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Optional Laptop Program for Students

Setting Up and Configuring Your New Dell Laptop

Please follow these steps once your Dell laptop has been ordered online and has been delivered to you:

  1. When you receive your new laptop from Dell, please verify that your order is complete and correct. If any items are missing or damaged, please contact Dell (1-800-695-8133 ext 7235430) to make them aware of the problem and to arrange for repair/replacement.
  2. While waiting for your laptop to be delivered, you should purchase Symantec Antivirus and Microsoft Office 2007 software. These two software packages are available from the University of Maryland, Baltimore at a cost of $110.00 (Symantec Antivirus $30.00, Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise $80.00). To purchase Symantec Antivirus and Microsoft Office 2007 software, you must visit the front desk at the University of Maryland, Baltimore HS/HSL Library at 601 West Lombard Street. You will need to bring your UMB student ID with you. Payment can be made by cash, personal check or credit card. You will also need to sign a software license agreement. If you are a distance-learning student that does not come on campus, you can purchase the software by mail. Additional details about the discounted software can be found on the CITS web site www.umaryland.edu/cits/software/student/Getting_software.
  3. After you have verified that your order is complete and in good condition, you should unpack and setup your laptop by plugging the AC adapter into the laptop and the wall.

Set up Windows XP (approx.20 minutes)

Plug in and power on the laptop and follow the prompts:

  1. Read the Dell End User License agreement and press any key
  2. Record your Service Tag Number and Express Service Code and press any key
  3. At the ‘Welcome to Microsoft Windows’ screen, click ‘Next’
  4. Select your date and currency settings and click ‘Next’
  5. Select your time zone and click ‘Next’ (we are GMT-5:00 Eastern Time)
  6. Select ‘Yes’ to accept the End User License Agreement and click ‘Next’
  7. Select ‘Help protect my PC...’ and click ‘Next’
  8. Select a name for your computer. By default it will be your Service Tag Number (serial number). Click ‘Next’ when done.
  9. Select a password for the administrator account. Enter the password twice. Be sure to select a password that you will easily remember and be sure to record it. You may need this password in the future to log in to the laptop.
  10. Select ‘No, this computer will connect directly to the Internet’ and click ‘Next’.
  11. Select ‘No’ when asked if you wish register with Microsoft and click ‘Next’.
  12. Select ‘No’ to setup Internet access and click ‘Next’
  13. Enter your name and click ‘Next’
  14. Read the warning and click ‘Finish’
  15. Your laptop will now boot to Windows.
  16. When the ‘Toolbar EULA’ page pops up, click ‘Continue’
  17. Click whether you accept or decline the Google Toolbar installation (your choice) and click ‘Finish’ or ‘Uninstall’ (depending upon your selection). If you uninstall, close the browser window that pops up after the removal is complete.

*Please see the Admin User/Software Installation section on page 5 for important information about user accounts.

Install Symantec AntiVirus 10.2 (approx. 10 minutes)

(Symantec AntiVirus is available for $30.00 from the HS/HSL)

  1. Verify that you have an internet connection, either wired or wireless (see below to establish a wireless connection)
  2. Insert Symantec Antivirus CD
  3. Select ‘Open folder to view files’ and click ‘OK’
  4. Double click the folder ‘CD1’
  5. Double click ‘setup’
  6. Select ‘Install Symantec AntiVirus’
  7. Select ‘Install Symantec AntiVirus Client’
  8. Click ‘Next’
  9. Accept the license agreement and click ‘Next’
  10. Select ‘Complete’ and click ‘Next’
  11. Select ‘Unmanaged’ and click ‘Next’
  12. Verify that ‘Auto-Protect’ and ‘Run LiveUpdate’ are selected and click ‘Next’
  13. Click ‘Install’
  14. When the installation is complete, click ‘Finish’
  15. LiveUpdate will start. Click ‘Next’
  16. When LiveUpdate completes, click ‘Finish’
  17. Close any remaining open windows

Install Microsoft Office 2007 (approx. 15 minutes)

(Microsoft Office 2007 is available for $80.00 from the HS/HSL)

