Upgrading PC Operating Systems: Win 95/98

Questions to be addressed When do we upgrade? Deployment Priorities: What constituencies first?: students, labs, classrooms, faculty, administrative offices? What applications will no longer run with an XP upgrade? Are they critical? Are there upgrades available?

What User Interface? Custom or Classic? What global user settings and group policies need to be established? What should be available for user customization? When is the best time to upgrade faculty? How should training be offered to faculty and staff? Questions to be addressed

What are our options?  Move to Windows XP  Stay at Windows 98

Why must we upgrade? Microsoft will no longer support Win 95 as of December 2001 and Win 98 as of July 2002: no patches or improvements Software developers are creating products that will take advantage of Win XP features and they will not run on Win 95/98 Hardware vendors support only new OS 3 rd party vendor device driver support for older OS disappears

What happens if we do nothing? Future software upgrades may not run on our network No technical support from Microsoft after July 2002 for Win 98 and December 2001 for Win 95 Service support levels will remain the same: no patches, improvements, etc.

What are the benefits of upgrading the operating system? SYSTEM RELIABILITY AND END-USER SUPPORT  Reduced incidents of the ‘blue screen of death”: reduces the need to reboot  Remote support enabled  Integrated services to manage software installation, removal, and repair  Additional features

More benefits …… More stable platform Increased product life Improved login security for wireless and traditional networks Increase performance and productivity Decrease support costs and lower TCO

Other Windows XP benefits Addresses application/hardware compatibility issues (e.g. eliminates.dll conflicts) Fastest Windows Yet  Boots faster, runs applications quicker, and resumes from hibernate/standby more rapidly than previous versions of Windows Enables users to access their machine from anywhere (field offices, home, etc.) For Laptop users: improved battery life, performance improvements, and device support (ie. Wireless networking) Enables a remote support infrastructure

What is the difference between Win XP and Win 2000? Technically, Windows XP is the next version of Windows 2000, but it is positioned as an upgrade for Windows 98, 2000 Key component of Microsoft’s dot.net strategy

What is the difference between Win XP Home edition and Professional? Windows XP Home is designed as an upgrade for Windows 9x/ME and therefore ships with the same type of consumer features found in Windows ME. No robust networking features Not designed for corporate networks

New features in Windows XP MSN (Instant) messenger Copyright encoding of music Remote access CD burning Audio encoding software Digital Audio player Video player- Win Media Play 8 Fully integrated Internet browser- IE 6.x Firewall Data compression Moviemaker Radio

New Visual Design or Classic Mode Designed to allow users to get the most out of their PC Can retain the ‘classic’ Windows 9x interface More end user customizations Adaptive User Environment Smarter Start Menu Displays the most frequently used apps More accessibility features for persons with disabilities Taskbar Grouping Multiple windows from the same application are consolidated into a single task bar button Enhanced User Interface

 CD Burning Easily burn CD-R and CD-RW’s from within Explorer Compressed File Support Create and extract compressed file folders (e.g..zip files) Built-In Utilities

Online Experience Improvements Standards Support 100% support for CSS level 1 & 2, Privacy: P3P Privacy Protocol Set personal standards for web sites & easily view compliance Integrated Media Playback Without launching extra windows Improved image browsing & acquisition Automatic image resizing & 1-click save, print, Integrated Contacts & Instant Messenger MSN IM, Outlook or Outlook Express contacts Initiate IM, , NetMeeting etc

What is different in the User Interface.. XP? Save As screen

Windows Explorer Windows XP

What is different? Start Menu

XP Control Panel - Better Knowledge Of Your Hardware The Control Panel is organized differently than earlier versions. Related adjustments are grouped into nine categories.

If you prefer the previous version view, you can choose "Classic View“ of the Control Panel in XP

. Windows XP: Easy-to-use User Interface for My Computer

XP comes with a fully integrated Windows Media Player-version 8

Remote Assistance for Help XP enables you to let other people take control over your computer remotely. You can choose remote help from someone you trust, and you give them them the same level of control over your computer as if they were present in your office. To use this feature they also need to run Windows XP

When you invite someone to help you they are notified by or an instant message (Windows Messenger). It is actually very fast and easy to set up a connection. First you choose whom to ask for help. When contacting the assistant with Windows Messenger the connection is set up as soon as he/she clicks on a link reading "Accept" in the message. If is used a small file is attached, and opening it let him/her set up the connection. You must provide the password in the .

