Contents - Saint Francis University.pdf
Document Sample
Contents
*Note: Blue wording here and throughout the manual are links to other parts of the
manual. You can use these links to navigate quickly through this manual.
Introduction 4
Fast Facts 4
Laptop Program: General Information 4
Who’s Lenovo? 5
Why the ThinkPad? 5
Getting Help 5
Billing 6
Lost or Stolen Items 7
Checkout Instructions 7
General Laptop Information 8
Included Items 8
Descriptions & Definitions of Items 9
Setup Instructions 12
Operating Instructions 15
Logging In: 16
Installing software: 19
Browsing the Internet 20
The Localweb Web Site 21
WebCT 22
School E‐mail 22
Recording or “Burning” CDs 23
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The ThinkLight 25
Internet Safety 25
Safe Browsing 25
Spyware & Viruses 26
Specific Threats 27
Laptop Care 29
Handling the Laptop 29
Cleaning the Screen 31
Battery Conditioning 32
Disk Defragmentation 32
Useful Links 35
Contact Information 35
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Introduction
The purpose of this handbook is to provide general guidelines for using the
laptop as well as instructions for more advanced or campus specific issues that most
users would otherwise have no way of knowing.
Fast Facts
Short on time? The following links go to key parts of the manual:
Program information:
Getting Help| Billing| Lost or Stolen Items
Maintenance and Safety:
Battery Conditioning | Handling the Laptop | Soft Carry Case | Cleaning the Screen
Operation and Features:
Browsing the Internet | Recording or “Burning” CDs | Internet Safety
Problems Accessing Network Services| WebCT | School E‐mail | Mozilla Firefox
Laptop Program: General Information
Each academic year, Saint Francis University provides every new full‐time
freshman student and every full‐time junior student with a new “ThinkPad” laptop
computer, provided by Lenovo Group, Ltd. If you are a student at Saint Francis, you’re
probably reading this manual from one of these laptops right now.
In conjunction with the university’s laptop program, a wireless data network covers
all major academic areas and most communal areas of the campus. Students will have
access to the internet and every network function (such as printing) anywhere the
wireless service can be accessed.
Saint Francis University leases all laptop computers from the laptop vendor
Lenovo for two years. At the end of the two‐year lease, or when a student is no longer
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enrolled at the university, he/she will have the option to buy the laptop at the current
price determined by the lease agreement (currently $350 for end‐of‐lease; subject to
change). Students will receive a new laptop from the university every two years, and
always have the option to buy their previous laptop. Following this plan, all
undergraduate students will have a laptop that is up‐to‐date for the duration of their
academic career at Saint Francis University.
Students may take their laptops home during semester breaks, holidays and summer
vacations.
If at any time a student is enrolled for less than 12 credits (part‐time status) or
does not register as a full‐time student for the next full semester, the laptop and its
associated items must be returned to the Laptop Help Desk.
Who’s Lenovo?
A few years ago a company called Lenovo Group Limited bought IBM’s personal
computer program. This deal included not only the developers, designers, factories,
support services etc. for IBM’s ThinkPad laptops, it also included all copyrights and
trademarks associated with the ThinkPad.
Lenovo decided to keep and use the trademarked name “IBM ThinkPad” in part
because customers are familiar with that name, and the laptops would retain their
reputation. The rights to the IBM name will eventually expire, so Lenovo is slowly
phasing out the “IBM” part of the title, and will gradually incorporate Lenovo into logo
designs so that the ThinkPad will be linked with them by the time the IBM rights expire.
Students may notice that their own laptops now only say ThinkPad instead of IBM
ThinkPad on them, or have Lenovo in small type in various locations.
Why the ThinkPad?
Saint Francis University has used the ThinkPad since the beginning of the Laptop
Program.
Some of the major reasons for picking ThinkPad laptops include:
• Year after year ThinkPads have fewer hardware failures than many other
brands, if not all of them. This long‐term durability alone makes the ThinkPad
an outstanding machine.
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• IBM, and now Lenovo, offers outstanding warranties on the ThinkPads. Many
of the parts replaced by Help Desk staff may not be covered by other
providers. Other companies are not as cooperative with educational
institutions. For example, when power cords are damaged due to misuse,
nine times out of ten Lenovo will replace the cord at no charge.
• The Help Desk was able to become a certified IBM (now Lenovo) Service
Center. This was not possible with other venders, and enables the Help Desk
to process warranty claims on site and replace parts on site, which means the
Help Desk can process machines much faster than sending them to a service
center elsewhere.
Getting Help
The Laptop Help Desk, located in Scotus 103, is provided for student support of
computer problems. It is covered under the Technology Fee (along with the laptops,
printing services, internet, etc). Students may call ext: 2800 for support (814‐472‐2800
off campus). Any questions or problems with the laptops will be addressed at the Help
Desk. Students are advised that all but the most basic problems will require them to
bring their laptop to the Help Desk. However, students are encouraged to report issues
such as loss of wireless signal, internet connection, broken/jammed printers, or other
problems that affect a number of individuals to the Help Desk. Help Desk hours will be
posted outside the Help Desk; hours may vary from semester to semester, but generally
Help Desk hours are: Mon.‐Fri. 9:00am‐11:00pm,
Sat. 10:30am‐1:30pm and Sun. 5:00pm‐11:00pm
In the event that something should malfunction over a summer or semester
break, service can be provided when the student returns or the laptop is brought to the
Help Desk during business hours. Also, the student may contact Lenovo directly for
service, but only for hardware problems. The Help Desk is open during the summer
semesters. Summer hours will vary.
