LSC-CyFair OTS FAQs
Q. I have a computer problem. When will it be fixed?A. If you have reported your IT-related problem to the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk, a work-order has been created and assigned to a technician. The technician will be out as soon as possible to fix your problem. Remember, if the IT Department is not informed of the problem, we don't know about it and are not able to fix it. Please do not assume that we know of computers that won't start in classrooms, printing problems, or any other difficulties you may run into. The problem will remain a problem until someone reports it to the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk.
Q. How do Adjuncts get a voicemail account?
A. Adjunct faculty must have an email account set up before they can apply for voicemail. Then the Adjunct Voicemail request form can be filled out by the department chair and emailed to the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk.
Q. A very friendly technician helped me out with a problem last week and I'd like the same technician to come fix the problem I have today. Is there any way for me to request a particular technician?
A. All IT requests should be made through the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk; please do not contact technicians directly. After a request is submitted, a work order is made and assigned to an available technician. Assignments are given to technicians based on availability, technician specialty, and urgency. Because of this process, requests for particular technicians cannot be granted.
If there is a reoccurring problem or work order, we will attempt to assign the technician who worked on the problem originally.
Q. I need a piece of software installed on a computer. What should I do?
A. Students (personal and classroom software installs) - Students can install most book software upstairs in the library. However, when the computer is restarted, the software installation (and any work saved on the computer) will be erased. We ask that students not attempt software installs on any other computers at Lone Star College-CyFair. If a student needs software installed in a lab for course reasons, their instructor will need to contact the adjacent Service Desk (Lone Star College - CyFair Service Desk at the Barker-Cypress Campus and Fairbanks Helpdesk at the Lone Star College-Fairbanks Center) regarding the software installation. Software that has already been requested properly by faculty and adjunct faculty will be installed in associated classrooms and open labs.
Faculty (classroom software installs) - There will be a deadline every semester for classroom and open lab software installation requests. If your request for software installation is received by the Service Desk past this deadline, your software will not be installed. Remember, other classes are being held in the classroom your class is using, and there is most likely a special image used for that classroom; adding one piece of software means rebuilding and re-imaging an entire lab full of computers. If there is an emergency situation and you were not able to send in your software request before the cutoff date, the IT Department will do it's best to accommodate your needs.
Full-Time Faculty and Staff (personal software installs) - For licensing, security, and hardware/software compatibility reasons, all software installations on Lone Star College-CyFair laptop or desktop computers must be approved and administered through the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk. With a few exceptions, full-time faculty and staff are not given permissions on their laptops or desktops to install software, so any attempt to do so will result in failure. If you have a piece of software you wish to install, please contact the Service Desk. Software installations are approved on a case-by-case basis.
If you are CIT faculty and require administrative rights on your computer in order to run specialized software, please contact the Service Desk and we will process your request as soon as possible.
Part-time staff (personal software installs) - Please contact your supervisor with your suggestion for a software installation. If your supervisor feels the software is necessary, they should then contact the Service Desk with the software request. Software installations of this sort are approved on a case-by-case basis.
Q. I need to save a file that I've worked on at the Barker-Cypress Campus and I have a zip disk, but you don't have any Zip drives.
A. At this point in time, there are no concrete plans to purchase and install Zip drives in the computers on campus. However, you do have several options if you are stuck in this situation:
• Use your locker! - Each student, faculty, and staff member has an Lone Star College-Online locker that is created when they come onboard at Lone Star College-CyFair (or anywhere in the NHMCC District). Lockers are located at http://lockers.nhmccd.edu/and can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection. In addition, eLockers provide 50mb of space for users, a more than adequate amount of storage for assignments and projects. eLockers are emptied at the end of every semester.
• Email it to yourself - Many students opt to create an email account and email homework and project assignments to their email accounts. Most email servers (including Hotmail and Yahoo) allow 10-100mb of storage space for email accounts. Lone Star College System also provides email accounts for students through CampusCruiser. To access this email account, simply visit http://prod.campuscruiser.com/nhmccd/.
