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CSIL Windows FAQ

Note: On this page, "Windows workstation" means an x86-based computer running the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.

If you could not find answer for your questions on this page, you may check out our CSIL Windows Known Issues Page for more Q&As.

Special note:

Due to course requirements during the semester of Spring 2012, now all the Windows computers are dualboot with Ubuntu.

If the current running OS is Linux and you would like to use Windows, please reboot the system and choose boot to "Windows 7" when prompted.

Essentials

CSIL Windows Accounts

The User Environment

Software

Printing

Miscellaneous

Essentials

Who can use CSIL?

Only students who are currently enrolled in CMPT and DDP courses may access the computers in CSIL.

Where are the Windows workstations in CSIL?

At the Burnaby campus, CSIL is located in ASB9838. Click here for a PDF showing the CSIL Burnaby workstation layout.

At the Surrey campus, CSIL is located on the east side of Galleria 4, room 4050. Click here for a PDF showing the CSIL Surrey workstation layout.

How do I access CSIL?

You must have an access card. NO CARD, NO ACCESS, NO EXCEPTIONS. Please see the CSIL Card Access FAQ for information on how to get your access card.

What's the basic environment of CSIL Windows systems?

  • We have about 100 Workstations and two Terminal Servers.
  • All CSIL Windows systems are part of the SFU Active Directory (ADSFU) domain.
  • Operating system: workstations: Windows 7 x64 w/service pack1 ; the Terminal Servers: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64 R2 with service pack 1.
  • Users have their SFU home directory mapped as their H:\ drive.
  • Users are using roaming profile with folder redirection feature.
    • Each user's Desktop, Documents and AppData folders have been redirected to ITS's File Server; they are all under:

      \\ITSFileServer\username\CSIL_Windows

We try our best to keep up with the latest service packs and patches from Microsoft and other software vendors.

Can I remote desktop to CSIL Windows workstations?

No. The CSIL workstations are reserved for in-lab students.

Can I access CSIL Windows resources from outside CSIL?

Yes.


You may Remote Desktop Connection to the CSIL Windows Terminal Server, if you have access to CSIL.

Can I reserve a workstation in CSIL?

Yes! If you want to make a reservation, please ask your instructor/TA to email helpdesk.

Students taking CMPT multimedia or graphics courses can sign up for a workstation on the sign-up sheet near the workstations in ASB9804 (the MultiMedia Study Area) or ASB9840 (the Graphics Study Area).

Can I share my account with others?

NO. Only the student to whom the account is issued is permitted to use that account. Allowing your friends (or group mates) to use your account is NOT permitted.

How do I report CSIL related problems?

Please report all problems by email helpdesk.

Here is an email template you should use for reporting problems:

User Name:
Account Name:
Student Number:
Access card Number: (if applicable)
Course Number:
Platform: e.g. Windows 7, Linux
Computer Name:
Campus & Room#:
Application: (if applicable)
Description of the issue:
Error message (if any):

CSIL Windows Accounts

What's my account ID on the CSIL Windows systems?

Your CSIL Windows account has the same ID as your SFU email, but they are completely separate accounts.

If your account is "username" when you sign onto fraser.sfu.ca it will be "username@sfu.ca" when you log onto any CSIL Windows systems.

What's my CSIL Windows password?

Your CSIL Windows account password is synchronized with your SFU Connect password.

Why can't I log on to any CSIL Windows system?

Three common cases are:

  1. You are not taking any CMPT/DDP courses in the current semester.
  2. Maybe you aren't using the right password. Please click here to synchronize your ADSFU account password with your SFU password.
  3. Your account is locked out temporarily (see below).

Please email helpdesk if none of the cases apply.

Why is my account locked out?

The account will be locked out for 30 minutes if there have been 3 invalid logon attempts within 5 minutes.

After 30 minutes, the system will unlock your account automatically; you may try to log in again then. Note: the CMPT Helpdesk is not able to unlock your account.

The User Environment

Where is my "home directory" on a CSIL Windows system?

Microsoft borrowed the concept of "home directory" from UNIX long time ago, but it is never standardized nor widely accepted.

For CSIL Windows systems, the H: drive has been designated as the home directory; and it is mapped automatically to user's SFU home during logon process. Please save everything to H: drive.

Some applications may not work properly with the home directory on a network drive; for these applications, please use a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to your home directory:

\\ITSFileServer\username

- where "username" is your SFU email ID.

Note: please do NOT save any important files under "My Documents" nor "Desktop". The "Desktop" is only good for placing shortcuts.

What do I do if I don't have an H: drive?

You may mount your home space yourself. In the Windows Explorer, go to

Tools -> Map Network Drive

And for the folder, enter:

\\ITSFileServer\username

What is my disk quota for my home directory?

Since your home directory is mapped on SFU home, Please check the IT Services web site for more information.

My Windows desktop doesn't look the same as it did last time I logged in. Lots of things are missing! What's wrong?

