promethean activboard 300 pro series User manual

Troubleshooting Promethean
Interactive Boards
Dan Durkee, MCSE, MCT, CNA, CPQ-CUSS,
ACE, STS Altiris
Executive VP\General Manager
Connecting Point Computer Center
303 South Third Street
Bismarck, ND 58504
p 701.258.6689 f 701.258.0768

Disclaimer
•This information is intended for IT staff or
Promethean certified installers. If you are a
classroom teacher you are welcome to use this
guide, however be advised that you need to
contact your school IT staff or IT support
company before making any changes to your
operating system unless you have experience or
are comfortable doing so.

Warranty
•3 year parts only warranty –If the Promethean
system was not installed by certified Promethean
Installer, you have a three year parts only warranty.
•5 year parts only warranty –If the Promethean
system was installed by a certified promethean
installer, you have a five year parts only warranty.
•30 day workmanship warranty –Connecting
Point Computer Center has a thirty day
workmanship warranty. If your board was installed
during the summer, this 30 day workmanship
warranty becomes effective on the first day of
school.

Issue
USB Connectivity Issues
Pen Not Functioning

Try to Calibrate Pen
•Put pen near flame in corner of the board to go
into calibration mode
•Right click on icon in system tray and select
calibrate

USB Connectivity Issues
Pen Not Functioning
•Red X means not connected to the board
•Fireboy means you are connected and ready to
use the board
•KISS –Keep it simple, do you have power and is
the USB cable plugged in?
•Verify Connection Type –USB?

Update Drivers
•Make sure drivers are up to date
•Current Driver is at
www.prometheanplanet.com
•Current Promethean Driver is 5.4.6

Update Software
•Make sure Activinspire is up to date
•Current version of Activinspire is at
www.prometheanplanet.com
•Current Activinspire is 1.3.15321

PC System Tray or Mac Control Panel
Check to Make You can See the Board –Pen Mode

Power Cycle Board and PC
•Unplug USB from PC, reboot PC
•Power cycle the board:
▫ To power cycle AB178 Board or standard 78” and 87”
boards (all grey board) unplug power adapter and then plug
the power adapter into the wall.
The board should reboot and you will hear 3 tones and see the
flame change color
▫To power cycle newer 300 series board (board with dark
colored speakers on the side) simply unplug the USB cable
as the board is powered via USB.
The board should reboot and you will hear 3 tones and see the
flame change color
•After PC reboots and user is logged in then plug in USB
cable from the board

Check Device Manager
•Look for splat –if splat then fix driver or reload
driver
•Make sure you have a human interface device

Swap Cables
•Get rid of all USB Extension Cables
▫As of March 12, 2010, Promethean 300 series
board only support USB Superboosters for
extension cables.
▫Cables to Go –silver USB extension cables are no
longer supported
•Plug in a new Promethean USB cable

Swap Computers
•Take the existing PC and temporarily swap it
with a PC that is working with the board in a
different room

Can you Isolate Issue to Board?
•Replace Power supply to board on AB178,
Standard 78” and Standard 87” boards
•Replace board electronics –swap from a new
board or contact Promethean

Quick reference –DO NOT SKIP
•Verify connection type (USB)
•Check all connections
•Check that driver and software is installed
and up to date
•Verify whether the driver sees the board
•Cycle power to board
•Cycle USB connection
•Check Device manager, update if necessary
•Swap cabling, ensuring direct connection
•Test against known good computer
•Swap electronics

Issue
Changing your Activinspire Studio
to Activinspire Primary

Basic Steps
•Start Activinspire.
•The Dashboard will appear automatically.
•Click on Configure.
•Click on the check box stating “Launch next time
using Primary look and feel.”
•Close and restart Activinspire and it will look
like Primary.
•To go back to Studio, follow steps 1-4 but in step
4 you would uncheck “Launch next time using
Primary look and feel.”

Issue
Spiking of Pen
Irratic Pen Behavior

Basic Steps –Do Not Skip
•Update Driver
•Update Software
•Power Cycle Board
•Get rid of USB extensions

Can you Isolate Issue to Room?
•Turn of lights in room
•Unplug all devices in room except PC, Projector
and the board