Should I use windows 10 in a primary school's ICT Suite?

[dibekem]

Good morning all.

 

We are about to replace all the computers in an ICT Suite in a primary school.

 

Currently we have a windows server 2008 and most of the computers are running on Windows 7 pro. We have some Windows 8 laptops that are a nightmare.

 

The computers that we have bought for the ICT Suite are comes with Windows 8.1 pro which I definitely not intend to keep. (start menu, metro etc..)

 

The plan was to downgrade them to Windows 7 Pro. But I wonder if it would be better to go forward and upgrade them to Windows 10?!

 

Any of you guys using Windows 10 in a school environment and are there any problems that I should be aware of? The students are all have a mandatory profile which I have created on a windows 7 PC. Will that work okay on a Windows 10 PC? Teachers and office staff are on roaming profiles.

 

I'm going to join a windows 10 PC to the network today, but I thought I post this just in case someone have some experience about this.

 

Thank you in advance

 

[DJ-1701]

Not in a 'go live' situation with Windows 10 atm, but a new mandatory profile was needed for Windows 10.

[mavhc]

In the end you have two choices: upgrade for free today, and deal with a few pains of things not being quite finished, or pay to upgrade in 5 years and deal with having to do most of the same work then, plus migrating 5 years worth of whatever's happened.

 

At least upgrade them to 10 before you start, then those machines are licenced for 10 at any point in the future, for free.

[sparkeh]

I will be upgrading our suite with Win 10 when I get a chance. Only hold up is getting the Start Menu sorted but @Michael has sorted that out for us: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/163286-windows-10-start-menu-working-solution.html

 

Its on our teacher's laptops now and working nicely. Staff have commented on the speed improvement and Classic Start Menu as real improvements.

Edited January 15, 2016 by sparkeh

[LeMarchand]

In the end you have two choices: upgrade for free today, and deal with a few pains of things not being quite finished, or pay to upgrade in 5 years and deal with having to do most of the same work then, plus migrating 5 years worth of whatever's happened.

 

At least upgrade them to 10 before you start, then those machines are licenced for 10 at any point in the future, for free.

 

If the school is on EES I don't see that waiting is going to be an added cost. Plus if they're lucky they might get new kit in 5 years.

[e4e]

I wouldn't even think of it. Got a site on mix windows 7 pro and windows 8.1. Only issues I have are always with the 8.1 machines.

[sparkeh]

I wouldn't even think of it. Got a site on mix windows 7 pro and windows 8.1. Only issues I have are always with the 8.1 machines.

Can you elaborate? I don't understand why having issues with 8.1 would stop you even considering 10?

[e4e]

put 10 on a test machines and the issues we have with 8.1 have transferred over. But our login times are quicker on 10 over 8.1

[sparkeh]

put 10 on a test machines and the issues we have with 8.1 have transferred over. But our login times are quicker on 10 over 8.1

Yeah its interesting that one. Our 8.1 machines always struggle with our Printers GPO yet Win 10 flies through it.

GPO processing seems faster in general which is great.

[e4e]

Yeah its interesting that one. Our 8.1 machines always struggle with our Printers GPO yet Win 10 flies through it.

GPO processing seems faster in general which is great.

 

We never had issues with printers with the GPO on 8.1. But the strangest one we have is with proxy servers, on some 8.1 machines using internet explorer it will not recognise the proxy server even though it is installed on the machine. But if you use chrome it will work correctly how it should. but ie will not work. Never found a solution or cause except a reimage. then will go again in 3 or 4 weeks.

[dibekem]

Hi guys.

 

Thanks very much for all your responses.

 

We decided to stick to Windows 7 for now. Its more solid and less problems. I do like Windows 10 but this is a different environment and not sure I want to add more problems to my ever growing list of problems. [emoji4]

 

Thanks

 

[emoji5]️