Help Desk FAQs

First, check this FAQ to see if your question has already been answered. If not, please submit a request through our Service Request Form. You may also contact the help desk by sending an email to helpdesk@optics.arizona.edu. Please do not contact a TMG staff member directly; when you sending your issue to the help desk address, we can route your issue to the proper person.

If you are unable to browse the Web or to send email, you can call the help desk at 520-621-8838. If your call is answered by voice mail, please leave a detailed message. Don't forget to include the following information:

  • Your name
  • Your phone number
  • Your room number
  • Your user name
  • A detailed description of your problem

  1. Browse to http://webmail.optics.arizona.edu.
  2. The resulting page will have two or three blank fields. Enter the following information, replacing username and password with your own user name and password.
  3. On the two-field page:
    • User name: username
    • Password: password
  4. On the three-blank page:
    • User name: username
    • Password: password
    • Domain: optical-science
  5. Provided you have entered all of your information correctly, you should now gain access to your mailbox through a Web interface resembling Outlook.
  6. When finished, be sure to click "Log Out" and completely close your browser. Failure to properly log out may result in someone else gaining access to your mailbox.

OSC provides website resources for faculty and student groups through a Wordpress-based content management system, located at wp.optics.arizona.edu. These sites allow some customization while still meeting current University of Arizona and OSC branding standards. The WP sites are maintained by the Communications and Technology Management groups.

Request a Faculty Website

OSC mailbox and network accounts are deleted five business days after a user's final day. Users with a valid business need may have a contact account set up to forward mail from their OSC email address to another address.

Exceptions to this policy must be submitted to the Dean's Office for approval. Exceptions to this policy will be implemented by the manager of the Technology Management Group. The amount of grace time may be shortened and accounts may be deleted or disabled immediately for administrative or security reasons.

For Windows XP/Vista/7: Press "Ctrl+Alt+Del" while logged onto an OSC machine, and then click "Change Password."

For Windows 95/98/ME: Go to your control panel and double-click on the passwords button. You can change your Microsoft Network password there.

The two systems are not connected. Changing one in no way affects the other.

Requirements for passwords:

  • Minimum seven characters in length.
  • Maximum 14 characters in length.
  • Must contain English uppercase and lowercase letters.
  • Can not contain all or part of the user’s user name.
  • Can not contain any part of the user’s full name.
  • Can not reuse previous three passwords.

Users wanting to strengthen their passwords further can follow these suggestions:

  • Do not use words found in the dictionary.
  • Do not use proper names.
  • Use one or more numbers in the password.
  • Use one or more nonalphanumeric characters in their password.
  • It is strongly recommended that users with access to confidential and/or sensitive data utilize one or more of the suggestions to harden their password beyond the minimum requirements.

  1. In Outlook, click “File > Import and Export.” (screenshot)
  2. Select “Export to a file." (screenshot)
  3. Click “Next.”
  4. Select “Personal Folder File (.pst).” (screenshot)
  5. Click "Next."
  6. Select your mailbox.
  7. Make sure "Include Subfolders" is checked. (screenshot)
  8. Click “Next.”
  9. In the "Save exported file as:" field, type C:\mailbkup.pst. (screenshot)
  10. Click “Finish.”
  11. When the "Create Microsoft Personal Folders" box appears, click "OK." (screenshot)
  12. At this point Outlook should copy your entire mail account to your hard drive.