Upgrading your Loaner Laptop to Windows 11

Owned by Michael Altobelli
Last updated: Jan 17, 2023Version comment
5 min read

Only do this on the grayish loaner laptop. Some laptops will not be able to run Windows 11, the program in step 3 will let you know if your laptop cannot.
Please note at this time IT has not tested Windows 11 on the loaner laptops.

  • Known Windows 11 oddities:
    The taskbar can only be on the bottom of the screen in current versions of Windows 11.
    If you use the taskbar on the top, left or right currently we recommend you wait until the feature is added to Windows 11.

  • The quick access sound/wifi section of the taskbar wasn't working for me when I upgraded. Need to right click to access volume control. -Mike
  • Windows Terminal (Windows 11 default command prompt) wasn't automatically installed? -Mike

    This process will take around 90 minutes to 2 hours, we recommend running it after you've completed work for the day and let it run into the evening/night.


  1. If you are on a SCSLOANL laptop, you will need to install Dell Command Update. We do not install it for you.
    https://dl.dell.com/FOLDER08334704M/2/Dell-Command-Update-Windows-Universal-Application_601KT_WIN_4.5.0_A00_01.EXE
  2. Upgrade all the drivers on your PC with Dell Command Update
  3. Click Check
  4. Install the updates, the default selection will work
  5. Reboot after the updates finish. Close the below screen and restart
  6. After the reboot, sign back into the laptop
  7. Download the Windows 11 Upgrade Assistant from https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
  8. Launch the upgrade assistant
  9. If the laptop supports Windows 11 it will say Good News! like below
  10. Once you click accept it will start downloading
  11. It will progress to a screen like the below, then after it hits 100% it will try to restart to update
    1. If you minimize the window and it disappears, it may have gone into the notification area
  12. After you reboot or it reboots following 30 minutes of completion. Sign in again.
  13. You'll notice the start menu is now in the middle of the screen and a few new icons are on the taskbar
  14. The purple chat button doesn't work with your @howardcc.edu Teams chat. Hide it in setting

    1. Click on the start button then open settings
    2. On the left, click on Personalization
    3. On the right scroll down and click on Taskbar
    4. Click on the switch to the right of Chat to turn Chat off from the taskbar
      You can do the same with Widgets or task view if you would like was well.
  15. Windows 11 upgrade didn't install Windows Terminal for me so right click on the start menu followed by clicking on Windows Terminal showed an error

    1. Installing from Microsoft Store fixed it
      https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/windows-terminal/9N0DX20HK701?hl=en-us&gl=US
      1. If Microsoft Store doesn't work, the below MSIX Bundle should
        https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases/download/v1.13.11431.0/Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_Win11_1.13.11432.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle
    2. If it still fails, try again installing updates using Dell Command Update from Step 3.

My start menu and the date is missing after a reboot!

  1. This bug can occur after upgrade
  2. Run the below
    1. Open a menu by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del
    2. Open Task Manager
    3. Open More Details
    4. Under File in the top left, click Run new task
    5. Paste in 
      reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f

If you'd like to move the start button to the Left instead of the Center of the taskbar:

  1. Click on the start button then open settings
  2. On the left, click on Personalization
  3. On the right scroll down and click on Taskbar
  4. On the right scroll down and click on "Taskbar Behaviors" to expand it
  5. Change taskbar alignment to Left by clicking on the dropdown button