RESOURCES

Adding a Printer

Please see Apple's Mac OS X v10.6: Mac 101 - Printing for instructions on adding USB and network printers, and for troubleshooting information.

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Backing Up with “Backup My Computer”

Note: the "Backup my Computer" application has been replaced by SuperDuper.  These instructions apply only to those students who received the "Backup my Computer" software from the A&D IT Staff and are still running Mac OS X, version 10.3.9 or 10.4.  If you have updated to a newer operating system, or do not have the "Backup My Computer" application installed, please visit the A&D IT Office for assistance.

The data on your computer should be backed up on a regular basis. If the computer is used daily, backup should be performed daily. The external hard disk and a piece of software called Backup My Computer have been provided to make the process simple and quick so that daily backups will not be a chore. To perform a backup, just follow these steps.

• Connect your FireWire Hard Drive to the PowerBook G4 using the provided FireWire cable. Wait for the FireWire Hard Drive icon to show up on your desktop.
• Launch the Backup My Computer software. It can be found in the right side of the Dock, or in Macintosh HD /Applications/Utilities/Backup My Computer.
• The main window should look like the following image:
  
  
• As discussed in the introductory computer class, the volume that you're using to backup your computer needs to be named "Backup", or this procedure will fail.
• Click on the Synchronize button. A message stating "RsyncXapplet requires that you type your password" will be displayed. Authenticate using your account name/password, and click the "OK" button. The backup should begin at this point.
• When the backup has finished, the RsyncX window will say "RsyncX Backup Complete". Make sure that you unmount your firewire drive before unplugging it, either by dragging the drive to the trash, or by clicking the "eject" symbol next to the volume in a Finder window.

The first time you run a backup, it may take quite a while, depending on the amount of data on your hard drive. Successive backups will only transfer changed or new files, so they should be much faster (depending on how often you run them).

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Backing up with SuperDuper!

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Backing up with Time Machine

A&D IT recommends using Apple's Time Machine software to make backups for any computer issued in 2010 or later. See Apple's instructions for setting up Time Machine, making backups, and restoring files from your Time Machine backup.

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Burning Discs

Please see Apple's Disc Burning Quick Assist for information on burning CDs and DVDs.

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Campus Computing Sites

Room 2109 in the Art & Architecture building is an ITCS Campus Computing Site. This public computing site contains 18 Windows workstations, 8 iMac workstations, and 1 ErgoPod workstation; a scanner station, and several printers. These computers are loaded with a full complement of software - please see the ITCS Software list for more information. Please note that this site is also used as a classroom - please check the posted schedule for reserved classroom times.

For information on other campus computing sites, visit http://www.umich.edu/~sites/ .

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Computing Support

ITS Computer Support

Students who received their computers as part of the A&D Laptop distribution in or after September, 2010:

Your computing support will be provided by ITS Computing Support and Repair. Your purchase of a laptop bundle through A&D's Fall 2010 undergraduate student laptop program includes laptop repair for a period of four years from Sept. 1 on the year your computer was purchased. Warrantied repair coverage and walk-in support will be provided by the ITS Computer Support & Repair service desk in the UM Computer Showcase – at both the Pierpont Commons (North Campus) and the Michigan Union (Central Campus) locations. Walk-in consulting will be provided at no cost for the first 15 minutes for any Apple hardware/software related computer questions.
Click here to download a PDF that describes the full terms and conditions of the A&D's 2010 freshman computer bundle laptop repair coverage agreement.

Art & Design IT Support

Students who received their computers as part of the A&D Laptop distribution in 2008 or 2009:

A&D IT Staff will provide general hardware and system software support for your computer. If you have issues with your computer, the A&D IT Office should be your first stop. A&D IT Staff can examine the computer, help transfer your data to a loaner laptop if necessary, and assist with additional repair steps.

Please understand that fixing problems with the computer may involve erasing the internal hard drive and reinstalling the software, making regular backups of your data even more important.

Although we will make every effort to address your problems, please note that we may not be able to provide application-specific support or provide support for peripheral devices.