Billing
In the event that an item is lost or damaged through misuse, or if the laptop
itself is damaged, the student will be billed according to the following list:
• Laptop casing ‐ $15.00‐$35.00
• LCD Screen ‐ $250.00
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• CD‐Rom Drive ‐ $250.00
• System Board ‐ $250.00
• Power Cord / Adapter ‐ $40.00
• Lithium Battery ‐ $168.00
• Cat. 5 Patch Cord ‐ Free
All Lenovo ThinkPads issued by the school have a 3‐Year Warranty (the warranty
extends one more year if the laptop is purchased after the lease expires) that covers all
manufacturer defects and failures. In the event that a laptop sustains accidental
damage or suffers damage through negligence, the school has placed insurance on the
laptops that will cover the damage less a $250 deductible. Therefore, the most a
student will ever pay for repairs for a single repair incident is $250.
Lost or Stolen Items
If you suspect that your laptop has been lost or stolen, contact Campus Police
immediately at ext. 3360 (814‐472‐3360 off campus) and filing a police report. Next,
contact Nick Weakland, SFU Laptop Program Coordinator, at ext.2800 (814‐472‐2800).
In most cases a loaner laptop can be issued immediately and can be kept if the original
laptop is not recovered.
ThinkPads feature Computrace, a tracking program that enables a stolen laptop
to be found and recovered by the authorities. Computrace has a 90% success rate in
recovering lost or stolen laptops, but if the student laptop is not recovered, the included
insurance policy will cover the cost of the laptop with a deductible of $500.00. Further
explanation can be found in the laptop agreement contract, which is given to the
student when the laptop is received.
Other items that are lost or stolen will be billed to the student according to the
prices listed above.
Checkout Instructions
At the end of the academic year, students may keep the laptop and all
associated items for the summer break as long as they are pre‐registered for the next
academic semester and are in good financial standing. When returning the laptop, all
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items must be present and in working condition. Any missing or malfunctioning items
will be billed at the preset rate indicated in the “Billing” section of this handbook.
General Laptop Information
All ThinkPads have the same general features, many of which are common
among different types of laptop computers. This section will provide a general overview
of what features the ThinkPads have and the laptop related items that come with the
laptops.
Included Items
The student will be responsible for the proper care of each individual item
included when he/she receives the laptop. All items must remain in good condition (i.e.
are working, clean and not physically damaged) until they are returned. Failure to return
laptop components in good condition will result in a predetermined charge for each
missing or damaged item. Please note that there are some items that do not need to be
returned (as indicated by the asterisk).
The items that students receive are:
• ThinkPad Laptop
• Soft Carry Case*
• Power adapter
• Lithium‐Ion Battery
• Category 5 Patch Cord (Cat 5)(Blue Cable or network cable)*
• Phone Cord*
• ThinkPad Manual*
• Promotional Software CDs*
* Although these items do not need to be returned they will be accepted if the student
does not want them.
** Please Note: A printer is not included with the laptop. We have designated several
large network printers throughout campus to facilitate all student‐printing needs. The
main printers are located in the Library Computer Lab, Scotus Lab 107, and at the JFK
Help Desk. Every student with a laptop will have access to any public printer they wish
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to use. These printers will only print black & white pages so it is up to the student to
decide if they wish to purchase their own personal printer to print colored pages.
Descriptions & Definitions of Items
ThinkPad Laptop
A portable computer provided by Lenovo with a battery and Wi‐Fi access card
designed for wireless use in a variety of locations.
Soft Carry Case
One of the most essential items for your laptop computer, the Soft Carry Case
provided by Saint Francis University, is made with dense padding that will protect your
laptop from impact, spills, and pressure. The cases are a “sleeve” design, with D‐rings to
attach an included strap, if so desired. The real benefit of the sleeve design is that it will
fit inside most backpacks or carry bags that students may use. Using the sleeve at all
times will help to ensure that the laptop is not damaged. See “Laptop Care” for more
information.
Power adapter
Used to supply power to the laptop. Connect the small round end into the
yellow port on the back of the laptop. The laptop will operate on battery power if the
AC Power adapter is not present. Any time the laptop is connected to the AC power
adapter and the adapter is plugged into an electric wall outlet, the laptop is charging the
battery.
Ethernet Port
Looking similar to a large phone jack, this communication port enables the
laptop to connect to Saint Francis’s Local Area Network (LAN). Dormitories may have
similar jacks on the walls that can be plugged into using the Cat. 5 “Blue Cable” provided
for wired internet and network access. On the ThinkPads, they are normally located on
the left side of the laptop. Be careful not to confuse this with the modem.
Integrated Wireless Card
Communications card built into the laptop that allows connection to Wi‐Fi
networks. ThinkPads have a small switch on the lower left‐hand side of the case, next to
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the speakers, that will allow the user to physically shut off the wireless card. If there are
problems accessing wireless, this switch should be checked first.
Category 5 Patch Cord (Cat 5)
Also dubbed the “hard wire” or “blue cable” for Ethernet (wired network)
connectivity, these blue cables and jacks look similar to phone cables, but are wider and
have more pins (wires). Connect this cable to the Ethernet port on the left side of the
laptop and the other end to one of the wall jacks which are available throughout the
University.
Lithium‐Ion Battery
This item slides into the underside of your laptop and allows the unit to function
without the need of an A/C outlet. Under normal conditions the laptop should operate
for approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes, although this will vary greatly depending on
the programs being used, screen brightness, and room temperature. This item has been
preinstalled in student laptops.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
Input/output port for connection of many computer peripherals, including but
not limited to: mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, cameras, jump drives, game
controllers, etc.
S‐Video Port (Not all ThinkPads have this feature)
Port for connection to a projector or TV set that has S‐Video capability. It is
possible to get an RCA adapter for older televisions. This port is for video only, another
cable is needed for audio.
PCMCIA Card Slot
Commonly called a “PC card slot.” This is an expansion card slot used for a
variety of devices, such as a USB port expansion card, extra hard drive, memory card
reader, TV/Radio tuner, etc.
TrackPoint/Touchpad
Lenovo ThinkPads are equipped with two different mouse controls, both of
which can be used according to individual preference. The TrackPoint is a small red dot
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located in the center of the keyboard which functions similar to a joystick. See example
below. For example, if the TrackPoint is pushed upwards, the mouse will move upwards.
