Spring Lab Software Requests Due by Nov 30

The Information Technology deadline to receive all new software and new software requests necessary to be installed in the computer labs for Spring 2010 is November 30, 2009...

What is the IT Computer Lab software deadline?

It is the date by which IT must have any new software media to install software required for the first day of classes for the Spring 2010 semester. Please send your software update/new software request for Spring 2010 to Juliana Simms as soon as possible. Mac Requests must be forwarded to Anne Balish. (Either can be found in our address book or we can forward your request sent to helpdesk@salisbury.edu.)

Why is the deadline so early before the Spring 2010 semester?

With 292 computers in 9 IT computer labs, it takes 4-6 weeks to complete all the upgrades and new installations to have the labs ready for the beginning of the semester. This means the lab software upgrades must begin on or about December 1, 2009. The month of January is used to test and install the software on the network servers.

Can I get software installed in the middle of the semester?

Yes, but there are limited windows for software to be installed during a semester. Normally, semester breaks are used to perform lab software updates.

What if I don't get my software request in by the deadline?

Your software request will be processed in the order it was received and completed as soon as possible, but may not be ready for the first day of classes. Normally, it will take several weeks to find time in the computer labs to perform updates and software installs once classes begin due to lab class schedules.

If there is any new software to be used in the IT computer labs beginning Spring 2010, the software media must be received by me no later than November 30, 2009 to be ready for the first day of classes.




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Windows 7 64-Bit Install Gotcha

The release of a new version of Windows always brings a frenzy of tech activity. Windows 7 seems even more buzz worthy than a usual Windows release, partly because many people avoided upgrading to Windows Vista and are overdue for an operating system upgrade. Within the SU IT community several people have commented favorably after installing the new OS.

But as with every computing upgrade there is a potential for trouble. Nationwide some students have had difficulty upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7. The specific problem occurs when people who have the 32-bit Windows XP try to upgrade to the 64-bit version of Windows 7. Switching from a 32-bit operating system to a 64-bit operating system adds a level of complexity: the Windows 7 64-bit installer needs to run in a 64-bit environment - thus, you can't run it from within 32-bit Windows XP. To solve the issue, boot from the Windows 7 DVD or purchase the 32-bit version of Windows 7 when upgrading from XP. For more details, see this Computer World article.





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Microsoft Windows 7 Available Today

Microsoft released its latest operating system, Windows 7, today. Students, faculty and staff of Salisbury University may order their copy for their home computers through the MSELA website.

Windows 7 is not currently a part of the Salisbury University-owned computer installations. At this time, the University has no timeframe or plans for switching from Windows XP to any other operating system.

Because this is a new version of Windows, ResNet and Wireless users should be aware that this operating system has not been tested with and may not work with our ResNet or wireless systems. Please keep this in mind before upgrading, and make a backup of your current installation before upgrading.

Also, the Help Desk is unable to provide support for this new operating system at this time, beyond the standard "best effort."
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Which version of Windows 7 should you buy?

Which version of Windows 7 should you buy? Techradar has a great article comparing the different versions of Windows 7, which should help anyone looking to upgrade or buy a new computer with the new operating system installed.

Unfortunately, the article is a little off for Salisbury University, as the only version of Windows 7 available through the MSELA is Windows 7 Ultimate. It makes sense though, as their review is geared towards home users and people buying new computers who won't have access to such great discounts! So if you're looking to upgrade and want to purchase using your student, faculty or staff discount through the MSELA, you can avoid the article altogether.

Luckily, they do have another article that reviews Windows 7 Ultimate, so you can get a feel for the version you'll get through the MSELA.

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Microsoft Update causes security hole in Firefox

Part of Microsoft's major patch released last Tuesday (October 13th) creates a vulnerability in Firefox, according to ComputerWorld. The security flaw is apparently related to the patch installing a plug-in for Firefox to work with the .Net framework. Further complicating matters, the plug-in is unable to be uninstalled on any Windows OS besides Windows 7.

Full article can be found here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139459/Sneaky_Microsoft_plug_in_puts_Firefox_users_at_risk
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[Comic] This Hardly Ever Happens

Click for full comic.
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Microsoft Office Training Fall 2009

The IT Help Desk offers training on how to use the most popular programs in the Microsoft Office 2007 suite. The topics covered include basic features of Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007. IT Peer Training Sessions are geared toward SU students, but SU faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Each session is limited to 30 participants and preregistration is required.

We are currently offering the following courses:

MS Word - Wed, October 21, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS Word - Thu, October 22, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Excel - Wed, November 4, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Excel - Wed, November 4, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS PowerPoint - Wed, November 18, 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm. TE-110B
MS PowerPoint - Wed, November 18, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS Potpourri* - Tue, December 8, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Potpourri* - Wed, December 9, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B

* This is a combination of Word, Powerpoint, and Excel (questions required before hand).

Visit our training page to sign up.
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Thousands of Hotmail Passwords Hacked

Part of what is believed to be a larger stash of hacked usernames and passwords from Hotmail accounts has been posted online; believed to be gathered from phishing attempts.

Read the full story at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/05/hotmail_passwords_leaked/ and don't forget to change your passwords!!
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How to buy a Netbook - MSN

MSN has a great article on netbooks, especially who they are good for and who they're not.

Netbooks are tiny – usually between half and two-thirds the size of a garden-variety laptop – and they typically weigh around 2.5 pounds. With their cool, slim designs, they outclass some fancy ultraportables. And best of all, these diminutive laptops start at around $200 (in some cases $100, when purchased as part of a mobile broadband promotional deal).