The Art & Design IT Office (room 2000 in the Art & Architecture Building) is open from 9 – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Depending on the immediacy of your issue, you can contact the IT staff in one of three ways:

E-Mail Assistance. For general questions, issues not needing immediate attention, or any issue not resolved by other methods, you can get assistance by sending questions and requests to a&dit@umich.edu.

Direct Assistance. For issues that require the technical support staff to work directly with you and/or the computer, you can schedule a time to bring the computer in to the Help Desk. Appointments can be scheduled by e-mail (preferred) or in person.

Phone Assistance. To reach IT Staff by phone, please call (734) 763-6504 during office hours.

4-HELP Connectivity Assistance: For most needs concerning internet connectivity, telephone support is available from ITCS by calling 764-HELP (764-4357, or 4-4357 on a campus phone). They support the internet connectivity software distributed on the University Blue Disk, email issues, the UM online directory, and many other items (see the complete list here).

ResHall Network Support: The staff at the ResHall center can help you with any problems relating to internet connectivity in any University Dormitory – getting your computer on the network, connecting, and configuring your system. Call 647-1133 to speak with a consultant.

ITCS Accounts Office:The ITCS Accounts Office can assist with computing accounts, subscriptions, uniqnames, passwords, and billing inquiries regarding ITCS services (including dial-in and U-M Online). Phone: 734-764-8000.

ITCS Online Documentation: Visit the Information Technology Central Services website to find answers to frequently-asked questions, links and tools to help you use your computer on campus, like:

• configure different email clients to read your U-M mail
• publish web pages on your U-M IFS space
• change your Kerberos password
• download and transfer files to/from your IFS account
• use the campus directory
• learn about anti-spam services on campus
• learn about anti-virus resources on campus
• learn about the U-M Basic Computing Package
• find a Campus Computing Site
• purchase discounted hardware and software for personal use

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Connecting to a Projector

Basic projection set up:

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Creating PDF Files

To create a PDF (Portable Document Format) of a document, choose Print... from the application's File menu. In the Print pop-up menu that appears, click the PDF button in the lower left side and select Save as PDF.... You'll be prompted to choose a location (and a name, if desired) for your PDF file - when you're done, click the Save button.

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Damage/Theft of Computing Equipment

Faculty, staff, and graduate student laptops are owned by the University of Michigan, and can be covered under warranty/insurance policies - you must contact A&D IT staff immediately if damage or theft occurs.

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Email Configuration

Please see the ITCS website for instructions on how to set up different email applications to connect to the ITCS Email Service.

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Finding Printer Drivers

You should visit your printer manufacturer's support website to download printer drivers or description files. To download and add drivers for an HP or Epson printer, visit the appropriate link below.  

Epson - Drivers & Support
HP - Software & Driver Downloads

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Force Quit Application

If an application stops responding, or if it will not quit when you choose Quit from it's Application menu, OS X provides a reliable way to end the program without interrupting other running applications.

You can force quit an application by pressing the key combination: (option + apple + Esc), or by choosing Force Quit from the Apple menu. Unlike the Force Quit key combination in Mac OS 9 and earlier, using the command in OS X will pop up a window that allows you to select which currently running program you would like to end. In addition, Force Quit in OS X doesn't require a restart--any other running programs should continue to function normally.

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Getting Started with OS X

Please visit Apple's Mac 101 page for information on how to get started using Mac OS X, including information on:

• Tour of Mac OS X - shows you where things are located and how to get around your Mac
• Using your Mac's applications 
• Customizing your Mac
• how to connect peripherals and connect to the internet
• troubleshooting common issues

If you're accustomed to using Windows, Apple's Switch 101 will show you how to migrate your files and do the same tasks you're used to doing on a PC on a Mac.

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IFS Space

Please see the ITCS IFS Overview for complete information and instructions on your IFS space and how to access it.

The Institutional File System (IFS) lets you access your documents and files from different computers at different locations. IFS is a central file storage, sharing, and retrieval system that you can access from Macintosh, Windows, and Unix computers.

