Help Desk Instructions

    

If you are working in A3/A5 Computer Lab you are required to sit at the help desk that is in the hallway between A3 and A5 Computer Labs.  Please check on both labs once every 15 minutes. 

 

In addition, you are responsible for handling all calls that come in to the Help Desk (extension 4388).  This line should not be used for personal calls.  The phone line needs to remain open for faculty and staff (including the Snowden Library) that need help primarily after hours (after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays or anytime on the weekend).  Phone calls made from this phone line are monitored. 

 

You will need to follow through with all calls that come in to the Help Desk.  Please help the person to the best of your ability.  This may mean going to a Faculty/Staff office in order to troubleshoot the problem.  Please make sure you place a “Back in 15 minutes” sign at the Help Desk when you must leave the desk to troubleshoot.  Some of the common issues you may deal with are outlined below.  You will not be able to fix all individual computer problems that come in to the Help Desk.  If you come across a problem that you cannot fix, please tell the Faculty/Staff person that someone will address the issue the next business day.

 

You should only be spending 15 minutes at the most to troubleshoot a problem.  If you cannot fix the problem within 15 minutes, please tell the Faculty/Staff person that someone will address the issue the next business day.  Then send an email to Diane Salamone and Steve Caravaggio informing him of the problem.  Please make sure you include the issue and faculty/staff member name. 

 

Each phone call should be logged in the log book that is at the desk.  This includes all phone calls from faculty, staff, students and Security.

 

As indicated above, do not leave the Help Desk for more than 15 minutes for any reason.  Remember that you are permitted one ten minute break for every two consecutive hours that you work.

 

Please make sure you check the Help Desk phone voice mail when are away from the Help Desk.  To access the voice mail, pick up the phone receiver and dial 4999 to access voice mail.  Enter 43881 as a security code.  Please make sure you delete the message once you have addressed the issue.

 

Please note that all of the issues outlined below can be applied to helping out people that are in the Computer Labs.  In the event that there is a problem with a lab computer, please continue to email both Diane Salamone and Nikki Miller.  It is not necessary to email Steve Caravaggio for problems with lab computers.  You will not be able to release and renew and ip address in the computer labs because the computers are secure. 

 

Please note that we do not offer support for personal student desktops.  If a student calls the Help Desk asking for support then please tell the person that the college does not offer personal computer support.  If the network connection in a dorm room is down, please inform the person to contact ITS the next business day.  If you are receiving many phone calls indicating that the Internet connection in a dorm is down, please make sure it is the entire dorm before calling Security.  If you just receive one or two phone calls indicating a problem then it is probably not the entire dorm.  Even if someone says that an entire floor is down do not call Security unless you verify that the entire building is down. 

 

IMPORTANT!

 

If you need to ask another monitor to check on your labs and you happen to be working in A3/A5 at the Help Desk, please inform that person to sit at the Help Desk during the shift.  It is very important that this desk is staffed to receive incoming calls.  The person that is checking on your labs can just check on his/her normal labs once per hour.

 

Some Basic Points

 

What is the Novell Client?

            * Allows students, faculty and staff to access home directories.  There are

               different drives and contexts depending on person.  If a person is not logged on

               to the network then he/she will not be able to print to a printer that is hooked up

               to the network.

 

What is a workstation login?

            *  Allows faculty and staff access to the computer.  This “second log on” does not

                appear on lab computers.  Must be set to Anonymous or Administrator for

                faculty and staff.  There is no password to be entered.  If the default that

                appears when the workstation login screen comes up does not work try the

                other login.  For example, if Anonymous comes up, please try Administrator.

 

What are Network Drives?

* They allow a person to access different files and/or programs that are resident

   on a file server (computer in ITS).  Different drive letters map to different

   locations on the file server.

 

What is a Home Directory?

            * Space on a File Server for information to be stored on.  Faculty staff server

   space size varies.  If someone is indicating they do not have enough space,

   please have them contact ITS the next business day.  Mention to the person that

   they could also delete some existing files on the server space that are not needed

   to free up some space.

 

Student Server space is limited to 30 MB per student.  Enough space for many

   documents.  Picture storage will use up more space depending on the picture.     

 

What operating system does the computer use?

            * Go to Start-Control Panel-System.  The actual operating system should be listed.

               All lab computers use Windows XP Professional.  Faculty/Staff operating

               systems vary.  Some computers have Windows XP Professional and other have

              Windows 98 or Windows 2000.

 

What to do when…

 

1.  Can’t log in with Novell Client

            * The password may need to be reset.  If so, please tell the person to contact ITS

               the next business day.

            * Check to see if the correct context is selected.

