What to Consider about Windows 10

Eric Stork,

At the link below are some Windows 10 FAQ's that may answer some of your concerns.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq

I just saw this thing about reserving a free upgrade to Windows 10. Already I have reservations and the information so far put out is not making me feel comfortable. 1 - What if the upgrade or new Windows is bad and I need to switch back to the current OS? There is no switch back its a one way trip.  If its not for you don't overwrite your os. 2 - There is not much information out there about what is going on in Windows 10 that I can find. There is a lot of information. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-upgrade   3 - Is there some procedure that should be followed for the upgrade? All I can think of for now. I am hesitant to try this offer even though free. There is no free lunch.  Get a new drive and see if you know how to reinstall to a bare drive. If you can't there will be no going back.   Microsoft is making Windows 10 available as free upgrade for qualified Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 devices. It will be available starting July 29, 2015; people can reserve their free upgrade today. You only have until July 29, 2016 to take advantage of this offer. Once you upgrade, you have Windows 10 for free on that device. Yes, it’s free. This is a full version of Windows, not a trial or introductory version. It is available for a limited time:  you have one year from the time Windows 10 is available to take advantage of this offer. You can do one of two things: a) Buy a new Windows 8.1 device and upgrade it to Windows 10 for free, or b) Reserve a free upgrade for your existing Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC Not every device will run every feature of Windows 10. Be sure to check with your manufacturer before purchasing. Additional details on upgrade qualifications are below. When you reserve, you can confirm your device is compatible with Windows 10. Between reservation and when your upgrade is ready, the files you need for the upgrade will be downloaded to your PC to make the final installation go more quickly.  Then, when your upgrade is ready after July 29, 2015, you get a notification that lets you get started with your upgrade. The only requirements are that a) your device is compatible, and b) you’re running genuine Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows 8.1 (Update). Windows 10 is designed to run on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs. That means your device is likely compatible and will run Windows 10. www.microsoft.com/.../windows-10-specifications Yes, new qualified PCs can run Windows 10. Windows 10 is designed to be compatible with the Windows 8.1 laptop, tablet or desktop PCs that are for sale now. Device manufacturers make decisions about their device models and some Windows 10 features may not be available on certain devices, so be sure to check with the retailer or manufacturer for details. Plan for about an hour for the installation. Newer devices may only take 20 minutes, and older devices may take more than an hour. You’ll need to download the installation files before you begin. If you reserve, we’ll take care of downloading those files for you and let you know when you are ready to get started. Just open the Get Windows 10 app (description below) and click reserve.     Click on the small Windows icon located at the lower right side of the taskbar.     Click ‘Reserve your free upgrade’ when prompted. There’s no obligation and you can cancel your reservation at any time.  After you reserve, we will download Windows 10 to your device when it’s available. Then we will notify you when your device is ready to install the upgrade. Get Windows 10 is an app that’s designed to make the upgrade process easy. It checks to make sure your device is compatible, and it reserves your free upgrade; it also has information to help you learn about the features in Windows 10. For devices running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update with Windows Update enabled,  the app shows up automatically as a Windows icon in your system tray at the bottom  right-hand side of your screen. Just click reserve in the Get Windows 10 app and then enter your email address at the confirmation screen. You can also check your reservation status here:     Right click on the Get Windows 10 app or Windows icon located at the right end of the taskbar.     Select “Check your upgrade status” Yes, you can cancel your reservation at any time prior to installing Windows 10. Here’s how:     Right click on the Get Windows 10 App or Windows icon located in right end of the taskbar.     Select “Check your upgrade status”     Select “Cancel reservation” Check to see if your question has already been answered in the community forum,  or post a new question. When the upgrade becomes available, the Microsoft Answer Desk will be available for one-on-one support. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=528873

The update today should give you this:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/2015/06/01/01062015-microsoft-prepare-windows-7-and-windows-8-1-users-for-windows-10/

More information here and here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-faq?ocid=win10_auxapp_context#ui-id-31

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-10-technical-preview-iso/

I advise making USB recovery media with the latest version of Dell Backup and Recovery before upgrading to Windows 10 (just in case):

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery-1-8-1-71/

1 - What if the upgrade or new Windows is bad and I need to switch back to the current OS?

There is no switch back its a one way trip.  If its not for you don't overwrite your os.

You can go back to a previous version.   I am sure Microsoft has a producer to revert to windows 7 or 8.x if the install fails or if you don't like windows 10,  you should be able to even uninstall windows 10 from windows 10.   What might help is do an image backup before upgrading in case the uninstall fails.

Ensure you make recovery media before upgrading to Windows 10 for Windows 7 and 8.1 OEM see here:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery-1-8-1-71/

For retail license you should have a .iso or DVD.

Hi Eric,

I have been feeling a bit anxious about this free offer of Windows 10.  From what I see on this post, most of the references are to Microsoft for information.  I searched the internet for "should I update to Windows 10?" and found lots of info, as you'd imagine.  I enjoyed the articles by Forbes which raised questions and offered some suggested answers.  Personally, I am waiting to see.  I will not be downloading Windows 10 on July 29, 2010. 

Best Wishes

You cannot go back to a previous version.  The update from 8.0 to 8.1 breaks the dell backup and recovery just as the update from 7 to 8 breaks the dell backup and recovery. To say that you can uninstall a windows 10 update is disingenuous at best and premeditated misinformation at worst. 

If you used a 16 gig or larger USB flash drive and made a full DBAR backup and tested on a new blank hard drive you are fine.  Otherwise its a one way trip.  Changing the OS breaks the DBAR factory restore.

The Free update will be available until July 29, 2016.

Speedstep,   of course  Windows 10 breaks the dell recovery and backup nothing new.    According to Microsoft they even recommend doing an image backup using their backup program or a third party program.   However, Microsoft claims you can restore back to windows 7 sp1 or 8.1  within the first 30 days after that you will need to use a image backup program from Microsoft or a third party to restore it back. 

Also, if you created the windows dell factory restore disk,  you can do a full factory restore from that as well.    I don't use that anyways,  I use a third party for image backups.  

I did a clean install using a dell factory re-installation dell sent me one,  so I don't even need the factory restore image.   I kind of an advance computer user,   so I know how to do things

"All I can think of for now. I am hesitant to try this offer even though free."

No one should ever consider upgrading their operating system if they are not fully prepared. Here is a concise guide on how to prepare.

1- Learn everything you can about the new operating system. There is an enormous amount of good information on Windows 10. For example, look at CNet, PC World, PC Magazine, Windows Supersite, Paul Thurrot (thurrot.com) and Neowin. And that's only the beginning. Some of those websites may be too technical for you, but others will be just right. Once you feel you have enough information, you can decide whether you want to upgrade.

2- Learn everything you can about how to upgrade your operating system. Have a complete upgrade plan. I like to think of myself as an advanced user, yet I have spent days getting ready, and I have a detailed, step-by-step plan. That's because I want to feel confident that my install will be perfect, the first time.

3- Don't even think of upgrading if you don't know how to backup. I don't trust this vital task to Dell's software. You need an image of your hard disk and a separate backup of your own documents, pictures, music, etc. That way, if things go badly, or you decide you hate Windows 10, you can easily put everything back to the way it was before.

4- If you think your existing operating system is not working properly, fix the problems before you upgrade. Upgrading an operating system with problems is an invitation to frustration.

If all this sounds too overwhelming for you...don't worry. Nobody is forcing you to upgrade and there's certainly no rush. Wait until you're good and ready.

If you want to upgrade, but you're not confident of your computer skills, ask a friend - someone who really knows their stuff - to help you. (Don't place your trust in Dell's technical support)