Please contact CATS before purchasing research computers.
While CATS does not directly fund computers for research we do support end users, provide PAC (Previously Allocated Computer) replacement computers and advise on purchasing computers needed for research work.
There are over a thousand computers in the Science Center which is a third of all computers on campus. Out of that thousand about half are research machines. CATS has the ability, through replacement of public lab/classroom machines, to offer replacements/upgrades to older research machines. If you have older machines that do not need special software or that are not connected to older equipment (that require older windows to run) then please fill out a request to have these machines updated through CATS. You can request a PAC to replace an older research computer.
Why is your Windows XP machine not allowed on the network?
While CATS understands that some hardware and software is not easily replaced and requires Windows XP to run/be used, Windows XP is not supported any more by Microsoft. What this means is any viruses or exploits hackers want to develop will not be patched in future versions of Windows and therefore cannot be connected to the network.