Table of Contents
Introduction
1. How to Log into a PACLab Computer
2. What a PACLab Computer Presents You When You Log In
3. Starting Microsoft Word in PACLab: an Application Example
4. How to Format Your USB Memeory Key in PACLab
5. Other Uses for Windows Explorer
6. Accessing the Online Registration System at W & M
7. Accessing the Online Information at W & M in PACLab
8. Accessing a Remote System: SSHing with F-Secure SSH Client.
9. File Transfering Between PACLab and a Remote System
10. E-mail Acccess in PAC Lab
11. Netstore: A Remote Shared Disk Storage Source
12. PACLab Print Management
13. Getting Around Multiple Opened Applications
14. Canceling a Hung Application
15. Logging Off in PACLab
16. What to If a PACLab Session Locks, Freezes, or Doesn't Log Off
Appendix A: PACLab Disk Storage
Appendix B: More about your H: drive
Appendix C: A Listing/Description of Software on the Programs Menu
Appendix D: Using F-Secure SSH File Transfer
Introduction(GoBack)
So what's new in PACLab (as of Fall 2005) at William and Mary? Not much; in fact you shouldn't notice any difference between PACLab 2004 and 2005 except for some labs like Morton having larger screens/bigger clearer monitor displays and that log in takes a more time.The systems are now/still Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 2s; the computers Intel(R) Pentium 4s with the CPU speed/RAM size ranging, for example in Swem, from CPU 200GHz/RAM 256 MB in Swem 2nd/3d Floor to CPU 3.20GHz/RAM 500 MB in Swem Learning.
All printers are now HP 4200/4250s.
Other thatn updates no big change in appication software (see update list below.
You can now connect to printers in other labs (click here for more).
You can still create PDF files from many applications (click here for how).
And just as in 2004 you can in 2005 access to the W& M "Stats" remote Unix computer which shares its files with the "H:" drive files (meaning when you access "Stats" files you access "H:" files).
PACLab Synopsis of Hardware/Software Changes:
Hardware Changes:
- Printers are all now HP4200s or HP4250s.
- PC Hardware has changed little except for Monitors being upgraded to larger screens, processors to operating faster/RAM.space size increased.
No Significatly Removed/Added Software
- SPSS Updated to Version 13.0
- Amos now Amos 5
- Matlab updated to Version 7.0.4
- Windows Media Player Updated to Version 10.0
- Acrobat Reader Updated to Version 7.0
- QuckTime Updated to Version 7.0
- Eviews now Eviews 4.
- Splus Updated to Version 7.0
- Maple Updated to Version 10.0
- Ghost Script Updated to 8.5
- GSView Updated to 4.7
So now that we've introduced you to the new PACLab, lets get to some basic PACLab tips:
1. How to Log into a PACLab Computer(GoBack)
To log into a PACLab computer, press the keys CTRL, ALT, and DELETE simultaneously. You will then get a box showing you the rules you must follow when using the PACLabs. Press ENTER or click OK and you get a log in box prompting you for your userid and password in separate entry boxes. You should then enter your userid and password defined as follows:
(1) Your lab userid is your first initial, middle initial (or "x" if none), and the first four letters of your last name (right padded with "x's" as needed); e.g., Thomas Jefferson's lab userid is "txjeff".
(2) Your lab password is also the same a your E-mail and Stats Unix password; for more about your password including how to change/reset it, go to
Note: yourid is not case sensitive ("Txjeff" or "TXJEFF" works just as well as "txjeff"). Your lab, E-mail, and Unix Stats userid are the same.
After you type your lab userid and password, you register it all by pressing the ENTER key or clicking OK; your log in should now commence.
Note: Again, your lab, E-Mail, and Stats unix computer password are the same; if you change it for one, you change it for all (instantaneously). In addition to being able to change your passward by going again to IT's Account and Password Page, you can also change it in PACLab; you can do this by logging into a lab PC, simultaneously pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete (same keys to start your log in) and clicking "Change Password" in the emerging "Windows NT Security" Box. Then, in the "Change Password" box, enter your current password where it asks for the "Old Password" entry, your new password for the "New Password" entry, and repeat for the "Confirm New Password" entry; this immediately changes your lab password (and again also your E-mail and Stats Unix password). Should you change your password and forget it, you can reset it to something that you know by either going to the Technology Support Center in Jones 7 with your college ID card or by on the Web going to IT's Account and Password Page (http://it.wm.edu/passwords).
2. What a PACLab Computer Presents You When You Log In (GoBack)
After you log in, PACLab loads a fresh copy of some of the application files onto the "C:" drive and then starts your PACLab session. It begins with a "Desktop" screen with the "Start" button (bottom left corner), and five icons above the "Start".
Your screen now becomes the Windows XP (Version 2002, Service Pack 2) interface. Click on the "Start" button; The "Start" menu pops up; Click on the "Programs" option and the "Programs" menu pops up, which lists the application group items. Here you find the majority of the program applications. Large Icons above the "Start" button let you immediately access those applications by double clicking them: (1) "My Files" for accessing your Netstore ("H" drive) remote disk storage (also accesses other folders/drives/devices, the Control Panel, the next discussed Desktop Icon "My Computer", and a clickable list of the Desktop Icons); (2) "My Computer" to access all things on your computer including again all folders/drives/devices, the Control Panel, System Information, a list of all applications, and again "My Files", (3) "Recycle Bin" for retaining deleted "C:\" drive files until log off or more permanently any deleted "My Files" files (but see Note below); (4) "Internet Explorer" for Microsoft's WEB browser; and (5) "Mozilla Firefox" WEB browser.
At the very bottom immediately to the right of "Start", are four tiny icons: for a one click access to (1) your "Desktop" (another click returns to your current window), (2) "Internet Explorer", (3) "Microsoft Word", (4) "Mozilla Firefox" (Note: multiple clicks of these icons opens multiple sessions), .
But again, you will access most of the applications via the "Programs" menu; these include:
(1) "Accessories" for number of the Windows XP utilities (Accessibility {e.g., Magnifier}, Calculator, etc.);
(2) "Courseware" for software specific to academic departments;
(3) "Editors and Viewers" (Ghost Script, Acrobat Reader, Dreamweaver, Notepad, TextPad, and Wordpad.);.
