​​​​General PC and Mac Navigation, Troubleshooting

Owned by Noelle Causton (Deactivated)
Last updated: Sept 26, 2022 by Joan Gabrielle Basa
2 min read

New to working with MacBooks? This beginner's guide to MacBooks highlights the most important/commonly used features and programs.

General Troubleshooting Solutions

  • Restart the program, then machine - Fixes most issues, as restarting the machine will grab any software updates that are missing.  If this does not fix missing programs or outdated software, see Software Installation Issues and Troubleshooting.

  • Make sure everything is connected and plugged in

  • Unplug and plug the machine back into the power bar/outlet - General fix for when a power surge occurs and the machine does not start up when the power button is pressed.

  • Re-add printers to download new drivers

PC to Mac Equivalents

To help you navigate or explain an unfamiliar OS/interface, visit the Apple support page Mac tips for Windows switchers.

The following table is a quick reference guide for common application names:

​PC Application Name

​Mac Application Name

​PC Application Name

​Mac Application Name

​Command Prompt

​Terminal

​Control Panel

​System Preferences

​​Windows Key

​Command Key

​Start Menu

​Dock

​Explorer

​Finder

​Search

Spotlight​

Event Viewer and Error Logs

When troubleshooting a problem, event/error notices are useful.  If no event/error notice appears when the problem occurs, you can check the Event Viewer (Windows) or Console (Mac) logs.  These utilities should give you a detailed explanation of the problem.

Forgetting Profiles, Deleting Locally Saved Credentials

Issues with connecting to Eduroam, receiving email in Outlook/Mac Mail, and general printer are sometimes caused by outdated credentials.  Any saved credentials or local data can be found in the following directories:

  • For Mac machines

    • CREDENTIALS: Keychain Access. Keychain access allows you to manage any saved credentials and certificates.  From Keychain Access, deleting credentials is usually the best solution to authentication problems so that users are prompted to enter them again when necessary.

    • APPLICATION DATA AND SETTINGS: ~/Library/Application Support and ~/Library/Preferences.  Local and user data for applications like browsers.

  • For PC machines

    • ​CREDENTIALS: Control Panel Items - User Accounts, Email, Network and Sharing Centre, and Windows Credential Manager.

    • APPLICATION DATA AND SETTINGS: C:\Users\[userid]\AppData.