FAQs
Given the nature of our job, we get a lot of the same questions. We've compiled a list of the ones that we get most frequently. Check it out; maybe we've already answered your question!
- Where do I go to put funds on my OneCard?
- Will I get charged for a replacement ID?
- Why is my ___ program not working?
- How do I change my password?
- It's telling me to change my password but it won't let me.
- What's an OS?
- What are drivers?
- Why isn't my Internet working?
- What is an Ethernet jack?
- Which jack do I use for Internet?
- What's the difference between a thumb drive and a jump drive?
- How much space are we allowed in G: Drive and email?
- Who can I talk to about getting rid of a computer virus?
- What is my login for Portal?
- Why should I defragment my hard drive?
Where do I go to put funds on my OneCard?
Well, you have a few options:
- The OneCard site has an online portal to add funds to your card. You just put in your bank account information and bada bing, you've got more money.
- You could go to the Business Office in Margaret Brent Hall and ask them to do it.
- You could go to the machine outside of the bookstore in the Campus Center and do a cash-to-card transaction. The machine functions much like an ATM.
Will I get charged for a replacement ID?
Yes, a replacement ID is $25.
Why is my ___ program not working?
This is a question we get a lot at the Support Desk. There are many possibilities for why this is, however, so we'll probably have to ask you more about the situation before we can be of use. Check your anti-virus program settings; sometimes they don't know a good thing when they see it and can block something like Microsoft Word by mistake.
How do I change my password?
Again, there are several options here:
- There's a handy little link to the online password reset program. There are step-by-step instructions to help you through it. Go here and check it out.
- You can change it through your Webmail. We have instructions for how to do that on this very site in the Password Policy section.
- You can change it through your email client (Entourage, Mac Mail, or Outlook). Again, we have instructions in the Password Policy section.
It's telling me to change my password but it won't let me.
Are you including your whole email address? For example, you should be using jadoe@smcm.edu, not just jadoe. Also, make sure your new password follows our password guidelines. If you don't remember your old password, you'll need to come to us and get a network admin to reset it for you.
What's an OS?
OS stands for Operating System. It's basically the stuff that makes all the parts of your computer work together as a unit. An example of an OS is Microsoft Windows Vista, or Microsoft Windows XP, or Macintosh OS X "Leopard".
What are drivers?
Drivers are little programs that allow your computer to work with "peripherals". Peripherals are things like printers, digital cameras, scanners, etc. They allow your computer to "talk" to your printer and work with it.
Why isn't my Internet working?
You want DHCP enabled. DHCP will assign an IP address; however, it can accidentally assign you to the wrong network. If this happens, type "ipconfig/release". This gets rid of the current IP address. Then, type in "ipconfig/renew"; this should assign you a correct IP address given your current location.
What is an Ethernet jack?
An Ethernet jack is the little wall plug that allows your computer to receive access to the Internet in your dorm room on campus. It looks a lot like a phone jack, but the size is different. You should use the colored one in your room to gain access to the Net; the ivory one is an actual phone jack.
Which jack do I use for Internet?
Use the colored one. The ivory one is for your land phone.
What's the difference between a thumb drive and a jump drive?
What's the difference between a car and an automobile? The difference is in the name alone; they are the same object!
How much space are we allowed in G: Drive and email?
The G: Drive allows for 500MB, and email allows for 100MB.
Who can I talk to about getting rid of a computer virus?
Actually, you can talk to us! We are pretty good at running diagnostic programs to figure out what kind of virus you have, what causes it, and how to fix everything. Just make sure you give us plenty of time; sometimes it takes a few days to get everything in order. Also, make sure you bring use the discs that came with your computer in the event that we need to reformat your machine.
What is my login for Portal?
Your login for Portal is the exact same one you use to login to Webmail and to access on campus computers: yourname@smcm.edu and your password. Easy enough!
Why should I defragment my hard drive?
When your computer saves a file, it saves it in multiple locales on the hard drive. When you go to pull that file up again, the computer then has to search the whole hard drive for all the pieces of the file, because it is in fragments. When you defragment your hard drive, you collect all the pieces of the file into one locale, so your computer doesn't have to spend so much time looking for it, thus making it run a little faster.
