Using Winstat

Winstat is the SSCC's Windows Terminal Server farm. Windows Terminal Servers run a special version of Windows that allows many people to use the server at the same time, but each user gets a session that looks and acts just like Windows on any other computer. While using Winstat you'll have full access to SSCC software, network drives and printers. You can connect to Winstat from anywhere using the Winstat Web Interface, and use it to transfer files between your computer and the SSCC network.

Installing the ICA Client

In order to use Winstat you'll need to download and install a free program, the Citrix ICA Client, on each computer you use. To do so, go to the Winstat Web Interface and log in. The web interface will then detect whether you have the ICA client installed, and if you do not it will try to send it to you automatically.

Mozilla Firefox will ask if you want to save the install program and then put it in your default download location--probably your Desktop. However, if you are using Internet Explorer it will block the download:

To actually download the file you'll need to right-click on the yellow information bar at the top of the browser window and choose Download File. Then click Save and choose a convenient place to download the file to--most likely your Desktop.

At this point you'll have downloaded the install program, but the client will not work until you actually install it. Exit your browser and double-click on the file called ica32web.msi. The only thing you'll have to do then is accept the license agreement.

If you click on Winstat and your browser tries to download a file called launch.ica without giving you the option to open it using the ICA client, then the ICA client is not properly installed. Make sure you ran the install program, then contact the Help Desk for assistance.

The first time you log in to Winstat you'll be asked if the ICA client can access files on your computer. We suggest giving Full Access and saying Never ask me again so you can use Winstat to transfer files.

Guidelines for Using Winstat

There are a few guidelines you should follow when using Winstat:

1. Do not attempt to install your own software on the server. Winstat is not the same as a regular Windows PC, and sometimes software which works fine on a PC causes problems on Winstat. This includes the "codebook" programs that come with some data sets--you'll need to find another place to install and run them.
2. Save all your files on network drives like U:. Do not save files on your Windows desktop, in My Documents, or anywhere on the C: drive. Files saved in the these locations may or may not be available the next time you log into Winstat. You can put shortcuts on your desktop for easy access to files if you wish.
3. When you're done using Winstat, log off. Do not just close the ICA client. If you do, your session remains active, hoping you'll reconnect. Thus it will continue to use resources on the server until your session is closed automatically 24 hours later.

Controlling the Winstat Window

Once you've connected to Winstat, the ICA client will take over your screen and you can almost forget you're not using your own computer. If you do want to access your own desktop, press Shift-F2 to put your terminal server session in a window. You can then minimize it like any other program. To go back to your session, make sure the session is selected and press Shift-F2 again.

If you want your session to take up just part of the screen, it's best to choose a size for the session using the web interface before starting Winstat. After giving your username and password, click on the middle button just above and to the right of the Winstat icon (). Then click Connection Preferences and select the size you want under Window Size. When you're done, click on the leftmost icon at the top right () to get back to Winstat.

Winstat does not have dual monitor support, so if you have dual monitors you probably won't be able to use full-screen mode--and Winstat may get confused if you try. Choose a size for the Winstat window before connecting as described above.

Transferring Files Using Winstat

When you log in to Winstat using the ICA client, it will automatically create network drives that connect to the local drives of your computer. The letters they are assigned will depend on your setup, but the names will always be in the same form. For example, C$ on Client will be the C: drive of your computer, D$ on Client will be your D: drive, etc. This gives you a very easy way to transfer files between your computer and the SSCC network. Simply open the C$ on Client drive, locate the file you want to transfer, and drag it to a network drive like U: (your Windows home directory). The process also works in reverse. Keep in mind that the file must be sent over your Internet connection, so if you have a large file or a slow connection it may take a while.

One warning: Winstat sees the hard drive of your computer as a network drive, and when you delete a file from a network drive it is permanently deleted rather than being sent to the Recycle Bin. Please be careful about deleting files.

Printing from Winstat

The ICA client allows Winstat to print to your local default printer. Make sure the printer you want to print to is the default before connecting to Winstat.

Statistical Computing on Winstat

Winstat has a wide variety of statistical software installed: Stata, SAS, SPSS, NVivo and many others. For a complete list, see our software page. This makes Winstat a great place to do research, though those looking to do major number crunching should keep in mind such programs generally run faster on our Linux servers. If you'll be running long jobs, you should be aware that Winstat sessions are disconnected after 24 hours without input from the user, and disconnected sessions are terminated after three hours. Keep your session active until your job is done.

Last Revised: 11/3/2009