Windows Laptop FAQ
This FAQ is relevant specifically for the ByteSpeed laptops running Windows XP Professional. These laptops are those that can be found in the laptop carts at both the elementary and high schools, as well as those assigned to staff members.
If you have any questions that are not addressed here, please e-mail "T S"
- How long will my battery last?
- My Laptop won't turn on. What can I do?
- I can't see my "H:" Drive. What should I do?
- Log in problems
- The internet isn't working! What's Wrong?
- My Laptop keeps going to sleep on me, What can I do?
- How long will my battery last?
A full charge can last between 2 and 3 hours depending on usage.
You will find that certain things reduce battery life. These can include:- Watching DVDs or listening to CDs
- Burning CDs
- Using the wireless card
Battery life also depends on the age of the battery. If you believe that your battery is not lasting as long as it should, please contact "T S".
- My laptop won't turn on. What can I do?
The usual suspect when a laptop won't turn on is the battery. Some possible solutions are:
- The Battery is not charged, Please Plug the laptop in, and try again
- The system locked up after shutting down, Please try holding the power button for about 10 seconds, and then try again.
- The system locked up after shutting down, with the laptop unplugged, please try removing the battery and replacing it before trying again.
If this does not solve your problem, please contact "T S" using a different computer.
- I can't see my "H:" Drive. What should I do?
After ensuring that you are connected to the network, please log out, and log back in. If you are still unable to see your "H:" Drive, but are able to see other network drives (such as the G: Drive), Please contact "T S"
- Log In Problems
- "Tree or Server cannot be found"
The laptop has probably not connected to the wireless network. Please click on "yes" to log in, then once logged in, press "Fn-F2" to turn the wireless card on, and then reboot
If this does not solve the problem, please contact "T S" - "The system could not log you into the network. Make sure your name and connection information are correct, then type your password again."
You may have mistyped your password, or you may be trying to log into the wrong location. Check the "location" bar and your username, and then re-enter your password.
If this does not solve the problem, please contact "T S" - "You are trying to log into too many stations simultaneously."
We have limited the number of stations to which everybody can be logged in at once. Occasionally the log-out procedure does not clear your connection from the server. If you are logged in on another workstation, Log out of the other workstation before trying again. If you are not logged in on another workstation, but have recently logged off, please wait up to 3 minutes before trying again.
If you have a need to be logged in on more than 1 computer at a time, or are still unable to log in, please contact "T S"
- "Tree or Server cannot be found"
- The internet isn't working! What's Wrong?
The problem is probably that your wireless card isn't turned on. Look on your notification area (To the left of the clock on your task bar) for the wireless icon (You may need to click on a small arrow circle to see all the icons).
- If it looks like this:
you should be all set. Please try loading the page again, or try loading a different page such as google.com - If it looks like this:
you may need to turn your wireless card on by pressing "Fn-F2". You should at this point wait a minute for Windows to automatically connect you to the wireless network. - If it looks like this:
you may need to have your wireless card re-connect with the server. Please go to the Start Menu -> Run, and type in "cmd" and then press "OK". In the black Command Prompt window that opens, please type in "ipconfig /release" followed by enter, and then "ipconfig /renew" followed by enter. You should then see under "Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:" an entry that includes "IP Address...:" and an entry that starts with "10." (These instructions should hold true for any wireless network, either at home or other locations such as hotels. The IP address entry however may not start with "10." and you may need to connect to the wireless netowrk by following the directions in a bubble coming from the Wireless icon.
If you are able to connect to our internal website, but not any external websites, it is possible that the school's internet connection has failed, please contact the Tech staff as soon as possible.
- If it looks like this:
- My Laptop keeps going to sleep on me, What can I do?
You laptop is set to go to sleep, or to hibernate after a certain period of non-use. This helps save battary power so that it is available when you need it. Everybody's needs are different. If you would like to change your power settings, please see the Power Settings Page.