Using Computers In The Lab

How do I log in?
What is the user interface?
What is the terminal window?
Why can't I touch the power button?
What are the rules for using a screensaver?
What if the computer stops responding to the keyboard or mouse?
How can I read and write to a Floppy Disk?
How can I use the CD drive?
How can I use the USB Flash memory?
What if i get a Floppy disk error?

How do I log in?
When the lab is open, the computers are normally left on. If the screen is blank, moving the mouse or pressing a key should activate the display. If not, please refer to the troubleshooting page. Be sure to enter your username in the correct case. Not doing so may cause problems after logging in.

It is possible that the computer has been locked by another user. If this is the case, please inform the TA or email help@cs.newpaltz.edu and use another computer.

Note: the computers in WSB 22 may be turned off in the morning. If that is the case, check the power button for a green light. If it is not present, turn the computer on.

Students should not attempt to turn off the computers.

What is the user interface?
The default interface is GNOME, the GNU Object Model Environment.
What is the terminal window?
You can access terminal window from the System Tools option in the main menu.
This is Linux GNOME terminal application that runs bash shell as its default shell.
Why can`t I touch the power button?
There are a few reasons for that.
First, there may be other users who are remotely logged into the computer. By turning off the power, you will be disrupting their session and possibly causing them to lose their work.
Second, Linux is not like DOS. Linux manages the hard drive and user space in RAM using i-node tables to mantain the disk information and memory manager for user information. It writes any changes to the i-node tables to the disk drive every so often, but it maintains the RAM copies as the most recent ones. If you shut down the power before Linux writes any changes to the disk, the disk content and the i-node tables written on the disk may mismatch. This may cause a loss of files and incorrect list of what disk space is available. Even worse - if Linux was in the process of writing the i-node table or any other information at the moment the power went off, the write process is interrupted and disk head crashes or bad sector information may result.
What are the rules for using a screensaver?
You can set a screensaver of your choice for your sessions. In the main menu under Preferences option you will find Sceensaver option.
What if a computer stops responding to the keyboard and mouse?
Do NOT attempt to reboot a computer yourself. See above why it is not a good idea to touch the power button - you may lose any of your unsaved work. Please, email the system administrator at help@cs.newpaltz.edu and he/she will deal with the problem.
How can I read and write to a floppy disk?
There are Floppy drives available in the Linux Lab.
  • Insert floppy disk into the Floppy drive.
  • Click on the icon named Computer on your desktop.
  • Now click on the icon named Floppy Drive.

When you are done using the Floppy, right click on the icon named Floppy Drive.
Click Unmount and remove the floppy disk.

How can I use the CD drive?

There are CD drives available in the Linux Lab.

  • Insert CD into the CD drive. A window should open displaying the contents of the disc. If not,
  • Click on the icon named Computer on your desktop.
  • Now double-click on the icon named CD-RW/DVD-ROM.

When you are done using the CD, right click on the icon named CD-RW/DVD-ROM.
Click Eject and remove the CD.

How can I use USB Flash memory?
There is an USB port available on every workstation in the Linux Lab.
In WSB 22, you can find it if you open the flap on the cabinet of your computer in the front
  • Insert USB Flash Memory into the USB port. A window should open displaying the contents of the drive. If not,
  • Click on the icon named Computer on your desktop.
  • Now double-click on the icon with the label of the name of your drive.

When you are done using the USB Flash Memory, right click on the icon corresponding to your drive.
Click Unmount Volume and remove the USB Flash Memory.

What if I get a floppy disk error?
In most cases you are trying to use a floppy that is damaged or the filesystem stored on the floppy is damaged. Go to a PC Lab
on campus and run Scandisk on the floppy to repair it.