How many people have actually updated their network to Windows 8?

[abillybob]

Hey Guys

 

I just want to know some hard figure on how behind we are (if we are at all) I've been a bit worried about updating to Windows 8.1 though I thought this could be a good project for the summer. I just want to know how many schools have updated their servers to 2012 and clients to Windows 8? Also how did it go have you had many issues?

 

Or on another spectrum of thought are you all just waiting for the new Windows 9* to be released and then upgrade? I have always thought to wait until Windows 9* but I don't want us to be really behind, s it worth updating to 8.1?

 

Any input is greatly appreciated!

[tmcd35]

I answered "no real reason, waiting for Windows 9". The truth on the other hand is "ask me January 14th 2020". To be honest, unless theres a driving need before then, I see Win 7 as a long term replacement to XP. We'll keep it till it dies. Not even certain how relevent Windows will be come 2020. So, even Windows 9 is looking unlikely at this early stage.

[cpjitservices]

I don't know of businesses or schools etc that have migrated to 8.1 in the local area, I've migrated over to 8.1 here but we were forced into doing so. If I had the choice 7 would be here until like XP, it is no longer supported.

[edutech4schools]

All my primary schools are on 8.1. Not had any issues and it runs way faster then 7.

[LeMarchand]

1 school on (mainly) 8.1 due to the shorter boot times. Other 2 on 7 and likely to stay there until they buy newer kit. Servers only get replaced when necessary.

[6Foot2]

I haven't replied in your poll. We are just about to deploy 15 Surfaces [Windows 8.1 Pro] to staff. We have virtualised our servers and we are now in 2012.

[featured_spectre]

Not a school, but we've recently finished our roll out of Windows 7. We wont be changing any time soon as frankly, its too much of a hassle and Windows 7 does the job perfectly fine.

[Joanne]

I'd need to get a 2012 license first. Not a chance I'd connect it up to 2008 R2, GPO just doesn't work.

[FN-GM]

We have just started a roll out. Got a number of people testing. Works well.

 

I'd need to get a 2012 license first. Not a chance I'd connect it up to 2008 R2, GPO just doesn't work.

 

You don't need 2012, import the ADMX files into your existing domain.

[Joanne]

Uh oh!! Gonna experiment with that this week now!!!

[themightymrp]

Our servers are running 2008 or 2008R2. Most of our clients have only just been upgraded to Win7 so they won't be re-done for YEARS! My PC in the office is the only thing on Windows 8.1 and personally, I love it

[3s-gtech]

We have everything set up for 8.1, but we only install it on touchscreen devices - 7 is our mainstream OS so there are only a handful of 8.1 PCs. There are actually more Server 2012 R2 servers here.

[Tall_Paul]

Windows 7 here too. I think our network is going to fundamentally alter over the next few years with a change to BYOD or one-to-one so I'll look seriously at a desktop OS change when that happens.

[FN-GM]

Uh oh!! Gonna experiment with that this week now!!!

@Joanne To populate the ADMX files copy %systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions from a Windows 8 / 8.1 machine to %domain%\sysvol\%userdnsdomain%\policies\PolicyDef initions\. You may need to create the PolicyDefinitions folder. Let it replace, open GPO editor and you have all the Windows 8 stuff.

[william_tropico]

Running a mix of Windows 8 and 8.1

 

Once we go over the initial start menu configuration and shortcuts it seems to be working great. Log on times down to 30 seconds using mandatory profiles.. Used to be 5minutes+ on windows 7.

 

So yeah Windows 8.1 all the way

[sonofsanta]

I answered NOOOO! - I hate Windows 8 and it will never go onto my network!!!!but what I really meant was NOOOO! - I all my users hate Windows 8 and it will never go onto my network!!!! because all I hear from people who've bought new laptops is can they have a copy of Windows 7 please they can't get used to Windows 8 they've been trying for six months honest they have but they hate it.

 

A couple of my newer virtual servers have been 2012 because I may as well be as up to date as possible when installing something new, but I've not migrated everything up. I don't mind 2012, but I hate the new Server Manager. 2008R2's was pretty much perfect; I can never find anything in 2012's.

[tmcd35]

A couple of my newer virtual servers have been 2012 because I may as well be as up to date as possible when installing something new, but I've not migrated everything up. I don't mind 2012, but I hate the new Server Manager. 2008R2's was pretty much perfect; I can never find anything in 2012's.

 

Have to say I love 2012. Especially the new Server Manager. A much welcome addition. I even don't mind the start screen, although accessing it can be a bit annoying. Somehow it all works on the server in a way I don't think it can on the desktop. Part of it might be the small number of installed apps on a server and everything being accessable from the Server Manager anyway so you rarely need to enter the start screen, and when you do it's not cluttered.

[abillybob]

Cheers guys keep the answers coming, it's nice to see that we're all pretty much on the same page and the majority of people aren't updating for a while yet. I'm not so behind after all

[edutech4schools]

Just to add to my previous post.

 

I think the reason all my schools like Windows 8.1 is the fact I have them booting straight to desktop and installed the old start button. As they do not use the start screen I did not need to update the server to 2013 or add any Group policies.

 

It's all been very easy for me to role out.

[CamelMan]

voted: No - No real reason waiting for Windows 9

However the real reason is funding preventing server upgrade from 2003 -> 2012 and I dont want to intergrate SVR2003 & Win8.1. Personally I want SVR2012 with Win7 short term future with a gradual migration to Win8/9 after looking at the management side more. No problem with Win8 - have a Win8.1 tab for wandering around with and like it.

[smidsy]

Had to install Win 8.1 on our new Asus tablets but other than that staying win 7 on all the computers that I can for as long as I can. As a previous poster said I imported the policy definitions on the domain controller and have managed to get all of the Group Policy settings applied from a 2003 server which is due to be replaced this summer. Configured all of the polices using a Win 8.1 virtual machine on my desktop. Win 8.1 wasn't too hard to setup but I only finished the Win 7 upgrade last year. I don't want to jump another OS on the staff quite that quickly.

[TechMonkey]

No need for 8 but we are rolling out Server 2012 as we deploy new servers and looking to upgrade\re-roll some current servers.

[AJWhite1970]

Took the strategic decision in November to stick with Windows 7 for 2014/15 and give Windows 8.x.x a miss. The academy we share a sixth form with has taken the same decision. Changing all our teaching and student PC's to have SSD's this summer so will have the luxury of a performance increase and my Windows 7 image is now 2 years old, rock solid and easily patched. The only major change this summer is dropping IE and moving to Chrome...

 

Andrew

[RichCowell]

We've had Windows 7 installed across the network for a few years now, and I'm sticking the the adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...

 

We've got base images set up, and can create new ones (when rarely necessary) easily... it works well, all the software is compatible with it, everyone knows how to use it... so I've no intention of introducing Windows 8 on site, with the exception of the occasional Laptop / Surface.

[hardtailstar]

At two schools I support all staff and class machines are Win 7, one has 15 tablets of win 8.1.

 

They both still have some old XP machines floating about in classes but at the moment there isn't money to replace them. If anything goes wrong on them they either are formatted or binned.

 

My third school is still on XP! (They had no previous tech or support so didn't know about end of XP support and I started after it wasn't supported) We are at the moment getting the Win 8.1 licences to install on every computer and buying new computers for where they are needed.