3s-gtech Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 ...and there goes the laser cutter PC - I can't update it from 7, so it's now off domain, off LAN and the network controller disabled in case someone tries to plug it in. Not a perfect solution, but the alternative is to replace the cutter entirely.
AliG Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 ...and there goes the laser cutter PC - I can't update it from 7, so it's now off domain, off LAN and the network controller disabled in case someone tries to plug it in. Not a perfect solution, but the alternative is to replace the cutter entirely. We went Windows 10 32bit from memory
3s-gtech Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 It runs 64 bit fine. In theory, Windows 10 with test mode will also work as the ancient 64 bit driver is unsigned. However, there comes a point with a 12 year old, rubbish Chinese LC where it's time to just go - this needs too many hacks and bodges to function! 1
NetworkNinja Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 I still have around 500 + machines on windows 7. I wanted to upgrade many of them to windows 10 when a virus wiped out our system in the summer. Problem is at least 200 + are that old they won't work smoothly with windows 10. We have no money and governor's and SLT can't decide what to do next even though a plan has been given.
mavhc Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 Win 10 shouldn't have higher requirements than Win 7 really. Windows 7 system requirements 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor* 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. Windows 10 system requirements 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 OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS. Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
mavhc Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 ...and there goes the laser cutter PC - I can't update it from 7, so it's now off domain, off LAN and the network controller disabled in case someone tries to plug it in. Not a perfect solution, but the alternative is to replace the cutter entirely. No one's make an open source controller for it? If you don't have the source code you don't own the device that's 50% software.
3s-gtech Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 *yawn* It has one of those Chinese microcontrollers that are sold to multiple different vendors. When it was first built the drivers and software were awful. That was in the XP days. The only support is in Chinglish. I could probably get it to work on 10, but the only drivers available are unsigned (nobody is going to produce an open-source signed driver for this junk) and it only works with EasyCut (which is awful). There comes a point where these things should be put out to pasture, and that time is now.
TwistedHelixis Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 One of my primary schools has said they need to keep about 5 old Windows 7 laptops for the lego club, which is not really part of the school and is self funded. I tried to run the Windows 10 upgrade on them but it will not run, and they do not have any money to upgrade the laptops. The laptops do not need to be on the internet so I was wondering what the best way would be of blocking internet access. Would using GPO to deploy a fake proxy be enough?
DalekSec Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 One of my primary schools has said they need to keep about 5 old Windows 7 laptops for the lego club, which is not really part of the school and is self funded. I tried to run the Windows 10 upgrade on them but it will not run, and they do not have any money to upgrade the laptops. The laptops do not need to be on the internet so I was wondering what the best way would be of blocking internet access. Would using GPO to deploy a fake proxy be enough? Turn off WiFi/Networking in the BIOS, password BIOS 1
MartinT Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 They may need networking but not internet. A fake proxy or removal of internet gateway authentication (we use Smoothwall) should do it.
DalekSec Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 They may need networking but not internet. A fake proxy or removal of internet gateway authentication (we use Smoothwall) should do it. True but i wouldn't even have a Windows 7 device on the network after next week!
bossman Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Well its the same old story of no money with our school..... I wrote three case scenarios for my line manager and the Headteacher listing the pros and cons of: 1. Staying with Windows 7 pro for the next year. 2. Moving to windows 10 and upgrading the server platforms. 3. Move to one 2 one Chromebooks which would require very little configuration as long as the MIS was then migrated to a web based or hosted service. All scenarios had been costed down to the last penny. The SLT team and HT plus my line manager read them all and came back with this reply: The school is currently in deficit and therefore have no funds for upgrading the network unfortunately, we understand the security implications regarding Microsoft's "End of life" but we are willing to take that risk as we move into the new school build, thank you for your detailed reports. So with that in mind and the school asking for voluntary redundancy I of course jumped at the chance with both feet!! As you are all aware I now retire on March 6th with an unreduced Early Retirement package to boot...Happy Days!! :) Not my problem anymore.... :) 4
southhamster Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Why would it cost money to upgrade to Win 10?It did for us. We had win 7 pro licences as upgrades from xp pro. We had to move to the OVSEES treadmill at a significant annual cost. We will have the same problem in October when office 2010 becomes EOL but will use Google docs/libre office where possible.