(4) "Graphics" for image editors;
(5)"Internet and Communication" for accessing remote computers (optionally X-Windows mode) and the internet via Mozilla browser, AOL Instant Messenger, etc;
(6) "Microsoft Office XP" for Microsoft XP products.(Microsoft Word processor, Excel spreadsheet, etc.).
Note: a distinction exits between deleting "H:" drive files vs. "My File" files which are the same as "H:" drive files; deleted "H:" drives files listed under the "My Files" folder ( in, for example, "My Computer") are still available via the "Recycle Bin"; deleted "H:" drive files listed under the "H:" drive itself (again, for example, in "My Computer") are gone , can not be restored from the "Recycle Bin".
3. Starting Microsoft Word in PACLab: an Application Example
If you click the "Microsoft Office XP item in the "Programs" menu (selected from the "Start" menu), you get a sub menu window with six items, the last being "Microsoft Word"; click this and you open the Microsoft Word processor. The other sub menu items are for opening other Microsoft office products ("Excel" spread sheet, "Power Point" presentation, etc. -- see Appendix C.6 for more).
Of course to get to "Microsoft Word" the real quick way is to just click once its tiny icon to the right of "Start".
In Microsoft Word you should not swap disks in a given drive. To keep copies on separate diskettes, you should do your Microsoft Word work on the "H:" drive. The Windows Explorer file manager is helpful when you are trying to keep track of your files.
An alternative to Microsoft Word as a word processor is Word Perfect; you can open it by clicking the "Word Perfect" item of the "Programs" menu and then clicking "Word Perfect 9" in the "Word Perfect" sub menu that emerges.
4. How to Format Your USB Memory Key in PACLab (GoBack)
To format a USB Memory Key, double click "My Computer" on the Desktop and then right mouse click its drive icon (usually for the "E:" drive) under "Devices with Removable Storage"; a pop up menu containing the "Format" item should emerge. Click the "Format" item and you get the Format dialogue box for formatting the storage in the selected drive. Click "Start" in the Format box; then "OK" to the message "Warning: Formatting will erase all data on the disk ..."(although the USB is not actually a disk, it will get erased); or click "Cancel"; or if you decide to format a a different USB, replace, and click "OK". If you OKed, your USB should format very rapidly. In this same way you can format a diskette (when you right click the "A:" drive icon), although it may take longer. Similarly but to only erase (not format) you can erase a RW-CD (but again not "Format" it) by clicking "Erase the CD-RW" when you right click it's icon (usually for the "D:" drive).
5. Other Uses for Windows Explorer (GoBack)
You can also use Windows Explorer for file management. With Windows Explorer you can copy, delete, rename, and move files. You can also use it to start an application associated with a file, the file being automatically opened in the application identified by the filename's extension.
For example, assume that file "mypaper.doc" is listed in the Explorer for a given drive; if you double click " mypaper.doc", the application Microsoft Word (identified by the extension "doc") starts with file "mypaper.doc" opened in the editor's window and ready for viewing, editing, saving, printing, etc.
You can also directly print a file via the Explorer ; you right click the file in the list and then click"Print"(the Explorer will actually use the associated application -- again determined by the file's extension -- to do the printing); e.g., if you apply "print" to file "mypaper.doc", the Explorer starts and runs Microsoft Word long enough to open and print file "mypaper.doc" (although you now won't see Microsoft Word open, so fast are the lab PCs). Note: this prints only with the default options (defaults such as one copy); to print beyond the defaults, double click the file (instead of right clicking it) to open it in the associated application and print from their via the usual approach; this permits your specifying options in the Print box (which doesn't open with the right click approach).
You can copy a file to another drive/folder by clicking a file name listed in the right window; when the name highlights, and drag the name to a drive/folder listed in the left window until it highlights; then release the mouse. Note: when doing a copy via this method, it's best to hold down the "Ctrl" key during the clicking and dragging; else when copying a file to the same drive (betweem different folders), it gets moved instead of copied.
6. Accessing the Online Registration System at W & M in PACLab (GoBack)
You access the "W & M Registration" in PAC Lab just as you do with other computer systems that have internet access; you go to the "myWM" portal by going to WEB address "my.wm.edu" on any PAC Lab WEB browser; you then follow these steps to log into the portal and access "Registration":
For further information on registration please go to www.wm.edu/registrar. Please call the TSC at 221-4357 if you are having problems logging into "myWM". If you have question(s) about certain courses please call the Registrar's Office at x12800.
7. Accessing Online Information at W & M (GoBack)
You can access a number of William and Mary online information resources via the default Bookmark list of PAC Lab's World Wide Web browser "Internet Explorer" (abbreviated IE); here "Bookmarks" are called "Favorites". To open IE just double click its large icon on the desk top or single click its tiny icon just to the right of the desktop's Start button. To list the Bookmarks (again Favorites in IE), click the "FAVORITES" icon on IE's main menu. This will list several Bookmark folders; the "W & M" General" folder lists Bookmarks for accessing W & M information resources; the "Information Technology" folder lists IT Bookmarks. Selected Bookmarks from all these are listed as follows in a selected order, immediately accessible by clicking on any one:
- College of William and Mary (www.wm.edu) - the W&M front page; links to major W&M Web resources plus a search facility to find W&M resources/people.
- Information Technology (www.wm.edu/IT ) - the W&M Info Tech front page, Web site for the organization that maintains/supports much of the information related technology at W&M (PC labs, office PCs, computer servers, mainframe computers, networks, telephones, visual aids, video, televising, etc.) From here you can access the Technology Support Center Front Page by clicking Support, then Technology Support Center.From www.wm.edu/IT you can also access PAC Lab front page by clicking Academic Computing and then PAC Lab
- Registrar (www.wm.edu/registrar ) - the University Registrar's Office front page.
- my.wm.edu- Main portal to W&M on-line services including the SCT Banner system (student or faculty personnel information plus registration), Blackboard (student class information), my.wm.edu E-mail (Web based E-mail) , targeted and campus-wide announcements, and group and calendar features.
- Blackboard (my.wm.edu) accesses the "myWM" portal where clicking the Backboard item accesses the student class information system (class introduction, outline, notices, assignments, readings, etc.).
