Computer Lab Troubleshooting and Assistance
Warnings and urgent information are posted here (below). To the left, you can find solutions to common software and system problems.
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Warning About Saving Files
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My H: Drive Documents are Appearing on This Computer
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This Computer Reboots Nightly...But, When?
Warning About Saving Files (and See Below):
Since lab and podium machines are wiped periodically, you must use caution when you save files to them. There are some locations that are unsafe, and you will lose your work if you try to save there. Refer to the below section about safe and unsafe places to save files on lab and podium machines.
Why are documents from my H: drive showing up on the desktop and in various user folders (like "documents") on lab machines that I sign onto?
I.T. has implemented folder redirection. That means, for instance, documents from your H:\Desktop folder will appear on the desktop of the machine (lab or podium) you are logged onto. You can save documents to the lab or podium machine's desktop, and they will actually be safely saved on your H: drive. The same concept applies for the following folders when you are logged on:
- Desktop
- Downloads
- Pictures
- Documents
- Music
- Videos
You can safely save files to any of these folders, and they will really be saved to corresponding folders on your H: drive. If you want to be sure they are in your H: drive, have a look in your H: drive itself to confirm.
HOWEVER, DO NOT permanently save your work to any other folders, including the temporary folders (C:\AD, C:\temp, and C:\TemporaryMyFiles) on campus computers. The contents of all these folders will be wiped periodically. If you want to save files in any of these temporary or unsafe folders, transfer what you want to save into one of the redirected folders (listed above), directly to your "H:" drive, or to a removable thumb drive.
Lab and Podium Computers Reboot Nightly:
All Lab and Podium computers are set to reboot at a specific time per machine, in order to refresh them every day. These reboot times are staggered between 2AM and 4AM to prevent excessive network load. For instance, computer SWEMICE37 may reboot every morning at 2:23 AM, while computer SWEMICE38 might reboot every morning at 3:45 AM.
Although the machines will give you enough time to save your work before they reboot, it can be inconvenient to be working at a machine that might reboot five minutes from the time you logged on.
However, there is a way to tell when a machine is going to reboot, so that you can plan accordingly. You will see the reboot time for that machine printed in the upper-right corner of its logon and desktop background.
Report an Issue
You can now submit an online trouble ticket by visiting support.wm.edu/paclab or by contacting the Technology Support Center (TSC) at 757-221-4357 (HELP) | [[w|support]] | Jones 201, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
