Set-up your Computer
There are 3 options for setting up your computer. Set-up can either be done by:
- Information Services Technicians
- Departmental Computing Officer
- Knowledgeable Colleague/Yourself
Most users will require help to set up their machine. You can request help to set up your computer from Information Services using the same form you use to apply for an IP Address.
You may also be able to get help to set up your machine from a Departmental Computing Officer/knowledgeable colleague. If you are highly computer literate you can also set up your own machine. However, it is important you cover all the steps done by the technicians especially those concerning security. Find out more about security.
The Technician will complete the following steps (not all applicable to Macs):
You will be set up as a named user of your machine. In order to install software/change certain settings you need to be an Administrator on your machine. This is at the discretion of each department. Guest and Administrator accounts may also be enabled.
Install Automatic Windows Updates
All Queen's machines must be kept up-to-date with Windows Updates. Your machine is vulnerable to computer viruses and computer worms if your updates are not current. There are two types of installation. Talk to your technician about the most appropriate one for you.
- Fully Automatic (recommended)
- Automatic Download – Manual Installation
Install Centrally Managed Anti-Virus Software
Symantec Anti-Virus Software (SAV), or Norton Anti-virus Software (NAV) as it was formerly known, is a key software product for the University.
Due to the plethora of viruses on the Internet and the damage which many of them can do, the University has created a managed anti-virus system based on SAV. A number of central servers provide client PCs and Macs with updated virus definition files almost as soon as they become available.
To reap the benefits of this system, it is imperative that all suitable PC and Mac clients within the University are added to this system. When added, a PC or Mac will be kept updated against viruses automatically. The user does not need to initiate anything, except start the PC or Mac.
The managed system will periodically scan every computer e.g. Monday lunchtime. This may temporarily slow the machine down.
You may also scan manually. This is useful if you receive a floppy disk/memory stick from somebody else e.g. a student. Click on the Symantec Antivirus icon on the taskbar and select Scan. Choose what you wish to scan. You could also choose to scan the hard disk if there is a suspicion that the computer has become infected.
Install Sypware Removal Software
Adware or spyware can cause annoying pop-ups, frequent computer crashes and slow your Internet connection. In extreme cases they can ‘steal’ personal information, such as credit card numbers, by recording keystrokes.
You need a program called SpyBot to remove adware/spyware code. It will be necessary for you to run this occasionally to clean spyware from your hard disk.
To connect your computer to the network you must provide the technician with the IP address you obtained through filling out the form QF/22.
You will need to place your computer near a ‘live’ Internet wall-box.
Information Services is involved in obtaining site licence and departmental licence software for the University.
The core software used in the University is Microsoft Office and Windows. Unless instructed otherwise - the technician will only install standard software. Find out more about software and software licences.
Information Services recommends that staff use network printers rather than personal printers. Personal printers tend to lie idle for most of the day, are slower and cost more to run.
A number of user systems have been afflicted by pop-up windows.
The Google toolbar, available to download from http://toolbar.google.com, is fairly effective in stopping pop-ups. Please remember to allow pop-ups on QUB webpages.
