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Report Computer Problems

Things to try before logging a work request

• Be sure the computer, printer, or other device that's giving you trouble is plugged in. Many times surge protectors or network cables get unintentionally unplugged or switched off.
• If you are working in an application where you can save your data, try to do so before calling for help.
• Terminate any sessions that involve communication with another computer--for example, an email client.
• Log off the computer. Shut down all the applications you have running. Click the Start button and select Log Off. Then logon again. This often clears up problems with individual applications.
• Restart the computer. Shut down all the applications you have running. Click the Start button and select Shut Down, then Restart the Computer.

Include Hostname or Inventory No. when you log a work request

• Each networked Library computer has a unique name and address so it can be easily identified. Please provide either your computer hostname (also called "machine name") or its inventory number (also called "inventory tag") when you contact Library IT to report a problem or to request assistance with a workstation.
• There are two places where you can find this information:

On your computer desktop

There is an icon called "Computer Information" on every staff computer. It looks like this:

When you click it, a web page displays in the browser on which you'll find the hostname and inventory number of your computer along with some other information. It looks like this:

Notice the inventory number is at the top and in bold (highlighted in yellow in the above image) since when you log a ticket there is a field for you to fill in for the inventory number. The hostname is called the machine name (highlighted in red) on this page.

On the right side of your computer (CPU)

There are several labels on the right side of your computer (when your computer is siting flat and you're facing the DVD drive).
One of them will be the hostname lable and it looks like this:

One of them will be the inventory number label. It may look like one of the following tags:

For comments on this page contact: IT Help Desk

Last modified by: Helen Zhou on 8/26/08