The computer I was using completely "froze up" on me. What do I do?

Unfortunately, there are times when a computer will mysteriously just stop working. The mouse won't move. The keyboard won't work. The only thing left to do is restart the computer. The way to do this when everything seems to no longer work is to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time. You should see a Novell screen. First try the Task List and shut down each application. If this doesn't help, you will have to choose the Shutdown option. If you do not get a Novell screen, you will need to press and hold the on/off button on the computer for a few seconds to manually shut the computer off.

Why are password rules so complicated?

Paul Smith's has some rules about the password you choose to access email and the campuse systems. Keeping your password safe and hard to guess is critical to ensure that your identity isn't stolen.   Think about the consequences of someone assuming your identity and hacking into a University computer system, or spreading a virus or worm across the campus network.  You should never share your password with anyone.  If you follow the guidelines, you can choose a password that is easy for you to remember (memorize), but hard for someone else to figure out.

How do I get help when I have a computer problem?

The computer help desk hours are listed above.  You can stop into the Helpdesk office or you can enter a trouble ticket into the Paul Smiths SysAid system using the link in the upper right corner of this page.  Using the SysAid system will allow you to track your issue and you can follow the status any time on the web.

My monitor had gone black what do I do?

Move the mouse or tap the Shift key on your keyboard. Sometimes monitors are set to "go to sleep" after a certain amount of time if the image doesn't change.

Check to see that the power light on the front of the monitor is green. If not, your computer or your monitor may have lost power.