There are three buttons directly below the keyboard which are the mouse buttons. The
left and right click buttons work just like the left and right buttons on a mouse. The
middle button is called the “scroll bar”. Holding down the scroll bar while pushing the
TrackPoint up or down will scroll the current window, much like the wheel feature
found on most traditional mice.
The Touchpad is the inset pad located at the bottom center of the ThinkPad. Sliding a
finger across the pad will make the mouse move on the screen. Tapping the pad will
perform a left‐click, while double tapping will perform a double click. A click‐and‐drag
can be performed by double‐tapping and on the second tap holding the finger down,
while dragging to the desired position. There are two buttons below the Touchpad. They
also function for left and right clicking respectively.
Speakers
ThinkPads come equipped with internal speakers, the controls for which are
located at the top left of the keyboard. When experiencing problems with sound press
the volume‐up button several times and check for the green bars at the bottom of the
screen which indicate the volume level. If this function is working properly and there is
still no sound, the sound may be muted elsewhere on the computer. Windows contains
a speaker‐shaped icon in the system tray that will bring up more advanced volume
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controls. Be sure that all sliders are set to maximum (all the way up) and that only the
microphone and line‐in is muted. If the problem is still not resolved, check the volume
control for the media program being used (for example, Windows Media Player).
Headphone/Microphone Jack
Normally located on the left side of the laptop, the headphone jack is a green
circle that accepts standard headphone plugs. The microphone jack, circled in red,
accepts the same size microphone input.
Built‐in Microphone
ThinkPads also have a built‐in microphone. It is located directly underneath two
small vertical slits, normally located along the edge of the keyboard, though exact
placement will vary.
Function Key
Marked “Fn” in blue, it is located at the bottom‐left side of the keyboard.
Holding this key and pressing another button with blue markings on it will activate that
function. For example, pressing Fn + PgUp (PgUp has a blue lamp icon on it) will turn on
the “ThinkLight,” a small work light placed above the top center of the screen. Also,
pressing Fn + F4 (F4 has a blue moon on it) will put the computer into standby or “sleep”
mode. Other functions are listed in the manuals included with the laptop.
Setup Instructions
When you first receive your new ThinkPad, please check to ensure that all of the
aforementioned items are present and working properly. Members of the Saint Francis
University staff have already tested each individual machine thoroughly, but it is
possible that some items have been misplaced.
Upon opening the laptop you will find the circular power “ON” button in the top‐
center of the keypad area. Gently pressing the button once will turn the unit on. Before
you can use the ThinkPad, you must enter some personal information into the
Operating System.
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• Wait f window to a
for the first w appear. Please accept th he license ag n
greement and
next. Enter y
click n your full namme in the spa ace provided d.
“ cis ty” p
• Type “Saint Franc Universit in the space provided for the organization, n
and cl lick “next.”
he er n
• For th compute name, please enter your assigned Novell User ID (ex: x
ABCST T2).
t d g t
• Type the password you were given (ie: scta1234) in both password boxes. r
o It is important t that you us se the correc ct password, otherwise you will have v
dif
fficulty accessing the ne etwork resou urces on cam mpus.
y ord
o By default, your passwo is the f first two let ur me
tters of you last nam
o your first na
followed by the first two letters of y ed
ame followe by the lasst
four digits of y
your social ssecurity num mber.
• The computer will now process information for several minutes.
o l s o
“
• Click “next” if any other prompts appear.
ter n ar.
• Once the comput restarts the Novell login screen will appea Check th he
“Work kstation Onl ly” checkbox x (located bbelow the pa assword box re
x), make sur
the us sername is “ “Administrat tor” and ent ter your pass sword, then click “OK” oor
press enter.
ter
• Once the comput starts, f follow the instructions below to complete the h
“wirel less fix”.
Wireless Fix
W
1 Click on S
1. ings ‐> Netw
Start ‐> Setti ctions.
work Connec
ck on Wirele
2. Right clic ess Network
nection and choose Properties.
Conn
1
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a .
3. Under the General tab, click the Configure... button.
4 Under the Advanced
4. down to the Power Management option and
d tab, scroll d n p
click it.
5.
5 Uncheck the Use def box and mov
fault value b to the Highest value.
ve the slide t
Click the Ok button to finish.
y
a. Now you can connect to the wireless ne t t
etwork. First check that the wirelesss
h
switch on the bo op d uld
ottom‐front of the lapto is turned on. It shou be in th he
ght‐hand position with a small gree square v
rig en he
visible on th
ft‐hand side.
lef ook similar to
. It should lo o the image shown here e.
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14
b. Double
e click on the computer icon on the lower right‐‐hand bar (k e
known as the
m tray). The icon looks li
system hout waves”
ike a computer monitor that has “sh ”
comin his is the wir
ng from it. Th reless icon:
c. In the window tha double click on “SFU_Se
at appears, d ompted, clic
ecure”. If pro ck
“Conn y”. ou ed
nect Anyway When yo are aske for a pas e to
ssword type “flash” int
boxes.
both b
ss
d. Once the wireles is connec cess to the internet an
cted you will have acc nd
netwoork utilities. More spec ions pertaining to these
cific instructi e services arre
ded in the ne
includ ext section.
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1
Operating Instructions
This section provides information about the most common tasks a student may
wish to perform, as well as detailed information about campus specific resources, laptop
maintenance and internet safety.
Logging In:
When the laptop computer is first started, a login screen similar to the one
below will be displayed.
The user name will generally display the owner’s user name (e.g. abcst2) if the
workstation only box is not checked. When the Workstation only box is checked on a
student laptop, the username should say “Administrator”.
