Help Desk FAQs

This page contains answers to common questions handled by our support staff, along with some tips and tricks that we have found useful and presented here as questions.

Jump to:
What is the best way to contact the help desk for support?
How do I check my Optics e-mail via the World Wide Web?
Where can I find resources for creating a Web site?
How do I back up my Exchange e-mail to my local computer?
What are the details on the new password policy?
Can I keep my optics e-mail account after I leave the OSC?

For more detailed instruction on setting up your desktop e-mail client, please refer to these documents:

What is the best way to contact the help desk for support?

First, check this FAQ to see if your question has already been answered. If not, please submit a request through our Service Request Form. You may also contact the help desk by sending an e-mail to helpdesk@optics.arizona.edu. Please do not contact a TMG staff member directly; when you sending your issue to the help desk address, we can route your issue to the proper person.

If you are unable to browse the Web or to send e-mail, you can call the help desk at 621-8838. If your call is answered by voice mail, please leave a detailed message. Don't forget to include the following information:

  • Your name
  • Your phone number
  • Your room number
  • Your user name
  • A detailed description of your problem

How do I check my OSC e-mail via the World Wide Web?

  1. Browse to http://webmail.optics.arizona.edu.
  2. The resulting page will have two or three blank fields. Enter the following information, replacing username and password with your own user name and password.
    • On the two-field page:
      User name: username
      Password: password
    • On the three-blank page:
      User name: username
      Password: password
      Domain: optical-science
  3. Provided you have entered all of your information correctly, you should now gain access to your mailbox through a Web interface resembling Outlook.
  4. When finished, be sure to click "Log Out" and completely close your browser. Failure to properly log out may result in someone else gaining access to your mailbox.ss to your mailbox.

Where can I find resources for creating a website?

The University of Arizona provides some guidelines for Web development.

How do I back up my Exchange e-mail to my local computer?

  1. In Outlook, click “File > Import and Export.” (screenshot)
  2. Select “Export to a file." (screenshot)
  3. Click “Next.”
  4. Select “Personal Folder File (.pst).” (screenshot)
  5. Click "Next."
  6. Select your mailbox.
  7. Make sure "Include Subfolders" is checked. (screenshot)
  8. Click “Next.”
  9. In the "Save exported file as:" field, type C:\mailbkup.pst. (screenshot)
  10. Click “Finish.”
  11. When the "Create Microsoft Personal Folders" box appears, click "OK." (screenshot)
  12. At this point Outlook should copy your entire mail account to your hard drive.

    You can also download a zipped Word Document of these instructions.

What is the password policy?

Minimum requirements for passwords:

  • Minimum seven characters in length.
  • Maximum 14 characters in length.
  • Must contain English uppercase and lowercase letters.
  • Can not contain all or part of the user’s user name.
  • Can not contain any part of the user’s full name.
  • Can not reuse previous three passwords.

Users wanting to harden their password further can follow these suggestions:

  • Do not use words found in the dictionary.
  • Do not use proper names.
  • Use one or more numbers in the password.
  • Use one or more nonalphanumeric characters in their password.

It is strongly recommended that users with access to confidential and/or sensitive data utilize one or more of the suggestions to harden their password beyond the minimum requirements.

Specific Questions About the Policy

  • If I use both the OSC network and the university network, does changing one password automatically change the other?

    The two systems are not connected. Changing one in no way affects the other.
     
  • How does one change his or her password?

    For Windows XP/Vista/7: Press "Ctrl+Alt+Del" while logged onto an OSC machine, and then click "Change Password."

    For Windows 95/98/ME: Go to your control panel and double-click on passwords icon. You can change your Microsoft Networking password there.

Can I keep my OSC e-mail account after I leave the college?

OSC mailbox and network accounts are deleted five business days after a user's final day. Users with a valid business need may have a contact account set up to forward mail from their OSC e-mail address to another address.

Exceptions to this policy must be submitted to the Dean's Office for approval. Exceptions to this policy will be implemented by the manager of the Technology Management Group. The amount of grace time may be shortened and accounts may be deleted or disabled immediately for administrative or security reasons.