Browser and Computer Setup for Use with VISTA

 

Overview:

Vista has a few very specific requirements that you will need to set up for each different computer you use, and it is very important that your browser meets all of the requirements for Vista to operate. All Vista users (students and teachers) will need to ensure that their computer(s) and browser(s) are set up with the following requirements.

Computer Requirements:

As a bare minimum, you will need a computer with an Internet connection, and a web browser that supports Java.

Sample Computer Configuration for Vista

Java Requirements

Your computer will need a specific version of Java installed (not the latest version as this may not be validated for use with Vista yet). If you do not have the correct version of Java for Vista or if your Java has somehow become corrupt, you may have difficulties. It is important that your computer is configured with the correct version of Java to ensure the best results when logging in and working within Vista.

Java 1.5.0_05 is recommended with Vista 3, NOT Java 1.5 Update 6 (1.5.0_06). Also, It is not necessary to uninstall Java Web Start.

Directions for unintalling previous Java versions and download link for Java 1.5.0_05

Supported Browsers

To access many of the functions of Vista you will need a web browser that supports Java. The specific web browsers that are validated for use with Vista are:

Microsoft IE 5.5. (SP2), 6, or 7
Netscape 7.0, 7.1, or 7.2
Mozila 1.7 (or later)
Firefox 1.5 (or later)

Additionally you will need to make sure your browser is configured correctly to work with Vista.

Browser Configuration

The easiest way to test your computer and browser set up is to run the USG Browser Checker: http://www.usg.edu/usgweb/browserchecker/

To use Vista, you will need to set your browser to:

  1. enable Java
  2. enable Javascript
  3. turn off pop-up blockers, or set them to allow pop-ups.
  4. also, you may need specific plug-ins for some interactive components such as Quicktime Movies, Adobe Acrobat PDFs, Adobe Flash, and Real Player.

Special Configurations for AOL (Version 9) Users

  1. Click on the settings Icon. There will be a list of options.
  2. Pop-up Controls - blocks or allows popups when using the AOL software to visit Web sites. Vista does use pop-ups for some features, such as quizzing. An instructor may have also added other pop-up links to their course materials. Pop-up settings can also be accessed by entering AOL Keyword: Pop-up Controls.
  3. Internet (Web) Options - allows control of other important browser settings. The settings box displayed is the same as the one for IE with the exception of an AOL Browser Tab. From here the user should make sure that the TopSpeed setting is set to Do Not Store Web Pages.

Issues for Students / Instructors using Vista at their Workplace

  1. Many companies have firewalls. Vista runs on a common port that is usually allowed through the firewall (Port 80)
  2. The Chat feature of Vista runs on Port 2304.

Check with the IT people at your company to see if these ports are open.