MicroSoft is ending support for Windows XP during the next school year. This means that we will need to update our computers so that they are running Windows 7. In order to accomplish this with as little instructional disruption as possible, we will attempt to update as many computers during the summer as possible.
(Please note that we have updated some computers throughout the district. If your computer is already running Windows 7, we won’t be updating. However, it is still a good idea to back up your data. If the hard drive of your computer crashes, we have no way of getting that data back for you.
What this means to you.
- You must back up your data.
- (Please note that we back up network drives. Thus, any information that is on a shared drive or your H: drive is backed up).
How?
* As long as you save all of your files to your H: drive* (the network drive with your user ID in the name), you are all set.
* If you have your files on your C: drive, please copy them to your H: drive. This includes documents that are saved only on your desktop or in your “My Documents”.
What we do.
- We will try to reinstall any standard applications that we can. (If you have specialized programs, we may need the install disks). This includes Promethean software.
This is also an opportunity to clean up computers. We have seen computers where there are six different toolbars that have been installed. One computer had over half of the screen permanently covered with tool bars.
Please note that once we update your computer, we have absolutely no way of retrieving your data. Any data that is left “just on your computer” will be erased. All data saved to your H: drive will be safe, sound and backed up. Saving files to your H: drive is good practice as we back that up.
As we move forward with Google Apps for Education, you will want to save your documents in Google Drive. Google drive is persistently backed up through Google.
Thanks.