Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Audiovisual/Classroom Technology 

• Where can I find a complete list for AV equipment in the Engineering building?

Computer Accounts and Passwords

• How can I get a new Supercomputing Applications in Qatar for Research (SAQR) account?
• How can I reset my TAMUQ password?
• How can I get my TAMUQ account unlocked?
• What do I need to do if my account is blocked?
• How can I reset my NetID?
• Why should I change my passwords before I go on vacation?

E-mail/Newsgroup

• How can I change the Font Size in Outlook?
• How can I create a Group in Outlook?
• How can I subscribe to a Newsgroup?

Hardware Troubleshooting

• How can I setup Dual Monitors?
• How can I enable Arabic on my PC?
• How can I change the Hybernation on my PC?

Home Computer Equipment

• What do I do if my home computer or network has a problem?
• Where do I go to get supplies for my home printer or computer?

Laptops

• What do I do when my laptop needs repair or re-imaging?

Printers

• How can I set my Default Printer?

Software

• How can I activate Math Equation in Microsoft?
• How Do I Merge PDF Files with Adobe?
• How Do I Get a New Blackboard Vista Section?
• How Do I Add Additional Members (Other Instructors, TAs, Auditors) to My Blackboard Vista Section?
• How Do I Add the Grade Book to my Blackboard Vista Course?
• What is Citrix?
• What is Webvpn?
• What is Blackboard Vista?
• What is SharePoint?

Audiovisual/Classroom Technology

Q. Where can I find a complete list for AV equipment in the Engineering building?
A. A complete list of AV equipment is available under the Instructional Technology > Multimedia and Video Conferencing.

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Computer Accounts and Passwords

Q. How can I get a new SAQR account?
A. To get an SAQR account, log in to http://saqr.qatar.tamu.edu/ and click on Request an account located at the bottom of the page. Fill out the form and click on Submit.

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Q. How can I reset my TAMUQ password?
A. First go to the following URL and try resetting your password (You will need to know your Neo NetID and password in order to authenticate.)

http://technology.qatar.tamu.edu/password

If this does not work, then come to the ITS Helpdesk, with a picture ID, and we will help you reset your password.
 

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Q. How can I get my TAMUQ account unlocked?
A. If you get an email stating that your account is locked, this most likely means that you have tried to log into your account too many times without success.

Solution:  Write down or record the exact error message. Come to the ITS Helpdesk, with a picture ID, and we will unlock your account.

Q. What do I need to do if my account is blocked?
A.This could mean that you are either running a file sharing program or that Admissions or ITS have blocked your account for a specific reason.

Solution:  Come to the ITS Helpdesk with a picture ID and we can help you unblock your account.

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Q. How can I reset my NetID?
A.Once your Neo NetID password has expired, you will need to come to the ITS Helpdesk with a picture ID.  The Helpdesk representative will "mark" your account for a password change and help you create a new one.

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Q. Why should I change my password before I go on vacation?
A. Your passwords are only good for a certain number of months.  It is a good idea to check the expiration date of your TAMUQ and Neo NetID passwords before leaving on vacation during the summer.  If  your password expires while you are gone, we cannot legally change it for you through email.  Links for changing passwords:

TAMUQ - http://technology.qatar.tamu.edu/password
Neo NetID - http://password.tamu.edu/

OR

TAMUQ - Log into the the TAMUQ Web Resources page (http://webvpn.qatar.tamu.edu/). 
Click on the Password Change link under Web Shortcuts and follow the instructions for resetting your password.

Neo - Go to the Main Neo Login page (http://neo.tamu.edu/).  Click on the "Set a new password" link located half-way down the page.  Follow the instructions carefully.

If the above steps do not work, then come to the ITS Helpdesk, with a picture ID, and we will help you reset your passwords.
  

