text zoom: S | M | L

Enquiries: 8303 3335
Helpdesk for MyUni
Monday to Friday
8am - 6pm

Learning and Teaching Issues
Online Learning, CLPD

You are here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Following are some of the most commonly asked questions we receive from MyUni Students.
Click on the question that you are interested in, to see the answer...

The Questions

The Answers

Getting Started

I'm not sure what my username or password is?

Your username is your 7-digit Student ID prefaced with the letter "a". For example if your Student ID is 1234567, then your username for MyUni will be a1234567.

All students have been allocated a password. Your password for MyUni will be the password you use to access your staff e-mail, dialup and proxy services.

I'm having trouble getting to the myuni.adelaide.edu.au site?

If you have trouble reaching the login page to MyUni the following steps may help you identify the problem and the appropriate place where the problem should be reported:

Double check that you have typed in myuni.adelaide.edu.au correctly.
If you get an error then try accessing the University of Adelaide homepage at www.adelaide.edu.au. If you get to this site then the problem is specific to MyUni and you should ring the Helpdesk for MyUni on (08) 8303 3335 and report the problem.
If the University homepage also gives you an error, it is likely that the problem is not with MyUni and you will need to speak to your Internet Service Provider to discuss the problem further.

What are the System Requirements for MyUni?

You can connect to MyUni through any computer with an internet connection running windows 95 or higher, or an Apple Macintosh running Mac OS 8.6 or higher.
You will need a web browser (Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer) that is version 4.0 or higher.
Your browser should be configured to accept cookies that get sent back to the originating server.
Your browser should be configured to display images.
Your browser should be configured with javascript enabled.

I need to upgrade my browser to a higher version, where can I get this from?

Most computing magazines have a cover CD that contains the latest versions of most utilities that you are likely to need when using the Internet. This could save you a large amount of download time! You can download Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer from the Respondus and Software Tools page.

What software might i need to access content on MyUni?

You can download software required to access content on MyUni from the Software Utilities page.

I have forgotten/don't know my password. What should I do?

If you are a student who also works for the University, or has undertaken work in the past, you should contact the Helpdesk for MyUni on (08) 8303 3335.

Otherwise, you will need to contact the Student Centre (08) 8303 5208. If you go in person with some photo ID, the staff will issue you with a new password on the spot.

Can I set up my email account to automatically forwarded to another address?

Yes, to set a forward from your student e-mail account to another mail account (work or private) please click on the following link:

http://webmail.adelaide.edu.au/

Once you have logged in with your username and password do the following:

Click "Account Manager" then "Forwards"
Enter the email address you wish to forward to in the "Set/install a forward to:" text box.
Uncheck the checkbox "Keep a copy in your mailbox" if you do not wish to retain copies of any messages sent to this address on the server.
Enter your password and click "Submit"
Make sure you test your forward from another account (or get someone to send a test e-mail for you) and ensure that the message arrives in the the correct inbox.

If you have any questions please contact the Helpdesk for MyUni.

How do I check how much of my allocated Internet quota I have used?

The University of Adelaide allocates Internet access to its students on the basis of how many megabytes (Mb) of data they can download according to their quota. Students can check to find out how many Mb of data they have downloaded to date, as well as see other statistics, by proceeding to the address given below, and then clicking on the "CHECK YOUR WEB USAGE" link located on the left panel. The log-in details are the same as for logging onto MyUni.

For more information and to check your usage go to http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/current/snap/

Inside MyUni

What should I do if my enrolment details are incorrect?

If you notice inside MyUni that you are enrolled in a course that you have withdrawn from, the best thing to do is to wait and be patient. A certain period of time is required between when a course withdrawal is lodged and when the MyUni database is updated to reflect this change. If you are still unsatisfied you can contact the Helpdesk for MyUni on (08) 8303 3335, and they can tell you immediately if you are officially enrolled in a course or not.

If you notice inside MyUni that a course you are enrolled in is not present, you can contact the Helpdesk for MyUni on (08) 8303 3335, and they can tell you immediately if you are officially enrolled in a course or not. It is also possible that your course instructor has made your course unavailable, and that your current MyUni settings prevent you from actually knowing if courses are unavailable. To change this, click on the "pencil" button located in the top right of the "My Courses" window on the front page of MyUni. Then check the "Show Unavailable Courses" box. You should then be able to see any unavailable courses you are enrolled in.

What should I do if I login, and someone else's MyUni information comes up?

