Tips for the Accidental Techie

Andy Wolber

andy@highwayt.org

@highwayt

www.dimdim.com

http://highwayt.org/resources

29% <Contract on an as-needed basis25% In-house MIS staff22% Tech support w/1 or more providers13% No formal approach to IT support9% Volunteers to our agency2% Friends and family of staff

Source: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management Study, 2008. Survey of 330 nonprofit organizations.

${#}Source: NTEN 2006 Nonprofit IT Staffing Survey Report.

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Short term projectsProjects that have an easily definable endProjects that aren’t time sensitiveProjects that aren’t critical

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Issues that require significant, rarely needed expertiseOne-time projects

Server configuration / upgrade / migrationDatabase developmentMulti-site integrationPhone system setup

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Initial troubleshootingTriaging issues before escalating externallyProjects that require immediate assistanceMaintaining critical documentationDirection for others implementing long-term projects

By Sue Bennett

Office.Microsoft.com

www.nten.org

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Documentation

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Keep documentation "in the bag"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/srharris/3643864625/

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One binder to ring them all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/span112/3503394977/

http://hwyt.me/NPNotebook

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html#faq

http://hwyt.me/SpiceworksInv

www.evernote.com

Label printers, routers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniewoo/27698222/

Flashdrives: programs, drivers & text files

http://www.flickr.com/photos/m-s-y/3895688671/

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Basic Setup

techguide.npowermichigan.org

$800+1-year warranty5-year life

$1,300+3-year warranty3-year life

www.toshibadirect.com: NB305 (left); www.dell.com: Vostro (middle), Dell Latitude E6410 (right)

$400+1-year warranty3-year life

Standardize on Corporate Make, Models

www.crucial.com

Suggest1 - 2 Gb

Suggest2 - 4+ Gb

Also know that Windows versions have varying maximum RAM limits.

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10 / 100 / 1000Mbps

http://home.cisco.com/en-us/wireless/linksys/

http://hp.com/go/learningcenter

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http://hwyt.me/GavinWHS

www.OpenDNS.com

http://hwyt.me/SANSpolicy

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Password Password Password

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System Setup

Standard Setup using www.Checkvist.com

www.pcdecrapifier.com

"If you have tried out the PC Decrapifier and you would like to use this program for commercial purposes, you will require a commercial license. The cost is $20 per "technician" (not per PC), which is really a bargain considering how much time you can save by using this program."

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update.microsoft.com

http://hwyt.me/TechSoupOffice

http://hwyt.me/OfficeAtHome

http://j.mp/CompatibilityPack

http://hwyt.me/PDFOffice2007

http://hwyt.me/NIS2010

http://hwyt.me/TSEndpoint

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

http://chrome.google.com

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Maintenance &Cleaning

http://j.mp/WJBc

www.ccleaner.com

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www.auslogics.com/disk-defrag

http://hwyt.me/Spybot

http://hwyt.me/FixWin

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Troubleshooting

http://hwyt.me/optimizewindows

www.microsoft.com/athome/

www.microsoft.com/atwork/

www.slipstick.com

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Reboot

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Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

http://hwyt.me/Win7Recovery

http://hwyt.me/DriveImageXML

www.LogMeIn.com

http://www.zolved.com/remote_control

http://www.google.com/advanced_search

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http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html

http://hwyt.me/RetrevoPrinters

http://gethuman.com/customer-service.html

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www.techfinder.org

www.delicious.com/highwayt