Don’t Hesitate to Update Windows
This week we are looking at the currently free Windows 10 upgrade and what is going to happen in this area in the next 6 months. Microsoft released their Windows 10 operating system on the 29th of July last year and created a milestone at the time by making the upgrade free to many people.
If you have a computer that is currently running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 then you have had the option of signing up for a free upgrade to the latest Windows version 10. This is the first time I have seen Microsoft allow this type of mass upgrade for free and it is very worthwhile but not without some complexities.
Many have found that despite the hype that you can just ‘click the button and allow it to happen by itself’ this has not been the case. In fact the upgrade sometimes causes a number of different issues with what may have previously been a perfectly functioning PC. These issues can range from simple things like a printer no longer working to the computer not even booting up at all.
The reason for the sometimes variable outcome of the upgrade is the simple fact that upgrading an operating system while trying to keep the users data and existing software intact is a massive job. Think of it as not unlike repainting an entire house without any sanding or preparation – you are relying on the previous coat of paint to be perfectly intact to get a good result!
This is where professional expertise comes into play as we don’t only get called upon to do the upgrade for many of our customers but we also get asked to fix a lot of failed upgrades once they are already broken. This is where we nearly always take a different route to that which a customer typically takes.
During the Windows 10 upgrade you are offered the option of deleting all previous data and all previous software to effect a ‘clean / fresh’ installation of Windows 10 which is the option that we prefer to use. To take this route however, you first need to make an external backup of all user data and catalogue what software they already have installed that they still need.
This process takes longer and is beyond the capabilities of many users but results in a very fast and reliable computer running Windows 10 with all of the customers’ data back in place as well as all of the software that they need. Not unlike getting a house professionally repainted from the bare wall stage.
The above situation is even more complex when the computer in question is for business use and needs to be networked to other computers in the office. In this case we normally take all the business’ computers back to our service centre and upgrade all of them in the one go.
So what is so special about the upgrade? Besides being free from extra licencing costs, if the upgrade is done properly the resulting PC boots quickly and runs fast. Windows 10 combines and even adds to all of the useful features of Windows 8 but still retains the much liked “normal’ Windows interface offered by previous Windows versions like 7 and Windows XP.
The IT world never stands still and trying not to upgrade or stay with the times now only works if you don’t need the Internet or the benefits of modern software. For the majority of computer users Windows 10 installed correctly is a very good thing and guarantees Website compatibility and continued Internet security for many years to come.
For anyone currently sitting on the upgrade fence, now is the perfect time to move forward as Microsoft will start charging for the upgrade on the 29th of July this year. There are still millions of PC’s that need this so you don’t want to be sitting in the busy cue closer to this cut-off date.
Future Byte Me topics can be emailed to [email protected] and Bruce is contactable at Kerr Solutions, 205 Musgrave Street or on 49 222 400.
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