With the recent arrival of Windows 10 many users have been eager to cash in on the free upgrade provided to Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 owners and access the highly-anticipated new features that Microsoft has been promising for over a year. But is the hype to be believed and should you upgrade right away?
Let’s start with the upgrade process. The first indication that you are eligible for the upgrade will be the Windows logo displayed in the system tray which you can use to reserve your in-place upgrade. Microsoft will then alert you in the coming hours or days as to when the upgrade is ready to start. Now this is where you need to be careful. If you’ve just come in to the office planning to kick off the upgrade and start your day, think again. Upgrading your computer’s operating system is not a trivial task and involves a complete system reconfiguration. This is not a task that Windows can simply perform in the background whilst you continue working and you should plan an extra-long lunch break whilst the upgrade proceeds. Ideally your IT department or MSP should have an implementation plan already in place for controlling the upgrades throughout the company to avoid those potentially lengthy periods of unexpected downtime.
Feel free to kick off your upgrade on your PC at home but make sure you’ve backed up any important files, photos, videos etc. on your home computer before you do. In most cases you won’t have an issue as Windows is designed not to modify or remove your personal files during the upgrade process. However, unless you don’t have anything you can’t afford to lose this is certainly one of those times where it pays to adhere to the old adage of better to be safe than sorry!
Microsoft has stated the free upgrade period will extend for 12 months from the official launch date until end of June 2016. Beyond the free period or for anyone who wishes to purchase the standalone retail version it will cost consumers AU$156 as at time of writing.
As with any new product there will be features that some will find useful and others irritating. A few of the nicer additions include:
Some of the less attractive features:
Whilst there are a few annoyances with Windows 10, it is certainly a much more polished product and has far fewer failings than Windows 8 and you can’t really ask for much more having had such a recent release and no doubt a myriad of updates and hotfixes on the way which will now come down via the new over-the-air update utility. The operating system is also more user intuitive, a result of Microsoft’s return to listening to user feedback and incorporating fixes or features. With Windows 10 they have created a distinct “we’ve designed this for you” feel in stark contrast to the “get used to the new layout” imposition of Windows 8.
In all, if you are keen to try out the latest instalment from Microsoft sign-up for the free upgrade at home and test it out for yourself. For the business environment, certainly best to contact your IT department or MSP first to avoid any headaches.
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