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E-mail/Newsgroup

Q. How can I change the Font Size in Outlook?
A.

1. Open your Outlook program
2. Select View from the menu bar at the top of the page.
3. From the drop-down menu, click on Arrange By>Custom
4. Once the Custom screen opens, click on the Other Settings button.
5. From the Other Settings screen, under the Column Headings and Rows section, select the new Column Font size and Row Font size that you would like (to change the font and row settings, click on the Column Font and Row Font buttons).
6. After changes have been made, click OK at the bottom of the page.

NOTE:  You cannot automatically change the font size of the body of  the received message because the sender has already formatted the message with a specific font.

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Q. How can I Create a Group in Outlook?
A.

1. Open Outlook
2. From the Outlook toolbar, click on the down arrow for New  and select Distribution List.
3. Type in the name of your Group in the Name: line.
4. Click on the Select Members tab and add the members from the Address Book.
5. After everyone has been added, click on Save and Close.
6. The group should show up in the left hand column in Outlook under Contacts.

NOTE:  If you want your new group added to the Address Book, open a new Helpdesk ticket asking ITS to add this group.

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Q. Subscribing to a Newsgroup?
A.

1. Open a browser and go to http://webvpn.qatar.tamu.edu/
2. Log in using your TAMUQ username and password.
3. Under Web Shortcuts, select Newsgroup Subscriptions.
4. Under News Group, select any of the groups you would like to join.
5. Click on  Update at the bottom of the page.

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Hardware Troubleshooting

Q. How can I setup dual monitors?
A.

1. Right click on  your desktop.
2. Select Properties.
3. Select the Settings tab.
4. Display: in the middle of the screen should read 2. Plug and Play Monitor on RADEONX300 Series Secondary
5. Click OK  to save the settings.

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Q. How can I enable Arabic on my PC?
A.

1. On your computer, select Start>Settings>Control Panel.
2. Click on the Regional and Language icon.
3. Select the Languages tab.
4. Check the first box under Supplemental language support labeled Installing files for complex script and right-to-left languages.  This will install Arabic and other complex scripts.
5. Click on the Details button under the Text services and input languages section.
6. Click on the Add button.
7. Choose Arabic(Qatar) from the list.
8. Click OK>OK>OK

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Q. How can I change the Hybernation on my PC?
A.

1. Right click on the Desktop
2. Select Properties
3. Select the Screen Saver tab
4. At the bottom of the page, click on the Power button 
5. Change the Turn Off monitor option and the Turn off hard disk option. 
6. Click on OK 

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Home Computer Equipment

Q. What do I do if my home computer or network has a problem?
A. Open a Helpdesk ticket (helpdesk@qatar.tamu.edu) explaining the problem you are having.  Please incllude all your contact information.  Examples:  Compound name; Villa number; mobile number; home phone number.  The ticket will be forwarded to the Home Computing company we work with.  They will call you and make an appointment to come out and repair/fix your computer or network.

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Q. Where do I go to get supplies for my home printer or computer?
A. If you need toner, speakers, etc. for your home printer or computer, you will need to purchase these items from a local computer store.

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Laptops

Q. What do I do when my laptop needs repair or re-imaging?
A.

1. The first thing you need to do is backup your hard drive (http://technology.qatar.tamu.edu/).
2. Bring the laptop to the ITS Receptionist (Room 139)
3. Fill out the proper form provided by ITS giving detailed information about the problem.
4. You will be contacted when your laptop is ready.

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Printers

Q. How can I set my default printer?
A.

1. Open the Control Panel on your computer (Start/Control Panel).
2. Double click on  Printers and Faxes.
3. Right click on the printer you want as your default.
4. Select set as default printer.

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Software

Q. How can I activate Math Equation in Microsoft?
A.

1. Open Word and click on View
2. Select Toolbars>Customize
3. Select the Command Tab
4. Select Insert
5. Find Equation Editor
6. Once you have located Equation Editor, click and drag it to the toolbar at the top of your page.

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Q. How Do I Merge PDF Files With Adobe?
A.To merge all of the file:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.0.
2. On the toolbar, click on Create PDF file>>From Multiple Files
3. Browse and select the files that you want to merge.

