Welcome to the redesigned and updated computer section. We hope you will find it helpful and easy to use.

New Computer Protocol

The Computer Team is here to assist your hi-rise with any computer problems you may have. We only ask that you look at the provided tutorials and try some basic troubleshooting first.
Here are some suggestions and things to keep in mind:

What to do before you call the Computer Team

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips that may help to solve your problems and will make things easier for the Computer Team members if you do need to call them.

Hardware problems:

Check to be sure everything is connected correctly and all connections are snug. A number of hardware problems can be caused by improper connections or loose connections. This is always the first thing to check if you have a hardware item that doesn’t work or that works but seems to short out occasionally.(Monitors and printers especially but this holds true for other hardware as well.)

For USB connected hardware such as keyboards and mice, try moving the plug to a different USB port. If it works with another USB port then the problem is with the port it was plugged into originally. If it doesn’t work with any other port then the problem is with the hardware item.

If the item doesn’t work on any USB port then it is likely faulty. If possible try plugging in another keyboard or mouse (or whatever you’re having the problem with) and see if that one works

Make sure the device is plugged into an electrical outlet if necessary and that it is turned on. This may sound extremely simple but forgetting to plug something in or turn it on does happen. (I’ve done it.)

If the problem is with an internal component of the computer you can power down the system and open the case and double check that everything is seated properly and that no connections are loose. It’s fine to skip this if you don’t feel comfortable poking around inside a computer. (And probably better to do so if you aren’t sure what you’re doing.)

Software problems:

Try rebooting the system. This can take care of a lot of problems like system hangs and unresponsive programs.

If it’s just a program that is malfunctioning, hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete. This will open the task manager. From there you can shut down the unresponsive program.

Please, please report any problems in as much detail as you can. Saying the computer is having a problem or the printer isn’t working tells us nothing. It is very helpful to know what the exact problem is in advance so we know what we’re facing and can start looking for solutions.

It’s fine if it’s not in technical terms. Just explain as best you can.

It is also very helpful to write down the text of any error messages you receive and exactly what you were doing (what program you were using, what you clicked on, etc) when the problem started.

Got a Computer Problem?

If you are having problems with the computers or Internet at your hi-rise you can report it by:
Submitting this quick response form
Alternatively, you can send an email to phatechhelp@gmail.com
Please leave your full name, phone number, the location of the issue, and a description of the problem.