- Student Info Network (www.sin.wm.edu) - a student bulletin board leading to just about everything student related (Ride Board, Virtual Market and Book Exchange, Information and Schedules, Student Events, Job Search, College Web Pages, Accessories, Downloadables, etc.).
- Career Services - (www.wm.edu/career/) - Web site for W&M Career Services (nationally recognized).
- Swem Library - (www.swem.wm.edu) - Swem Library front page (all about Swem Library plus gateways to its resources and services).
- Card Catalog - (http://swem.wm.edu/lion/) - the Swem Library Catalogue System.
8. Accessing a Remote System: SSHing with F-Secure SSH Client (GoBack)
(a) Overview
You can readily log into W&M's Stats, or any other host (at W&M or elsewhere) for which you have log in rights; you do this using Secure Shelling (SSHing). To do it in the Labs, you select (click) the "Internet and Communications" menu item (reached via the "Start --> Programs"), click "F-Secure SSH Client" and then again in the emerging sub menu. You can also do this in "X-Windows" mode as discuss below in (b) below; thus, you can SSH in both both the X-Windows and non X-Windows mode. To access the W & M Stats Unix computer; you specify "stat.wm.edu" as the name of the Stats computer; here you can access your Netstore H: drive files (becasue "Stats" shares with "H:"), run the mail program Pine, etc.). To access others remote computers, you specify the internet name (again for "Stats" it's "stat.wm.edu") of the computer which may either be at W&M or else in the world.
.(b) Details: Safe, Secure Shelling with "F-Secure SSH Client " (abbreviated F-SSH-Client )
When you click "F-Secure SSH Client" , (from "F-Secure SSH Client" again in the "Communications and Internet menu"), you get a "F-SSH-Client " window. To SSH in X-Windows mode , you follow the steps listed in (1) below. To SSH in non X-Windows, you do (2) which tells you to do (1) omitting Steps 1 and 3. Basically the difference between the two modes is that in X-Windows mode you enable X-Windowing; otherwise its just a straight access/log in via SSHing.
(1) SSHing in X-Windows Mode
Step 1: Click "X-Win32" (reached by clicking "X-Win32" from the "Communications and Internet" menu); an "X-Win32" window will momentarily appear, then vanish. A tiny "X" icon will show on the far right of your task bar at the bottom of the screen; this shows that the X-Windowing software has been invoked.Step 2: Click the " F-Secure SSH Client" item (reached via "F-Secure SSH Client" again from the "Communications and Internet menu"); this gets you an "F-Secure SSH Client" window; the first time this is done on this specific lab PC, the "Generate Random Seed" box appears; move the mouse pointer back and forth across the box until the blue progress line completes its course and the box disappears (this seed box should not appear with future use of "F-SSH Client" on this PC).
Step 3: If this is a lab computer, ignore this step; else click "EDIT" from the "F-Secure" main menu, and then "Settings;" in the "Settings" box, click "Tunneling" in the left sub window, and then click (check) "Enable X11 Tunneling," upper-right; now click OK. In PACLabs this is the default, but if this is another computer, this setting may require specifying.
Step 4: Open the "Connect to Remote Host" box by clicking "FILE" and then "Connect."
.
Step 5: In the Host text box, enter the name of the Host to SSH (e.g., type "stat.wm.edu" to reach "W&M"'s Stats Unix computer); then in the "User Name" text box type your Stats log in "id" and in the "Password" text box your Stats log in "password"; now click OK.Step 6: You should now have SSHed into to the specified computer and be logged in X-Windows mode; if in "Stats" you can type, for exampe, "xstata" and bring up Stata/X-Windows (Statistical program same as PACLab PC Stata/Windows).
(2) SSHing in Non X-Windows Mode
To SSH in non X-Windows mode,
go back to (1) above and do Steps 2, 4, 5, and 6 (omitting 1 & 3, the X-Windows Steps); you should now have SSHed the specified remote computer, logged in non X-Windows mode.
9. File Transfering Between PACLab and a Remote System GoBack)
You can rapidly transfer a file between your PC and a host (a remote system) via "F-Secure SSH File Transfer"; this procedure transfers files in a "Safe, Secure" manner. To do this in PAC Lab just select (click) the "Internet and Communications" item in the "Programs" menu (opened via Start"), select "F-Secure SSH Client", and then "F-Secure SSH File Transfer"; see Appendix D for how to file transfer. Note: although file transferring in the labs gains nothing if done with the W & M Stats Unix computer since the PACLab "H:" drive files are essential the same as those on "Stats", this procedure if done on a PC that can not map to "H:" files, allows access to "H:" by transfering the "H:" files to the PC (e.g., to the PC hard drive). You can down load "F-Secure SSH File Transfer" to your own computer by going to www.wm.edu/it and clicking "Software"; then if your computer is a Windows PC, click "Internet Browsers and Network Tools" under the Windows products and then click "F-Secure Secure Shell Client 3.29 and Secure FTP Client" ; if your computer is a MAC, click "Internet Navigation" under Mac OS and then "Secure FTP Clients".
10. E-mail Acccess in PAC Lab (GoBack)
In PAC Lab you can access your E-Mail via the W & M Web Mailer "my WM" at Web address my.wm.edu (just as you can anywhere where you have internet access). Enter your userid and password, and then select the email icon (or vice versa select the `icon first and then enter your userid/password). The first time you log in, you're prompted to log in again; this only occurs the first time you access "my WM".
11. Netstore: A Remote Shared Disk Storage Source (GoBack)
"Netstore" is a remote disk storage source used for providing remote shared disk space; it is automatically available in the labs as the "H:" drive in association with your userid. Netstore provides students with 50 MB of private remote disk storage (fac/staff much larger); it is accessible just as conveniently as the "C:" hard drive and with many of the advantages; unlike the "C:", however, you access the same storage from any lab PC with this same convenience. In fact you can access this disk space from any site on the Internet by SSHing or SFTPing to the server; in some cases, you can access it directly from your own PC just as you do in the labs (click here for more). You can even use it to manage Web pages in the Personel Web at "people.wm.edu" because its Web file storage corresponse to the "H:\Public_html" folder; click here for more. And finally, because the "Stats" Unix computer shares its files with "Netstore", when you access files on the "H:" drive, you access "Stats" Unix files; click here for more.
