Wicked WorkArounds

An InfoHelp How To...? Guide

 

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• Click on the Shutdown button, select the Shutdown & Restart option then click on OK.

On an Apple eMac:

• Hold down the [CTRL]-[APPLE]-[POWER] buttons at the same time to perform a Shutdown & Restart.

• If you’re a Townsville student use .account code.tvl.users.jcu
• If you’re a Cairns student type in .account code.cns.users.jcu
  Note: replace account code in the above with your own (these take the form of, e.g. jc654321 or sci-abc) then:
• Type your password into the password field and click OK.

4) Finally, how long is your password? Netware will normally only accept a password that is between 8 and 11 characters long. If your password is longer, or shorter, than this you may need to change it. You also cannot have passwords with spaces, symbols or characters (other than letters and/or numbers) in it.

Help! My computer has frozen...

If you’re using an Dell PC

• Press [ctrl]-[alt]-[del] at the same time to bring up the NT security box.
• Select the Task List option.
• When the Task List window comes up highlight any applications that are not running
• Click on the End Task button.
  
  If this fails to work
  

• Press [ctrl]-[alt]-[del] and select the Shutdown option.
• Choose Shutdown and Restart option then click OK.

OR

• Reboot the machine by pressing the Power button (found at the front of the PC, identified by a button with a green light in it).

Warning! - Both of these options will result in the loss of any unsaved data.

If you’re using an Apple eMac, try these keystroke commands:

• Apple key - full stop key: quits the operation in progress
• Apple key - Option key - Esc key: forces the program to quit
• Apple key - Ctrl key - Power button: Shutdown and restart.

OR

• Reboot the machine by pressing the Reset button (found round the side of the eMac, identified by a button with a small triangle on it).

Warning! - The last three options will result in the loss of any unsaved data.

I can’t save my document to disk?

This problem can have several causes.

Your disk is full – either use another disk or open up Lab Explorer and delete some files and then save your document. On an eMac double click on the disk icon & drag files to the trash.

Never try saving to more than one location i.e. A:\ & I:\ while working on a document. Always save to the location from where you opened the document from in the first place. If you want to make a back-up do so from Lab Explorer after you have finished working on it.

You get the dreaded Can’t access the A:\ message. This happens when:

• The disk you are using isn’t formatted – you need to insert a formatted disk and try again.
• There is a problem with the disk or the disk drive – you need to visit InfoHelp
• The computer is having a bad turn – if all else fails you will need to shutdown & restart the machine to clear the problem.

These last two will result in the loss of any unsaved data. See How to avoid losing data for tips on preventing this.

I can’t read my floppy disk…

Floppy disks don’t last forever and they need careful handling – disks aren’t as indestructible as you might think. However all may not be lost – bring the disk over to InfoHelp and we may be able to fix it and/or retrieve data from it for you.

The printer’s not printing – what should I do?

• Try sending your job to another printer or a printer in another lab.

Or

• Go to another Computing Facility and print from there.
• Report the fault to Copying Services on ext. 4603 - if you get put through to voicemail then leave a message giving the location of the printer also mention any messages that may be on the console or the printer displays.
• If the printer took your money but didn’t print your job then go to the InfoHelp helpdesk at the library buildings and they will be able to help you retrieve or reprint your job..

I sent my job to the printer from a PC but it's not there?

Labprint requires a special connection to your computer to be made when you log in. If you send a job to the printer from your computer and it doesn't appear when you log into one of the print release workstations than chances are that connection didn't work properly.

First step is to wait a few minutes. During periods where the printers are busy it may take 5-10 minutes for your job to be processed by the Labprint system.

If that doesn't work, try saving all your open work and reboot the computer. This usually helps fix the connection. Remember as you log in don't close down any of the loading windows that appear as this may interrupt the setup process.

If rebooting the computer didn't work, call InfoHelp on x5500 and give them your JCU username and the computer name that you were working on (Should be a label near the computer) and they can check if there is something with your account or if the computer is misbehaving and needs to be repaired.

I sent my job to the printer from an eMAC but it's not there?

First step is to wait a few minutes. During periods where the printers are busy it may take 5-10 minutes for your job to be processed by the Labprint system.

If that doesn't work, try saving all your open work and reboot the computer. This usually helps fix the connection. When you are logged in you can select the "Apple" symbol from the menu and then select the restart computer option.

If rebooting the computer didn't work, call InfoHelp on x5500 and give them your JCU username and the computer name that you were working on (Should be a label near the computer) and they can check if there is something with your account or if the computer is misbehaving and needs to be repaired.

 

I’m trying to log into the computer but it keeps telling me I’m logged into too many workstations – what should I do?

Call 5500 and give one of the InfoHelp staff your computer account code, room number and the type of machine you were on i.e. Dell PC or an eMac.

If you get put through to voicemail then leave a message with the same information and staff will resolve the problem as soon as they become available.

My disk is stuck in the computer – what should I do?

For a Floppy Disk you will need to contact InfoHelp on ext. 5500.

• Make sure you know the lab name and the number of the machine your disk is stuck in (e.g. TESAG P08). This info can normally be found on the machine itself or a map next to the phone in each lab.
• Disks retrieved from the GAT labs are returned to InfoHelp or the Student Union Office where they can be collected.
• Finally, do your good deed for the day and leave a note on the machine informing others not to use the drive.

To save your data, see How to avoid losing data.

For a stuck CD wait a little while first - CD's are much slower to respond than other portable storage media.

On the DELL-PC's, if the disk does not eject then power the machine off and on (button at the front of the computer box) - this resets the drive. This will allow you to eject your disk and to continue working with the CD-RW drive.

As a last resort only you can try the paperclip trick. This will work, but it means that the machine will need to be rebooted in order to reset the CD-RW drive for use.

• Find/beg/borrow a paperclip and straighten it out.
• There is a small hole next to, or on the CD slot.
• Carefully insert the end of the paperclip into the small hole and press firmly to release the disk.

If this doesn’t work then call InfoHelp on 5500

• State which lab and machine the disk is stuck in.
• If you get through to voicemail try calling again in 5 minutes OR
• Leave a message containing the above details plus your name and contact information. Please speak clearly.

If your CD is stuck in an eMac doing a shutdown & restart (hold down the Apple key - Ctrl key - Power button at the same time) on the machine should auto-eject the disk. Remember to save your work to your 'homes' drive first, otherwise you will lose any unsaved data.

Note: Your disk will not be retrieved immediately. A trained technician checks each lab once a day and lost and found is either handed to InfoHelp or the Student Union. Priority is given to these reported problems, so please call InfoHelp and report the problem to us if you wish to have it resolved.

How to avoid losing data

• If the document is large you can save it to Zipshare (Temp storage on an eMac), it will stay there for 24 hours on a Dell PC or until you log off on an eMac.
• Save the document to your 'homes' I:\ drive.
  For more information on how to do this click here.
• If you can’t do this try to copy & paste your document into the body of an email message (only works if your document is text).
• You could try to FTP the file to your home directory.
  For more information on how to do this click here.
• Finally try printing the file out – a hard copy is better than no copy at all.

 

How to save to 'homes' I:\ Drive

The I:\ drive is like your own 10mb (maximum limit) floppy disk on the Central Server. You can save files to it from any GATCF lab machine, then open them up again at a later date from another GATCF machine (or any machine with Internet access - see later). To do this follow the steps below:

On a Dell PC go to File and select Save As...

• From the "save in:" pull-down box select 'homes' I:\ drive (represented as your: account code on 'homes' (I:))
• Give the file a name
• Then click on the save button

On an eMac:

• Click on the Home Drive button on the Launcher
• Click on the Home Drive icon and a Logon screen will appear
• Enter your account code and password then click OK

Then go to File and select Save As...

• From the "save in:" pull-down box select 'Desktop' then double click on your account code in the window below.
• Give the file a name
• Then click on the Save button

The file has now been saved to your 'homes' (I:) drive - it's that easy! You can then retrieve it from any computer, in any GAT lab on campus, by doing the following:

On a Dell PC go to File and select Open...

• From the "look in:" pull-down box select I:\ drive (represented as your: account code on 'homes' (I:\))
• Change the files of type: to all files, that way you can see all the files on your 'homes' I:\ drive.
• Locate the file you wish to open and double click on it with the left mouse button.

On an Apple eMac click on the Home Drive button on the Launcher.

• Click on the Home Drive icon and a Log on screen will appear
• Enter your username and password then click OK
• Go to the desktop and double click the Homes icon to open your I:\ Drive. Find the file and double click on it to open.

You can also access your 'Homes' (I:\) drive from a computer off campus by using a process known as FTP.

How do I e-mail a document to myself?

Start by saving the file to a floppy or CD. If this isn’t possible then save it to the 'homes' I:\ drive (see above) or Zipshare/Temp storage.

• Open up a web browser and type in the location bar: https://mail.jcu.edu.au/
• Press the “Enter” key.
• Log into Mirapoint mail using your account code and password.
• Click on compose and start composing a message as normal then click on the “Browse..” button next to the attachment field.
• Find the file you want to attach and then press the Open button.
• Click on the Add button and then send the message as normal.

For more information on Mirapoint Webmail go to:

http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/InfoHelp/Guides/mirapoint/

How do I FTP from the Labs?

First save the file to either your floppy or a CD. If this isn’t possible then save it to your 'homes' I:\ drive (see above) or Zipshare/Temp storage.

Next start up Netscape Navigator and type in the location bar: ftp://account_code@homes.jcu.edu.au (replace account code with your own). A list of your directories & files on the central server will appear.

• From the File menu, select File Upload.
• From the dialogue box that appears select the drive and file.
• Click on the Open button.

This will send (FTP) your file to the central server. To retrieve the file at any time, simply open up a web browser and:

• Go to ftp://account_code@homes.jcu.edu.au again.
• Find the file you want in the list that appears and click on it with the left mouse button and it should open up your screen.
• Choose File and Save to move it to a floppy or CD.

If your using a Macintosh then the task is simpler. Just Drag and drop the file(s) into the upload area (use the mouse, hold down the left mouse button).

For more information on FTP go to:

http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/InfoHelp/Guides/ftp/

I Think I’ve Got a Virus!

Worried that you may have a file on your floppy or CD that has been infected with a virus? Don’t. All Dell-PC and Apple eMac lab machines have virus protection software installed on them, which is very good at detecting and cleaning infected files.

For more information on Computer Viruses go to:

http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/InfoHelp/Guides/virus/

Finally

If you need computer assistance contact InfoHelp 5500 – If you cannot reach us first time around, try calling again in 5-10 minutes or just leave a voicemail message – containing your name, student number / username, contact details and a brief description of your query and/or problem. If we need to contact you to resolve the problem we will. If not then the problem will be resolved as soon as possible.

Alternatively you may find some useful information on our website at:

http://www.jcu.edu.au/InfoHelp/

Or you can send your query via email to:

infohelp@jcu.edu.au

If this information is inadequate, incorrect, or can be improved in any way, please let us know

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