• Use your floppies - All computers on campus are equipped with floppy disk drives. If floppy disks are maintained correctly, they can reliably supply up to 1.4mb of storage. Remember, floppies should not be kept in extreme heat or cold, nor should they be stored around metal or magnetic objects. It is best to format your floppy on first use (even if the box it came in says it is formatted) and then reformat at regular intervals.
• Get a USB Flash Drive - Approved USB flash drives can be purchased at the Lone Star College-CyFair Bookstore. They offer varying amounts of storage space and can be plugged into the USB port under the gray cover on the front of any Dell computer on campus. The pre-approved flash drives offered in the Lone Star College-CyFair bookstore should require no installation on the part of the user. However, if you purchase a non-approved flash drive, you will not be able to install drivers if the flash drive prompts you to do so upon insertion.
Instructions for Storing and Retrieving Student Work on the Barker Cypress Campus:
INSTRUCTORS:
1. If you are logged into a classroom computer , you will see a "T" drive under My Computer, Network Drives. You will need to create a folder on this drive for the class to save their work.
a. Go to My Computer, Network Drives, and Select the "T" drive.
b. Select File, New, Folder, and create a new folder using the naming convention of instructor name and date (ex. JSmith11_24_2005).
c. Have the students save their work to this location.
2. Please Note: there is a limited amount of space on this drive. It is recommended that when you get back to your office, you copy the contents of the folder somewhere else for longer-term storage if required. There is no way to secure this data in this location - everyone can see it. This drive will be cleared out on Sunday nights, NO EXCEPTIONS. THIS IS A TEMPORARY STORAGE AREA.
3. Instructions for retrieving the files from your office were distributed at orientation.
STUDENTS: If you are logged into a classroom computer as cyfair-student, you should see a "T" drive under My Computer, Network Drives. Your instructor will inform you of the folder name on the "T" drive in which to store your work.
Q. How do I log on to the computers?
A. Students: Ask your instructor how to login. Logins are posted at the front desk in each classroom.
Adjunct Faculty: Please contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk at x3948 to receive the instructor login for classrooms and workrooms.
Full-Time Faculty and Staff: A windows login was created for you at the start of your employment. Please contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk at x3948 if you are having difficulties logging on to your computer.
Part-Time Staff: Please contact your supervisor for log on instructions. If your supervisor does not have this information, then he or she needs to contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk.
Q. I'm a supervisor and I have a new full-time employee starting today. What do I need to do to get him/her set up with a computer and phone?
A. Please fill out the New Employee Set Up form and send it to the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk at cfservicedesk@lonestar.edu.
Please note: the Service Desk will not process this form until the employee receives a District email account.
If you have any questions about the form, please call the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk at x3948.
Q. I'm adjunct faculty and I need voicemail set up. What should I do?
A. Please email or call the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk. We will send you an Adjunct Faculty Voicemail Form to fill out and return to us. We then forward this form on to the District Helpdesk, which handles all phone and voicemail requests. When the voicemail is set up, System Office Service Desk will send you instructions regarding voicemail access and greeting creation.
Please note: voicemail cannot be set up until District email is acquired.
Q. How do I access my voicemail from home?
A. Accessing Voicemail off-campus: Dial one of the numbers below and follow instructions.
832-813-6650
281-290-5998
832-782-5090
Or you may: Call your personal phone number. When the voice mail picks up press the star key (*). Enter your phone extension and press the pound key (#). Enter your password and press the pound key (#). Follow the instructions and check your voice mail.
Q. Why do I need District e-mail?
A. District email is an essential part of working at Lone Star College-CyFair or in the Lone Star College System. Much communication is completed through District e-mail and distribution lists for Lone Star College System, all Lone Star College-CyFair employees, Lone Star College-CyFair Faculty, and Lone Star College-CyFair staff require District e-mail.
In addition, if you are a full-time employee, you will not be granted a Windows login or phone setup, your personal folder on the server, or access to public folders on the server until you receive District e-mail. Adjunct faculty will not be granted voicemail setup until they receive District e-mail.
