Performing required Windows upgrade

Table of Contents

You have been directed to this page because your computer's version of Windows is out of date and must be upgraded. Please follow the instructions below at your earliest convenience.

• How to upgrade
• What to expect
• Why is this upgrade required

Help Articles

How to upgrade

Please contact your departmental technician or the  IT Service Desk  to schedule an upgrade appointment. 

What to expect

The best way to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 is to:

1. Back up your documents
2. Reformat your hard drive
3. Install Windows 10 and any required applications from scratch
4. Restore the documents that were backed up at the start of the process.

This process can take up to several hours, depending on how fast your computer is and how many applications you need to re-install. Keep in mind that some older applications are not compatible with the latest version of Windows.

We recommend allowing plenty of time to complete the basic upgrade, make sure everything is working properly, and to install and configure suitable replacements for any applications that are not compatible with Windows 10.

Why is this upgrade required?

Windows 7, initially released in 2009, has reached the end of its useful life. On January 13, 2015, Microsoft stopped providing mainstream support for Windows 7 and began offering only minimal security updates. On January 14, 2020, Windows 7 stopped receiving even those basic security updates. At that point, computers running Windows 7 became vulnerable to viruses, malware, and data theft. Microsoft also stopped supporting Windows 8.0 as of January of 2016.

Running an outdated operating system, especially one that is 10 years old, is a dangerous practice and is against the University's Information Security Policy. Upgrading to Windows 10 provides the latest security protections and offers a number of  new features .

Get help from OIT

• Visit the Devices, Software & Printing page to create a ticket