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Desktop Replacement Process (instructions for departments)


LTS will contact the department administrator of departments that have computers due to be replaced in a given year.  It is possible that only a few individuals in a department will have their computers replaced.

Help Desk staff will set up each person’s computer for them, transfer any needed files from the old computer, and remove the old machine.  The procedure for each deployment is outlined below.

Prior to the arrival of LTS Help Desk staff

We ask that faculty or staff who are having their computers replaced prepare their computers for backup prior to the scheduled appointment with Help Desk staff.  This can be done by following the steps below.

1.  Back up any important files to CDs or DVDs, an external hard drive, or to your UNet storage space.  Instructions on data backup can be found here.

2.  Create a folder on your desktop named TRANSFER. This can be done in Windows by following the steps below:


3.  Go through all of the files and folders on your computer and determine the ones you want moved to your new computer.  These folders and files should be moved to the TRANSFER folder.  LTS will NOT move any files or folders not in the TRANSFER folder with the exceptions listed below.

Only data files such as Word files, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, photographs or graphics can be copied to the new machine. Programs (such as Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc.) cannot be moved and must be re-installed.


On the day of the deployment

When the Help Desk staff arrive to replace computers on the scheduled day(s), they will transfer the data from the old computer to the new computer by performing the following steps:
  1. Help Desk staff will start by backing up the “Transfer” folder created above.
  2. Help Desk staff will move your Internet browser bookmarks (from Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari) and any email stored on your computer.  You do not need to include these in the transfer folder.

The time it takes to set up each person’s computer varies depending on how much data they have and the software to be installed.  However, in general, the process usually takes about one hour for each person.

The old, replaced computers will be removed by LTS and all data will be removed before they are re-purposed.  Computers will be held in storage for two weeks before removing the data; in the event the person who it belonged to discovers something is missing.

Questions regarding this procedure should be directed at the Help Desk (x6HELP)

This page was last modified on: Aug 18, 2011