IntelliMirror Change and configuration management tool in Windows XP centrally-managed software installation, repair, updating, and removal; user data management; user settings management; and Remote Installation Services (RIS), which allows administrators to remotely install the OS on client systems.

What needs to be done to upgrade from Win95/98 to Windows XP? Review the current infrastructure to determine all areas that will be impacted by this change Create a Desktop Configuration(an image) for the office and the classrooms Create new software distribution for selected OS Create a Mobile Configuration

What needs to be done to upgrade from Win95/98 to Windows XP?  Review security issues and concerns Test / Modify Configurations Inform Hofstra Community Provide training Deploy New Operating System Troubleshoot conflicts

Review the current infrastructure Software and Hardware inventory Determine hardware upgrades required Determine the software applications compatibility Identify Interoperability issues with NetWare, and other systems on campus Check version of BIOS on all systems Identify all custom software applications Users that install software locally on their machines will have to verify compatibility

Check for System Requirements and Compatibility Minimum requirementsRecommended requirements Intel Pentium (or compatible) 233 MHz or higher processor Intel Pentium II (or compatible) 300 MHz or higher processor. 128MB of RAM256 MB (4 GB maximum) of RAM 2-GB hard disk with 650 MB of free disk space (additional disk space required if installing over a network) 2 GB of free hard disk space VGA-compatible or higher display adapterSVGA display adapter and Plug and Play monitor Keyboard, mouse, or other pointing device CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (required for CD installations) CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive 12x or faster Network adapter (required for network installation) Network adapter

Check for System Requirements and Compatibility Check the all computers have the latest BIOS that is compatible with XP Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) functionality is required January through June 2002, all Hofstra PC systems will be upgraded to 256 MB of memory

Application Compatibility New technologies in Win XP require that all applications be tested:  SCT/Banner and Novell Netware  Currently ONLY a Windows 2000 client available  Win XP client available in April 2002  Custom applications  Operational and administrative tools  Back-up software

Applications that cannot be upgraded to Win XP Professional Applications that depend on file-system filters such as antivirus software, disk tools and disk quota software Custom plug and play solutions Custom power-management solutions and tools Network clients and services new versions must be purchased

Examples of New Software required What software products will not run with Win XP?  McAfee Anti-Virus  Many DOS applications  Norton Utilities  Others to be determined

Upgrade Campus equipment All HP must be replaced – 315 systems = $378, systems will need memory upgrades = $36,500

Design a Desktop Configuration 1) Create core image for a specific machine 2) Create specific image for each user type: Faculty/staff/admin Lab users Student users Custom users Laptop users 3) Test each image in a variety of locations 4) Test network distribution of software against the image

Design a Mobile Computer configuration Determine user settings: 1) for faculty who bring laptops to classrooms 2) Remote connect to office system 3) Develop a pilot and test

Test OS Images in a variety of settings  In the classroom  In faculty, staff and administrative offices  With specialized software applications

Determine the appropriate security strategy Many new network based services must be studied and tested for security implications Full TCP/IP stack like UNIX, and susceptible to hacking and denial of service attacks

Inform the Hofstra Community Develop project plan Establish User settings Create Group Policy settings Establish Deployment Process and Procedures Develop and Implement Pilot Staged migration schedule as resources and staff become available

Training ‘Classic’ interface option will promote smoother conversion Basic operations require minimal training New features require training

Assumptions An OS upgrade is required so that future software applications will work OS upgrade requires the user to back up their hard drive EXTENSIVE individual testing of non- Hofstra supported software applications is required by users Pilot studies require user participation

Proposed Time Line Subject to Project Plan Development October 25, 2001: XP released November November 2002: Develop Project Plan and Pilot schedule Investigate OS implications on existing software applications Determine end user settings and group policies Test proof of concept April 2002: Banner and Novell XP client released Test network and Banner applications Deploy new OS for Fall 2003

For more information:  Paul Thurrott’s Supersite for Windows XP Windows 200 Magazine Infoweek:Ten Ways To Make Windows XP Run Better 09  WinPlanet  Microsoft Windows software news, tutorials, opinions, reviews, and tips.

For more information:  Tom’ Hardware Guide: Windows XP l  Difference between Win XP Home Edition and Professional  ZDNET Reviews and information on Windows XP  Microsoft XP Technical review erview/default.asp