IT self-help hints and tips

A quick checklist to reduce unnecessary helpdesk tickets:

• restart your device (not shut down)
• check cables are firmly connected
• try a different USB port
• test the device on another PC if possible
• check your wifi or ethernet connection
• make sure your password hasn’t expired
• note any error messages

Your asset tag is usually located on the:

• bottom of your laptop
• back of your monitor
• docking station
• peripheral devices (keyboard, mouse, headset)

Include this in all helpdesk tickets.

Quick checks

• Shutdown turns the laptop off completely and it stays off.
• Restart turns the laptop off and then back on automatically.

When to use restart

Use restart when you want to refresh the system but continue working shortly after.

Typical reasons:

• completing Windows updates
• fixing minor software glitches or frozen apps
• after installing new software or drivers
• when the laptop is running slowly or behaving unusually

When to use shutdown

Use shutdown when you want the laptop to fully power off.

Typical reasons:

• you’re finished using the laptop for the day
• the laptop needs to cool down or save power
• you’re moving or unplugging it
• you want everything cleared from memory (RAM)

Note: If you are asked to restart your device, make sure you choose restart - not shut down - as they do very different things.

Quick checks

• Restart your laptop if you haven’t already.
• Make sure nothing is physically covering the camera.

Troubleshooting steps

• Check the camera cover
  • Most Lenovo laptops have a small sliding cover at the top of the screen.
  • Slide it fully open so the camera lens is not blocked.
• Try opening the camera app to confirm the camera is working.
• If the camera still shows no image, check your video settings in the app you’re using (such as Teams, Zoom).

Check the connection

• If it’s a wired input device, make sure it’s properly plugged in to your computer (try unplugging and plugging it back in).
• If it’s wireless, check that the receiver is plugged in and the input device is turned on.

Check the batteries (wireless input devices) - replace the batteries with new ones.

Restart your laptop - sometimes a quick restart fixes the issue.

Try another USB port - plug the input device into a different USB port.

Test the device on another computer - connect the input device to a different computer to see if it works there.

Check for dirt or debris

• Mouse - wipe the sensor on the bottom to remove any dust or debris.
• Keyboard - clean the keyboard gently with a dry cloth to remove any stuck keys or dust.

Quick checks

• Make sure you are using a 90W Lenovo power adapter and that it is plugged in to the docking station.
  • a 65W adapter will not power both the laptop and the dock at the same time
  • the wattage is printed on the adapter label
• If your laptop has a second USB‑C port on the side, plug your charger directly into that port until the issue is resolved.

Troubleshooting steps

Check the power

• Ensure the docking station is plugged in to a working power source (if required).
• Confirm the dock’s power light is on.

Check connections

• Make sure the docking station is firmly connected to your laptop.
• Check that all cables (power, USB‑C, monitor cables, network cable) are securely plugged in.

Restart your laptop and dock

• Unplug the docking station from power and from your laptop.
• Wait 10 seconds, then reconnect the power and USB‑C cable.
• Restart your laptop.

Test the docking station on another device

• If possible, connect the dock to another laptop.
• This helps determine whether the issue is with the dock or your laptop.

If your monitors are not displaying correctly

• Make sure the USB‑C cable is connected to the back of the docking station, not the front (the front USB‑C port often does not support video output).

1. Check the headset connection - make sure your headset is plugged in properly or connected via Bluetooth.
2. Test the headset outside Teams - play some audio or try recording something on your laptop to confirm the headset works.
3. Set the headset as the default device - on Windows → Right‑click the speaker icon → Open Sound settings → Choose your headset for both the microphone and the speakers.
4. Select the headset in Teams - in Teams click on your profile picture → Settings → Devices → under audio devices, choose your headset for both speaker and microphone.
5. Make a test call - in Teams under Settings → Devices, use Make a test call to check your headset
6. Restart Teams or your laptop - close and reopen Teams, or restart your computer if needed.
7. Try a different USB port or reconnect Bluetooth - if it’s USB, switch to another port. If it’s Bluetooth, unpair and pair the headset again.

Backslash ‘\’ is on the left side of the keyboard.

Forwardslash ‘/’ is on the right side of the keyboard.

After changing your password, sign out of any devices you were already logged into and sign back in again. This helps prevent your account from being locked.

Password Reset Policy

Self Service link to reset password

Quick checks

• Is there paper in the printer?
• Check is there a low ink warning.
• Is the printer on - power LED showing?
• Is the network or USB cable connected to the printer? If a network cable is connected at the rear of the printer, you should see flashing and steady lights.
• Ensure you’re on the correct network.

Troubleshooting steps

1. Restart your laptop.
2. Restart the printer (if accessible).
3. Try printing from another app.
4. Clear stuck jobs in the print queue.

When to log a ticket

• Printer shows an error you can’t clear.
• Printer doesn’t appear on the network.

