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Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course. It includes minimum requirements for the students’ personal computers, setup information for the first time you teach the class, and setup information for each time that you teach after the first time you set up the classroom.
Hardware requirements
Each student’s personal computer should have:
· A keyboard and a mouse
· A Pentium III or higher processor (700 MHz minimum)
· 256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended)
· 2 GB of available hard-disk space
· A CD-ROM drive
· An XGA monitor (1,024´768 minimum resolution support)
Software requirements
You will need the following software:
· Windows XP Professional (You can also use Windows Vista, although the screen shots in this course were taken using Windows XP, so students’ screens might look somewhat different.)
· Crystal Reports 2008
· Microsoft Office 2003
· A printer driver (an actual printer is not necessary)
Network requirements
Internet access is also required for this course, for the following purposes:
· Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com
· Downloading the student data files from www.axzopress.com (if necessary)
First-time setup instructions
The first time you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Install Windows XP Professional on an NTFS partition according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If the student machines have Internet access, and they are behind a software or hardware firewall, install the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com.
2 From the Control Panel, open the Display Properties dialog box and apply the following settings:
· Theme — Windows XP
· Screen resolution — 1,024 by 768 pixels
· Color quality — High (24 bit) or higher
3 Do a Custom installation of Microsoft Office 2003 Professional. Install only Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access.
4 Do a Custom installation of Crystal Reports 2008. On the Select Features screen:
· Expand Export Support. For ODBC Data Source Format, select Will be installed on local hard drive, if necessary.
· For Geographic Mapping, select Will be installed on local hard drive.
5 On the Web Update Service Option screen, check the Disable Web Update Service if you do not want Crystal Reports to regularly access the Internet for software updates.
Warning: The activities in this course were tested with updated software as of March 2008. If any subsequent Crystal Reports updates include significant changes, some activities might not work exactly as described, and some screen shots might not match what students will see on their screens. Therefore, if you choose to update the software, we strongly recommend that you walk through the entire course, noting any changes so you can point them out during class.
6 Continue installation with remaining default settings.
7 Run Crystal Reports 2008. If a registration screen appears, click Register Later.
8 Close Crystal Reports 2008.
9 Install a printer driver. An actual printer is not necessary.
10 Create a folder named Student Data at the root of the hard drive. For a standard hard drive setup, this will be C:\Student Data.
11 Download the student data files for the course. You can download the data directly to student machines, to a central location on your own network, or to a disk.
a Connect to www.axzopress.com.
b Under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training.
c Browse the subject categories to locate your course. Then click the course title to display a list of available downloads. (You can also access these downloads through our Catalog listings.)
d Click the link(s) for downloading the student data files, and follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
12 Copy the data files to the Student Data folder.
Topic B: Frequently asked questions
There are no frequently asked questions for this course at this time.
Topic C: Course notes
Correction to First-time setup instructions
There is a data file missing on the data disc. To make sure that you have the correct data for the course, please download the data files from www.axzopress.com.
Topic D: Additional information
There is no additional information for this course at this time.