On April 8, 2014, Microsoft and the College of Charleston will officially end all support and security patch distribution for all versions of Windows XP and any older operating systems such as Windows 2000.  After April 8, 2014, there will no longer be any new security updates or support for any of these products. As a result, running Windows XP will become a significant security and business risk to the College since the computer will be far more prone to malware of all kinds.

Given the significant risks associated with Windows XP, the College must take very strong measures to mitigate those risks.  After April 8, 2014, IT will remove Windows XP computers from the College network to protect the integrity of the network and to maintain reliable network services to the entire College community that depends on it. Once network access has been removed, users will not be able to log into the Windows XP computers. These computers will be unusable and remain so until an IT technician can schedule and perform your upgrade which may take a week or more.

Please upgrade to Windows 7. The College has an enterprise license for Windows 7. You can schedule an IT Support technician to perform the no-cost upgrade for you on-site. To schedule a technician to assist you, please contact the Helpdesk at 953-3375 or Helpdesk@cofc.edu. Please have the computer name ready (Click Start > Right Click My Computer > Click Properties > Click the Computer Name Tab).

IT began the transition to Windows 7 starting in January 2012. Since that time, we have completed 2,474 upgrades to Windows 7.  Today approximately 92% of College Windows XP computers have been upgraded to Windows 7, or have been replaced with Windows 7 computers as part of the Computer Replacement Program.

Getting Started

Upgrade to Windows 7

The College has an enterprise license for Windows 7. You can schedule an IT Support technician to perform the upgrade for you on-site. To schedule a technician to assist you, please contact the Helpdesk at 953-3375 or HelpDesk@cofc.edu. Please have the computer name ready (Click Start > Right Click My Computer > Click Properties > Click the Computer Name Tab).

Please note: Windows 7 will already be installed if you are purchasing a new computer or your computer is slated to be replaced by IT.

Access Tutorials

Microsoft has created video tutorials. You can access these tutorials at http://it.cofc.edu/computing/software/windows-7/. You can also contact Helpdesk@cofc.edu with any questions.

Windows 7 FAQ

Why do I need to upgrade my operating system from Windows XP to Windows 7?

Microsoft and the College of Charleston will be discontinuing support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014, after which time they will not be releasing new security updates or any upgrades. As a result, running Windows XP will become a significant security and business risk to the College since your computer will be far more prone to malware of all kinds.

What steps has IT taken to upgrade the College to Windows 7?

There are several approaches being taken to facilitate the transition to Windows 7.

• As new Windows computers are procured, they are being imaged and deployed with the Windows 7 operating system.
• As computers are repaired by IT Support Services, the technicians work with the individual users to upgrade their computers to the new operating system.
• Users with computers running Windows XP, which were purchased with a Windows 7 license, have already been upgraded by IT Support Services.
• Computers in classrooms and labs were upgraded to Windows 7 during the summer of 2013.

What versions of Windows 7 does IT support?

IT offers full support for Windows 7 Enterprise, Professional, Ultimate both 32 and 64 bit version, and limited support for Windows 7 Home.

Will my software and other devices connected to my computer work properly?

IT recommends that you check with the manufacturer of your device (printer, scanner, webcam, etc.) to ensure its compatibility with Windows 7. Microsoft provides a good starting point to check compatibility at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/CompatCenter/Home. If your devices are not compatible, you will be responsible for purchasing compatible equipment and/or software.

See more FAQs at http://it.cofc.edu/computing/software/windows-7/faq.php