As part of the computer replacement program at the College, Information Technology replaces the oldest, most “electronically risky” personal computers (PCs) each year. The goal of computer replacement is to maintain reasonable currency of the deployed computers and to secure the College network and the information resources connected to it.
IT maintains a list of computers that are eligible for replacement. The technicians working with the PC Replacement program contact the faculty and staff quarterly to inform them that their computers are up for replacement. As old computers become eligible for replacement, and funding is made available, faculty and staff members will receive a new computer. If you are unsure if you are eligible, visit the College website at http://it.cofc.edu/computing/replacement/computer-models-being-replaced.php to determine what model is currently being replaced.
Files will be transferred from the old computer to the new one, and the old computer will be removed. Hard drives from old computers are removed and held in a secure location for four weeks. During the four-week period, faculty and staff members will be able to recover files that are missing from their new computer. After the four-week period, all data will be permanently destroyed per state guidelines.
Prior to installation, there are a few responsibilities faculty and staff members should be aware of. They include:
- furnishing preparatory information to the PC Replacement (PCR) install technician when requested in advance;
- working with the PCR install technician to set a convenient date and time for the delivery and set up of your new replacement computer’
- gathering all College work-related, non-standard application and hardware disks and license keys that need to be reinstalled on the new computer’
- making a personal copy (using a personal USB Flash drive or other device) of any files or applications that are non-College or non-work-related;
- transferring non-College, non-work-related files to the new computer; and
- you or your designee must be present at the scheduled installation date and time to provide access to your computer. If no one is available on the day and time of the scheduled appointment, your install must be re-scheduled to the end of the install appointment list.
The responsibilities of the PCR install technician include:
- delivering, unpacking and connecting the new computer;
- transferring personality settings and data from folders, such as Favorites, Desktop and My Documents to the new computer;
- removing boxes and the old computer;
- connecting existing external peripherals (printers, scanners);
- setting up existing network printers;
- confirming that new computer is working properly;
- verifying installation of the College Asset tag, documenting location, and user information.;
- providing the user with a post-install worksheet with details of the work performed;
- filling out Change of Accountability forms for all systems and updating IT inventory;
- removing the old computer to PCR offices for surplus preparation;
- removing the hard drive from the old computer, labeling it with the user’s name, date and old computer serial number, and holding it for 30 days in a secure location;
- sending the old computer to surplus (furnishing department with a copy of the COA – surplus verification); and
- after 30 days, degaussing (wiping clean) the old hard drive and sending it to surplus for destruction.
Since the charge of the program is to remove old computers in operation of the campus network, the program does not replace broken computers. If you have any questions, you can email IT-PCR@cofc.edu.