|
NEWSLETTER LINKS
|
» Current Newsletter
» December 2004
» July, 2004
» May - June, 2004
» February, 2004
» January, 2004
» December, 2003
» November, 2003
» September, 2003
» July, 2003
» June, 2003
» May, 2003
» April, 2003
» March, 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SEPTEMBER, 2003
It's back to school, and . . .
Time to review and verify computers in classrooms and labs:
Otherwise known as, "is everything working?" Below are some of the small details that have stopped our projects.
In ALL troubleshooting exercises, please remember to change only ONE thing at a time and verify operation after each change.
You could be changing out perfectly good parts, or introducing bad parts, and this can delay finding the problem, or solving it once found.
Power (Got Power?):
Do you have enough outlets for all the power cords you need to plug in? Is the room wired and circuit breaker / fused for enough amperage?
Remember that power strips (typically six-outlet extension cords) can NOT be daisy-chained! It is unsafe and usually violates fire codes.
Cables:
Are all connections to computers, monitors, printers, hubs, etc., snug? Do the cables have any damage
anywhere (nicks, tears, chaffing, BREAKS) to the insulation, the wire inside, or connectors? Are all
cables out-of-the-way so they will not get snagged? Do cables have some slack so they are not being
pulled and stressed? Are they routed and "dressed" so troubleshooting and circuit tracing will be easy?
Media and Licenses:
All your Operating System and Application program discs, driver discs, and back-up data media should be handy, along with licenses for all programs.
Software updates:
All your programs, including security and antivirus, should have the latest updates or patches. You should schedule to check for updates WEEKLY, and no
longer than monthly. (For Windows Based Computers) - System tools - all drives should be defragged.
Some additional observations:
If you have all the computers the same (same model or look) in a room, there's no fight over which
computer is better than another. When setting up a computer system, place the monitor upright before
plugging in any of the cables (both power and video). Monitors on their side or upside down when powered
on, and then turned upright (rotated) are effected by the magnetic field of the earth, and this can cause
screen discoloration along one side of the screen that MAY NOT go away.
If you have some information that you want to share with our audience you may email it to
us at info@crc.org. If we publish your info, we will credit you!
Thanks for your support, and check out the rest of our site. Regards!
© 1991 - 2003 Computers & Education and Computer Recycling Corporation. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
