TECH TIP - Helpful Hints

Fast Program Access
Create desktop shortcut

To create on your desktop a shortcut to a program you use frequently, click Start>All Programs (or just Programs). Right-click the program for which you want to create a shortcut and then click Send to Desktop (or Create Shortcut). Note: If you are a middle or high school teacher, Fortress will prevent you from accessing programs through Start. Please call Marci for assistance.

Make it Faster!
Use keyboard shortcuts

 Save on Ink Usage

Setting your printer preferences to "draft" or "econofast" rather than "normal" or "best" is a great way to save on ink usage.  For everyday printing tasks, this can drastically cut down on ink waste.  Resetting your printer preferences is very simple.

FOR LASERJET PRINTERS:

1-     Go to Start

2-     Click on Settings à Printers

3-     Right click the mouse on the printer you want to reset

4-     Select Properties

5-     Under the General tab, click on Printing Preferences

6-     Select  Finishing tab

7-     Select  EconoMode(Save toner) and Faster Printing (lower right under print quality)

8-     Click  OK; OK.

9-     Click the "X" (upper right) to close the printer window

FOR DESKJET PRINTERS:

1-     Go to Start

2-     Click on Settings à Printers

3-     Right click the mouse on the printer you want to reset

4-     Select PROPERTIES

5-     On the SetUp tab under Print Quality, select Draft.

6-     Click Apply; click OK.

7-     Click OK to close the printer window

FOR COMPUTERS W/FORTRES: Printer changes must be made within the program you are using.

1-     From your application program (i.e., MS Word or PowerPoint) pull down the file menu and click on Print

2-     Select your printer from the drop down menu

3-     Click on Properties and select EconoFast.

4-     Click OK

When you return to the Print window, select OK if you are going to print; if you are not immediately printing, click Close

Keep Your Computer Updated

Shutting down your classroom computers at least 2x’s per week at the end of the day and always on Fridays helps keep them operating in sync with the building server.  When you leave the PC’s on for extended periods of time, they don’t receive the updates from the servers. Therefore, they don't operate at their fullest potential and tend to give you error messages. Computers should also be shut down whenever you receive "illegal operation" messages. Logging off just creates problems for the next user.