CAS Computing Services Blog http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/ IT related information and "how to" instructions aimed at the UVM College of Arts and Sciences computer using community. en Copyright 2009 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:38:45 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sharepoint useage tip: Don't click on the name of a file A pair of department administrators asked me for help with editing files in Sharepoint. It turns out that they were confused about the difference between clicking on the name of a file and selecting "Edit in Microsoft " from the drop down menu.

They assumed that the two actions would give you the same results when in fact they do not.

Clicking on the name of a file a Sharepoint library will open that file in read only mode. If you then attempt to save that file, your only choice will be to save it on your local hard drive and then you'll have to wrestle with Sharepoint to get the file uploaded, delete the original, etc. etc.

If you want to edit a file in Sharepoint, never click on the file name. Instead, just hold your mouse over the file name, which will give you a box with a golden down arrow at the far end. Then select "Edit in Microsoft ". This checks the file out to you so that nobody else can change it, opens the file straight from Sharepoint into the appropriate Microsoft Office application and allows you to simply select Save from the File or Office menu to save your changes. Click on this screen capture to see what I mean:

Drop_down.JPG

Caveats:

1) This only works in under Windows
2) This only works under Internet Explorer

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/sharepoint_useage_tip_dont_cli.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/sharepoint_useage_tip_dont_cli.html Sharepoint Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:38:45 -0500 Are you still running Symantec Antivirus? Are you still running Symantec Antivirus security software on your computer? If yes, it's time to remove/replace it. ETS has just announced that they are decommissioning the on campus management servers for that software package as of November 30th. Although this shouldn't affect your use of your computer, you should note that because Symantec hasn't been updated here on campus for several years now, you are not completely protected from the various flavors of malware that have appeared in the interim.

Recently the only running installations of Symantec Antivirus that I've seen have been on MacOS computers. I am sure though that there are still older Windows computers out there that haven't been updated.

Please take this opportunity to remove SAV, and if you have a Windows computer, replace it with ESET's NOD32 product, found at http://www.uvm.edu/software Unless you are running a 64 bit version of Windows, you need the 32 bit version.

MacOS users can simply remove SAV by opening Macintosh HD then Applications then Symantec Solutions. There should be an uninstaller application available. You will need to authenticate as an administrator in the removal process. At present UVM does not have a recommended MacOS antivirus solution, but since there are still very few instances of MacOS malware in the wild, we feel that it is reasonably save to run your computer without it.

Windows users should open their Add/Remove Programs control panel, locate Symantec Security as well as LiveUpdate and remove BOTH. Then restart your computer, and install ESET's NOD32 32 bit version from the location mentioned above.

Lastly, Windows users should get in the habit of visiting the UVM software download page to check for updates to NOD32. ETS does not make an announcement when they update the NOD32 client version and although NOD32 does update its definition files automatically, it does not update the client software itself. Having the most current recommended version of NOD32 is important in order to avoid performance issues and malware infection.

As always, contact us if you have questions. http://www.uvm.edu/artsandsciences/computingsvs/

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/are_you_still_running_symantec.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/are_you_still_running_symantec.html antivirus Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:25:57 -0500 Lots of phishermen, don't fall for the bait We've seen many UVM customized phishing scams recently, including one that mocked up our webmail login page exactly.

The only legitimate email regarding password or status changes to your UVM email account is the one that comes from David Todd and DOES NOT ask you to do anything but go to the UVM account page to change your password.

Please be alert when following links in any email and make sure that the URL of what you clicked on makes sense. For any UVM related service, the URL should end in "uvm.edu". If it does not, then chances are high that the link is part of a scam.

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/lots_of_phishermen_dont_fall_f.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/10/lots_of_phishermen_dont_fall_f.html informational Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:21:13 -0500 Have you heard of UVM Guestnet? Recently a CAS faculty member approached me with a problem; she was the designated escort for a visiting professor who had his own laptop and wanted to use UVM's wireless network. Sure, she could have had him install the UVM VPN client software and then connect to Cat's Paws using her UVM netID, but then she'd have to reveal her password (which is against UVM policy) or stick to him like glue the entire week he was on campus.

I suggested UVM Guestnet. UVM Guestnet is a special wireless network that allows UVM affiliates (faculty, staff, students, basically anyone with a valid UVM netID) to "sponsor" a non-UVMer and allow them to connect to the Internet. The catches are that the sponsor is responsible for the behavior of whomever they sponsor, plus the account expires in seven days.

To begin the process, connect to the UVM Guestnet page on any computer currently connected to a network. Enter your UVM netID and password.

Read the page of policies and instructions, then click Get Started.

After you fill in the three required fields and click Create, your guest will be able to connect to the "UVM Guest" wireless network and start up a web browser. Their browser will ask them for the ID and password created by the Guestnet web page and then allow them onto the Internet as usual.

Each UVMer may sponsor up to five people for a maximum of seven days each.

UVM Guestnet access basically gives the user access to the public side of UVM's local network (www.uvm.edu, webmail, etc) as well as the broader public Internet. It is not intended for use by those who otherwise have an active UVM netID or who need access to restricted or secure UVM only resources.

As always, ask us here at CAS Computing Services if you have questions.

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/02/have_you_heard_of_uvm_guestnet.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/02/have_you_heard_of_uvm_guestnet.html informational Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:38:31 -0500 Still looking at a red "eyeball"? Are you still looking at a red "eyeball" NOD32 icon in your Windows XP or Vista system tray?

