The Help Desk is your single point of contact for computer, technology and IT-related questions and support.
This website should be your first point of contact with the Help Desk. It includes answers to the most frequent questions from students, faculty and staff. If you can't find an answer here, feel free to contact us or stop by for assistance.
Appointments are available all year...including throughout the summer! Instead of waiting until classes start, stop by any time for assistance! To ensure someone will be here to help you quickly, be sure to call or email for an appointment. We'll sit down with you in the lab or one of our offices, walk you through setup of all your accounts and devices, and answer any questions you might have about technology on campus.
Announcements
Pacer Tracer is a website app for checking-in and checking-out of classrooms and community spaces.
You must now dial the full 10-digit number when calling any numbers in the 803 or 893 area codes. For example, to reach the USC Aiken campus from the local area you would now dial 803-648-6581, instead of just 648-6581.
The Help Desk suggests using the BCC field to ensure no one accidentally does a “Reply All” to messages sent to distribution lists. Enter the distribution list’s address in the BCC field instead of the TO field of your email. Then, even if someone accidentally, or purposely, clicks the “Reply All” button, the message will only go the original message’s sender.
Is your Windows computer freezing at a black screen with only a cursor when you boot it or restart it? If so, this is due to Windows Updates attempting to complete. DO NOT RESTART OR POWER-OFF YOUR COMPUTER if this occurs on your system.
Forcing your computer to restart or power-off while Windows is completing updates can lead to Windows becoming corrupted and requiring your machine to be reloaded.
Please let the process complete uninterrupted. In most cases, if left alone, the update process will complete within about 10-minutes. However, if you have previously forced the process to stop by rebooting or powering-off, it will likely take 30-45 minutes to complete the update process. This is because Windows will not only have to complete the update, but first repair the errors caused by the forced stop on its previous attempt.
If your Windows system does have a black screen with only a cursor, and it remains this way for longer then 45-minutes, please do not power your system off until instructed to do so. Immediately contact the Help Desk for assistance.
The Help Desk is now available from 9:00AM until 7:00PM Monday through Friday through Live Chat. To access the Help Desk Live Chat, just go to: www.usca.edu/help-desk and click on the red chat icon floating on the bottom-right of all Help Desk pages.
To update your voicemail box, please follow the instructions found here:
To update your voicemail box, please follow the instructions found here :https://www.usca.edu/help-desk/faculty-staff?view=topic&id=56
- If you have already setup your voicemail box, choose “How do I change my personal greeting?”
- If this is the first time you’ve setup your voicemail box, choose “How do I setup my voicemail account?”
- If you do not know your voicemail passcode, choose “How do I reset or change my voicemail passcode?”
To forward your phone to an outside line, please follow the instructions found here: https://www.usca.edu/help-desk/faculty-staff?view=topic&id=50
- Choose “How do I forward my calls?” to set your phone to forward all calls directly to an outside line.
To use VPN on your personal computer, please follow the instructions found here: https://www.usca.edu/help-desk/faculty-staff?view=topic&id=61
- If you need to install VPN on your personal computer, choose “How do I install Junos PulseSecure for…” selecting the option appropriate for your operating system.
- If you need to connect to PulseSecure/VPN, choose “How do I connect or disconnect to PulseSecure/VPN?”
- If you need to access the J-drive, K-drive or USCA Class folders remotely, choose “How do I access the K or J-drive while connected to PulseSecure/VPN?
As a reminder, USC Aiken’s Acceptable Use of Information Technology policy (AIT 107) prohibits the storage of student data on personally owned devices.
To chat, make audio calls, or video calls, we recommend using Microsoft Teams and feel it is the best platform for staying productive and connected with other faculty, staff and students. Why choose Teams? Microsoft Teams is both secure and fully integrated with Office 365.
To checkout a laptop for use while the campus is working remotely, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your name, a callback number, and a brief explanation of your reason for needing to checkout a laptop. Laptops may be in limited supply and are available on a first-come/first-served basis.
Due to the fluid nature of the current situation, these procedures may change. If changes are necessary, the web pages and links above will be updated to reflect any difference.
Stating April 1st, you'll see changes simplifying management of accounts used to access USC university services like Self-Service Carolina, Blackboard, MFA and many others.
Account Management Menu
Managing all USC University Services Accounts will now be done through a single Account Management Menu.
The menu offers these options:
- Account Claiming
- Update Account Settings
- Forgot Password
- Forgot ID's
- Need Further Assistance/Reclaim Account
Find more information on the new account management options for current students, faulty, staff and affiliates, here.
Forgotten ID's, Passwords and Security Questions
All users will now have the option to reclaim their own VIP accounts. No more calling USC Aiken Records or Columbia UTS to reset your VIP ID Security Questions. Now you can reset your own security questions and reclaim your account directly from the Account Management Menu.
The entire password reset function is now faster, simpler and more secure.
Even if you forget your User ID's you'll be able to reset and get access to your USC university services accounts online 24x7.
More Info on Account Management Changes
Account management is now known as Identity and Account Management (IAM). Want more information? You'll find everything on the IAM page.
The account students, faculty, staff and affiliates use to access local USC Aiken campus resources, like: the USC Aiken campus network, @usca.edu email, campus computers, Wi-Fi, VPN, shared drives and folders, PacerPrint, and all usca.edu websites, will now be known as the Pacer Account.
You'll still use the same username and passwords you always have to access USC Aiken campus resources. Unifying the branding of all accounts under one name (Pacer Account) just simplifies self-help resources and local account management making things easier for everyone.
To help prevent users from getting locked out of their account, automated alerts emails will be sent when your Pacer Account password is nearing expiration. You'll be reminded 30-days and 14-days before your password expires. Then beginning 7-days before expiration, you'll receive daily reminders.
