Protect Your PC

Computer Care - Skeletons

Are you a team player?

Scenario (Skeletons):

There's an old computer running in the office or lab. It's powered on and has not been accessed in a while.

What should you do? 

Ignore it, it's not my machine

Report the computer to IT Services

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Basic Care and Hygiene

The following are the basic tips you should follow to get your computer configured and keep it running well:

Work with IT Services or your departmental technician to set up your computer
Upgrade to Windows 10 or the most recent macOS versions (11.5.1)
Enable automatic updates for the operating system
Ensure your antivirus and firewall are activated and up to date using Windows Defender
Reboot regularly, at least once a week

Updating your operating system and applications is key to keeping your computer secure.

The applications you use also need to be installed and maintained correctly. Follow these suggestions to make staying up-to-date and secure easier

Install Microsoft Office from portal.office.com so that you get regular updates.
Use the Microsoft Store and Company Portal or the Mac App Store to install other apps
Make use of OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint to keep your files secure and backed up
Browse with Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome
Enable update checks for your applications, especially web browsers
Connect with GlobalProtect VPN to secure your data

Use app stores to find official apps

Supercharge your workstation

The University has device administration available for all faculty and staff to help keep their University-owned computers secure, safeguard against cyberattacks and work optimally. This mandatory service provides many benefits, automating many of the steps necessary to maintain your computer and engaging IT Services as a partner to enhance your work experience. If you are looking to enroll your University-owned computer or want to add a personal computer or phone to device administration you can contact IT Services.

There are a number of benefits to enrolling your computer in device administration:

Sign in with UWin Account, so you don’t have to remember a different password
Enables single-sign on to many services, such as Microsoft 365, Outlook, UWinsite Finance, UWinsite Student and Brightspace
Automatic software download and installation, so the software you need for work is available
GlobalProtect VPN is installed automatically so it’s there when you want it
Windows Defender anti-virus and firewall is automatically enabled
Comes with the recommended versions of software with the latest security fixes
Auto-configuration of settings and applications, so they automatically use secure connections
Built-in hard drive encryption to prevent data loss if the device is stolen
Remote wipe for lost devices
Alerts for malware infection or unexpected login locations
Quick resets and repairs when the machine stops working correctly or in the case of malware infection
Macs and mobile devices can also be managed, enabling a subset of features such as remote wipe

Computer Care

To be productive and secure, it's essential to keep your computer or laptop running smoothly. This means setting it up to maximize its capabilities and keeping it in top condition. After all, your device is your primary tool for work.