On a Windows system, user's environment settings are stored in a user profile. In CSIL, this profile is stored on a CSIL File Server - called "roaming profile". Every time you log on to a CSIL Windows system, the system copies your roaming profile from the file server to local hard drive. When you log off, the system writes the updated profile on local hard drive back to the server.

Sometimes this process doesn't work correctly, and your profile becomes corrupted. Unfortunately, you may not be able to work until it has been reset, so please email helpdesk to get it reset.

Note: All of your personal settings including explorer options, any DSNs you've defined, wallpaper, favorites and desktop settings and shortcuts will be gone after the profile reset.

I get an error message telling me I exceeded my profile storage space; what I can do to fix this?

You need to move some items from your current profile folder to network or portable storage. Your current profile is under c:\users\username

If you do not know what to remove, please email helpdesk.

Tech note: even with the folder redirection feature, some part of the profile never gets redirected. This portion of the profile could grow substantially and exceed the "profile storage space".

I logged on to the CSIL Windows Terminal Server for the first time, and my regular settings are gone! What's gone wrong?

Nothing.

When you logon to CSIL workstations, you are using one profile and you are using a different profile while you logon to the CSIL Windows Terminal Server.

This is a result of the user profile incompatibility between different Windows versions (e.g. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2). Thus, every CSIL Windows user has multiple roaming profiles.

Where I should NOT save my files?

Please do NOT store any files under these folders:

  • Any folder under C:\
  • "C:\temp"
  • "Desktop" (with the exception of shortcuts)
  • "My Documents" folder
  • "Documents" folder
  • "Application Data" folder
  • "AppData" folder
  • Any folder within your profile folder

Please always save your files on your home directory, H: drive.

Can I set my own screen saver?

No.

A default screen saver (password protected) has been installed for every CSIL Windows workstation user. The screen saver will automatically come on after 5 minutes of inactivity. You will automatically be logged off after another 20 minutes. This is to ensure the fair use of the CSIL resources.

NOTE: WHEN THE SCREEN SAVER LOGS YOU OFF IT KILLS ALL OF YOUR PROCESSES WITHOUT SAVING YOUR FILES!

Can I lock a Windows workstation?

Yes.

You can lock the Windows workstation at any time, by hitting key combination Ctrl+Alt+Del, then clicking the Lock Computer button in the Windows Security dialog box. As with activating the screen saver, you can only do this for 20 minutes, then you will be automatically logged off, and any open file will be lost.

Software

What software is installed on CSIL Windows systems?

Click here to see the full list of software on CSIL Windows systems. Note that not all computers have the same software installed.

Note:

  • Multimedia software (e.g. Adobe DV collection) are only available on front two rows of workstations in ASB9804
  • Imaging tools are only available on the workstations, not on the Terminal Server
  • Freescale CodeWarrior is only available on the workstations, not on the Terminal Server

Can I install software?

No. Your account will be disabled if you install software in CSIL without permission.

There are two reasons for this policy:

  1. The School is responsible for the licensing of all installed software in the lab. Many applications that are downloadable from the Internet aren't free - they require licenses.

    Installing licensed software without a valid license is a criminal offence in Canada.

  2. Many Windows applications make assumptions about where they place their files during the installation process and which registry keys they adjust. Installing software which makes unexpected assumptions can destroy your working environment.

How can I get software installed if the system doesn't have what I need?

You could make requests for the installation of course related applications (including shareware/freeware) through the instructors. Your instructors will make the request to the CS Technical Staff, who will examine the feasibility of all requests (cost, network security, disk space requirements, etc.). Please make your requests as early as possible.

How do I run Eclipse?

While you launch Eclipse for the first time, you need to specify the workspace path. The default is something like this and it is WRONG!

\\??? \username\eclipse\workspace


Unfortunately, Eclipse does not work well with this path.

To create a good workspace, simply put it on your H: drive, e.g. use MS-DOS style path like H:\eclipse\workspace

How do you run JCreator?

While you launch JCreator, you may need to specify the JDK path. The current JDK installation path in CSIL is:

c:\program files (x86)\java\jdk

Why can't I use TELNET?

Telnet software and port 22 have been disabled for security reasons. Please use the SSH (Secure SHell) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) Client programs to access Linux/Unix hosts (like fraser.sfu.ca). The SSH application suite can be found under:

Start -> All Programs -> SSH Secure Shell.

How do I run small Lisp?

There are some applications are not compatible with Windows 7, e.g. small Lisp. The workaround of this issue is to use XP Mode.

Please launch "Windows XP Mode" and use the following credentials:

username: xpmuser
password: cmpt@sfu

Once you logon, you will easily find these special applications.

Please check out this page for more details: How to use XP Mode

 

Printing

How do I print?

Please print from your application to

DCF_B&W

A print "job" is then sent to the CSIL print server. It is held there until you release the job to a printer. This system is used at computer labs across campuses. Click here for more details.

The CSIL printer only supports "letter" sized paper (standard 8 1/2" X 11").

Never use the A4 page format !!

If you like to have color printouts, you may print to DCF_Color - but you need to release the job to a color printer, which we do NOT have within CSIL.

