Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users will be able to download Windows 10. This is a major shift for Microsoft and its customers. But Microsoft provides a lot of information to simplify the upgrade process and make it as easy and simple as possible for users to upgrade to Windows 10.
For consumers, the choice is simple: upgrade to one of the following two versions —— Windows 10 Home Edition or Windows 10 Professional Edition. This article does not cover the process of upgrading your phone to Windows 10 Mobile. For users who assemble their own PCs, Microsoft also released the official retail price of Windows 10.
According to the PCWorld website, during the upgrade process, users need to spend some time in the preliminary preparation work, and reserve at least 1 hour for the upgrade itself. Users need to be cautious, and some applications of users after the upgrade may be “lost”.
Except for a major component of Windows 7 in some versions, upgrading from an earlier version of Windows to Windows 10 is relatively easy. Professional Windows users can upgrade to Windows 10 Professional, otherwise they will upgrade to Windows 10 Home.
In addition to this article, users can also refer to Microsoft's Windows 10 FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). The FAQ explains some issues, such as what is the Windows 10 subscription application, how it works, whether you can upgrade more than one Windows PC (can), and whether you can abandon the subscription (can). In addition, it also provides an important recommendation: users running genuine Windows, Microsoft will not allow pirated Windows users to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
Preparation for upgrading Windows 10
PCWorld points out that users need to make sure their PCs are not outdated. Windows 7 users must have SP1 installed to upgrade, and Windows 8 users must upgrade to the latest version of Windows 8.1. In addition, users also need to turn on Windows 10 subscriptions. Users can launch the Windows 10 subscription app by clicking the mini Windows icon in the taskbar.
The following are the requirements of Windows 10 for the system:
Processor: Processor with clock frequency of 1GHz or higher
Memory: 1GB for 32-bit version, 2GB for 64-bit version
Hard disk space: 32-bit version requires 16GB, 64-bit version requires 20GB
Graphics card: Driver model is WDDM 1.0 DirectX 9 or updated graphics card
Display: 1024 X 600 pixels
Microsoft also warned that even The user's PC meets the above criteria and may not be upgraded. "Driver and firmware support, application compatibility and feature support" may affect the ability to upgrade Windows 10. Fortunately, there is a way to determine if a user can upgrade: use the "Check my PC" function in the booking application.
Microsoft said that the downloaded Windows 10 upgrade package is about 3GB in size. For newer PCs, the installation process takes about 20 minutes, and older PCs can take more than an hour. Before Windows 10 was officially released on July 29, the booking app would start downloading some files in the background.
Back up important files with OneDrive or an external hard drive before starting the upgrade. By default, user files are kept on your hard drive. Microsoft said that as part of the upgrade process, applications, files, and settings will be ported, but some applications or settings may not be ported. ”
As long as you upgrade before July 29, 2016, upgrading to Windows 10 is free. Microsoft promises that the upgrade will be free within the device's "Support Lifecycle". But Microsoft did not really fully explain the word "support life cycle".
Users will be "lost" after upgrading to Windows 10. What?
The upgrade process will bring some "loss" & mdash;— but Microsoft is working hard to make this process as easy as possible.
PCWorld said that for running high-end versions of Windows 7—— Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 8 Pro with Media Center or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center.. . Users will bid farewell to Media Center after the upgrade. Microsoft will replace its Media Center with its own DVD playback app in Windows 10. Similarly, the Windows 7 desktop widget (gdget) will be uninstalled. The Windows 7 version of Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts will also disappear and be replaced by the new version in Windows 10.
Microsoft also said that it may remove "some applications installed by OEMs". This seems to imply that some of the inflating software (Bloatware) on the user's PC will also disappear.
Microsoft will also uninstall and then install the user's anti-virus software. However, if the user anti-virus software has expired, only Microsoft's own anti-virus software, Windows Defender, will be installed on the system. After upgrading, users need to check their anti-virus software.
Need some new accessories
It is important to remember that older hardware does not include some of the hardware convenience of the new Windows 10 computer. For example, biometric unlocking features Windows Hello requires a camera —— users may need a new depth camera (such as Kinect for Windows, Intel's RealSense Camera), or a fingerprint sensor. Voice recognition works best with high-fidelity microphone arrays. In addition, some of the new features in Windows 10 Professional also require hardware to work.
In short, before upgrading Windows 10, the user needs to do a lot of preparation: book Windows 10 upgrade, back up important files, and pay attention to the anti-virus software life.