To merge certain pages within the file to another PDF file:

1. Open one of the files that you want to merge in Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.0.
2. On the main menu, click on Document>>Insert pages.
3. Browse and select the file.
4. Specify where you would like to insert the pages within the current open file and specify what pages you want to insert.

Always include an introduction paragraph using the Normal-body style option from the Styles and Formatting toolbar on the right.

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Q. How do I Get a New Blackboard Vista Section?
A.

1. To request a section and student load, got to https://webctvistatools.tamu.edu/smu/ and use your NetID and Password to login.  Click on Section Management and follow the instructions.
2. Alternatively, upon logging into Vista (http://elearning.tamu.edu/), on the left hand side of the screen under Campus Bookmarks, click on Faculty--Request Vista Section.  This will take you to Section Management Utility, where you will need to log in again using your NetID and Password.  Once you have logged in, click on Section Management and follow the instructions.
3. You must be the instructor of record in SIMS to be able to request a Blackboard Vista section for the course.

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Q. How Do I Add Additional Members (Other Instructors, TAs, Auditors) to My Blackboard Vista Section?
A.

1. You can only add members to already existing Blackboard Vista sections.
2. Once the Vista section has been created and loaded, the instructor of record can add a member by using the Section Management Utility.  Go to https://webctvistatools.tamu.edu/smu and use your NetID and Password to login.
3. Upon login, seelct Member Management.  You will need to enter the members' UIN and NetID and click on Validate.  Indicate the role you want them to have, e.g. Auditor, Instructor, Designer, TA by clicking on the appropriate option.
4. You cannot add students using this method.  If a student needs to be added to your Vista section, contact ITS Helpdesk (helpdesk@qatar.tamu.edu).
5. Click on Submit at the end of the page to complete the operation.
6. You will receive an email notification to your Neo account confirming this request.

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Q. How do I add the Grade Book to my Blackboard Vista course?
A. The Grade Book tool is available to you by default under the Teach tab in your Bb Vista section.  In order for students to have access to their grades in Bb Vista, you should enable the My Grades tool for them by following these steps:

1. Click on Manage Course under Designer Tools (Build Tab) or Instructor Tools (Teach Tab) in the left-hand menu.
2. Click on Tools.
3. Click on the check box next to My Grades under Student Tools at the end of the page.
4. Click on Save.

Now your students will have a link to My Grades which will display their grades that you entered in the Grade Book.

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Q. What is Citrix?
A.Through our campus Citrix service for faculty, staff, and students allows access to an array of software products - without requiring the actual installation of the software on their individual computer. Citrix applications have proven to be reliable whether accessed from the TAMUQ campus, the main TAMU campus, and homes throughout Doha (with ADSL service).  Examples of applications installed on Citrix: Microsoft Viso, Micorosfot Project, Adobe CS2 suite, Matlab, Maple, Labview, Autodesk, and SolidWorks. In Addition, Citrix gives you fast access to your network drives (S:) and (H:) by using Complete Desktop. If you have questions about Citrix, please contact helpdesk@qatar.tamu.edu.

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Q. a href="#" name="webvpn">What is Webvpn?
A.Access to phone directories, emergency contact calling lists, newsletter and distribution lists; and short-text-messaging (SMS) application, password change application, and other useful services. https://webvpn.qatar.tamu.edu/.

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Q. What is Blackboard Vista?
A. Blackboard Vista (formerly known as WebCT) is a university-wide password protected course management system. Many TAMUQ instructors use this tool to deliver course information and materials. To access Blackboard Vista, use your NetID and password to logon to http://vista-test.tamu.edu.
  

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Q. What is SharePoint?
A.Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007 provides a platform for sharing information across collaborative teams.  SharePoint will provide a place for internal and external TAMUQ users to upload, create, edit, and share documents within a team environment providing full version control and email notifications.  SharePoint is now released in a pilot phase with restricted access.

TAMUQ faculty and staff SharePoint users access SharePoint at http://sharepoint.qatar.tamu.edu/ 
Non-TAMUQ SharePoint users access SharePoint at http://sharepoint-visitor.qatar.tamu.edu/

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