After thinking about it for days and days, you finally decided: you, like many other users, have chosen upgrade to Windows 10 Your Pc Great idea, I can't tell you anything else. However, if you are reading this guide at the moment, it is probably because something is not clear to you and you would like more information on the steps to take to complete your "mission". Well if things are really like this then don't worry, I'm here to help you.
To upgrade your PC to Windows 10, you have two different ways at your disposal: the first is to take advantage of Windows Update (the automatic update system included in Windows), the second involves the creation of a USB key or a DVD with files to install the operating system (usable on any PC without having to download the operating system again).
What solution is right for you? Let's try to find out together. Take some time off and put the information below into practice. At the end of the procedure, you will find yourself with a PC upgraded to Windows 10 and with all your data in place, unless you voluntarily decide to format the HDD, This is obvious. Enjoy your reading and have fun!
How much does the upgrade to Windows 10 cost?
If you have a genuine copy of Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 installed on your PC, you can upgrade to Windows 10 free, but only before July 29, 2016That's exactly one year since Windows 10's debut on the market.
Normally, the price of Windows 10 Home It is 135 euros while that of Windows 10 Pro It is 279 euros. The purchase of the operating system can be done directly in the official Microsoft store, in online stores such as Amazon and in physical electronics stores.
What do you need to upgrade to Windows 10?
Before installing Windows 10, make sure your PC meets all the technical requirements of the case and has everything you need to upgrade. Here in detail what you need.
- A PC equipped with at least 2 GB of RAM, 20 GB of free disk space, a processor of at least 1 GHz with support for PAE, NX and SSE2 and a Graphic card with support for Microsoft DirectX 9 and WDDM drivers.
- A connection to Internet Quick, essential to download Windows 10 installation files.
- An original copy of Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1. Other editions of Windows and all copies of the operating system not legitimately activated cannot take advantage of the direct upgrade to Windows 10 (however, you can always format the disk and install the operating system from scratch).
- A pen drive with at least 8 GB or a blank DVD, if you want to create media for installing Windows 10 on multiple PCs.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 through Windows Update
If you have a PC with Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 installed, take a look at the system notification area. Yes notes the presence of one white flag (Windows logo) I have good, indeed, excellent news to give you: By pressing the white flag in question, you can request your copy of the new operating system and install it as soon as it is available through Windows Update.
To upgrade to Windows 10 requesting your copy of the operating system, click on the flag that appeared next to the system clock and press the button first Reserve your free upgrade and then near.
When your copy of Windows 10 becomes available, you will find it among Windows Update updates and can install it like any other operating system update. For more information, you can connect to the corresponding web page on the Microsoft website, which you can access by clicking here.
What to do if the flag icon does not appear
If you don't see the icon appear in the system tray, to update to Windows 10, start Windows Update and download all available updates for your PC. Among the available updates, those who can make the flag appear should be the named KB3035583 for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1, KB2952664 for Windows 7 SP1 e KB2976978 for Windows 8.1 Also make sure Internet Explorer version 11 is installed on your PC (otherwise the prompt may appear, but it does not allow you to reserve the upgrade to Windows 10).
If despite the presence of these updates you still don't see the flag to be able to upgrade to Windows 10, please try to implement the tips below (one at a time, not all together).
- Download "manually" and install / reinstall the updates that trigger the Windows 10 upgrade prompt. For the changes to take effect, you may need to restart your PC.
- Make sure your copy of Windows is genuine. To do this, go to the menu comienzoright click on the icon computer and select the article your property from the menu that appears. In the window that opens, verify that the copy of the operating system is activated.
- Access the folder C:\Windows\System32\GWX and start the executables GWX.exe y GWXUX.exe as administrator (these are the launchers to start Windows 10 backup that are installed on PC with update KB3035583). If you don't know how to start the launcher as administrator, right click on its icons and select the item Run as administrator from the menu shown to you.
- To download ' Windows 10 update utility by connecting to the Microsoft website and clicking the button Update now. If the button is not available, use this direct link. Once the download is complete, launch the executable Windows 10Upgrade9252.exe and click first yes and then to accept. Then wait for the software to examine the status of the PC and wait for its response: if there are no problems and you can upgrade to Windows 10, click the button siguiente to start the download and then the installation of the operating system on the PC. If, on the other hand, problems are detected that prevent an upgrade to Windows 10, try to resolve them.
How to upgrade to Windows 10 through the media creation tool
If you have purchased a license for Windows 10 or are looking for a solution to install the operating system on multiple PCs, you can contact Media creation tool. This is a small free program from Microsoft through which you can download any version of Windows 10, install it on your PC, copy it to a USB stick or save it as a ISO image and then burn it to DVD.
To download the media creation tool, connected to the Microsoft website using a Windows PC and click the button Download the tool now found at the bottom left. If you visit the Microsoft website using a non-Windows operating system, instead of the Media Creation Tool software, you will be directly presented with the Windows 10 ISO image in the 32 or 64 bit version.
