Computer and Technology FAQ

If you have a technical question that is not answered below, please complete our technical help form.

Is owning a personal computer necessary?
We strongly encourage you to bring your own computer to campus. All residence hall rooms at Mount Holyoke have direct Internet access.  While MHC offers computer accessibility through public computer labs and residence hall clusters, having a computer in your room is convenient.

Can I purchase a computer at a student discount?
Mount Holyoke offers an excellent educational technology purchasing program through a collaboration between Mount Holyoke and the Smith College Computer Store. Purchasing options include hardware and software, all with educational discounts from Apple, Dell, Microsoft and Adobe. This program has the backing of all the IT professionals at MHC and Smith – a good crew to have behind you! We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to purchase your technology through this exciting program.   Please visit the Smith College Computer Store online for location, hours, and payment information. If you have any questions please contact the Computer Store Manager, Barbara Pliska, (413) 582-5800.

Do I need a laptop or a desktop computer?
Which do you prefer? The desktop is sturdier and less expensive, but the laptop offers portability and flexibility. Whichever style you select, we strongly advise that you purchase the optional manufacturer’s extended warranty and security tools to protect your system wherever you take it.

Should I purchase a Windows or Apple computer?
Both Windows and Apple platforms are used and supported on campus. Computers of both platforms can be found in our dorm clusters as well as in most of our public labs.

Do I need an extended warranty?
Yes. We strongly suggest that you purchase an extended warranty when you purchase a new computer. Dell offers a 4 year Complete Care extended warranty; Apple offers a 3 year AppleCare plan. All computers purchased through the MHC/Smith Technology Purchasing Program come with an extended warranty.

How can I protect my computer against viruses?
To ensure the health of our campus network all computers on our network must have the MHC licensed anti-virus software installed and be up to date on manufacturer security updates. Without virus protection and security updates your computer is at risk and is hazardous to others on the MHC network. Mount Holyoke has a site license for McAfee anti-virus software which is available to all current MHC students, faculty and staff, free of charge. The required anti-virus software allows us to maintain anti-virus configurations on all networked computers minimizing virus outbreaks. In order to comply with the campus standards all other virus protection software will have to be removed from your system.

Note: the free anti-virus software will be part of your LITS welcome packet and is available for download via the MHC network.

What software will I need?
LITS strongly recommends that every student purchase a copy of Microsoft Office.  Many computer manufacturers provide a trial packages other than Microsoft Office pre-installed on a new computer such as Microsoft Works, iWorks etc. You will need a licensed copy of Microsoft Office to stay compatible with what the campus supports.

Is wireless network access available?
Wireless network access is available throughout the campus including all residence halls, Kendade Hall, Blanchard Campus Center, the Library and LITS Complex, Ciruti Center, the Cultural Houses, Pratt Music Library. While wireless is convenient we suggest all computers be equipped with the standard wired Ethernet interface.

How do I connect my computer to the campus network? Will help be available?
During New Student Orientation students will be provided with an informational pamphlet of instructions on connecting your computer to our network. Most new computers require very little configuration changes.

Where can I get my computer repaired?
MHC offers authorized warranty service for Dell computers purchased through the MHC/Smith Technology Purchasing Program. The LITS Diagnostic Center is available by appointment to help students with technical support and repair. The Diagnostic Center is staffed by full-time staff and a highly skilled team of student workers. Many warranty programs offer door-to-door service and you should consider this when negotiating your purchase.

What are the recommended system specifications?

Operating System
Your computer’s operating system is the software which controls the computer and allows you to run applications. Macintosh and Windows systems are equally supported on campus.  To help our technical support personnel assist you, we strongly recommend you select the U.S. English version of your operating system.

Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a temporary storage area for data currently in use. The amount of RAM installed affects the computer’s speed; the more RAM you have, the faster your computer will run. With a new computer purchase we recommend you purchase 2 GB of RAM.

Hard Drive
Your computer’s hard drive provides storage for your computer’s operating system, software applications, and files. Hard drive space is measured in gigabytes (GB). Anything of 60 GB or above should be sufficient for most academic needs. If you anticipate working in digital production such as video or still images, we recommend a much larger hard drive and an external hard drive to manage your files. 

Ethernet Card
An Ethernet card/network adapter allows your computer to communicate across the campus network and the Internet. Windows and Apple computers are manufactured with built-in Ethernet capability.

CD/DVD Drive
We recommend your computer have a CD-RW drive to periodically backup your important files and data.

Data Storage

USB Flash Drive - LITS provides each incoming student with a USB Flash Drive. A USB Flash drive is a small storage device that can store computer files, Word documents, etc. This device is small enough to fit onto a key chain, and connects to a computer via a USB port.

Mount Holyoke provides each student with network storage in the form of a home directory, class work directory, and World Wide Web directory. These are secured spaces on the network in each student’s name, designed for file storage. Network storage allows students to access files from any computer connected to the network.

What if I already own a computer?
Bringing an older computer is fine as long as it meets the minimum requirements below. LITS does not recommend Windows Millennium Edition or Windows XP Home Edition. If your older machine does not meet these minimum requirements, you may need to upgrade its hardware and/or operating system in order for it to connect to the campus network. In addition, you may need to upgrade or replace your computer during your time at Mount Holyoke College.

The following are minimum requirements for older computers:

Windows Platform	Apple Platform
Windows XP	OS 10.3 or later  with G4 processor
Minimum of 40 GB Hard drive	Minimum of 40 GB Hard drive
Minimum of 512 MB RAM	Minimum of 512 MB RAM
Built-in Ethernet	Built-in Ethernet

Will I need my own printer?
Networked printers are available in every residence hall.  You may want to purchase your own printer for convenience. Paper is not provided in the residence hall computer labs. If you plan to print to the dorm lab printer, you should bring your own laser-quality paper, you may also purchase it from the Campus Store.

What other support is available throughout the year?
By the time you graduate from Mount Holyoke College, you can expect to have developed an ease and facility with computer technology that is acquired through frequent access and use. Our support philosophy is modeled to promote self-sufficiency. We encourage students to learn by doing. LITS provides support in the following ways:

Tech Support

• Email: helpdesk@mtholyoke.edu
• Help Desk Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
  The Help Desk is located within the Information Commons. Occasionally, problems arise that cannot be solved over the phone. An appointment to diagnose your computer failure can be made at our Student Diagnostic Center. Services that are provided to students in the Diagnostic Center consist of troubleshooting software-related issues only. If hardware repair is necessary, students are referred to either the manufacturer of their computer or a local vendor.