- Frequently Asked Questions
Below please find a list of some of the common questions answered by the IT Help Desk. General Questions
Does IT provide training on software applications?
Yes, IT offers a number of training sessions for students, faculty, and staff. Training on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and a number of other software applications is offered. See a schedule of upcoming training sessions. In addition, all faculty, staff and students will have full access to the Lynda.com Online Training Library and the Microsoft IT Academy for online training resources as of July 1, 2011.
Equipment Questions
I’m experiencing problems with my Valpo-owned computer. Who can I contact for help?
The Help Desk is your first point of contact for all Valpo-owned computers. They can help diagnose the problem, solve many simple problems, troubleshoot software, and escalate hardware problems to the proper department.
I’m having problems with my personal/home computer system. Can IT help me?
Yes, the Help Desk can help with many problems on personal computers using either Mac or Windows operating systems. They can solve many different software related problems, but may not be allowed to fix certain hardware or software problems (such as hard drive failure or reinstalling your operating system for you) due to liability and warranty factors.
How do I connect my personal computer to the network?
To use a wired port in the residence halls or on the wireless campus network, you will need to install the network policy key. Detailed instructions on this process can be found at the SafeConnect FAQ page. Please note that by using IT services, you are agreeing to the Acceptable Use Policy.
I'm having trouble with the port in my dorm room. Who can help?
You can put in a request to have your port inspected by contacting the Help Desk and describing your situation to us. Please make sure to provide us with the ID label on your port, as well as any error messages you are getting.
Do I need anti-virus software?
IT requires anti-virus software for Valpo-owned computers. We currently use Sophos Anti-Virus for university-owned equipment.
IT strongly recommends that you obtain and install anti-virus software on your personal computer. Many good free options (such as AVG, Avast, Avira, Kaspersky, Windows Security Essentials) are available. Setup the program to automatically update virus definitions and scan your computer. Use anti-malware programs (such as Ad-Aware, Malwarebytes, Spybot Search & Destroy, Windows Defender) to protect your computer against malware and spyware.
Why is my computer running slowly?
Check your computer for adware / spyware. There are several good programs for this purpose such as Ad-Aware, Malwarebytes, Spybot Search & Destroy, or Windows Defender for this function.
Who can help me with software installation or reinstallation?
For liability reasons, IT will assist only with university-provided software installations. Faculty and staff may contact the Help Desk for software installs/reinstalls on university-owned equipment. Please make sure you tell the Help Desk whether this software was previously installed, or if it is a new install.
Account Questions
I’ve heard the term "quota" associated with email as well as server quota. Is there a difference between the two?
A quota is is the amount of space on the server that is allocated for data storage. Each person is given two separate quotas. Your email quota is separate from your Novell file server quota.
What is my Novell file server quota (H: drive space)?
All students, faculty, and staff have an allotment of space to store files on the university’s file servers. Students are given an initial quota of 75MB of storage space on the file servers; faculty and staff are given 500MB of space.
What happens if I go over my quota?
If you go over your quota, you will not be able to save any new files to your H: drive. You should first try cleaning up older or unnecessary documents you have saved to make room for new ones.
Is there a quota on the G: drive?
No, there is no quota on the G: drive. Please be aware, however, that this file server space is shared with the entire campus. If you need to store very large files (such as raw video files) then you may wish to investigate obtaining external hard drives for use by your department.
What is my "full context?"
Your full context is the username that you use when logging into computers in any public lab areas. The full context includes your ValpoNet username as well as a series of abbreviations to indicate your role within the University structure. If you aren't sure of your full context, visit the Help Desk with a photo ID.
Why am I unable to login to any websites?
Changing your password via the ValpoNet Identity Manager system will resolve the majority of Valpo website login issues. Visit our ValpoNet site to reset your password. If you are unable to reset your password through the ValpoNet Identity Manager site, visit the Help Desk with a photo ID.
Email Questions
What email programs are available for me to use on campus?
IT supports the GroupWise web-based and desktop client software for faculty and staff. Web access to the GroupWise system is available through groupwise.valpo.edu. Additionally, the GroupWise desktop client can be downloaded for personal computers at our software downloads page. The desktop client software should be installed on most campus computers; if the software appears to be missing or out of date, please contact the Help Desk.
To connect a third-party email application (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail) to VU's GroupWise system, refer to the information contained on this page.
Faculty and staff are eligible to use the GroupWise Sync system. See the GroupWise Sync pages for more information.
