Windows 10 upgrade
Your Windows 10 machine should be running the latest version of the operating system. If it’s running an earlier version of Windows 10, you will receive a pop-up notification from the Office of Information Technology (OIT) informing you of the need to upgrade. The upgrade should require minimal effort from you and is best started before you leave for the night, so you can resume work the next morning on your upgraded machine.
On this page
Why do I need to upgrade?
The upgrade is necessary because older versions of Windows 10 stop receiving updates and patching from Microsoft. Without regular updates, computers running older versions of Windows will become less secure and have problems running current versions of PSU software.
How does the upgrade work?
Once you begin the upgrade process, it will run itself and may take several hours to complete. Your computer will download the new operating system package and start the installation. We recommend that you begin the process before you leave for the evening, so it will run overnight and be completed by the time you return in the morning. The upgrade can be initiated from the Self-Service application.
What do I need to do?
Your computer should be on campus and connected to the PSU network. To ensure that your download completes quickly, we recommend that you connect to the internet with an Ethernet cable rather than through Wi-Fi. If you are upgrading a laptop, you will also need to be plugged in to AC power during the entire upgrade process (not running on battery power).
Save any work and close all open applications before you initiate the upgrade. The upgrade may take several hours to complete and your computer may reboot several times. Do not unplug your power or Ethernet cable at any point during the upgrade.
To begin the upgrade
On the Start menu, select All apps.
Open Self-Service Software.
Select Operating Systems from the menu on the left.
Select Upgrade Windows 10 (version XXXX).
Select Install.
In the pop-up window that appears, select Install Operating System.
Your computer will begin to download and prepare the upgrade. You can now safely leave your computer to complete the upgrade.
Note: If some time passes after you have completed the steps above, and you are still at your computer, a pop-up notification may appear warning you of an impending reboot. The notification will display for 30 minutes before the computer reboots.
What happens after I upgrade?
After upgrading, you should be able to log in and use your computer as you typically do. All your files should be in the same location they were in before. You may notice that the look and feel of your desktop is slightly different.
Further resources
For more information on self-service software, visit Self-Service Software - free software for PSU-owned computers. If you have trouble locating either the upgrade option or the Self-Service program itself, contact the Helpdesk.