Technical Support

Troubleshooting a problem by yourself can be very self-empowering! To aid in that process we’ve developed a quick interactive guide (PDF) that you can follow to help find the right solution for your situation.

Tech Self-Help (PDF DOWNLOAD)

If yes then you will have to log in for a ZenConnect in order for us to restore some configuration settings; or you can click HERE for a complete guide (PDF) on how to do it yourself.

Important Announcement on Windows Updates and NO3!

Never pause Windows Updates unless specifically notified by Zengar^® to do so. It is also important to install NO3 updates as they come out.

Windows updates: It is critically important to install all Windows updates (security, apps, drivers, etc.) to ensure optimal performance as well as protection of your systems from malicious attacks to be on the safe side in terms of security loopholes that are discovered. In fact, many of the more harmful malware attacks we see take advantage of software vulnerabilities in common applications, like operating systems and browsers.

NO3 updates: It is also important to install NO3 updates as they come out. NO3 is updated frequently using the Agile software development process and, as such, requires end users to process updates as they are provided in order to be current. Zengar^® has a World Class Team dedicated to this task and includes – the Configurations, Development, Technical Support, and Testing Teams – each working collaboratively in this effort and ensuring that NO3 is the most advanced and effective brain training tool in the World.

Addressing Rental Client concerns about Windows Updates and the impact to rental clients.

First, some background information:

Microsoft Quality Updates: Microsoft releases a “quality update” to Windows every month on the second Tuesday of each month, which is known as “Patch Tuesday.” These are big updates that contain security fixes as well as other bug fixes. They’re called cumulative updates because they bundle a large number of fixes—even fixes from previous updates, ensuring you just have to install one big cumulative update even if your PC is off for a few months.

These updates require the end user to reboot and may require more than one instance of update and reboot. Zengar^® has found that Quality Updates do not require any additional configuration issues for NO3.

Microsoft Feature Updates (Zengar^® will post advance notice of these): Microsoft also releases big, major versions of Windows 10 once every six months. It calls these “feature updates.” They include lots of changes and improvements. For example, Windows 10’s April 2019 Update adds a light desktop theme, and many, many other smaller changes, including improved Start menu file search and low-level improvements that will make Windows 10 run faster.

However, these don’t always roll out immediately. Microsoft throttles it and tries to only offer your PC an update if the company thinks it will run well on your hardware. You may not get these every six months if you don’t go out of your way looking for them.

Zengar^® has found that feature updates typically require a re-installation of G-Force for NeurOptimal^® and the instructions for this process, which takes approximately 3-5 minutes is included on the NeurOptimal^® Technical Support/FAQ web page – NeurOptimal^® Technical Support/FAQ page.

After feature updates, it is recommended to go in on a ZenConnect for a quick check of your system. Zengar^® is part of the Windows Insider Program and gets access to Pre-Release versions of feature updates in advance and thoroughly tests NO3 as these pre-release updates roll-out to determine potential issues for NO3. Zengar^®’s test process includes providing information to the development team for NO3 to insure that any potential issues are quickly addressed prior to the official announced rollout of the feature update.

Rental client access to ZenConnect: Rental clients of PASS members can quickly access ZenConnect through the rental client portal that is also located on the NeurOptimal® Technical Support/FAQ page.

Rental clients of Non-PASS members will have to make arrangements with the system owner to pre-authorize and pay for a ZenConnect. This can also be done through the NeurOptimal® Technical Support/FAQ page.

Why Register?
In the unlikely event that your system requires warranty service, your computer hardware must be registered with Microsoft.

How do I register?

You can find instructions on how to register here.

In the unlikely event that your system requires warranty service, your computer hardware must be registered with Microsoft.

For the most current and complete information, please visit Microsoft’s Warranty Protection Plan & Support page HERE.

Manufacturer Hardware Warranty :

Included with every Surface
Duration: 30 months
Starts on day of purchase
Prepaid return shipment

Includes :

• Mechanical breakdown
• Advanced Exchange

Follow the steps provided in Microsoft’s guide, found HERE.

You need to connect to the internet at least once every seven days in order to validate your license. Sessions do not need internet connectivity to run. As long as you connect to the internet prior to launching NeurOptimal^® at least once a week, your license will be validated and available for sessions for the rest of that week. We advise maintaining a constant connection to the internet in order to allow your system to update with both Windows and NeurOptimal^® regularly.

• Click on ESET icon on the Start Panel
  
• Click on Activate Product
  
• Enter provided activation key
  

Left click on the search box, type in the word “Storage” and press enter.

