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How do I change my password?
Instructions for changing your passwords on the
student computers are as follows:
- simultaneously hit the [ctrl] [alt], and [delete]
keys on the keyboard
- click change password (on the bottom left)
- enter your old (current) password
- enter your new password
- reenter you new password
- click the ok button
- click the cancel button
My password doesn't work! What do I do?
Please call the Help Desk at ext. 6684 from on
campus or 1-630-829-6684 from off campus. Sorry, but you
must call the Help Desk directly (not ask another staff
or faculty member to make the call for you).
You can also reset your own password. You will be prompted
for your First Name, Last Name, Login ID, Student ID#, Last
four digit of your Social Security Number and Birthdate.
Please click here
to reset your own password.
When will my password expire?
The following list offers suggestions and requirements
for maintaining the security and integrity of your accounts:
- Duration: Passwords will expire after 90 days
- Length: Passwords must be 8 or more characters.
- Composition: Passwords must be an alphanumeric mix.
Special characters may also be included. (examples:
&t1me56cl0cK; GuaRant33d; #R00$t3r21; TELa1200).
- Case: Passwords are cASe SenSitive.
- Spaces: Blank spaces are not accepted
- Username: You may not use your username as or in a
password.
- Words: Neither real words or words with simple substitution
will be allowed.
- Reuse: Passwords may not be re-used.
- Multiple Sites: It is not advisable to use a system
password here as a password on a subscription service
or web site.
- Predictable Patterns: Simple or predictable patterns
may not be used (examples: abc123 is not acceptable;
firstname1 is not acceptable).
- Suggestions: For a "Strong" Password:
- Select a phrase, then use the first letters of
each word, and include a number or special character
(example: The Eagle Lands at Midnight = Tel@1200).
- Interweave two words or a word and a number sequence
that is meaningful to you. For example, your favorite
fruit and a memorable year. (Example: kiwi and 1987
- could be - k1i9w8i7, ki19wi87, or ki1987wi)
- Deliberately misspell words. Substitute symbols,
numbers, and phonetic replacements throughout. Mississippi
could be (Mrs.Ippi).
- Password Security: If you have trouble remembering
a password, write it on a small piece of paper that
you keep in your wallet or purse. Never post a password
on your monitor, desktop or any location where it can
be seen by anyone else.
What kinds of computers are in the labs?
All computer labs are equipped with either Pentium
550's or 833's running Windows XP Professional. The applications
on these computers include Office 2000 (Outlook, Word, Excel,
Access, and Power Point), SPSS, Derive, Flash, Dreamweaver,
and other specialized software.
I have a MacIntosh computer, can I use it on campus?
Yes you can use your MacIntosh computer on campus,
however it must support TCP/IP as we do not support AppleTalk
on our networks. Also we don't provide any support for MacIntosh
computers.
What are the computer lab locations and hours?
Please click here for a
complete listing.
Benedictine
Computer Ownership Policy and Purchase Recommendations 2005-06
Congratulations on your decision to come to Benedictine University!
Most of you probably
already own a personal computer, though you may be considering
an upgrade or replacement. The following Frequently-Asked-Questions
are meant to help you in your decision.
FAQs
Are Benedictine
University students required to own a computer?
A reliable computer will be an essential tool during your
studies here. Several classes will require the use of specialized
software and most will rely on the use of email and Internet
access. Benedictine University maintains student use computers
and printers loaded with the specialized software that may
be required for your classes at several locations on campus.
If you are a resident student or live in a Founder’s Woods
apartment, your room has connectivity to the Internet. You
may want the convienence of having your own computer in your
room. To use the Internet you must register your computer
with Information Services, use virus protection, use windows
update, and follow the
Acceptable Use Policy. If you need
assistance please call the Benedictine University helpdesk
at (630) 829-6684, or extension 6684. The helpdesk is staffed
from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The helpdesk will be your first
line of support and will assist you with user account issues,
WebCT access, Internet access, etc. The helpdesk will not
help you with issues with your personal PC or software. If
there is an issue they can not resolve over the phone, the
helpdesk will create a trouble ticket and assign a technician.
Resident Assistants provide some assistance by distributing
paper for the resident labs.
A Mac or a PC?
Benedictine University exclusively uses PCs. All of the
Benedictine University computing facilities are comprised
of entirely PCs no Macs some common software packages
may only run on a PC and technical support is more readily
available. For that reason, our strong recommendation is
that you own a PC.
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What’s the minimum
Type/Power of PC?
In general, any PC that was purchased in the last few years
should be adequate for the Benedictine University programs.
At a minimum,
you should have a Pentium III-generation PC with at least
256 megabytes of memory and several gigabytes say 10 or
12 of free hard drive space to install new software and
to store data. You will also need a 10/100 mbps network
card for Internet access, CD and/or DVD drives, a serviceable
monitor, and optionally a printer. An inkjet printer is
generally adequate.
