Microsoft Windows Support
Click on the link that best describes the information you need:
Getting Help
Hooking Up the Internet
Internet Problems
Piedmont Email
Adware and Spyware
WebCT Connection Problems
WebCT Course Setup
Using Windows Update
Deep Freeze
Instructional Facility Usage
Using Windows Vista
Getting Help
You can contact the IT Department by calling ext. 1153 or 1452, or by using
the HelpDesk.
First, identify yourself and what dorm or office your computer is in. Describe the
problem in as accurate a way as possible and how long you've have been experiencing
this problem. Make sure you suggest a time when you will be in your room or office so
that we will be able to fix your problem in a timely manner.
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Hooking Up The Internet
How do I get internet in my office?
If you do not have an Internet connection in your office, call ext. 1153 or 1452 to set up an
appointment with us. Be sure to identify yourself and where your office is. The tech staff
will see to your needs in a timely manner.
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Internet Problems
My internet stopped working. What do I do?
First, try restarting your computer.
If that does not work, click on the Start button,
go to Run... and type command (without the quotation marks).
A black window with some
text in it will come up. This window is called the DOS Command Prompt. When the last line
in the DOS Prompt looks something like:
C:\Documents and Setting\user.PIEDMONT>
and has a flashing underscore after it, then it is ready.
If you have Windows 95 or 98, type ipconfig /release_all (again without the quotation marks)
and wait until there is another flashing underscore. If it does not do anything for a long time
or freezes, try closing the DOS Command Prompt and try again. After a line with a flashing underscore
comes back up, type ipconfig /renew_all and wait for it to finish working. Now close the DOS
Command Prompt window and try using the internet. If it still does not work, call us at ext. 1153 or 1452.
If you have Windows 2000 or XP, type ipconfig /release and wait for a line with a flashing
underscore to come up. If it does not do anything for a long time or freezes, try closing the
DOS Command Prompt and try again. Once it has finished working, type ipconfig /renew and
wait for it to finish. Then close the DOS Command Prompt window and try to use the internet.
If it still does not work, call us at ext. 1153 or 1452 and we will assist you.
Piedmont Email
Piedmont College provides a piedmont.edu email address for its faculty and staff. Normally, we use
Microsoft Outlook as the main Email client program.
How do I access Piedmont Email from home?
The Department of Information Technology allows faculty and staff to access and use their Piedmont Email from anywhere with
an internet connection. Copy or click on the following link to get to Piedmont's WebMail interface:
https://mail.piedmont.edu/exchange
I can't send or receive any email messages. What's going on?
In most cases the reason why a faculty or staff member has difficulty checking his or her email is that he
or she has not logged on to the computer properly. In order that the email work properly, a user
must log on to the Piedmont network using the username provided by the Department of Information
Technology.
If it still does not work, call us at ext. 1153 or 1452 and we will assist you.
I can receive email but I can't send it. What is wrong?
In most cases, the Email client is not set to authenticate upon sending a message. If your email has been set up as
a corporate/exchange account, you should not have this problem, as it will automatically authenticate for you.
To enable this option in Microsoft Outlook on a non-corporate account, open Outlook and click on Tools
near the top of the window.
Then choose Email Accounts from the menu.
Now click the radio button next to View or change existing e-mail accounts and click the
Next button.
A list of installed mail accounts will then show up. Highlight your account by left-clicking on it once,
and then click on the Change button.
Click the button labelled More Settings ...
Now choose the Outgoing Server tab and check the box next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication
Make sure you click the radio button next to Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
Now click OK and Finish to finalize the changes you have made.
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Adware and Spyware
How can I get rid of all these popup advertisements?
If you have used Kazaa, iMesh, or any variety of Peer-to-Peer network programs, most
likely, your computer is filled with many files that fall into the Spyware and Adware category.
The purpose of Spyware programs is to monitor what websites you visit on the internet, and send
information back to the author of that particular Spyware program. The authors can then find out
what you like to look at on the internet and sell your email address and sometimes even personal
information to companies that send out Junk Emails. Adware programs make little popup and popunder
windows appear advertising various products from free laser pointers to free Viagra samples. You
probably know how annoying these popups can be and we all hate Junk Mail.
One of the best ways to get rid of these programs is to use a program such as Ad-Aware or Windows Defender.
I recently uninstalled Kazaa or another Peer-to-Peer (P2P) program and now my internet doesn't work
It is important to remember that the use of P2P programs is no longer allowed.