Workstation Only Box
What does the Workstation only check box do? Whenever a user logs onto a
system with Novell installed on it, they are actually logging onto two different systems
at one time. The first is the Novell network services, the second is the local machine, or
workstation. When the workstation only check box is checked, the system does not log
into network services. This means the there is no access to network printers or network
drives if the machine is logged in as workstation only.
The workstation only box is useful when using the laptop off campus. The
machine cannot log into the Saint Francis network if the network is not present, so
checking the workstation only box will bypass that step.
Problems Accessing Network Services
Sometimes a machine will lose its Novell connection, or the machine will be
logged in as “Workstation Only Box,” requiring the machine to have to re‐connect to the
network. Symptoms of Novell loss are print errors and loss of network drive access.
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If network services cannot be accessed at any time, you can reactivate Novell by
doing the following:
e. Try accessing other resources on the network, such as such as the internet. If
websites are accessible, then the laptop is working correctly. If not, follow
the steps for Now you can connect to the wireless network.
f. Right‐click on the red ‘N’ icon in the system tray
g. Choose Novell Login…
h. Enter your user name and password and click “OK”
This should re‐enable access to network printers and network drives. If you are still
having problems, visit the Help Desk in Scotus 103.
Network Drives
When a student logs into the network, they automatically have access to two
things, one of which is the network drives provided by Saint Francis University. To view
these drives, open “My Computer” from either the Desktop or the Start menu. It should
look similar to the following example.
There is one drive that starts with the username (ex. abcst2) of the person
logged into the computer, and is designated with the drive letter “I:”, as it is on the left‐
hand side of the example. This is the personal drive, which can only be accessed by that
particular person and can be used to store any kind of data; for example documents,
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backups, pictures, music, etc. Files stored here are safe, no matter what may happen to
the laptop. Even if the laptop is completely destroyed or infected with a virus, these files
are safe and can be accessed by logging into another computer.
The other network drives contain campus information, for example installation
files for programs such as Microsoft Office or GroupWise. In addition there is the “P”
drive which contains information related to various classes. Professors can put Word
documents, pictures, PowerPoint presentations, etc. in this drive for their students to
access.
*Important Note: Logging into the computer with the “Workstation Only” box
checked will cause these network drives to be unavailable. See “Logging In:” above for
more information.
Network Printers
Public printers are available in several locations across campus. The most
commonly used ones are in the Scotus computer lab in Scotus 107, and the Library
computer lab.
1. To print from an application to one of these printers, go to File > Print.
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2. Select the appropriate printer from the list. It should look similar to the image
above. The printer names often refer to their location, for example, the Scotus
Computer Lab printer is labeled “Scotus Lab 107”.
3. Click OK.
4. Printed items can then be picked up at the printer.
There are some things students should keep in mind:
• It is best to wait to print a document until you are headed to the printer. Even
though students are able to print from anywhere on campus, everybody on
campus uses these printers, so there is no guarantee that the document will still
be there if you take too long. It may end up in the trash or mixed into a pile of
forgotten documents.
• Documents are printed in the order that the print commands are sent to the
printer. This means that if you are the 10th person to send a print command to a
particular printer, you will have to wait your turn in line for your printout. Since,
many people print documents right before class, try printing class assignments
well in advance to avoid a long wait at the printer and possibly being late.
• Students have a print limit of 1000 pages for every semester. Students can check
their printer balance on the Localweb under “Student Information” > Individual
Printer/Paper Balance (must be logged into Novell for this to work)
Installing Software
Students are permitted to install any software they feel is beneficial to their
academic accomplishments. Special note should be taken that only software included in
the original install will fall under the responsibility of Saint Francis University. All
student‐installed software is the sole responsibility of the student and will not be
replaced in the event the laptop requires service.
Many free programs are available over the internet, but not all of these
programs are safe to use. Virus, worms, spyware, adware, and malware can all be
spread via programs downloaded from the internet. Therefore, please be advised to
check that a program is safe before installing it on a computer. The Help Desk can fix
most problems, but some bugs imbed themselves so deeply they cannot be removed.
This results in the laptop having to be reimaged, meaning that all data on the laptop
that are not backed up externally (i.e. Network drive, jump drive, CD) are lost. For more
information on finding safe software, see the “Internet Safety” section.
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Many are commonly used programs try to get a user to install extra software
that is often unnecessary and only takes up disk space and computer resources and may
even change settings (such as the homepage) which may be undesirable. In time these
“extras” build up, slow down the computer and cause excess clutter (toolbars can be
exceptionally troublesome); it is best to avoid installing them if you can, and to uninstall
unneeded software.
An excellent example of unneeded software can be seen when installing AIM
(AOL Instant Messenger). As seen in the following example, the default option will install
three extra components. Changing to the “Custom” option enables the exclusion of
these extras. By simply paying attention when installing software and not installing
these little extras users can save themselves a good deal of problems in the future.
Another common pitfall is the software that comes with devices such as digital
cameras and printers. Sometimes none of the software that comes with a device is
needed, so it is best to plug in a device first and see if it will work without the included
software. When a device is no longer going to be used, be sure to remove the software
related to it, as it will continue to operate in the background and slow down the pc.
Browsing the Internet
All laptops distributed by Saint Francis University have two internet browsers
installed on them: the standard “Internet Explorer” from Microsoft, and “Mozilla
Firefox” from the Mozilla Foundation.
Mozilla Firefox
Students are encouraged to use Firefox for browsing the internet for several
reasons. Firefox operates more efficiently than Internet Explorer, making it work faster
and more smoothly. Firefox is also safer. It does not suffer from many of the security
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problems that Internet Explorer does, which means that fewer viruses and spyware will
come through Firefox.
Firefox also features free public extensions that add extra features, and themes
which will change the appearance of the Firefox browser. There are hundreds of
extensions available for Firefox which add extra features or are designed to operate
with a specific website such as eBay, MySpace, Facebook and more. Some add‐ons that
are useful for college students are explained below.
