Frequently Asked Questions

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Can't log in? - some common problems

Could not login. Valid authentication credentials were not provided.

If you get this error message, please check: your username and password.

Check that you are using your correct Student login.
Blackboard does not accept your initial (temporary) password (which is usually your student ID number). You must change this password before you login to Blackboard. For more information on changing passwords please visit SCS Change Password page. If you are having problems changing your password or have forgotten it, please contact the SCS Help Desk (ext6 5050).

An error occurred in the authentication module: Error occurred while trying to lookup the current session in the database.

If you get this error message, please check: Cookies & Security settings in your browser. In order to login in, you MUST enable cookies in your browser. Please refer to the Technical Support page for information on how to enable Cookies, JavaScript and Pop-ups.

Cookies

With cookies turned off, logging in is impossible, as a sessionID cookie is used to identify and authenticate you throughout your session.

JavaScript

Much of Blackboard's functionality depends on JavaScript. With JavaScript turned off, logging in is impossible. So is taking quizzes.

Pages being cached in your browser

Caching problems lead to "wrong" pages showing up, and are Frequently reported as a source of login problems, as well. After applying the setting, clear your cache and restart the browser (close ALL windows first, including any file download windows) to make sure the cache is really cleared.

MS Explorer General tab > Temporary Files > Settings: Make sure this is set to "Every time". To clear cache, click "Delete Files".

Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape Advanced > Cache: Select "Every time I view the page". Click "Clear Cache".

Passwords & form data

There appear to be occasional problems with the browser storing the encoded password for Blackboard and submitting the stored value instead of the current one.

MS Explorer Content tab > Personal Information > AutoComplete: UNcheck "Forms" and "Usernames and Passwords on Forms". Click "Clear Forms" and "Clear Passwords". Quit and restart the browser before trying again.

Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape Privacy & Security > Passwords > Manage Stored Passwords: make sure "blackboard.vuw.ac.nz" is listed among the sites where passwords are never stored.

Under Forms Manage Sites: make sure "blackboard.vuw.ac.nz" is listed among the sites for whom form data Is never stored. Or turn off saving of form data and passwords completely, if you like.

Browser Helper Objects (BHOs)

This is the main hook for malware (spyware, adware, browser hijackers, etc.), so it's very important to turn this off. Malware such as CommonName is a frequent source for login problems.

MS Explorer Advanced tab > Browsing (near top): UNcheck "Enable third party Browser extensions". Restart the browser after clicking OK.

Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape does not apply (Mozilla/NS are safe)

Pop-Up Windows

Allowing pop-ups is necessary to use Chat and Virtual Classroom. Pop-ups are also required for viewing the course map and Electric Blackboard (your notepad).

MS Explorer If using a third-party popup blocker, make sure it allows pop-ups for blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape Privacy & Security > Popup Windows > Allowed Sites: Allow pop-ups for blackboard.vuw.ac.nz

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Can't post messages to a discussion board?

The Blackboard WYSIWYG editor (or the Text Box Editor) uses an activeX control that relies on the MS Office Dynamic HTML (DHTML) Editor to give users an interface very similar to a MS Word editor. Some users will have problem with this editor if their browsers are configured to disallow the use of ActiveX and thus cannot use the Text Box Editor control. In Netscape and Mozilla Firefox, ActiveX is only supported if a pluginin is stalled. Apple Safari does not support Text Box Editor.

Suggestions:

Internet Explorer - Make sure the setting for "Run ActiveX Controls and Plugins" (for IE) is set to enable for the Internet zone.

1. Tools -> Internet Options -> Security Tab
2. Select Internet, click Custom Level
3. Under setting Run ActiveX Controls and Plugins, check Enable.

Internet Explorer - Add the Blackboard site to the "Trusted Sites" zone.
The trusted site configuration should have ActiveX enabled by default, and would allow you to enable this for only the Blackboard site.

1. Tools -> Internet Options -> Security Tab 2.
2. Select Green Tick (Trusted Sites)
3. Click Sites button and add blackboard.vuw.ac.nz
4. Click Custom Level
5. Scroll down to Downloads Section
6. For "Automatic Prompting for file Downloads", make sure "Enable" radio button is set

Turn off the WYSIWYG editor (Text Box Editor) in Blackboard

1. Login to Blackboard and click on "Set Text Box Editor Options"
2. Select "Unavailable" for Set Availability .
3. Click Submit, then OK, and OK again.

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I submitted an assignment but in the gradebook it has a lock symbol alongside it and my instructor can't open it.

At the bottom of the assignment page are three buttons: Cancel, Save and Submit. The "Cancel" button will cancel your work and the "Submit" button will send your assignment to your instructor for grading. The "Save" button will allow you to dave any comments or attachments without sending them to your lecturer/tutor.

This problem is usually caused by the "Save" button, which will save your assignment but not send it to the instructor (lecturer/tutor). If you click "Save", then your instructor will see that you are working on your assignment (it will be "locked" on your instructor's page), but your instructor will not be able to view your saved files until you submit your assignment.

If you clicked "Save" instead of "Submit" by mistake, you should go back to the assignments page and click the "Submit" button, when you have completed your work in order to actually send it to your instructor.

Please Note: You can only Submit an assignment once. After the submission, you can view the files and comments you have submitted but you cannot change them. If, after submitting your assignment, you realise that you have sent the wrong file, you need to contact your instructor to clear your assignment attempt before you can re-submit.

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Why doesn't my back button work?

Many of the pages you see in Blackboard do not exist anywhere as a separate file. Instead, they are created "on the fly" out of a database. When you use the browser's back button to get to a page created in this way, you'll get a cryptic but discouraging message about "Data Missing." Blackboard expects you to navigate through its contents by using the buttons and links it provides in the pages themselves, rather than by using the browser Back button.

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