It has come to my attention that some are still waiting for NOD32 to "fix itself" as I mentioned it would back in November. The NOD32 license has long since been renewed and thus if you're still looking at a red "eyeball" icon, then there's something else wrong and you're going to have to take additional steps to get your anti-malware software working again.

Unfortunately at this point, you can't just install the new version on top of the old. So, please do the following:

1) Download the most current 32 bit version of NOD32 from http://www.uvm.edu/software to your computer.

2) Go to Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs on Windows XP or Start | Settings | Control Panel | Programs and Features under Vista.

3) Locate ESET NOD32 antivirus in the list of installed programs, click it and uninstall or remove it. When finished, restart your computer.

4) Double click the current version of NOD32 that you downloaded in step one and allow it to install. Under Vista, you will need to confirm any User Control alerts that appear during the install process.

Ultimately you should have a green eyeball in the system tray and, if you "hover" your mouse over the system tray icon a pop up will appear and it should tell you that you're running version 3.0.684.0

As always, contact CAS Computing Services if you have questions.

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/01/still_looking_at_a_red_eyeball.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2009/01/still_looking_at_a_red_eyeball.html antivirus Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:19:40 -0500 Announcing the CAS Computing Services blog CAS Computing Services has a new blog! Check it regularly for news and timely information regarding computers and Information Technology within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Search the archives by tag, keyword or category for how-to postings and other information.

You can view the blog either on the Computing Services web page.

Directly via the blog page, or as an RSS/Atom feed in your email program.

Click here if you don't know what an RSS feed is (no shame here, I didn't know until very recently).

As a rule, we will only send out email notifications of the most important postings, so please check the blog often.

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/announcing_the_cas_computing_s.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/announcing_the_cas_computing_s.html informational Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:25:03 -0500 Running over your Inbox quota? Are you getting notices that you're approaching the limit of your 50 MB Inbox quota?

Are you involved in a collaborative project that is generating lots of big email attachments?

Aside from the usual recommendations that you delete email you don't need, file it in IMAP mailboxes other than Inbox and don't forget to make sure that whatever email client you are using is set to purge at some point (verify this by logging into your account via webmail)

One easy way of handling this is to divert "big" email messages out of your inbox and into another IMAP folder as they arrive.

You can do this in the UVM filtering website:

http://www.uvm.edu/account

Log in using your UVM netID and password

Click on Email Filtering

Click Add New Filter

Under "Filter Big Messages" choose the minimum size message that you want filtered and then either select an IMAP mailbox to have the messages moved to, or select New and enter a new folder name.

The messages will be filtered into that folder with no other intervention from you. You can read the mail from that folder via webmail or any other IMAP capable

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/running_over_your_inbox_quota.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/running_over_your_inbox_quota.html email Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:10:52 -0500 Vista activation issues Pretty much every Optiplex GX755 desktop purchased and deployed by the College during January 2008 has had Vista activation issues. We believe that this issue was triggered by the recent deployment of Vista Service Pack 1 through Active Directory.

The version of Vista that we use here at UVM is Vista Enterprise. Vista Enterprise uses a centralized license server, called a KMS server, to provide authentication information back to Vista, "authenticating" Vista for another time period after which the computer will again look for the KMS server.

If the computer cannot find the KMS server, the original version of Vista would go into Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) which is another way of saying that it becomes useless. As of Service Pack 1, Microsoft has eliminated RFM. Instead Vista Enterprise will become nagware, posting endless notices that you may be running pirated software and asking you for a product key. The product key on the sticker on your computer is, of course, for the OEM version of Vista which is NOT what's currently installed on your computer

The fix for this is to simply provide the generic product key (VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV), which tells Vista Enterprise to look for the server again and all is well.

Geoff Duke has more information on this on his Blog

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/vista_activation_issues.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/vista_activation_issues.html how to Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:58:38 -0500 ESET NOD32 license renewed Enterprise Technical Services has announced that the ESET NOD32 Windows antivirus protection software license has been renewed and installed on our management servers. The orange "eyeball" should change back to that reassuring green all by itself.

Of course, if it doesn't, please contact CAS Computing Services for assistance on resolving the problem.

More from ETS here: http://www.uvm.edu/ets/?Page=News&storyID=13138

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/eset_nod32_license_renewed.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/12/eset_nod32_license_renewed.html antivirus Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:54:37 -0500 No worries regarding NOD32 license renewal warning Don't worry about the license expiration notice currently appearing on all Windows machines with UVM's NOD32 antivirus package installed.

ETS has informed us that they are aware of the notification and are already in the renewal process. ETS also tells us that this alert should disappear on its own with no user intervention required.

If you are running a Windows machine of any variety and do not yet have NOD32 installed (NOD32 is the normally green "eyeball" icon that appears in your system tray), it is time to make the switch.

Additionally, if you installed NOD32 more than a month or two ago, chances are you are running an obsolete version which can make your machine run more slowly than it should. You should upgrade NOD32 to the most current version.

To download the 32 bit version of NOD32 from http://www.uvm.edu/software

Remove any other installed antivirus software via the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or the Programs control panel (Vista).

If you have Symantec Antivirus of any flavor installed, also remove Symantec LiveUpdate using the same control panel.

Restart your computer, install NOD32 from the file you downloaded previous, and restart again.

If you are updating NOD32, the good news is that you can simply install the new client right over the old. The installer will remove the old version during the process.

]]> http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/11/no_worries_regarding_nod32_lic.html http://compute.blog.uvm.edu/2008/11/no_worries_regarding_nod32_lic.html antivirus Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:14:49 -0500