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Frequently Asked Questions

Didn't find what you needed on the help page? Try these Frequently Asked Questions.

Q1: You mention backing up my files on every page! Is it really that important?

A:  YES.  Can you imagine working hard all semester, or all year, and then losing every single paper and project you made all at one time?  How about losing them the week before finals?  IT HAS HAPPENED.

Sometimes hard drives crash and die, and they don’t wait until a convenient moment for you.  We recommend backing up your files every day.  That’s right – every single day.  Don’t know how?  Just click here.   

Q2:  I left my laptop/network cord/floppy disk drive/CD ROM drive at home.  Can you lend me one, please?

A:  No.  We’d like to, but we only have a few spare components.  Those must be saved for students with broken parts.   

Q3:  Do I have to pay for repairs at the SWAT Shop?    

A:  No.  All the repairs we do are covered under your manufacturer’s warranty.  Dell will actually provide us the parts for free.  That’s why we can’t fix an intentionally damaged machine.  We can only do repairs if Dell determines that the problem falls under your warranty and sends us the parts.

You can buy insurance to cover those kinds of accidents.  You might want to consider it, since the repairs can be extremely expensive. 

 

Q4:  My laptop is working just fine, but I’m having trouble at the labs.

A:  Go visit a lab proctor in the Millennium Lab in CBA 5.322.  They handle all lab-related problems. 

Q5:  How do I prevent computer problems?

A:  Read the Caring for your Computer page. 

Q6:  I bought this really great game (scanner, camera, etc.), but I can’t get it to work on my computer.  Can you help me?

A:  The SWAT Shop can only support the Business School Core Operating Environment (BSCOE).  You’ll have to call the manufacturer of your special equipment/ software or visit their web site for support.   

Q7:  I hate Windows XP.  I’d rather use Windows 2000/98/etc.

A:  You are welcome to do whatever you want with your personal computer.  BUT…if you want SWAT Shop support, you must be on the BSCOE.  If you bring a computer running Windows 98 or any other non-BSCOE operating system, we may need to reimage in order to properly diagnose or repair your problem.  If you refuse the reimage, you will not be able to utilize the SWAT Shop services.   

Q8: The SWAT Shop told me I need a reimage. What is that?

A:  Reimaging is erasing your hard drive and reloading the BSCOE.  Sometimes it is the only way to solve a major software problem.  You will lose all the programs you downloaded yourself and all files you did not back up to the server.  You will need to reload your personal programs.  This should only be a minor hassle, since you did BACK UP YOUR FILES

Q9: Wow, my Dell lets me set passwords for bootup, and for my hard drive, and as a supervisor. Are there any problems with these passwords?

A:  Only two.  First, if you forget your password, neither SWAT nor IBM can help you.  You will own, in essence, a large and expensive paperweight.  Second, the SWAT Shop doesn't know your password and cannot change it.  If you drop off a laptop for repair, we won't be able to get into your machine.  If you choose to use one of those passwords, you must disable it before bringing your machine to the SWAT Shop. 

Q10:  My hard drive is full.  How can I get more space?

A:  With the new larger drives, you probably won't see this problem as much as we have in the past.  Still, if you are downloading lots of programs, music files, and videos, you just might run out of space.

First, make sure all your important papers and projects are backed up to your H: drive.  

Go through your folders and toss out whatever you don't need.  Did you download a program?  Once you've installed it, throw away the downloaded installer.  That giant PowerPoint presentation you turned in last semester?  One copy on the H: drive might be enough.

One warning, though: if you don't know what it is, don't throw it out!

Next, delete your Internet history.  Open Internet Explorer and go to the Tools menu.  Select Internet Options.  Push the Clear History button.

Cleaning and defragmenting your hard drive will also clear some space.  For instructions, click here.

Still getting "out of space" messages?  Bring it in to the SWAT Shop.  Once in a rare while, a software error will cause that message. 

Q11:  I'm getting email that says "Your mailbox is over its size limit".  I've already deleted a ton of mail!  How do I fix it?

A:  There are a few reasons why you might be getting this message even after you've cleaned out your mailbox.

You threw away a lot of mail,  but did you delete everything in the Deleted Items folder?  Right-click on that folder and select "Empty Deleted Items Folder".

Also, did you check your sent-mail?  Archive anything you need and throw away the rest.  You'll need to empty the Deleted Items folder again.

Did you keep a lot of attachments?  Just one or two large attachments can eat your mail space.  To save attachments, right-click on the icon and select "Save As".  Once you've saved the attachment, delete the email and -- you guessed it -- empty that Deleted Items folder.

You can set Outlook to automatically empty the Deleted Items folder every time you close the program.  Open Outlook, and choose the Tools menu.  Select Options.  Go to the Other tab.  Check the box next to "Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting."