Troubleshooting Skills Series V4/ Troubleshooting Industrial Controls V1.5
About the Programs
- What is the difference between the Student, Expert, Business, and Enterprise Editions?
- What is the difference between the programs on CD and the ones available via download?
- Can I move the software from one computer to another?
- What operating systems is the Troubleshooting Skills software compatible with?
- Does any of the Troubleshooting Skills software run on Mac computers?
- Can I install the Troubleshooting Skills software on a network drive, or a removable drive?
Using the Programs
- Can the faults be retried once completed?
- Can I change my user name once it is created?
- How do I view/print my Certificate of Completion?
- Can I print out my progress and scores?
- My score on the Meter Readings scale is not very good. I can take as many meter readings as I want on real equipment, so why am I being penalized in the simulator?
- How can I improve my score for the Skill Test faults?
- I have been troubleshooting the Skill Test faults, but I am stuck on one that I can’t solve. What should I do?
Updates and Upgrades
- Once I purchase the Troubleshooting Skills software, is there a fee for updates?
- I already own a previous version of the Troubleshooting Skills Series software. Should I upgrade to Version 4.0?
- Is there a special upgrade price to upgrade from previous versions (2.5, 3.0, or 3.2) of the software?
Technical Support
- I can’t get my program(s) to run. What should I do?
- I had to use the System Restore feature to fix my operating system and now my Troubleshooting Skills software does not work correctly. What should I do?
- When installing the software on a server to run across a network, and trying to run the programs on the client computers, I get this message: “Program Not Activated Before you can run the program from a client machine, the server must be activated as an Enterprise Edition.”
About the Programs
1. What is the difference between the Student, Expert, Business, and Enterprise Editions? 
back to top
The Student and Expert Editions are designed for personal use. They allow the programs to be installed on one computer and track the progress of one person. They are typically purchased by students, apprentices, trades persons, etc. wishing to learn or upgrade their troubleshooting skills. The Expert Edition is an ideal tool for maintaining troubleshooting skills as it includes 50% more faults than the Student Edition.
The Business Edition is for use on standalone PCs and offers unlimited enrollment, which means that any number of people can use the software. It is most appropriate for small groups of users where minimal monitoring is required. Users have access to the complete fault set, and can print out a progress report as well as a certificate of completion.
The Enterprise Edition can be installed on a server or on standalone PCs, and is priced per concurrent user or per standalone PC. This edition also includes an Instructor Guide for each program and the Simutech Course Manager. It is most appropriate for where an instructor or supervisor will monitor and manage the users' progress, such as in a classroom environment. Several types of reports and can be either exported or printed, and several course options can be modified through the course management software.
Click here for a detailed comparison of the editions.
2. What is the difference between the programs on CD and the ones available via download? back to top
There is no difference. The CD option is for people who are unable to download the program or who would like a hard copy of the software.
3. Can I move the software from one computer to another? back to top
Once the software is installed on a computer it cannot be moved to another computer without the assistance of Simutech Multimedia. However, you can download the program onto one computer and then copy it to another computer BEFORE it is installed and activated. It needs to be installed and activated on the computer you plan on using it on.
4. What operating systems is the Troubleshooting Skills software compatible with? back to top
Version 4 of the Troubleshooting Skills software is designed to work on Windows operating systems. This includes Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
5. Does any of the Troubleshooting Skills software run on Mac computers? back to top
The Troubleshooting Skills software will not work natively on a Mac. However, it is possible to run the software on Intel-based Macs running a Windows operating system.
The three ways to run Windows programs on Mac hardware:
- Parallels: http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/
- Fusion: http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/
- Bootcamp: http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.html
There are currently no plans to make the programs compatible natively with Mac computers.
6. Can I install the Troubleshooting Skills software on a network drive, or a removable drive? back to top
No, the software must be installed on a local hard drive. The only exception to this is if you own the Enterprise Edition of the software.
Using the Programs
1. Can the faults be retried once completed? back to top
Yes, you can retry the faults once they are completed. Guided and Practice faults can be tried an unlimited number of times.
You can also retry the Skill Test faults, once they are all successfully completed. When you wish to retry a Skill Test fault, the program will randomly select faults for you.
2. Can I change my user name once it is created? back to top
Unfortunately, there is no way to change the user name once it has been created in the program without losing your progress and results. The only way to change your user name is to completely uninstall and reinstall the software. This will delete any progress you have completed.
3. How do I view/print my Certificate of Completion? back to top
To view/print your Certificate of Completion you must first successfully finish all of the Skill test faults in the program. Once these are complete, a Print Certificate button can be found in the top right corner of the Summary page.
The Summary page will be accessible in the same area as the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced tabs for troubleshooting the circuit.
4. Can I print out my progress and scores? back to top
Yes. You can print out your progress and scores at any time in a Progress Report.
To print your Progress Report:
- From the Main Menu, click the Resources button. The Resources window will appear.
- Select the User Options tab at the top.
