Windows 10 Upgrade

Not all computers can be upgraded to Windows 10. To determine whether yours can, please run the Windows 10 Upgrade Adviser icon on your desktop or see this page for further information.

• If the result is Green your computer can run Windows 10.

• If the result is Amber your computer can run Windows 10 subject to a hardware upgrade (such as increasing its memory or hard drive capacity).

• If the result is Red your computer cannot run Windows 10.

For staff with Amber computers, IT Services will provide and install any additional memory and/or hard drives before upgrading the computer to Windows 10. For staff with Red computers, during January 2020 IT Services will provide a replacement computer with Windows 10 pre-installed.

The upgrade will wipe your computer’s hard drive before installing Windows 10 and other core applications (such as Microsoft Office). The whole process usually takes between 1-3 hours during which time your computer will not be usable.

Please use the Windows 10 upgrade request form, providing a range of dates and times if possible. If you are a departmental/divisional manager or team lead, you may wish to schedule upgrades for your whole area at the same time to minimise disruption.

Some computers are capable of running the upgrade process without any intervention from members of IT Services. If you are confident in upgrading your own computer, please follow these instructions on running the self-upgrade (PDF).

Please ensure that you follow the advice below on backing up your data before running the upgrade.

You must ensure that any data stored locally on your computer are copied to a separate location. The Windows 10 upgrade process will wipe all local data and these will not be recoverable afterwards.

By ‘local’ data we mean files and folders stored on the computer itself – this includes places such as the My Documents folder and the Desktop. If anyone other than you uses the computer, you must check that they have also backed up their local data.

Data stored on shared/network drives – such as the H: drive – will not be affected by the upgrade process. You may therefore wish to copy your local data to a shared/network drive, or to Microsoft OneDrive, before the upgrade process. Software to sync your files with OneDrive can be installed from the Software Center. From your computer’s Start Menu search bar, search for ‘Software Center’ and then ‘OneDrive’. Install the ‘OneDrive NGSC All Users’ software.

IT Services can provide advice and support on backing up your files and folders but cannot take responsibility for data stored on your computer or their loss.

Examples of local data locations include:

• Desktop - including Sticky Notes
• My Documents
• My Pictures
• Videos
• Firefox (or other web browser) bookmarks
• Saved passwords
• Local email archives
• Outputs from any specialist software (eg referencing software, such as Write-N-Cite, scientific software etc)
• Other files in C:\Users\[your username]

 If you use any specialist software, please ensure that you have access to the installation media (eg DVDs, executable files, licence codes) and that they can be run on Windows 10. You may wish to explore AppsAnywhere, a new service which allows a number of applications to run on your computer without prior installation.

If you have any further questions about the Windows 10 Upgrade Project not answered above, please contact the Project Manager, David Woodbridge.