Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 19:25:58 -0800
From: [Mathematics Department System Administrator]

There have been a few reports that some students are having difficulty
with just logging into the Windows XP PCs in the CLICS lab.

SUGGESTIONS:

1) Make sure the CAPS LOCK key on the keyboard is turned OFF.


2) Make sure there's no empty leading space or other character in
   front of their login name in the "User name:" field (just hit
   the Delete key until you can't delete any more first).


3) Make sure the student is logging into the "AD" domain, and not
   the "xxx (this computer)" domain.

   On boot up, hitting Control-Alt-Delete should bring up a
   "Log On to Windows" window:
    
     User name: (Enter student's UCSD username, e.g. "jdoe")
      Password: (Enter student's password - up to the first 8 characters)
     Log on to: AD 

   Make sure the "Log on to:" field is set to "AD" (Active Directory)
   and NOT something like "ACS-GH-PC123 (this computer)", which
   represents the local computer.
 

4) Make sure the student is typing in NO MORE than the FIRST 8 (EIGHT)
   characters of their password (if they have a long password).

   In the old days (pre-Windows XP), the ACS systems only accepted the
   first 8 characters of a password and silently ignored the rest of
   what you typed in.

   On the new Windows XP workstations in CLICS, the systems will actually
   allow you to type in as many characters as you like for the password
   and send all of it to the server for authentication.

   Unfortunately, the ACS servers only know about the first 8 characters
   and considers any password longer than that as incorrect.


5) If a student does not know what their personal UCSD email account name
   is, have the student open up either Internet Explorer or Netscape
   on one of the lab iMacs (the small blue computers at the end of each
   row of PCs in CLICS) and go to:

   http://acs.ucsd.edu/ -> Students -> Accounts Tools -> 
   Account Lookup Tool -> (Follow the instructions for the
   "If you do not know your account name:" section)


6) If the above still doesn't work, then this means there is a more
   complicated technical problem with their particular account.

   Just send them to ACS Instructional Services in AP&M 2113
   (2nd floor of AP&M, exit elevators and turn left) to have them fix it.
   

7) Students can change or reset their passwords by using the "gpasswd"
   command either from the Unix shell prompt of a ACS Unix server or
   via the ACS webpage at:

   http://www-acs.ucsd.edu -> Students -> Account Tools ->
   Change or replace your password -> ACS Global Password Change Tool

   (Direct URL: http://www-acs.ucsd.edu/account-tools/gpasswd.html)


   However, please note that password changes/resets are USUALLY NOT
   IMMEDIATE.  In particular, passwords for Windows Active Directory
   accounts may not go into full effect until the FOLLOWING MORNING.


8) Don't forget to remind the students to go to:

   Start menu -> Log Off


   when they are all done using the PC and want to leave.  Students
   are responsible for keeping their own accounts and files secure.