First find out if your monitor is switched on by checking its power LED light which is usually on the front of the monitor.

Then see if your computer itself is switched on.

If both are switched on then it is possible that your monitor has been switched to the power save mode.

To "wake up" your monitor move your mouse or press the SHIFT key on your keyboard.

If your monitor and PC are both switched on and they are not in the power save state, then either the cable connecting your monitor to the computer is loose or dislodged at either end, or your computer's graphics adaptor is not working, or your monitor is broken.

Please contact our helpdesk for additional support.

This may happen in circumstances where your computer hardware or software malfunctions for any of a number of reasons.

The first step is to ensure that you cannot switch your computer off by pressing the CTRL+ALT+DEL key combination. If you press these three keys together and do not see any reaction, and if you don't see your mouse pointer when you move your mouse around, then wait for 5 minutes. Your computer may be in the middle of carrying out a processor intensive task and may need time for this to complete before it can respond to your keyboard or mouse movements.

If there is still no sign of any response or activity after 5 minutes then press the on/off button on your computer. In some cases, this will activate Windows automatic shut down process and your computer will switch itself off within 5 minutes or so.

If none of these techniques work then contact our helpdesk engineers who may be able to connect to your computer remotely and switch it off gracefully. If they can't do this either then they may instruct you to press and hold down the on/off button on your computer for 5 seconds to switch off the power. Note that this action may result in the loss of the data which was in the computer memory when it was switched off forcefully.

Your computer keyboard may stop working as a result of hardware or software failure or as a result of losing its connection to your computer.

First, press the key labelled "Num Lock" or the key labelled "Caps Lock" on your keyboard while observing the Num(eric) Lock or Caps Lock LED lights on the keyboard to see if they change status from OFF to ON or vice versa.

If they do then the problem is likely to be software related and should be reported to our helpdesk or your IT support technician. Otherwise the fault may be hardware or cable related. To ensure your keyboard is properly connected to your computer, follow the keyboard cable through to the computer and unplug it by pulling the keyboard plug out of your computer, then put it back in.

If your keyboard is still not functioning then try connecting a different keyboard to your computer, if one is available. Otherwise, the fault may be related to a computer crash in which case the procedure outlined in FAQ No. 2, above, should be followed.

For wireless keyboards, you must check your keyboard batteries first to make sure they are not depleted, a test which can be done by swapping the batteries with a new or working set of similar type if available. An extra complication in some wireless keyboards is their wireless transmitter unit, which is a device plugged into the computer's keyboard or USB port, may be faulty. If the wireless transmitter breaks down or stops working as a result of internal malfunction then press the reset button on the transmitter which is usually a small button on the front or on top of it.

For additional help contact our helpdesk.

Your computer mouse may stop working as a result of hardware or software failure or as a result of losing its connection to your computer.

If you can see the mouse pointer move but not in all directions or if the pointer moves but clicking doesn't achieve any results then the fault is likely to be with the mouse itself which may need replacing.

If there is no response from the mouse as a result of moving it or clicking then you should first check the connecting cable which links your mouse to the computer or its batteries (if it's a wireless mouse). You can check the cable by unplugging the mouse from your computer and plugging it back in again, or replacing the batteries if it's a wireless mouse. There could also be a problem with the wireless transmitter and resetting the latter using the small reset button normally found on the transmitter could cure the connectivity problems. However, if the connection is checked and found to be working then the fault is almost certainly lies within the computer itself and this could be a software fault or a hardware fault.

If your keyboard has stopped functioning at the same time as your mouse then it is likely that your computer has crashed or ceased working and you should follow the procedure outlined in the FAQ 2, above.

If the keyboard is functioning then use it to shut down the computer. Pressing the Windows key (or CTRL+ESC) will activate the start menu from which you can shutdown the PC. Alternatively, ALT+F4 will shut down the open applications one by one with the final one being a shutdown of Windows. If Windows is stuck in an application then the key combination of CTRL+ALT+DEL will take you to a dialog from which the PC can be shut down.

After shutting down the computer unplug it from the mains power socket and leave it alone for 5 minutes, then put the mains plug back into the socket and switch on your computer and see if the mouse starts working.

If this fails then you may need to replace your mouse but please call our helpdesk or contact your onsite computer or IT support technician for further help.

This is a problem where the computer display is shown sideways, tilted either 90 degrees to the left or 90 degrees to the right.

