Portable Computers
All Faculty, exempt staff, and students (Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy) are issued a Tablet PC.
Current Fujitsu Tablet issues:
Caring For Your Portable Computer:
As with any electronic device, proper care of your portable computer is essential in maintaining reliable and dependable quality performance.
Improper care can result in damage to your computer. If the system is stolen\lost or the repair is greater than the deductible of $325, you will be responsible for the payment of the deductible before another replacement computer can be issued to you. The loss or theft of the computer is a one-time use of the deductible for computer replacement. The second instance of theft\loss of your portable computer will result in actual replacement cost of the same system. (For further clarification, see the SPAHP Student Portable Computer Initiative Policy on the OASA webpage.)
Reasonable and responsible care of your portable computer will help ensure your hardware is in good condition for all the years that you will have this system. Listed below are some tips to assist you in caring for your portable computer.
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Preventing Damage Due to Food and Liquids:
Eating and drinking around your computer is strongly discouraged! Crumbs and liquid can damage the components in and around the keyboard resulting in repair costs that may be very expensive.
If you spill liquid on the keyboard:
- Turn off the computer & remove the battery
- Fully extend the screen (to the full open position)
- Turn the unit upside down on a towel. Let the liquid drain.
- Let the keyboard dry a minimum of three full days before trying to use it again.If the keyboard does not work after it dries, contact the OLAT Service Desk.
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Cleaning and Maintaining Your Portable Computer:
- Screen
Caution: An LCD screen is made of specially coated glass and can be very easily scratched or damaged by abrasive or ammonia-based window cleaners. Use a soft lint-free cloth and water only (distilled is recommended). Apply a little water on the cloth (never directly on the screen), and wipe the screen with the cloth. You can also purchase LCD spray cleaner from any retail store (Office Depot, Best Buy, Circuit City) and follow the directions on the spray bottle on how to clean your LCD screen.
- Keyboard
Clean occasionally to free it of dust and lint trapped under the keys. Blow dirt from under the keys using an aerosol can of air with a narrow, straw-like extension. You can purchase these aerosol cans at any Office Depot, Best Buy, Office Max, Circuit City, or other retail stores that sell computers.
- Exterior
After turning off the notebook and all peripherals, use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean the portable computer and other parts of your system. Do not use abrasive or solvent cleaners because they can damage the finish.
- Vents
Your computer is cooled by air drawn in through the vents on the chassis and blown out through the power supply exhaust fan, so keep the vents free of dust. With the computer turned off and unplugged, brush the dust away from the vents with a damp cloth. Be careful not to drip any water into the vents. Do not attempt to clean dust inside the computer, bring it in to the OLAT Service Desk for maintenance.
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Special Considerations:
- Extreme temperatures
Exposing your notebook to extreme cold or heat may result in a cracked screen and/or damage the internal components. Never leave your unit in a car, or in direct sunlight. If your notebook gets very cold, let it warm to room temperature before turning on -- condensation can cause components to short out
- Weight Restrictions
Although your portable computer unit is encased in a protective cover, piling heavy items on the top may cause the screen to crack. If there is too much weight placed on the screen when you are carrying it with heavy books, the screen may become dented with keyboard impressions, additionally, a logo on the lid of the plastic case may create an impression that will be visible on your screen when your computer is turned on.
- Clearance for proper cooling
The cooling fan allows the units’ processor to remain cool during use. Be sure that the fan is not blocked when the portable computer is in use. This could result in the CPU overheating, causing it to burn out. (It is normal for the fan on portable computers to feel very warm.)
- Transportation
When transporting your portable computer, you must put it a carrying case. It is also highly recommended that you turn the portable computer off whenever you transport it to prevent hardware damage. Do not check this as baggage for airline transport.
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Preventative Maintenance:
To help keep your computer running efficiently and reduce the risk of virus attacks it is recommended that you do the following on a regular basis:
- Keep your Windows updates current. Your computer by default is set to automatically download all updates available for your computer. You will receive a pop-up message telling you that there are downloaded updates ready to be installed. Install the updates at your earliest convenience. If you want, you can let the updates install while you are working on your computer.
- Install updates from Java, Apple, Firefox, Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash as they become available. these programs will automatically check for updates and prompt when they are ready to be installed.
- Make sure Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection antivirus definitions are up to date. Contact the OLAT Service Desk (olat@creighton.edu, 402-280-3037, or 800-325-2830) if the green box in the lower right system tray is not present or is red and requires attention. virus definitions will update several times throughout the day as they become available. Your computer is setup to run a virus scan automatically once a week and if skipped will run the next time you log into your computer.
Note: Windows 7 automatically schedules a Disk Defragment weekly.
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Data Backup For Students:
OLAT recommends that you backup your data on a regular basis. When backing up your data it is important that you configure the backup solution to also backup the "Data" drive. OLAT is available to assist in configuring and verifying that your backup is working properly. You can backup your data in one of the following ways:
- External Storage Devices
- External Hard Drive, USB Flash Drive, CD/DVD
- This process is less secure and requires that you have the external storage device connected to your computer during the backup. Space available for backups depends on the size of the external drive. Windows 7 has a built in Backup and Restore program that can be configured to assist in backing up your data when the external device is connected.
- Online Backup Systems
- Carbonite, Mozy, IDrive, BackBlaze.
- These products are located offsite, fully automated, secure and cannot be lost. While you are connected to the internet, files will be backed up as changes are made to them. In the event of a computer failure the files can be restored or opened on another computer.
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