Knowledge Base
Helpdesk
I require technical assistance. Who do I contact?
Technical assistance is available to FCOB-affiliated faculty and staff by calling 292-8976 or sending an email to helpdesk@cob.osu.edu.
Should I call FCOB’s or OSU’s helpdesk?
It is generally a good idea to call the FCOB helpdesk first to determine if the problem is with your computer or not. Calling the FCOB helpdesk first should get you a much quicker response should the problem be with your computer.
The FCOB helpdesk has no control over problems with OSU email, ARMS, and the like. If we don’t think the problem lies with your machine for such problems, we may refer you to OSU’s helpdesk at 688-HELP.
What are the helpdesk's operating hours?
The helpdesk is available Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. In the Summer Quarter, hours shift to 7:30am to 4:30pm.
My computer is acting funny, what should I do?
The first thing that you should attempt to do when encountering any computer problem is to save what you are working on if possible. Then shut down your computer completely and turn it back on. If the computer still isn’t working properly, contact the helpdesk and give as much detail as possible about the problem.
How do I change my network password?
While logged into the network, press Control-Alt-Delete and hit the button called "Change Password". Where indicated, type your old password, your new password, and your new password again to confirm the change. NOTE: This procedure will change your password on the computer as well (for instance, on a laptop when logging in off campus).
How do I set up a vacation email message for my COB email account?
Vacation messages can be installed via a Web browser! Log into your Webmail at http://fisher.osu.edu/webmail. Once you have logged into Webmail, go to "Options" (one of the shortcuts on the left side of the page). The very first option is the "Out of Office Assistant"--just type in your preferred vacation message and select "I'm currently out of the office," then press "Save and Close" at the top of the page.
Where can I learn about software?
The OIT office on campus also offers some computer short courses. More information can be obtained at http://www.oit.ohio-state.edu/compcourses.html.
Where can I learn about Office 2007?
The Information Technology Services Helpdesk has created three introductory e-learning modules about the most commonly used Office 2007 applications. You may view them here:
Module 1: Word 2007
Module 2: Excel 2007
Module 3: PowerPoint 2007
What is a Buckeye Bundle, and how do I get one?
The Microsoft Buckeye Bundle is an agreement between The Ohio State University and Microsoft. It is a contract that allows the University's students and departments to purchase the most popular software, including the Office suite, operating system upgrades, web design and programming tool software at substantially discounted prices.
For qualifying students and departments, here is a sample of the products available in the Bundle:
- Microsoft Office XP Pro with FrontPage
- Microsoft Office 2003 Pro
- Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional for Windows
- FrontPage 2003
- FrontPage 2002
- Windows 2000
- Windows NT Workstation
- Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Office 2001 for Macintosh
- Microsoft Office v.X Pro for Macintosh
Updated information on the Buckeye Bundle and where to obtain it is at http://buckeyebundle.osu.edu.
Where do I get SAS, SPSS, etc?
Information on getting OSU Site Licensed software, such as the two examples above, can be found at: http://oit.osu.edu/site_license/.
Where do I get Travel System software?
Information on installing Travel System software can be found at https://oit.osu.edu/TravelSystem/. You will need your OIT supplied username (name.#) and password to log in. As the software requires three components, please follow the installation directions carefully.
What do I do for printer repair and cleaning?
All printers, especially laser printers, should have routine maintenance and cleaning done to them. It is the responsibility of each department to make sure that they have their printers cleaned and serviced on a regular basis.
The FCOB helpdesk is unable to do hardware repair and maintenance on printers. Departments wishing this done should contact an outside company.
Please note that Information Technology Services does not endorse the work done by any specific outside company.
What do I do when I get a “U drive out of disk space” error?
Some people store a significant amount of data on their network drive called the U drive. Everyone is given a certain amount of space on that drive. When the drive is full, it gives errors. It is very common for Eudora users to store email on this drive, and downloading mail is the most common occasion for encountering this error.
Many people don’t realize that when they delete an email, the attachment is not automatically deleted with it. You need to go in and delete old attachments manually.
Double click the My Computer icon on the desktop. Once that opens, look for your U drive. The name of the U drive is usually "HOME." Double click the U drive then open the Win_net folder. Once open, look for either the attach folder or the eud_att folder. Inside these folders are attachments you have received. Deleting unwanted attachments should give you the needed room. If Eudora is still giving you an error, try clicking the retry button.
Please remember to go through and delete any unwanted attachments on a regular basis.
What is backing up, and when and how do I do it?
Backing up the data on your computer is where you copy important files from your computer onto Zips, CDRs, external hard drives, and the like so that you will have access to the files in case something happens to your computer. Additionally it is always best to store at least one copy of the data that is not with the computer, such as having backups from your office machine at your home. That will help keep your important data safe in events such as fires.
Each individual in the college is responsible for keeping their own data safe by doing any backups which they feel necessary. There is no hard and fast rule as to how you should do backups or how often.
The vast majority of computers in the college come with drives which can be used for backups, such as Zip or CDRW drives. Please call the helpdesk if you are having difficulty with backups.
At a minimum, the helpdesk recommends that you do at least a partial backup weekly, and a full backup monthly. Also you should do a backup before having the helpdesk install software, perform an upgrade, or do maintenance. It is really a matter of preference for the user, because only they can judge the value of the data to them, or even know where the important data is located.
Should I have a firewall on my home computer?
Firewalls are strongly recommended if you have an "always-on" connection (e.g., cable modem or DSL). Windows XP comes with a basic firewall, but you must enable it. If you do not have Windows XP, you may purchase a firewall product from a reputable vendor (e.g., Norton or BlackICE) through a computer or office supplies store. Neither the college nor the university provides firewall software.
How do I get a network account?
There are several accounts available depending on your position in the college: FCOB network account (for logging into college computers), email/calendar, Unix research, and web. To obtain an account, you must fill out a "Network Access Request" form. This form is available at the front desk of Mason 320. For your convenience, the form is also available at http://fisher.osu.edu/staff/ (in the upper right corner of the page). Account creation takes two to five business days from the time it has been returned to Information Technology Services. Please be sure to place a check mark next to all the types of accounts you need (email, web, etc.). A hard copy of your account information will be returned to your department after the account has been created.
Please be sure to fill out all areas of the form to ensure a quick return time. If you have any questions about the form, please ask a member of Information Technology Services.
What's the difference between my "smith_1" username and my "smith.1" username?
Your FCOB username is derived from the username assigned to you by the Office of Information Technology (OIT). Therefore, if you have been assigned the name "smith.1" as your OSU username, Information Technology Services assigns you "smith_1" for use of the college's computing resources. These names are not interchangeable. Please remember that you cannot log in to the FCOB network using "smith.1"--you must use the name that has been assigned to you by Information Technology Services.
How do I forward my OSU email to my College of Business email? You must contact OIT. Information provided by OIT is located at http://8help.ohio-state.edu/mail_forwarding.html. Otherwise, you may email 8help@osu.edu, call 688-HELP, or visit their office at 512 Baker Systems.
How can I protect my home computer from viruses?
OIT allows the download of McAfee VirusScan from http://softwaretogo.osu.edu. You need to know your OIT-assigned username (e.g., smith.1) and password to download software from OIT.