New Clerk PC hardware - 2021

[russellhltn]

According to this post, the need for MLS is rapidly disappearing.

The Help Center article Setting Up a New Clerk Computer covers the basics on what to expect.

Personally, and speaking as a STS who needs to keep people happy and likes to avoid complaints, this is what I do:

Copy:

• C:\data-backup (only 3 years plus current, although even this much is debatable)
• C:\ProgramData\LDS Church
• Desktop
• Documents
• Downloads
• Pictures
• Music
• Videos

Some of these areas are likely empty, but again, I'm just making sure. I don't want people complaining that they lost something. Since this is a machine you use, feel free to leave things behind.

Take a screenshot of the old Desktop and use it to arrange the icons on the new desktop so everything is where everyone expects it.

[lajackson]

I am going to be driving into town Friday evening and unboxing the new machine to see what state it is currently in. I'm hoping it is mostly set up, and presumably with the current clerk computer password already, and that I simply plug it in and plug into the nic and she's ready to at least operate.

Save yourself a trip unless you have read everything at the Help Center and are ready to make the change. Do not plug in the new computer until you have an hour or two to set it up. There is no rush. There is no reason to hurry. Do not begin to make the change until you understand the process and are ready to take the time do it.

If possible, you should get yourself added to MLS on the existing computer. It will make the transition easier. To complete MLS installation on the new computer you or someone else on the old account will have to sign in to MLS. Otherwise, you will not be able to restore the backup. Since you are the clerk, you should be an MLS Administrator.

Go to the Help Center and start reading. Read all of the sub-links. The instructions there are actually pretty good.

Personally, I would take the new computer home to set it up (if you have adequate Internet service). Then I would make the swap at the clerk's office.

The old computer keeps working until you ask for the security reset. I wait until I am ready to physically swap out the machines before I ask for it.

You cannot get a security reset on weekends.

The new computer will start from scratch and run a provisioning file that will require your inputs. The MLS setup will require you to know your unit number and the stake unit number. You will need to make some Windows settings. When I do this at home, it takes me about an hour plus whatever time it takes for Windows to update.

As you have already seen, you will use the new computer box to recycle the old computer after you have wiped its drive. When you are ready to send back the old computer, the FM Group should email you a FedEx label to use. I usually wait a week or two before wiping the old drive in case the unit is missing a file they feel is important.

[russellhltn]

The old computer keeps working until you ask for the security reset.

Actually, the old MLS will continue to send/receive until the new computer has had made a successful send/receive.

However, any send/receive will cancel the security reset. So if you do the reset, and then old machine does a S/R, you'll need to do another security reset to get the new machine to work.


I would agree you need to be added to MLS. However, I think you need to have two users available to allow that to happen. I don't remember if they both have to be admins or not. It's possible you'll have to get support involved to have to added to MLS.

[ryanmercer]

As you have already seen, you will use the new computer box to recycle the old computer after you have wiped its drive. When you are ready to send back the old computer, the FM Group should email you a FedEx label to use. I usually wait a week or two before wiping the old drive in case the unit is missing a file they feel is important.

Well, that's what the instructions said but it isn't going to happen. The new computer's box is physically smaller than the old computer in every dimension. It sounds like our computer is 10+ years old and skipped a 5 year replacement cycle, it's a proper tower not one of these slim things they sent us (roughly the volume of an institute manual).

Sounds like there's just going to be a lot of waiting then. I'm working 60-70 hours a week and will be probably well into next year (international freight) and in what little free time I have have Pathway.

Alright, thanks to both of you. I'll just have to lock myself in the office some Sunday and skip all of my meetings to get it mostly done I guess.

[russellhltn]

The new computer's box is physically smaller than the old computer in every dimension.

Agreed. The new computer is a "Tiny" form factor and our old PCs were "Small". Good luck trying to stuff a "Small" into a "Tiny" box.

That's where I went back to FM and they decided to supply boxes and packing maternal.

[danpass]

You cannot get a security reset on weekends.

Is this still true? I was told by an HQ support representative a few months ago, that except for a small window on Sundays, a security reset could be requested any time.

[Mikerowaved]

You cannot get a security reset on weekends.

Is this still true? I was told by an HQ support representative a few months ago, that except for a small window on Sundays, a security reset could be requested any time.

Yeah, they can be reset by most anyone at GSD, even after hours and weekends. If you grab the entire C:\ProgramData\LDS Church folder and paste it to the new machine, no reset is required. Just did a bunch for my stake with no issues.

[danpass]

You cannot get a security reset on weekends.

Is this still true? I was told by an HQ support representative a few months ago, that except for a small window on Sundays, a security reset could be requested any time.

Yeah, they can be reset by most anyone at GSD, even after hours and weekends. If you grab the entire C:\ProgramData\LDS Church folder and paste it to the new machine, no reset is required. Just did a bunch for my stake with no issues.

Thanks! Good to know. I'm just beginning the process with our stake.

[RichPhillips]

On the hardware, we seem to be going in a different direction than we were. I just received five replacements, Lenovo M70q, as described in the original post on this subject.

These Celeron processors have a CPU mark of 2310. They are replacing three M700's with i3, and a CPU mark of 3628; one M710q, with i5 and CPU mark of 4715; and one M720q, with an i5, and a CPU mark of 7657. While processing power isn't everything, it is important when the graphics are integrated. I doubt the SSD and double thread in the new Celeron will make up the slack.

Will start doing the change-outs next week, and checking the performance.

[russellhltn]

I don't think I've ever seen an i3, much less an i5 for a ward computer.

How critical is graphics for rendering web pages - that's about all a typical clerk computer will be tasked with.