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Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs will get direct upgrade to Windows 10
Tech Radar Pro ^ | 01/05/2015 | By Desire Athow

Posted on 01/05/2015 9:01:05 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Microsoft's head of Windows Insider program, Gabriel Aul, has confirmed that Windows 10 will require a fresh install on Windows devices older than Windows 7.

Revealed in a reply from his Twitter account, Aul wrote that there won't be any full upgrade paths as these will be solely available for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users.

It makes sense given that some of them might be on older filesystems (e.g. FAT32). That's also assuming that Windows 10 will run on these systems, which although they may have enough resources (RAM/CPU) to power Microsoft's newest OS, may well run into compatibility issues with legacy components/peripherals (rather than software).

Upgrade path

That said, you can upgrade Windows XP to Windows 10 (Technical Preview) and still keep some (if not all) of your applications and settings in place. You will need to adhere to three rules (same bit and language versions) and have access to older Windows ISOs.

Microsoft is set to reveal more details about Windows 10 at an event scheduled on January 21 at its campus in Redmond. There's even talk of an updated version of Office for Mobile being announced there.



TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows10; windows7; windows81
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To: RJS1950

They will be, MS is going to be forced to make OS upgrades free for the end user, or they will lose even more market share... Reality is, Apple’s decision to give away OSX ended up SAVING the company Millions of dollars over selling it, at this point, like it or not, the price point for an OS to the end user is free, MS will eventually realize this, if they haven’t already, they can charge OEM’s and corporations $$ if they can make them pay, but the days of the end individual consumer buying OS’s are done....

Of course MS generally takes 5 years to recognize where things have gone trying desperately to protect turf that is no longer viable, and finally capitulates, so they might try to hold on for a few more years but reality is, 10 being free likely is not a one off, but just them coming to terms with reality, that and the fact they need the bastard hell boy that is 8.x GONE from the consumer consciousness as quickly and fully as possible.


21 posted on 01/05/2015 9:22:19 AM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: newfreep
Any idea of recommended RAM required to run efficiently?

Windows hardware requirements have basically remained unchanged since Vista with the exception of increased RAM utilization. Any CPU less than 10 years old with 2 gigs of RAM will suffice, but four gigs of RAM is much better. Performance will be nearly identical to the same hardware running Windows 7.

22 posted on 01/05/2015 9:23:16 AM PST by Sparticus (Tar and feathers for the next dumb@ss Republican that uses the word bipartisanship.)
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To: HamiltonJay

my new putter, a Christmas present, is now 8.1... but it got stuck on the Welcome page when I started it today. lol.

On the plus side, I did miss playing World of Tanks etc when I had Linux.

But by next Christmas, Windows might get corrupted and this thing will be Linux too.


23 posted on 01/05/2015 9:23:54 AM PST by GeronL
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To: Enlightened1
Full Upgrade Paths For Windows 10 To Be Provided Only To Users Of Windows 7 And Above.

Gabriel Aul, who is the head of Microsoft’s Windows Insider program, has confirmed that when it comes to upgrading to Windows 10, users below Windows 7 are out of luck. Windows XP and Windows Vista users will have to upgrade to the operating system using the standalone ISOs provided by Microsoft.
24 posted on 01/05/2015 9:25:05 AM PST by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: SeekAndFind

How many programs and peripherals will Win10 kill?

IE 10 messes up the browser I use for FR, because the IE-based browser has some add-ons that do not work with IE 10 or later.

Win7 seemed to add primarily more memory usability over XP. What does Win10 offer that Win7 doesn’t?

==

When I went from XP to Win7, I lost a laser printer, as 64-bit drivers were never made for it. I also lost several programs that do no have Win7 equivalents. I did manage to finagle a few other programs to get them to work under Win7, but I doubt they would work under later Windows editions.

==

I quit updating Win7, Firefox, Palemoon, Adobe Flash and some others because upgrades for one created conflicts in others.

Upgrades should make life better, but many times they create more problems than they fix or create new problems.


25 posted on 01/05/2015 9:26:10 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: Enlightened1
and like used car dealer even changed the name from Windows 9 in order to sell it by calling it Windows 10.

FWIW, I heard (and find it believable) that the main reason for skipping Windows 9 is that any software attempting to identify the OS that searched for "Windows 9" followed by a wildcard (i.e. "Windows 9*") would get false positive hits for "Windows 95" and "Windows 98".

It was easier to skip to 10 than it would have been to have every developer potentially have to work around that issue.

