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Troubleshooting
COMPUTER LITERACY
Learning Objectives
Know how to troubleshoot computer problems
and find alternatives to costly commercial
software
 Understand basic computer and network
troubleshooting including malware and viruses
 Meet national technology standards for
Technology Operations and Concepts
 Create a flowchart demonstrating the ability to
troubleshoot

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Quest One: Murphy’s Law
According to Murphy’s Law – Whatever can go
wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible
time, in the worst possible way. Anybody who
has used technology knows this well.
 Your mission is to prove Murphy wrong –
Complete the three quests below to learn how
to troubleshoot common computer problems.
 You must be ready to solve problems!
 Watch this video

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Notetaker
paper in half
 Unfold
 Rotate paper 90 degrees
 Fold paper in half again
 Unfold
 Fold corners up
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Q1
 Fold
Q1
Q3
Q2
Q1: Basic Computer Troubleshooting
 This
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quest challenges you to discover what
went wrong and how to fix the problem
 Label One Section of your notetaker as Q1
 Watch this video
 Take good notes in your Q1 section. Pause
the video as needed so you don’t miss
valuable information. Control your learning!
Q1: Malware and Viruses
 Label
ANOTHER section of your note
taker as Q1
 Watch this video.
 Continue taking good notes in your
second Q1 section. Pause the video
as needed so you don’t miss valuable
information
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Quest 2: Now What?
 This
quest builds on the first Quest. You
will create a flowchart for showing
your steps for solving problems.
 Watch this video
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Q2: Error Messages and Updates
 Label
a new section of your note
taker as Q2
 Watch this video
 Take good notes in your Q2 section.
Pause the video as needed so you
don’t miss valuable information
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Q2: Full Class Activity! (15 Minutes)
 Murphy
pushes the power button on her
computer and nothing happens.
 List all of the possibilities in flow chart form
on how she would troubleshoot the
problem.
 Use either Gliffy or Bubbl.us to create
your flow charts
 Be prepared to share your flow chart with
the class!
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Q2: Row Activity (10 min)
 Problem
2 - Murphy launches her Internet
browser and sees a message that tells
her, "The Page Cannot Be Found". In
addition, you notice that you can't get to
any of your network hard drives.
 List all of the possibilities in flow chart form
and how she would troubleshoot the
problem.
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Q2: Individual Activity (10 min)
Problem 3 - Over the past few days Murphy has
noticed that her computer is starting to run very
slowly, web pages are either not loading or she
is being taken to a website that she did not
intend to go to. In addition, she has been seeing
pop-up boxes telling you that her computer may
be infected.
 List the possibilities of what is wrong in flow chart
form, and describe the steps you would take to
eliminate the problem. Submit your flow chart on
Edmodo!
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Quest 3: Just When You Thought it
was Safe

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


Label the last section of your note taker as Q3. Take
notes as needed!
This will be a two part quest.
In the first part you will be doing some research on
purchasing an item from a company. You will choose
two companies to compare and you will research the
reliability of the company.
In the second part of the quest you will be doing some
work at home on your family computer by checking
on the type of virus protection you have installed.
Watch the video
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Q3: Step One
 In
a browser (or new
tab) go to the
Google website
 Select "Shopping"
under the "more" tab
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Q3: Step Two
 Type
in an item you would be
interested in purchasing.
 Choose an item that is available from
at least 10 different stores.
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Q3: Step Three
 Click
on the line where it says "from
25+ stores" to see the list of stores
where the item is available.
 Once you see the list of stores,
choose two to research about on the
Better Business Bureau web site
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Q3: Step Three cont.
 Here
is an example
of a businesses that
was selling a stereo
I searched for.
 This business
received n "F"
rating
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Q3: Step Three cont.
 Here
is another
example of a
businesses that was
selling a stereo I
searched for.
 This business received
n “A" rating
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Q3: Step 4
 Open
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Word
 Write at least three sentences summarizing
each company you researched.
 Be sure to include a snip of the company’s
BBB rating
 Save as “troubleshooting_Q3_your initials”
 Submit this document on Edmodo
Q3: Step Five
 Individuals
or companies can monitor what
you are doing on your computer by
installing spyware.
 Some ways that you can tell your computer
might be infected include sudden changes
in the behavior of the computer.
 Be sure your operating system is up to date.
 Watch the video
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Q3: Homework!
 Tonight:
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If you have a computer at home, check to
make sure it has an up-to-date active antivirus
software installed. If you don't have a computer at
home, check with a relative or friend.
 Popular antivirus software includes: BitDefender
Antivirus Plus (rated best product by PC magazine
for 2013), Kaspersky, and Norton . There are many
more very good programs, the important thing is to
make sure one is being used, and it has been kept
up-to-date.
Q3: Homework cont.
 When
you
open the
antivirus
program you
should receive
a report that
tells if it is up to
date.
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Q3: Homework cont.
 Is
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the computer protected?
 If not, you can help them out and make a
recommendation to the owner based on
research you can do about the best antivirus programs and prices.
Assessment
 Go
to Edmodo and take the unit quiz
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