Tech Tips
At OIT, we see technology being used by an empowered Washington College community every day. We also see dozens of technology mistakes, disasters and problems waiting to happen. We have put together some helpful technology tips to keep you running smoothly.
- Back Up Regularly
Create a back up on CD, DVD or hard disk at least once every two weeks. Copy all of the files you have created and cannot replace to external storage and keep your back up in a safe place.
- Avoid Phishing
Phishing is an email scam created to steal your personal data and identity. To learn how to avoid phishing and other email scams, play the Carnegie Mellon Anti-Phising Game. It takes only fifteen minutes to make you a little safer online.
- Give Your Computer A Break
Computers need rest, too. Put your computer to sleep when it's not in use to save your battery (and energy.) Periodically, power down your machine or restart, especially if you have recently installed new software or updates. Giving your computer some down time allows it to reconfigure itself for new software and clear its memory to work faster.
- Update Your Computer
Run Windows Updates or Mac OS X Software Updates regularly or set the updater to run automatically at an interval that works for your schedule. When you see update notifications, install the updates as soon as possible. To keep your computer up to date, you'll have to be logged on to the network. Make sure you sign in via your browser before you update your machine.
- Keep Virus Definitions Updated
Just like your computer, your antivirus software needs to be updated regularly. When your antivirus software alerts you to updates, run them. Set your antivirus software to check for updates automatically, too. To keep your computer up to date, you'll have to be logged on to the network. Make sure you sign in via your browser before you update your machine.
- Be A Part Of The Apple Community
Have a Mac, iPod or iPhone here at Washington College? Trying to find other Apple users, news and support? Visit WC Apple to find out about upcoming Apple events, get help with your Apple device and meet others like you. You can also find great deals on Apple gear with a helpful link to the Washington College Apple store and meet campus representative, Alisha DiGiandomenico.
- Enable Your Windows Firewall
Enable your Windows Firewall to safeguard your computer from viruses and other malicious attacks. Scan your computer for viruses and spyware frequently, too!
- Search With Spotlight
On the Mac, use Spotlight (the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of your screen) to search your computer for files, email, contacts, images, calendars, applications and more.
- Find Words With The Dictionary Widget
Use the Dictionary widget to quickly look up definitions by typing all or part of a word. You can also look up a word in the included Thesaurus to find synonyms, antonyms and more. Since the Dictionary widget is built into Mac OS X, you don't even need an internet connection.
- Cool Down Your Notebook
If using a notebook computer, make sure ventilation around it is adequate. Air should be able to pass with no obstruction on all sides of the machine. For example: it would be a very bad to use a notebook computer for long periods of time while it is sitting on a blanket.
- Save Your Notebook's Battery
Keeping your notebook computer plugged in 24/7 does not save the battery. In fact, it causes the battery to hold less charge. To protect your battery, occasionally let it run all the way to empty (until your computer puts itself to sleep.) Wait several hours and then recharge fully. You should try to drain your battery as much as possible before plugging in during normal use, too.
- Dial Toll-free On Campus
Did you know that most numbers on campus can be dialed toll-free from campus phones? Dial the last four digits (the extension) of campus phone numbers to be connected. Not only does this save time by eliminating digits, but you will not be charged for the call. To save space, OIT bolds the last four digits of all phone numbers on our site to denote the extension. (Example: 410-778-7777)
- Check You Mac's Password
Your Mac has a really useful password security utility built into its System Preferences. Go to the Accounts panel and choose your user name from the list on the left. Make sure you are in the "Password" panel and then click "Change Password..." In the window that appears, choose the small key-shaped button. You can enter passwords manually or view automated suggestions and the corresponding security strength of each. Very handy when you need to create a password on the fly but can't get online.
Bonus: Did you know that OIT has a password utility, too?
- Set Default Save Options In Microsoft Office
With the release of Office 2008 for the Mac, Microsoft has now updated both of its office suites. Office 2007 and Office 2008 both bring a new set of file formats to the computing environment on campus.
By default, these new versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint save in .docx, .pptx and .xlsx, respectively. These formats are not backwards compatible with previous versions of Microsoft Office on the Mac or PC. In other words, if you send a file saved in a new version of any of these applications to someone with an older version, they will not be able to open it.
To prevent this from happening, make sure to set your default save options for Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This will ensure that, by default, your Office documents will save in the older file formats for compatibility with existing versions of Microsoft's Office applications.
Learn more by viewing a special news bulletin about this topic on the OIT News blog.
- Save Your Parallels Virtual Disk
With so many Mac users on campus these days - and so many of them using the dual boot software, Parallels, to run Windows - it's important to share this helpful tip!
On occassion, a glitch with Parallels causes the following error message:
Hdd file is missing, corrupted or used by another application
Hdd file is used by another application
If you receive this error, don't panic! The problem is most likely caused by an accidental lock file created by the Parallels software. To remedy the issue, one simply has to open their virtual disk package on the Mac and then remove the offending file, ".DiskDescriptor.xml.lock"
To learn more and read full instructions, visit the following links:
Parallels Knowledge Base - Missing, Corrupted, Used By Another Application
- Get Project Help From The Experts
Instructional Technology will be offering professional support for campus technologies, multimedia and more via Open Lab Hours in both the Beck Instructional Lab and the Multimedia Production Center. Beck’s Open Lab Hours (FLEX Lab) will remain the same and the MPC will be opening its doors for the campus community. If you need help with a computer related task or project, stop by to receive one-on-one help from the Instructional Technology staff of experts.
To learn more about specific hours, visit:
- Transition To Office 2007 & Office 2008
Are you getting the most out of your productivity apps? If you haven't made the switch to Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows or Office 2008 for Mac, you certainly aren't. Already using Office 2007 or 2008? Find out how to maximize the experience!
OIT has created an online resource to help aid in the transition to Microsoft Office 2007/2008 here at Washington College. To learn more about the switch, the applications or support options, visit our Office 2007/2008 Microsite.
- Set Your Language Preferences on Windows & Mac
Whether you are an international student or studying a foreign language, you may encounter a situation in which it would be useful to change the language preferences on your computer.
Luckily, this guide (PDF) makes it easy to do so whether you are on Windows or Mac. It also contains steps for changing your preferences in Microsoft Office.
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