 Basic troubleshooting OS 8/9
• My computer won’t start 'No Power' - Check your power connections. Try unplugging the computer for 10 minutes, and then try again. If it’s a notebook, remove the battery and try again. Try pressing the reset button if you computer has one.
• Grey Screen, Flashing question mark or no entry sign - Try zapping the P-RAM. Hold down the option key as you start to select the correct start-up volume. Hold down shift as you start to start with extensions off. Try Starting from the install disk and running disk utility, or run DiskWarrior or a current version of Norton Utilities if you have it.
• I can’t print - Check that your don’t have a paper jam or other problem with the printer. Try switching the printer off then on again, delete any queued print jobs in the print monitor.
• I can’t open one of my files - If you know what application should be used to open the file, try dragging the file onto the application icon, or open the application first and try opening it from the file menu.
• I can’t connect to the internet - If you are using a broadband connection, reset the modem and/or router by switching them off, then on again. If you are using dial-up, check the phone line is working.
Try restarting your computer.
Call your ISP to see if they are having network difficulties.
• My email won’t work - Check that your internet connection is working.
If you are using Microsoft Outlook Express, or Entourage, you can rebuild your mailbox by holding down the option key as you start the program. You can also try deleting the preferences for your mail program, but you will need to re-enter your settings if you do this.
• My computer says it is out of memory - Try quitting open applications, if this doesn’t immediately solve the problem, restart your computer. Remember to close applications when you are finished with them by selecting “Quit” from the file menu, rather than just closing the document window.
• Preventative maintenance -
Rebuild Desktop – You should rebuild your desktop periodically (say, every 6 months, or more frequently if you receive lots of different files from other people) hold down the Apple and Option keys as you restart, until you see a window asking if you want to rebuild the desktop. Press OK.
Run Norton Utilities or DiskWarrior from CD – Every 3 months or so, or if you notice frequent crashing. This removes any corruption from your directory structures.
• Performance tips - Don’t have more than 150% of your real memory as virtual memory ie. If you have 128MB real memory, don’t use more than 192MB of virtual memory. Check your extension set and disable unused extensions using extension manager.
Have at least 10% of your hard drive available as free space. |
 Basic troubleshooting OS X
• My computer won’t start No Power - Check your power connections. Try unplugging the computer for 10 minutes, and then try again. If it’s a notebook, remove the battery and try again. Try pressing the reset button if you computer has one
• Grey Screen, Flashing question mark or no entry sign - Try zapping the P-RAM. Hold down the option key as you start to select the correct start-up volume. Hold down shift as you start to start in safe mode. Try Starting from the install disk and running disk utility, or run DiskWarrior or a current version of Norton Utilities if you have it.
• I can’t print - Check that your jobs aren’t stoped in print centre. Check your physical connections. Turn the printer off, and then on again. Delete and re-create the printer in print centre.
• I can’t open one of my files - If you know what application should be used to open the file, try dragging the file onto the application icon, or open the application first and try opening it from the file menu.
• I can’t connect to the internet - If you are using a broadband connection, reset the modem and/or router by switching them off, then on again. If you are using dial-up, check the phone line is working. Try restarting your computer, call your ISP to see if they are having network difficulties.
• My email won’t work - Check that your internet connection is working. If you are using Microsoft Outlook Express, or Entourage, you can rebuild your mailbox by holding down the option key as you start the program. You can also try deleting the preferences for your mail program, but you will need to re-enter your settings if you do this.
• Preventative maintenance - Run Norton Utilities or DiskWarrior from CD. Repair permissions using Disk Utility – Once every 1 – 2 months or so.
Zap PRAM
• Performance tips - If your computer is not regularly on and awake overnight, you should run the periodic maintenance scripts within Mac OS X. You can do this from the terminal, or download a free utility (see links). Unless you have a very large amount of RAM (greater than 1GB), don’t leave unnecessary applications open.
Ensure you always have at least 10% of your start-up disk as free space. |
