Microsoft will be officially discontinuing product support for the operating system Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. After this date, technical assistance and software updates from Windows Update that help to protect your computer against vulnerabilities that might be exploited by will not be available. Educational Technology Services (ETS), therefore, will no longer be able to work on any computer running Windows 7 after this date. We strongly recommend to move to Windows 10 before January 2020 to avoid a situation where you need service or support.
There are three options available that ETS can provide to CoE faculty and staff for UMD-owned computers:
- Perform an in-place upgrade. All files on the computer will remain intact including data and applications after the upgrade to Windows 10 is complete. We can perform a compatibility check to identify any device, apps, or other compatibility issues that will prevent a successful upgrade.
- Complete a new installation. A clean install of Windows 10 and any relevant applications can be performed. The hard disk will be formatted and completely erased. Chances of running into errors and other issues are significantly reduced.
- Replace with a new computer. In the event that an upgrade or new install is not feasible, we can consult with departments and develop quotes ready-to-order. The hardware specifications are based on users’ needs and will include the latest up-to-date software. ETS also provides preconfigured specifications that departments can immediately access for faster ordering.
Below are the minimum system requirements for eligibility to upgrade to Windows 10:
- Latest OS: currently running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
- Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit or 20 GB for 64-bit
- Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
- Display: 800 x 600 resolution
If you are interested in requesting an upgrade or new computer quote, please contact your DTC for the departmental ticket submission process.