TwistedHelixis Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 I don't think Windows 10 upgrade was free for schools or businesses, only for home pcs on oem or something like that.
Wubbalubbadub Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Well its the same old story of no money with our school..... I wrote three case scenarios for my line manager and the Headteacher listing the pros and cons of: 1. Staying with Windows 7 pro for the next year. 2. Moving to windows 10 and upgrading the server platforms. 3. Move to one 2 one Chromebooks which would require very little configuration as long as the MIS was then migrated to a web based or hosted service. All scenarios had been costed down to the last penny. The SLT team and HT plus my line manager read them all and came back with this reply: The school is currently in deficit and therefore have no funds for upgrading the network unfortunately, we understand the security implications regarding Microsoft's "End of life" but we are willing to take that risk as we move into the new school build, thank you for your detailed reports. So with that in mind and the school asking for voluntary redundancy I of course jumped at the chance with both feet!! As you are all aware I now retire on March 6th with an unreduced Early Retirement package to boot...Happy Days!! :) Not my problem anymore.... :) This made me chuckle! 1
bossman Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Why would it cost money to upgrade to Win 10? Well firstly we would have to replace 300 of our 500 computers. Secondly our Hyper-V servers and the platform would have to be replaced. Thirdly our Synology units are out of warranty this year and will either require replacing or extend the warranty. Fourthly the time to rebuild the network and align apps and workflows. Fifthly we would have to make the decision to either drop Microsoft and go totally Chromebook and this would mean that our Sims MIS would have to be either hosted or migrated to a web based MIS, not entirely cheap. Shall I go on or do you get the picture? A good system requires regular maintenance and this involves upgrading the hardware from time to time although our current servers are 8 years old due to having no budget and some of our computers are 10 years old, IWB's are 15 years old and the network infrastructure is 18 years old. We are currently having a new school built alongside the old but its only classed as a refurbishment and so only the network infrastructure is to be replaced although it will be Meraki 10GB switches and 20GB backbone with Meraki AP's so administration will be all in one window so that's a bonus. Anyway I've submitted the strategy plans in various guises and its up to the HT and the SLT as we are to become firstly an academy and then merged into a MAT so all is good from my point of view as I won't be here i'll be on my hols.
TwistedHelixis Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Just wondering if there is a legal requirement for equipment to be kept secure. From next month it could theoretically be possible for every tom dick & Harry to access your network via any Windows 7 machines.
bossman Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Just wondering if there is a legal requirement for equipment to be kept secure. From next month it could theoretically be possible for every tom dick & Harry to access your network via any Windows 7 machines. Well if you find one let me know and I will forward it on to the HT and the SLT after I leave hehe!
mavhc Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 Assuming your computers are less than 10.5 years old, so came with Win 7, the upgrade from whatever OEM version they came with to the equiv. Win 10 version is free. And the requirements are the same. Main problem is drivers, but all my ancient machines have been ok. Only issue was minecraft 1.7.10 required an old java. If you've not tested your applications with Win 10 in the past 5 years I assume you've been very busy. Just found out about student CALs, very mysteriously missing from MS's website, but at way lower cost. No results found for "student device cal" site:microsoft.com.
bossman Posted January 10, 2020 Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) @mavhc No problem with the licensing as we have an educational Licensing agreement with Microsoft so no cost there, apart from the licensing cost initially, its the workstations which will not run the UEFI which we would require if we were to migrate to the Windows 10 platform. The same for our Hyper-V servers as we have the licensing in place but its the hardware costs unfortunately. I have built the OS image and deployed on test machines to determine the build and the native applications which to be honest is very few as our workflows are cloud based, hence the scenario of moving to a one 2 one Chromebook platform. @Primus Wouldn't cover it I'm afraid. Edited January 10, 2020 by bossman
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