Include in your ticket

• Printer name
• Location
• Error messages

Quick checks

• Check wifi icon.
• Check the network cable is secure on both your PC and at the wall socket.

Troubleshooting steps

1. Restart your laptop.
2. Reconnect to wifi.
3. Try another cable or port.
4. Check if colleagues have the same issue.

• Is there a national or local network outage?
• Sometimes Network Shares will have an ‘X’ beside them. Clicking on the share may re-connect.

Does your work mobile phone have hotspot turned on?

Enable hotspot (Samsung phones)

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Connections
3. Select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering
4. Tap Mobile Hotspot
5. Toggle On

Your laptop or PC might not have internet because the docking station isn’t working properly or your laptop needs updates.

To get internet for now:

• take out the ethernet cable from the docking station
• plug that same cable directly into the ethernet port on the side of your laptop

This should restore your internet connection temporarily.

1. Open any folder on your device
2. Select 'This PC' from your desktop
3. In the window, click on the ‘three dots …’ tab listed at the top of the window.
4. Click on the option 'Map Network Drive'.
5. In the dropdown box beside 'Drive' - pick the next available letter.
6. In the space beside 'Folder', type the following: \\(Server name)\foldername
7. Next, tick the box indicating that you want to 'Reconnect at logon'.
8. Click 'Finish' button.

A window will display with the mapped drive.

Note: server name in brackets and folder name is outside brackets as per example

1. Press the Windows key + E shortcut to open a File Explorer window.
2. Click This PC from the left navigation pane. Select the Computer tab at the top and then click the Map network drive button.
3. Click the Drive drop-down menu and choose the drive letter you want to assign, then enter the address of the shared folder to which you want to map the drive and click Finish.

Make sure the screen resolution is set to 100%.

It is known that NIMIS RIS has overlapping menus or buttons become unresponsive if the browser zoom is not set correctly.

It is recommended to have your browser set to 90% zoom when using NIMIS apps, otherwise order menus will not display correctly or overlap.

To change the zoom setting on your browser, use the following keyboard shortcuts.

Click anywhere on your browser window and use the following shortcuts to increase or decrease the zoom setting.

When you change the setting, a dialog box will appear providing information of the new setting.

When to log a ticket

• Menus remain unreadable or unresponsive.
• Buttons or options are missing even at 100% zoom.
• The issue affects multiple users in your area.

File or folder access

• After your access request has been completed, log off and back on again to ensure the new permissions apply.

Account changes (such as phone number, job title)

• Updates to your account may take up to 24 hours to appear in Outlook or Teams.

Citrix applications

• If an application has been added to your Citrix storefront, log off and back on again to see the new application.

Generic mailboxes or generic accounts

Any request to modify a generic mailbox or account must be submitted by the owner of that mailbox or account.

• Read all email alerts from nsd.alerts.ie and follow any instructions provided.
• Stay aware of national incidents and follow official guidance issued during such events.

• Access: If you need access to a Citrix application, you must be added to the appropriate group. Contact the Service Desk to request this.
• Password: Your Citrix password is the same as your domain password.

Check that all monitors are using the same display scaling of 100%. If this is not done, SAP will display a black screen when you move or minimise the application screen.

Once the scaling is updated, relaunch SAP and the issue will be resolved

To update the scaling - access the Display Settings menu.

To access the Display Settings menu:

1. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop
2. Select 'Display Settings' from the context menu
3. Scroll down to the Scale and Layout section and make the required change

If you can’t access your email in the Outlook app, you can use a web browser as a workaround.

https://outlook.office.com/mail/ for 365 users

https://mail.hse.ie/owa for exchange users

Use 1 of the following to access Microsoft Teams in your browser:

• go to https://teams.microsoft.com
• click the 'join' link in your meeting invite and select 'continue on this browser'

Connection tips

• Use a wired connection (ethernet) if possible, more stable than wifi. If on wifi, stay close to the router and avoid streaming/downloading during calls. Limit other high-bandwidth activities while on a call (such as streaming, gaming, large downloads).
• Test your speed: aim for at least 5 Mbps upload and download for video calls: https://fast.com/
• Restart your router occasionally to refresh the connection.
• If connecting via HSE mobile, connect via USB Tethering instead of hotspot: https://assets.hse.ie/media/documents/Tethering.pdf
• If working from home, other people’s streaming, gaming, or video calling can impact quality.

Audio tips

• Use a headset or earbuds with a built-in mic - avoids echo and improves clarity.
• Mute yourself when not speaking to reduce background noise.
• Avoid using speakerphone in shared or noisy environments.

Video tips

• Ensure good lighting - face a window or light source.
• Turning off your camera reduces bandwidth use significantly.
• Position your camera at eye level for a more natural view.
• Blur your background or use a virtual background if your environment is distracting.

Device setup

• Close unused apps and browser tabs to free up system resources.
• Keep Teams and your operating system updated.
• Restart your device before important meetings to refresh memory and performance.