ARTS & SCIENCES COMPUTINGDue to Penn's security policy on patching, any Windows computers not running a supported feature update of Windows 11 will be subject to disconnection from Penn’s network. This applies to any computer running an end-of-life (EOL) feature update of the Windows operating system.
SAS Computing has developed a way for you to take care of upgrading your machine from an older Windows 11 feature update to the current one easily over an automated 1-2 hour process. Please consult the Table of Contents below for more information.
Table of Contents
- Why are we upgrading?
- How can I upgrade to the current Windows 11 feature update using the Self-Service Application (SSA)?
- What should I do if there are concerns about upgrading?
Why are we upgrading?
Microsoft sets a deadline for when each feature update version of Windows 11 will no longer receive security updates. You can find information from Microsoft about this at - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows11-release-information.
Penn has policies in place that all our machines must be compliant with current security and software best practices. If you are interested in seeing the Penn policies about this, please click here - https://computing.sas.upenn.edu/help/faculty_staff/desktop_security.
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How can I upgrade to the current Windows 11 feature update using the Self-Service Application (SSA)?
We've created an automated way to upgrade to the current Windows 11 feature update! Please follow these 3 easy steps outlined below:
- You should see a b
icon running in the taskbar at all times, click this to open the BigFix Self-Service Application (SSA)
- Several offerings will be available from the SSA, select "Windows 11 Feature Upgrade" and then click the get button to start the process.
- The process will start shortly and ask you to restart the computer within 30-90 minutes. The computer will automatically restart if nothing happens 4 hours after this point. Please save all work and close out of all open programs before restarting.
Here’s what to expect during the process:
- Multiple Reboots
The system may reboot several times during the process. You may see a blue or black screen with messages like “Working on updates” or “Installing Windows 11.” This is normal - Upgrade Duration
The upgrade can take 30–90 minutes, depending on system speed. The computer may appear inactive—do not power it off during this time. - First Boot after upgrade
After the final restart, you’ll see the Windows 11 login screen. After Login everything will look virtually the same and all applications will work the same.
After the Upgrade is done you may need 15 minutes to log in for the first time and sign back into some of your applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe, and Zoom. If anything doesn't seem to be working properly, please contact your LSP here - https://computing.sas.upenn.edu/support.
What should I do if there are concerns about upgrading?
If you have questions about how the current Windows 11 feature update will work with your computer or workflow, we understand. If there are particular pieces of software you need to make sure will work, special set-ups you have in place, or any general questions about taking care of this update, please reach out to your LSP at - https://computing.sas.upenn.edu/support.