1. Click on the bottom left of your screen on the Windows icon to open the start panel.
   
2. Click on Update and Security
   
3. Click on Check for updates
   
4. System will check for updates, download and install
   
5. Repeat all steps until you see “Your device is up to date“

Disk cleanup is a utility that removes temporary files and clears caches that build up during the normal operation of Windows. These files can add up over time, and maintaining your system through regular cleanups will ensure you always utilize the space on your drive effectively without waste.

Click HERE to view instructions (PDF) on how to perform a Disk Cleanup for Windows 10. Or watch a video tutorial, HERE.

Optimizing your drive once per month is a great way to keep your NeurOptimal^® system happy and healthy. SSDs are very fast and efficient, but even they need to be kept in good health and regularly optimizing them will improve their performance.

Follow the steps below or watch a video tutorial here.

1. In the search box type “Optimize”.
   
2. Select “Defragment and Optimize Drives”
3. Click on “Optimize”
   
4. And you’re done!

Defragmenting your drive once per month is a great way to keep your NeurOptimal^® system happy and healthy. Over time, files on your drive become fragmented, slowing down your computer as it checks multiple places on your drive for pieces. Defragmenting helps clean this up, ensuring it is running as efficiently as possible.

Click HERE for instructions (PDF).

It is important to keep space available on your computer’s drive. This has two major benefits. The first and most important is it guarantees your system will be able to receive Windows and NeurOptimal^® updates. If your system lacks the space, the updates may not download or could fail mid-way and result in a corrupted installation. The second benefit is performance. Your drive performance improves with more available space. Leaving no space on your system will slow it down, resulting in sluggish and/or unresponsive behavior. For these reasons, we recommend you make use of the microSD card to store your movies.

Watch a quick video tutorial below on how to do this:

If you plan on traveling to another country with your NeurOptimal^® system, you must verify the region’s frequency first and adjust the Notch Filter accordingly. Keep in mind that you may also need a plug adapter.

For a list of Worldwide AC Voltages and Frequencies, click here.

To set the notch filter properly to your regions electrical mains current:

1. 1. Tap/press and hold (right click) on the Tools icon.
      
   2. Then select (tap/click on) Preferences and select (tap/click on) System Preferences on the context menu.
      • 
   3. The NeurOptimal^® 3 Preferences menu will open.
   4. Select (tap click on NO Device Manager) and use the Notch Filter drop down menu to select Notch 50 Hz (60 Hz is default setting and no adjustment is needed in 60 Hz environments) and click apply/OK.
      • 

1. The way that you test sensors in NO3 is to Tap and hold (right click) on the Tools icon in the VAULT.
   
2. A context menu will open up and you can tap/click on zAmp Tests.
   
3. You will then select Live EEG for the test and run that test AFTER placing ALL of the sensors in between your thumb and finger, one on top of the other in a single stack to “Null” them and then Click on Start Test. Press hard and the lines should converge together as they do in the image below. If not, then try again, pressing harder. If the lines still do not converge, then one or more of your sensors is bad and you will need to replace the set. Voila!
   

   

   Live EEG Test, with sensors nulled and red-blue lines converged. All good!

NeurOptimal^® is configured and tested to very precise specifications. This includes the use of the zAmp, Zengar^® sensors and Ten20 conductive paste.

As a result, Zengar^® cannot recommend using any alternative conductive pastes or gels.

Homemade preparations, other products or additional barriers applied to the scalp are also not recommended as this may impact the effective measurement of EEG.

• Re-pair the stylus to the Surface Pro
• Replace stylus battery

This is normal and different from what you would expect to notice with laptops. Laptops vent their heat primarily through the keyboard, side and bottom vents. Since the Surface Pros do not have an attached keyboard (actually don’t need one) they have been designed to dissipate heat differently. In addition to this, all of the heat producing components (processors, hard drive, memory, battery, etc..) are located in the tablet itself and not under the keyboard like in laptops. This having been said, if the basic system settings have not been altered this should not be an operational problem, even though the screen and back may seem to be very warm or even hot to the touch.

One sure sign of any computer system overheating would be a complete and sudden system shutdown. This would be triggered in order to prevent any heat damage from occurring to any components.

To allow efficient cooling of your Surface Pro(s), please remember to always use them with their “kickstand” supporting them in an upright position.

