Why is the University moving to Windows 7?
In 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP. Since then, Microsoft has released several new Operating Systems the most recent of which is Windows 7. Microsoft will be discontinuing support for Windows XP in April 2014, after which time they will not be releasing new security updates or any upgrades. At that time, running Windows XP will become a potential security and business risk to the University.

How long will you be supporting Windows XP for?
Unless a future technology or support issue forces DePaul to migrate away from Windows XP sooner, we hope to support Windows XP through Microsoft’s end-of-support date, April 2014. We recognize that each department has its own constraints and business needs, and we encourage university departments to move to Windows 7 when they are able.

When will lab and classroom systems be upgraded to Windows 7?
We will be upgrading the labs and classroom systems to Windows 7 and Office 2010 between the end of Fall 2011 and beginning of Winter 2012 terms, in the November/December 2011 timeframe. We will have a test instance available no later than August of 2011. If you would like to participate in testing this image, please send a request to windows7@depaul.edu.

Will I have issues with Office 2010?
Office 2010 takes the Office 2007 interface and brings a set of incremental improvements to the office suite. Among them: making the Ribbon the default interface for all Office applications, including Outlook. Office 2010 adds a host of new features to individual applications such as video editing in PowerPoint, improved mail handling in Outlook and a number of Office-wide productivity enhancers, including photo editing tools and a much-improved paste operation. All of your files should open properly in Office 2010. All of the Office programs offer additional features which may not be available in previous versions, so you will need to be careful when collaborating with colleagues who have not upgraded. If you are still using Office 2003 today, Office 2010 will look very different for you. We strongly encourage you to take one of our Office 2010 training sessions to familiarize yourself with the new interface.

What models meet the Windows 7 requirements?
The models listed below meet the Windows 7 upgrade requirements:

• Optiplex 760
• Optiplex 780
• Latitude E4200
• Latitide E6400
• Latitude E6410
• Latitude XT (tablet)
• LatitudeXT2 (tablet)

How can I get Windows 7?
There are two ways to get Windows 7:

"Getting a New Workstation"
Beginning January 2011, when you receive a new workstation, it will already have Windows 7 and Office 2010 installed. You will need to install any additional hardware and software, as you would any new workstation coming into the University today. Your data will be automatically migrated from Windows XP to the Windows 7 operating environment.

"Upgrading my current Workstation"
Beginning in January 2011, if your workstation meets the minimum system requirements DePaul’s Windows 7 deployment, you can voluntarily upgrade your system to Windows 7 by going to a web page to schedule a self-service upgrade. More details for this sign-up process will be provided in December.

When you schedule and start the upgrade, your documents and some workstation configuration information will be automatically saved and Windows 7 will be installed. After the installation is complete, you will be able to log into your computer, using your Campus Connect username and password as you do today. Once logged in, you will be able to reinstall any addition (non-standard) software on your workstation, as you would any new workstation entering into the University today. It is important that the primary owner of each system perform this simple upgrade, as the person that schedules and runs the upgrade will be the only administrator on the workstation in Windows 7. There are instructions for adding other administrators to the workstation, but this task can only be performed by the primary administrator on the system.

Do I need to leave my system on during the upgrade process?
Yes, you will trigger the actual upgrade of your workstation when it's convenient for you. Shortly before your scheduled update, you will receive information on how to start the migration process. Once started, the process is completely automatic, and will take approximately 2-8 hours to complete (depending on the volume of used disk space you currently have on your computer). We would suggest starting it shortly before you leave for the day as to not interrupt your business day. During this time, the workstation should be left powered on, and connected to the network via a network cable (your workstation cannot be upgraded while it is connected to the network via wireless).

NOTE: If you have added any boot-up passwords (BIOS passwords) required on boot up these should be disabled as the computer will have to reboot several times during this process.

What happens to my files/documents during upgrade?
Files on your local workstation will remain intact (however, add-on and non-standard software will need to be reinstalled after the migration process). Information Services will also save a backup of your entire workstations' hard disk for 10 business days in case your old operating environment needs to be restored for some reason. As soon as the upgrade is finished, please spend some time making sure that all your documents are available, and that you are able to perform your critical work functions.