More information about Firefox Add‐ons can be found at:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en‐US/firefox/
Zotero – www.zotero.org
Zotero is an extension for Firefox which is designed to help researchers store and
manage information about sources, as well as create citations. This makes projects such
as research papers easier to manage. For complete information on Zotero visit their
website.
Answers.com ‐ https://addons.mozilla.org/en‐US/firefox/addon/735
The Answers extension provides one‐click information while browsing in Firefox. Just
point at a word and click while holding the Alt key. A box will appear that describes the
word or phrase. For example, when clicking on Saint Francis University:
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Search Bar
Firefox has a built in search bar in the top
right that can be customized to work with a number
of web pages. Some default search engines may
include Google, Yahoo, eBay and Amazon, but these
will change depending on the version of Firefox that
is installed. Additional search engines that can be
added include but are not limited to: Ask.com,
Live.com, Merriam‐Webster, Wikipedia, and Flickr.
For more information on adding search engines to
Firefox, visit: https://addons.mozilla.org/en‐US/firefox/browse/type:4
The Localweb Web Site
Part of the information systems offered at Saint Francis is the Localweb web site.
This page is set to be the default homepage of the laptop internet browsers. Items
located on the Localweb include:
Campus Directories
Campus phone and address listings for all students and employees at Saint Francis.
Webmail
Webmail access for all members of the Saint Francis community.
Access My Network Drives
Web access to files stored on the private network drive provided by Saint Francis
University.
Class Schedules
Provides access to the official postings of all class times for Spring, Fall and
Summer undergraduate semesters, as well as graduate level classes.
Online Student Information
Student information such as transcripts, billing, and current class schedules, as
well as car registration permits. Students are required to log into their student
information at the start of every semester to confirm their attendance at Saint Francis.
To login, use the student user name and PIN number which will be sent to each user via
Saint Francis University email.
Online Faculty Staff Information
Same as Online Student Information, but for faculty and staff use.
Submit a Workorder
This is for faculty and staff use. It provides web access to online work requests.
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Located on the left hand side of the Localweb homepage are a link for Student
Information, which provides links to a variety of internet resources, and a link to the
Pasquerilla Library website, where resources such as the card catalog, inter‐library loan
and database resources can be found.
WebCT
Saint Francis University subscribes to an academic software package called
WebCT. WebCT allows professors to post information related to the courses they teach,
such as grades, notes, syllabi, and class discussion boards, but professors may or may
not utilize WebCT. All classes that have WebCT information will automatically be made
available on students’ WebCT pages at the start of a semester. Most online courses
offered by Saint Francis are held through WebCT. WebCT can be accessed under Student
Information on the left‐hand side of the Localweb or directly here:
http://webct.francis.edu:8900/webct/public/home.pl
School Email
Every student at Saint Francis University is assigned an email address which they
are expected to check daily. The school and professors will use campus email to relay
important messages. Information such as library notices, campus closings or
emergencies, public events, schedule changes, etc., will be relayed via email.
There are two ways students may check their email. The first is through the
“GroupWise” client included on the computers.
The icon on the desktop will look similar to this:
The second is through the Localweb website, which is set to be the default
homepage for both web browsers. Clicking on the small envelope with “Webmail”
written underneath will take the user into the web access interface for the campus
email system. Students are encouraged to use the GroupWise program whenever
possible because it is faster, provides more options, and consumes less internet
resources than the webmail.
The GroupWise program offers an integrated address book, which contains all
members of the Saint Francis community. This makes it unnecessary to remember the
email addresses on campus. In order to send an email to someone at Saint Francis, click
on the New Mail button near the top of the GroupWise program, then type their last
name. The system will search for matches and display them as the name is typed. To
scroll through the matches at any time, press the down or up arrow keys, then press the
right arrow key to select the correct person. Pressing the enter key will select the person
currently highlighted and then give the option to add another name.
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The mail system also contains a calendar that can be used to keep track of
appointments and events, and even share dates and tasks with other students or
employees.
Complete information and tutorials on how to use the GroupWise system can be
found at: http://www.novell.com/products/groupwise/brainstorm_training/
Recording or “Burning” CDs
Included with each laptop is IBM’s software for creating your own CDs. To create
a single use CD:
1. Insert the blank CD
2. When the Autoplay window comes up, select the “Add Files using RecordNow
Data” option.
3. When the window comes up you can then click the option on the left hand side
for the function you want to perform. For example, if you want to make a backup
of Word documents or pictures, you would click on “Data”. A music CD would be
“Audio”.
4. Click the “Data Disc” option and then “Add Data” to choose your files. You will
see the directory for your system. By default it will start in My Documents. In
most cases, your files will be on the Desktop or in My documents.
5. Find and select the files then click “Add” to add them to the record list.
6. When you have all the files you wish to burn, click the large red button in the
bottom right corner.
Having re‐writable CDs (often marked CD‐RW) allows you to record on the CD
over and over again and to delete files, while single use CDs allow you to write only until
the disk is full. The Record Now program has an option to erase rewritable media under
the “Tools” section, which will allow you to remove all files and make the disk “clean”
again.
There is another feature of the CD burning software called Direct Letter Access
DLA). DLA allows you to treat a CD like a floppy disk, meaning you can drag‐and‐drop
files onto the drive and they will be written immediately.
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To activate DLA on a disk:
1. Insert a blank disc
2. Wait for the Autoplay options to come up and select “Format using Sonic
DLA”.
3. A box will come up with a prompt for “volume label” where you can input a
name for your disc or leave it blank. Some other options are also available
but it is not necessary to change anything. Click Ok when you are ready.
4. The program will format your disc, after which it will be ready for use.
Things to keep in mind about DLA are:
• The CD with DLA activated on it will be read by all ThinkPads, but other
computers may have problems reading them.
• Rewritable discs will allow you to delete files from a DLA enabled disc just
like you would normally delete any file, but single‐use discs (CD‐Rs) will only
hide the files you try to delete. You will not regain the space the files take up.
