A Light on the Hill

Office Computer Setup

This provides guidelines on setting up office computers

Hardware

Office Computer

  • Refurbished Amazon i5 October 2024
    • CHP Elitedesk 800 G5 Desktop Mini
      • Three display port connectors (not two and one HDMI) as expected
      • Firmware HP R21
    • Intel core i5-9500T @ 2.2GHz with Intel UHD Graphics 630
    • Samsung MZVLQ256HAJD-000H1 SSD
    • Memory 16GB
    • OS Windows 11 Pro

Remote Computer

  • Electronic Recyclers Australia i3 December 2019
    • Dell Optiplex 3020 Small Form Factor
    • Slim DVD Writer
    • Intel core i3-4130 CPU @ 3.40Ghz (4th Generation, Haswell DT, Passmark 4805)
      • Integrated video, Intel HD graphics 4400
    • Dell DIH81R Express Motherboard
      • Memory 4GB DDR3 (1x4GB)
    • AMD Radeon HD8490
    • Intel 545S 256GB SSD (July 2017)
    • OS Windows 10 Business (should be Pro?)
  • Main monitor – DVI – 16:9 – 23 inch – Dell refurbished P2312H
  • Second monitor – DisplayPort – Dell refurbished P2314H
  • Mouse Dell 4K93W Optical Wheel Mouse
  • Dell SK-8135 Keyboard

Workroom computer

  • Electronic Recyclers Australia i3+i5 upgrade August 2019
    • Dell Optiplex 3010 Small Form Factor
    • Slim DVD Writer
    • Intel core i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20Ghz (3rd Generation, Ivy-Bridge, Passmark 6720)
    • Dell H61 Express Motherboard with A22 Bios
      • Integrated video, Intel HD graphics 2000
      • Memory 8GB DDR3 (2x4GB)
    • AMD Radeon HD 7000
    • 120GB Intel 530 SSD
    • OS Windows 10 Pro
  • Main monitor – via DVI – Dell P2210F – 22 inch, 16:10 1680 x 1050 @ 60Hz, 0.282 mm pitch
  • Dell 4K93W Optical Wheel Mouse
  • Dell KB522 full size Keyboard

BIOS

  1. For older machines Set SATA mode to AHCI
  2. Update BIOS according to manufacturers recommendation
  • Note that BIOS is pre 2012 so no (U)EFI support so use MBR partition table not GPT

Operating System

  1. Default Install of Windows 10 Pro (Upgrade from Windows 7) or Windows 11 Pro
    1. Add Australian English Language Pack 
    2. Put Australian English as preferred language
  2. Users
    1. For Windows 10 Create Admin User (with Administrative privileges)
    2. Join the computer to Active Directory, the Admin User will be removed later
  3. For Windows 10 Check that Windows default password expiry setting is appropriate
  4. Use Inbuilt Anti-Virus (Windows Defender)
  5. For Windows 10 use Motherboard Drivers Disc
  6. For Windows 10 (Version 1709 onwards), select the Start button, select Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, then make sure Use my sign in info to automatically finish setting up my device and reopen my apps after an update or restart is turned off (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027599/windows-10-automatically-finish-setting-up-pc-after-update-restart) to avoid issues on multiuser machines

Utilities

  1. Adobe Reader
  2. Trusteer Report https://www.banksa.com.au/online-services/business-banking-online/trusteer for Business Banking
  3. Printer – Download and install WHQL PCL drivers from manufacturer. Remember to do auto-configuration of both to match hardware.
  4. SSD peculiarities
    • If an SSD is installed then optimise according to manufacturers directions, e.g. disable ReadyBoost for pre Windows 7 machines

Utilities for Windows 10 and older

  1. 7zip
  2. Printer – Download and install WHQL PS&PCL drivers for Windows 7 x64. Remember to do auto-configuration of both to match hardware.
  3. Infrarecorder as a replacement for Nero.
    1. Upgrade DVD writer firmware to latest (U09 for TS-H552U)
    2. Turn off SAO for DVD copying
    3. Version 0.51 x64 version does not work for non-admin users. Use the 32 bit version instead.
    4. Maybe install cdrtfe instead
  4. If Windows will not play DVD’s directly (e.g. Vista Business)
    1. Install VLC Media Player
    2. Add a registry patch to add “Play DVD in VLC using VLC” as an option in the Autorun menus in Control Panel
    3. Set VLC Media Player as the default Player for DVDs
  5. Time synchronisation
    • Set NTP synchronisation with isp (ntp.internode.on.net)
  6. SSD peculiarities
    • If an SSD is installed then optimise according to manufacturers directions, e.g. disable ReadyBoost for pre Windows 7 machines

