Microsoft’s new operating system is finally here – but is it right for you? Jonathan Parkyn has all the information you need to decide whether to upgrade
After months of waiting, fuelled by expectation, rumour and more than a little confusion, Windows 10 is finally here.
As you’ll know by now, Microsoft’s new operating system (OS) brings a number of key improvements, but it will still feel familiar to all Windows users – which couldn’t be said for its predecessor, Windows 8, which was dramatically different from Windows 7. Windows 10, by contrast, is essentially a streamlined version of Windows as we’ve known it for years. It’s also safer, faster and, for a large number of people, completely free.
What’s right for you?
But just because something’s new, improved or free, that doesn’t mean you should leap on board without carefully weighing up the consequences – especially when it’s as central to your life as your PC’s OS. If you’re happy with your current system, there may be many good reasons to stick with it. How can you be certain that the benefits of upgrading will outweigh the hassle? Will you stand to lose features, tools or files by upgrading? Will there be any hidden costs?
In most cases, your choice will be governed by two chief factors: the OS you’re currently using, and whether Windows 10 provides you with what you
need. Over the next few pages we’re going to help make that decision as easy as possible for you by outlining all the major considerations. Whether you’re using Windows 7, 8, 8.1, XP or Vista – or even Linux – this guide will arm you with everything you need to know to make an informed choice about whether or not Windows 10 is right for you.
WHICH VERSION OF WINDOWS ARE YOU RUNNING?
WINDOWS 7
Many believe Windows 7 was when Microsoft last got it right. The OS is straightforward but packed with features, and it’s currently installed on more than 60 per cent of the world’s computers. But five years since Windows 7 launched, is it time to move on? Here’s what we recommend, depending on your needs.
You love Windows 7 but wish it were faster
Windows 8 was just too different from Windows 7 for many. Its dramatically different Start screen and touchscreenfocused features felt like too much of a leap. And if you’re still using Windows 7, chances are you made an active decision to give 8 a miss.
Windows 10 strips out a lot of things that made Windows 8 unappealing to many, including the full Start screen and the Charms Bar, and reinstates the Start menu and its embedded Power button. But it’s not just a return to Windows 7, because Windows 10 greatly improves on that system’s performance. The new OS is designed to run well on low-powered devices including tablets, so you’re likely to notice a big speed boost if you install it on your Windows 7 PC.
However, there’s a chance that older Windows 7 PCs could actually end up being slower after the upgrade. If you’re using a computer that barely scrapes through Windows 10’s system requirements (for example 16GB of free hard-drive space and a DirectX 9 graphics card), you’re better off sticking with Windows 7.
You don’t want to learn a whole new OS
Windows 10 may reinstate many familiar features, but make no mistake – it’s a completely new OS. That’s something to bear in mind if you’re nervous about having to re-learn how to use your PC.
For example, the Control Panel is quite different. Windows 8 didn’t make many changes to the Control Panel; it just gave you more ways to access it via the more modern-looking Settings app. In Windows 10, many of the Control Panel’s functions have been shifted over to Settings. Changes like this may well throw you at first – particularly if you’re still getting to grips with Windows 7 or 8/8.1 after upgrading from XP.
What we would say, though, is that Windows 10’s search feature works much better than before. Almost any tool or setting can be found easily by typing a
keyword either in the Start menu or in the Settings app itself.
You love Windows Media Center
New versions of Windows bring lots of new features, but they also remove them, and one big feature many Windows 7 users may miss is Windows Media Center (WMC). It’s built into Windows 7 and available to download for Windows 8/8.1 (www.snipca.com/17202), but it’ll be uninstalled automatically if you upgrade to Windows 10, and you won’t be able to get it back.
Windows Media Player (www.snipca.com/17203) is still there in Windows 10, though it has been reduced to legacy status. Instead, you are encouraged by default to use separate Music, ‘Film & TV’ and Photos apps.
If you’ve never used WMC, you’re unlikely to mourn its loss. But if you’ve been relying on it to stream, record and organise your entertainment, you’ll need to find a replacement. One of the best is the free program MediaPortal, which has just been updated.
WINDOWS 8/8.1
Windows 8 gets a lot of flak, and some of it is deserved. In retrospect, the enforced Start screen interface was a terrible mistake on Microsoft’s behalf. The Windows 8.1 update was a big improvement, not least because it made the Start screen optional. In fact in some ways, it’s possible to view Windows 10 as ‘Windows 8.2’ – a further refinement that builds on Windows 8.1’s strengths while ironing out even more of its flaws.
You like Windows 8’s speed and security
Windows 8/8.1 isn’t all bad. Yes, it looks like an explosion in a tile factory, but there are lots of good bits too – and almost all of these have been carried across to Windows 10.
Improved file-transfer speeds, better searching, faster boot times and the ability to ‘reset’ your OS if you’re having problems, without having to reinstall it or delete files – these are just a few of the great Windows 8 features that have made it into the new version of Windows.
Windows 10 also keeps Windows 8’s built-in antivirus tool, Windows Defender. This keeps you safer than Microsoft Security Essentials – however, you can do even better by installing a third-party tool. Avast Free Antivirus (https://www.avast.com) is the best free antivirus according to the quarterly tests by our security team at Dennis Technology Labs, though the best product available is Kaspersky Internet Security. If you switch to one of these products, make sure to disable Windows Defender first to avoid a conflict.
You love your customised Start screen
The Windows 8/8.1 Start screen is easy to customise so all your favourite Windows apps are right where you need them. Windows 10 does away with the Start screen, so what happens to your customisations?
The good news is that Start screen tiles – including live tiles – survive in the new Windows 10 Start menu, but you will need to re-organise your tiles again, so it’s worth making a note of your current set-up.
It’s also possible to enable a full-screen Start menu in Windows 10: right-click the Desktop, select Personalise, then click or tap Start and switch on ‘Use Start full screen’. This effectively reinstates the Start screen.
You upgraded to Windows 8 and hate it
Did you find yourself forced into upgrading to Windows 8 when XP was killed off, or did you install it over Windows 7 and instantly regret your decision? If so, Windows 10 could be the antidote you need. It looks and works much more like earlier versions of Windows, but includes the best improvements of Windows 8 – along with some new benefits of its own, such as Cortana (www.snipca.com/17211), the voice-controlled personal assistant.
You don’t trust Microsoft after Windows 8
If you were burned by the upgrade to Windows 8, even after updating it to 8.1, then we wouldn’t blame you for being cautious about jumping into yet another OS. But it genuinely looks as if Microsoft has built a system that prioritises what users want. Besides, a year of public testing via Microsoft’s Insider Program is likely to result in one of the most stable, finely honed releases in the company’s history.
But, as any early adopter will tell you, jumping on board as soon as a new product is released can be a mixed blessing. You may experience problems downloading the software from Microsoft’s busy servers, for example, or there may be teething problems on Day One. You may wish to wait to see how well the new OS is received by others before taking the plunge yourself.
Microsoft has made it clear that users who are entitled to the free upgrade are under no obligation to actually carry out the Windows 10 installation until they are comfortable about doing so. That said, the offer only lasts for the first year of release, so you have until 28 July 2016 to make up your mind – after that you’ll have to pay for Windows 10. How much? No one knows yet.
OTHER OPERATING SYSTEMS
Despite the fact that Microsoft killed off Windows XP last year by withdrawing all security support for it, the OS is still running on just under 12 per cent of the world’s computers. If yours is among them, or if you’re running Windows Vista or even Linux, should you make the leap to Windows 10?
You’re running Windows XP or Vista
The first thing to consider is cost. Only users of Windows 7 and 8/8.1 get Windows 10 for free. If you’re upgrading from Windows XP or Vista, or from a non-
Windows OS, you’ll need to pay Microsoft’s currently suggested price of £99.99 – and that’s before you’ve added any hardware upgrades to meet Windows 10’s system requirements (www.snipca.com/17212).
Upgrading to Windows 10 from XP or Vista will also involve more hassle than upgrading from Windows 7 or 8/8.1, because you’ll need to do a clean install. That means your files and programs will be wiped out, so you’ll need to back up thoroughly first, then restore everything after the upgrade is complete.
On the other hand, with XP’s lifecycle officially over, and Vista’s due to end in April 2017, Windows 10 could be a good way to extend the life of your PC. It’s a much more suitable replacement for your old OS than Windows 8.
You dumped Windows for Linux
Many former XP users turned their noses up at Microsoft’s preferred replacement, Windows 8, and switched to the free, open-source OS Linux instead. If you were one of them, you may be considering switching back, now that Windows 10 is here.
However, if you’ve acclimatised yourself to the world of Linux and installed a popular Linux Desktop platform such as Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com), there’s little real incentive to return to Windows unless you’re going to buy a new PC (which will, in most cases, come with Windows installed). There’s Windows 10’s likely £99.99 price tag to consider for starters. Then there’s the hassle of backing up your data from your Linux system and restoring it once Windows has been installed. And, while Linux is designed to run on older hardware, Windows 10 may struggle to perform well on PCs that date from the early-XP era.