This problem can occur on computers whose graphics system is powered by an Intel Chipset and driver and happens as a result of inadvertently using the keyboard shortcut CTRL+ALT+Directional Arrow.

To revert the screen display to its upright status simply use the above combination with the UP Arrow key, pressing the following keys together: CTRL+ALT+Up Arrow

Your laptop can stop powering on as a result of a hardware fault or battery failure.

However, sometimes the powering on mechanism itself may cease and this can only be remedied by a qualified technician or by removing the battery and leaving the laptop without a power connection or a battery for 24 hours.

More often though, the fault lies with the battery which either needs replacing or is not charged properly as a result of problems with the laptop's charging circuit.In such circumstances, the laptop works without any problems if it is connected to the mains power but stops working when disconnected.

If this is the case with your laptop then please contact our helpdesk and have your laptop at hand in order to answer questions about it when asked.

If problems with the battery and the charging circuit are eliminated and the laptop is still failing to power on then it may have more serious faults which can only be diagnosed by an experienced computer repair engineer. In this case, please call out helpdesk to arrange for an engineer to examine your laptop.

In most cases, your email is delivered to your inbox within Microsoft Outlook or a similar email program, or it is accessed via a web site such as Hotmail, Google or Yahoo.

In all cases, one common problem preventing email collection access or delivery, could be the result of your computer’s failed network or Internet connection.

To find out if this is the case try to open a network folder or a web site such as Google and, if you can’t, then the problem is likely to be that of connection to the network or the Internet.

If this is the case then you will need to check your physical connection media such as the network cable, Internet router or modem, or your wireless router if you are working on a wireless network.

If you can’t check the connection media, or you have done so and the connection is still unavailable then please contact our helpdesk for further assistance.

If you can access your network folders and the Internet but cannot collect or access your emails then there may be a problem with your email server or your Internet Service Provider ( ISP ).

In either case, please contact our helpdesk and we will help resolve your issue as soon as possible and restore your access to your emails.

Accessing the Internet requires 3 components to all work together. These are your computer’s network connection device, your Internet router or modem which is a device providing the connection to the Internet, and an authenticated account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Your computer’s network connection device could be a network interface card which is often referred to as the NIC, or a wireless adaptor either built into the computer or laptop or attached to it via a USB or other port.

In either case, problems are usually resolved if you restart your computer and if they don’t then you should get a message displayed on the screen or see a red cross displayed over your network connection icon within the icon tray of the Windows task bar on the screen.

Your Internet router or modem is usually a small box with three cables attached one of which is the power cord, another links to your computer and third to a wall socket which has your Internet connection within it. This device is sometimes known as your broadband modem or router or your ADSL modem or router and has a number of small LED lights on its surface which should indicate if it is working or not.

If the device is connected to the mains power and switched on but none of the LED lights on it are lit then it may have failed in which case you may need to call your ISP to report its failure and arrange a replacement.

If the device seems to be operating normally then it may need reconfiguring in order to restore connection to the Internet. In this case, please call our helpdesk for advice.

Sometimes, switching off the device and switching it back on after 2 minutes could resolve configuration issues or account authentication issues which may also prevent your access to the Internet. If this action does not restore your Internet access then please call our helpdesk for further assistance.

This is a common problem in computers which are more than a year old, especially in lower specification machines.

However, it could also be an indication of a hardware fault or a virus infection.

If the long start-up or reaction times have developed over a period of weeks or months then it is unlikely that a hardware or viral infection could be the cause, especially if you have an active and regularly updated anti-virus software resident on your computer.

In such cases, the problem could be the result of data and file fragmentation on the hard disk or incorrectly configured software installations.

In general, poor performance issues may have a number of different causes and attempts to improve the performance or start-up speeds should only be made by technically competent users.

For further advice or to arrange a PC health check-up please call our helpdesk.

A virus infection is usually detected only if you have a resident anti-virus software on your computer.

However, computer networks which incorporate advanced security may have network monitoring systems in place which warn an administrator if one of the computers inside the network is exhibiting symptoms of a viral infection, even though the infected computer itself may not be aware of its own infection.

In either case, please see the FAQ 11 for help on how to deal with the infection.

In the unlikely event that your computer has no anti-virus software to protect it, a virus could inflict considerable damage to the system and the data stored therein.

It is often detected when it is too late and as a result of a message displayed on the computer screen by the virus itself, or complete operational failure of the computer.

In such cases, you should detach the infected computer from the network or the Internet immediately before shutting it down using the usual shut down procedure or if this is not possible then see FAQ 2.

