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General discussion

Windows 10 free upgrade: Should I go for it or not?

Jun 5, 2015 4:55PM PDT
Windows 10 free upgrade: Should I go for it or not?

Since Windows 10 is coming out soon and I believe it is a free upgrade for people using Windows 7 and 8, I think, please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm currently on Windows 7 and happy with it. But since it's a free upgrade, should I get it? How would I know if all my programs will be compatible with Windows 10 and if my hardware is compatible? I'm kind of on the fence about it. My classmate tells me never to upgrade operating systems until it is released for a while since there will be bugs and to let the company work out most of the bugs before buying. However, since this time it is a free upgrade, I'm tempted to upgrade when it is available at no cost. Am I crazy for doing this or should I hold off and pay for it later? What would you do in my situation? Are you doing the free upgrade? Looking forward to reading your advice and suggestions! Thank you.

--Submitted by: Marlon C.

Discussion is locked

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How do I unsubscribe from this thread?
Jun 14, 2015 4:20AM PDT

I tried several times to unsubscribe and it's not working.

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How did you try?
Jun 14, 2015 4:37AM PDT

If there is a problem with recommended method of unsubscribing to a thread I will inform the Forum Administrator.

But in these new style forums try this link; http://www.cnet.com/forums/

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Mark

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testing "next unread"
Jun 24, 2015 10:51AM PDT

NT

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The new Windows 8 and Windows 10
Jul 12, 2015 6:40PM PDT
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If you really liked free stuff
Jun 15, 2015 11:49AM PDT

You'd have already installed one of the top rated Linux OS instead. There must be something else to it than free for you?

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WHAT??
Jun 17, 2015 7:17PM PDT

A computers life span is usually 4 years. After that, upgrades will probably slow the system down to a crawl (as well as registry mistakes that happen all the time). Now, other components like the drive is usually on their last leg. Why do you think that these old relics are going to load Windows 10. I couldn't even load it (beta) in a new machine.

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Couldn't even load it in a new machine?
Jul 14, 2015 1:43AM PDT

Well I don't know what kind of new hardware you have that you say you are having difficulty loading the beta version of Windows 10 on to, but on my nearly 6 y.o. laptop that has Centrino CPU and 4GB of RAM only, the Technical Preview that was released a few months ago installed and ran without any problem. That laptop originally came with Vista which I upgraded to Windows 8.1 when it came out. Now I'm excited and looking forward to upgrading it to W10!

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Four Years?
Jul 14, 2015 3:25PM PDT

Most enterprises were on 5-year hardware recycles. Where I worked, they switched over to something really long like 13 years. My home PC is about 11 years old. Not everyone has the money to upgrade every time something new comes out. Upgrades have not significantly slowed down the computer but adding newer software does have that effect.
If you are a beta tester (rather than someone trying to load the preview), Microsoft's beta team should be able to help you.

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Windows 10 free upgrade: Leaning toward a YES
Jun 5, 2015 6:58PM PDT

I'm waiting patiently for some really good reviews on it. I am leaning towards installing it but I need to be sure that my old office product will functions with Windows 10. I cannot afford any issues with it since I am in no financial position to upgrade my office suite. I also have a few other programs that I need to work with it and I really don't want the headache right now if things go south. So I'm just waiting but I believe I will take advantage of the free upgrade offer before the offer expires. Microsoft stated that they will be offering this upgrade free for one year.

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the answer to your post!
Jun 13, 2015 7:53AM PDT

First question; does your "old" office product function in Windows 8?

My expectation is that most software that functioned in Windows 7 does not function in Windows 8.

Office has become a set of apps you run on your computer from the cloud. This is because your computer is now, in Microsoft World, no longer a computer, but a cell phone. AND, you have to pay Microsoft big dollars, EVERY MONTH, to use this "app".

There are signs Windows 10 has taken this to a whole new level, with a "software center" that won't function anything like Linux software centers where you install PROGRAMS, not APPS, and the programs are free. Most Microsoft apps you have to pay for - sometimes on a subscription basis.

I have tried out the new Office, and it works hoakily and doesn't play well with Office 2003, Libre Office, or anything else from this planet.

Just so you know, Libre Office is free and very similar to Office 2003, with nicer features and only a couple of different bugs.

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What about --
Jun 13, 2015 9:41AM PDT

@dorasm - what about those of us who HAVE to use Office 2016 for our job or school? I'm holding tight to Offc2013 and Win7, but there may come a time when the employer wants you to have 2016.
I was hoping 2016 was the last time I would have to upgrade. What on earth could be so shattering about office 2016?

