Liv University

Make effort effortless

Benjamin Franklin once said an investment in knowledge pays the best interest, and this resource bank does just that. LIV University compiles introductory IT concepts in a single place, empowering individuals to troubleshoot with confidence. By helping them broaden their understanding of the digital world, ProMedical IT helps clients grow into peers — people and companies we can cooperate with on a much deeper level.

DIY Basics

Take simple IT issues into your own hands: These quick fixes apply to common problems, covering everything from printers to VPNs. If you still can’t quite resolve an issue, ping a ProMedical IT expert at sales@promedicalit.com.

Switch Between User Login Accounts
  • PC – Select Start, right-click the account name icon (or picture), then select Switch user. Select the Start button on the taskbar. Then, on the left side of the Start menu, select the account name icon (or picture) > Switch user > a different user.
  • Mac – Click Control Center in the menu bar, click the profile silhouette, then choose your username. Enter your password, then press Return.

Restore Image to a Blank Monitor
  • PC – First try resetting your graphics driver by pressing Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B. If that doesn’t fix the issue, unplug and reconnect your video cable, then try a different cable, and then try a different monitor. If your issue still persists, submit a ticket.
  • Mac – First try to start up from macOS Recovery:
    • Apple silicon – Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds. You should see the startup options window, which includes a gear icon labeled Options. Select Options, then click Continue. If you never see the startup options window, release the power button, then press and hold it again for another 10 seconds. If the issue persists, please contact PMIT Support.
    • Intel processor – Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds. Press and release the power button, then immediately press and hold Command (⌘) + R until you see an Apple logo or other image. If you still see a blank screen after about 20 seconds, contact PMIT Support.

Rotate a Display
  • PC –
    • Press the Windows key, type “Display settings” and press Enter. A window will open with options to customize your display. Choose the display you want to change – to either a vertical or horizontal orientation. (Unless you’re using a multi-monitor or dual-monitor system, you’ll likely just see your main display screen, labeled “1.” If there are multiple screens, you’ll see your primary screen labeled “1” and your secondary screen labeled “2”, and so on. Under Orientation, click the down arrow at the edge of the box.) Choose the orientation you want, click Apply, and then OK.
    • You can also use some keyboard shortcuts to rotate your monitor screen:
      • CTRL + ALT + Up Arrow for landscape.
      • CTRL + ALT + Right Arrow for portrait.
      • CTRL + ALT + Down Arrow for reverse-landscape.
      • CTRL + ALT + Left Arrow for reverse-portrait.
  • Mac – Open “System Preferences…” from the Apple menu. Select “Displays”. 3. Select the preferred degree of rotation from the pull down menu. 4. Rotate the monitor to the desired orientation.

