Looking for guidance -- should I upload "Free" Windows 10 upgrade?

Lately I have an occasional pop-up informing me that a "Free" Windows 10 upgrade is available.

I am not a fan of Windows 8.x and therefore a bit leery about jumping into another "upgrade". But if there are actual improvements I
am all for it.

Are there any credible reports on this new OS? Anybody have any experience with it?

I have, and like it. I don't believe it is available yet. Those upgrade offers might be scams.

I too have "signed up" for this. It was from an icon that appeared in the right side of the command bar at the bottom. I did some research, and it seems to be on the level. Even got an email today, saying it should be ready on July 29

We want to give every customer a great upgrade experience, so we’re rolling it out in an organized way to manage high demand and to make sure that the upgrade is right for your device. After July 29, when Windows 10 is ready for your device, it will download in the background. You’ll then get a notification to schedule your upgrade right away or at another time that’s convenient for you.

@MarvinP

Yeah I was leery of that, too. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

@FDibbins

This is sounding good. I'll check it out in more depth the next time it pops up.

Thanks for responding.

What happened to Windows 9?

That was the German version?

Originally Posted by Tony Valko

What happened to Windows 9?

A rounding error?

This does not bode well.

nein nein, its da german version

Very punny! I like it.

Geeez...

I ran WinXP for more than 10 years and I'll probably do the same with Win7.

I've had a PC in my home since 1987.

I kept XP until support for it ended.

When I bought a new laptop, W7 was still available as an alternative to W8, and I've been very pleased with it -- and was therefore surprised to learn it was derivative to Vista, the worst OS since Windows ME.

I asked Rory about W10 -- he said he liked it and it is stable, but he occasionally had difficulty finding things.

I'm thinking I'll wait for the the first maintenance release, then switch.

Cyiagou is correct. Architecturally speaking, the backend version control numbers for the Windows 95/98 itterations contained a 9.* numbering system. So they ended up already using the Windows 9 options, so they jumped right up to windows 10.

Regarding the system upgrade, Microsoft no longer wants to support either Windows 7 or Windows 8. It's an incredibly expensive venture for them to have so many supported OSs for support, so they're offering FREE upgrades to EVERYONE that is currently running a Windows 7/8 machine.

In regards to not liking windows 8... First, I'd challenge your assumption as to whether or not it's first hand, or just what was stated by everyone else... Because 8.1 removed the METRO interface and enabled a more classic Windows 7 style experience with the interface compared to Windows 8. Regardless of that, Windows 10 reverts to a more classic Windows 7-esque interface, with an option to enable the metro style interface through touchpad integration.

Windows 10 also enables stronger backwards compatibility with the new version of DIRECTX being offered with Windows 10, and stronger performance relative to windows 7/8 (however, some hardware drivers may need updating or the new OS).

Considering it's a free upgrade offered by Microsoft to a new OS, with more bells and whistles, better performance, and pretty much better anything, I'm not sure why you wouldn't consider upgrading to the New Windows 10.

The release date of Windows 10 if you reserved your copy through the system try icon is July 29th... just a few days away!

Hope this answered any questions about the OS upgrade.

hey, everyone should know by now that cant count. They went from 3.xx to 95 to 98 (with a NT 4 in between), then 2000 ME and XP, vista, 7, 8, and now 10

We don't talk about ME

oh ...so its US then, not ME?
;p;

Going for Guru? It would be nice if you filled in a little more info on your personal page. A location might be first to fill in. Might it be Redmond, WA, USA?

Did you get your list from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ndows_versions ?

It looks like you left a few out.

Marvin, yes I did, and I didnt bother with the real early versions, nor with the .1 .2 inter-versions lol

I'm quite stunned, when I look at that list, how many of them I've actually used, starting with DOS Except ME and Vista, unsurprisingly.

I'd be surprised if anyone, other than Microsoft, could put an icon on the status bar of ALL the computers I own that are running Windows 7 or 8 (8.1, actually) and then include information in my Windows Update

There sure are many.

Wonder how many here remember IBM basic, and then GW basic, and booting a 4.77 mhz pc with a floppy disc containing the OS? Commodore PC 10, 512k (I think) ram, 2 floppy drives, no HDD, 80868 math coprocessor, green-screen,

Originally Posted by MarvinP

Going for Guru? It would be nice if you filled in a little more info on your personal page. A location might be first to fill in. Might it be Redmond, WA, USA?

HA, last time I logged in before today was over a year ago... didn't even realize that was still my signature... There have been quite a few forum upgrades since then!

Hi cyiangou , hoe gaan dit daar in die burg?

I had my PC 10 for a few years. When I bought it, the guy offered me a free upgrade - a 10 (may have been a 20) gig HDD or a printer. I couldnt see how I would ever need a HDD, so I took the printer...Seikosha 800, I think. IBM compatable, 4.77 mhz, but rang rings around the IBM 4.77

We used computers at work but my first home computer, bought in the mid 80s, was a "no name" 286 with 640k ram and a 20mb hard drive. Ran DOS v3.

