show a list of the files it contains. When you find your file, double clicking on its name will open it so you can see what information it contains. When you have found the document you want to restore, close it, right click on its name and select COPY from the drop down menu. Move to your “My Documents” folder on your computer and paste the file into its proper place.

Figure 4 – My Document folder on Jan. 7^th at 7:AM.

It is IMPORTANT to remember you are copying a previous version, which may not be as complete as the present version, so when you paste into to your present My Documents the old will replace the new.

Do Not Use the RESTORE button because it will replace all of your present documents with the previous versions….. and you will have lost any changes or documents created since the backup.

Question: How can I connect to my home’s internet connection?

General Information:

Your home must have an internet connection. Common internet service providers (ISP) in this area are Midco Networks (the cable TV provider), MN Wireless, and VentureCom.

Connecting with a network cable

If you have internet service, but do not have a wireless router you will need to connect a networking cable from your provider’s modem or switch to your tablet. Plug the network cable into the tablet’s network receptacle on the left side of your tablet. Turn on your tablet and log in normally. You should be able to connect to the internet.

Connecting To Your Wireless Network

Turn on you tablet and log in normally when the tablet boots up it should show an icon with a notification that says it has found a wireless network.

Wireless Connection Icon – lower right of screen

Follow these steps to connect your computer to your wireless network:

1. Right-click the wireless network icon in the lower-right corner of your screen, and then click “View Available Wireless Networks.

2. The Wireless Network Connection window should appear and you should see your wireless network listed with its network name. If you don’t see you network, click Refresh network list in the upper-left corner. Click your network and then click Connect in the lower-right corner of the wireless network connection window.

Wireless Connection Window

3. If your wireless network was set up with security settings, windows will prompt you to enter its key. Type in the encryption key for the network and click connect.

4. Your tablet will show its progress as it connects to your network. After you’re connected, you can close the Wireless Connection window. You are done.

You should now be able to access the internet and browse, but the sites you visit will be recorded and are filtered just like at school.

Question: If I am on a trip how can I connect to a Motel/Hotel’s Wireless Network?

How To:

Wireless isn’t easy at some places. Depending on what they are using, it may be impossible for you to connect, but here are a few things to check;

1. In the system tray (the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, there is an icon that looks like a little computer monitor with curved lines coming off the side to symbolize a “wireless signal”. This is the wireless network icon. If you right-click on it you should get some choices as to what you want to do. Choose “View Available Wireless Networks”. After the window opens, there should be a few choices for your wireless connection (if the window comes up blank, click on the “Refresh network list” near the top left-hand corner of that window).

BE SURE YOUR WIRELESS IS ON, ON YOUR COMPUTER!! Fn + F2 keys…there should be a blue light near the wireless icon on your computer.

2. Choose the hotel/motel wireless network (MHSWiFi and MHS are both from the school and will only work at school) and then choose “Connect” which is in the lower right-hand corner of the window. If you see several choices, call the desk and ask which is theirs.

3. If it already says connected, try Internet Explorer. If it says connected and IE will not find a page (try several pages, not just the default MSN page. If you still do not have a connection, go back to the icon in the lower right-hand corner of the scree and right-click again on the wireless icon and choose “repair”…let it work and then try IE again.

4. If you have chosen the correct wireless signal from the hotel/motel and have tried to “repair” it and still no Internet (remember, try several sites), then there is one more trick to try.

Open up a command prompt and try to renew the IP address To open a command prompt, Click Start è run à type in “cmd” and click enter. A black screen will come up and a little underscore cursor will be flashing after z:>. Type “ipconfig /release” and press enter (make sure you have a space after ipconfig and make sure you use a / forward slash), this will release any IP address that has been assigned to your computer possibly at school. Let it work…it should state you have released your IP address and come back to the flashing underscore cursor.

Now, type, “ipconfig /renew” , this will force the computer to get a “local” IP address (if available). If it comes back w/ a IP Address starting w/ 172.???, it will not work. If you get a 16someting or a 10something….you’re in business. Type exit and enter and try IE again (remember try several sites you know). Your little icon in the system tray should be blue without a red x on it…this is good. If it still has a red x or maybe a moving yellow ball…SORRY - You can try to rt-click and choose a different wireless connection and go through the steps above.