Logging on to University computers has been a nuisance for many students and employees during the past week.
Tiffany Simoneaux, a mass communication senior, said her computer took 30 minutes to log onto her PAWS account Tuesday in a computer lab in Hodges.
She and her class partners were trying to give a Power Point presentation. Before her computer logged on, she tried an alternate plan.
“I actually ran up to the Foreign Language Department to print off our presentation,” Simoneaux said.
Simoneaux said simply waiting for a day that the computers were working properly to give the presentation was not an option for her and her partners.
“We’d all dressed up, worn heels and were not going to dress up again,” she said.
But, none of Simoneaux’s data was lost.
Terry Doub, Network Services manager, said viruses have attacked campus domain controllers.
“It acted as a denial of service,” he said. “There was no damage to data.”
As many as 50 viruses could have attacked University computers according to other Computing Services sources.
Doub said systems were up Wednesday afternoon, and students and employees should have been able to log on.
“As of a couple hours ago, systems seemed to be stable,” he said. “But there’s not telling if the viruses will come back.”
Other students and professors have complained about not being able to use or locate public drives — which they said usually are labeled “K” — on University computers.
But, Doub said those drives often are managed by individual departments. Network Services operates some of those drives, but he would have to know what specific drives were not working.
Simoneaux said one good thing has come out of these computer problems.
“Our teacher pushed back our final because nobody could get into their stuff today,” she said. “We love her for that.”
Campus residents who are having computer problems should call the Residential Life help desk at 578-0560.
Students and University employees having problems with public computers should call the Computing Services help desk at 578-3375.