Battery Care for Surface Devices

Source: Microsoft.com

• For a PDF version of these steps, click HERE.
• For a PDF on Surface power supplies and replacement info, click HERE.
• For a PDF on Charging your Surface device and troubleshooting, click HERE.

Battery health:
All rechargeable batteries wear out eventually. Here’s how to get the longest life from your battery:

• Several times a week, let your battery drain below 50% before charging it.
• Avoid draining the battery to very low levels i.e., below 20%.
• Avoid having your Surface plugged in 24/7.
• Store your Surface in a cool, dry room when you’re not using it.

Caring for your Surface battery:
Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type of battery used in today’s portable devices. These batteries charge quickly, discharge deeply at a steady rate, and have high energy density that allows for small cell sizes. This makes them ideal for Surface devices designed for the longest possible battery life in the smallest possible form factor.

Surface devices are engineered to maximize battery life and longevity. By understanding a little about lithium-ion batteries you’ll be able to help maximize the life and longevity of the battery in your Surface device:

• It is common for the capacity of lithium-ion cells to diminish after a certain number of charge/discharge cycles. This will result in shorter intervals between charging and lower battery capacity.
• When using your device, make sure the battery drains below 50 percent regularly. This will help minimize deterioration of the battery cells.
• Surface devices have features to reduce battery deterioration. Keeping your device current with the latest driver and firmware updates is the best way to help preserve battery reliability and longevity.

How to Maximize Battery Health:
Like all batteries, lithium-ion cells are consumables that age and deteriorate over time and with usage. The best way to extend battery life and performance is to drain the battery below 50 percent several times a week before recharging rather than discharging it on frequent short and shallow discharge cycles. Avoid draining the battery below 20 percent.

As you use your battery, there are some conditions you should avoid as they can lead to faster battery deterioration and aging:

• Avoid using or charging at extreme high temperatures: Devices that are charged or operated at high temperatures will cause accelerated deterioration of the lithium-ion battery and permanent loss of battery charging capacity. Surface devices are designed to work between 32°F and 95°F (0°C-35°C) so keep your Surface out of the sun and don’t leave it in a hot car.
• Keeping or storing at a high state of charge: Batteries maintained at a high charge state will lose capacity faster. You can help prevent this accelerated deterioration by not leaving your device connected to AC power for extended periods. Rather, try to ensure the device is regularly discharged below 50% before charging again. If you have a scenario where you need to keep the device plugged in continuously, we recommend using the Battery Limit Mode to limit the battery state of charge. If you need to store your device for a long period of time, it’s best to reduce the charge level to 50% before storing and to regularly check the battery to ensure it has not drained to very low levels.

When batteries experience excessive deterioration, you may see severe battery life reductions or advanced expansion of the lithium-ion cells. Under normal conditions, Surface devices are designed with a mechanical enclosure to contain battery expansion. Under extreme conditions the battery may expand beyond the mechanical limits of the device and result in deformation.

Battery expansion from deterioration does not present a safety concern and is most often caused by the formation of non-flammable carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. If you have a device where the battery has expanded visibly beyond the mechanical enclosure, we recommend you stop using the device. You should handle the device with caution to prevent putting pressure on or risk puncturing the battery cell. If you need assistance, contact [email protected].

Surface features to optimize your battery longevity:
Surface is continually working to help get you the most from the battery in your device and regularly releases fixes designed to improve battery reliability and longevity. The following features are already available on select model of devices to help deliver optimal battery performance and slow down battery deterioration:

• Battery Smart Charging – Battery Smart Charging is a feature that helps protect your battery from the effects of charging patterns and high temperatures that may accelerate battery deterioration or lead to expansion. Battery Smart Charging is always active and engages automatically to limit battery charging capacity when it detects your device is plugged in for prolonged periods and/or used at elevated temperatures. Battery smart charging is automatically deactivated when the battery is discharged below 20%.
• Battery Limit Mode – Battery Limit Mode is a feature available for users who need to keep devices plugged in for extended periods of time. Plugging in the device for extended periods of time can cause batteries to prematurely age and deteriorate. When enabled this feature limits battery charging capacity to 50%, which slows the aging process and prolongs battery longevity.

To get the most from these features, it is important to keep your device current with the latest driver and firmware updates.

*Important: Third-party Battery Chargers
Some third-party charging devices may be incompatible with your device or are potentially counterfeit, so we strongly recommend that you purchase and use original Microsoft or Microsoft-licensed devices or accessories only. Use of incompatible or counterfeit accessories, batteries, and charging devices could result in damage to your device and pose a possible risk of fire, explosion, or battery failure leading to serious injuries, or other serious hazards. Damage caused by use with charging devices not manufactured, licensed, or supplied by Microsoft is not covered under the hardware warranty.

