Thursday, September 23, 2010

1st day in Computer Lab – 9/21/10

Went with GA to change monitor and CPU in a professor’s office. The professor had saved all the documents that she wanted to keep in the documents folder, and the GA brought an external hard drive to save these documents on. I plugged in the drive, saved all the docs to the drive, then unplugged the monitor and CPU, then put the new ones in place. Re-attached the CPU to the monitor and then transferred the docs from the device to the new CPU/monitor. However, after downloading a new printer driver to the computer and updating Windows 7, the printer could not connect with the new computer. The driver software would unzip, but there was no option to run/install. A lot of time was spent searching the internet for drivers, trouble-shooting solutions and going back and forth from 2nd to 3rd floor. Also in the beginning, we had to wait approx. 15 min. for someone to come with a key to let us in to the office to make the switch. In all, this took about 2 hrs of my and the GA’s time. In talking to Dr. Robison, he said that about 75% of their time is taken up in printer issues. Case in point, as we were talking, a student came to him with printer problems. She was trying to print to a certain printer, but was unable to find where her documents actually printed and where they were. Dr. R. was able to help her with remote viewing software.
Dr. Robison said that many of the printer problems could be alleviated if everyone used a central printer.
~ Problems noted:
o Many docs printed are never picked up. Tremendous paper waste.
§ How to ID who is printing and making sure they pick papers up?
§ Papers kept in an "In" and basket emptied every Friday?
o Need alcohol hand gel at each computer station, "Cover Your Sneeze" signs and Kleenex boxes distributed around the room
o Old CPU’s labeled and stored in basement in case someone forgot to save a doc for a new computer installation. But handled awkwardly – GA removed CPU, but doesn’t label it right away. Leaves it to Dr. R. who by now is gone. CPU sits outside his office. GA will leave, Dr R. – will he remember who’s it was? Suggest GA label it right away with prof.’s name. Take label with him when switches are made.

No comments:

Post a Comment