There have been a few occurrences when people have logged into MyUni with their own username and password, but have been presented with incorrect information on the screen (eg. have been welcomed with the wrong name or have tried to send email with an incorrect address).

This problem appears to be random and technical support staff will appreciate your help in investigating further. If this happens to you, you must do 2 things:

Log out of MyUni and close your browser immediately, and then log back in and re-enter your login name and password.
Call the Helpdesk for MyUni IMMEDIATELY on (08) 8303 3335 and tell them where and when the problem occurred and what incorrect details appeared on the screen.

What should I do when I get the message "Do you want to accept this cookie"?

Cookies are a means of letting a webserver keep details . Cookies can only be used to store information that you enter. They are essential to MyUni, because they are used so that the server can remember all of the personal preferences that you have set for your MyUni. You can either set-up your browser to automatically accept all cookies, or to notify you of all requests for cookies.

In Netscape go to: Edit > Preferences and then select "Advanced" in the list. You can then select your cookies preferences in this panel.
In Internet Explorer: Tools > Options, then select the Security tab. Press the "Custom Level" button at the bottom left corner of the dialogue box. Now scroll down to the "Cookies" item. Select the Cookies options that you want.

What is the "Send E-mail" function for, and how is it different to my student email?

You can use this email to communicate with people in your course, whether you want to contact people in your tutorial/practical group, course lecturers and teacher's assistants, everyone in your course, or just specific people in your course.

It is found under "Communication" in your course pages, under "Send E-mail".

You can then select a mailing option: All Users, All Groups, All Teaching Assistants, All Instructors, Select Users, or Select Groups

You can then type your message, and select additional options (ie attachments), and then submit your message. It will be sent to all your nominated recipients

How do I customise the windows on my front page?

The "Content" button located towards the top right of the screen takes you to a page that allows you to customize your front page windows. These windows are presented in 2 columns (called the left and right panels) on the front page of MyUni, and actually represent different modules each serving unique purposes. The six modules with a small star next to them cannot be removed from the front page display, and can only be shifted around inside a panel or from panel to panel. Modules under the "Available Modules" box are not presented in the front page display. If you wish for one of these modules to be presented on your front page display, simply highlight it, then click on one of the "Add" buttons depending on which panel you wish it to be displayed in.

What is my username/password for the web email client?

Accessing the web email client will take you to a page where you can select whether to check your student email account, and your staff email account as well, if you have one. You should have a staff account if you have undertaken work for the university in the past, or are working for the university currently. If you wish to access your student email account, the login details are the same as for logging into MyUni as a normal student. If you wish to access your staff email account, the login details are the same as for logging into MyUni as a student undertaking work for the university.

What is the "Set CD ROM Drive" under "Personal Information" for?

The "Set CD ROM Drive" sets the path of your CD ROM Drive for use in MyUni, and needs to be used if your instructor gives you course material on a CD. Course material of this nature is typically of very large size, and would be inappropriate to upload onto MyUni, as downloading it would be very time consuming for students.

What is the User Directory and how do I use it?

The User Directory stores the names and email addresses of everybody enrolled in the MyUni database. You can search for somebody through their last name or through their email address. If you search for somebody through their email address, it is not imperative to enter a full address - some part of the address will do. Bear in mind that the customary form of a student's email address is: firstname.lastname@student.adelaide.edu.au The same applies for a staff member only without "student". The "A-Z, 0-9" tab also allows you to display every enrolled member whose last name begins with a specified letter or number. It is important to note that results are displayed 25 at a time over multiple pages if necessary. To save yourself time, it is best to be specific in your search, as general searches can be long and tedious especially from home computers.

What is the Address Book and how do I use it?

The Address Book is a personalized version of the User Directory. It is empty to begin with, and you can add other entities enrolled in the MyUni database through the "ADD CONTACT" link. Browsing through the Address Book is exactly the same as for the User Directory, only you will be able to see more details about the people you bring up.

Inside a Course / Course related questions

What should I do if my lecturer has put up a link to a site that doesn't work?

If this is happening then there could have been a mistake made by your lecturer or department. It is best that you contact your lecturer or course instructor as soon as possible to advise them that this is occurring so that the problem can be fixed.

What is a PDF document and how can I read it?

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a document format developed by Adobe. It is commonly used for distributing documents on the Internet. The advantage of PDF files is that they are viewable across all operating systems and you dont need Microsoft Office to view documents . To read PDF files you will need to install a copy of Adobe's Acrobat Reader (Freeware). The Respondus and Software Tools section has a link to the download for this software.

