Receiving your laptop

Overview

Those participating in the WSU e-Warrior Digital Life & Learning Program exchange their laptops for new ones after a certain number of years. During scheduled laptop exchange sessions, students and employees work with ITS staff to check in their old laptop, personalize their new laptop, and learn the basics of any new features and functions.

Student laptop exchange = every 2 years
Employee laptop exchange = every 3 years

Preparing for Laptop Exchange: Back Up Your Old Laptop

Copy to external, network, or web storage any information that you want to transfer from your old laptop to your new one. You must do this before attending an exchange session. There will be no time allocated to file backup or transfer during the exchange session and you will hand in your old laptop first thing, so you want to make sure that you have everything copied beforehand. Although the hard drive of your old laptop will be stored for two weeks following your exchange session just in case you missed anything, thorough preparation will save you considerable time and effort. Need help backing up your old laptop? This article links to helpful information and you can request personal assistance as needed:

Students - Contact the Digital Learning Center (457-5240 Option 1; dlc@winona.edu)
Faculty and Staff - Contact TLT in the Professional Resource Center (457-5240 Option 3; tlt@winona.edu)

What Needs to Be Backed Up?

In addition to the familiar files (e.g., documents, spreadsheets, presentations, images), there may be other information saved to your old laptop that you will want to back up and restore on your new laptop:

Outlook or Entourage Email Archives - If you use the email archive function in either the Outlook or Entourage applications, it creates a file on your laptop with a .pst (Outlook) or .rge (Entourage) extension. You will want to make a backup copy of these files.
Outlook or Entourage Type Ahead Cache - As you add recipients to an email message, both Outlook and Entourage remember those addresses so that, the next time you use that address, you simply have to begin typing it (e.g., in to the To: field) and the rest of the address will be automatically filled in. This type ahead cache is stored in a file on your laptop that you may want to transfer to your new machine.
Microsoft Office Tool Modifications - If you have modified any Microsoft Office applications (e.g., added words to the dictionary, added macros), these are stored in files on your laptop that can be backed up and imported into the corresponding applications on your new laptop. Note that this may not be possible if you are changing versions or operating systems (e.g., Mac to Windows).
Microsoft OneNote Notebooks - If you use OneNote to take notes, you will need to create a backup copy of your notebook files for import into the corresponding application on your new laptop.
Browser Favorites or Bookmarks - If you save the addresses of frequently visited websites to your Favorites (Internet Explorer) or Bookmarks (Firefox or Safari) lists, this creates a file on your laptop that you can export, back up, and then import into your new laptop's browser.
iTunes Music Libraries - If you use iTunes, any purchased or ripped music track is stored as a file on your laptop. The folder in which these tracks are located can be backed up and imported into iTunes on your new laptop.
eInstruction Clicker Databases - If you use the eInstruction Classroom Performance System (i.e., clickers) in class, you will need to make a backup copy of the associated database on your laptop if you want to retain any student data or clicker lessons.
Personal Databases, Forms, or Files - If you have used a personal password vault, a citation manager like EndNote or Reference Manager, a tax preparation tool (e.g., TurboTax), photo gallery software, or any other special application that you purchased yourself and installed on your laptop (i.e., not supported by WSU), you will want to make backup copies of those files that contain important data that you wish to retain.
Mobile Device Synchronization Folders - If you synchronize a smartphone, Blackberry, iPad, or other mobile device to your laptop, there may be files and folders that need to be backed up and restored on your new laptop. Note that this may not be required with some newer devices that simply copy these items to your new machine when you synchronize with it the first time.

What Doesn't Need to Be Backed Up?

Some information that you use every day is not stored on your laptop, but on a network server, and does not need to be backed up. Supported software titles can be reinstalled on your new laptop and should not be copied.

Software That You Have Installed or Web Applications - Software that is not part of the WSU image will need to be reinstalled, you cannot just copy software applications from one machine to another. Web applications typically just require copying the url to the application and sometimes require reinstallation from the site for some add-ins.
Unarchived Outlook Email, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks - Email that is in your username@winona.edu mailbox, including the Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items folders and custom subfolders, is not stored on your laptop and does not need to be backed up. If you have archived your email, it will appear in a directory other than your username@winona.edu directory. Archived email is stored on your laptop and will need to be backed up.
Supported Software Titles - Supported applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, or Dreamweaver can and should be reinstalled on your new laptop from the Control Panel. Never attempt to transfer a WSU-licensed application from one laptop to another by copying it.
D2L Classes - Although it's a great practice for instructors to save a copy of their D2L courses, D2L is a web application and does not store anything on your laptop automatically that would need to be backed up and moved to your new machine. Note that you may have manually downloaded files from D2L that you may wish to back up.

Where Do I Store Backup Files?

There are three primary storage locations for backup files. You may use some combination of the three, depending on what it is that you need to store and/or personal preference.

External Storage Media - This includes CDs, DVDs, and external hard drives that you purchase on your own and keep with you.
WSU Network Storage - All WSU students and employees have secure, reliable personal network storage provided by ITS.
Cloud-Based Storage - Anyone can store files of various types using emerging, cloud-based storage services. This includes web services like Windows Live Skydrive, Copy, Google Docs, and Dropbox. None of these services are supported by WSU currently and you use them at your own risk.

Should I Use Backup Software?

Currently, WSU ITS does not support any incremental backup (e.g., Time Machine) or migration (e.g., Windows Easy Transfer) tools, even though those tools may be available on your laptop. You use such tools at your own risk and are responsible for their operation. Note that many laptop exchanges involve migration across multiple operating system upgrades (e.g., Windows XP to Windows 7) and backup tools designed for one version of an operating system may not work well on another. Your best bet when exchanging laptops is to have a manual backup of all of your personal files that you have simply dragged and dropped to external, network, or web storage.

How Do I Back Up?

The following articles provide helpful information about backing up your data on either a PC or Mac laptop:

Changes That Affect Specific Models

Macbook Pro ( Macbook Pro 11 and Macbook Pro 12)

If you use a VGA adaptor to connect to an external monitor or an LCD projector, please be aware that a VGA adaptor for a White Macbook will NOT work with a Macbook Pro. Faculty and staff exchanging laptops from a white Macbook to a Macbook Pro should bring their VGA adaptor and exchange it for a new one at the time of the laptop exchange.
Macbook Pro laptops have batteries that are sealed inside of the unit. If you are accustomed to having an extra battery for your laptop, please be aware that you will not be able to use a second battery with the Mac Pro model.
Macbook Pro laptop have hard drives sealed inside of the laptop. This means that having a strategy for backing up your data is extremely important because a laptop failure could result in the inability to retrieve files off of the computer.
Docking stations are not available for the Macbook. We do not recommend the use of Port replicators.
Macbook Pro models have aluminum covers that scratch very easy. Please ask for a skin cover when you exchange your laptop to help protect your laptop.

HP Laptops (HP Elitebook 8460w) and HP Tablets (HP Elitebook 2740p)

Port replicators for the Toshiba WILL NOT work with the HP laptops. To order a new port replicator (docking station) see: http://www.winona.edu/IT/hardwareinfo.asp.
Port replicators for the HP tablet model (HP 2740p) are very unique to this model only. Please consult with the Technical Support Center if you need to order this device.

Other Considerations

Personal Software - If you purchased software and installed it on your old laptop, now is a good time to find the original installation disks and/or any license/serial numbers required to reinstall it on your new laptop. In some cases, software companies will not allow you to install the application on a second machine without deauthorizing the tool on your old laptop. Some tools are no longer supported and will not work on newer operating systems. Contact the vendor if you have any questions or concerns.

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