Sometimes when you uninstall P2P programs, your
internet will stop working. This happens because they sometimes
modify a file in the Windows Registry and when the P2P program is gone, that file can no longer be used
and must be repaired or replaced.
There are some programs that will restore this corrupted file. One such program, which
was made for removing Kazaa, deletes every file Kazaa installs on your computer and it repairs that modified Registry file.
It is called KazaaBegone and can be found quite easily by searching on Google.
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WebCT Connection Problems
I cannot connect to WebCT. What do I do?
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), go to the Tools option near
the top of the IE window. Then click on Internet Options... from the menu. This will
open up a new window.
Now, click on the Connections tab at the top of the new window. Look for the section
called Local Area Network (LAN) Settings and click on the button labelled LAN Settings.
Uncheck the box next to Automatically detect settings and check the box next to Use a
proxy server for your LAN. This will allow you to type information in the two greyed-out
fields to the right of the box you just checked.
In the Address field type the following: 10.0.0.220
In the Port field type the following: 8080
Click OK and OK to finalise the changes you have made. You should now be able to access WebCT.
If you are still unable to access WebCT, call ext. 1153 or 1452 for assistance.
What if I am not using Microsoft Internet Explorer?
If you are using Mozilla Firefox as your web browser, simply go to the Tools option near
the top of the Firefox window, and then click on Options in the menu that appears.
Look at the bottom of the new window that comes up for the Connection section. Click on
the Connection Settings button.
Click the radio button next to Manual proxy configuration and type in the corresponding address
for your location. Than click OK and OK to finalize the changes.
Central Campus: 10.0.0.220
If you are using a web browser other than Microsoft IE or Mozilla Firefox, please call ext. 1153
or 1452 for assistance.
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WebCT Course Setup
How do I set up my course on WebCT?
WebCT at Piedmont College is rapidly becoming a popular method of instruction. The following are guidelines that have
been created to help faculty members as they work to create these courses each semester.
1. Email Jamie Caudill with the setup request. Be sure to include the course name and section number (for example: ENG 101.1),
semester you will be teaching it, and if you want information from a previous course loaded into this module.
2. After registration is complete, email Jamie again to request that the roster for the class be uploaded into WebCT. Please
be specific about the course and section numbers. She will email you the roster for the class which includes the usernames
and passwords for the students.
3. If any student adds or drops the class after registration, please email Jamie the student's full name and the course that
they need to be added to (include the course and section numbers).
4. Beginning in Fall Semester 2006, the students' usernames will be changed to the username that has been assigned to them for their
Piedmont College email address, which is first initial, last name, month and day of birth (for example: Bill Waters was born on the
1st of October, so his username would be bwaters1001).
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Using the Windows Update system
Using the Microsoft Windows Update (WU) system is relatively easy, though it is also easy to become
confused.
You must use Internet Explorer (IE) to make use of the WU system. If you are not currently using
IE to surf the Internet, open it by looking in your Start Menu's Programs Menu.
If it doesn't show up in your Start Menu, you can open it by clicking on your Start
button, click on Run..., type in iexplore.exe and click OK.
Then click Tools near the top os the IE window and choose Windows Update from
the menu that appears.
Once the WU site has loaded, you may need to install the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) update
before you can install other updates. It allows the Automatic Update feature to function properly. This only
occurs when you have never used the WU system before. You may need to restart your computer after installing BITS.
The main WU site will have two buttons in the middle of the screen: an Express button and a
Custom button. For the most part, you will only ever use the Express button, so go
ahead and click it.
A new page will load that has a list of all the critical updates you need to install on your computer. In the middle
of the screen, there will be a Install Updates button. Click it and then click Accept
or OK on any windows that may pop up. Now all you have to do is wait.
If you are still having a problem, feel free to contact us at
ext. 1153 or 1452 and we will assist you.
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Deep Freeze
What is Deep Freeze and why is it on the computers?
Deep Freeze is a program used by the Department of Information Technology to protect
desktop computers from dangerous programs such as viruses and other malware.
Deep Freeze works by saving all the computer settings at a certain point in time and each time the
computer is rebooted or turned off, it reverts back to the saved settings, regardless of any changes that have
been made. This means that if you save your papers or PowerPoint presentations on a Deep Freeze computer, it
probably won't be there next time you use that computer.
