SMG IT Services (ITS)

PC Support

ITS stands ready to assist with the operation of all
faculty and staff computers in the School of Management.

Contact the helpdesk to report problems or schedule appointments for technical support either by calling 353-9858 or sending email to helpdesk@management.bu.edu .

Students taking School of Management courses are welcome to receive assistance configuring their laptops for the SMG Network and the BU Wireless Network, to get help installing antivirus and spyware protection programs, and with the removal of software viruses. To learn more about these services or to schedule an appointment with our technical staff, see our FAQ below. For more comprehensive laptop support, students should contact the PCSC.

 

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FAQ Topics

Policies

Can students have their laptops configured by ITS?
What ITS laptop services are offered to students?
Can you fix my home computer?
Should I turn my office computer off at night?
How can faculty and staff get a printer for their office?
How can faculty and staff request additional hardware or software?

Troubleshooting

My computer is acting strange; what could be wrong?
Why can't I see my P: drive or printers?
Someone has sent me a virus or a warning to delete a virus from my computer. What should I do?
I'm receiving messages that my inbox is too full. I've deleted messages, so why am I still getting this warning?
What does this 'Physical Memory Dump' error mean?

Networking

How do I configure my laptop for Wireless Network Access?
How do I configure my laptop for logging into the SMG Network also known as the Active Directory (network drives and printing)?
Can I access files on the SMG network remotely?

 

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FAQ Answers

Policies

Can students have their laptops configured by ITS?
Yes. We offer open laptop configuration sessions at the beginning of each term; students may freely attend these sessions. Session times and locations are posted in the labs and student lounges and in the SMGnet calendar.

Students may also make an appointment to meet with a technician about laptop configuration See appointments below.
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What ITS laptop services are offered to students?
Services we offer students, by appointment:

1. SMG network drive connectivity (P, H, Q and S drives)
2. Network printer connectivity (SMG computer lab printers)
3. BU Wireless Network connectivity and trouble-shooting

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Can you fix my home computer?
Our department resources are focused on the computers owned by the School of Management and therefore we are unable to support home computers.

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Should I turn my office computer off at night?
Office computers should be left on, but logged off during weekday nights. This allows your computer to automatically receive anti-virus updates and Microsoft updates that protect your computer from viruses and security holes. Computers may be shut down during the weekend to conserve energy. Please be aware that if your office computer is turned off, you will not be able to access it via Remote Desktop.
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How can faculty and staff get a printer for their office?
Requests for desktop printers and toner should be coordinated through your departmental Program Coordinator. ITS recommends the use of Laser Technologies as the vendor for desktop printers and toner cartridges. You can reach Laser Technologies at (978) 897-5499.
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How can faculty and staff request additional hardware or software?
All School of Management purchases of computer equipment, with the exception of desktop printers (see above), must be authorized in advance by Information Technology Services. In addition, any software for use on School of Management office, classroom or lab computers must be authorized in advance by ITS. We will not be able to guarantee support, reimbursement or installation without ITS approval. Also, since the University is tax-exempt, we are unable to reimburse individuals for any tax incurred on purchases.

The ITS staff is available to work with each of you in specifying and obtaining quotes for all computer equipment, accessories, peripherals and software. Their involvement ensures that we have a stable and reliable computing and network environment and that we obtain the best pricing for all purchases. ITS also is responsible for maintaining and verifying compliance with all software licensing agreements.

If you are interested in purchasing hardware or software, email ITS at: helpdesk@management.bu.edu.
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Troubleshooting

My computer is acting strange; what could be wrong?
That depends on what "strange" means, but often it means that a computer is infected with spyware. Spyware is software, typically with a marketing or advertising purpose, that is downloaded to your machine without your consent. Common symptoms include:

• random pop-up advertisements even when not connected to the Web
• changes in personal settings (e.g. your browser home page resets itself)
• addition of unwanted toolbars
• overall sluggishness in performance (see below)
• sudden and frequent computer crashes
• applications taking considerably longer to open

If sluggishness is the only issue, your computer might not be infected with spyware. There may be too many programs installed or open; or one of the programs may have a memory leak. Try rebooting your machine to improve the situation. If restarting does not improve performance, contact the helpdesk for a diagnostic.

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Why can't I see my P: drive or printers?
Typically, this is a sign that you're not connected to the Active Directory (AD): the network of file and print resources. Try logging out and then back in; be sure to select AD where it says "Log on to:"

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Someone has sent me a virus or a warning to delete a virus from my computer. What should I do?
Contact the Helpdesk at x3-9858 immediately. DO NOT delete anything. Some of these apparently good-intentioned warnings actually ask you to delete legitimate and necessary parts of your computer's operating system (e.g. JDBGMGR.EXE Virus Warning [Teddy Bear Virus]).

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I'm receiving messages that my inbox is too full. I've deleted messages, so why am I still getting this warning?
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is responsible for handling BU's email servers, so we don't have much control over this, but we can point you to a few resources. See the e-mail section under 'OIT Services' on our pages for recommendations. Or call OIT's PCSC at x3-7272. Also, you should refer to the PCSC article When You Have Exceeded Your Quota.

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What does this 'Physical Memory Dump' error mean?
Despite the "Blue Screen of Death", Physical Memory Dumps are generally not as severe as they sound; more likely than not, the error won't recur. Just re-start your computer, but please contact the Helpdesk if it happens frequently.

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Networking

How do I configure my laptop for Wireless Network Access?
To access the Wireless Network from within the SMG building you need to do three things.

1. Purchase and install a compatible Wireless Network card (if your laptop does not have one built in).
2. Configure the Wireless Network card with the settings specific to BU's Wireless Network.
3. Download, install and configure the Cisco VPN client available from BU.

For up-to-date steps and instructions, see the PCSC Wireless Configuration pages.
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How do I configure my laptop for logging into the SMG Network also known as the Active Directory (network drives and printing)?
For complete instructions on how to configure your computer for connecting to the SMG Network, consult our self-guided laptop configuration pages.
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Can I access files on the SMG network remotely?
Yes. Configure your (remote) computer for the SMG network and use the VPN (see laptop configuration pages).
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Didn't find the answer to your question?

You can contact the ITS Helpdesk by emailing helpdesk@management.bu.edu
or calling 617-353-9858.