The computer with monitor and a dot matrix printer cost about $3500.

P.S.

That first computer ran @ 8mhz but it had a button for "turbo speed" @ 12mhz!

My PC 10 was 1 of the 1st gen IBM-compatibles that came out, along with Oliveti and a few others I cant remember.

cyiangou I am a SA ex-pat (born in england, moved to PE when I was 7), grew up in PE, later moved to Klerksdorp and worked on the mines. Now living and married in USA

I've read somewhere that with windows 10 you can't choose to install or not windows updates. MS does it for you, that you like it or not.

I'll keep sticking to Linux, where XL2010 as well as WOrd and PPT run flawlessly

Originally Posted by Pepe Le Mokko

I've read somewhere that with windows 10 you can't choose to install or not windows updates. MS does it for you, that you like it or not.

If that's the case then I won't be "upgrading" to Win10.

http://arstechnica.com/information-t...or-home-users/

http://www.computerworld.com/article...ws-10-yet.html

2 very interesting articles, Trevor, thanks

@ TMS

I agree with Ford. Thank you for posting the links.

Once again, thank you to everyone chiming in on this. The response has been overwhelming and quite enlightening. I didn't see this one coming.

#4 in the second of Trevor's links kind of glosses over the fact that gadgets are not availble in Win10 because of the security flaws inherent in the platform (Win Sidebar) that runs them. Of the others, #3 is the one with real merit to me. If you're running anything else, I'd upgrade as a matter of course. YMMV.

PS MS is tied to supporting 7 until 2020, IIRC, so while I'm sure they'd love to do an Apple and try and force everyone to use the latest version, I don't see it happening, at least not for a while.

PPS I'm not convinced that skipping 9 was due to internal version numbers. 95/98 weren't using the WinNT kernel, unlike NT4, then 2000, then subsequent versions. I could be wrong though (at least, that's what my wife tells me).

I've got two old desktops still running XP and, obviously, not going to move to 10, three laptops running 7, and a recent desktop using 8.1. I've installed a third party app that gives a Windows 7 feel, so I have the opportunity to play with 8.1 features but with a get out of jail card. I've said yes, I'm interested in downloading 10, but I think I'll probably hang fire on installing it ... seems I've got 12 months to decide so no rush. Lots of time for lots of things to change.

I only have 2 Windows machines these days, both are running Win10 and have been for a while. It was a welcome upgrade from 8 and 8.1 for me and I've come to like it pretty much as much as I do W7. If I were running 7, I'd probably stick with it until 10 has been out for a few months - although in my experience 10 has been very stable throughout the beta and preview stages, and I've had no issues with peripherals. (which is more than I could say about my experience of 8)

Thank you everyone.

This one is [SOLVED] as far as I can see ---- for the time being.

… Another small reason for Excel Forum Members to resist the temptation to click on the “Update to Win 10 button just jet…
http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...66#post4149666

. Hi Nivvi,
. I am a complete computer novice, nervous about hitting the tempting "Update for free to Win 10" button on my new computer..

Originally Posted by Nivvi

On top of all that, Win 10 collects all data possible http://i.imgur.com/9DoVoix.jpg i will wait with upgrade. I'm using 8.1 + Start8 from http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/ and I'm happy for now......

. Question:
a) The "Start8" thing came in sometime after the initial launch of Win 8 after Microsoft realized there new "app format" / "touch screen" in Win 8 was not going down too well. Is that correct?
b) Have they given up with that idea in Win 10?

Alan
. BTW, another quick question..
c) I suppose once you update a machine to Win 10, there is no quick easy way to “undo the damage” and put it back to Win 7 ?

EDIT. To be fair to Microsoft, I guess it is reasonable that they try to get revenue to cover the cost of their software, which as i think the new boss mentioned he is trying to make stuff that people want rather than having to use. I Do find there software very helpful sometimes.

c) I suppose once you update a machine to Win 10, there is no quick easy way to “undo the damage” and put it back to Win 7 ?

From what I've read, I understand you can uninstall it BUT only within 30 days. Conversely, you have 12 months in which to install it for free if Microsoft have offered you the free upgrade. I think I'll wait a while and see how it copes in the wild before I make the leap of faith.

We have Windows 8.1 with a Third Party Start Menu application on my wife's work desktop and it doesn't seem that bad to me. I can't really afford to mess that up because my life won't be worth living. We have 3 laptops with up-to-date Windows 7 and I'm happy enough with that, especially given that one of the improvements in Windows 10 is to give you a Windows 7 GUI.

I'll be sitting on the fence for a while and watching with interest


Regards, TMS

Originally Posted by Kyle123

....
I haven't seen the metro interface, so it looks to be gone (at least in my everyday usings)

.. Thanks, that is good to know. I am fighting / competing with my current project against "App" technology!!!