Please be aware of this when working on homework or papers on a Piedmont computer. It is very important
that you remember to save multiple copies of your work. Email yourself a copy or two and savea copy on a usb
flash drive if you have one. Floppy disks are very unrealiable and many times people have lost important data due
to a corrupted floppy disk. If you do not have a USB flash drive, you should seriously consider getting one.
They are cheap and reliable.
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Instructional Facilities and Equipment Usage
Please adhere to the following guidelines when using Piedmont College instructional facilities and equipment in order to preserve the quality of the instructional experience for future use.1. When the presentation is finished, turn off all equipment including but not limited to:
» Computer instructor stations
» Box Lights and projectors
» Televisions and VCR/DVD players
» Laptops
2. Return all borrowed equipment in its original state and with all parts included (including use of the Smart Cart (the presentation center) in the Stewart Auditorium)
3. Report any equipment malfunctions to either the Helpdesk at www.piedmont.edu/it/helpdesk or to the department the equipment was borrowed from.
4. If assistance is required to set up any technology for classes, please contact the IT department at least 24 hours before the date of the presentation.
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Using Windows Vista
Windows Vista is the newest addition to the Microsoft Windows Family of operating systems. Vista offers many new features
as well as a new flashy look. You will immediately notice that Vista is very different from XP.
While they both share a similar and familiar understructure, Vista endeavours to create a more intuitive, comfortable and navigable Graphical User Interface (GUI - the environment of windows, images and buttons) for the first-time user as well as the seasoned computer user than what was offered with Windows XP.
If you are used to using Windows XP, you may find that you have trouble initially when using Vista. The following information will help you as you experience Windows Vista.
Disclaimer: This section has been compiled from experience using Windows Vista Business edition. Please be aware that the following procedures may or may not be different from other versions of Windows Vista.
My computer has been added to the Piedmont Domain and now I can't access a local user account. What do I do?
When a computer is added to a domain on Windows Vista, the computer automatically assumes that you will always want to log in on the domain. While XP had a drop down list, Vista requires that you type in the local computer name (also called a hostname) before the username to use a local account.
Let's say Colin Laney's hostname is COLINLANEY and his username is claney.
In the username field of the Vista login screen, Colin would type his hostname, followed by a backslash ( \ ) and finally, his username (e.g., COLINLANEY\claney).
What is User Account Control and why does Windows need my permission to continue?
In the history of the multi-user operating systems (OS), each user account has certain permissions depending upon what type of account it is. In a very basic way of explaining a multi-user OS, there are users and there are administrators. You may remember not being able to do something in Windows XP because you didn't have administrative rights. Though not a new concept, asking for permission from an administrator before doing a certain task has become an important part of how Vista works.
In previous versions of Windows, if you had administrative rights, you could perform a certain type of task. If you didn't then you couldn't. Now Vista asks either for permission (if you are using an administrator account) or the username and password for an administrator account (if you have a regular user account) to continue with the task in question. This feature provides an important security barrier and reminder for the computer user. With Vista's User Account Control, you can help protect your computer and keep other users from having access to things that they shouldn't.
In most cases, a program must have your permission to install or run. If you have not tried to open a program or do not know what the computer is asking permission for, a user can simply click Cancel and deny that program or task the administrative rights it needs to run.
While this is a very important security feature to have on a computer, it is very important to remember that the security on a computer is only as strong as its weakest link: the user. After all is said and done, the computer user usually has the last say in what happens. For example, the best anti-virus and Internet security suite could be installed on your computer, but if you give the permission to install a program that claims to allow you to play a game or visit a less-than-savoury site, the computer can become infected and have problems.
How do I connect to a wifi access point?
Connecting to a wifi hotspot is about as simple as it is in Windows XP as long as the hotspot uses a simple setup. Follow these steps to connect:
Look in the lower right-hand corner of the screen where the system tray is located to find the icon that looks like two computer screens.
Click on the icon and the click the link that says Connect to a network.
In the new window, you wil have a list of all wireless access points in range. You can choose the desired network, and click the button near the bottom labelled Connect.
I'm trying to print a report from the Student System, but the report files are gone and there are a lot of files I've never seen before. What do I do?
Normally, when you connect to PCSparc to print a report, you are using a simple ftp connection to see the files. Unfortunately, either Vista doesn't connect to the correct home folder for each user or the Student System has trouble relaying that information to Vista. The good news is that it can be fixed very easily. In the link for the ftp site, you have to put in complete or absolute path in order to get to the right directory.
If you are experiencing this problem, call us as x1452 or x1153 and we will assist you.
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