Once the download is complete, start the executable MediaCreationTool.exe and choose whether you want to upgrade your PC to Windows 10 or create a dedicated installation media. In the first case, all the files necessary for the installation of the operating system will be downloaded from the Internet and the Windows 10 update procedure will start automatically (which can only be performed on Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1). If instead you choose to create an installation media for other pc, you can create a USB stick with the Windows 10 installation files or you can download the ISO image of the operating system to Record on DVD.
Update the PC in use to Windows 10
If you want to update the PC you are using, once you have opened the Media Creation Tool window, click the button to accept, Choose upgrade your pc now and click on the button siguiente located at the bottom right. Therefore, wait for all the components necessary for the installation of the operating system to be downloaded and follow the specific wizard shown on the screen.
At the end of the download, you must accept the Windows 10 terms of use by pressing the corresponding button, after which you must wait for the operating system to be checked for updates and click siguiente y install to proceed with the installation of Windows 10 on the PC. When possible, the update is carried out keeping all the files, applications and settings on the PC. However, if you want, you can click on the item Change items to save and choose if you want to install Windows while keeping personal files only (to remove programs and settings without deleting data) or if save nothing and install Windows 10 removing everything.
Create a Windows 10 installation media
If, on the other hand, you prefer to upgrade another PC to Windows 10, or you prefer to do it on your PC, but create a USB key or DVD to install the operating system, select the option to create an installation media for a new PC, Press the button siguiente, choose which version of Windows 10 to download, the language of the operating system and the architecture of the operating system using the appropriate drop-down menus. By default, the version of Windows 10 most suitable for your PC is chosen, but the check mark It is eliminated of the element Use the recommended options for this PC You can choose any edition of the operating system.
At this point, click on siguiente and choose whether to create one Flash drive USB (i.e. a USB stick) for installing Windows 10 or a ISO file to be transferred to a DVD. Then click the button again siguiente and indicates the destination device or folder in which to save the Windows 10 installation files to start the download.
Once the download procedure is complete, Media Creation Tool will automatically copy Windows 10 files to the key you specified or to the ISO file you have decided to save on your PC.
Please note that if you have chosen to upgrade to Windows 10 via USB stick, the latter must have a capacity of at least 8 GB. In case you have chosen to upgrade to Windows 10 via ISO file, I suggest you read my guide on how to burn ISO files to find out how to create an operating system installation DVD.
Then restart your PC without ejecting the USB key or DVD that you have created and follow the Windows 10 installation procedure. If the PC to be upgraded to Windows 10 is different from the one currently in use, eject the key or DVD with the operating system installation files and connect the media to the PC where you want to install Windows 10.
Proceeding in this way, the procedure to install Windows 10 from USB or DVD should start automatically. If the procedure does not start automatically and the copy of Windows already installed on the PC starts normally, enter the BIOS/UEFI and change the boot order by setting the USB port or DVD compatibility as the first device, following the instructions in my guide on how to configure the BIOS.
How to install Windows 10
At this point, regardless of whether you have chosen to act directly through the media creation tool, via a USB key or a DVD, wait for the procedure to upgrade to Windows 10 to start and then choose the language and the design of the keyboard and then press on the buttons siguiente y install.
Now enter the product key from your copy of Windows 10 or click ignore to enter the code only at the end of the configuration, accept the terms of use of the software and choose if you want to make a update of the copy of Windows already present on the PC or of making a custom installation. In the latter case, you can completely format the PC drive and then get a so-called clean installation. The PC, after a first brief installation phase of Windows 10, will reboot and the initial configuration procedure of the operating system will begin.
During the initial setup procedure, you can fine-tune various Windows 10 settings in great detail, but if you want to speed up the entire procedure, press the button Use quick settings. This way, the default settings will be used and you won't have to spend time configuring the operating system, just associate your Microsoft account with Windows (to sync data and settings with the cloud).
Once the procedure to upgrade to Windows 10 is complete, if you haven't already, don't forget to associate the product key you own with the copy of the operating system. To do this, press in the search field located at the bottom left of the desktop, type adjustments and click on the first result displayed.
In the new window that appears, click Update and security, press the voice activation attached to the left side menu and select the option on the right to provide your product key and activate your copy of Windows 10. When the procedure is done you will see the entry Windows is activated in the field activation.
CAUTION: When installing Windows 10 from a USB flash drive or DVD, you will not be able to use the free update from Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.x. If you intend to take advantage of the free update, you should resort to direct installation of the operating system from the Media Creation Tool or Windows Update.
Useful information
- After upgrading to Windows 10, you have 30 days to go back to your steps and restore Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.x. Going to the menu PC settingsby clicking on the icon Update and security and selecting the article restoration from the left sidebar you can actually return to Windows 7 o return to Windows 8 by clicking a convenient button. All data will be preserved. More information here.
- If you perform the free upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1, you do not need to enter a product key, the system will be activated by ahardware footprint that Microsoft will register on its servers. This means that after upgrading to Windows 10 you will be able to reinstall the operating system on your PC (also through a clean install) and this will be activated automatically.