IT FAQ's

• More on Sciences IT
• Getting Started: Logging on and Off
• Printing
• Opening Times
• Saving Work
• Intro to Email
• Different Software on Different Systems
• Program not Responding
• Viruses
• Sciences IT Working Rules
• Health & Safety
• Ask me a Question?
• eLearning (COSE & Lotus Learning Space)
• Finding Info on the Web
• Intro to PebblePad
• Intro to MS Word
• Intro to MS Publisher
• Intro to MS Powerpoint
• Resnet (Accessing the network form halls of residence)
  

Getting Started
Logging on

• Press: Ctrl Alt and Delete together (yes I know your logged in now. . .)
• Type in your username and password at the prompt
• Select the 'student domain'
• Click OK

• Press: Ctrl Alt and Delete together
• Click the log of button

• Press: Ctrl Alt and Delete together
• Click 'Change password' box, follow instructions
• This changes your logon password

Q. I can not log on to the computer and an error box states user or password is incorrect!

A.

Is the caps lock on?

Make sure that you type in lower case only.

Check that your username and password are typed in correctly.

 

Q. I can not log on because it states it can not find the student domain!

A. This means the I.T. Services student logon server is temporarily not working. Wait and try again.

Q. Can I change my log on username & password ?

A. You can only change your password (see above)It is recommended that you change your password as a priority.

 

Q. Does it matter if I don't log off?

A. You should log off after each session (press Ctrl-Alt-Delete or Shut Down icon on the START menu) because the next user could delete your work in the Home Directory or try and hack into the system and your username would be recorded. When the printing account software is in place they could also print for free from your account.

Q. When I log off should I turn the computer off?

A. No, just press "Log off"or "Close all programs and log on as a new user"

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Printing

• The default printer is the SAFECOM2/Stoke-BW Black and White printer. For colour printing you need to select the SAFECOM2/Stoke-Colour printer. Print jobs can be collected from any of the MultiFunctionPrinters (MFP's) around the university. There is a colour one available in the Sciences I.T. Suite(S427) and Black and White ones available in the Sciences I.T. Suite(S427) and also in rooms S206, S207, S208 and S511, print jobs can also be picked up from the Library and I.S. I.T. rooms in Cadman. Crediting your account can only be done in the Library and at I.S. Helpdesks.

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Opening times

Q. What are the opening hours of the Faculty of Sciences I.T. Suite?

A. Typically they are open 9-5p.m. Mon.-Thur, 4.30pm Fri, with extended opening it there is evening teaching. A timetable for classes being taught in each lab can be found by each door, the rest of the time it's open access.

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Saving work

Q. Can I save work permanently on the hard drive?

A. No, but there are three areas where you can save to;

• The Student Home Directory. This is accessible on the "H:-drive" and is usually the default saving option or can be viewed in SAVE AS . This saves your work on a secure IT server which can be accessed from any PC in the University. Limit 40Mb
• USB memory sticks - the university recommends the Kingston ones. The use of floppies is not recommended. For work that does not need to be taken home I suggest the H drive.
• The "Student Temporary Folder", but this only stores the data for that log on session.

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Introduction to Email

• Your university student email address is on your STUDENT CARD It starts with your student USERNAME - eg: bm589028 followed by: @student.staffs.ac.uk.
  A full email address will be: bm589028@student.staffs.ac.uk
• Your email password is initially set to your date of birth. A student born on 9 January 1982, would have an initial password of 090182.
• Microsoft Outlook is the email client
• You can access your email from outside the University by using Webmail or through MyPortal

Q. Can I use University email at home?

A. Yes, and you don't need extra software

• Webmail is a service that allows you to gain access to your University email through a web browser when you are off-campus.
• Click here to access Webmail or type in your browser http://www.staffs.ac.uk/webmail
• Click on the top link for "Students wishing to access their Outlook accounts, please click here"
• Give your username in the form student\username, eg student\xr123456
  and your student domain (Windows) password

Q. How much file space do I have for email?

A. Your email account has a limit, or 'quota' on the total information that can be stored of 18Mb but remember the following;

• Messages with files attached (an attachment) generally take up more space than an ordinary text message. One or two large emails with attachments could exceed your quota.
• When you are near to the limit of your quota, a warning will appear when you login.
• If you exceed your quota, you will not be able to send or receive any further messages until you have released some space by deleting old messages.
• Beware of attachments sent from unknown sources as these may contain viruses.
• Save important messages and delete ones no longer needed

More Info: For a full guide to using email click here

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Different software on different systems

Q. Why won't my word-processing file that I saved at Home, open in the Sciences I.T. Suite?

A. The computers in the Sciences IT Suite are running MS Office 2007, i.e. Word 2007. If you use WORKS at home you will have to specify the file type when you save it as .doc. Similiar for spreadsheets i.e. Excel which is .xls

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Program not Responding

Q. The piece of software I am using has hung and has tied up the computer. Help!!

A. Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and select Task Manager from the new window. Click on the "Applications" tab to view the current programs in use. Click on the program and press "End Task" and repeat this again at the next prompt. If this fails ask for help, DON'T turn the machine off.

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Viruses

What are Viruses and how should I protect my home computer?Students using the computers in any IT lab with the standard Windows software image are protected automatically using the latest versions of the anti-virus software. They should take the following additional precautions:

• Students should ensure that all floppy discs are scanned for viruses whenever they have been used outside the IT Services computer learning areas
• Students should not open email attachments from unsolicited or untrusted sources
  
  Students who use their own PC or Macintosh should ensure that effective anti-virus software is operating. In addition they need to maintain the latest version of the Virus Definition File. Students using their own computers are advised to take the following precautions:
  
  
• Students must ensure that an effective anti-virus system is operating.
• Students should regularly check that they are using the latest version of Virus Definition Files.
• Students need to be aware of how to configure the anti-virus software so that it automatically scans files and incoming documents.
• Students should check that all software (particularly games) has been scanned for viruses before loading it onto their computer
• Students should scan for viruses, floppy disks or cd-roms received from others
• Students should not open email attachments from unsolicited or untrusted/unknown sources.
• Students should monitor 'IT announcements' email for new virus alerts and take appropriate action
  
  IMPORTANT
  
  Students who are submitting assignment work to staff using electronic media (that is using email attachments, floppy disk, or submission through Virtual Leaning Environments (LLS or Blackboard)), must ensure that the work has been scanned for viruses using up to date virus scanning software.
  

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Sciences IT Working Rules

• NO EATING OR DRINKING in the IT Suite
• Keep noisy activities to a minimum
  • Keep mobile phone calls short or leave the IT Suite, be thoughtful of others working.
  • Moderate or turn off intrusive ring tones
  • Use headphones to listen to audio applications
  • Loud conversations can disturb fellow student

   

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Health and Safety

• Evacuate immediately on hearing the fire alarm
• Monitors: Swivel and tilt for comfortable viewing
• Seating: The chairs adjust for height, and height angle of back rest.
• Lighting: Good natural and artificial lighting with blinds provided for problems with glare
• Sit right: Sitting in a hunched, or slumped manner while using a PC may eventually lead to muscle, joint and back pain. Avoid these problems by remembering to sit correctly while you are working. Adjust your seat so that
  • Your lower back is supported
  • Your knees are level with your hips
  • Your feet are flat on the floor
  • Your eye level is level with the top of the screen.
  • Your forearm is nearly at a right angle to your upper arm, and your wrist is in a straight line with your hand and forearm.

   

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Ask Us a Question?

Email Mark Jennings or Email Jon Ranford