(b) Using Netstore: Accessing the "H:" Drive
It's a "piece of cake" to save and retrieve files on Netstore; just log into a lab PC and access the "H:" drive just as you access the "C:" hard drive (in the Windows Explorer file manager -- see 4 and 5 above -- "H:" is listed with your user-id, assuring you that only you have access to this disk area, a partition of the entire available disk storage)
Note: If you exceed your disk quota on "H:" (again 50 MB for students, much more for fac/staff), you get a message saying that your PC failed trying to write to "H:" To remedy this, simply clean out some of your "H:" disk space (see Appendix B.I & B.II for how to display "H:" disk space usage and delete files).
(c) Accessing Netstore Outside the Labs
(i) By SSHing or SFTPing to Netstore
By SSHing the W & M Stats Unix computer, you can log into it and access the same disk storage as Netstore because Stats shares the same files with Netstore; here you can use Stats Unix commands to access your Netstore files; e.g., "ls" to list your files, "rm" to remove files, "cp" to copy files, and "cd" to change directories.
You can SFTP to Netstore and transfer files from/to Netstore to/from your PC by SFTPing to "stat.wm.edu" (the W & M Stats Unix computer which again shares its disk storage with Netstore).
.(ii) By Map Networking to Netstore
If you have access to the W & M Campus Network and have a Windows '95 or better, you should be able to "map network a drive" on your own PC to Netstore (for example, the "H:" drive); you can access the Campus Network either via wire hookup in the Residential Halls or via remote access on your laptop when in Swem; here the Campus Network is remotely available via antennas within the building (assuming your laptop has remote access electronics via an E-Card); you can then access your Netstore files just as conveniently as in the labs. The following procedure connects you to Netstore:
Open Windows Explorer.
- Click "Tools" then "Map Network Drive" (won't work if this item not in Tools).
- Click an unused drive letter in the "Drive" pull-down menu (of the emerging "Map Network Drive" dialogue box).
- Enter this in the "Path" entry box and click OK:
\\Netstore.wm.edu\userid$
where, again "userid" is your lab "userid"; after you perform the above command, you are prompted for your userid and you enter "campus\userid" (again because the "campus" network accesses Netstore) and when asked for your password, you type your lab password.
Please refer to www.wm.edu/it , click WEB, and then look under Personal Web Space.
(e) Accessing Unix Files via the Netstore's "H:" Drive Connection
As mentioned above, the ""Stats" Unix" computer shares files with Netstore; since you can easily access Netstore files in the lab via the "H:" drive, "Stats" Unix files are just as accessible.
On occasions in the labs, you may log in and find Netstore not connected (e.g., if you are in Microsoft Word and try to save your document on Netstore and your PC can't find it); you are then welcome to use one of the following procedures to connect it:
(i) Map Your PC to Netstore using these steps:
Step 1: Right Click on My ComputerStep 2: Select Map Network Drive
Step 3: Where it says Drive - Select H:
Step 4: Your Folder or Path should be \\netstore\userid$
Step 5: Check "Reconnect at logon" and then hit Finish
If this succeeds, your Netstore files/folders should list in a new "My Computer" type window labeled "H:\.
(ii) Log out, then Log in.
(iii) Log out, Restart, Log in.
After you log out, restart as follows: press the keys CTRL, ALT, and DELETE simultaneously to get the Log on box, click Shut Down, select Restart from the pull down, and click OK. After your PC restarts, log in.
12. Print Management in the PACLabs(GoBack)
(a) Monitoring & Deleting Print Job(s)
After queuing a print job in an application such as Word Perfect or Microsoft Word, you should see a small printer image to the left of the time stamp (bottom right); you can click it for a "Print Queue" window showing the print jobs currently queued to the lab print server. The server will, in turn, send the queued jobs to the printers that service your workstation (usually the laser printer(s) you see in the room where your workstation is located); the queued jobs are listed in the "Printer Queue" window so that the top job(s) are the active ones (flagged as "Printing" under "Status" info), those below are still waiting, and the bottom job is last to print.
You can delete any job that your workstation queued that has not reached the lab print server (after it reaches the server, it disappears from the queue list); just select (highlight) it, press the "DELETE" key (or click "Cancel" from the "DOCUMENT" menu), and it's canceled. If it starts printing you can Cancel it at the Printer itself by preessing the Printere's Cancel button; a few pages will print be fore it actually stops
compu duplicate jobs the "Print Queue" as this speeds the queue for others and avoids your printing needless copies. You can get credit for those print jobs that don't print right (prints fadded, distored, etc.) by contacting TSC. They can be reached via telephone at 1-HELP, via email at support@wm.edu, or you could walk into Jones 7.
To get the number of pages of a Web document, click "File", then "Print Preview" in the browser showing the Web Page; the first page of the current Web document displays as it would print; showing on the bottom left or upper right (depending on the browser) is, for example, "1 of 15" to indicate "15" pages. In many PACLab applications (all browsers, Microsoft Word, etc.), you can also print multiple pages per sheet and thus cut down on using up paper; to do this open the Print box (click "File", then "Print") and depending on the application click Properties or Preferences (in the former also click Layout); then click the down arrow of the "Pages per Sheet" pull down until "2" or "4" (any more seems impractical), then "OK", and continue in the Print box with the print request.
To access your printer queue at any time (not just when the bottom right printer image appears) click "Printers" in the "Start" menu ; the emerging "Printers and Faxes" window will list all priinters that are connected to your lab PC including the PDF writer (acts like a printer but simply lets you save -- instead of printing -- to a PDF file -- see (c) below). In most cases only one actual Printer lists, but sometimes more than one lists (as in Swem IC where both East and West printers lists or when in addition to the one that your log in automatically connects, you connect to one manually --as discussed below in (b). Click any of the Printers listed and the "Print Queue" window for that Printer will open, listing the print jobs queued for that Printer.
(b) Connecting to Other Lab Printer(s)
You can manually connect to other printers and print there instead of the current lab printer. This is not necessary when alternate printers auto show in the pull down at the top of the Print box; as occurs in Swem IC PACLab; here, for example, if using an east end workstation, the default printers are "\\Gutenberg\Swem Info Com E"; alternately, instead, to print on the west end printers, you select "\\Gutenberg\Swem Info Com W" in the Print box pull down before OKing the print.
