M-Step Troubleshooting Guide
for Chromebooks
Edited for the 2018-2019 Testing Windows
Purpose:
So your students are having a problem accessing the M-STEP on a Chromebook? Well, check out this troubleshooting guide that features common errors that can occur on a Chromebook. If you are looking for MDE’s official M-Step Help, please visit MDE - M-STEP.
Table of Contents:
Error #2 - The Spinning Wheel of Death (Contacting Device Tool Kit)
Error #3 - Network Error: Code: ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED
Error #4 - Could not retrieve testing information.
Error #5 - Your device has not been registered
Error #6 - Test Sign in and/or Question Loaded Incorrectly
Error #7 - Spell Checker does not appear
Error #8 - Testing Complete! Responses Stored on TSM
Error #9 - Device is not compatible (screen resolution)
Error #10 - Fail to load content at/ContentServices/Resources/Media/TTS/retrieve-form.mp3
Error #11 - Audio doesn’t work in test app (but does work in something else)
Error #12 - Your profile could not be opened correctly
Error #13 - M-STEP Writing Quotation Mark problem
Error #14 - Plugin Failed to Load Message
Error #15 - Contrast / Wrong colors?
Error #16 - Screen Resolution declared inappropriate for testing
Error #1 - The Sad Dinosaur
Resolution to Error #1 -
This error occurs when the Chromebook can not connect to the wifi. You might see this screen appear when you first turn on a Chromebook with a wireless connection.
- Often you can wait 10-15 seconds and it will disappear.
- If the above does not solve the issue, try to power cycle the Chromebook by holding in the power button in the top right until it turns off. Once it is off, count to 10 and press the power button again to turn it back on.
- If power cycling does not resolve the issue, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #2 - The Spinning Wheel of Death (Contacting Device Tool Kit)
Resolution to Error #2 -
This error commonly occurs when the Chromebook does not connect to the Testing Site Manager software.
- The first attempt to correct the issue to power cycle the Chromebook by holding in the power button in the top right until it turns off. Once it is off, count to 10 and press the power button again to turn it back on.
- If the issue continues, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #3 - Network Error: Code: ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED
Resolution to Error #3-
This error commonly occurs when the Chromebook changes wireless SSIDs for some reason during the test loading procedure.
- The first attempt to correct the issue to power cycle the Chromebook by holding in the power button in the top right until it turns off. Once it is off, count to 10 and press the power button again to turn it back on.
- If the issue continues, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #4 - Could not retrieve testing information.
Resolution to Error #4-
- The first attempt to correct the issue to power cycle the Chromebook by holding in the power button in the top right until it turns off. Once it is off, count to 10 and press the power button again to turn it back on.
- If the issue continues, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #5 - Your device has not been registered
Resolution to Error #5-
This error occurs when there was an error with your local IT person. The screen appears when the Chromebook was not registered.
- If you are comfortable with attempting to resolve the issue yourself, just select the correct information in the drop down menus for your local school district.
- In the Organizational Unit, select Chromebooks.
- If you are uncomfortable with attempting to resolve the issue, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #6 - Test Sign in and/or Question Loaded Incorrectly
Resolution to Error #6:
This error occurs when the sign in page or a question page does not load correctly. I would feature all the screenshots, but I have been unable to reproduce the errors on my computer. If you have something that loads incorrectly, please follow the steps below to resolve the problem.
- If a question loads incorrectly, have the student click the ‘Next’ button and then select the ‘Back’ button.
- If a sign in page loads incorrectly, have the student click the ‘Back’ link if it is available.
- If a ‘Back’ link is not available, try to find something to take them forwards or back, e.g. log in even though the page looks odd.
- If the issue continues, contact your assigned IT person for the M-Step test day.
Error #7 - Spell Checker does not appear
Resolution to Error #7:
Even though the teacher test administration manual states that a spell checker will be available, there is no spell checker available. On page 14 of the Michigan Department of Education FAQ document it states there will be no spell checker.
Error #8 - Testing Complete! Responses Stored on TSM
When students are finished with the test, they may get a screen that says:
Testing Complete! Responses Stored on TSM
Please raise your hand and wait for help
____________________________________
Message to Test Administrator
There has been an interruption in Internet Connection
All of the Student's responses have been saved to the TSM
The TSM will send the responses for scoring
Resolution to Error #8 -
TSM Administrators can log into the TSM and can manually select ‘Transmit Responses’. Otherwise, according to the TSM manual, these answers are transmitted automatically throughout the day.
Error #9 - Device is not compatible (screen resolution)
All District Chromebooks should be compatible with the online M-STEP assessment. However, students may get an error message that their device is not compatible if their screen resolution is not set correctly. Exit the M-STEP app, have the student login to the Chromebook, go to Settings -> Display and select the recommended 1366x768 resolution. Then logout and re-launch the M-STEP app.
Error #10 - Fail to load content at/ContentServices/Resources/Media/TTS/retrieve-form.mp3
This is an error message students with accommodations may see when they try (and fail) to use the Text-To-Speech (TTS) feature in the M-STEP test app. DRC indicates the solution is to redownload the test content to the TSM server, but that process will interrupt any current testing sessions on that server and will take about 30 minutes to complete. You’ll need to contact the Tech Dept to initiate the process - please do not try to do this yourselves.
Error #11 - Audio doesn’t work in test app (but does work in somethine else)
If you find that the audio doesn’t work in the test app (but it does work in something else, like YouTube), the recommendation is to check for an update to ChromeOS. Login to the Chromebook with a regular user account, open a browser window, and go to chrome://help
Check for updates. If an update is available it will begin to download. After the download is complete, restart the Chromebook.
Error #12 - Your profile could not be opened correctly
If this message appears, wiping and re-enrolling the Chromebook will fix the error. If you are unfamiliar with wiping and re-enrolling and/or need to ensure that the device is relocated into the proper test OU, please call the PCCS M-STEP support number 734-288-8121.
Error #13 - M-STEP Writing Quotation Mark problem
If testing students and getting an "Invalid Character" message when attempting to use quotation marks in their response ---
Make sure the keyboard is set to US before they enter the test. To do so, toggle by depressing ctrl+shift+space
Error #14 - Plugin Failed to Load problem
If testing students and getting a Plugin Failed to Load message...
As soon as the app opens, press Ctrl+Alt+S to kill the app and fall back to the login screen. Then launch the app again and it should work correctly.
Error #15 - Contrast / Wrong colors
If you encounter a CB which seemingly displays with the "wrong" colors, please check to see if by chance it is simply that high contrast mode has been enabled. Depress the following three keys to toggle it on/off. CTRL+SEARCH+H
Error #16 - Screen Resolution declared inappropriate for testing
Reset the screen resolution with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + 0 (zero), then close and relaunch the testing app.
