Windows 7

The next version of the Windows Operating System will be released in October of 2009. A few of us in Information Technology have been using this operating system over the summer and have found it stable and very usable. With Windows XP turning 8 years old we know that we need to update the standard OS running on our computers. Due to the issues that Windows Vista was plagued with in the beginning we opted to hold out on upgrading university owned computers until the next version of the OS.

With Windows 7 the time has arrived.

On the Winona Campus, we anticipate that we will install Windows 7 in a public usage lab in the Hendrickson Center over December break. This will give users a chance to test drive the operating system. We hope to be ready to do a mass install of Windows 7 on computers that meet the computer specifications over the 2010 Summer. Departments with departmental specific software will want to work with Information Technology to verify that their software will function in Windows 7. In some case new version of the product may be needed.

On the Twin Cities Campus, we are evaluating public areas that could be used for Windows 7 testing.

If you'd like to take a peak at Windows 7 the links below will provide some tutorials and information about the Operating System.

SuperSite for Windows
Microsoft Windows 7 HomePage

Stay Tuned to the HelpDesk Newsletter for more information.