You will need the following:

• A monitor with an HDMI port
• USB-C to HDMI adapter
• HDMI cable

While NeurOptimal^® may work with some Bluetooth audio devices, Zengar^® does NOT support Bluetooth audio due to the variety of models, Windows and audio driver updates, as well as spotty performance. Zengar recommends using wired headphones.

1. Press and hold the Fn and Delete keys simultaneously, for 3 seconds
   
2. The blue light will start to flash and is now ready to pair.
   
3. Click on Action Center
   
4. Click on connect
   
5. Click on Find other types of devices
   
6. Click on Bluetooth
   
7. Look for Moko keyboard, or it may just say Keyboard, click on pair
   

• Make sure Keyboard is on and paired
• Make sure keyboard battery is charged, using the charging cable that is provided

NeurOptimal^® includes three “Digit, Al” sessions in the VAULT by default. These sessions serve as a form of quality control- they provide known data that the software can internally use as a reference to verify other operations. The “Digit, Al” sessions were created in 2017 by the developers for this purpose and are used on all NeurOptimal^® systems so that the software always has this comparative data to ensure a high quality, consistent experience for all users.

Install all Windows updates and then restart the computer.

• Zen times may have not loaded properly before starting a training. Improperly loaded Zen times would be indicated by 00:00 appearing in some or all of the Zen mode time fields. If you see this, click on Stop, Training, then Record to set the zen times and restart the session.
• On all ASUS laptops provided by Zengar^®, the USB 3.0 port must be used when connecting the zAmp to the laptop. The location and number of USB 3.0 ports varies between ASUS laptop models, but all USB 3.0 ports are indicated with an “SS” USB symbol near the port. USB 2.0 ports on ASUS laptops will cause the NeurOptimal^® session to stop prematurely and unexpectedly.
• Included with every NeurOptimal^® system are two 15-foot USB cables. Try using the second USB cable to see if the session still stops prematurely. If you do not have another USB cable from Zengar^® available, you can purchase a replacement from Zengar^® here: https://neuroptimal.com/product/usb-cable/ It is very important to ONLY use a USB cable provided by Zengar^® or the exact model recommended by Zengar^® or else your sessions will continue to stop prematurely.
• Verify that system time is in 12-hour format (US English): On the Windows taskbar, look for the time and date. The time should appear in “h:mm tt” format and the date in “M/d/yyyy” format (ex. 1:29 PM and 3/8/2017). If this is not the case, right click on the time and date, then on “Adjust date/time” and then on “Change date and time formats. The settings should match this image:
  • 

• Temporary licenses are issued to all replacement systems until the previous system is unlicensed.
• For any licensing inquiries please contact [email protected]

Sometimes when starting a session in NeurOptimal Professional, the following message appears:

To get past this, click on 1. Stop 2. Training 3. Record/QR

• For Surface Pro 4 perform a 30 second shutdown (Watch a Video Tutorial)
• For Surface Pro 3 make sure the Bluetooth keyboard is on, paired and charged.

A Windows update may have knocked out some of your G-Force or sound settings. Click HERE for the easy 3 minute fix!

PASS MEMBERS

Follow the steps below or watch a video tutorial here.

1. Login to your accounts via the Member Login link in the top, right navigation.
2. Once logged in you can:
   1. From your account dashboard select the icon for ZenConnect.
   2. Or Select ZenConnect from the ‘Your Account’ dropdown navigation in the top, right corner of the website.
3. If you are already logged in, you may use the links provided in the ‘Live Support’ box to access ZenConnect.
4. Follow the steps outlined in the image found below the Non Members login information.

NON-MEMBERS

1. Use the link provided below in the ‘Live Support’ box. A new page will open in a new tab.
2. Fill out the form provided on this page and submit it. You may then launch your ZenConnect via the provided button that will appear after the form submission.
3. Follow the steps in the image outlined below:

PASS members receive free ZenConnects.

For Non-PASS members, the rate is $160/hour(USD) with a 20-minute minimum fee, billed to the minute thereafter.

Not yet a PASS Member? Join now!

Yes! You can find NO3 How To Videos here.

We also have some helpful Tech Tip videos here.

Yes, you can! You can review our Release Notes, starting with v3.0.0.24, here.

You can find more information HERE.

You can find more information HERE.

You can find more information HERE.