• Using DLA will slightly reduce the amount of data you can put on the disk.
The ThinkLight
This is a small work light placed in the top section
of the screen that will illuminate the keyboard and
screen.
The light can be turned on and off using the
Fn+PgUp keys as indicated in the diagram.
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Internet Safety
This section contains information on a number of subjects related to using the
internet safely.
Safe Browsing
One of the best measures that a person can take to protect a computer against
spyware and viruses is to install and use Mozilla Firefox to browse the internet. Not only
is Firefox more secure, it is not susceptible to most of the malicious software that
affects Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer it is a common target for attacks because it is
the default internet browser on all Microsoft Windows computers. Therefore designing
bugs that will infect Internet Explorer will allow the virus to infect the greatest number
of computers possible.
A general rule of thumb is to not give away any personal information on the
internet unless the site is known to be safe. The best way to see what kind of reputation
a website has is to put its name into a search engine. The first couple results will
probably be for that site, but further down the list there should be results for reviews,
forums and blogs where people talk about the site. Always check on the reputation of a
website before signing up or giving any personal information.
There is no easy way to tell which sites are safe, especially when viewing the
results of a search engine. However the ads displayed on a website can often be a good
indicator of how trustworthy a website is. Ads that are obscene, obnoxious or show
explicit material are a good indicator that the website they’re on isn’t very trustworthy.
Ads that present offers for free stuff, whether it is a physical product or a
computer program, generally can’t be trusted. If something is really free, they shouldn’t
have to try to “sell” it to people, so if it seems that they’re trying too hard to give
something that’s free, there’s probably a catch.
A good privacy‐protection practice to follow is to use a separate email address
(registered with a fake name) for signing up to mailing lists, signing up for memberships
on websites, or in any case where an email address is asked for and the site is not
necessarily trustworthy. This will keep a large amount of spam from coming to a
personal email address as well as protecting personal information.
When looking for free software, sites that show customer reviews or forums and
blogs are generally good places to look for links to free software. Anywhere where the
public can write their own opinion is a good place to start or to check out a program
before downloading it. If a program has spyware or viruses hidden inside of it, or it is
just bad altogether, someone on the internet is going to say so. One of the best sites to
Page | 26
research software is at www.download.com, from cnet.com, a well‐reputed
technology website.
Spyware & Viruses
There are many different terms for the various malicious computer programs
that have been created over the years, but for the most part there are two different
kinds of bugs.
*Quick Tip: All files have an “extension” at the end of their name. For example, a
Microsoft Word document ends in “.doc” such as in “class notes.doc”.
A picture often has “.jpg” “ .jpeg” or “.gif” such as in “graduation.jpg”
Programs all have the extension “.exe” such as “setup.exe” or
“install_program.exe”. A program is the most likely file to carry a virus, so
be careful which programs are opened.
Viruses
One category of malicious programs is that of viruses. Viruses can be referred to
as worms, Trojan‐horses, malware, etc., and viruses exist for all computers and all
operating systems (i.e. Windows, Linix, Mac etc.) and usually imbed themselves inside
other programs. The important thing to know about viruses is that they are destructive
programs that either aim at making a machine unusable or try to take over a computer
for malicious purposes, such as use the computer to carry out attacks on other
machines. Some viruses can be removed, others cannot; either way, a virus is an
inconvenience that is best to avoid.
Viruses generally come packaged inside other programs and documents. This is
why it is important to never open an attachment in an email from an unknown person
or party. Even when the sender is someone familiar, think twice about opening an
attachment. Ask, “Is this something that this person would normally send?” and “Does it
look like something he/she might send?”
Many “free” programs that are available online have viruses or spyware inside of
them. It is best to research any program before downloading it. Simply typing the name
of the program into a search engine will give a results page that lists some forums where
the program in question is discussed. This is a very good way to quickly find out if a
program is good or bad, and if it is virus free or infected.
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Spyware
Spyware is commonly used as an umbrella term to encompass unwanted
software that is not intended to do harm to a computer. Instead, it is used to gather
information on the person(s) using the computer and/or to display ads to the user (this
is referred to as adware).
Spyware, like viruses, can come packaged with other programs downloaded from
the internet, or it can come from websites that program them into their web pages. This
is done by exploiting security holes in internet browser software. Security holes are in
essence a corruption of legitimate features in a program; these features are exploited
for other uses. For the most part, spyware that sneaks onto a machine in this manner is
not very threatening and easy to remove, but it can clog up a computer if it is not
cleaned regularly.
Specific Threats
Provided in the section is information on some specific threats.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of identity theft scam where an attacker will pretend to be an a
trustworthy individual or company in order to obtain usernames and passwords, social
security numbers, credit card numbers, etc. Phishing is normally done through email; an
attacker will send an email which appears to be an authentic communication from an
online service to a number of targets in hopes that someone will respond with the
information requested.
Often the attacker will clone a website (design a website to look like another site
such as Paypal, eBay, an online bank, etc.) and insert a hyperlink to that website in the
email. The email, which appears to be authentic, will generally say there is a problem
with the user’s account, and that they must click the link and login to their account to fix
the problem. Only when the recipient does this, their username and password is
recorded and the fake website will show a login error. Now the attacker has access to
this person’s account and can do whatever he/she wants with it.
The best way to avoid phishing attacks is to never click on a link in an email to
log into a website; go to the site manually by typing in the address or by using a
favorite/bookmark (i.e. if you need to log in to Paypal, type www.paypal.com into the
address bar instead of using the email link).
Another good security practice is to use different passwords for all of your
accounts, and delete any emails that contain passwords, so that if someone gets into
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one account they cannot automatically get into others by using the same password or
reading your emails.
Instant Messaging Viruses
A type of virus that many people fall victim to is an instant messenger (IM) virus.