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Should I consider
a new PC?
Although you should be able to address your computing needs
with a Pentium III-generation PC at the minimum standard
level, there are several reasons why you may want to consider
a new PC.
- In our experience,
the newer PCs Pentium IV generation and above do provide
significantly better performance. The newer PCs utilize
faster processors and memory, and have more integrated
components and usually are assembled with larger and faster
hard drives. A new computer system can probably be purchased
for $1000 or less and they’re really much more fun to
use!
- Think about how
long you want (or need) to use your current computer.
A rule of thumb is that a PC is usually capable of running
the latest software for about 5 years. Since the quality
of personal computers has been steadily improving for
the last several years, that figure may be an underestimate.
Nonetheless, a newer and more powerful PC (e.g. Pentium
IV 3-Ghz) will certainly be useful to you for a much longer
period than an older one (e.g. Pentium III 500-Mhz).
- Students who will
be relying on their computers for a longer period or students
who anticipate working with large data sets or using specialized
software should consider a newer PC with increased longevity
and power
- If you have other
computing interests that necessitate a faster or more
powerful computer, this may be a good time for a replacement.
Anyone interested in audio/video production or 3-D games,
for example, will need a powerful computer.
- Keep in mind that,
generally, the hard drives are the most common component
in a computer to fail. Hard disk damage is probably the
most annoying failure you can experience with a computer
because, potentially, you can loose important data. So,
if your current computer is showing signs of age – particularly
a noisy hard drive – you may want to consider a replacement.
(Of course, everyone should always keep precious data
backed up!)
- You may also want
to consider a replacement (or upgrade of your current
system) to include CD and/or DVD recording (aka burning).
These are great components to have – the DVD player will
allow you to play movies and, eventually, software will
be commonly distributed in this format. The burners are
very convenient for copying large files and backing up
your precious data.
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Should I consider
purchasing a laptop?
This ultimately comes down to a computing lifestyle decision.
For those of you who envision using the computer on campus
or when traveling, a laptop is a good idea. A few things
to consider
- While portability
is the primary-compelling reason to consider using a laptop,
you should be aware that they do not have the ergonomic
advantages of a desktop unit. The keyboard and monitor
are both significantly smaller and less comfortable to
use. It is possible to purchase a docking station and
standard keyboards, monitor, and mouse to use with your
laptop at home to have advantages of a desktop computer.
- Laptops seem to
be somewhat more fragile and experience more monitor and
disk failures. (This may mostly be due to the greater
potential for a laptop to be dropped or bumped.) Laptops
generally require professional technician to implement
a repair – unlike a desktop where an untrained user can
often implement a simple repair or upgrade. For this reason,
if you are considering a laptop, you may want to consider
a new laptop that comes with a service warranty.
- If you decide to
purchase a laptop, you will have several trade-offs to
consider. Many laptops are available in a very thin and
lightweight case. You will probably notice that you pay
more for larger and brighter screens.
- Laptops are generally
more expensive than desktops by 50% or more.
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Any suggestions on
where to purchase a computer?
-
There are many places to purchase a new system, both locally and on the Internet.
While the university cannot endorse any particular vendor, we have made
arrangements for some vendors to give discounts to our students and employees.
See our computer purchase page by clicking here.
-
If cost is an important factor, you want to consider purchasing a used PC.
There are stores that specialize in used PCs and there are lots
of used computers for sale on Ebay.com or craigslist.com.
When buying a used computer, it helps to have some PC
hardware knowledge (or know someone who does) since used
machines often require upgrades or repairs. These is always
some risk to purchasing a used computer on the other
hand, you can find some good bargains.
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What about software?
- You will need to
run a recent version of Microsoft Windows as your operating
system. In our experience Window 2000 and Windows XP are
reliable and stable systems. Remember to install all of
the current patches and upgrades, and to keep your antivirus
software up to date. We also recommend that you download
and install Microsoft AntiSpyware or any other competent
spyware remover (e.g. Spybot or Ad-Aware).
- You will need to
run Microsoft Word for word processing and you will probably
want Microsoft Excel for spreadsheet applications. Many
courses assume that students can prepare PowerPoint presentations.
These programs are part of the Microsoft Office package.
If you don’t currently own Microsoft Office, you can purchase
a copy at campus bookstore. Note that Microsoft Works
– the scaled-down version of Microsoft Office – is not
adequate.
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How do I request voicemail?
Voice mail is provided by the Office of Information Technology.
To request voice mail, call the Helpdesk at (630) 829-6684 or email
helpdesk@ben.edu. Please provide your full name,
hall and room number, and your 4-digit extension.
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