            * The server may be down.  Please check the login script for errors.

            * Check to see if there is a green light on network card.  If there is no green light

               then unplug and plug the network cord back into the network card.  Please check

               both ends of the network cord (computer and outlet end) to make sure they are

               secure.  If a green light comes on then restart the computer and check the

               network connection.  If no green light comes on the card then tell the person that

               the problem will be addressed the next business day.

 

2.  Can’t Print

            * There may be no paper in tray.

            * There may be a paper jam that needs cleared.

            * There may be an error on the printer.  Restart the print to see if the error persists.

               If so, the printer may be malfunctioning.  If the printer is in a lab please direct

               people to print in another lab by saving to “H” drive and going to other lab.  If

               in B200 or B201 just choose the other print que. 

            * The server may be down.  Please check the login script for errors.

            * The print que may be jammed.  If this happens on a lab printer then check

               PControl and purge print jobs if the print que is full.  If this happens on a

               faculty/staff printer then tell the person that the problem will be addressed the

               next business day.  All faculty/staff have the ability to print to at least one other

               printer.  Please tell the person to please use a different printer until the other one

               is fixed.   

            * The printer cartridge or toner may be out.  Please replace the toner/cartridge.  If

               a faculty/staff person does not have a new toner/cartridge, please tell the person

               that he/she will need check with the department secretary for a replacement

               cartridge.

 

3.  Can’t Access “H” (student) or “F” (faculty and staff) drive

            * Is the person logged in?  If not, please see #1 above.

            * Restart the computer to see if the problem persists.

            * Log off and try logging back in and check login script to see if server is down.

               If the server is down then please follow directions under the Server/Internet

               Down Procedure below.

 

4.  Can’t access GroupWise

            * Is the person entering the correct password?  If not, then the person will have to

               have his/her password reset by ITS personnel.  Please tell the person to contact

               ITS the next business day.

            * Restart the computer to see if the problem persists.

            * Log on to the computer yourself.  If you cannot get on to GroupWise on that

               computer, please check another computer.  If you can still not access GroupWise

               then the GroupWise server is down.  Please keep in mind that faculty/staff are on a

              different GroupWise server then students.  So, if you are trying to troubleshoot a

              Groupwise access issue for a faculty/staff person then you may still be able to access

              GroupWise as a student.  Also keep in mind that if the GroupWise client installed on

               individual computers is down then GroupWise WebMail (Internet) client will also be down.

               If you find that the GroupWise faculty/staff or student server is down, please follow

               the Server/Internet Down Procedure defined below.

 

5.  Internet not working

* If it had been previously working make sure that you can not get to any sites.

   Try going to other well know sites (google.com, aol.com, etc…).  If you can get

   to other sites then the problem lies with that particular site and it is beyond our

   control -  If you can not get anywhere, please follow the Server/Internet Down

   Procedure below.

* If you cannot reach the Lycoming College website, please follow

   Server/Internet Down procedure below.

 

6.  Need some help with an application

            * Please try to help the person to the best of your ability with the issue.  If you

               cannot, please guide the person to the Help section of the application.

 

Server/Internet Down Procedure

 

If a problem occurs at night (up until 11:00 p.m.) or on the weekend and it is urgent, please follow these guidelines:
 
      a.  Determine the urgency of the problem.  If any of the following
           conditions are met then the problem is to be considered urgent:
    
           1.  No one can log on to or access a particular application
               (example: SPSS) from any computer
           2.  No one can access GroupWise from the email client on the local
                computer and the Internet GroupWise email client 
           3.  No one can get to the Internet or the Lycoming College website
                (www.lycoming.edu) can not be accessed
           4.  No one can access WebCT
           5.  No one can access WebAdvisor 
 
           Please do not consider the problem widespread unless it is
           happening on all computers to all individuals.  One person not being
           able to log on to a computer(s) can wait until the next business
           day.  In addition, the inability to reach a particular site on the
           Internet is beyond our control.  Only consider this a problem if
           no sites can be reached or our home page cannot be
           reached on all computers. 
 
        b. Once you have determined that the problem is widespread
            then you should call the Help Desk Lab Monitor at extension
            #4388.  Tell the person on duty that there is a major
            problem with the lab server, college home page or Internet
            connection that is widespread.  That person should confirm the
            problem.  Then that person should notify Security if there is a
            problem and it is prior to 11:00 p.m.  Security is then responsible for
            notifying the appropriate people to fix the problem.
 