Q. How do I receive District e-mail?
A. To receive District e-mail, you must be an employee of the Lone Star College System. Students receive email through Microsoft Exchange rather than through the District. Once you have been hired, you need to apply for email. The application form can be reached through any computer with an Internet connection at http://owa.lonestar.edu. Simply click the "Apply" button and follow the instructions.
If you are having difficulty with the email application form or need a computer to complete the application form, please come by the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk in TECH 120.
Q. I'm in a computer lab classroom and the printer won't work.
A. Before you call the Service Desk, you can do a little troubleshooting of your own. First, make sure you are logged into the computer correctly. Students should be using the cyfair-student login in computer lab classrooms. If you are not logged into the computer correctly, you will not be able to print.
Once you are logged in correctly, if you are still not able to print, check the printer for power connectivity. If the printer is on, make sure there is paper in the paper tray (the LCD screen on the printer will tell you if a tray is out of paper).
If go through these troubleshooting steps but are still unable to print, please call or come by the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk.
Q. I'm an instructor and I went through the process to have software installed in a lab. You installed it, but I don't know how to use it. Can you show me?
A. Unfortunately, no.
If the software was ordered through your department or came with a textbook you are teaching from, it is your responsibility to learn how to use the software. If there is something wrong with the software installation that we can fix, we will be more than happy to do so. However, because of the superfluous amount of software we install every semester, constantly evolving software, and need in other areas, we are not able to support every software application we install on computers.
Q. I'm having trouble in a CIT course I'm taking this semester. If I come by the Service Desk, can you tutor me?
A. The IT Department does not provide tutoring for CIT credit or continuing education courses. If you are having difficulty in a course, please contact your instructor. He or she will be able to provide more information regarding tutoring.
If you are an employee and you feel you need extra computer training, please contact your supervisor for further courses of action.
Q. I need to get a door on campus opened. You have keys, right? Will you come open the door for me?
A. We are not able to unlock doors unless we are visiting rooms for IT purposes. If you need a room unlocked:
Students - Classrooms will not be opened until instructors are present. Your instructor should have a key to the classroom and will open it when he or she arrives for class. When class is over, please vacate the room. If you still need the use of a computer, please visit the library or open lab.
Faculty / Adjunct Faculty / Staff - Facilities provides keys for locks; they can be reached at 281-290-5960. The Chief of Police provides key cards for computer lab classrooms. If you have not yet received your key or key card, please contact the Campus Police at 281-290-5911 to open your door.
Q. I'm a new employee and someone from your department just set me up with a phone and computer. This phone looks really difficult to use. Can you give me some pointers?
A. The entire campus of Lone Star College-CyFair is equipped with Cisco Voice Over IP phones. They may appear difficult to use at first, but once you become familiar with them, you'll find that you appreciate the functionality offered. There is an online tutorial available. If you are still having problems with your phone after visiting this tutorial, please call the Service Desk and we will be happy to assist you.
Q: I've heard that Lone Star College-CyFair has an open wireless network. Is this true?
A: Yes! Lone Star College-CyFair has a fully-functional wireless network that spreads campus wide. You are welcome to bring your own laptop and receive a network connection through the wireless network, check out a laptop from the Library, or use our Cy-ber Café.
Q: I brought my own laptop, but I can't pick up a wireless signal from your network. Help!
A: You should be able to pick up a connection from any point on campus. If you're not able to connect to the Internet, please first check and make sure that your laptop has a wireless card. Next, if you are utilizing a Windows OS, click Start, Settings, and Network Connections. Under Network Connections, a wireless network connection should be available. Choose this connection. Our wireless network is named Lone Star College System. You must first enable this connection before utilizing the network.
If you are positive your laptop is wireless enabled and you are not able to pick up a wireless connection on campus, please contact the Cy-Fair Service Desk.
