Windows 10 is almost here and the new operating system is poised to take over from everything running Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 in the coming months. Microsoft will start its rollout on July 29 in a phased manner. While Microsoft is bringing back some legacy features like the “Start menu”, there are some underlying changes as well. So, we have prepared a small guide to help you prepare before the big switch.
Check if you are eligible
If you are running a genuine copy of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 on a specific machine, then that machine alone is eligible to get Windows 10. This is also true for multiple machines as long as you are running a genuine copy of the mentioned Windows OSs on those multiple systems.
Now that you know that, check the bottom of your PC screen, near the clock. See a small Windows logo? Just tap on it and reserve your Windows 10. Simple! Now your machine will be updated whenever Microsoft is ready to send you the upgrade.
Knowing your upgrade
All users running Windows 7 Home, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8.1 will receive the update for Windows 10 Home. On the other hand, users running Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro For Students, the Windows 10 Pro version will be given.
So, If you are interested in upgrading to get the Windows 10 pro update, upgrade to the Pro versions of your respective software and you will receive the Windows 10 update accordingly. Keep in mind, other Windows licenses beside the mentioned ones are not eligible for upgrade.
Checking hardware compatibility
Currently, this is the minimum requirement on which Windows 10 technical preview runs:
Processor: 1 GHz or faster
RAM: 1 GB for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
Free hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit or 20 GB for 64-bit
Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
A Microsoft account is required as well.
For more, go to this link. This is a compatibility tool by Microsoft, which you can download and run to know if your hardware is compatible with Windows 10.
Check Processor compatibility for PAE, NX, SSE2
There are some underlying changes that might hinder the compatibility of your processor if you are upgrading from Windows 7 directly. Check whether your processor supports Physical Address Extension (PAE), NX processor bit (NX), and Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2)
PAE gives 32-bit processors the ability to use more than 4 GB of physical memory on capable versions of Windows, and is a prerequisite for NX.
NX helps your processor guard the PC from attacks by malicious software.
SSE2 is a standard instruction set on processors that is increasingly used by third-party apps and drivers.
Buy new hardware if required
While most current hardware will work with the new Windows 10, gamers and spec munchers should know that older graphics card or APUs might not support DirectX 12. They won’t stop working, but won’t be able to take advantage of the new DirectX 12 software.
Backup recommended
Once you have done all the things mentioned in the previous slides, you are almost ready for the update. However, it is recommended that you make a backup of your data for safekeeping purposes.
New Windows, New Drivers
Windows 10 will need newer drivers to run properly. So, after the 29th of July, most hardware vendors would be updating their respective websites with the latest drivers. All you have to do is to download and install them.