AOL Instant Messenger is a common target of these viruses, but there are viruses that
affect a number of instant messaging applications, such as Yahoo, ICQ, and MSN.
Following what the name suggests, the virus infects instant messaging programs
and uses them to spread itself to other computers. When the virus gets into a computer,
it implants itself into the instant messaging program of choice (AIM, Yahoo, etc.) and
waits for someone to log in. Once someone starts the program and logs into the instant
messenger, the virus begins sending messages to all of the people on that person’s
contact list. The user doesn’t see the messages that the virus sends, so often there is no
way of knowing a machine is infected unless someone tells the user.
Sometimes the only thing these viruses do is try to spread themselves and cause
annoyance. Other times, however, they may also collect data such as passwords and
financial information, or download other viruses onto the computer.
IM viruses generally send out static messages (always the same message) which
urge the receiver to click on a link. Normal prompts follow the lines of, “Wow this is so
funny, check it out!” or “Look at my new pictures, just click here.” Almost never will the
link be typed out, such as:
http://localweb.francis.edu/Student/StudentHndbk/Student%20Handbook%2007-
08/Student%20Handbook%20Homepage.asp
(This is a link to the Saint Francis University Student Handbook).
The punch line is: if you click the link, now you’ve got the virus, too. The best
policy is, if you think the message is uncharacteristic or suspicious, verify that the person
you’re talking to actually sent it to you.
Instant messenger viruses can spread very fast and can cause a great deal of
chaos. Therefore, it is imperative that the virus be removed as quickly as possible.
If you suspect that someone has an IM virus:
1. Avoid clicking on the links they send you
2. Tell them they have the virus, and tell them to turn off their instant messenger.
3. Get the person to go to the Help Desk as quickly as possible.
4. If you think that you may have the virus, go to the Help Desk, too.
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Laptop Care
This section features some “dos and don’ts” of laptop care as well as detailed
instructions for laptop care and maintenance. Not only does good laptop care decrease
the need for repairs, it can also save the student a good deal in the way of costs.
Because the laptops are on lease, the student does not own the laptop and is
responsible for all damages when the laptop is returned at the end of the two‐year
period.
Handling the Laptop
The laptop computer may seem like a fairly solid device, and modern laptops can
handle a fair amount of abuse, but many parts inside the laptop can be easily damaged
if the laptop is not treated properly.
i. Always be gentle with the laptop. Avoid dropping, bumping, vibrating or
pushing the laptop, especially while it is running. Doing so may cause the
hard drive to malfunction, leading to data corruption, data loss, or hard drive
failure (in which case all data would be lost).
j. Do not put heavy objects on the laptop, laptop display, or CD drive bay.
Always be sure to close the CD drive when it is not in use. Leaving the CD
drive open will risk having it bumped or jarred, which may damage the drive
and cause it not to function properly.
k. Never place objects on the keyboard. Many students damage their screens
by inadvertently leaving an object such as a pen or pencil on the keyboard
and closing the lid. Placing items on the keyboard also risks damaging the
keys; if keys come off of the keyboard, they may pop back on, but if they do
not the keyboard will have to be replaced.
l. Keep food and drink away from the laptop. Having food and drink close to
the laptop risks having the food go onto the laptop, which is often a fatal
event for a computer. Even crumbs and small splashes (such as bubbles from
carbonated beverages) can lead to a non‐functioning laptop over time.
m. Before moving your computer, be sure all cords and cables are
disconnected.
n. Pick up the laptop by the base with both hands. Never pick up a laptop by
the screen, as this can easily crack the screen. Picking up the laptop with only
one hand, especially on the corner, can cause the system board to flex. Any
Page | 30
stress on the casing such as twisting or bending can cause the board to flex,
which stresses the electronic connections on the system board, many of
which are microscopic. Over time flexing will cause these connections to
break, resulting in a non‐functioning computer. While warranty will cover
most cases of system board damage, the student will still have to wait for
repairs to be made.
o. When moving the laptop more than a few steps make sure it is in
standby/sleep mode. Do this by using the Fn+F4 keys, then close the lid and
check that the moon icon on the lid is lit before picking it up.
p. It is also advisable to use a sturdy carrying case such as the ones provided
by Saint Francis University. Doing so will protect the laptop against most
bumps & drops as well as pressure damage.
q. Pressure damage is what happens when a laptop is subjected to high
amounts of stress. Usually this is caused by books or other items pressing on
the laptop inside a bag or when books and other heavy items are placed on
top of the laptop; this also includes twisting and flexing damages. Pressure
damage can result in a large range of symptoms such as broken screens,
broken CD‐Rom drives, or crashes and startup failure (symptoms of system
board problems).
r. Avoid sitting the laptop computer on your lap or other body parts. The
laptop and power adapter can become hot during use, especially while
charging, and extended contact to skin, even through clothing, can cause
burns. Also, sitting the laptop on your lap subjects it to bumps and vibrations
from body movement.
s. Avoid placing the laptop on a bed, cushioned chair, or other furniture other
than a table. The laptop will tend to sink into fabrics and soft cushions or
pillows, causing the fabric to wrap around the laptop and trap heat inside the
laptop. If the laptop overheats it may stop functioning and may even catch
fire. Also, overheating can damage laptop components, including the hard
drive, and could result in data loss.
t. Arrange cables carefully. All cables for the power cord, Ethernet, mouse,
printer or other devices should be placed where they will not be pinched by
the laptop, objects or furniture and where they will not be stepped on,
tripped on, pulled on or subjected to any other forceful actions. Strong force
may damage or break cables and sockets.
Page | 31
Cleaning the Screen
1. Laptop screens can be cleaned with an ordinary household glass cleaner such as
Windex as long as it is done properly.
2. Completely turn off the computer. Don’t just put it into standby. Go to start >
Shut Down
3. Put the laptop on a flat surface and tilt the screen back so that the top of the
screen is touching the surface. The laptop should lay flat on the surface so that
when the screen is pressed on it does not move.