Originally Posted by Kyle123

It's fairly straightforward to go back, just back up your stuff and recover your computer.....

Do you mean I do the "Restart to an earlier start point" thing, with the start point before I "Hit the update to Win 10 Button" ?. ( Or is it more complicated, involving reinstalling the Win 7 operating system ( I have the disc with license for the Win 7 but do not really want to get into installing operating systems, especially as the disc says 32 bit and my computer tells me it is 64 bit?? )

Originally Posted by TMS

From what I've read, I understand you can uninstall it BUT only within 30 days. Conversely, you have 12 months in which to install it for free if Microsoft have offered you the free upgrade. I think I'll wait a while and see how it copes in the wild before I make the leap of faith..........
Regards, TMS

. Thanks for the reply,
Alan

Originally Posted by Kyle123

Yes, I meant reinstalling the operating system;...

Thanks
Alan

Or just do a full image backup of your computer as it is now and restore that if you don't like 10.

Originally Posted by romperstomper

Or just do a full image backup of your computer as it is now and restore that if you don't like 10.

. I just did that “image” back up, ( there are lots of info on how to do it in Google, - your "Image" bit was the key search word to include, thanks).... and I think it let me ( gave me the option ) to back up everything else as well.
. ( I will still wait a bit before taking the plunge into WIN 10, but my general conclusion from this thread seems that the average profi advice is that the Win 10 could be a "go - er" )
Alan

P.s. Interesting thing this "Image" back up. I suppose it is a good idea to do that when a computer is new, rather than later?. I mean, computers seem to get progressively slower as they fill up with unwanted crap, - at least mine do. I guess an image back up done later would also save all the crap which slows the computer down? Or not? - If not it seems a good alternative to an expensive repair / operating system re-install at the dealers when a computer gets too slow or knackered by a virus?

P.P.s What would happen if I try to “repair” a different computer from the “image” – just curious, I do not think I will risk trying!!

Unless it has exactly the same hardware components, you could expect some odd behaviour.

Originally Posted by romperstomper

Unless it has exactly the same hardware components, you could expect some odd behaviour.

Thanks, I thought something along those lines might be the case. ... might still be worth a try - I have 2 identical LG X120 Notebooks, both got so slow I could not use them. One was "repaired" expensively at the dealers.... I will do a image copy of it and try to repairing the other with it. just for fun )

My latest:

I applied for that free upgrade on 7/28/2015. Got notified that Windows 10 was ready to upload.

I chose to do it against the possibility that I might install it later.

A couple of days later a window appeared telling me that Windows 10 upload is in progress in the background and I will be notified when it is complete. That was 3 days ago. It's still "in progress". There is a link for checking progress. That takes me to Windows update. The "progress" bar has been scrolling for the same 3 days. !!!?!!! If this is normal behavior mentioning would have been nice.

Checking the FAQs I find every issue covered except this one. Not one single MS link I've followed mentions anything about this or its remedy.

This is a fairly new machine that I purchased in late 8/2014. So I don't think that's an issue.

I have difficulty believing that I am the only one experiencing this problem. MS seems to have hit the "ignore" button once again.

I don't find this encouraging at all.

FWIW...

I NEVER "upgrade" when something is brand new and has just been released.

I ALWAYS wait a few months to see what bugs are going to surface (and you know there's going to be bugs!).

Originally Posted by Kyle123

You don't need to do it like that, you can quite simply just download it from the windows site - the advantage is that you've then got a windows 10 disk to do a clean install if you wish. That's what I sid as I never got the icon

Thank you. I'll try that.

Originally Posted by Tony Valko

FWIW...

I NEVER "upgrade" when something is brand new and has just been released.

I ALWAYS wait a few months to see what bugs are going to surface (and you know there's going to be bugs!).

Yes. Since I wasn't certain how this queue thing worked and didn't want to lose my place in line my plan was to download and then wait to install / get the fixes later --- or not install at all.

Seems that plan has been foiled.

.. small bit of live “news” I just caught on the ( German ) Radio.....
.
. The German Government ( Consumer Department ) just issued a Warning telling people NOT to install Windows 10 by the default Settings / Options. ( The quick easy way )
. This is because the installed software is then “Illegal” as a result of the German Data Protection Act.
. Apparently the default instillation options allow Microsoft to collect lots of personal data from you, which is not allowed by the German data Protection Laws.
. ( But the German’s tend to be a bit Picky about these things!! )
Alan

https://www.verbraucherzentrale-rlp....etzten-klick-1
http://tinyurl.com/pzqkogg

Originally Posted by Kyle123

You don't need to do it like that, you can quite simply just download it from the windows site - the advantage is that you've then got a windows 10 disk to do a clean install if you wish. That's what I sid as I never got the icon

Seems to be the same advice here.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-gene...dows-10-a.html