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Still using office 2002
Jun 13, 2015 4:45PM PDT

I had been using xP for years, & only recently bought a W7 PC, which, fortunately did work with my 2002 Office suite. While I may dislike the need to buy a new office suite, I did get my money's worth out of this one. My gripe is that I will likely need to redo all my AUTOCORRECT definitions, which save me typing out frequently used names, terms, & such, & I have many of these, because I have just one arm, & it is arthritic. Re-entering these on the W7 machine was tiring, & doing it again for what may be an unnecessarily early upgrade to W10, makes me think twice about it.

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Office 2002
Jun 13, 2015 9:43PM PDT

I can see why you would want to avoid updating. I don't know if something like Dragon would help you. I'm on that version of office because of special licensing so I didn't have to pay for it but I am planning on getting a new PC and I will probably buy the latest Office for it. I wish I could tell you IF that feature would keep its data if you just try an upgrade. There might be a way to save and restore the data rather than typing it in but I honestly don't know.

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VMware....VMware....VMware...VMwarw
Jun 24, 2015 7:15PM PDT

Does any one hear me out there. I have been programming for over 45 years! I hated it when OSs kept coming out knocking my favorite programs out. Finally, there is a solution...VMware. Put the free software in and upgrade. Load W 98, XT, Vista, etc. into it and run any of your old programs you want. I still run programs I wrote in Basic. All this sits on your new OS like W 8.1 or soon W 10. It isn't that hard to set this up. Come on people, learn your computer.

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Yes, We Hear You
Jun 25, 2015 10:16AM PDT

I don't need a hearing aid just yet. You are like me. I've been programming over 50 years. It doesn't matter if you are dealing with people who wouldn't know what a "bit" is if they tripped over one on the way to the restroom! Your average home user may not even understand the concept of VMware or virtualized computers. And some may not have the hardware available to run that. If they are too nervous to put a "preview" piece of OS on their machines, they would probably be too nervous to put VMware on their systems either. I'm still running XP on older hardware as I tend to use a new OS as an excuse to upgrade the hardware as well. If anything, when I get a more powerful PC ("cores' were not invented yet when I bought this machine), then I may get one that can run VMware as well as Win 10. Or maybe I'll load ESXi on a server platform. It costs more for that software.

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Leaning toward a YES and fell all the way IN!
Aug 11, 2015 6:53PM PDT

I was having problems with my laptop crashing and for some reason I have not been able to run a backup. So I just decided to run the upgrade and see if that would work it out. So, it did help. It has not crashed since and I absolutely love it. I still cannot run a backup though. I need to figure that one out soon. My old start page looks like a bad set of pixel images also. Also Catana is a bit useless right now. She does not understand what I am asking. I also did not realize that "Microsoft Edge" would be installed as a new search engine. All that being said I am fully confident that Microsoft will come through for me and take care of all these questions and get it right. I love Microsoft and no I am not on the payroll. I have been with Windows and Microsoft from its inception. I do love using Chrome and hope that I will be able to soon override all the Microsoft Edge with Chrome. If not, I will just have to learn Microsoft Edge. I am so very excited to use Windows 10! I look forward to what all Windows 10 has in store for me. Oh and my MS Office 2007 works fine! None of my applications suffered from the upgrade.

I did notice that Microsoft is trying to have everything wrap up into one neat package. It wants to integrate all aspects of my laptop. I don't usually use a password to sign in to my laptop but now Windows 10 has forced me to. Not a fan of that yet. I'll adjust to whatever it is I need to because I trust Microsoft and I love new technology. As long as all my items run smooth I'm happy! The fact that the upgrade fixed whatever was going on to cause the crashes I am over the moon!

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Go For it
Jun 5, 2015 7:36PM PDT

Even though Windows 7 is a good & stable OS, things change and Microsoft is not sitting still. More importantly, they are moving away from supporting 7 (as they already have for XP), first no new features, then no bug fixes. We are already seeing this in 7 with low memory x64 systems (2-3 GB RAM) that are consumed by a bug in the Windows Update Service. The bug has been there since Oct. 2014 and MS is only promising that they are working on a patch. Remember too that MS is not the only software vender out there, and those companies will move their resources to whatever platform generates revenue (and profit).
Yes, you will have bugs in 10 but you will also have access to a lot of new features and support for new technologies. Maybe you will decide not to install on day 1 or even month 1 but you will have the product and you won't have to buy it later when it is more appropriate or convenient to install Windows 10

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No hurry
Jun 5, 2015 9:13PM PDT

The free upgrade will be available for one year once 10 is officially released.
I believe MS has set the relase date for July 29, 2015. So there is no rush to upgrade, the free upgrade offer will be here until July 2016.