To manually connect to another PACLab printer, go to Connecting to Other Printers
(c) Creating a PDF File by Printing to It
You can create a PDF file of what shows in an application (e.g., in Microsoft Word), by opening the Print box for that application and selecting "CutePDF Writer" from the pull down at the top; then when you OK the print, instead of printing the material, a "Save as" box opens to let you instead save in a PDF file.
13. Switching between Multiple Open Applications (GoBack)
Although you can have several applications opened in Windows 2000 at one time, it is best that you close those you don't intend to use in the immediate future; this maximizes your space. However there are times when it is convenient or even necessary to have two or more applications open at the same time.
Consider, for example, leaving open both Microsoft Word and Mozzila FireFox Web browser windows when you want to paste Web document(s) into a collecting Microsoft Word document (possibly editing some of the material); you can do this by going to the desktop and opening Microsoft Word and then Mozzila by clicking respectively their tine icons to the right of the Start button After you have found a desired Web document (some historical information on a subject, for example), you can copy it into the clipboard (Ctrl-A to highlight the text and then Ctrl-C or "Copy" in "Edit"). To put this in your Word document you return to your Word session by clicking its icon on the "Task Bar" at the bottom of your screen and pasting (Ctrl-V or "Paste in "Edit") the clipboard contents into your document. To return to Mozzilla, you click its button at the bottom; you can now find another Web document to collect if you wish, copy it, go back to your collecting document (again by clicking your Word icon on the "Task Bar" at the bottom), paste it, and so on. During all this you can at the same time, edit your Web material in Word, possibly deleting unwanted text.
Note: an alternate way to switching back and forth between two opened applications is to keep pressing either of the application's icon on the Task Bar; this alterantely puts you l back and forth between the two applications. Thus, in the above erxample, if you if you are in Moziila and press the Microsoft Word icon, you are in the latter; press it again and you are in Moziila, etc. (or vice versa, pressing Mozilla's icon repeatedly switches between the two applications too)
14. Canceling a Hung Application (GoBack)
If you are in an application in PACLab and it hangs (freezes) so that you can do nothing (neither key typing nor mouse clicking has any affect on the application), you need to cancel it; you can do it via these steps:
- Press at one time Ctrl/Alt/Delete (same keys to start the log in); a dialogue box should emerge.
- Click "Task Manger"; the Windows Task Manager should show.
- Click the "Applications" button (when not depressed; else no affect); all your opened (running) applications should now list in the "Task Manager" including your hung application (sometimes showing a "Not Responding" status).
- Select (highlight) the hung application.
- Click "End Task" and one of two things should happen:
- Your hung application cancels (and no longer shows).
- Or you get an "End Program" box, click "End Now" and your hung application cancels (no longer shows). Note: the "Cancel" button in the "End Program" box cancels the "End Program" operation, not the application.
Note: If you can not reopen the canceled application, you can clear it for opening by logging off, then logging in.
Also Note: canceling an application this way may cause work you have done to be lost. However, if you cancel Microsoft Word and then reopen, the word processor should reopen your document with a timed backup copy; this also happens if you log out and then log in on the same PC. If your PC crashes in Microsoft Word and the document has not been saved elsewhere, a timed backup will continue to exist, but you have to open it manually after you log back in; to do this go to the "C:/Recover" folder in Windows Explorer and open the latest "asd" type file (into Microsoft Word); for more click here. Fortunately, PACLab's WordPerfect word processor recovers a timed backup perfectly (earning its name); it auto reopens with the backup after either you log out without saving or the system crashes.
15. Logging Off PACLab(GoBack)
You should always log off of your lab PC before leaving; otherwise someone else can use your session, possibly do undesirable things such as printing which you will be billed for.
Before logging off, you should close all applications and remove any portable disks (diskette, CD, or Memory Key). To log off, click the "Log Off" item of the "Start" menu; then click "Yes" in the emerging "Log Off Window" (asks "Are you sure you want to log off?") and you are "out of there! Alternately, you can click "No" in the "log Off Window" to remain logged in (i.e., cancel your log off request)
What you don't want to do as an alternative to logging off is to "turn off" your machine; this could cause you to lose work if there are any open application(s) (even if you did do a save, information after a save in some applications may remain in memory buffers and only be actually stored on the disk after you exit the application); it could also damage the computer and its applications. So don't "turn off" your workstation!
Note: as you are logged off, the PC does not save your profile settings (although settings within individual applications may remain). All files that are saved on drive "C" are are lost except for timed backups in the "C:/Recovery"folder..
If before logging off, you leave one or more applications open and there are pending activities (unsaved work, a dialog box left opened, etc.), your log off may pause after you click "Yes" to the question "Are you sure you want to log off?"; there are a number of paths that you may then followed; using these examples we illustrate recommended courses to take:
In Summary if you log off with an application open with something unsaved, you should not lose the unsaved (i.e., you should be able to save it) if you do not click the End Program button in the "End Program." box should it appear.
16. What to Do If a PACLab Session Locks, Freezes, or Doesn't Log Off (Go Back)
Try keying these keys: CTRL, ALT, and DELETE and if the "Windows Security" dialog box appears, click Log Off. If you can't log off this way, press the power button until the screen goes blank and then latter the "DELL" logo appears; release the button; your PACLab station should now reboot so you can log on again if you wish.. This is considered a hard shut down and should only be used as a last resort. If you still have questions, please contact TSC at (1-HELP) or Jones 7.
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Appendix A I. PACLab Disk Storage: Introduction We recommend that you save your disk files on your "H:" drive (see 11. above for more about the "H:" drive), with backup copies on your diskette, USB Memory Key, or CD. "H:" is backed up regularly and you can get a file on your "H:" restored to its "backup" version by E-mailing your request to "support@wm.edu". If you cannot network map to the "H:" drive storage on your own personal computer (see 11(c)(ii) above for how), you should at least be able to SFTP to the "Stats" Unix computer (see 9 . above for how) which shares your "H:" disk space; you can then transfer files between your own PC's hard drive and the "H:" storage. Therefore, instead of using a portable disk (floppy/USB Key, or CD) to transport some of your hard drive files to the PACLab, you might find it safer, more reliable to simply SFTP them to the "H:", which is easily, reliably accessed in the W & M Computer Labs. Still another way to transport without using a portable, is to E-Mail yourself those files you wish to transport (i.e., attach them to your E-Mail message), then when in the lab, download the files from you E-Mail to "H:". However, if you use this approach, should click here for a message (2nd paragraph) that tells how you miight lose this file when you down load it. |
II. PACLab Disk Storage: Details
1. Transportable Disk Space: Diskette, USB storage device, and CD. |
The USB Memory Key is another great innovation from Dell. Just plug the Memory Key into the USB port, and experience the convenience of sharing or transporting high-density files. It offers ease-of-use, great compatibility, and convenience.