But that doesn't mean a netbook is for everyone. These are basic computing devices that will meet only basic computing needs. If you're looking to do a little bit of word processing, maybe edit a few simple spreadsheets and want to surf the Web, a netbook will suffice. But if you're looking to edit high-resolution photos or work with video, a netbook isn't for you: These systems have seriously limited processing power. You can listen to some tunes, but don't expect first-rate sound. And you might be able to watch a few online videos, but you'll be looking at a relatively tiny screen.

Link: http://tech.msn.com/products/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=20354957
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Buy A Mac, Get A Free iPod Touch

Continuing a yearly tradition, Apple once again is running its yearly Back To School Campaign, allowing students, faculty and staff to get a free iPod with a Mac purchase. This year, it's an iPod Touch, which when combined with its applications available for free and for purchase through the iTunes store is a lot more appealing to students than previous years. Not to mention the additional discount on Macs through the Apple Store for Education...

Some things to mention to those of you looking to take advantage of this. First, both the Mac of your choice and the iPod Touch needs to be purchased at the same time. You can't purchase one and then the other.

Second, while the iPod Touch does have wireless capabilities, at this time our wireless network does not support them (nor do we support the iPhone). It may be an option in the future, but at this time they will not be able to access wireless on campus. However, there are places in Salisbury, including many restaurants, that do offer free wifi.

Third is that while the Macintosh computer is gaining support and more applications, there are many applications that require Windows (XP, Vista, etc.) to run. However, Macintosh computers can run Windows XP if you have a disk (which you can purchase through the MSELA) either though the built in Boot Camp or through a virtual machine program such as Parallels or VMware. So while it works, it is an extra step to set up as well as potentially added cost, so something to be aware of when shopping for a new system.

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PCMagazine on Netbooks

PC Magazine has an article titled The Netbook Conundrum, which covers what the introduction of netbooks has done on the laptop market, the shortcomings of netbooks, as well as what the industry needs to focus on to make laptops more appealing in the face of the netbook's cheap pricing structure. An interesting read.
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Blue Screen of Death Survival Guide

Maximum PC has a pretty good article on the infamous Blue Screen of Death, including several of the most common and what they are usually caused by. A pretty good resource if you ever need to troubleshoot one.

Of course, if you have one, then you probably can't get to their website either. So maybe not as helpful as it could be.

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Hotmail and Safari Mac Fix

Some of you Mac users may have noticed that you can't get into Hotmail using Safari lately, or you can get in but can't view any emails.

Luckily, there's a fix.

First, go to the Advanced tab of Safari's Preferences and check the box next to "Show Develop menu in menu bar".

Next, go to Hotmail, and log in if you can.

Now, in the newly added Develop menu, choose User Agent, and choose Firefox (the latest one available).

That's it. Now you'll be able to use Hotmail like normal.

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Skype Users May Have Trouble Logging Into SU's Wireless

We have become aware of an issue with some wireless users not being able to log onto the SU wireless network with Windows laptops that have Skype installed, specifically when Skype is set to run automatically at startup.

Apparently, Skype and the Nevis Agent share at least one resource or port, and the Nevis Agent will not work if Skype is already running (as it is when it is set to run at startup).

The solution, obviously, is to remove Skype from running automatically at startup. For Windows users, go to Tools > Advanced > Options and uncheck "Start Skype when I start Windows." You can also uncheck the box at the login screen. For Macintosh users, open System Preferences then click on Accounts. You'll find and be able to remove Skype under the "Login Items" tab.

Once you have logged into the SU wireless service, you may start and use Skype normally. Skype will run with the Nevis Agent already running, but not vice versa.

Note that this also affects students using the Nevis Agent to log into their residential hall network.

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Securely Delete Files using Mac OS X

When you delete a file from your computer, it doesn't really erase the file, all that you do is remove references to that file. Anyone with a third-party recovery program can potentially extract that data that you thought you've erased.

So how do you keep people from accessing your deleted files? The only thing you can do is to write over the files--this copies non-sensitive data over your old files, making them unrecoverable. Usually this is done by writing zeros over your data; the more times it writes over the data, the more secure the removal is.

In most operating systems, the only way to do this is to reformat the drive; but this removes all the data from the drive, including data and programs you want to hold onto. This becomes a labor-intensive process.

Luckily, the Macintosh OS X operating system includes a feature that allows you to securely delete your files without having to reformat. The Finder includes a Secure Empty Trash feature that not only securely erases data, but its seven pass method meets the U.S. Department of Defense standards for erasing files.

To use this feature, move the files you want to securely erase to the trash, either by dragging and dropping, by selecting the files and choosing File > Move to Trash, or by selecting the items and pressing Command-Delete on your keyboard.

Once the files are in your trash, Choose Finder > Secure Empty Trash from the menu bar.

You'll receive a verification dialog that warns you that you're about to securely erase items in the Trash forever. Click OK to continue.

Depending on the size and number of files that you have chosen to delete, this process can take a while to complete. Finder will show a progress bar that will allow you to monitor its progress, though it won't tell you how long it might take.

Later, we'll go over how to securely erase your free space on your Macintosh, including previously deleted files, by using Disk Utility.
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First Entry

This is basically the testbed for the IT Help Desk online web journal. We'll be adding different authors here to add posts, columns, etc. In the meantime, I'm going to use this as placeholders for ideas that we may recreate later.
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