Essential Questions
- What can go wrong with a monitor? Or a printer?
- What can I do to effectively and efficiently resolve issues related to displays and printing devices?
Big Ideas
Displays and printers extend the functionality of our computing devices. Once we find or create information with our devices, we very often want to share it with others. It can be frustrating when there are issues with displays or printers, but luckily they are often straightforward to address and resolve. You need to learn some common settings that can be adjusted to resolve issues with displays. Very often, printers provide guidance through their own display system or via error codes, but knowing where to find additional support online or through manuals is also helpful.
Connection to Student Lives
Have you ever sent a document to a printer only to find out once you get there that someone has left a paper jammed in it? Or have you ever connected to a monitor only to find out that someone has changed the settings and you need to adjust them to best display from your device?
Whether those situations have happened to you or not, sometimes people walk away from monitors or displays when they run into issues, and many of them are often not difficult to troubleshoot and resolve. As a Help Desk technician you may be asked to resolve these issues, especially with printers, and being able to do so quickly and effectively will make you a popular person to have around.
Framing Problem
There are many opportunities to practice the troubleshooting model on specific hardware components, this week and others, and later to network connections. Much of this module is hands-on application of resolving common problems, which this week relate to issues with displays and printers.
Cornerstone Assessment
This week, students will document their troubleshooting efforts for resolving problems related to display configuration issues, adapter and monitor faults, and printers. At the end of each week, students should determine the best documentation to add to the Knowledge Base.
DPI Standards
- NCCTE.2020.II21.05.04 - Troubleshoot video, projector, and display issues.
- NCCTE.2020.II21.05.06 - Troubleshoot printers.
A+ Standards
TOPIC 17E: Troubleshoot Print Device Issues
TOPIC 3B: Troubleshoot Display Devices
Knowledge
- Common display issues
- Guidelines for troubleshooting display devices
- How to look up a printer’s error code to guide troubleshooting
- How to use a printer log
- A general troubleshooting approach for printers
- How to troubleshoot a backed-up print queue
- How to troubleshoot an access denied error
- Issues related to an unable to install printer error
- Potential causes for low memory or out of memory errors
- How to fix a paper jam and what to do if paper jams occur frequently
- Common laser printer print defects and their likely causes
- Common inkjet and dot matrix print defects and their likely causes
Skills
Apply (or explain how to use) the CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting model to display configuration issues, such as
- No image
- Dim image
- Image quality
- VGA mode
- Oversized images and icons
- Color issues
Apply (or explain how to use) the CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting model to adapter and monitor faults, such as
- Dead pixels
- Burn-in
- Artifacts
- Unexpected shutdowns
- Protected content
- Look up a printer’s error code
- Use printer logs
- Apply guidelines for troubleshooting printers
- Troubleshoot (or explain how to) a backed-up print queue
- Troubleshoot (or explain how to) an access denied message
- Explain how to address an unable to install printer error
- Troubleshoot (or explain how to) low memory or out of memory errors during printing
- Resolve (or explain how to) a paper jam
- Diagnose (or explain how to) frequent paper jams
- Troubleshoot (or explain) common laser printer, inkjet, and dot matrix print defects and their likely causes
Vocabulary
Troubleshoot Display Devices
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
CRT versus TFT monitor
VGA mode
Color calibration
Pixel
Burn-in
Troubleshoot Print Device Issues
Printer log
Print queue
Permission issues
- Access denied
Low memory or Out of memory errors
Paper jam
Weekly Map
Monday
Introduction to problem: Documenting Troubleshooting Strategies for Peripherals in the Knowledge Base
Online Pre-assessment (available for student practice, as well)
Review the use of the troubleshooting model from the previous week and consider adjustments for the current week
Team meetings to develop project plan and goals
Tuesday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Display Configuration Issues. May refer to Activity 3-4: Troubleshooting Monitor Issues
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Contribute to team project
Wednesday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Adapter and Monitor Faults
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Activity 3-3: Discussing Storage Display Device Troubleshooting
Team progress check with supervisor (using project plan)
Thursday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Printers. May refer to Activity 17-7: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Printers
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Activity 17-6: Troubleshooting Printer Issues
Contribute to team project
Friday
Sharing of progress with whole group: Documenting Troubleshooting Strategies for Peripherals in the Knowledge Base
Activity 5-8: Diagnosing System Errors
Online post-assessment
Lesson Ideas
Prior to beginning the week, review Activity 3-4: Troubleshooting Monitor Issues and Activity 17-7: Maintaining and Troubleshooting Printers for suggestions on how to simulate problems that students will address in their hands-on activities. The Instructor Manual does not include an activity for troubleshooting adapter and monitor faults. Students can work independently or in teams depending on how many devices you have access to use to simulate issues.
