Tag Archives: problems

Make Tech Easier

Keep your computers running smoothly – avoid headaches!

Full article is at https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-keep-your-remote-work-setup-running-smoothly-with-regular-maintenance/

Computers and laptops really do need regular maintenance to keep running. NONE of this is difficult, but will avoid a LOT of headaches.

It does NOT look like this!

EVERY WEEK

  • Check for Updates
  • Shut down the device [don’t just restart]. Wait a few minutes. THEN turn them back on.
    • It REALLY DOES solve a variety of mysterious issues.
  • Clean up – use a cloth to remove dust and fingerprints and all the other ickiness from your device.
    • Most microfiber cloths will do just fine. You do NOT have to go buy something “computer specific”.
    • Clean the webcam as well.

EVERY MONTH

  • Refresh your internet connection – unplug your cable modem, router, switches – any gizmo relating to your internet connection. Wait a couple of minutes, then turn them back on.
    • It will take several minutes for all the device to reconnect and get settled in. Go have a glass of sweet tea while you wait, and take a deep breath.
  • Check your accounts. Go to  Have I Been Pwned to see if any of your accounts have been in a data breach. Apple’s Safari Browser as well as Google Chrome might also prompt you about accounts that have been compromised.
  • Check your backups – you DO have a back up of important data?
    • If you don’t, you’d best get on that right now. Machines DO fail – it is only a matter of time.

EVERY YEAR

  • Review your setup. Retire anything you don’t use.
    • That is a great idea from a security perspective, could save money on your power bill, and will certainly help declutter your space.
  • Document your setup – write it down! How are things connected, what gizmos do you have in the house, serial numbers, etc.

iPads, Student

Sadlier Connect problems

If you are one of the “lucky” students who have a Sadlier assignment not loading on your iPad, please help out MDS Tech –  try the things listed below, and send an email to Mr. Rule or to Tech letting us know what worked and what didn’t.

This will help us research the problem. We’re working with Tech support to see if we can figure out what the solution is.

DO THIS ON A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT, not a test – because you are going to be loading it in multiple times. Let’s avoid as many headaches as possible!

• According to Sadlier tech support, try ROTATING your iPad to see if it will display the page correctly. Also, try pinching in/out [zooming in and out] – sometimes that will work.

• If the assignment won’t load at school, try to load it at home. Does that make a difference?

• Swipe out of all your apps, shutdown the iPad. Wait 20 seconds. Start it back up. Reload the assignment. Any difference?

• You have THREE browsers on your iPad – Chrome, Safari, Firefox. Once an assignment won’t load, try to load it right then in the other 2 browsers.

•Pick a browser. Clear the cache, then try to load the assignment again.

Safari: Settings –> Safari –> Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the right side and select “Clear History and Website Data”

Chrome:  Click the three dots icon at top right. Select Browsing History. At the bottom, click “CLEAR BROWSING DATA”. Make sure there are checkmarks on “Browsing History, “Cookies, Site Data” and “Cached Images and Files”. Click the Clear Browsing History button at the bottom.

Firefox: Click the “hamburger menu” – the 3 horizontal parallel lines at the top right. Select Settings –>  Clear Private Data . Turn all sliders on [blue], and click Clear Private Data.