Blog / Microsoft Offers Free Windows 10 Upgrade, but is it right for you?
1. Hardware:
If the computer is 5 years old – or older, then it most likely is not a good candidate. Microsoft’s minimum recommendations are:
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster.
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
- Free hard disk space: 16 GB.
- Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver.
However, we recommend doubling or even a tripling of these specifications, especially the RAM, if you want your computer to perform properly after the upgrade.
2.Available Internet Bandwidth:
The free Windows 10 upgrade is available as a download and requires a reliable and fast Internet connection, as the size of the upgrade is between 4.5-6 GB. The downloads need to be managed properly so that the overall Internet performance does not impact other users on the network. You should also check with your internet service provider (ISP) about any data caps on your connection. This is especially important if several computers on a corporate network are being upgraded.
3. Printers:
Printer and other peripheral device drivers should be checked for compatibility with Windows 10 prior to upgrading. Older devices may not have correct drivers and will not work properly in Windows 10. For example, some printer features may be disabled or unavailable with an outdated driver.
4. Applications:
The most important criteria is that users must check with their application providers about the following:
- Compatibility with Windows 10
- Any required upgrades to the application (and their cost).
- Application support on Windows 10.
5. Free and Downloaded Applications:
Users must also be prepared to upgrade any free applications that they currently have on their computers. Web-based applications that require certain settings and adjustments on browsers may not work with the Windows 10 EDGE browser. Users should test these applications with alternate browsers like Internet Explorer 11 and Google Chrome.
6. Backups:
It is strongly recommended to run a full (verified) backup of your computer before starting the upgrade to Windows 10.
New Action for Users:
Users may notice a NEW tactic from Microsoft that requires careful attention if they DO NOT want to upgrade to Windows 10. This applies mostly to home users and those NOT on a network domain.
In a pop-up upgrade dialog box that appears from Microsoft, the choices are to accept the upgrade (the OK button) or “Do Not Schedule”. There is also an “X” in the corner of the dialog box. The PREVIOUS action of the X was to cancel the upgrade process (ie: same as Do Not Schedule), but now the X action has changed: it’s the same as the OK button. Thus, users must purposely choose the Do Not Schedule option to cancel the Windows 10 upgrade.
Microsoft will be continuing support for Windows 7 until 2020, but the opportunity for the FREE
Windows 10 upgrade expires on July 29, 2016. Please contact us if you would like to plan a migration to Windows 10.