- Click the Print Progress Report button.
- Select your printer and click the Print button.
The Progress Report shows your Skill Rating for each difficulty level, as well as your Overall Skill Rating for the program. It also displays the results of all your fault attempts, as well as any errors you committed.
5. My score on the Meter Readings scale is not very good. I can take as many meter readings as I want on real equipment, so why am I being penalized in the simulator? back to top
If you are having problems keeping your number of meter readings to the par value, it shows that there is room for improvement in your process. While it is true that you are not penalized in real life for taking more readings, the idea of this software is to help you develop the most efficient and effective process possible.
Note that the number of meter readings you take does not affect your score for that fault or your Overall Rating. The Meter Readings scale just shows how efficient you are being. There is more information about the evaluation and scoring in the Help system within the simulator.
6. How can I improve my score for the Skill Test faults? back to top
The Troubleshooting Skills Series was developed to be used as a series. Make sure that you begin with Troubleshooting Electrical Circuits and then move on to the other programs, Troubleshooting Controls Circuits and Troubleshooting Motor Circuits.
In Troubleshooting Industrial Controls, the advanced skills program, you should be able to apply all of the skills you learned and practiced in the Troubleshooting Skills Series programs.
Improving your score means being an efficient troubleshooter. To help improve your troubleshooting process, take the time to fully understand the troubleshooting concepts and techniques taught in the learning modules in Troubleshooting Electrical Circuits, as well as the other Troubleshooting Skills Series programs. Repeating the Guided Faults a few times will also help you to understand the correct troubleshooting process.
7. I have been troubleshooting the Skill Test faults, but I am stuck on one that I can’t solve. What should I do? back to top
Please note that Simutech Multimedia does not offer support for help solving faults.
If you become stuck on a fault, try reviewing the learning modules in the program. These modules are intended to give you the strategies and techniques needed to troubleshoot the Skill Test faults. Make sure you get a good understanding of this information, as it can help you improve your process and solve faults that you may get stuck on.
Updates and Upgrades
1. Once I purchase the Troubleshooting Skills software, is there a fee for updates? back to top
For minor version updates (ie. 4.01 to 4.04) there is no fee. For major version upgrades (ie. 3.2 to 4.0) we do offer special upgrade pricing to owners of previous versions.
Please refer to the following questions for more information about upgrading.
2. I already own a previous version of the Troubleshooting Skills Series software. Should I upgrade to Version 4.0? back to top
Version 4 of the Troubleshooting Skills Series software has been completely redesigned and rebuilt. Most users who have upgraded have found it to be very worthwhile.
Some of the key new enhancements include:
- Compatible with Windows Vista and Windows 7.
- More faults included in all programs.
- Enhanced content sections.
- Improved simulation capabilities.
- Enhanced evaluation system.
3. Is there a special upgrade price to upgrade from previous versions (2.5, 3.0, or 3.2) of the software? back to top
We have provided a special upgrade offer for customers using Version 2.5, Version 3.0, or Version 3.2 who wish to upgrade to Version 4.0.
Find out more about our special upgrade pricing.
Technical Support
1. I can’t get my program(s) to run. What should I do? back to top
Start by making sure that you have installed the software correctly. If you downloaded the program, a link to the Installation Instructions is also included in the same email. If you are using the CD to install the program, the Installation Instructions are included in the User Guide located in the CD case.
Once the software is installed, a shortcut to the program will appear on the Desktop as well as in the Start Menu in the Simutech Troubleshooting folder. The shortcut to run the program will be labelled as the program title (ie. "Troubleshooting Motor Circuits V4") and is different than the setup file (ie. "TMC40setup.exe") you downloaded. Make sure that you are not trying to run the setup file again, as this will not allow you to run the program.
Once you have started the program, make sure that you have the correct License ID and Password for that program. To activate the program automatically you will need to have access to the Internet from the computer that the software is installed on. If you are unable to activate automatically, please follow the instructions to activate the program manually.
If you are still unable to run and activate your software, please contact Simutech Multimedia for assistance.
2. I had to use the System Restore feature to fix my operating system and now my Troubleshooting Skills software does not work correctly. What should I do? back to top
When you restore your operating system to a previous restore point, it is possible that your progress data was erased. You will need to completely uninstall and then reinstall the software.
3. When installing the software on a server to run across a network, and trying to run the programs on the client computers, I get this message:
“Program Not Activated
Before you can run the program from a client machine, the server must be activated as an Enterprise Edition.” back to top
To solve this problem you will need to ensure that the programs are being installed correctly. Begin by uninstalling the software and then restart the process, following the instructions provided in the Simutech Course Manager & Network Client Setup Guide. This document is included in the case with the Simutech Course Manager & Network Client CD-ROM.
Please note:
- The software must be installed on a local drive for the network installation to work properly.
- The installation process will create a data share on the computer where the program(s) were installed. This data share path must be accessible to the client computers you wish to run the software on.
