Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10

Issues related to the use and operation of Family History Centers
CaldwellZ
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Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:38 pm

Re: Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10

#11

Post by CaldwellZ »

russellhltn wrote:It's as if they were under instruction to minimize the number of calls referred to the actual staff.
It's probably not officially this way but it's more or less true. It seems there's not very many "actual staff" for FHC support and they don't man the phones, probably because most calls are from non-techie folks whose questions can be easily answered by missionaries armed with a little technical training and a knowledge database, and don't require the experience or technical savvy of an employee. Personally I think it's a good way to be wise with the tithing $, although it can make it hard sometimes to get deeper technical support.
drepouille wrote:there is a difference between FamilySearch Support and Family History Center Support, but I believe you have to call the FamilySearch Support number and ask them to connect you to Family History Center Support.
Also true; I think they used to have an extension up until recently that went right to their voice mailbox, but it seems it was decided that it would be better if live missionaries answered.
dtlindsa wrote:Further reviewing my notes from the previous director, I notice that he said that the 7 Win 10 PCs arrived late in 2018. He said they had no notice that they were coming -- they just arrived in the FHC. Apparently they had been delivered by the FM group.
russellhltn wrote:Supposedly an email is sent when the computers ship, but none happened in this case.
Yeah most equipment seems to come through the FM who are typically instructed to remove the old stuff and set up the new, unless the stake has told them otherwise. The FM and maybe even the Stake Technology Specialist get an email on shipment, but that doesn't mean they always forward the info on. The main exception seems to be when one-off replacements of individual computers or toner cartridges are sent to the center director, who then receives the email notification.
dtlindsa wrote:I can't say what happens to machines that are bought with donations. It's possible they're to be discarded with the rest and you try to buy new machines.
To be fair I don't think the employees know of any distinctions on this either. It's very likely that the computers may simply be treated the same as the rest as far as the overall lifecycle process. And I've heard of many cases where the stake leadership was told they could do what they wanted with the old computers, with the caveat of course that they would not be one-off replaced again should they break down. I think SL just likes to have the tech specialist check in first before keeping things.
drepouille wrote:the management software helped to automate the inventory and usage reporting. So it is possible that FHC directors may no longer need to submit reports.
They still do, but I believe Salt Lake looks at both; the computer monitoring shows the computer usage, while the reports show how many actual FH-related visits there were. It's important especially since many stakes let e.g. missionaries or employment specialists and their groups use the computers, for things besides family history. It probably also helps to equalize the computer-use reporting a little between stakes that opt to keep old computers, and those that recycle them.


Whew, long tangent ramble over. But, to try to answer the original question,
dtlindsa wrote:Does the church have a way to upgrade these older Win 7 PCs to Win 10? If so, what is the process?
By using the Windows 10 image in the FHC Application Finder. They use a special volume activation system, so it is likely that other methods of upgrading to/activating Win10 won't work, and certainly aren't supported. No forms need to be sent in or anything like that nowdays, but under the image link in the App Finder it does specify a very specific list of models that can be upgraded. Any other models in the center were likely held over locally from a previous replacement cycle and are not supported (such as is the case with any XP machines still out there), or will be replaced shortly (because they've been sending out Win10 machines for quite a while now) and can't be upgraded.
jsfriedman
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Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:51 pm
Location: Seal Beach, California, USA

Re: Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10 - Sophos

#12

Post by jsfriedman »

The Sophos of the familysearch.org/remote says its incompatible when I try to install it on a FHC Windows 10 computer. The version in the FHC Application Finder does install, but disappears as soon as it does an app upgrade (not definition upgrade). Looks like I will need to use Windows Defender until a good Windows 10 Sophos image for the FHC is available for download.
CaldwellZ
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Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:38 pm

Re: Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10 - Sophos

#13

Post by CaldwellZ »

jsfriedman wrote:The Sophos of the familysearch.org/remote says its incompatible when I try to install it on a FHC Windows 10 computer. The version in the FHC Application Finder does install, but disappears as soon as it does an app upgrade (not definition upgrade). Looks like I will need to use Windows Defender until a good Windows 10 Sophos image for the FHC is available for download.
Yes it seems there's a new edition being automatically distributed to everyone via Tivoli / BigFix, but the web links still point to the old version at the moment. Shouldn't need to download anything manually though, as long as all the other software is working properly; the install should usually be automatic.
ulupoi
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Posts: 147
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:21 am
Location: California, USA

Re: Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10

#14

Post by ulupoi »

Just talked with someone at FHC support who told me that official FHC Windows 7 Enterprise installations will continue to be supported for another three years, to 2022, via their contract with Microsoft. So, no problem. I am so happy.
PeteCollat
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Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2021 9:50 am

Re: Upgrade PC from Win 7 to Win 10

#15

Post by PeteCollat »

There is a W10 updater and software to create a self installing USB to make the upgrade happen available to the STS. I had one unit that did not automatically update to W10 (all others did), so I tried the forced update method. Using a highly technical term, it put the machine into Pet Rock mode, and it had to be replaced with a new one.
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