MSU Student FAQ Page for LON-CAPA

1. I enrolled for my course but I don't have access to my course on LON-CAPA. How do I get access?

   It can take up to 48 hours from enrollment to get into LON-CAPA. First, the MSU data base needs to get updated which takes up to 24 hours and then the LON-CAPA enrollment needs to get updated which takes up to another 24 hours. If you do not have LON-CAPA access after waiting three days, please contact your instructor and ask to be enrolled into your LON-CAPA class.

2. For some reason, everytime I try to log-on to LON-CAPA it goes to a weird search page. I'm not even able to get to the log-on screen with the green background. What's going on?

   Users of Internet Explorer on the Microsoft Windows platform will be prevented from logging-in to the MSU LON-CAPA system if certain types of parasiteware or adware have been installed on their computers. Some types of adware will cause you to be redirected automatically to sites such as 'Perfect Navigator' or 'Internet Optimizer'. Adware is installed automatically when peer-to-peer sharing software such as Kazaa is insalled on a computer. There are a number of applications which can be downloaded and run on your computer to try to eliminate adware and to restore the normal functioning of your web browser. Examples include:

   • Ad-Aware 6.0
   • Spybot Search & Destroy
   • SpywareGuard

   If you need to eliminate parasiteware you should download, install, update and run these applications. If Kazaa is the origin of the adware, you may also wish to uninstall Kazaa. You can use Kazaabegone to remove Kazaa from your system. As an alternative you may also wish to consider using a different web browser (installing one if necessary), e.g., Mozilla or Netscape.

   To simply avoid the redirection while leaving your machine infected with parasiteware or adware, login at the URL http://msu.lon-capa.org/adm/login.

3. When I try to login to the LON-CAPA system, after I type in my password and press enter, my username and password disappears.

   You need enable javascript in your browser's preferences.

4. When I try to log-in, I see the intro screen for a split second but then I am returned to the login screen.

   You need enable cookies in your browser's preferences.

5. I can log in, but every link and button I click brings me back to the log-in screen.

   Use of ZoneAlarm and Windows XP firewalls inhibits LON-CAPA functions. Windows XP has a built-in software firewall that is turned on by default after upgrading to SP2. If you use this firewall and ZoneAlarm, certain functions in the LON-CAPA learning management system do not work. Solution: use one firewall or the other, but not both.

6. I forgot my password.

   Your LON-CAPA username and password is the same as you MSU NetID and password. You can get help for this at http://help.msu.edu.

7. I read the Getting Started Guide, however the Remote Control does not display nor does LON-CAPA give me any menus. What can I do?

   LON-CAPA initially tries to load the Remote Control. After 30 seconds of trying, LON-CAPA will give up and change your session and all future log-in sessions to use the Menu Mode. If you are not patient during this initial 30 seconds, you may force LON-CAPA to stay in Remote Control Mode yet not have a Remote Control. If this occurs, go to http://sNUMBER.lite.msu.edu/adm/remote to force your system to change modes (i.e. change from the broken Remote Control Mode to the Menu Mode). Replace NUMBER with the current number that is in your URL.

8. I dropped my course/I changed sections but it is still listed on LON-CAPA

   It can take up to 48 hours for LON-CAPA to be aware of your drop (see question 1). If your dropped course still remains listed on LON-CAPA after a few days, then your instructor has specifically requested that drops do not automatically occur. During the beginning of the semester, there are sometimes unintentional drops due to unpaid parking tickets, housing, tuition, etc.. These students tend to re-enroll. It is easier for both the instructor and the dropped student to still be able to do homework in LON-CAPA while the financial issue is getting taken care of. Dropped students will remain listed in the course until the instructor forces a class list update while specifying to automatically drop non-enrolled students from LON-CAPA. If you want a class removed from your courses screen, you will need to contact the instructor of that course. You may also want to make use of the LON-CAPA hotlist functionality in the preferences (PREF on the Main Menu or Remote Control).

9. I read this FAQ and the getting started guide for students and I still need help. What should I do?

   You can submit a help request ticket by clicking here.