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I reserved my Windows 10 upgrade
Jun 5, 2015 9:29PM PDT

I responded to the invitation to reserve my copy of Windows 10 upgrade and it was confirmed. I do not believe I have to rush to perform the upgrade so I intend to follow the comments and reviews as long as possible to determine how satisfied users are before I cause any damage or headaches by upgrading from my Windows 7 myself.

Just reserve it for now is my advice.

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Good idea!!
Jun 13, 2015 8:37AM PDT

Please note--even after reserving your "free" copy you do not have to down load it!! But, even better, after you download the "free copy" you do NOT have to install it. So.....you wait awhile to install it, most of the bugs have been found and those that MS has chosen to fix have been fixed--so....when you install W10--after the install it will immediately want to check for the updates and wola you will have the same OS as those downloading at that time.

BTW, during a recent support session with MS re: my Surface Pro 2, the senior tech and I discussed the reservation offer and he said the 2016 deadline was about the download, he added that once downloaded--if I waited to install after the 2016 deadline I would not be charged.

BTW, one possible benefit of waiting will resolve the original poster's concern re: other programs--those venders/developers will have the additional time to update/upgrade their software.

With W8.1, I don't usually use the app for the software I use commonly, I install the software version.

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windows 10 upgrade
Jun 22, 2015 4:54AM PDT

I have reserved the upgrade for my laptop that i was given in may for my birthday . I have only been used to xp before this which came with windows 8 and now i have to decide weather to change to 10 before i've really had chance to get used to something else than xp which i really liked, what should i do. Have now or wait

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Do like me and many others
Jun 22, 2015 2:27PM PDT
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I'm waiting for a while
Jun 5, 2015 9:44PM PDT

I will upgrade to 10, but I will wait and see what problems are reported by the early installers before I push the button.

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Compatability with W10..........
Jun 5, 2015 10:31PM PDT

Once I registered to receive W10 on one of my computers the next time I opened windows update it mentioned I was registered to receive W10 as soon as it became available and offered a link to see what hardware / software currently on my machine was compatable. Clicked on it and it revealed only my Norton 360 was not compatable.

Norton's website says not to worry, before W10 is released they will issue a patch for it.

Can't believe that's my only issue upgrading from W7.

Raymond

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Looks Like 10 Will Be Very Compatible
Jun 6, 2015 9:21AM PDT

I have an HP Pavilion I got in 2012 with Windows 7 Ultimate and the only things 10 isn't compatible with is HP's Touchsmart which I don't need and some Bluetooth items which I don't need and never use anyway. So it looks like my machine is good to go.

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What about Dual Boot/
Jun 12, 2015 8:41PM PDT

I have HP Ultimate on 2 Desktops and 2 Notebooks, a third notebook has Win8.1, a real dog. I will wait and see how 10 works out and at least test it on the W8.1 There is no hurry since you will have a whole year to decide. I ran the Compatibility check and it said Norton's was not, but all the vendors like Canon and Norton's have since released updates for win10. Some Idiot in another NG says that thumb drives and Memory cards will not work in 10. there are always rumor mongers around

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Ubuntu/Windows
Jun 14, 2015 7:17AM PDT

I'm thinking about that Dual Boot. I have two hard drive, one for windows and other one for ubuntu. I hope after upgrading to Windows10. Things will go well for both ubuntu and windows.
Right now I my Windows 7 PRO 64Bits booted up with wrong time and right EST, my Ubuntu booted up with correct time and EST. What's up with that? I had to change the time in my Windows all the time. My CMOS battery is fine.

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That's an old issue
Jun 14, 2015 7:51AM PDT

You need to go into Ubuntu time settings and set it to Local Time instead of UTC because Windows doesn't recognize UTC .

I've stopped doing the Dual Boot thing since I can create Persistent Ubuntu Flash Drives now.
Digger

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Time/Clock Ubuntu
Jun 14, 2015 6:42PM PDT

Under Clock Tab: I had both unchecked (Timed in Auto-detected Location and Time in Other Locations). I will check mark under Timed in Auto-detected Location.
I'm not sure if I'm right.
Under Time Tab: it has "New York" time set. No way I could put down Connecticut, but NY is same time zone though.

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(NT) Are you BIOS booting or GRUB for both?
Jun 14, 2015 8:02AM PDT