You’re shopping for a new PC
If you’ve been waiting for Windows 10 to launch before buying a new PC, don’t be surprised if you boot it up for the first time… only to discover it has Windows 8.1 installed on it instead!
With Windows 10, Microsoft has changed the way that it releases software to PC manufacturers. It now prefers to carry on testing the OS right up until the last minute, which should result in a better final release. On the downside, it means that PC makers haven’t been able to pre-install it on their new machines.
So if you buy a new PC over the next few months, you’ll probably have to carry out the upgrade to Windows 10 yourself. Of course, you could always opt to stay with Windows 8.1, but our guess is you probably won’t.
WHAT KIND OF PC USER ARE YOU?
Your current OS is only one thing to take into consideration when deciding whether to upgrade. Your day-to-day computing needs and habits are just as big a factor in deciding whether Windows 10 is right for you. Here are a few common scenarios… which ones sound like you?
You have a PC, laptop, tablet and phone
If you use lots of devices instead of just your PC, you’ll be very happy with Windows 10. Microsoft says the new system has an improved ‘device unity’ – which basically means that it’ll work better across PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones (here’s the Microsoft blog again: www.snipca.com/17214).
This cross-device unity will only make a difference if all your devices are running Windows 10. For example, if you own a Windows 10 PC and a Windows Phone tablet and smartphone, you’ll be able to use the same apps across every device. But if you’re using an Android or iOS phone and tablet, Windows 10’s device unity won’t make an awful lot of practical difference.
You print and scan a lot
Just because your computer meets Windows 10’s system requirements, that doesn’t mean all your hardware will be compatible, too. Printer and scanner manufacturers, for example, are well known for neglecting older devices and failing to update drivers to provide compatibility for new versions of Windows. In some cases, a Windows 8.1 driver may also work in Windows 10, but there are no guarantees. If you have to factor in the cost of a new scanner or printer, then Windows 10 may suddenly seem a lot less enticing.
To check the compatibility of devices, Windows 7 and 8.1 users should use the ‘Get Windows 10’ tool that recently appeared in the Desktop notification area. Make sure the relevant devices are plugged in and switched on. Next, click the Windows logo icon, then click the menu (three lines) button and click ‘Check your PC’. You’ll be warned of any potential compatibility problems with hardware and programs you have installed.
Users of earlier Windows versions should use the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant (www.snipca.com/17189). If your device is shown to have compatibility problems with Windows 8, then it’ll have problems with Windows 10 too.
Security is your top priority
Windows Defender makes Windows 10 safer than Windows 7 and its predecessors straight out of the box. But as we’ve mentioned, there are better third-party antivirus products than Defender.
What really makes Windows 10 safer than its predecessors is Microsoft’s pledge to support the OS for the “lifetime” of your device. This should mean that your computer won’t suddenly turn into a security minefield at some point in the future, as happened with XP.
There are other security advantages to the new OS. Windows 10’s apps are a lot safer than traditional installable PC programs, since they’re effectively sandboxed and can’t affect your system files. Meanwhile, a new feature called Windows Hello (www.snipca.com/17216) could improve security further while reducing the need to remember passwords. Instead of passwords, Hello logs you in using biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, iris recognition and even facial recognition. In most cases, you’ll need additional hardware, such as a fingerprint scanner, to get Hello working.
You love free software but hate installing it
Free programs are great, but installing them can be annoying because you so often have to dodge adware and PUPs. Even PUP-free programs can slow down your PC and be tricky to uninstall. Windows apps, introduced in Windows 8 and also an integral part of Windows 10, don’t share these disadvantages. They’re easy to install – download them with one click from the Windows Store app that’s built into the OS – and just as easy to remove again. They won’t install adware or random toolbars, either.
The only catch is that not all the software on the Windows Store is free. As with the iTunes App Store and Google Play, the Windows Store is a mix of free and paid-for apps.
You want to continue using software you paid for
Windows 10 will let you install and run traditional third-party programs too, as long as they’re compatible. Older software, in particular, may run into problems, and it’s definitely worth checking to make sure your installed programs will work after you upgrade.
As with hardware, the ‘Check your PC’ tool or Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant will highlight compatibility problems. And if you’re planning to upgrade, there are easy ways to solve compatibility problems and continue using your favourite programs – they can be run in Compatibility Mode, for example.
You mainly use a laptop
Windows 10 includes some bonuses for laptop users that may help sway your decision. One feature is Battery Saver, which automatically kicks in when power is low, limiting background activity in order to extend battery life. We’ve yet to test the final version of this, but it could be very useful.
