Should I upgrade to Windows 10?

The deadline for the free upgrade to Windows 10 is rapidly approaching: July 29, 2016.

I've had a number of people ask me whether they should upgrade or not, so, let's look at the specifics first:

Who's eligible? 

Anyone running Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 is eligible for the free upgrade. You can upgrade your system from the Windows notification in the System Tray (you've probably noticed it nagging you for several months now to perform the install) or you can download the installer here.

If you're still running Windows XP or Vista you will need to pay for a license and do a clean install (provided your hardware will support the new operating system). You can check the minimum system requirements here.

What happens during the upgrade? 

The upgrade is a pretty seamless process, but may take a couple of hours to complete and your computer will reboot at least a couple of times during the install.  Once the install is complete, it may take Windows some additional time to install all your computers drivers. Windows will let you know when it has found and installed all the necessary drivers and will prompt you to reboot the system.

I've upgraded quite a variety of systems and I've been very pleased with both the process and Windows 10 ability to find and automatically install a wide variety of drivers. I haven't had to go searching or manually installing any at this point.

What happens to my files and programs? 

All your files and most of the customization's to your operating system will be retained. I'd still perform a backup of all your data however before proceeding.

Your programs will also still be there, provided they are compatible with Windows 10. In cases where they are not compatible, Windows 10 will notify you and automatically uninstall them.

If Windows 10 does uninstall programs and you really want them back, you'll need to find compatible versions of those programs. All of the ones that I have had uninstalled were outdated free utilities that were easily re-installed.

If you have concerns about whether paid for applications are compatible, you should check online before you perform the upgrade.

Should I upgrade?

So, the big question... should you upgrade?

Windows 8 and 8.1

If you are running Windows 8 or 8.1, I would recommend the upgrade. Generally speaking, it's more stable, runs smoother, and will remain more relevant as Windows 8 has been a bit of a debacle. Any devices that I've upgraded from Windows 8 have been much better behaved after moving over to Windows 10.

If you're worried about the changes that have been made to the interface for Windows 10, don't be. The Start menu (albeit slightly altered) has been added back and the general feel is a lot more like Windows 7. If you're running a tablet and like the Windows 8 Start screen, you can change the options on the Start menu to display in full screen.

Windows 7

If you are running Windows 7, you may need to look at what you're running before the upgrade. As mentioned above, older applications may not be compatible with Windows 10. If you can't find newer versions of the software, and you absolutely need these old programs, then upgrading isn't for you.

If you don't have have any non-compatible programs or peripherals (such as printers or scanners), then unless you're really attached to Windows 7, then the long term benefits probably outweigh any reasons for continuing to run the old operating system. If nothing else, Windows 10 will be supported until 2025 while Windows 7 support ends in 2020 (you can check out the support cycle here.)

With computers generally lasting anywhere from 5 to 10 years (mine last a lot longer) the upgrade makes sense.

In general

As for myself, I've upgraded all my computers with the exception of my main system. For it, I've retained the original Windows 7 install, mostly because I do have some older applications I wouldn't be able to run on Windows 10.

I have however installed another copy of Windows 7 on another hard disk and upgraded it to Windows 10, creating a dual boot system. This way, I can have my cake and eat it too.

One other point to note is that any hardware that runs Windows 7 or 8, should adequately run Windows 10, perhaps even slightly faster. Any system older system that is running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you will need to check that it meets the minimum requirements and that all your hardware is compatible.

I hate Windows 10 and want to go back!

Provided it's been less than a month since you upgraded, you can return your original operating system installation.

Click on the notification icon in your system tray (next to the clock) and click: Settings > Update & security > Recovery  and select either "Go back to Windows 7" or "Go back to Windows 8.1". This will not affect your personal files, but it will remove any apps you installed after the upgrade to Windows 10.

I don't want to upgrade! How do I get rid of the annoying upgrade notifications?

Some people have noticed that Windows 10 has been installing itself without warning. If you absolutely do not want to upgrade to Windows 10, you need to do the following:

1. Click Start>Control Panel>Windows Updates. On the Windows 10 update on the screen, right click and select "Hide update".

2. Download and run never10.exe available here. This will remove the notifications.

Finally

I harp on this and for good reason: before you upgrade your computer, make sure you perform a backup. While not common, problems can occur during an upgrade and it's always a good idea to have a recent backup of your data!

Questions? Concerns? Comments?