Fix a Malfunctioning Mouse or Keyboard
  • PC – First try turning off your machine, plug in the USB device and turn on your PC the normal way. After logging into Windows, switch your USB Keyboard/Mouse on and check if the computer detects it. If it doesn’t, restart your computer while keeping the USB Keyboard/Mouse plugged in.
    • If the above doesn’t work, reinstall or update the USB Device’s Driver – In the search box on the taskbar, enter device manager, then select device manager. Expand the USB devices. Select the USB device where you want to update the driver. Right-click the device and again take the “update driver” option.
  • Mac – First try turning off your machine, plug in the USB device and turn on your MAC the normal way. After logging into MacOS, switch your USB Keyboard/Mouse on and check if the computer detects it. If it doesn’t, restart your computer while keeping the USB Keyboard/Mouse plugged in.
    • If the above doesn’t work, turn your Mac’s Bluetooth Off and Back On by Opening the Bluetooth status menu from the menu bar. If you don’t see it, open the Control Center and expand the Bluetooth control. Turn off the switch next to Bluetooth. Wait for a few seconds and turn it back on again. Then try to Remove and Re-Connect the USB Receiver, Recharge or Replace the Mouse Battery, turn the Mouse’s Power Switch Off and On. If still having issues, Pair the Bluetooth Mouse With Your Mac Again; Open the Apple menu and select System Preferences. Select Bluetooth. Control-click your Bluetooth mouse and select Remove. Select Remove again. Turn your Bluetooth mouse off, wait a moment, and then turn it back on. Choose the Connect button to pair your mouse with your Mac again.
  • 365 – At the top of the screen, select Settings > Mail. Under Options, select Accounts > Connected accounts. Under Connected accounts, select the “+” button. On the Connect your email account page, enter the full email address and password of the account you want to connect to Outlook on the web and select OK. IMPORTANT: If you get a message that Outlook couldn’t connect to the server for your other account, select Back and make sure you entered the correct email address and password for your account. Refresh the page.
  • From the menu bar in Mail, choose Mail > Add Account. Select your email provider from the list, then click Continue. Some accounts, such as Google, might ask that you click Open Browser to complete authentication in your web browser. Follow the onscreen instructions to enter account details, such as your name, email address, and password. If you’re not sure what information to enter, please contact your email provider for help.
    • If your account includes support for contacts, calendars, notes, or other features in addition to email, you can turn those features on or off: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Internet Accounts. Select your account in the sidebar. Select the features you want to use with your account.
  • iOS – Go to Settings > Mail, then tap Accounts. Tap Add Account, then select your email provider. Enter your email address and password. If you see Next, tap Next and wait for Mail to verify your account. If you see Save, tap Save. If you don’t see your email provider, tap Other to add your account manually.
    • How to set up your email account manually: Go to Settings > Mail, then tap Accounts. Tap Add Account, tap Other, then tap Add Mail Account. Enter your name, email address, password, and a description for your account.
  • Android (365) – Open your device’s Settings app. Tap Accounts. If you can’t see ‘Accounts’, tap Users & accounts. At the bottom, tap Add account. Tap Exchange. Enter your Microsoft® Office 365 or Exchange ActiveSync email and credentials.

Reconnect to the Internet
  • PC – Select the Network  or Wifi  icon in the notification area In the list of networks, choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect. Type the security key (often called the password). Follow additional instructions if there are any.
  • Mac – On the desktop, click the AirPort/Wi-Fi User-added image icon, then select the Wi-Fi name (SSID) you want to connect to. When required, enter the Wi-Fi password then click Join. Check the Remember this network option if you want your Mac computer to remember this Wi-Fi network and automatically connect to it once the computer is in range.

Start an Unresponsive Computer
  • PC – The best way to restart a frozen computer is to hold the power button down for five to 10 seconds. This will allow your computer to restart safely without the disruption of a total power loss. Make sure to disconnect any headphones or extra cords as these items can cause glitches as your computer restarts. If the problem persists – please submit a ticket for further assistance.
  • Mac – Hold down the power button for several seconds.If that doesn’t work, hold the Control + Command keys down, then press and hold the Power button. If the problem persists – please submit a ticket for further assistance.

Resolving performance issues
  • Restart your computer
  • Press Ctrl+shift+ESC to bring up the task manager and check to see if the apps you are running are taking up too much of your computer’s resources
  • In the task manager, you can click “more details” on the bottom of the window, then select the “startup” tab.  See if there are apps you do not use that are starting in the background and disable them.
  • Make sure your operating system is up to date.  On windows, click start and search “updates”.
  • Call your trusted IT professional

Recovering files
  • You can check your deleted items in the recycle bin, which is located on your desktop.
  • From there, you can select a file you want to recover, and select “restore”
  • For files that have already been removed permanently from the recycle bin, you can check for a backup copy by clicking start and searching for “file history”
  • If your system crashes while an office document was opened, simply open the program you were previously using and an option to recover the documents that were open should appear
  • You can also click on file, manage documents, then select “recover unsaved documents”
  • Consider using online document editors such as office online or google docs/sheets. Online editors usually have automatic save functions that save the document after every change made!