Q. I decided to move my phone, so I unplugged it and now I can't get to the Internet!
A. Your computer receives its network connectivity through your Cisco Voice Over IP phone, which plugs directly into the network port. If you unplugged your phone, you have also effectively removed your network connection. You need to plug your phone back in and let it reboot completely, then restart your computer. On the back of the phone, the network cable from the wall to the phone should be plugged into the "10/100 SW" port; the connection from the phone to the PC should be plugged into the "10/100 PC" port. If these cables are plugged in incorrectly, the phone will not boot into production.
Q. I have a problem with my phone and I heard about a form online that I can submit. Will this get my phone problem fixed faster?
A. Please contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk before filling out the phone form online. The form online goes directly to District and they prefer that the Lone Star College - CyFair IT Department fill it out on behalf of the user and send it in. This allows us to perform necessary troubleshooting and gather required information from the phone. If the phone is showing symptoms of a server-side problem, we will contact District for you.
Note: If you do fill out the form online, District Helpdesk will contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk and ask us to go take a look at the problem before they begin troubleshooting. However, because of the work load at District Helpdesk, this process can take several days. Your problem will be fixed more expediently if you contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk directly.
Q. I need a Colleague account. Can you do that?
A. Colleague accounts are created at District. You can fill out a form to request a Colleague account from the System Office website, under Forms.
Q. I don't know how to use Colleague. Do you offer training sessions?
A. Colleague training sessions are offered through the Lone Star College - CyFair Faculty and Staff Excellence Center in LRNC 208. Emails are sent periodically to employees announcing these sessions. Training sessions are also posted on the CCTDC website. Note: You must have a Colleague account to attend a Colleague training session.
Q. I'm having a problem in Colleague. I think my account is locked out.
A. If you are having difficulties in Colleague, please contact the Lone Star College - CyFair Service Desk first. We will troubleshoot the problem to the best of our abilities and then contact District Helpdesk if the need arises.
If you are an advanced Colleague user and are sure your account is locked out, or if you have forgotten your login name or password, please contact the System Office Service Desk.
Q. I am an employee and I need to check my District e-mail from home. Is this possible?
A. Lone Star College System offers a Web version of Outlook that allows users to access their District e-mail from any computer with an Internet connection. It is located at http://owa.lonestar.edu. You must log in with your e-mail user name and password to gain access to your email. If you are using a public computer, it is very important that you log out of e-mail when you are done, or the next person who uses the computer may be able to access it.
Q. I don't have an Internet connection at home. How do I check my email?
A. Lone Star College System will provide a dial-in account for full-time employees if necessary. The form to apply for a dial-in account can be found on the System Office Web site under Forms. If you need to access files on the Lone Star College-CyFair network from home, please make sure to request VPN access as well.
Note: the number of VPN accounts is limited, so please only request a VPN account if it is necessary to complete your work.
Q. The printer is out of paper or toner.
A. Please contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk and we will refill the paper or printer toner as required.
Q. Can I bring in a personal deskjet printer from home and hook it up to my computer?
A. We ask that employees not bring printers from home to use at work. Remember, if you do hook up a printer from home, it will require driver (and maybe additional software) installation which you will not have the permissions on the computer to install.
There are printers available in every office suite breakroom in addition to printers in every computer lab and computer lab classroom on campus. If you fill your printing needs are not being met, please contact the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk.
Q. I have a personal computer that I use for work-related or school-related reasons, but I'm having problems with it. If I bring it to you, will you fix it?
A. Unfortunately, we are not able to troubleshoot computers that are not issued or owned by the college.
Q. I have a palm pilot that I would like to sync with my Outlook. Can you set this up?
A. We do have the software available to set up your Palm Pilot. Please call the Lone Star College-CyFair Service Desk and we will create a work order and send a technician out to complete this task.
Q. My department is planning on purchasing a new software package through a vendor for courses next semester. What questions do I need to ask the vendor?
A. If you are planning on purchasing software for campus use, please contact Doug Caesar, Manager of IT and End User Support. There are certain questions regarding compatibility, licensing, and permissions about which a representative from the IT Department will need to contact to the vendor. Because of the nature of our installation policies and network structure, we do ask to be a part of the purchasing decision in order to avoid future problems with the software.
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