There are multiple printers on my list of printers when I print from Windows applications. What are they?

We have a few special pseudo-printers installed on each computer; they are:

  1. PDFill PDF&Image Writer(Free)
  2. Microsoft XPS Document Writer

When you print to any of these pseudo-printers you will get a file instead of paper pages. You will have to specify the file name and the location for your output file to be saved to. There is NO CHARGE to "print" to a pseudo-printer.

For more information on printing issues, please read the CSIL Printing FAQ.

How do I create a PDF file?

Please print to the pseudo-printer "PDFill PDF&Image Writer(Free)".

For any Microsoft Office 2010 product, you may save the document as a PDF file within the application.

Miscellaneous

I got a popup window that states: "The computer will be shutdown in 5 minutes." What should I do?

Save all your work and logoff!!

Otherwise, your unsaved work will be lost. This popup window most often occurs because of the Automatic Updates service we have installed. For better security and system stability, we need to apply patches to the operating system and the applications periodically, usually as soon as they become available. When the Automatic Updates service finishes installing certain patches, reboot of the machine is mandatory.

How do I change file permissions on my folders/files?

Bring up the Windows file manager, Explorer (NOT Internet Explorer, the web browser). The shortcut is

Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Windows Explorer

  • Select a file(s) and/or folder(s).
  • Right click on the folder(s) and/or file(s).
  • Select Properties, then the Security tab.
  • Click 'Add' to add a user to your access list for the file or folder.
  • In the new window pop up, pick a user or users from the list of possible user IDs to add, then click 'OK'.
  • Change the permissions to whatever you want to give the selected user(s).
  • Click OK to apply the changes.

Can I get Microsoft software for free?

Yes.

Through the Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) program, Microsoft provides selected software packages to the academic users for free.

The School of Computing Science is a long time member of this MSDNAA program. Any student enrolled in at least one CMPT or DDP course in the current semester are eligible to get selected Microsoft software for free.

Please visit the How to get software for CMPT courses page for more details.

We strongly recommend to use our CSIL workstations to burn the MSDNAA software packages. Not all of our workstations at the Burnaby campus have CD/DVD burners, so check the CSIL layout (Burnaby Campus) and the CSIL layout (Surrey Campus).

Can I burn course software CD/DVDs in CSIL (without downloading)?

YES!

The software for burning CD/DVDs is ImgBurn.

The ISO images are available on the M: drive, which is mapped to network share: \\gaia\repository

Important hints:

  • Use RW media or DVD-R
  • Use the lowest possible speed for burning to ensure quality
  • Burning ISOs may take long time, so plan ahead.

Note: For graduate students only: please use the share \\gaia.csil.sfu.ca\repository from Windows systems in TASC1 9217.

Please visit the how to get software for CMPT courses page for more details.

I want to use a Windows computer but there aren't any available in CSIL. What should I do?

You could Remote Desktop to our CSIL Windows Terminal Server from any CSIL Linux box. Please use the "Local" CSIL Windows terminal Server in this case.

Click here for details.

You may also connect to the CSIL Windows Terminal Server from your own laptop via SFU wireless network. If your laptop is running the Mac OS X or a Linux operating system, connect to the CSIL Windows Terminal Server using a remote desktop client for that operating system.

How do I scan pictures in CSIL?

We had a scanner installed in CSIL, but at the moment the scanner is out of service. Please contact your course instructor for alternative choices.

Note: the scanner is broken and out of service at the moment. We are researching for a replacement.

How do I set WinRAR to generate ZIP format files by default?

By default, WinRAR generates RAR format files. Most users however, find that the ZIP format is more desirable. Here is how you can set WinRAR's default archive format to ZIP:

  • Click Start -> All Programs -> WinRAR
  • Click menu item Options -> Settings... within WinRAR window
  • Click on the tab Compression
  • Click the button Create Default....
  • Change the Archive Format to ZIP
  • Click OK twice to save the settings

CSIL Windows Servers
CSIL SQL Server :
cypress.csil.sfu.ca		 Used for courses: cmpt-354

User database name: username???
CSIL Windows Terminal Server :
leto.csil.sfu.ca		 Used for: Students need access to Windows software off-CSIL
CSIL Windows Terminal Server (local) :
hermes.csil.sfu.ca		 Used for: Students need access to CSIL Windows system from any SFU-owned system
CSIL IIS Server :
NA		 Used for: NA
CSIL File Server:
freesia		 Store user's profile and application configurations; do NOT store any data here!

User's folder: \\freesia\userdata$\username
Software Repository Server :
gaia.csil.sfu.ca		 This server stores software for CMPT students to use at home

The software folder: \\gaia.csil.sfu.ca\repository
IT Services File Server:
home.sfu.ca		 This server hosts user's SFU file space

The UNC path of user's SFU home: \\home.sfu.ca\username

Did we answer your questions? If not, please check out our CSIL Windows Known Issues Page for additional information.

 

Last Update @ 2012.05.07.

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