Troubleshooting Tips

The problems listed below are scenarios. Read the problem statements. If the situation applies to you, read and try the potential solutions. If none of the troubleshooting solutions work, please use the Blackboard help desk information to contact someone at CTDLC support.

AOL and SBC Globalnet USERS: CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS

Microsoft Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Users: Click Here for How- to's and Faq's

Problem 1:

a. Click here if you are not able to log in to myCommNet from any computer.

b. If you have logged on to myCommNet but cannot get to My Blackboard page (when you click on the Blackboard Vista icon, no Blackboard page is shown), you need to disable the pop-up blockers or other toolbars attached to your web browser.

Many of the systems accessed through myCommNet open in a new window and therefore require that pop-ups be allowed.  In order to have the best myCommNet experience, please ensure that all pop-up blockers are turned off including the popup blockers associated with your browsers (e.g. IE) and any other software packages installed on your PC (e.g. Norton, Yahoo, Google, AOL Toolbars, as they come with their own pop-up blockers that should be turned off). 

Click here for a website that may assist you in turning off blockers. The virtual help center may also help you disable all pop-up blockers. For more information, please refer to your software’s help resource to find out how to turn-off your pop-up blockers.  

c. While you are in Blackboard, you received a warning message saying that your session times out and click Continue. To avoid this timeout message, once you are in your course Blackboard page, close the myCommNet window.

d. If you have logged on to myCommNet and got on to your Blackboard course once but after you logged out and logged back on, you received an External System Error message. You are using a Blackboard Vista incompatible web browser. You should use a Blackboard Vista compatible web browser to get to your Blackboard course. Click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the list of web browsers that are compatible with Blackboard Vista. It is highly recommended that for all PC users, you use Mozilla Firefox 2.0 for your primary web browser to access Blackboard Vista courses. Click here for information of downloading the Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and it is correct setting for Blackboard Vista.

Problem 2:

When attaching a file to an e-mail, discussion message, or Assignment "drop box", after clicking the "Add Attachment " button, either nothing happens or you see a JAVA error message displayed, or you do NOT see the "My Computer" icon on the upload screen.

Reason: The JAVA plug-in is not installed or enabled on your computer or you have an incorrect version of the JAVA plug-in.

Solution:
a. You need to have JAVA 1.5.0.04 plug-in installed to your computer.Go to the CTDLC Blackboard Vista Support Center at http://www.ctdlc.org/Help/Vista/index.html. Under Download (mid-right of the screen), click Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE 1.5.0.04). When you are prompted to Run or Save, click Run to install the JAVA 1.5.0.04.

b. Enable the JAVA to the browser, such as Internet Explorer.

    1. In your computer, go to Start menu, select Settings and Control Panel. 

    2. In the Control Panel window, double-click the JAVA icon. 

    3. Select Advanced tab in the window, click “+” next to <Applet> Tag Support, check Internet Explorer.  Then click OK.

c. If solutions a. and b. did not resolve the problem, use Mozilla Firefox as the browser to access your online class. Click here for instructions on the download, installation, and correct configuration of Mozilla Firefox.

After you download and install the JAVA 1.5 plug-in, the most effective solution for the above problems is to use Mozilla Firefox browser instead of using Internet Explorer.

    1. Click here to download the Mozilla Firefox 2.0

    2. Install Firefox by double-clicking "Firefox setup 2.0 PR.exe" file.

    3. To turn the pop-up blocker off in Mozilla browser, go to "Tools", select "Options", select "Web Features" on the left side of the screen, and uncheck the Block Popup Windows option.

Click here for detailed instructions on how to download and set up the Mozilla browser

Problem 3:

While taking an online exam, you saved the answer of a question, but there is no check mark indicated in the right window or you got a message saying Error Page/Page Not Found. There are possible two reasons to cause such a problem (1) your Internet connection is temoprarily off; (2) Your web browser "crashed", which mostly occured for Internet Explorer 7 users.

Should this problem happens, close out the web browser or even restart your computer. Log back on to your course, click on Assessments, click on the exam, and click on Continue Assessment buton to finish the exam. This method is to help you get through the problem while taking the exam. To avoid such problem happend again, we highly recommend you use Mozilla Firefox browser while taking an online exam. Click here for instrction on how to download, install, and setup the free Mozillar Firefox browser.

Problem 4:

You cannot log in to your course with Net ID and password at your home computer but successfully log on to other computers with the same ID and password. After you enter the NetID and password on your home computer, you receive a message indicating that you entered an incorrect username and/or password.

Reason: Additional firewalls or filters installed on your computer prevent the proper transfer of Net ID and password information to the myCommNet.

Solution:
a. Turn off any additional firewalls such as E-Zone or allow the Vista site as an exception in your firewall protection program. Some virus protection software such as Norton Utility Virus Protection has firewalls turned on as default. Turn the firewall off on your Virus protection software. For help with changing the firewall settings, consult the help utility in your software program, visit the software company's web site for more information, or obtain from the web site contact information for support specialists.

b. Use Mozilla Firefox as the browser to access your online class.

      1. Click here to download the Firefox 2.0
      2. Install Firefox by double-clicking Firefox setup 2.0 PR.exe file.
      3. Turn the pop-up blocker off in Mozilla browser. Go to Tools, select Options. Select Web Features on the left of the screen. Uncheck Block Popup Windows.
      4. Click here for detailed instructions on how to download and set up the Mozilla browser

Problem 5.

Blackboard recommends removing (uninstalling) additional search bars or add-on toolbars, as they can interfere with Vista functionality. A very common add-on bar is the Yahoo!Companion. Click here for instructions on how to uninstall the Yahoo! Companion. Other common add-ons include Google Toolbar, Google Desktop, Weatherbug, Gator, etc. Consult the product's help guide or web site for information on disabling or removing the add-on.

a. You may turn off these additional toolbars. Go to View, uncheck the toolbar on the toolbar list.
b. You may need to remove the toolbar if problem persists. Click here for instructions on how to remove the Yahoo Companion.

 

The CTDLC Blackboard Vista Issues site may also provide you with useful information to deal with problems you encouter.

If you have tried all the suggestions but are still having Blackboard problems, contact Blackboard Technical Support:

CTDLC
Email: support@ctdlc.org
Voice: (866) 462-8352 (Toll-Free)
Web: www.ctdlc.org/Help/index.cfm
Monday through Thursday, 8 am- 10 pm
Friday, 8 am- 8 pm
Saturday, 8 am- 5 pm
Sunday, 10 am- 8 pm