#how to troubleshoot

[amynchan]

Computer Troubleshooting

Because I have some students who are of adult age and do not know how to troubleshoot their problems. When they get an error message, they, too, freeze as though the Great Computer Overlords have done them a personal disservice, and there is no way through. The helplessness is Real, guys.

But there is usually a way through. Computers are big input/output machines, so there's usually a way through. It's just annoying as fuck.

Step 1: Read the error message. No, I do not mean skim it. I do not mean let your eyes pass over it while you panic. I do not mean scream at the error message as it pops up repeatedly while you try the same thing over and over and over again. Sit your butt down, turn your eyes and brain on, and read it. The computer is an intricate connection of wires and hardware and software with specific parameters, and it is also a big baby that usually has the language to tell you exactly what is wrong and how to fix it. Once you read the error message, do what it tells you, and your computer should be a happy lil' clam.

Step 2: Go back and read the directions. Same thing. Sometimes, the error is "whoops, something went wrong!" In that case, find the directions on the site itself. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a student at a login page and Very Frustrated that they can't log in when the instructions on how to do so are Right Next To The Login Button. It's right there. Turn off autopilot, read the directions, and follow the directions.

Step 3: Explore the software itself/retrace your steps. More reading, but treat this like a point-and-click adventure or some kind of rudimentary detective work. Sometimes, you just missed something x amount of steps ago, or you didn't see a specific button that you needed to click. Usually happens with Canvas where students kinda forget that in order to open an assignment, you've got to go through the module itself, which may include pages that you need to look at first. =_= You can't just use the to-do list. Usually, there are directions on how to use the software properly. Find it, then follow it. See if that fixes the issue.

Step 4: Check your internet. A lot of this shit is now internet-connected. Check that you're connected. This could be that your modem power switch got hit by the cat, you haven't logged in doing what the internet service asked you to do, or you're on data and have hit a major slow down. Make sure the modem is on and powered, make sure that you've done any logging in that needs to be done, and check your data.

Step 5: Look up any error codes. Look, computers use the language that was given to them. If the coder said "present this code when you freak the fuck out" to the computer in their fancy coding language, then the computer is going to do that. Put in the elbow grease and use duckduckgo or any other search engine to figure out what the code means. Someone somewhere already wrote it down for you. Find it.

Step 6: Close the software and reopen it. Sometimes this requires opening up the task manager (ctrl+alt+delete and click 'task manager' and similar for mac), finding the software, right-clicking, and hitting 'end task.' I have to do this to discord sometimes. Kill that bitch with No Mercy, and then revive it. Sometimes, this helps without having to turn the whole thing off and then on again.

Step 7: Turn your hardware off, wait at least 10-30 seconds, and turn it on again. No, don't hit the 'restart' button. Let it die. Die, die, die, die. Then revive it. Sometimes--many times--this works.

Step 8: Call IT. This is basic troubleshooting for your computer. Lil' bit of first aid so you don't end up hopeless and without your computer when you Really Need It. If the above steps don't help, call in an expert. But make sure you follow these steps first.

Also don't wait until the last minute istg.

Also, bonus step, if you've lost a document, check the downloads folder and the recycling bin on your computer. Chances are that it's in one of those places.

Now, obviously I am talking specifically about students who are having trouble with the Learning Program/Software, but this usually works for anything else, too. I hope this is helpful to more than just the target audience.

[chiangyorange]

happy new year!!!! heres a batch of memes i drew last night while watching knives out on call with my friends and getting increasingly more and more wine drunk <3

edit: NO ONE TOLD ME THAT I FORGOT TO DRAW FOURS FUCKING EARS IN THE SECOND FILE OH MY GODDDDDDD ITS FIXED NOW ITS FIXED

[retroautomaton]

made my first printed zine 🖨️✨

some extras about it for ko-fi members! ☕️

[yuechicake]

li’s tour of eridia!

(commissioned from iinspirin)

[leafywillow]

gone thrifting

[bambiraptorx]

i think Draxum deserves to have a cat and also be an asshole about it lmao

[sovonight]

;

[elcucurucho]

“oh mariana’s doing a stream from twitchcon how fun I wonder what he’s up to he’s a professional streamer I’m sure he’s got a normal camera and aspect ratio-“

completely unedited camera footage:

[servegrilledcheese]

how cooked is my nsb2 save following the latest update? 🤠 i also ran better exceptions and it said the culprit was career_base what does that mean

[orykorioart]

Very excited for Ethersea Mermay stuff, so here’s a little WIP sneak peak + a silly sketch featuring a smol portable Zooxie.

[spell-bloom]

the rerelease is way worse than everyone thought, they literally stole nopke's shadow fix (code is exactly the same) and from what im hearing it doesnt even include bodyshop

I've been checking like three other discords and uh WOW there sounds like an absolute shit show.

There is a LC mod status tracker and there's a few that are broken or have issues. It's going to be a nightmare helping others troubleshoot from here on.

@ghostwoohoo put it best, you're paying more for less. Less packs, no bodyshop, some songs got cut due to licensing.

Crash fest, bug fest, whole bunch of new bugs we've never even seen before

Needs the EA app anyway even if you use Steam

I absolutely feel bad for the people who buy this crap, realize how much it sucks and then learn about the ts2 starter pack later. It's not the 64bit, pink soup free, lag free, remaster of our dreams. It's corporate slop that banks on players either not knowing about piracy or being incapable of reading instructions on how to pirate the game.

[mechatronophilia]

listen. your english degree is intellectually stimulating but your hands are too soft, you know this as well as i do. i see how you look at the blue collar workers in their hi-vis and coveralls, wondering what they know about electricity that you don't. you can find out. get some dirt on your hands and learn how to bend the physical world to your will. textbooks feel better in callused hands, i promise.

[chewyhanniebug]

i always wonder how other people see xh in their head because this is how i do

and i feel like that has to be weird considering how different most of them are

[torchickentacos]

me after my mom called and said 'hey I found this old canon eos 400D with a bunch of lenses if you're interested'

[astrobei]

need to get off reddit bc if i see one more post from an incoming transplant wondering if they’ll “be able to survive on a salary of 85k?? 🥺” i’m going to commit a crime

[starmocha]

me: why doesn't this work 🙄

also me: *did not read the instruction manual*