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Windows PC basics

The main Windows 11 computer lives at 192.168.2.200. This guide covers turning it on, signing in, and opening a browser — nothing more technical than that.

Turn on the PC

  1. Go to the desk where the desktop computer sits.
  2. If the screen is black, move the mouse or press a key on the keyboard.
  3. If it still does not wake, press the power button on the front or top of the PC case once.
  4. Wait for the Windows logo and login screen. This usually takes 1–2 minutes.

Log in

  1. Click your user account on the login screen.
  2. Type your Windows password, or use fingerprint / Windows Hello if that is set up.
  3. Press Enter or click the arrow.
  4. Wait until you see the desktop — wallpaper, taskbar at the bottom, Start button bottom-left.

Forgot the password? That is stored separately from homelab passwords. Check Vaultwarden at vault.saxobroko.com for a saved Windows login, or ask whoever set up the PC.

Open a web browser

Most homelab services open in a browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox — whichever is installed).

  1. Click the browser icon on the taskbar (often Edge or Chrome).
  2. If there is no icon, click the Start button, type Chrome or Edge, and press Enter.
  3. Click the address bar at the top (where URLs go).
  4. Type a site address, for example:
  5. dash.saxobroko.com — home dashboard
  6. stream.saxobroko.com — Jellyfin movies and TV
  7. vault.saxobroko.com — passwords
  8. Press Enter.

The A: drive (media folder)

The PC has a mapped network drive called A:. It points to media stored on the NAS (movies, music files, etc.).

  • You might see A: in File Explorer (folder icon on taskbar → This PC).
  • Normal users do not need to open A: to watch things — use Jellyfin instead.
  • If A: is missing with a red X, the NAS may be off or the mapping broke. See Turn everything on and ask for help remapping if needed.

Bitwarden on this PC

Passwords for websites are saved in Bitwarden, connected to vault.saxobroko.com.

  1. Look for the Bitwarden extension in the browser toolbar (shield icon).
  2. Click it and unlock with the vault master password when a site asks you to log in.
  3. To save a new password, see Save a password in the vault.

Shut down safely

When you are done for the day:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click the Power icon.
  3. Choose Shut down (not "Restart" unless you are fixing something).

Avoid yanking the power cable while Windows is running.

Troubleshooting

Problem What to try
PC will not turn on Check power cable at wall and PC; try a different wall socket
Stuck on "Updating" forever Wait 30 minutes; if still stuck, ask for technical help before forcing off
Browser says "no internet" When internet is broken
Site asks for Authentik login Normal for many services — sign in at auth.saxobroko.com; password in Vaultwarden
Jellyfin will not play When media won't play