Why is my password not working? IT Support Episode 3

In this episode, Captain Christian talks about passwords and laptops.  He specifically talks about why your password may not work, which worked fine the day before!  And most importantly of course, the solution to this common and avoidable fault!

Yes we know it worked fine the last time you logged in.  Believe us when we say, don’t worry it happens all the time, you’re not alone with this IT problem!

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For those of you who would rather read, here is the story this week…

IT Support Episode 3: Why is my password not working?

Hi! This is Christian from Northstar IT and this week I want to talk PASSWORDS!

Yes, we’ve still got loads of users working from home accessing their office computers remotely and yes, still some of them don’t quite get the everyday
problems that may play them. This week I want to focus on laptops. Not everyone has a desktop computer sitting at the most convenient location when they’re used to be in the office. Which probably means it’s sitting on the dining-room table. So what I want to highlight is THIS!

Yep, this is not, what an average laptop has. And neither is one of these. And certainly if you’ve got one of the smaller laptops, where they’re a little more condensed and lightweight to make them more portable. One day you log-on and that all-too-familiar password isn’t working anymore.

What I want to draw your attention to is the “Num Lock” key, because even though you might not have a separate numeric keypad on that smaller laptop
you will still have one: it’s slightly hidden!

If you look on the right-hand side of the alphanumeric side of the keyboard you will find a load of numbers.

Ordinarily they don’t do anything but if you turn the Num Lock key on, through no fault of your own, probably while dusting or cleaning your keyboard at the end of the day. Getting rid of those crumbs from lunch that shouldn’t have been anywhere near your laptop. All of a sudden you’ve got a numeric keypad in the middle of your keyboard, so when you’re typing your normal password in. Merrily, blindly, accepting what it is because let’s face it you can’t see, it’s got the stars all the dots in front of you and then it doesn’t work. And you try again!

And it doesn’t work!

And then…

Yep, you’re on the phone to us.

Through some basic diagnostics we find – yeah, it’s still working and then we work out: it’s the “Num Lock” button.

I have to confess: I’ve got no idea why someone thought it was a good idea to put one there. As an engineer, and I’ve been one for over 20 years,
that thing is only a pain in the proverbial backside.

However, it is there and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. So if all of a sudden you’re struggling to log on and there’s been a few of you,
because I’ve seen the tickets. Try the “Num Lock” key and see if your all-too-familiar password starts working again.

Good luck!

Until next week.

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