Lab Consultants Common Job Tasks and Duties

Sometimes you will need to generate a temporary password for a class or individual to log into the labs. Classes should only get a group password if they are only meeting in the lab once or twice during the semester, otherwise students need to pay the lab fee. Individual passes are generally only given to students if they have been locked out for the day. Issuing guest passes generates a trouble report, which Sarah monitors. Be sure to fill out the comments section and do not give out passes unless you are sure it's appropriate to do so.

To Generate Passwords

1. Log into the Lab Check-in System.
2. For an individual, complete the salmon "Guest account retrieval" sub-section. This is will generate a random password that is tied to that student.
3. For classes, use the purple "Lab Group Guest account retrieval" sub-section. Be as complete as possible.

Check with the leads or Sarah if you have any questions about who can get temporary lab access.

If there is a "Stuck Job" in the printer:

• Log into Pharos (pink icon on Consultant Station desktop)
• A menu appears on the left side of the window, select 'Print servers'
• Then 'UNIPRINT1'
• Then 'Printers'
• Scroll down to the printer that is having a problem and select it.
• A list of jobs waiting to be printed on this printer should show up on the right window (it will be empty if there are no print jobs).
• If there is a 'bad' job you will find it under the Status column something saying "error".
• Select that job (just click on it once), then select the red delete button (right above this).
• If there are other jobs listed in this window keep an eye on the printer as they should start printing once the corrupt job is deleted.

Restart The Printer

One thing that commonly happens is users will try to print their file multiple times, and they may clog up a couple printers with this job (this usually affects the Library). So if you log in to clear a bad job, look in the queues for other close printers to see if it is in more than one place.

Extra paper can be found in the TechCenter or the Library Storage Closet by the bathrooms on the first floor. The first floor consultant should have a key for the library labs, which will also open this closet door. Toner for the labs can also be found in this closet. Call the Leads if you have any questions.

If students have problems printing, and the job is under $1, reprint the job for them using your print card.

If the job is over $1, fill out the pink printer refund form and bring it to the TechCenter. Money will be refunded to the students account as soon as possible.

If equipment is not working correctly, and you can not fix it yourself, and you've called a Lead, please fill out a trouble report online so the appropriate people can be notified.

Examples of times to include computers not powering on, printers not working, projector bulbs being burnt out, etc. If you have any questions please ask the Leads or Sarah.

A link can be found on the main consultant home page.

In addition, fill out a Out of Order Report form and attach it to the broken unit so others do not try to use it. These should be located around the consultant stations in every lab, and extras can be found in the TechCenter.

It is important to be as detailed as possible so the problem can be quickly addressed.

Only students who pay the "Full Lab Access Fee" can use the computer labs on campus. All students can use the computers in Solon Campus Center 41, and computers in the library marked "Basic Access".

Students who have classes in a computer lab are automatically charged the fee as part of their tuition. Others who wish to purchase lab access can do so from the BookStore.

To Check Access Level

1. Log into the Lab Check-in System.
2. Enter their student ID number in the blue "Manual Check-in" section.
3. Select the submit button
   • If the student does have full access, page with a green "GO" icon will appear.
   • If the student does not have full access, the message "Does not have Lab Access" will appear. This means they can only use the basic access areas.

Computing Service Unit Cards can be purchased at the cashier's window (DAdB) or from the Bookstore.

Students purchase the cards for the following reasons:

Full Access

• Day Pass = $6
• Week Pass = $20
• Semester Pass = $68.13

Additional Storage Space

• Adding 100MB = $6

Follow the steps below to process a card.

Remember to fill out (Green) Database Report Form. Return the Database Report Form to the TechCenter with the RIGHT side of card attached.

1. Log into the Lab Check-in System.
2. Click "Process Card" in the "Other Options" section (top right).
3. Choose appropriate fields, enter student ID, click add.
4. Back on the Lab Check in System page, enter student ID into blue "Manual Check-in" section to make sure system updated properly.

For more info on setting up personal laptops for printing to lab printers, please visit Printing.

All UMD students and staff have access to two servers, MyFiles and MyWeb, that can accessed from their personal computers for file storage.

MyFiles is private, and only accessible by the account holder. MyWeb is accessible by anyone with an internet browser by going to that users Homepage. Pages can be accessed by going to www.d.umn.edu/~username where "username" is the individuals X.500 username (the same one used for email). Example: www.d.umn.edu/~jdoe001

When off campus, a VPN client must be used to connect to these servers. Links to connect to MyFiles and MyWeb can be found on the desktop of all ITSS lab computers.

Setting up your Samba directory eliminates the need to use an FTP program to transfer your files from your computer to your personal web directory. Once your Samba MyWeb directory is set up, you access the files just as you do files on your hard drive.

For more info visit Samba.

From a Mac

1. From the finder, select Go from the top menu bar, then Connect To Server.
2. Enter smb://samba/myweb/ for the server address.
3. Click the plus sign to remember the address.
4. Connect to the server and authenticate with X.500 username and password.

MyWeb Server will now show up on the left hand menu in the finder window.

In 10.4, links will appear on the desktop as well.

In 10.5, servers are defaulted to not appear on the desktop, but this can be changed by going to the finder preferences, and under the general tab, selecting Connected Servers. When disconnected, the links will disappear.

Tip: drag the server links on the desktop to the area next to the trash can on the dock to create easy to access, always available links. Repeat this process again with smb://samba/myfiles/

From Windows

• In XP or 2000 - Select Start < Run < enter \\samba\ and press enter.
• In Vista - Click the windows icon, enter \\samba\ in the search field and press enter.
• After Authenticating with X.500 user name and password, find the MyWeb folder in the list, right click, and select map to network drive.
• Select a drive letter (preferably toward the end of the alphabet), select reconnect at login and save (if reconnect at login is not selected, the computer will forget the server when the user logs out). Now the MyWeb folder will be accessible from My Computer.
• Repeat the process for the MyFiles folder

To attach a personal laptop to the projectors, connect the laptop with the spare VGA cable on top of the podium. Next select the "laptop" button on the touch pad. If no image appears, go to the display settings and make sure the option for an additional monitor is selected. If the projector shows the computers desktop picture, but nothing else, the laptop may be set to "extend" the display onto this additional monitor. Change this to "mirror displays".

Many problems can be solved by restarting the computer with the computer connected to the projector.

For assistance, call the TechCenter at 218-726-8847.