Please contact our helpdesk to arrange for disinfection.

If you have modern and regularly updated anti-virus software installed on your computer, it will usually detect and warn you about the infection before offering you options to either move the detected virus into a quarantine area or remove it completely.

In such cases please make an accurate note of the name of the virus detected and use the options presented and disable the virus before conducting a full virus scan of your computer to make sure that there are no additional hidden viruses in your machine.

For peace of mind, please contact our helpdesk who may be able scan your computer remotely for viruses and arrange to check the status of your anti-viral defence systems to make sure the chance or recurring infection is minimised.

A computer virus is sophisticated software that can copy itself and infect a computer without the permission or knowledge of the owner or operator of the infected computer, usually with the malicious intent of causing damage to data and other software on the infected computer

Computer viruses are part of a group of increasingly sophisticated computer programs designed mostly by criminals to cause damage or steal confidential information from computers, collectively called “Malware”, short for malicious software.

This group also includes Computer Worms and Trojan Horses as well as malicious spyware, are sometimes designed to work in tandem with each other in order to conceal their individual presence.

Teknocraft works with the leading anti-virus and Internet malware monitoring agencies to ensure their clients are fully protected against all types of Malware.

For further information please contact our helpdesk.

Spam is usually the term used to refer to unsolicited email messages which are created in large quantities by abusing the email messaging systems, often by criminals. However, Spam also covers other types of media such as instant messaging systems or junk fax transmissions.

People with long established email addresses usually get more Spam emails because their addresses can be found on numerous legitimate as well as illegal mailing lists. In some cases, over 95% of all emails received could be Spam emails causing considerable inconvenience and waste of time and sometimes effect the recipient emotionally due to their abusive or offending nature.

As a result, considerable resources exist which can be used to reduce and, in some cases, completely eliminate Spam emails. Later versions of Microsoft Outlook and other email management software, for example, are equipped with built-in anti-spam features which enable the operator to define what they consider to be Spam and either reject such emails or divert them to a special folder for storage and deletion later.

More advanced purpose-built anti-spam software applications have been developed which effectively eliminate the menace of Spam. Teknocraft is dedicated to fighting Spam and we can help you substantially reduce or totally eliminate Spam.

Please contact our helpdesk for further details.

This effect is usually observed when an external program is controlling the addressing and other functionality of your Internet Browser.

It may be experienced differently in different browsers but could be the result of an active virus or other malware (see FAQ 12) forcing your browser to go to specific Internet addresses or website.

In any event, it is undesired and could be indicative of serious viral infections in the computer or within the network.

If you are a competent and technically aware computer operator then you should remove any add-ons and additional utilities installed recently and then run a full scan of your computer system using the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware systems. These should help you identify and remove any infections. It is also a good idea to clear your Internet Browsing temporary files.

In rare cases, your Internet Browser application may need to be re-installed to remedy the situation.

If you are not technically minded and fully familiar with the procedures for cleansing and possible side effects then please call our helpdesk for advice and support.

Internet browser pop-ups are usually small windows prompting the operator to make a decision.

Such pop-ups can be created by your Internet browser application in order to warn you about activities which may be harmful to your computer, or programs or actions which your current security configuration prevents from running or being carried out.

They could also be unwanted and intrusive but otherwise harmless advertising banners. Messages displayed in these pop-up windows normally indicate the actions which need confirmation from you before they can be carried out, which in some cases may result in malicious software being installed or unwanted components added to your computer or Internet browser.

The key factor in deciding what to do, when such pop-up windows appear, is the level of trust you can apply to the Internet or web site that you are visiting at the time you see the pop-ups.

The safest thing to do is to decline whatever action you are being asked to do, if the web site you are visiting is an unknown site or seems suspicious.

However, you can usually configure your Internet browser to automatically filter pop-ups and banners which could be harmful to your computer, or install applications which can protect you from malicious software.

For more information on these please contact our helpdesk.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates or Security Certificates are electronic signatures which have been developed by the Internet and security authorities to help identify the level of trust in websites bearing such certificates, or signatures.

Several organisations offer and help support security certificates and the Internet websites which exhibit such certificates have to go through several authentication procedures before they are given such certificates.

Internet browsers have the ability to automatically check if a website you are visiting has a security certificate and warn you if none exists.

Most organisations recommend that Internet users do not enter websites which do not have a valid security certificate as doing so could result in malicious software being copied to your computer, or confidential information being taken from your computer without your knowledge or approval.