Your personal storage space on IFS is called your "home directory." Students who are listed by their department as "Active in Program" and all faculty and regular staff on the Ann Arbor campus automatically receive an IFS home directory as part of their Basic Computing Package.

IFS is essentially a file storage medium; it gives you a central, convenient place to store files and documents. Here's what you can do with your IFS space:

• Web publishing. You can publish your own home page on the web by using the Public folder inside your home directory. Create a folder called html inside your Public folder, and put your web page inside.  For complete instructions on web publishing, see the UMWeb Guide to Creating Your Homepage.
• File storage and access from multiple locations You can access files in your IFS home directory from any computer with an Internet connection and the appropriate software installed. This means you don't need to carry diskettes or other storage media around with you. You don't have to worry about files on diskettes being damaged or lost, either. A benefit of IFS is that the files are backed up regularly for you.
• File sharing. You can put files in your IFS home directory, or in other directories on IFS, for others to share. This is a good alternative to sending e-mail attachments, particularly when several people need access to the same file. IFS can serve as a shared work space for a group of people.

Uploading and downloading files to/from your IFS requires the use of SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocal; regular (non-secure) FTP is no longer supported. You can use free SFTP applications like Fugu or Cyberduck to access your IFS space - simply download the one of the programs from the links above, install, and enter the appropriate information to connect to your IFS space:

• Server Name: sftp.itd.umich.edu
• Login: your uniqname
• Password: your kerberos password
• Directory: (leave blank to access the root directory of your IFS space)

You can also use UM's new online file management tool, mfile, to store, transfer, and share files using your IFS space over the web - please see Using your IFS Home Directory Over the Web with mFile for instructions.

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Network Access

The A&A building uses the MWireless and UM Wireless Network, which provides access to anyone with a wireless card and a UM uniqname/password. For instructions on setting up your computer or other device to connect to the MWireless and UM Wireless Network, go to: http://www.itcom.itcs.umich.edu/wireless/

For access to the wireless and ethernet networks at the North Main Street Faculty Studio and South State Street Graduate Studio, or to access the ethernet (not wireless) network in the A&A building, please fill out our Network Access Request Form.

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Purchasing/Requesting Computer Equipment

All hardware and software purchased for University use (Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Student purchases) must be approved in advance by the A&D IT Office and the A&D Finance office.  If you are thinking about making a UM-funded purchase, or would like to request new equipment, please consult with the A&D IT Staff first.

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Software Update

To apply updates to Apple software, you can use the Software Update panel in System Preferences. You will need to be connected to a high-speed network to download these large software updates, so make sure you are using your Ethernet or Airport connection in a broadband-enabled location, like the Art & Architecture building or your University dormitory. Check to make sure that your computer has plenty of free hard drive space before applying large updates. Always make sure you have a current backup of your hard drive before you apply updates; if your computer encounters a problem while updating, your data could be damaged.

Open Software Update by selecting Software Update from the Apple menu. You can also access Software Update by opening System Preferences and selecting the Software Update panel (this panel will also let you choose to check for updates automatically, at specified intervals).

To check for new updates, click the Check Now button. The system will pause for a few seconds while it connects to Apple's servers and looks for available updates that specifically apply to your system. A new window will open, listing all available updates. To install all checked updates, click the Install button. You may need to click through several installation agreements, and enter your username and password to authorize the updates. A status bar will indicate the progress of the selected installations. When all installations have completed, you may be asked to click a button and restart your computer. After restarting, please run Software Update again – some updates may still need to be installed.

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Wireless

The A&A building and Faculty/graduate studios - along with many other campus buildings - use wireless resources provided by campus Information and Technology Services. Wireless access is available to anyone with a valid University of Michigan uniqname and UMICH password.

MWireless is the most secure way to use the wireless network and should be used by all U-M faculty, staff and students. Before using the service, you will need to configure settings on your wireless device. See Connecting to ITS Provided WiFi Networks.

UM Wireless Network should be used by U-M faculty, staff and students if the device they are using does not meet 802.1x/WPA2 technical standards. UM Wireless Network should also be used by Department Sponsored guests. To access UM Wireless Network launch a web browser then enter your user name and password.

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