  1. Insert the Microsoft Office 2007 CD
  2. When prompted for your Product Key, enter the 25-character key from the CD envelope and click ‘Continue’
  3. Click the box to accept the license agreement and click ‘Continue’
  4. Click ‘Install Now’
  5. When installation completes, click ‘Close’

Install Patches and Updates (approx. 60 minutes)

  1. In Internet Explorer, navigate to http://update.microsoft.com
  2. On the ‘Welcome to Windows Update’ page, click the green ‘Go’ arrow next to ‘Get Microsoft Update Today’
  3. On the ‘try Microsoft Update today’ screen, click ‘Start Now’
  4. Click ‘Continue’
  5. If you receive an Information Bar message, click ‘OK’ and follow the instructions on the screen. Right click the yellow bar and select ‘Install ActiveX control’
  6. Click ‘Install’
  7. On the ‘Welcome to Microsoft Update’ page, click ‘Check for Updates’
  8. Click ‘Express’
  9. If prompted with a “Download and Install Now’ button, click it. One or more updates will install.
  10. If prompted to restart your computer, click ‘Restart Now’
  11. When the computer restarts, go to http://update.microsoft.com again
  12. Click ‘Express’. A green progress bar will indicate that it is checking for updates. This may take several minutes. (You may also wish to install certain Optional updates. To do so, select the ‘Custom’ option instead of ‘Express’. Once updates are found, in the left column, select ‘Software, Optional’. You will then be able to select updates on the right. The following are the recommended optional updates: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0, Root Certificate Update and Windows Media Player 11)
  13. When the updates are found, click ‘Install Updates’
  14. If prompted, accept any license agreements
  15. The updates will download and install. Depending upon the number of updates needed, this could take an extended period of time. The first time that you do updates will be the longest.
  16. Select to Install Internet Explorer 7, and accept the license agreement, then click ‘Next’
  17. Restart your computer when the updates are complete.
  18. Run Microsoft Update once again to install any remaining updates.

Install Adobe Reader (approx. 5 minutes)

  1. Navigate to http://www.adobe.com and click on ‘Get Adobe Reader’
  2. Uncheck the box for ‘Free Google Toolbar’ and click ‘Download Now’
  3. If you receive an Information Bar message, click ‘Close’ and follow the instructions on the screen. Right click the yellow bar and select ‘Install ActiveX control’
  4. Click ‘Install’
  5. Click ‘OK’ when the installation is complete.

Install Adobe Flash Player (approx. 5 minutes)

  1. Navigate to http://www.adobe.com and click on ‘Get Adobe Flash Player’
  2. Uncheck the box for ‘Google Toolbar’, check the box to agree to the terms of service and click ‘Install Now’
  3. If you receive an Information Bar message, click ‘Close’ and follow the instructions on the screen. Right click the yellow bar and select ‘Install ActiveX control’
  4. Click ‘Install’

Install Adobe Shockwave (approx. 5 minutes)

  1. Navigate to http://www.adobe.com and click on ‘Get Shockwave Player’
  2. Click ‘Install Now’
  3. Click ‘Install’
  4. Uncheck the box to install the Google Toolbar and click ‘Next’

Install & Configure Real Player (approx. 10 minutes)

  1. Navigate to http://www.real.com and click the link to get the free version of RealPlayer
  2. When prompted for the file download, click ‘Run’
  3. When prompted again, click ‘Run’
  4. Accept the license agreement
  5. Click ‘Next’
  6. Uncheck the box to include the Google Toolbar and click ‘Next’
  7. When download completes, click ‘OK’
  8. When installation completes, click ‘No Thanks’
  9. Click ‘Finish’

Configure Windows Media Player (approx. 5 minutes)

  1. Click ‘Start’, ‘All Programs’ and select ‘Windows Media Player’
  2. Click ‘Validate’
  3. Click ‘I Accept’
  4. Select ‘Express Settings’ and click ‘Finish’

Install QuickTime (approx 5-15 minutes)