What do I need to know about software with Windows 7?
Please visit the Software Related page (click here) for details on :

• Software compatibility
• Software available with the Win 7 image
• Incompatible software
• How to install DePaul distributed software

Please note that if you have software that is specific to your department then you or your department should have the license and the method to install (download or CD install) the software.

How do I know if my hardware will work or is compatible with Windows 7?

Computers
Your budget manager will be given a list of compatible and non-compatible computers for your division. Additionally, when you sign up for the upgrade, a system check will run on your computer to determine its eligibility.

Other Hardware
Unfortunately, many older and aging hardware devices may not have Windows 7 64-bit compatible drivers (software components that let Windows understand how to interface with such devices), as many companies have dropped support for their older equipment. This means that many older hardware devices may not be compatible with Windows 7 and will need to be replaced as their host PC is upgraded. It is very important to determine the compatibility status of every device you use with your computer before you perform a Windows 7 upgrade, so you can understand the impact of this change on your individual computing environment. This includes printers, scanners, USB devices, and anything else that you plug into your computer and which requires software or a driver to operate.

You can find more information about hardware support here

What are the minimum system requirements for upgrading to Windows 7? How do I know if my machine meets these requirements?
The MINIMUM system requirements for Windows 7 at DePaul are:

64bit Chipset (Intel Core2, or Core2 Duo)

At LEAST 2GB of System Memory (RAM)

At LEAST 30 GB free Hard Disk space available.

The following standard models of computers are 100% compatible at DePaul :

• Optiplex 760
• Optiplex 780
• Latitude E4200
• Latitide E6400
• Latitude E6410
• Latitude XT (tablet)
• LatitudeXT2 (tablet)

What if I don’t have enough RAM, but meet the rest of the system requirements?
If your workstation needs additional memory in order to be upgraded, the scheduling application will let you know, and allow you to set up an appointment with IS in order to upgrade your workstation (both memory and Windows 7).

Who do I call if I experience problems during the upgrade?
When you fill out the upgrade scheduling application, you will be asked for contact and location information. This is to help us (IS) determine who will be upgrading on which days. After the upgrade, the Technology Support Center (2-8765) will be standing by to help you either over the phone, or will be able to dispatch someone to your location to help out in any way we can.

Who do I call if I have questions?
For now, questions can be sent via email to windows7@depaul.edu where they will be answered as quickly as possible.

Will there be training on Windows 7 and Office 2010?
Yes, the Information Services MPT training group will provide training materials and classes. The training materials will include Technical Guides and Quick Guides both in document and video formats. MPT will offer training classes based on audience needs specifically tailored towards an upgrading user or new user based on technology profile (There will be different versions of training targeted to specific audiences). MPT offers training primarily to students and staff and provides specific topics (Windows 7 and Office 2010 related) in a group lab setting with a class size of 6 to 20. In addition, MPT provides one on one training options. MPT also provides training on demand to specific groups, if requested. Please visit MPT’s link to review training options and schedules

Will my auto-archive settings get migrated to Outlook 2010 after I migrate to Windows 7?
Yes. Critical settings are migrated: frequency in which auto-archive runs, auto-archive prompt settings, options selected during the auto-archive process, and number of days/months at which the tool archives mail. However, customers that have Outlook 2003/2007 configured to auto-archive to a network location will have to reconfigure their auto-archive settings to point back to that preferred network location after the migration. Otherwise a new archive will automatically be created at the Outlook 2010 default location, which is C:\Users\username\Documents\Outlook Files\archive.pst. This will only affect customers auto-archiving to the network. It is critical that users check their auto-archive settings immediately after the migration process is completed.

Will my resource accounts get migrated to Outlook 2010 after the migration to Windows 7?
No. Customers will have to re-open all resource accounts that they had access to from their Outlook 2003/2007 profile.

Are previous versions of Microsoft Access files compatible with the new 2010 version of Access?
Yes. However, like previous releases of Access, the new version of access will allow for the utilization of new Access tools and routines that will not function correctly in older versions of Access. Therefore, if your department uses shared Access databases, be very careful about structural changes you make (such as the addition or removal of tables and reports) to an Access database while it is loaded in Access 2010, if it needs to be accessed in the future by previous versions of Access.

Sign up for the Windows 7 upgrade

 

Training options for Windows 7 and Office 2010

 

Frequently Asked Questions for Windows 7 and Office 2010

 

Software Related