Additionally Information on Windows Updates, Mac Updates and Data Backup Protection
We want to make everyone aware of some changes coming to our computer systems soon. These changes will help keep our systems up to date with the latest security patches from our software providers to help protect the University.
First, we will be pushing out an update to Windows PCs that will upgrade them to Windows 11 if they are still running Windows 10. To check and see which version of Windows you’re on, you can go to the Start Menu -> Settings -> System -> About and look for Windows version information. This update will be available as an optional install at first but will then be included in the mandatory Windows updates in July. If you would like to upgrade before the mandatory update you can go to Settings -> Windows Updates and click the link there to Upgrade to Windows 11. This upgrade can take up to an hour to complete, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time. If you are unsure of what version of Windows you’re running or if you have any questions, please reach out to the CFAC computer support office at 801-422-3292 or cfaccsr@byu.edu.
Second, we will be rolling out a new system to manage macOS updates on our Apple computers. In the past users have managed updates on their own and haven’t been required to install updates. This new system will alert you when updates are available and install them in the background, allowing you to schedule when to restart the computer. Updates will also now be required after a certain grace period, similar to how we’ve been updating Windows machines. You can find more information and a brief FAQ about the new update system here.
We expect to roll this out in July with the hope that everyone will be up to date by Fall semester. We encourage everyone to update as soon as possible once getting the notification so that you aren’t interrupted by an inconvenient restart once the grace period has expired. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to the CFAC computer support office at 801-422-3292 or cfaccsr@byu.edu.
Third, we would also like to encourage all our users to review their own backup and data protection practices. BYU has two cloud storage solutions available to all users – Box and OneDrive. Both offer similar features and can be used both as a cloud backup location and for collaborating with others both inside and outside the University. Keeping important files in cloud storage is a good first step in protecting your data if your computer is lost, stolen, or suffers a hardware failure. If you would like help learning how to use these products you can find more information at https://microsoft.byu.edu/onedrive and https://box.byu.edu.
We can also help set up more complete backup solutions like Time Machine (for Macs) or Crashplan (for Mac and Windows) if Box or OneDrive don’t work for what you need. You can learn more about Crashplan at https://backup.byu.edu. Contact the CFAC computer support office at 801-422-3292 or cfaccsr@byu.edu if you would like help getting your backup set up.