Frequently Asked Question

Configuration changes You may want to make to get started with your new laptop:

Projecting Your Laptop

First, plug your laptop into the Projector Cable using the same white adaptor. Click Apple Menu, System Preferences, Displays. Click the Arrangement tab and click the box to Mirror Displays.
Next, change the Screen Resolution. On the Built-In Display window, hold down the Option key on your keyboard and click the Scaled button. If you want it to match the square shape of your screen, select 1024x768. If you want it to match the wide shape of your laptop screen, select 1920x1080 or click the Optimize For tab and select Build-In Display (this will make the display much smaller on your screen).

Viewing your Hard Drive, Server Icons, and Finder Sidebar folders

Click on the desktop. Click Finder menu > Preferences. On the General tab, check the boxes for Hard Drive and Connected Servers. On the Sidebar tab, check the folder you wish to see in the left column of Finder and Save Windows (Home folder, Movies, Music, Pictures, etc.).

Trackpad Scroll Direction

Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Trackpad. Click the Scroll & Zoom tab, then check or uncheck Natural (your preference). You can also add other trackpad gestures in this window.

Change how fast your display dims or sleeps

Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Energy Save and choose how long your laptop waits to sleep for both battery and power adapter.
Note: If you don’t want it to make you sign in again after the screen saver, go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy. Click the General tab and uncheck Require Password after screen saver. You will need to enter your password to turn this off.

Change how often your screen saver activates

Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver. Click the Screen Saver tab and choose a time on the Start After tab in the bottom left.

Choose a default printer

Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. Right click or Control click on a printer on the left column, then select Set Default Printer.

Set Up Your Dock Applications

To add Application shortcut to your dock, either click the Finder Icon (left of dock), then Applications, or the Launchpad (rocket icon). Drag the application to the dock to make a shortcut. To remove an app shortcut from the dock, drag it halfway up the screen and let go.


Adding the Building Server and Lesson Plan Server

Click the Finder (smiley face on left of dock), then Go > Connect to Server. For the lesson plan server, enter lessonplans.qvsd.org, then click the + button to save it. For the building server, enter the following, then click the + button to save it.
OS: osf.qvsd.org ES: esf.qvsd.org MS: msf.qvsd.org HS: hsf.qvsd.org

Setting your Default Web Browser

The district recommends Google Chrome as your default web browser, however you may use the one you prefer. Safari is the default browser to start. If you open Chrome or Firefox for the first time, it will ask you if you want to make it the Default web browser. Otherwise, click Chrome > Preferences or Firefox > Preferences to change and look for the option to set it as the default, as well as to make other configure changes such as setting your Homepage, displaying the Home button, checking Spelling as you Type, choosing your default search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo) and more. Also, be sure to go to Chrome > About Chrome and Firefox > About Firefox to download the latest version of the web browser. You’ll need to click the Reload button if there is an update.

PowerTeacher Gradebook New Launcher Install

When you log in to PowerTeacher, you will need to click arrow on the left and then the option to Install New Launcher. It will download to the bottom of your browser window. Click on it to open and install. Enter your password when prompted. After it is installed, you can Launch PowerTeacher Gradebook like always by clicking the Launch Gradebook button.

Outlook App

The district recommends using Outlook on the web as your default email, but you can use the Outlook app to send/receive email. Any individual contacts you create in Outlook 365 will sync, but email groups/contact lists will not sync. So, to send an email to a contact group, your will need to use Outlook 365 on the web. If you want to add your building’s Staff Calendar in the Outlook App, click the calendar icon in the lower left, click Open Shared Calendar at the top, type the name of your building calendar, select it and click Open. It will display in your left column.

Backing Up All of Your Files on Your Old Laptop

Stickies: If you have anything saved on Stickies, open them and File > Export Text on each one and save them somewhere on your laptop. You can then File > Import that text into Stickies on your new computer.

Bookmarks: Refer to the documents on help.qvsd.org to Export your browser bookmarks and Import them on to your new laptop browsers.

If you are backing up the files on your old computer, you’ll want to click the Hard Drive, select your home folder (has your name on it) on the left, and drag a copy of the Desktop, Documents, Movies, Music and Pictures folders to your external drive, Google Drive or One Drive. This will back up everything saved within those folders, so you don’t lose anything. Only drag what you need on to your new system.