For students, we utilize Google Apps for Education services. See our Gmail@Valpo webpages for additional information.
What is my email server quota?
Students are given a quota of 25GB of space on the Google Apps email system.
Faculty and staff are given an initial quota of 500MB of space on the GroupWise system.
What happens to my email messages if I exceed my email quota?
On GroupWise, if your quota exceeds its limit, you will no longer be able to send emails from the account, but you will continue to receive emails.
We do not anticipate that students will exceed the 25GB quota on the Google Apps system.
I have exceeded my email quota. What do I do now?
If you exceed your GroupWise mail quota, there are a number of ways to reduce it. The easiest way is to delete emails and empty your trash folder. Sometimes old and unnecessary emails accumulate, such as saved messages or sent messages, and can be deleted. Also, emails with attachments such as PowerPoint Presentations and media files take up a big portion of this quota, so deleting those should quickly bring your quota down. If these options still don’t bring you back under quota, you can archive messages to your H: drive or computer hard drive through GroupWise. Contact the Help Desk for assistance with this task.
How do I access my email from off campus?
GroupWise email can be accessed from anywhere online at groupwise.valpo.edu.
Students can access Gmail@Valpo by visiting valpo.edu/gmail.
Can I have my Valpo email forwarded to an off-campus account?
Yes, IT does offer email forwarding. Email forwarding from the GroupWise system is setup in two steps; step one is modifying your email destination through the IT Tools page, and step two is setting up a forwarding rule in GroupWise.
Our Google Apps webpages will provide instructions on setting up mail forwarding within your Gmail@Valpo account.
Valpo alumni are extended the courtesy of lifetime email forwarding. Follow the same steps noted above to establish forwarding. After leaving campus, contact the Help Desk for assistance with making changes to your forwarding.
My email password expired, how do I reset it?
New passwords can be established online through the ValpoNet Identity Manager system. If you are unable to log in to this service, contact the Help Desk for more assistance.
Printing Questions
Do I need to bring a printer to campus? Where are networked printers located on campus?
It is not necessary for students to bring a personal printer to campus with them. There are many networked printers available for use, including one in the computer lab of every residence hall, multiple printers in the library and union, as well as in many of the academic buildings.
Can I wirelessly print to the network printers?
Beginning Fall 2011, our new print management system will allow limited wireless printing on campus. More information will be available closer to that time.
I'm out of pages to use the printers. What can I do?
You can purchase additional credit for your print quota by going to the Circulation Desk on the 2nd floor of the Christopher Center. They will provide you with a receipt, which you should take downstairs to the IT Help Desk. They will then apply the credit to your PaperCut account.
Who can I contact if our office printer needs repair/service?
The Help Desk will gather all necessary information to pass on to level two support for them to come investigate the problem. Before calling, please have available the printer’s VU tag number, the brand and model number, and network queue name of the printer, as well as any specific error messages the printer might be displaying.
How soon can I expect someone to come look at my printer?
Tech Support availability fluctuates depending on the number of problems at any given point in time, but they usually come out to offices within three business days.
Faculty-Specific Questions
What technology is available for me to use in my class?
There is a great amount of technology available in classrooms. Many classrooms are equipped with tech carts that contain a computer, document camera, DVD player, and many other pieces of equipment, all hooked up to projectors.
I need a certain software package. How can I find out if it is available on campus?
To find out if a software package is available on campus, the first place to check is on the Novell Application Launcher of any Valpo-owned computer. Nearly all the software available to students, faculty, and staff can be found here.
What if the software I want is not available?
If the software is not available, contact the Help Desk to make software requests. If the software is free, the Help Desk can enter a ticket for it to be installed. If the software costs money, a department can purchase the software and make it available to IT for installation.
How do I email all the students in my class at once?
This function can be done through Blackboard Learn. On the toolbar on the left side, there is a link that says “Send Email.” Clicking that brings you to an email page, where you can select the class you want to send an email to. Once you select the class, the very first option is to send an email to all users enrolled in the course.
I want my students to access certain software packages. What labs are available for them and what software is available in the labs?
The Novell Application Launcher, available on all Valpo-owned computers, is where these software packages are located. Not all software is available in all computer labs, however, due to licensing issues. For example, some engineering software is available only in Gellersen computer labs.
Can I reserve a computer lab or computer classroom for use in a class?
Yes, computer labs in the CLIR can be reserved by contacting staff at the library.