Why do I have to have anti-virus protection?To protect your computer and the network neighborhood to which you belong. You're part of a community and have a responsibility to reduce threats to your computer so an infection on your computer doesn't affect others.What happens if I don't have an anti-virus program on my computer?Your computer is very vulnerable to infections or malicious attacks. Once infected, your computer can not only destroy files and programs on your hard drive, but can also affect the network connections of others on campus to the extent that the computers become virtually unusable.What if I have a Mac?Even though Macs may have a reputation for not being vulnerable to viruses, you'll still need to make sure your Mac is protected. You can review the installation instructions on our anti-virus page.What if I install the program and get a virus anyway?If you've done all that you can, including installing and regularly updating your anti-virus program, we may still temporarily disconnect your computer from the network to protect the network and perform necessary maintenance.What if you don't know if your computer has an anti-virus program?You can check to see if your computer has an anti-virus program by clicking on the start button (in Windows), select 'All Programs' and review the list. Common programs include Norton, McAfee, etc.Does the PLU site have options for different systems (XP, Windows
2000, etc.)?The software available to the PLU community supports all of these operating systems mentioned.Can't I just install this when I get to campus? What if I don't do it
before I get here?You may experience some delays connecting your computer to the network if you don't have an anti-virus program installed prior to your arrival. If at all possible, install the program before you arrive.What anti-virus alternatives do I have to the one provided by PLU and is PLU's better than the one that I just paid extra for from my local computer store?You can choose any common or well-known program you'd like or use the one you already purchased. You'll just need to make sure it's regularly updated.How does switching from the one I have to PLU's choice benefit me?PLU's choice is at no cost to you. You're not paying extra.Will my privacy be invaded (does it scan my computer and send any information back to PLU)?We will soon have the ability to determine whether or not your computer has an anti-virus program before you can register the computer on PLU's network. However, we do not scan personal files on your computer.Why are you charging to clean my computer of viruses?[Note: Refer to the Anti-Virus Software policy if you haven't already read it. It can be found here.] The charge is not to clean your computer, although cleaning a computer takes us away from support of others. The charge is to re-connect the computer to the network. Much labor goes into the identification, repair and reconnection after an infection. Any disruption to the network by an infected machine is serious and in most cases is a disruption to university business.Where will the money go?
Any money charged will go toward improving the network. We believe that if students are diligent in protection their computers, there will be few incidents where a student is charged to reconnect to the network.I understand tht I may be referred to Student Conduct if I haven't adequately protected my computer and accidentally spread a virus. What if I already have been documented with Student Conduct and my Norton anti-virus program accidentally runs out so I am referred to them again?There are two issues here: the first (student conduct issues) is entirely under your control and the second (your anti-virus program "accidentally" running out) probably means that you haven't paid attention to your subscription--again, something entirely under your control. Your referral to Student Conduct is to allow you to meet with a staff member to discuss your responsibility for protecting your computer from future virus attacks.Hey, I'm a commuter student and I don't come to campus very often and when I do, I rarely access the network. Do I have to have an anti-virus program?Actually, yes. If you don't have a program, you would be able to connect to a part of the network in order to download and install PLU's anti-virus program unless you wanted to purchase your own.I just got a new computer and now I find that I have a virus. What happened?A new computer may have been on the shelf for many months prior to your receiving delivery of it. It's likely that the first time you plug it in and connect to the web, you'll be infected. With Windows machines, you also need to regularly update the operating system.The computer I bought 6 months ago had an anti-virus program but I still got infected. Why?
Many new computers come with a 90-day trial version of an anti-virus program. Shortly before the end of the 90 days, pop-up messages will appear reminding you that your subscription will soon expire. If you ignore the warnings and the deadline passes, your anti-virus software is no longer being updated; thus, your computer is vulnerable to new viruses.What do I do if I have problems installing the anti-virus software?You can visit the Trend support page here. (See the "Technical Support" section toward the bottom of the page)