If you are a business thinking about publishing a website then please contact us for help in selecting and installing the appropriate security certificates for your website or Intranet domains.

Phishing is a criminal activity which is designed to trick you into revealing your confidential information such as online bank account access details.

This is carried out by sending you emails or instant messages which seem to have come from a trustworthy source like your bank, or a popular website such as YouTube, FaceBook or MySpace, and which carry a message asking you to confirm your account number, password or other security details by clicking on an Internet address which is usually embedded within the message or email.

As a general rule, banks never send such emails so it is safe to always assume that such emails are Phishing emails and are fraudulent.

You should always delete such messages or emails and never click on an address or any links contained within them, even though they may seem genuine. Otherwise you may transfer malicious software to your computer inadvertently and start a process which can, in some cases, end in the theft of your user account and password details without your knowledge or consent.

Modern email programs have built-in functions which help protect you from Phishing messages but if in doubt then please contact our helpdesk for advice on what to do with such emails.

Microsoft Office applications such as Word or Excel can stop responding whilst you are working on a document for a number of reasons which are usually the results of incorrect software installation or configuration, or an indication of a hardware fault.

Fortunately, these applications use a temporary working file which holds a copy of the document while it is open. This feature usually restores the working document to the point when Word or Excel stopped responding or a position very close to it, after you restart the Word or Excel application following the crash.

In some circumstance, however, this temporary working copy may also be damaged or not available for example when you open a document which is stored in a network folder or a read-only folder.

Even in these situations, it may be possible to restore most of your missing data but you will need to contact your IT support person or call our helpdesk for further advice on what to do.

If your computer has ceased and is not responding to any action then please refer to the FAQ 2 on this page.

Printers can stop working as a result of a number of events which can mainly be categorised into three groups.

The first group relates to faults arising within the printer itself and can be the result of issues such as paper jams, toner or ink cartridge being empty, or printer hardware failure.

The second group has to do with the faults arising within the computer and is usually the result of incorrectly configured or recently installed software, shortage of available disk space on the computer, or hardware failure.

The third group relates to physical connectivity problems between your computer and the printer and could be the connecting cable having being dislodged or broken, network cable or printer server malfunctioning if the printer is connected directly to your office or home network, or broken plugs sockets or other connectors.

In cases where the fault can be fixed by the operator, such as a paper jam or empty ink or toner cartridge, your printer control system should display a message on your computer screen containing a description of the fault and, in many cases, how to resolve the issue.

Other than obvious issues such as a dislodged printer connection or power cable, you may need a technically competent engineer to diagnose and fix the problem.

Please contact our helpdesk for further advice.

When you try to install any software from CD, DVD or download from an Internet site, you may get a small dialogue window appearing to ask you if you want to “RUN” or “SAVE” an application you have tried to install or download.

The “RUN” option means that Windows will store the application to a temporary location and try and run it (proceed with the install) as soon as the copying or downloading action is completed.

The “SAVE” option means that Windows will store the application to a location you specify but will not make any attempts at running the program after is has copied or downloaded the file.

You should only chose the “RUN” option if you know the application being copied or downloaded and can trust the website and the company that is supplying it.

Otherwise, you should select the “SAVE” option and select an appropriate location on your hard disk where you would like to keep the copied or downloaded application.

You should never download software from websites or suppliers that you do not know or trust.

This is a common but important issue as it could pose a major security risk, especially if you don’t have a resident anti-virus application protecting your computer.

In most cases, your email server or Internet Service Provider should scan any emails you received to prevent the propagation of viruses and other malware (see FAQ 12 on this page) but you should not rely on third parties for this important function and should have your own anti-virus application installed on your computer.

You should also have it configured so that it scans emails as they arrive and before you open them.

Attachments arriving with emails are a significant security risk as this is a popular method for transmitting and distributing viruses or other computer malware. It is therefore important that you take measures to ensure that you have an anti-virus program capable of scanning emails and neutralising any harmful attachments.

You should always treat email attachments as suspicious if you don’t recognise the sender of the email or if it is a file with an unusual name or extension. In these circumstances, save the attachment in a temporary folder on your hard disk, then use your anti-virus software to examine it to determine if it is a threat.

If the attachment has been checked and you are confident that it is harmless then double click it with your left mouse button and it will either open automatically or it will ask you which application should be used to open it.

If you are in doubt then please click the “Cancel” button and contact our helpdesk for further advice.