During the course of my career I have installed, used and managed most of the different types of computer systems available on the market. During that time, I learned a very valuable lesson:
Never update your computer to the newest operation system the day it comes out!
I can’t begin to tell you how many times people have brought their computers to me asking for help because they decided to go ahead and install the latest and greatest version of Windows on the release date. For you Apple users, don’t think you’re completely out of the woods on this problem either. From iOS to Mac OSX, there have been countless times when the newest operating system was released with “problems.” Even those using Linux can attest to these kinds of issues. These problems ranged from incompatibilities with hardware (rare) to the more common problems with the myriad of software installed on each personal computer.
After all, that’s what we’re talking about right? It’s a personal computer. You probably have some common uses for your computer that you share with the vast majority of people. Things like e-mail and web browsing for instance are pretty standard. These days, even social media uses have become commonplace.
So, it’s no wonder the makers of operating systems have such a hard time releasing a product that works right off the bat. In fact, it’s a miracle they get one released at all.
Given all that, perhaps you will understand why I say, the average user should never install an operating system upgrade/update when it first becomes available. There are just too many possible things that can go wrong.
Now that we have all of that out of the way, I wanted to let you know I think it’s about time Windows users should feel comfortable upgrading to Windows 10. Remember, before you upgrade it is always a good idea to make a fresh backup of your computer.
Windows 10 is the latest offering from Microsoft, and this time they’ve decided to make it available for free. There are a few prerequisites to qualify for the free offer though.
First, you must have a computer running Windows 7, or later. So, if your computer has Windows 7 of any flavor, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 you can take advantage of the free upgrade offer. If you do not have one of those operating systems, you will have to upgrade to one of them in order to qualify for the free offer, or you can purchase Windows 10 for $119.
Second, your computer must be able to run the new operating system. Fortunately, there is a tool Microsoft has put in place to check whether or not your computer can handle the upgrade. If you decide to use the upgrade, the tool will automatically run. Just visit microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and click the button to begin the download.
After the download, a wizard will load to help you through the process. I didn’t find anything unusual or difficult to follow, but if you have issues you can visit windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/support and find answers to most of the questions people have had about the process.
Keep in mind, if you have a catastrophic failure while doing this install, you will need to visit your local computer professional for help. So, make sure you know where to go and who to talk to, in case that happens.
To date, I have completed the Windows 10 upgrade process 12 times with no problems. Hopefully, you will have the same experience!
Until next month, be safe out there!
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