Easy to use - Operates as a letter drive, just like a floppy (No driver needed after Windows® 98) Great compatibility - Plugs into any USB connection in a desktop or notebook computer Convenient - Attach to key-chain, drop in pocket or purse and always have it with you Share files easily - Share files with friends, carry files between computer labs and home, or share important data and presentations with customers and co-workers(1) Inserting the USB Memory Key
1. Insert the Memory Key into the USB receptacles of the desktop or notebook computer; on the Dells in PACLab two USB receptacles exists on the left hand side of the processor; some require opening a pullout labeled Dell to show the receptacles. 2. Wait for the green light on the end of the Memory Key to flash a few times.
3. Open the "My Computer" folder. The USB Memory Key (E: drive) will now be accessible under the heading, "Devices With Removable Storage."
4. The Memory Key / USB Memory (E:) drive is now ready to use. Files/folders can be placed into, and removed from, the device in the same manner as saving to a standard drive or folder (e.g. "My Documents", C: drive, etc.)(2) Removing the USB Memory Key
Note: Removing the Memory Key without properly stopping the device (see steps below) can potentially damage the Memory Key or the computer system.
- On the lower right-hand corner of the screen, on the Windows task bar, locate the USB Memory Key icon (one of the icons next to the time/clock). The icon looks like a small Memory Key with a green arrow above it.
- Click on the icon. A box containing the message, "Safely Remove USB Mass Storage Device - Drive (E:)," will appear just above the icon
- With the mouse, highlight and select (click) this text. After a few moments, a message window will appear, "Safe To Remove Hardware."
- The Memory Key can now be safely removed from the USB connection.
( 1) Reading CD Disk
A CD or a CDRW can hold over 600 megabytes of storage and thus has the largest capacity of the PACLab transportables. It is generally used on most computers to transport many large files and programs onto the hard drive; but since a PACLab is not your exclusive computer, you have no reason to stock its hard drive with resources from a CD. You may be able, however, for a single log in, use it in the labs to execute a transported program with many/large supporting files or process a transported big data set. And you can of course use a CD in the labs to play recorded music heard via earphones plugged into a CD drive; you plug them in the tiny black receptacle, bottom left of the processor just above the two UAB Memory Key receptacles (on some PACLab PCs you may have to pull out a Dell labeled door first); now with the CD source in the drive, play the CD controlled by "Windows Media Player" (click Programs from Start, then Multimedia, and then, "Windows Media Player".
Your can write to a CD if it is the re-writ able kind; to do this you must use Easy CD Creator (click Start, Programs, Utilities and Miscellaneous, and then Easy CD Creator). Because the software is required do any CD output, writing to a CD is more involved than writing to other devices; you may, therefore, prefer writing to a CD mainly as a backup storage medium; e.g., because of its high capacity, you may prefer using it to backup folders on your "H:" drive or even the entire drive, itself.
( 3) Directly Saving Files onto the CD ( Creator not necessary)
To save files onto the CD without using the CD Creator, you go into Windows Explorer and drag and drop the files from the source (e.g., .the "H" drive) to the CD on drive "D". We now recommend this approach as it seems easier than the Creator. The steps for doing it follow::
- Insert a R-W CD into the CD drive.
- In the right sub window of Windows Explorer list the file(s) which include those you wish to save on the CD.
- Click and select file(s) to save (they should highlight when selected).
- Then drag to the CD drive (in the left sub window, drive "D") until it highlights; release the mouse.
- These file(s) should go into a holding area for transporting to the CD.
- Repeat Steps (1) – (3) until all file(s) to be saved in holding.
- In all cases when you drag and drop, a "Ballon" should appear in the right bottom corner of your display; when you are ready to save on the CD, click the "Balloon" to bring up a "D:\" drive window listing the files in holding (somewhere in temp space on "C:"); under "CD Writing Tasks", click "Write these files to CD" and the Wizard that puts the file(s) on the CD will Appear. Follow the Wizard and if successful you should get a Finish Wizard with your CD automatically ejecting; all your file(s) now saved on your CD.
- An alternative to Step 7 above is to simply Eject the CD and the Wizard will come up immediately; follow it to save on your CD. The big advantage to Step 7 is that it lets you see what files are waiting before you save them.
2. Remote Disk Storage: the Netstore "H:" drive and Course Support "Y:" drive
The Netstore disk storage is available via the "H:" drive (the storage commonly referred to as simply "H"); it is easy to access as the hard drive. You may be able to network map to "H:" from your own PC (see 11.(c).ii] above for how) and access it easily as in the labs; since you can always SSH / SFTP to it from any computer connected to the Internet (see 8. / 9. above for how), you may at least be able to SFTP to the "H:" from your computer and transport files between your own hard drive and "H:" (see 11. above, main body for a detail discussion of "H:").
In PACLab you can access "H:" files either by its "H:\" drive icon or via the "My Files" icon; however, you should be aware that files deleted via the former are no longer available (unless you request their recovery via E-Mail to support@wm.edu), while files removed via "My Files" end up in the "Recycle Bin" and will remain available on any PACLab computer until you delete them from there (what happens is that a delete from "My Files" changes the directory to a hidden one on "H:" accessible on any PACLab via the "Bin").
In the PACLabs, the "Y:" drive lets you read course support files, accessed similarly as those on the "H:" (but read only). These are source files used to support certain courses at W & M; these may be data files, programs files, text files, presendation files, etc.
(c) The Public Remote Storage ("P:" drive)
Anyone on the Campus Network can access disk storage on the remote "P:" drive; files here are accessible to any user and can be deleted by any user; usually however (no guarantee), they are deleted by IT'S System Engineer at the end of the semester.
