Bringing a Computer to the University of Virginia's College at Wise

Although it is not required, it is strongly recommended that students bring a personal computer to assist with academic pursuits including writing papers, preparing presentations, accessing course websites, and communicating with faculty, staff, and other students.

The University of Virginia 's College at Wise recommends the following minimum specifications for personal computers on campus and for faculty and staff members for personal purchases:

• If you have any questions, you may contact us at 276.376.4509 or helpdesk@uvawise.edu
• Dual core or higher processor
• Minimum 2 GB of RAM
• Minimum 40 GB Hard Drive
• DVD/CD/CD-RW capability (combination drive or multiple drives for performing backups)
• Several USB ports for adding printers and other devices
• Windows Vista, XP or Mac OS X (10.4-10.5) operating system with all patches/updates
• Power surge protector
• To enable connectivity to the UVA-Wise network
  • 100/1000 BaseT Ethernet capability and network cable (10-12 feet in length, 10BaseT cat5 or cat5e)
  • Personal Wireless Access Points (WAP) are not allowed.
• USB Flash drives are the preferred method of temporary storage.
• CD-R are also acceptable.Floppy disks are very unreliable and more likely to fail

Software Required:

Operating System: Windows Vista or XP, Mac OS X (10.4-10.5), or Linux. (Operating systems older than these will not be allowed to access the network because they cannot adequately be secured.)

***You must have all the current critical security patches installed for your operating system before bringing your computer to campus and automatic updates must be enabled.

Anti-virus software: Symantec Antivirus, AVG, Trend, or other legitimate recognized software. ***You must have current virus definitions and automatic updates turned on.

***OIT offers free Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition for all UVa-Wise students (residential and commuter).  Click Here for further details on how to obtain a copy.

Click Here for further information on the requirements your computer must meet before being allowed to connect to the Residence Halls Network.

Additional Recommendations:

• OIT recommends purchasing a laptop. If you do so, then please obtain a security cable for it to lock it in your residence hall room.
• A 3 or 4 year comprehensive warranty is highly recommended, especially for laptops.
• The Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is highly recommended.
• Anti-spyware and Anti-adware Software: Spybot- Search and Destroy and AdAware SE Personal Edition can be downloaded from: http://www.download.com.  These are free tools and are highly recommended to keep your computer free of spyware and adware.

Dell Premier Web Site for UVa-Wise	UVa-Wise/ Apple Store for Education Student/Faculty/Staff

College/Official Purchasing
For Purchasing a computer, software, peripherals, etc. for official college or departmental use, the Office of Information Technology offers many knowledgeable staff members who can assist and advise you with your purchase. OIT highly recommends purchasing official use equipment and materials by consulting OIT. This is to ensure that the equipment you buy is compatible with our systems, policies, and procedures. If you would like assistance in ordering computers, peripherals, or software you may contact the following:

OIT Helpdesk
276.376.4509
helpdesk@uvawise.edu

Personal Purchasing/Dell Program
UVa-Wise is part of a special program offered by Dell Computers that allows students, faculty, and staff of the College to purchase computers, software, and other associated equipment at a discount.

Although it is not required, it is strongly recommended that students bring a personal computer with them to assist with academic pursuits including writing papers, preparing presentations, accessing course websites, and communicating with faculty, staff, and other students.