The potential perceived marketing benefits were just gravy.
26 posted on 01/05/2015 9:26:12 AM PST by chrisser (When do we get to tell the Middle East to stop clinging to their guns and religion?)
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To: SeekAndFind

If it is as good as Windows8, I will definitely upgrade. I really like the footprint/security of Windows 8.


27 posted on 01/05/2015 9:26:59 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you are not part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: Paladin2

Maybe Microsoft will try to be a bit more like Apple. Design a PC or laptop themselves to run Windows 10 perfectly and then throw in more RAM and let it play X-Box games.

I bet it would sell well.


28 posted on 01/05/2015 9:27:31 AM PST by GeronL
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To: GeronL

I know the feeling, bought an 8.0 box for my son, took 10 hours to get it upgraded to 8.1 because the windows update just failed in a state that would not let it update, and without the updates would not let it upgrade to 8.1... I knew I would have to upgrade it when I got it, and knew it would take a few hours, but spending 10 hours on it, reading through blogs and support postings just to get the damned windows update working again....

Yea, this is just one of the many many reasons Windows is losing market share.... and deservedly so.


29 posted on 01/05/2015 9:29:02 AM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: Paladin2
And just what will I be able to do that I can’t now?

That is probably the last question they want to be asked

30 posted on 01/05/2015 9:29:23 AM PST by GeronL
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To: Sparticus; newfreep

and many newer computers cannot utilize more than 8 GB of RAM if I understand correctly, I guess some computers probably can and having more probably means you can edit videos and play games you couldn’t otherwise.


31 posted on 01/05/2015 9:31:14 AM PST by GeronL
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To: HamiltonJay

I had the same problem with this thing. It kept telling me that I needed to install all updates to be able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 but I got error messages when I “checked for updates”. I did notice a little message at the bottom of the window saying it would update again on its own in 2 days.

Then I was finally able to install 8.1, took a good while for that too. Download, install, configure and setting it up...


32 posted on 01/05/2015 9:35:07 AM PST by GeronL
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To: laweeks
I’m quite happy with 7, thank you!

I can't think of a thing new or different from 7 that I want or need.

33 posted on 01/05/2015 9:44:39 AM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: SeekAndFind

I will be keeping my XP systems as is ‘off the grid.’

The people who bash me for that don’t realize in the manufacturing world upgrades of an OS will require new machines. However, if anyone would like to buy me new CNCs, CMMs, plotters, and other machinery feel free to send me a check.


34 posted on 01/05/2015 9:44:45 AM PST by Organic Panic
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To: GeronL

As I’ve posted before, I went from Win7 to Win8.1 - no stop at Win8.

That said, Win8.1 is far superior to Win7 - noticeably faster and MORE stable.

Win8.1 is much better than Win7 and light years beyond XP - the latter being an absolute horror nightmare with its infamous Blue Screen of Death. How anyone can say anything positive about XP is mind boggling.


35 posted on 01/05/2015 9:45:22 AM PST by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
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To: The Great RJ

The Best Buy in my neighborhood is no longer selling any computers that can support Windows 7, so you can’t buy one of their computers and have Windows 7 installed.


36 posted on 01/05/2015 9:47:22 AM PST by firebrand (constant upgrades rule)
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To: newfreep

I’ve been running “Technical Preview” on a “Core Duo” and a “Core i5” system with 4GB RAM and 8GB RAM respectively.

Both are mouse-and-keyboard systems, and Technical Preview acts like an evolution of Windows 7.

I like it.

If you try it, you may experience problems with device drivers. My Nvidia card drivers, for example, want to see “Windows 7” or “Windows 8”. They barf on Technical Preview; complain about ‘unrecognized version of Windows’. Not surprising, really, and not likely to be a problem when the real Windows 10 rolls out.


37 posted on 01/05/2015 9:52:36 AM PST by NorthMountain
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To: rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; JosephW; Only1choice____Freedom; amigatec; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...

38 posted on 01/05/2015 9:56:03 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: newfreep

I had Windows 2000 for the longest time—upgrading stuff isn’t really my thing. I’m probably going to build a new computer soon. The old one will probably be set up as a small web server.


39 posted on 01/05/2015 9:57:38 AM PST by __rvx86 (A non-trivial fear: Government of my peers.)
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To: newfreep
the latter being an absolute horror nightmare with its infamous Blue Screen of Death

I have never ... NEVER ... seen a physically healthy WinXP machine go to BSOD.

NEVER.

Win2000 and WinNT did it occasionally, and Win 98 more than occasionally.

40 posted on 01/05/2015 9:58:48 AM PST by NorthMountain
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