Support for Windows XP being discontinued

[aebrown]

The ICS End-User Productivity team has made the recommendation to Facilities Management to replace XP machines with a Windows 7 compatible machine with the Church-provided Windows 7 image.

Although we certainly appreciate you posting this here, it's not an official priesthood channel for communications. Relatively few people will see this post. Will there be an official announcement made through stake presidents? Or at least in a Meetinghouse Technology Newsletter?

Also, I don't really understand the lines of authority involved, but when you say that the "ICS End-User Productivity team has made the recommendation to Facilities Management" does that mean that the FM Groups are bound by this recommendation (within budget limitations, of course), or that each FM Group has the option of ignoring this recommendation?

Clerks and STS's need to contact their respective Facilities Manager (Facilities Management ultimately owns the budget and process for meetinghouse computers) to inquire about replacement or upgrades.

Clerks should certainly NOT be contacting the FM. It might be appropriate for the STS to contact the FM, but some FMs will only talk to the PFR.

[pgm44]

I read in the internet that Microsoft go to stop supporting WINDOWS XP in April 2014. Do we have to install some other system or can we still use it?

Thanks

[jdlessley]

[Moderator note: The previous post was merged with this thread since the topics are the same.}
@pgm44, the discussion in this thread will provide some information and possibly answer your question.

[jsfriedman]

Our MLS computers are 3.5 years old and are running XP. I asked our Facilities Manager for Windows 7 or 8 licenses. He replied not until he "gets direction from CHQ". It would be nice for an official statement of direction concerning support of XP and obtaining Windows 7 licenses not just a hardware replacement statement.

BTW - The Family History Dept. is giving us Windows 7 licenses for our FHC compatible computers and as stated will be replacing any that are not compatible.

[drepouille]

The FamilySearch department is replacing FHC computers that cannot run Windows 7, and has purchased Windows 7 licenses for those FHC computers that can run Windows 7. Each stake must submit a hardware/software order form to request these replacements and upgrades.

I called Local Unit Support a couple weeks ago, and they confirmed that there are no plans at this time to upgrade or replace administrative computers before their planned lifespan. Just keep running XP until further notice.

[russellhltn]

It would be nice for an official statement of direction concerning support of XP and obtaining Windows 7 licenses not just a hardware replacement statement.

If you scroll up a few posts, you'll see they have a position. But I'm not sure as it's been communicated to FM yet.

[johnshaw]

They do communicate to FM, but over the years FM has done their own thing with those suggestions. It took nearly 4 years for FM to start actually following the policy (approved and published by the Presiding Bishop) governing the replacement of clerk computers.

[JeffTurgeon]

We have a Dell computer for the clerk's office that came with Windows 7 but was downgraded to XP when we received it. The license key is still on the Windows 7 sticker on the side of the machine.

We contacted the church tech department asking for an CD so we could return it back to Windows 7 but were told that this is not the plan at this time.

Does anyone know what the plan is since Microsoft won't provide XP security updates past Tuesday, April 8th?

[JeffTurgeon]

Could it be that MLS does not run on Windows 7 or 8?

[drepouille]

Four years ago, I don't believe MLS worked with Windows 7, but it certainly does now.

When I called Local Unit Support a couple weeks ago, they told me the "plan" was to keep administrative computers running on XP until the computers are replaced as they age out (typically at the five year point). I have 12 Dell Optiplex 740 computers in my stake, which I installed in January 2010. They will continue to run XP until the FM orders replacements for them next year.