December 2004

QCT

Quick Computing Topics (QCT) is an electronic Newsletter published by Administrative Computing and Media Services/User Support for CSUB Faculty, Staff, and Students. Past issues will be archived on the IRTS homepage (http://www.csub.edu/InfoRes/CTS/QCT). Please address any comments or suggestions to: Administrative Computing secretary at extension 2115.

The Helpdesk will be pushing out a new version of McAfee's anti-virus software to update the anti-virus software on most campus Windows-based workstations. The new version is VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i. The update will start on December 13, 2004. If your computer is not on when the update starts, your computer will be updated the next time you turn it on.

This update will include new features which provide better protection from viruses and now adware and spyware. The upgrade may ask you to reboot your computer, this is normal and it is recommended that you reboot as soon as possible. You will notice a new red splash screen after you login. This update will only apply to workstations using Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Workstations running Windows 98 will not be updated because that operating system will no longer be supported by either Microsoft or McAfee, the anti-virus program used by the campus. If you notice your computer has not been updated a day after the scheduled install and your computer has been on or if you have any questions or concerns please call the Helpdesk at x2307.

Because this new version of VirusScan detects far more varieties of malware, a complete scan to root out any spyware, adware or otherwise infected files that may be on your system will be initiated a few days later. The scan is rather intensive and various levels of performance degradation can be expected to last anywhere from 20 minutes to as much as an hour depending on the speed of your system and the number of files on your computer.