How do I use the "Digital Drop Box" to send files to an Instructor?

The Digital Drop Box function in MyUni is used for online storage, basically you can upload files to the Digital Drop Box and then download them at a later instance. This is particularly useful if you work on your files at home as well as at University, because you can upload the files to your Digital Drop Box while at home and then download them at University for further working. You can also submit files from your Digital Drop Box directly to your course instructor. It is found under "Tools" in your course pages, under "Digital Drop Box". You can add files to the Digital Drop Box by clicking on the "Add File" button, and browsing to find your file. This will add your file to the Digital Drop Box - it will not submit your file to the lecturer unless you click on "Send File"

You can work on your file in MyUni, by going to the Digital Drop Box each time you are in your course pages, and clicking on your file in there. When you want to submit your file to the lecturer, click the "Send File" option in the Digital Drop Box, and this will submit your file to the lecturer.

Note: You cannot remove a file once it has been sent to the instructor (only the instructor can do this). This is to prevent a student from removing and altering any sensitive materials such as a test or assignment sent to the instructor. This assures that the instructor has a chance to view and grade the file. It is also the responsibility of the student to insure that files stored in their Digital Drop Box are appropriately backed up, the University will take no responsibility for files lost or corrupted in the Digital Drop Box.

Once an instructor grades or reviews the file and returns it to the student, then and only then will the "Remove" button reappear and allow the student to delete that file from the Digital Drop Box.

What is the "Edit Your Home page" option for?

The Edit Your Homepage screen allows users in a course to display information about themselves. These homepages are displayed in the Roster option in the Communications tab.

Every student has a course Web site homepage where they can post information about themselves.

This area is created by default each time a new student is enrolled into the course. The default page is blank until the user edits the page.

The "Edit Your Homepage" option is available under the Tools/Student Tools/User Tools tab in your course's pages.

You can:

Enter an introduction message
Enter personal information
Upload a picture
Enter in your favourite web sites (space for 3 sites)

Other students, administrators, teaching assistants in the course can view your homepage through the "Roster" (or Class List).

What is the "Roster" and how can I use it?

The term "roster" is an American term used in MyUni, and it just means "class list". Users can search the Roster and view lists of students, instructors, and teaching assistants associated with their specific course. Roster is found under the Communications tab in your course's pages.

The Roster contains a search function - users can search using different variables, e.g.:

Search for a specific person
Search for a group (last names beginning with same letter, student numbers beginning with same digits)
Search using a value found in the user's name
List all users

The Roster displays each of the users' homepages, who are enrolled in that course.

How do I delete files in the "Digital Drop box"?

Files appear in the Drop box in two ways.

You (the student) send a file to your instructor.
Your Instructor sends a file to you.

In both cases, they appear in one list in your student Drop box. The files you have sent are listed so that you have a record of what you sent when. In the second case, these files are available for you to select and download to your computer to review any Instructor comments.

At the bottom of the list is a link to "Remove files." When you go to remove files, you can only remove files that have been sent by your Instructor. You cannot remove any of the files already sent. Once you submit them, they are in the Instructor's Drop box. Only s/he can remove the files from the Blackboard server at this point. That is, once you turn in an assignment, you cannot "take it back." If you have made a mistake, communicate with your Instructor.

How do I put a Link in a "Discussion Forum Post"?

You can put links to web pages within a discussion forum post by following these two easy steps.

Within your message, type the exact, entire URL, such as http://www.adelaide.edu. You can have text before and after the URL. Any punctuation (period, comma, etc.) at the end of the URL will NOT be included in the link.
Underneath the text box, select the radio button for smart Text.

How do I name files for download correctly?

If you use the Digital Drop box or post a message with an attachment, please follow these guidelines when naming (saving) your file.

On a Mac, save your files with the .*** extension. For example, use "reading.doc" instead of "reading." (PCs automatically add the correct extension.) Do not use spaces. Instead, either use the underscore (_) or run the words together. For example, use "Chelsea_Brown_article.pdf" or "ChelseaBrownarticle.pdf" instead of "Chelsea Brown article.pdf."

Use only letters, numbers, and the underscore. Do not use any punctuation or other characters, including ' " , . # @ * and so on. For example use "Johnspaper.doc" instead of "John's paper.doc."

Do not make files name exceedingly long. A good rule of thumb is to use eight letters or less. For example, Use "CBrown.pdf" instead of ChelseaBrownarticle.pdf."