Applications

  • Word Processing and Spreadsheet
    • Microsoft 365 – have an admin user log in and install using admin privileges (make sure it is the current 64 bit version on 64 bit machines and uninstall 32bit Compatibility Pack for Office 2007)

Older Applications for Windows 10 only until removed

  • MYOB is used for Accounting
    • MYOB Accountright Standard v19.1 replaces MYOB Accouting
      • Check for valid license
      • All files are stored in Public Documents -> MYOB Folder
      • As the data files are stored separately from the program so there should be no special permission changes required for a limited user
      • Associate MYO files with the program c:\STANDARD19\MYOB.EXE
    • MYOB Accounting v18 was previously used. This software does not function well as a limited user at version 16. Issue the following commands to make it work
      • cacls c:\myob18 /T /E /P BUILTIN\Users:F
      • cacls “c:\Program Files\myob16” /T /E /P Office:F 
      • Alternatively cacls “c:\Program Files\myob16” /T /E /P BUILTIN\Users:F
  • Audacity for audio editing
  • Zoom (use 64 bit MSI installer)

User preferences

  • In Taskbar Settings -> Taskbar behaviours set Alignment to “Left”
  • In Edge sign in to bring across Favourites
  • Using Sharepoint Web add shortcuts to user’s OneDrive, then use that to put into Explorer Favourites
  • For printing favourites
    • Add A5 Booklet as per below
    • Add A4 Booklet as per below

Printing Preferences

These settings will change each time the printer driver and possibly the Operating System changes. Each section will include what is trying to be achieved and how to achieve it

A5 Booklet

This is for the order of service that is produced in bulk that is an A5 booklet without a preprinted cover. In the Sharp printer properties:

  1. Start from Default
  2. Go to the Layout tab
    • Turn off 2-sided printing
    • Set Booklet to Standard
    • Set Binding to Left
    • Set Output Size to A4
  3. Go to the Finishing tab
    • Select Saddle Stitch
  4. Now save as A5 Booklet

A4 Booklet

This is the same as “A5 Booklet” just with larger print and size.

  1. Start from A5 Booklet
  2. Go to the Layout tab
    • Set Output Size to A3
  3. Now save as A4 Booklet

A5 Cover

This is for the order of service that is produced in bulk that is an A5 booklet with special paper for the cover. The paper that is used for the cover that is placed in tray 3 face down with the church on the left.

  1. Main
    • Colour mode B&W
  2. Paper Source
    • Output Size A4
  3. Finishing
    • Saddle Stitch
  4. Layout
    • Booklet – Standard
    • Binding Left
    • Output Size A4
  5. Insert (Click > on the top line to get this tab)
    • Tray 3 Cover Double Sided
    • Add
    • Save as “A5 Cover”
    • Close this dialog
  6. Now save as A5 Cover

A5 Cover Draft

This is for order of service without the cover.

  1. Start from A5 Cover
  2. Remove Insert

A4 Cover

This is the same as “A5 Cover” just with larger print and size. Special A3 Covers kept in the Stationery cupboard is used for the cover

  1. Start from “A5 Cover” and Modify this
  2. Layout
    • Output Size A3
  3. Insert (Click > on the top line to get this tab)
    • Bypass Tray Cover Double Sided
    • Add
    • Save as “A4 Cover”
    • Close this dialog
  4. Now save as A4 Cover

Note that the A4 cover must be inserted prior to printing, so the printer knows there is A3 paper in the bypass tray.

A4 Fellowship List

This is an A4 booklet made from A3 paper printed in Landscape mode

A5 Fellowship List

This is an A5 booklet made from A4 paper printed in Landscape mode

Labels

This is A4 paper printed from the bypass tray with paper type labels

User Preferences

These seem to be set on a per user basis

  • Units – Control Panel -> Regional -> Units – set to metric
  • Text size – Settings -> Ease Of Access -> Text Size

If you find you cannot (on a single computer) open Office documents (e.g. .docx) from outside bpuc.org within Office 365 from Outlook, make the following changes to protected view in the trust centre. Does not seem to be necessary on a fresh machine install, can also be resolved by reinstall Office 365.

  • In Word Options -> Trust Center -> Trust Center Settings -> Protected view untick
    • Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments

If you find you cannot get preview to work within Outlook, completely remove, reboot, reinstall Office 365 and reboot

Regular maintenance

These things probably need checking every 6 months or so

  • BIOS updates
  • Firmware for SSD