What is Windows 10?
Windows 10 is a new, modern desktop operating system which allows us to use the latest version of Microsoft Office and also allows us to use up-to-date versions of other software.
Will the new operating system be similar to the version currently installed on University PCs?
It looks a bit different but many people will have already used it on non-University PCs and it is easy to get used to the interface. There are a few things you will need to learn and you will need to prepare your PC for the new version of Windows to ensure you continue to have access to all the files you need. You must copy all files and bookmarks which are on your desktop and on your D drive to a different location because they will be erased when the new operating system is deployed. Depending on which browser you use, your bookmarks might not automatically be retained. You may find you need to change the way you work with files when working in Windows 10 and Office 2016. Don’t worry though, we will provide you with instructions and advice before you move across.and you will find lots of resources to help you find your way around and get to know the new tools and features.
When will I move to Windows 10?
We will be rolling this out to groups of people over the next few months. People in DTS and key groups in other areas of the University are already using this and we expect that it will be rolled out to all staff and student University PCs over summer and the new academic year.
We are developing a timeline to work out when people will migrate to the new version and will work closely with stakeholders in faculties and directorates to agree dates. Before the roll out, you will receive instructions about what to do and you will see a desktop assistant pop up on your PC to help make sure your computer is prepared for the deployment.
Our service desk staff will be available to help if you have any issues or questions about Windows 10 or the latest version of Office.
What do I need to do now?
- You should start preparing your PC to receive the new desktop by making sure anything you’ve saved on your desktop or your D Drive partition are saved somewhere safe. Microsoft’s new operating system works in a different way to Windows 7 and any files stored in these areas will be erased when it is installed.
- Watch out for the new desktop installation assistant which will pop up on your desktop before you are moved to the new operating system. This will help you make sure
- Get to know OneDrive. Every student and member of staff has 1tb of space on OneDrive while they are at the University. You can access it now through a browser. When you start using the new version of Office, the OneDrive storage area will be prominent on your desktop and you will find it easy to save files there. Please bear in mind that when you leave, no-one else will be able to access the information you have stored in OneDrive – even if you have shared links to the files with other people.
How do I stay up to date with developments?
Make sure you read all the communications that come to you about Windows 10. It’s a modern operating system with many new features and benefits which may mean some changes to the way you work. You can also sign up to this blog to receive emails when new information is posted.
Why is the University moving to a different version of Windows?
Using the Windows 10 operating system allows us to have the latest features and security updates which are required to keep the University protected. It also allows access to up-to-date hardware and software, including the latest version of Office – and it automatically connects to files saved in your University OneDrive for Business cloud storage area.
Windows 7 is no longer compatible with the latest hardware and some software – and the operating system is becoming out of date. Most new equipment is now supplied with Windows 10 installed so we need to move to a more modern desktop. It’s also what many students are already using and future employers are likely to expect people to be familiar with it.
What is the D: Drive and why am I losing it?
Most University PCs have a single disk drive. The majority of Office PCs have a partition of this which we refer to as the D Drive. This will be affected by the new operating system – other drives (such as an additional hard disk within a PC or an external disk) will stay as they are (see below). The new Windows 10 operating system provides frequent updates direct to your PC and there will also be a yearly deployment to all workstations to ensure we continue to have the latest operating system. For most workstations, this update will be achieved by what’s known as a re-image which will reinstall a new version of the operating system on the disk, replacing all existing data.
When we installed the first University Managed Desktop in 1998, we used partitioned drives – back then, staff had very little network drive space and there weren’t alternative methods of storage. There are much better solutions now which are more secure and accessible from multiple devices. These are compliant with IT regulations, security and GDPR.
Our Microsoft subscription provides us each with 1 terabyte of cloud storage in OneDrive which is easily accessible from different devices through a browser – and using Windows Explorer in Windows 10. It integrates very well with other Office applications and is a very useful and secure place to store your files.
What’s the difference between my C Drive, my D Drive and my Desktop
The C:Drive is the partition used to store the operating system, applications and the special user folder known as the User Profile where some personal files and settings are stored by applications and the operating system.
The D:Drive is an additional partition, created on the hard disk that was created to allow users to store personal data before the advent of large amounts of personal network storage, USB drives or cloud storage. Most people don’t use this storage space and having the D: partition causes a number of issues which are resolved by removing it.
Your desktop is one of the special user folders within a User Profile. It has always been recommended that important files are not kept on the desktop because they could easily be lost and are not retrievable.
What about PCs that use specialist software or hardware
PCs with an additional internal or external hard disk, for instance, will keep their current set up. Computers in some ACES areas such as the journalism labs are examples of these. Often these are referred to as D:drives (which can be confusing) but don’t worry, DTS knows about them and the Windows 10 roll out won’t stop you using them but, as always, it’s important to retain a back up copy of everything stored here in case of corruption, disk failure, theft etc. Nothing should be stored on any D drive that would cause you or the University a problem if it was lost.
Can I still use Google Apps?
Yes, you will still have access to your University Google account and you can still use the Google Drive cloud storage provided for you while you are at the University. However, you will find OneDrive integrates very well with the new version of Office and is prominent on in the Windows 10 operating system.