3. Hard Disk Storage
You can only temporaily save files on the hard disk (via the "C:" drive) in the folders "C:\temp" and "C:\tmp"; these files are lost after log out; any of them that you delete end up in the "Recycle Bin", making them still available until log out. From "Recycle" you can of course save them them permanently.
4. Using Multiple Medium Disk Storage as a Safety Against Losing Files
As has already been discussed above, you have at hand several disk storage mediums to save files in the lab as listed below:
(a) Netstore remote storage accessed via the "H:" drive
(b) A diskette accessed via the "A:" drive
(c) A CD accessed via the "D:" drive
(d) A USB Memory Key accessed via the "E" drive.
(e) The Public remote stroage accessed by anyone via the "P:" drive
(e) The Hard disk storage on the "C:" drive in the temporary folders "C:\temp" and "C:\tmp".
(f) Also, there is the mail server on which you can save files by E-mailing to yourself the files to be saved, by attaching them to your E-Mail message.
As a precaution against losing files you might save on multiple mediums: a main one and one or more backup ones. As mentioned in the introduction above, the "H:" is probably best used as your main storage, with backup files saved on your diskette, USB Key, Compact Disk, or the leaste secure :P:" remote storage. "H:" is easy to access (again as easy as the hard drive), has considerable storage (again 50 MB, ulimited for nonstudents), and is backed up; the latter allows you to recover the most recent backed up version of a lost "H:" file by emailing your request to "support@wm.edu". If you wish to save a backup on a CD, remember you can now drag and drop files onto your CD, no Easy Creator necessary -- see above II.1.(c)(3) Directly Saving Files onto the CD for how).
Email also provides another alternative, especially if nothing else works; this can be independent of your PC as long as you can access the internet (by using a web based mailer -- for example myWM); just sent one of more messages to yourself with the files to save attached. You should be careful of course not to excessively full up your mail server space (20 MG limit for students/50 MG limit for faculty/staff); keeping this in mind, you should be aware that when using myWM, a copy exists on the server of both sent and received mail if your your "Request a delivery receipt" option has been selected (if so, you might kill the sent mail shortly after sending). Probably the most convenient, safest, disk space saving way to store files via myWM, is to just save the message with your attached saved files as a draft, in stead of actually sending the message; specifically, after creating the message with the attached files in the myWM Composer window, just click "Save Draft"; this saves one copy of your files on the mail server in the "Drafts" folder, no mailing necessary, no possible extra copies using up more of your disk quota.
Appendix B
More about Disk Storage Space "H:"
(GoBack)
I. Displaying Disk Space Usage
To check for "H:" disk usage, do the following:
Appendix C (update in progress)
A Listing/Description of Software on the Programs Menu
(GoBack)
The Programs Menu is organized according to software category; each Programs Menu item is listed below (italicized and bolded) along with a listing/description of its software sub items (which are just boldfaced). Courseware items being so many, are just listed, not described.
1. Accessories includes Accessibility (configures computer for visual, hearing, and mobility needs), Entertainment (Windows Media Player -- plays CD music files), Microsoft Script Debugger (debugs WEB document scripts), Calculator (basic hand calculator work), Character Map (accesses special characters), and Microsoft Photo Editor and Paint (image editing -- also located under Graphics item below).
2. Courseware includes these items which in turn have a number of items listed below (but not described because they are so many):
Biology has Driver'sEducation (CD required), InPhy- Nervous 1.0, InPhy- Cardovascular 1.1, InPhy-Muscular 1.1, and Marieb & Tortora Directories (CD required).
Business has AICPA reSource Library, Crystal Ball 7, Data 2.6, FARS - Academic Version, MarkStratOn Line, Microsoft Net Framwork SD..., Microsoft Developer Network, Microsoft Visual Studio .Net 2..., Oracle - OralHome90, Project_Visio, ProModel 4.0, Distribution Game, Peoples Express Flight Simulator, Simulate, and OPT Challenge.
Chemistry has CS ChemOffice, Guiassian 98W, GuassView, FTNMR Simulation, Nuts, PC Model, PC Spartan Plus, ScFinderScholar, and Vortex.
Computer Science has Emacs.
Economics has PCGiveWin and Matrix Game Player.
Geology has ArcGIS (formerly ArcView).
Government has MicroCase Student Versions 4.0.
Kinesiology has Dine Healthily.
Law has LexisNexis Citation Tool and CALI2001-2).
Math has Arena 8.01, Lindo Suite, Maple 10, Matlab 7.04, AD, Flight Simulator 98, and Math 424 Course Files.
Modern Languages has Arabic, Chinese, Daedalus 5.3, French, German, GreekHebrew Editor, Hauppage Win TV, Japanese, Solo, Spanish, Transparent Language V4, and Viavideo.
Physics has CLEA Exercises, Distant Sun 5, and Scion Image.
3. Editors and Viewers includes GhostScript (for interpreting the PostScript page description language used by laser printers), Refworks (Write-n-Cite for collecting references -- register 1st via Ref Works bottom left of Swem Front Page), Acrobat Reader 7 (for viewing, navigating, and printing Adobe Portable Document Files (PDFs) ), Dreamweaver (latest in Web Page Editors), NotePad (like its name suggests, a bare bones editor for keeping notes), TextPad, (basic editing, spell checking, etc. plus Web page html editing/support, no image/table diaplay except via the W eb browser), WordPad (basic Microsoft Word text editing plus table and image containment).
4.. Graphics includes Microsoft Photo Editor (image viewer/editor, including scanned image work plus cropping, enlarging), Paint (image viewer/editor for making/editing simple/elaborate drawing; can also handle graphic images), Paint Shop Pro (image viewer/editor; contains tools needed for creating, editing, and retouching images), PSP Animal Shop (Paint Shop Pro animation image viewer/editor; creates/enhances animations from images).
5. Internet and Communications includes F-Secure SSH Client (to SSH and log in a remote computer or FSSH it and transfer files to/from the lab PC), X-Win32. 6.0 (to set up X-Windowing when SSHing a remote computer), AOL (R) Instant Messenger (to chat with a buddy via the AOL Messenger), Internet Explorer, (Microsoft's Web broswer), Mozillar Firefox (Web browser similar to Netscapte), and NetMeeting (to perform internet group conferencing ).