4. Spray the cleaner onto a paper towel or soft cloth. Do not spray the cleaner
directly onto the screen.
5. Using slight pressure, gently wipe the screen with the cloth or paper towel and
then wipe the screen with a dry cloth or paper towel until the screen is dry.
Battery Conditioning
The battery is one of the most important parts of a laptop; the battery in a way is
the life‐source of the laptop. Currently, most electronic devices use lithium‐ion batteries
because they provide an exceptional run time. The down side is that they lose a large
part of their capacity within a few years. That is why it is critical that the user take good
care of the battery to ensure the longest life possible. Using a simple technique often
referred to as “conditioning” will extend the lifetime of a lithium‐ion battery. Note that
this also applies to any device that uses a lithium‐ion battery, such as cell phones, MP3
players, portable game systems and PDAs.
In order to condition a battery all that must be done is to completely drain the
battery, and then charge it fully (to 100%). Completely draining a battery means that all
of the power is drained out of it. Some devices will shut off at a certain point (the
laptops will go into standby or hibernation modes), preventing complete draining of the
battery. Therefore, the device must be turned back on. Continue turning it on until there
is no response when the power button is pressed. Then plug it in, and let it charge
completely before using the battery again. Most devices can be used while charging, so
as to decrease inconvenience while charging the battery.
The first few times a battery is used are the most critical in determining its
lifespan. If nothing else, a user should condition the battery at least 3 times when it is
first used.
Page | 32
After this initial period, the battery should be drained as often as possible, but it
is not necessary to squeeze every drop of power out of it all of the time, as it is not
always practical to fully drain your battery (for example, if your battery is getting low in
the middle of class, it is ok to plug the laptop in at 1% or even 5%). The battery need
only be conditioned once every 1‐2 weeks.
To summarize:
1. Conditioning your battery (draining the battery completely) will help increase its
lifespan. Ideally, a battery is conditioned 3 times when it is new, and once a
week or more afterwards.
2. To drain the battery completely: keep turning the device on until it does not
respond to the power button at all.
3. Charge it completely (100%) before using it again.
Disk Defragmentation
Whenever a computer runs, it constantly reads and writes information onto the
hard drive. Every time a file is re‐written the computer may not put all of the
information together in one place. The file is split into segments or fragments; this is
called file fragmentation. The computer chooses the most easily accessible places on the
drive when it writes data; however, the downside is that it is not efficient to read back
fragmented data.
The disk defragmenter utility will analyze the data on the hard drives attached to
the computer and reassemble fragmented files, which improves overall system
performance.
To run the Disk Defragmenter utility, go to: Start > Programs > Accessories > System
Tools > Disk Defragmenter
Page | 33
ty lay he sk
The utilit will displ all of th hard dis drives at ttached to the machin ne
(gene be e he ce,
erally there will only b one), the size of th disks, the free spac and wha at
perce he
entage of th disk is free. The perrcentage collumn is the most important one: i in
r
order for the utility to oper tly ust
rate correct there mu be at least 15% free space. Th he
r i
other reason it is good to kkeep at leas 15% free is that the computer w run mor
st will re
efficiently. When n a hard drivve is filled up the operaating system m and progra ams have les ss
room in which to move file around o the disk, making rea
m t es on ad/write ope ke
erations tak
much h longer, slowwing down o overall perfoormance.
ing
Clicki the Ana n e y
alyze button will make the utility check the disk for fr ragmentatio on
witho out changing g any data. T gest whether
The utility will then sugg r or not the disk needs tto
be de d. oes y
efragmented Even if the utility do not say defragmen ecessary, th
ntation is ne he
y should be run at least once a month in order t
utility to ensure top performan nce.
Defragment will make th
Clicking D he utility deffragment thhe data on your machine e.
status bar at the bottom will show the progre of the ut
The s m w ess e le
tility and the current fil
beingg worked on. It is import tant not to u use the comp puter while the utility is running. Th he
Stop button will cause the u utility to stop p completely, which wil ll require the e program t to
start from the beginning if it is run aga If it is n
b ain. o
necessary to use the co omputer, thhe
e ed
Pause button can be presse to tempo the nd
orarily stop t utility an not lose the progres ss
has already been made.
that h
Page | 3
34
Useful Links
Description Link
LocalWeb – St. Francis insider info http://localweb.francis.edu
Pasquerilla Library Homepage http://library.francis.edu
WebCT Homepage – Online courses http://webct.francis.edu:8900/webct/public/home.pl
CNET – Tech product reviews http://www.cnet.com
Download.com – Software reviews & http://www.download.com
downloads from CNET
Microsoft Security at Home – Security http://www.microsoft.com/protect/default.mspx
information for the general user
Mozilla – Home of the Firefox internet http://www.mozilla.com
browser & Firefox add‐ons
Contact Information
All numbers are (814‐472‐ ext.) for off campus calls.
For example, the Help Desk is 814‐472‐2800
Place & Description Extension
Laptop Help Desk 2800
(Nick Weakland & Staff)
IT Services (email, password, room phone problems) 3097
Campus Police 3360
Library Circulation Desk 3160
Page | 35
Designed and written by Paul Feighner III for Saint Francis University
Special Thanks to
Nick Weakland
George Pyo Sr.
Dan Wetklow
Melanie Kopanic
Copyright © 2008 by Paul Feighner
This manual may be modified and/or distributed freely in any form under the following
conditions:
‐ Copies of this manual or works derived from this manual must be attributed to
the original author and publication, but in no way that suggests that the author,
publisher, or Saint Francis University endorses the distributor or editing parties.
‐ This manual may not be used in full or in part for commercial purposes under
any condition.
Published by Paul Feighner for Saint Francis University,
117 Evergreen Dr. Loretto, PA 15940
Produced in the United States of America.
Page | 36
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Kopanic, Melanie. Personal interview. 22 Mar. 2008.
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