Computer Settings
How do I check my browser version in Internet Explorer?
How do I check my browser version in Mozilla Firefox?
Clearing your Cookies or Temporary Internet files
Checking your Security and Privacy settings
Checking your Advanced browser settings
Setting MSU Online as your homepage
How do I check and install the correct version of Java?
My Java automatically updates to the newest version. How can I stop this?
How do I check my browser version? It is important that you have a browser that is compatible with Blackboard. Here are some instructions on how to check your browser version:
In Internet Explorer:
- With Internet Explorer open, click on the Help menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu select About Internet Explorer.
- A new window will open and your browser version should be listed on the first line. In the example below, the version of Internet Explorer is 8.0.
- Click on OK.
How do I check my browser version? It is important that you have a browser that is compatible with Blackboard. Here are some instructions on how to check your browser version:
In Mozilla Firefox:
- With Mozilla Firefox open, click on the Help menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu select About Mozilla Firefox.
- A new window will open and your browser version should be listed on the first line.
Clearing your Cookies or Temporary Internet files:
- With Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu, select Internet Options.
- A new window will open and in the middle of the page select Delete under Browsing History.
- A "Delete Browsing History" box will appear. You will need to choose the items that you want to delete. Make sure to choose "Temporary Internet files" and "Cookies."
- Next click on the Delete button.
- Click on OK at the bottom of the page.
Checking your Security and Privacy settings:
- Within Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu, select Internet Options.
- A new window will open. Click on the Security tab at the top of the window. Make sure that the Internet is selected under "Select a Web content zone . . . "
- Next click on the Privacy tab at the top of the window. In this window, your privacy should be set at Medium.
- Click on OK at the bottom of the page.
Checking your Advanced browser settings:
- With Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu, select Internet Options.
- A new window will open. Click on the Advanced tab at the top of the window.
- Scroll down to the very bottom, and make sure that SSL 2.0 and SSL 3.0 are both checked.
- Click on OK at the bottom of the page.
Setting MSU Online as your homepage:
- With Internet Explorer, click on the Tools menu at the top of the page.
- In that menu, select Internet Options.
- A new window will open. Type http://www.minotstateu.edu/online in the box under Home page.
- Click on OK at the bottom of the page.
How do I check and install the correct version of Java in Windows?
If you will be using Blackboard, you must have the correct version of Java. If you do not have the correct version, you may experience problems. You can check your Java version by doing the following:
- Click on the Start menu in the bottom left corner of your screen
- Click on the Control Panel
- Under View by in the upper right, choose Small or Large icons.
- Click on Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features
- Let the page load . . . this may take a few minutes
- Once the page loads, scroll down the page and look for Java files. If you have Java 7, leave that one and remove all other versions. When finished, you should only have Java 7 listed.
If you do not have Java 7, you can use the following steps to update to a supported version of Java.
- Click on the Start menu in the bottom left corner of your screen
- Click on the Control Panel
- Under View by in the upper right, choose Small or Large icons.
- Click on Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features
- Select and remove anything that starts with Java
- Go to the Software Downloads page and click on the link next Java for Windows.
- Click to Accept License Agreement and then click on the appropriate download link.
- When prompte to install the Ask toolbar, UNCHECK the box and click on next.
- Once you’ve completed, try to login into Blackboard
- If you still have problems with your course, contact the MSU Help Desk.
My Java automatically updates to the newest version. How can I stop this?
Sometimes Java is set to automatically update to the newest version as it comes out. With Blackboard the newest Java version will cause problems. To disable the automatic update, follow these steps:
- Click on the Start menu in the bottom left corner of your screen
- Click on the Control Panel
- Click on the JAVA icon
- Select the Update tab
- If you want to prevent automatic updates but still want to have the option to choose:
- In the drop down menu, select Notify Me - 'Before Downloading'
- Click on the Advanced button and select Monthly
- If you want to prevent automatic updates but do not want to worry about the prompts to complete them:
- Uncheck the box in front of 'Check for Updates Automatically'
- When the Update window opens, select Never.
- Click the OK button