Equipment

Recommended Specs:

• An Intel i5 (or equivalent) processor running at 2.4 GHz or higher
• At least 4 GB of system memory
• A 250 GB or larger hard drive
• A dedicated video/graphics card with at least 512 MB of memory
• WiFi support for the A, B, G, and N (A/B/G/N) wireless standards
• The latest versions of Microsoft Windows or MacOS

Recommended Accessories:

• A total system backup device, such as an inexpensive external USB hard drive (with at least as much capacity as your computer’s hard drive)
• At least one high-capacity (2GB or larger) USB flash drive for storing and moving important documents and files
• A DVD-RW (DVD-recordable and -rewritable) optical drive, built-in or external.
• A mid-range or higher-end color inkjet printer for personal in-room printing (note that black-and-white laser printers are available in most public-access computer labs and that students receive a per-semester quota of free printing)
• A combination surge protector and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit, such as an APC Back-UPS model
• All original computer system manuals and discs (this is very important for troubleshooting and repair in the event of a system crash)

Note that these are recommendations only. Students may do just fine if they have equipment that is below these specs. Many students also bring other mobile devices such as smart phones, iPods, or tablets to campus and connect to our wireless network with them.

See the additional question on this page for desktop computer recommendations.

Recommended Specs:

• An Intel i5 (or equivalent) processor running at 2.4 GHz or higher
• At least 4 GB of system memory
• A 250 GB or larger hard drive
• A 17-inch or larger widescreen LCD monitor
• A DVD-RW (DVD-recordable and -rewritable) optical drive
• A dedicated video/graphics card with at least 512 MB of memory
• A 10/100/1000 Network Interface Card (NIC), also known as an Ethernet network card
• A wireless NIC that supports the A, B, G, and N (A/B/G/N) wireless standards. (Note that some of our residential halls are WiFi-only.)
• The latest versions of Microsoft Windows or MacOS

Recommended Accessories:

• A total system backup device, such as an inexpensive external USB hard drive (with at least as much capacity as your computer’s hard drive)
• At least one high-capacity (2GB or larger) USB flash drive for storing and moving important documents and files
• A mid-range or higher-end color inkjet printer for personal in-room printing (note that black-and-white laser printers are available in most public-access computer labs and that students receive a per-semester quota of free printing)
• A combination surge protector and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit, such as an APC Back-UPS model
• An Ethernet (also known as a Cat5E or 10/100) patch cable that is at least 25 feet long with RJ45 (also known as Cat5E or 10/100 Ethernet) connectors (if your room has wired network access)
• All original computer system manuals and discs (this is very important for troubleshooting and repair in the event of a system crash)

Note that these are recommendations only. Students may do just fine if they have equipment that is below these specs. Many students also bring mobile devices such as laptops, smart phones, iPods, or tablets to campus and connect to our wireless network with them.

See the other question on this page for recommended laptop info.

For both PC and Mac, you may visit the GovConnection website and use your OWU email address to sign in.

Click here for a list of nearby computer businesses who can help you with your personal computer. OWU Information Services repairs only University-owned machines.

Report to police: Serial Number & MAC addresses (the physical addresses of all network cards, Ethernet or WIFI)

1. Just open this link: http://www.crucial.com/ and click on the SCAN MY SYSTEM button on the right.
2. Then click in the checkbox under Crucial System Scanner Tool and click on the DOWNLOAD THE SCANNER button.
3. When you get the File Download – Security Warning, click Run.
4. When you get a Security Warning, click Run.
5. (Sophos may even say that it has detected suspicious behavior—ignore it.)
6. The Crucial web page will change to your scan results, showing you the currently installed memory, the maximum memory capacity, how many slots you have, and more information.
7. Under the All Compatible Parts header and on the right will be Crucial’s recommendations for an upgrade, complete with how much memory and how much it will cost. Crucial typically has good pricing, and you could copy and paste their recommendation into an e-mail to Purchasing. We would install it for you once it’s received.

You can try these methods before considering a replacement.

If you’d like to clean your computer screen and you’re looking for a safe cleaning solution that won’t harm your monitor, the best solution for cleaning LCD screens is a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar, or 72% isopropyl alcohol.

There should be a tag on the back of the machine (desktop units) that gives a warranty date or manufacture date. If it is a manufacture date it will be warranted 5 years from the date. If it is a warranty date it will be that date that it runs out of warranty.

UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) batteries must be ordered through Purchasing. Once you have received the replacement, call the Help Desk to schedule installation. Purchasing will know what battery to order from the make and model number, found on the front label of the UPS. The maximum size is 400 watts.

Gaming
Printing
Repair Shops

Dead Pixel Repair
GovConnect (for personal computer purchases)
OWU Apple Store