In addition, the ability to switch between tablet and Desktop mode is a very handy addition for owners of laptops with touchscreens. And if you own a hybrid laptop-tablet device, the ability to automatically switch to or from tablet mode whenever the keyboard is removed or attached is another big boon.
You love playing computer games
Not everyone is a gamer. But if you are, and you own an Xbox One console (www.xbox.com), then Windows 10 offers some very interesting advantages. With a Windows 10 computer and an Xbox One on the same network, you can use the Xbox app that comes with Windows 10 to browse and play Xbox One games on your PC. It works by streaming the game to the computer.
You can even play Xbox games on a tablet. For traditional PC gaming, Windows 10 includes DirectX 12 – an enhanced edition of Microsoft’s graphics platform – which will pave the way for games with ever-more realistic effects.
You hate constant updates
Windows Updates can be a pain. Sometimes it can seem like every time you log on to your PC you’re faced with a barrage of updates, many of which require you to reboot.
Up until now, Windows users have been able to defer or choose not to install updates. But if you upgrade to Windows 10, updates will become compulsory – at least they will be if you use Windows 10 Home. Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise editions still get the option to defer them.
Added to this is the fact that Microsoft’s vision of Windows as a service should mean more regular updates than with Windows 7 and 8/8.1. What we would say, though, is that, while they’re annoying, updates are generally a good thing – they often make your PC safer and fix problems.
WHAT IF YOU DON’T WANT WINDOWS 10?
Stop Microsoft nagging you about Windows 10
If you’ve resolved not to upgrade to Windows 10, it’s pretty easy to stick with the OS you’ve got: just don’t install Windows 10. Microsoft will keep nagging you to upgrade, though.
We recently showed you how to get rid of the ‘reserve your copy’ notification by uninstalling its Windows Update file (file KB3035583). To prevent the update from being re-downloaded, you’ll need to switch from automatic to manual updates. Open Windows Update and click ‘Change settings’ on the left. From the dropdown menu, select ‘Download updates but let me choose whether to install them’ and click OK. Restart your PC and open Windows Update again. Click ‘Check for updates’ and you’ll see KB3035583 has popped up again. Right-click it and select ‘Hide update’ to prevent reinstalling it again.
Alternatively, hide the notification icon. Right-click the clock at the bottomright of your Desktop and select ‘Customise notification icons’. From the dropdown menu next to GWX (Get Windows 10), select ‘Hide icon and notifications’ then click OK.
If you accepted the offer to reserve your copy and you’ve since changed your mind, you can cancel your reservation. Click the Windows 10 icon in your system tray, click the menu icon in the window that opens and select ‘View confirmation’, then click ‘Cancel reservation’ and follow the remaining steps.
How to get your old OS back
What happens if you decide to upgrade, only to find that you hate Windows 10? We don’t think that’s likely, as Windows 10 doesn’t try to rewrite the way you use your PC, like Windows 8 did. That said, if you do decide you don’t like Windows 10, then there are ways of rolling back your PC to its original pre-upgrade state, complete with your old version of Windows.
If you’re upgrading from Windows 7 or 8.1, the installation process will, by default, automatically save a copy of your PC in its current state (assuming you have enough free hard-drive space). If you really don’t like Windows 10, then you can restore your PC to its former self by clicking Start, then Settings, then ‘Update & security’. Select Recovery on the left, then click ‘Go back to a previous version of Windows’. For some reason, however, Microsoft has imposed a 30-day limit on this roll-back feature. Theoretically, this means that if you decide you don’t like Windows 10 after 30 days from when you installed it, then too bad – you’re stuck with it. And if you’re upgrading from Windows XP or Vista you won’t get the option to roll back at all.
Create a system image just in case
There’s a way around these annoying limitations, and that’s by making your own system image backup prior to upgrading to Windows 10.
In our series of features on getting your PC ready for Windows 10, we recommended making a system image – an exact copy of your hard drive. That way, you can roll back your PC any time you like.
Windows 7 and 8/8.1 users can make one by typing backup into Start and clicking ‘Backup and Restore’ (Windows 7) or ‘Save copies of your files with File History’ (Windows 8/8.1). Attach a large external hard drive to your PC (one with enough room to store a copy of your system drive), then click ‘Create a system image’ (Windows 7) or ‘System Image Backup’ (Windows 8/8.1) and follow the on-screen steps to complete the process.
You’ll also need to create a system repair disc, which you’ll use to boot your PC from in the event that you need to restore the image backup and roll back your PC.
Windows XP and Vista users will need to use a third-party backup too, such as EaseUS Todo Backup Free (www.snipca.com/16844).