6. Microsoft Office XP includes Mirosoft Office Tools ( for viewing snapshots, orgainizing clip art, recovering an office applicaton, scanning documents into the computer and viewing them, language setting, and photo/image editing), Microsoft Access (data base managing), Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet work), Microsoft Front Page (Web page composing), Microsoft Power Point (slide presentation work), and Microsoft Word (word processing with everything you can and can not image).
5. Multimedia includes Easy CD Creator (to save files on a Re-Writable CD), PictureViewer ( Real Time Image Viewing with rotation, size change, etc), Power DVD (to play a DVD file), QuickTime Player ( multimedia player to view or play video, audio, still image, graphics, and virtual reality files), Real Time Player (plays CDs, lets you listen to Radio Stations, and search the Web and play audios/movies from internet channels), Sound Recorder (plays a sound file), Volume Control (adjusts sound settings -- volume, tone, etc.), Windows Media Player (plays Windows Media and other files).
6. Printing includes Printers (to check print job status, pause it, cancel it, or to attach to another printer).
7. Specialty Software (works only in certain labs or certain stations) includes Ewell Lab (leads to Creative Prodkeys DM ), Finale 2004 (leads to Ewell50Finale and EwellLibraryFinale), Jones 307 ( leads to AppleWorks, Composer, Inspiration 7.6, Kidspiration 2, Serif DrawPlus 7.0, and TopSyle Lite), Morton 244 (leads to Secure Transfer Client), Robolab (leads to ROBOLAB 2.5), Rogers Lab (leads to Birds N. America and WS_FTPLE ), Scanner (leads to Scanner HP Dir -- only on Scanner Stations-- and Moron 301 to access the scanner in that room ), Tyler Lab (leads to Inspiration 7.6 and Kidspiration 2), Fortran Access (to login the WMMVS remote system and access Fortran), and How to change Keyboard Input (txt file for how to set the keyboard language) .
8. Startup for WBALANCE.EXE (gets printing usage -- also by clicking "$" icon, bottom right Task Bar)
9. Statistics includes Amos 5 (SPSS product for causal equation models, graphically developed), Eviews 4 (statistical analysis of periodical data, emphasizing the business type), Maple 9.5 (advance math work: interactive algebra, calculus, discrete mathematics, graphics, numerical computation, etc.), Matlab7.04 (for creating data matrices, performing math analysis on them, plotting/graphing parts of them, etc.), Mintab 14 (general statistical analysis, data base management/report writing; emphasis on on menu/clicking approach -- like SPSS but not quite as sophisticated), SAS System 9 (general statistical analysis, data base management/report writing; emphasis on programming for results), S-Plus (statistics program similar SPSS, Stata, and Minitab), SPSS for Windows (version 13 -- general statistical analysis, data base management/report writing; emphasis on on menu/clicking approach)general stars and planets viewer, planetarium type viewer, etc.), Stata (version 9 -- general statistical analysis, emphasis on graphics work, programming approach).
10. Utilities and Miscellaneous includes Easy CD Creator (to save files on a Re-Writable CD), Win Zip 9 (utility for zipping/unzipping files in a windows environment; can create zips that automatically unzip when received).
11. WordPerfect has WordPerfect 9 (Word Perfect word processor, an alternative to Microsoft Word) and WordPerfect Help (WordPerfect help without opening WordPerfect)
12. Command Prompt opens a command line session with a simulated DOS system.
13. Windows Explorer (Microsoft file manager for the windows environment).
Appendix D
Using F-Secure SSH File Transfer
(GoBack)
As mentioned in Section 9. above, the W & M Stats unix remote computer requires that when you transfer files between it and your PC (i.e., File Protocol Transfer -- common called FTP) that you do it in a Safe, Secure manner (via a Safe, Secure shell -- abbreviated SSH); in the labs you can do this via "F-Secure SSH File Transfer" software. On your own PC you can download this software from W & M's software repository and use it on your own PC similarly as discussed here; to access the repository, go to IT's home page at "www.wm.edu/IT", click Software in the left column and then click Internet Browsers & Network Tools (under the Windows heading). Now click SSH Secure Shell Client 3.2.9 to download F-Secure SSH File Transfer, your safe secure FTP software.
I. Connecting to a W & M Remote Computer via "F-Secure SSH File Transfer" (we abbreviate it F-SSH-FT) in PACLab.
To connect to a remote computer at W & M such as Stats, you click Programs (from Start), then Internet and Communications, then F-Secure Client, and then F-Secure SSH File Transfer (again appreviated F-SSH-FT). In the emerging "F-SSH-FT" window if you get a "Generate Random Seed" box, slide your mouse pointer back and forth across it until it goes away (happens once for the given PACLab PC for your login). Now click File, then Connect; in the "Connect" box, enter the remote computer (host)'s name (e.g., "stat.wm.edu" for the W & M's Stats UNIX computer) in the "Host name" box; type your log in userid in the "User Name" box and click Connect.; now click OK in the emerging message box, then enter your password (same as your log in), and then OK. If you connected successfully, your "F-SSH-FT" window will now show you connected to, for example, "stat.wm.edu". Here lists your remote computer's home directory folders on the left, its folders/root files on the right.
II. Downloading Files from a Remote Computer with F-SSH-FT
To download files from your remote computer to your PC, select the files to download (from the list on the right after selecting the appropriate folder), clickOperations, and then Download; in the emerging "Download" widow, specify the drive/folder to save your down loaded files (e.g., "H:\Mydownloads" on your "H:"); then click Download. You'll then get a "Download Completion" box; at the completion of the blue dashed progress line, click Close.
III. Uploading Files to a Remote Computer with F-SSH-FT
To upload its similar to downloading in II. above, except you start by clicking Operations, then Upload and then select the files to upload from your PC in the "Upload" window; then click Upload Then click Close at the completion of the blue dashed progress line. In the right "F-SSH-FT" sub window, your uploaded files should now list in the current folder (e.g., "/home/userid/Myuploads"). If your didn't establish the desired target folder before you did the upload; you can mouse drag the uploaded files to the desired folder.
If you have any questions/problems with this "W & M PACLab Tips" document, please send e-mail to jrdaws@wm.edu or just click here to create/send the e-mail message