Please read the article in it's entirety before attempting to update your computers.  Please try upgrading one computer first successfully before updating the remaining computers.

This script is designed to upgrade Windows 10 CLS Dell Computers to Windows 11 24H2 (latest compatibility with Deep Freeze version 10 at the time of this article 10-6-2025) Run this script overnight or over the weekend as it takes 2-3+ hours. Make sure all the computers have a stable internet connection and do not disconnect from the internet after a reboot. At any phase during the upgrade process do not unplug or turn any of the computers off until the Windows 11 upgrade has completed successfully.

Instructions for labs without a server:

Step 1 - Deep Freeze must be upgraded manually first to version 10 or later before starting the Windows 11 Upgrade. Updating Deep Freeze (PC) - SmartLab

Step 2 - After Deep Freeze is upgraded, thaw all computers in Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze (PC) 

Step 3 - Make sure there is at least 32 GB of free space on each computer before starting the upgrade.

Step 4 - On each computer, download the Windows 11 Upgrade Script. Alternatively you can download the script on the Teacher computer and push the script to the students in the same location and run it from there (Lanschool Sending files to all computers - SmartLab)

Step 5 -  When ready, run the script on each computer in order to complete the full Windows 11 upgrade automatically. The upgrade will not delete files or applications. To run the script right click (or hold shift and right click) on the script and click “Run with Powershell”. The upgrade process will take 2-3 hours per computer.  When the upgrade is complete, you will see the blue wave login screen (below).

Step 6 - After the computers are on Windows 11, remember to freeze them again in Deep Freeze.

Instructions for labs with a server:

Step 1 - Deep Freeze must be upgraded manually first to version 10 or later before starting the Windows 11 Upgrade. Updating Deep Freeze (PC) - SmartLab

Step 2 - After Deep Freeze is upgraded, thaw all computers in Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze (PC) 

Step 3 - Make sure there are at least 32 GB of free space on each computer's hard drive before starting the upgrade.

Step 4 - Download the provided link and put the Windows 11 Upgrade Script on the Transfer Drive if you have a lab with a Server, and the Transfer drive is on all the Student and Teacher computers Windows 11 Upgrade Script.  Once you have pushed the script out to the computers to a designated folder, either run it on the computers as administrator in Powershell or Remote Launch through Deep Freeze if you have it on the teacher computer and no server.

Step 5 - With all the computers thawed and booted back up at the login screen, make sure to login to them all using any domain account, or Einstein if it is easier.

Step 6 - Go back to the Deep Freeze console and select all the computers that need to be upgraded to Windows 11 and right click anywhere in the list and select Push and Launch

Step 7 - Put in the file path to the transfer drive. It will be something like “\\(school initials)-cls-server\Transfer\Windows 11 Upgrade Script DELL COMPUTERS FINAL.ps1” without quotes (find the server hostname here) In our example, the server hostname is, cls-cls-server, so altogether in the file path field it is \\cls-cls-server\Transfer\Windows 11 Upgrade Script DELL COMPUTERS FINAL.ps1

Step 8 - Now, the script will be running in the background, come back in 2-3 hours and, if successful, all the lab computers will be upgraded to Windows 11 (login screen should look like this if upgrade was successful).  Do not upgrade to 25H2 after the script is complete as Deep Freeze is not compatible with that version yet.

If the computers did not upgrade to Windows 11, please contact us by email at support@clsonline.com, by phone at 1 (800) 458-2887, or submit a ticket via our customer support portal at (https://www.smartlablearning.com/customer-support/)