Begin the week by reviewing the students’ use of the Troubleshooting Model from the previous week and ascertain if they are having any difficulties remembering or applying the steps in order. Because you are likely to have access to different brands and types of printers and displays, the research step becomes especially important this week, as students may need to search online or print documentation for specific troubleshooting tips.
This week, students focus on resolving issues related to display devices, such as monitors, and printers. While display issues can be straightforward, students should understand common issues and where to find support to address them. It may require researching online or through product documentation. Printers are often even easier to support as many provide helpful troubleshooting advice through their displays.
Potential Resources
Each student should create clear documentation of their use of the troubleshooting model to diagnose and resolve the issues presented each week. Students can share their work with each other at the end of each week and the team can determine what to include in the Help Desk knowledge base.
Use the discussion activities as a knowledge check after students have had time to review the content and apply their knowledge and skills with the hands-on exploration.
Potential Resources
The Official CompTIA A+ Core 1 & Core 2 Instructor Guide for Exams 220-1001 and 220-1002
- Topic 8A: Wired Networks (480-495)
- Activity 8-1: Discussing Wired Networks (496-497)
- Topic 8B: Network Hardware Devices (498-505)
- Activity 8-2: Discussing Network Hardware Devices (506-507)
- Topic 8C: Wireless Networks (508-512)
- Activity 8-3: Wireless Networks (513)
CompTIA also offers videos for purchase through their website or on ITPro.TV.
Professor Messer at ProfessorMesser.com and YouTube offers numerous free videos of various lengths for many of the topics for the CompTIA 220-1001 A+ Exam. They are easy to understand, narrated videos with visuals. If you are teaching a CompTIA course, the site notes “You’re welcome to use them as much as you’d like, provided you embed the videos with the associated YouTube link or link directly to my site. Please click the “Contact Us” link at the top of our web page and let me know how you’re using them.”
- Professor Messer’s 220-1001 Core 1 CompTIA A+ Training Course videos on ProfessorMesser.com. Search or scroll to find the topics you’re interested in.
- Professor Messer’s CompTIA 220-1001 A+ Training Course playlist on YouTube
Entry Level I.T. Training from Technology Gee
- Troubleshooting Displays (Article | Video – 8:58)
- Troubleshooting Printers (Article | Video – 12:03)
PowerCert Animated Videos on YouTube
Articles and Other Resources:
Display settings/help
How to Customize and Enhance your Windows 10 Display by Lance Whitney for PC Magazine
Windows 10 Beginner: How to Adjust Display Settings by Andre Da Costa for Groovy Post
6 Display Settings you should be using in Windows 10 by Matt Elliott for CNET
Display Settings for your Mac from Apple Support
Two articles from Dell for Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Adjust the Screen Resolution, Color Depth, Refresh Rate and Size of Fonts and Icons on your Windows Desktop
- How to Change the Video Settings or Improve Text in Windows 11 and Windows 10
Troubleshooting Printers
8 Simple Steps to Fixing your Printer by Presley Troendly for endsight, an IT support company in California
10+ Tips for Troubleshooting Common Printer Problems from LD Products, a printer supply company
How to Troubleshoot Printer Issues from Computer Hope, a computer support company in Utah
Manufacturers will also provide specific support for their displays and printers, so be sure to check for online or print documentation from the specific device manufacturer to troubleshoot issues, especially for specific printer error codes.