            If there is no answer at the Help Desk then you need to go down to
            the Help Desk.  If there is no monitor present at the Help Desk then
            you should verify the problem and report it to Security from the Help
            Desk.  In addition, you should remain at the Help Desk until the
            A3/A5 monitor is present or it is the end of your shift.  If it is the end
            of your shift and there is no coverage for the Help Desk then you
            should email the person in B200/B201 labs and have that person
            cover the Help Desk.
 
If the any of the above happens during normal office hours (Monday though Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.), please contact the Computer Center at extension 4150.

 

Individual Computer Issues

 

Computer will not start

            * Check all computer cables to make sure the computer is plugged in.

            * If computer does not start then check to see if there is a light on the network

   card.  If there is no light on the card or the computer still will not start up then

   tell the person that it will be addressed next business day.

 

Monitor will not turn on

            * If there is no green light indicating that the monitor has power then check all

   power cables.

            * If there is a green light, but no picture then check the cord from the monitor that

               plugs in to the computer and reseat it. 

            * If there still is no picture or power then the monitor is malfunctioning.  Please

   tell the person that it will be addressed the next business day.

 

Mouse or keyboard will not work

            * Check the cable to make sure it is seated in back of computer correctly.

            * Restart the computer.

            * If mouse or keyboard fails to work, please tell the person that it will be

   addressed the next business day.

 

Computer comes up with error or blue screen

            * Restart the computer to see if the problem persists.

            * If problem persists, please try running a system scan (only on faculty staff computer)

Windows 98 Operating System Scan:

Restart computer holding down the F8 key.  Choose safe mode at the prompt.  The computer screen will not look normal in safe mode.  You will then need to go to Start-Program-Accessories-System Tools and choose Scan Disk.  Mark the selection to Automatically Fix Errors.  Then allow scan disk to run.  It may take scan disk a while to run depending on the size of the disk.  When scan disk is done then restart the computer to see if error persists.  If it does, then tell the person that it will be addressed the next business day.

                     Windows XP Operating System Scan:

                                Click Start - Run.   Type in cmd and press enter.  A window with a command prompt will appear.  Type chkdsk /f and then type a Y when

                                a prompt appears to run a scan the next time the system restarts.  Reboot the computer and let the system scan run.  It may take scan disk a

                                while to run depending on the size of the disk.  When scan disk is done then restart the computer to see if error persists.  If it does, then tell

                                the person that it will be addressed the next business day.

 

Changing your Novell Password

* Right-click on the “N” on the bottom right of the screen.

* Go the “User Administration for LYCO” and then to “The Novell Password

   Administration”

* Select the “Change Password” button and enter the appropriate information.

 

How to set up an archive

* Log into GroupWise under the user whom you will set up the archive for

* Click Tools Menus

* Click Options

* Double-click Environment

* Go to File Locations tab

* Click the folder button the right of the Archive Directory line

* Double-click the users home server (F for faculty and H for students)

* Double-click Home

* Click on the folder with the users name

* Click OK

* You should now see a file path to that folder in the Archive Directory line

* Place the cursor at the end of this file path

* Type a backslash (\) and then the word “archive”

* Delete anything that’s in the Caching Mailbox Directory line

* Click OK

* A window will come asking if you want to create the specified directory

* Click YES

 

Can’t find archive

* Log into GroupWise under the user whom you want to find the archive for

* Click Tools Menus

* Click Options

* Double-click Environment

* Go to File Locations tab

* At this point you will see where the archive is set up

* Go to My Computer and browse to the location where the archive should be

* If the archive is not there then you will need to see if you can find it by

   browsing the user Home Directory or he/she may have saved the archive to

   the local C: drive.  You are looking for a folder call “ofn5qarc.”  It should be

   in an directory called “Archive,” but it may not be depending on how the user

   set it up.                    

 

Can’t find any other reason that and individual computer cannot get out to the Internet, network, etc…  Also, if the computer comes up with a message that a duplicate IP number exists on the network. 

            *Release and renew computer IP address

                        For Windows XP:

                        * Click on the start menu and choose “Run.”

                        * Type “cmd” in the blank.

                        * Hit enter and the command prompt window.

                        * Make sure you’re at a plain c:\>prompt.

                        * To get there, type cd.. and hit enter until all subdirectories are gone.

                        * At the c:\>prompt, type “ipconfig /release” and press enter.

                        * At the c:\>prompt, type “ipconfig /renew.

                        * Hit enter and the ip address should renew.

 

                        For Windows 98:

                        * Click on the start menu and choose “Run.”

                        * Type in “winipcfg.”

                        * Make sure 3Com etherlink or correct network card is selected in the

                           drop down box.

                        * Choose “release all.”

                        * Then choose “renew all” and the ip address should renew.

 

Revised 10/11/05