  1. Navigate to http://www.quicktime.com and click ‘Free Download’
  2. Select whether you wish to install QuickTime only or QuickTime and iTunes. Uncheck the three boxes to be kept up to date and click ‘Free Download Now’
    If iTunes was selected: (if not, see below)
  3. Click ‘Run’
  4. When the download is complete, click ‘Run’
  5. Click ‘Next’
  6. Accept the license agreement and click ‘Next’
  7. Click ‘Install’
  8. Click ‘Finish’ when the installation is done
  9. You will then be prompted to complete the iTunes Setup Assistant
  10. Close Internet Explorer and launch QuickTime
  11. Check the box to ‘Do not ask to perform this check again’ and then click ‘No’
If iTunes was not selected:
  1. Click ‘Run’
  2. When the download is complete, click ‘Run’
  3. Click ‘Next’
  4. Click ‘Yes’ to accept the license agreement
  5. Click ‘Install’
  6. Click ‘Finish’ when the installation is done
  7. Click ‘No Thanks’
  8. Close Internet Explorer and launch QuickTime
  9. Check the box to ‘Do not ask to perform this check again’ and then click ‘No’

Usage

Admin User/Software Installation

The user account that you created during the initial setup of your computer has administrative rights. That is, you can use that account to install software and additional hardware on the computer. To ensure extra security, you should now create a user account for yourself using the "User Accounts" icon in the Control Panel. This new account should be created as a "Limited" account type. If you log on using a limited account for normal daily use, you will help prevent potentially harmful applications (spyware, malware, etc.) from being installed on your laptop. You can log on with the administrator account whenever you need to manually install Microsoft operating system updates or security updates, new applications, etc. To use the administrator account, you would log out and at the Welcome screen press Ctrl-Alt-Del (twice) and when prompted for a user name, enter ‘administrator’ (no quotes) and the password that you created during the initial setup.

At this time, you should also change the password of the user account that you created during the initial setup. This password should be easily remembered, as you will need it each time you log in. These can be changed by clicking ‘Start’, then highlighting ‘My Computer’ and then right clicking and selecting ‘Manage’. Click the ‘+’ next to Local Users and Groups. Click on ‘Users’ in the left column. The user accounts will appear in the right column. Right click on the account name that you wish to change the password, and select ‘Set Password...’. Select a new password, enter it twice and click ‘OK’. Be sure not to forget or lose the password.

Connecting to Wireless Network

When you are within range of a wireless network, your laptop will detect it. Double click the wireless network icon in your system tray (lower right corner, near the clock). A list of wireless networks that are available will be shown. Select the network that you wish to use and click on ‘Connect’. Some networks will require that you enter a user name and password.

Note for Nursing Students at the Universities at Shady Grove:

Shady Grove nursing students will need to take their laptop to the Shady Grove Information Technologies office to have it configured for wireless access.

Windows Updates

As part of the initial setup of your computer, it is configured to automatically check for and if necessary, install updates from Microsoft for both Windows XP and Microsoft Office. You can also manually download and install the updates while logged in with an administrative account.

Symantec Antivirus Updates

The Symantec Antivirus software is configured to download and install the latest virus definition updates weekly. The update schedule can be modified, and you can also manually update them while logged in with an administrative account. Because your laptop has the “Corporate” edition of Symantec Antivirus installed, you do not need to renew an annual subscription to receive definition updates.

Spyware

By using a ‘Limited’ user account for your everyday computing, you should be able to greatly reduce the chance of your laptop becoming infected with spyware. If your computer does become infected, the first step you should take is to run a complete system scan with Symantec Antivirus. It will detect almost all viruses and most spyware. Other excellent anti-spyware programs are available, including Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition, Safer Networking Spybot and Microsoft Defender. All three are available for free download from the web site http://www.download.com.

Backing up your files

Backing up your files is very important. Under most circumstances, your files are by default saved to your “My Documents” folder. You will occasionally want to save these files to another form of storage. Your new laptop comes equipped with a CD/DVD burner, and the necessary burning software (Roxio Easy CD Creator). You can archive your files to blank CDs (up to 700MB) or blank DVDs (up to 4.7GB single layer; 8.5GB dual layer). You can also use external hard drives, or a flash (thumb) drive. Both drives are available in various capacities.

Technical Issues with Your Laptop

If at any time you have any issues with your laptop, please contact Dell Technical Support (1-800-695-8133 option 3). Please have your Service Tag Number (Serial Number) available for them.

More Information :

General Information about the program »

FAQs about the laptop and the purchase program »

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Last modified on January 17, 2008 by the Webmaster.
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