WALTER CLINTON JACKSON LIBRARY
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Troubleshooting Online Access



General Tips for Access

  • Try hitting the Refresh button on your browser, which asks the computer to reload the web page.
  • If you receive a 404 not found message when you attempt to access a database, this most likely means the database server is down, and you should attempt to access the database at a later time.
  • If you are not a currently enrolled student or current employed faculty/staff member, then you do not have off campus access to resources.
  • Some databases only allow a limited number of users. If you get an error message about too many users, try to access the database at a later time. The More Info pages for each database gives the user limit when there is one.


Is your internet connection working?

To check if your connection is working, try visiting a few different websites, or clicking the refresh or reload button on your toolbar. If you get an error page, then your connection to the internet may be temporarily down.



Does your browser accept cookies?

Show MeIf you are using Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu and click on Internet options. Choose the third tab over which says Privacy. Drag the slider down to Accept All Cookies. Please remember to change this slider back when you are finished using Library Resources so the security of your browser will remain unchanged.

Show MeIf you are using Netscape, then go to the Edit menu and click on Preferences. On the left hand side of the window, double click on Privacy & Security. Click on Cookies. Make sure that either 'Allow cookies based on privacy settings' or 'Allow all cookies' is checked. Click OK.

Show MeIf you are using Mozilla FireFox, go to the Tools menu and click on Options. On the left hand side of the window, click on Privacy. Click on the plus sign next to the word "Cookies" and make sure that there is a check mark in the box labeled "Enable cookies" and also that "Accept cookies normally" is selected. Click OK.



Have you tried clearing the cache?

The Cache in a web browser holds copies of the pages you have visited. When you revisit a website, if your browser still has the page in its cache, it will load the information from the cache first before checking the website, in order to save time. This old information can cause problems with authentication.

To clear the cache:

Show MeIf you are using Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu and click on Internet options. Click the button that says Delete Files. Put a check mark in the box that says "Delete all offline content" and click OK.

Show MeIf you are using Netscape, go to the Edit menu and click on Preferences. On the left hand side of the window, double click on Advanced. Click on Cache. Click the button that says 'Clear Cache.' Click OK.

Show MeIf you are using Mozilla FireFox, go to the Tools menu and click on Options. On the left hand side of the window, click on Privacy. Look for the button that says 'Clear' to the right of the word 'Cache' and click on it. Click OK.



Is Javascript enabled on your computer?

If you are using Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu and click on Internet options. Choose the Advanced tab on the right. Scroll down the options until you get to the Microsoft VM section and make sure check marks are next to the entries labeled "Java console enabled," "Java logging enabled" and "JIT compiler for virtual machine enabled." Click OK.

If you are using Netscape, go to the Edit menu and click on Preferences. On the left hand side of the window, double click on Advanced. Make sure the box labeled "Enable Java" is checked and click OK.

If you are using Mozilla FireFox, go to the Tools menu and click on Options. On the left hand side of the window, click on Web Features. Make sure the boxes "Enable Java" and "Enable JavaScript" have check marks in them, and click OK.



Do you have a firewall on your computer?

A firewall, such as Norton Personal Firewall or McAfee Firewall, may interfere with the proxy server that UNCG uses to provide access to off-campus users. If you are attempting to access UNCG resources from work, contact the network administrator at your company to help you with this issue.

If you are trying to gain access from home, then you will need to modify your firewall settings. Consult the manual for the software you are using, or contact the software's technical support staff.



Are you a new employee or late registering student?

Student and new faculty/staff information is added daily at the beginning of the semester. Your student or faculty/staff ID number may not be in our system at this time. You may have to wait a couple of days to get access. Call 336-334-4238 for assistance with this problem.



Calling for Help!

When you call or e-mail for help, make sure you have the following information handy:

  • What type of browser you are using
  • What database you are trying to access
  • The wording of any error messages you have received

For assistance with online access issues, you can call the Electronic Resources and Information Technology Department at 336-334-4238 or use the e-mail form.

For other non-computing library questions, you can call the Reference desk at 336-334-5419, or use online chat or e-mail to Ask Us!

Or you can call 6-TECH for assistance with non-library computing issues.



This page was last updated on Friday, 26-Jun-2009, 08:45:47 AM.

Any comments or questions? Call ERIT at 336-334-4238.