If the computer starts but you can’t see anything on the screen, see “Monitor Problems,‘” later in this appendix,

The Computer Locks Up

If your computer locks up and does not respond when you type on the keyboard, follow these steps:

1.Some computer operations take longer than others to complete. For example, the computer takes longer to sort a database than to accept a single typed character. If your computer is still locked after a reasonable length of time, proceed to the next step.

2. If you are running an application program, see “Software Problems,” later in this appendix. This section covers certain problems caused by application programs.

3.Did you enter the correct password? See “Password Problems,” below.

4.If you want to stop whatever the computer is doing and return to the MS-DOS command prompt, hold down the Ctrl key and press Break. In most cases, this solves the problem. See Chapter 3 for more information on stopping a command or program.

5.If your computer still does not respond, you can reset it with the RESET button. Follow the instructions in Chapter 3.

6.If resetting the computer does not work, turn off the computer, wait at least five seconds, and turn it on again. If you do not have a hard disk drive, insert the Startup diskette in drive A. The computer should load MS-DOS.

Troubleshooting A-3