See the list of OIT-managed Unity labs, all of which have Windows XP workstations.
In addition, many computing labs managed by individual colleges will be converting to Windows XP.

Workstations and the other resources in Unity labs are open to all NC State students, faculty and staff who have active Unity accounts.

You will need to use your Unity ID and password. Every student, staff member and faculty member at NC State has a Unity account with a Unity ID and password.

• Your Unity ID is usually your first and middle initials plus the first six letters of your last name.
• Your initial (default) 8-digit Unity password is created from the last four digits of your Campus ID number (follows “NCSU” on your All Campus Card) plus the four digits of your birth month and day. Beginning September 10, 2007, you will need to change your password at least once a year. Go to http://www.ncsu.edu/password and use the Password Change Tool.

If you have difficulty with either your Unity ID or your password, contact the NC State Help Desk or help@ncsu.edu or 515-HELP (4357).

To log in, enter your Unity ID and password at the login screen. Click OK or press the Enter key.

WARNING: To prevent unauthorized use of your account or damage to your files, it is crucial that you log off when you are finished!

The Windows desktop will appear after a few moments. You will see several windows appear and disappear as the machine prepares itself for your use. Last, you will see the Novell Application Launcher (NAL) launch itself. Please be patient and allow the NAL window to completely load.

Your settings are stored in the "Novell" portion of the file storage space (disk quota) that comes with your Unity account. You can change the size of this portion by going to the File Storage Space page and following the instructions for checking or re-allocating your space.

When you log in to a Windows workstation, this portion of your space shows up as the M:\ drive, where you should have the following two folders:

M:\Windows NT 5.1 Workstation Profile

This folder is your roaming profile, which copies locally to the workstation when you log in and back to the network when you log out. This is what allows you to use any Unity workstation.

WARNING: Do not store any of your files on the M: drive or on your desktop. Storing files in either of these locations can cause problems over time, such as your profile becoming corrupted, or sudden inability to launch or use applications. Be sure to save all your files in My Documents (see below), which takes you to your Unity AFS home directory.

M:\Settings

Application settings that can be shared between the operating systems are stored in this folder. The applications access these settings directly from the network rather than copying them to or from the local workstation on login or logout.

When you are ready to leave the workstation, be sure to log off so that no other person has access to your account. It is your responsibility to keep your account secure. Please see Safe Computing at NC State.

WolfCall gives you direct access to your AFS space from a Windows workstation. It automatically launches at startup, logs you in after you've entered your Unity ID and password, and allows you to work with the files in your Unity AFS home file space via the workstation's K: drive.

The Novell Application Launcher (NAL) window shows the applications available at your workstation. To run an application, double-click it, or select it and press the Enter key. If the workstation has never run a particular application before, the program will be downloaded and installed on the machine, which may take several minutes.

If you cannot find an icon, make sure your folders are not collapsed. Try clicking [ALL] in the upper left corner of the NAL window and maximize the window.

A folder can be expanded if a plus sign appears next to it. For example:

Clicking on the plus sign will reveal the subfolders:

The Office Applications folder of the NAL has office productivity software, such as:

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The CAD and Modeling folder has programs for creation of models and plans, such as:

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The Math and Statistics folder has statistical analysis and mathematical modeling apps such as:

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General use applications are in the Unity Applications folder, such as:

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The Graphics and Web Tools folder has software to develop Web pages and images such as:

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The GIS folder, and its sub-folders, contain software for mapping and GIS analysis, such as:

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The Assistive Technologies folder can facilitate access for users with disabilities, such as:

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To find out more about an application in the NAL, right-click on its icon and choose Properties.

This should call up information on the application.

Under the "Help Contacts" tab, you can find out who to contact about problems with a particular application.

To avoid problems, your files should always be saved in your Unity (AFS) home directory (your K:\ drive). Clicking on the My Documents folder will take you there. Be careful not to save any files to either the M:\ drive or the workstation desktop. You can access your Unity (AFS) home directory from any lab workstation - Windows, Macintosh, Solaris or Linux.

If you would like to save your files to a removable medium, we recommend bringing writable or re-writable CDs (some labs are equipped with DVD burners as well), or an external USB drive (such as portable hard drives or memory sticks).

You can print from a Unity Windows workstation to the printer in the lab. Printing on a black and white printer costs $0.06 per page. Color printing, where available, costs $0.60 per page. Print quota is available in $5.00 increments from Wolfcopy from several locations during normal business hours. It is also possible to get an IOU for print quota if you run out after hours and to purchase print quota online.

To check your print quota, you can run the Unity Print Quota application in the NAL.

If your workstation has a tool for printing .pdf files, you can also create a snapshot of your file. This .pdf. file will "print" to your C:\Temp folder, but you will also need to save it elsewhere. The Temp folder is emptied when you log out.

More on printing at NC State.

On rare occasions, an application will not start or becomes corrupted. The NAL has a Verify function which allows you to rewrite settings from the network and essentially reinstall the application on the workstation. To repair an application, right-click on its NAL icon and choose Verify.