Bryn Mawr College Information Services

Support Services for Personal Computers Owned by Students

Help Desk support for computers owned by current Bryn Mawr College students is available for issues involving connectivity to the Bryn Mawr College network at no charge.  Information Services (IS) staff may provide additional advice or basic troubleshooting at no charge in relation to other kinds of problems with student-owned computers, but such assistance is not guaranteed. 

The following services are available with associated fees via a Student Computer Service Request:

Virus/Spyware/Malware scanning and cleaning

Viruses/Malware often damage critical system files on an infected computer.   Even after a computer is cleaned, problems may remain. These may include freezing, crashing, and/or difficulty connecting to the campus network. In some cases, a complete system reinstall may be necessary (as listed below). If this is deemed necessary, the customer will be contacted for written confirmation before other work is performed.

Hardware upgrade or replacement

IS staff will replace or upgrade computer hardware at the customer’s request provided that the customer provides the appropriate hardware. For computers under warranty, it is strongly recommended that the customer contact the computer manufacturer or warranty provider first. Any and all parts procurement and costs are the responsibility of the customer; IS cannot purchase nor supply parts. If a part is provided by the manufacturer, IS staff will replace it, but any necessary part returns are the responsibility of the customer. Hardware upgrades include memory, hard drives, and CD/DVD drives; other items may not be replaceable by IS staff.  IS technicians may decline to upgrade or replace a part if the provided hardware is inappropriately matched, the technician feels that other parts may be damaged, if user damage is observed, or if there is a danger of invalidating a current warranty.

Operating System Reinstall

An Operating System (OS) reinstall implies an entire erase and rebuild of your computer’s software.  Programs will need to be reinstalled and data returned to the hard drive.  An OS reinstall can be performed only if OS disks (Windows, MacOS, etc.) or, preferably, a restore disk provided by the computer manufacturer is provided by the customer.  IS cannot provide the OS or any other software for use on non College-owned computers.  Backup will not be performed unless that service is also selected.  IS is not responsible for lost, corrupt, or unrecoverable data.

File Backup or Recovery

IS staff can attempt to recover files which are in jeopardy because of partial or imminent hardware failure, virus or malware infection, or other system problems or instabilities.  This service will not be provided unless it is specifically selected. This is a best-effort service.  It is not always possible to recover all, or in some cases any, files.  IS is not responsible for lost, unrecoverable, or corrupted data.  Students are encouraged to perform regular file backups of crucial data.  Please indicate in your request which files and folders are most critical.

General Diagnosis and Troubleshooting

This service can be performed on computers exhibiting general instability or irregular problems of an unidentified nature; it covers general slowness complaints, periodic errors and crashes, etc.  Other services may be suggested depending on the diagnosis.  The customer will be contacted for written confirmation before other work is performed if additional services are required.

As part of any and all of these services, the computer will be updated to the most recent support pack as offered by the OS provider; this does not include major upgrades to the OS for which the provider charges an additional fee.  Costs range from $20-$40 for individual services.  The maximum charge per request, regardless of number of services requested is $50.  Payment in full in the form of cash or a check made out to Bryn Mawr College is due at the time of pickup; the computer will be held until payment has been made.  Anticipate that IS will have your computer for approximately one week; some problems may take longer to resolve if they are complex, or if request volume is high. IS technicians can decline to perform requested service if they feel the problem cannot be resolved with the resources available to them, or if other factors prohibit the timely and correct completion of the request.

Your signature indicates your agreement not to hold IS or its individual associates responsible for problems that may remain on your computer, which are outside the scope of the services, or which may occur after it has been returned to you.  You indicate your understanding that IS cannot be held responsible for lost, unrecoverable, or corrupted data as a result of these services.  Please check that your computer is in working order before signing for pickup.