Existing Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users

I thought I had posted about this before, but can't find it anywhere, so .... those with Windozzzs 7, 8 or 8.1. Later in the year Microsoft are giving you a free update to Windows 10 - one of the many LINK on it here

I'm more than very happy with Windows 7.  I understand it and, apparently, it understands me.  Apps appal me.  

Windows 10?  No thanks Mr Gates.

My goodness he can't even give it away! Well we had Wdoz 8.1 on this little device and it quite nearly went out the window before I discovered you can simply have your desktop back and all looks well. Have to also say it (or it could be the device) seems to behave a lot better.

Well despite Ghiro's reaction, I'll put out a reminder on this one, simply because it's a good deal (if it works). Apart from which, I'm sure they will pull support for Windows 7 very early doors, with 8 following a year or so later. It will start release on the 29th of this month and you have a year to take up the offer. I have to say after initial reaction to Win 8.1 being poor, it has turned out to be very stable and a lot faster than Win 7, which I still use on occasion out of necessity. Anyone with Windows 7 and above should have had the offer to reserve a copy of Windows 10. If you have not, then it's likely your pc is not up to it or it's a bogus copy of windows...

Further to my somewhat grumpy response of 02/04/15 I appear to have no control over my laptop.   From time to time I find it saying something like 'Windows is now installing update 14 of 29.  Do not turnoff or unplug your computer'.  Bloody cheek.

As a consequence I have no idea which version of Windows I'm currently running.  I've certainly not had 'an offer to reserve a copy of Windows 10' - for all I know I'm probably already running Windows 11!

ghiro wrote:Further to my somewhat grumpy response of 02/04/15 I appear to have no control over my laptop.   From time to time I find it saying something like 'Windows is now installing update 14 of 29.  Do not turnoff or unplug your computer'.  Bloody cheek. :xAs a consequence I have no idea which version of Windows I'm currently running.  I've certainly not had 'an offer to reserve a copy of Windows 10' - for all I know I'm probably already running Windows 11!

Go into control panel, and it will tell you what version of windows you have from the system link. You can then look at update link to decide when you want to be notified about them or have them installed automatically

The idea you have to pay for an OS which is foisted upon you in the first place, repels me.  If and when they pull support for Windows 7 I shall stop using windows altogether.    Personally given the longevity of XP, I think 7 has another 5 years or so to go, by which time PC's will virtually be nonexistent - and we shall ruin our eyes even more on tiny tiny screens which are useless to actually work on.

It is an ongoing issue this one, to upgrade or not to ?

I tend to keep updating and in general it seems to provide a stable environment. I did have LOTS of problems moving to Win 8 (and then 8.1), but a lot of the problems I had were down to 'user error'.

I got to the point whereby I moved sort of backwards with classic shell (http://www.classicshell.net/), which I at least could understand !

I will be taking the Win 10 upgrade on at least one laptop, and then will no doubt follow with others a month or so later.

V

Well Ghiro, you likely have automatic update switched on and it's doing just that when telling you not to switch off... If you do so, there is a good chance it will stuff your PC good and proper (some would say "good"). One of the criteria for automatically getting Windows 10 is that your PC has all the latest updates for the current operating system (OS). We have a Windows 8.1 system and a little icon appeared bottom left a month or two back, which when I clicked give me the option to reserve a copy, there is more information here on Digital Spy . We lso have a windows 7 PC, that as yet has not had the reserve option, so perhaps they are concentrating on 8 and 8.1 users?
Modi I did think along the same lines as you and have done so regards Microsoft (MS) for a long time now. However they have at last realised they have lost masses of ground to Google and others and this version is FREE as will subsequent updates. To me it's just what cost it will be to us plebs in terms of being tied in to such rank companies. If I could put up with the hassle of changing I would go over to Android or another open source OS, however with the former I think you will always get a better service simply because they are so dam big, bit like  MS used to be. I've used Android on the OH mobile a few times now and it is much more robust these days (ver 4.2 +).

Are you sure its free.  I read a long article explaining the pricing of Windows 10 that will cost you about 250 quid a year.... even though its 'free'.... cant remember where I read it though - the Independent??

I've not seen anything to say it's not, this recent /techspot LINK seems cover what I've seen before...

This Guardian LINK  has information Windows 7 will be supported until at least 2020... It also has more information on the upgrade.

Even when windows 7 ceases to be supported it will still wor. It will not, however, get any further security updates or bug fixes. The problem will be if you want to use new programs that are not compatible with Windows 7.

I will be upgrading to Windows 10, I currently have Windows 7 on my laptop and 8.1 on the desktop. 8.1 can be problematic at times with some updates "screwing" up the system. But apart from that, once you get used to it it works fine. Will be interesting to see how Windows 10 works in practice.

I have to admit to disliking Windows 8.1 default "App view", but since I found the Windows+D key sequence takes you to the desktop I'm not too bothered and have in fact had no problems with it whatsoever. I have in addition reset the default to be the desktop (RIGHT click taskbar>>Properties>Navigation and tick for desktop on start). I'm sure I read MS have realised their mistake and reverted in Windows 10.
Yes Windows 7 will still be around after loss of support in 2020, but even now the exploits being made of lack of security on peoples PCs is worrying.
On the subject of PC's I forgot the quip by Modi and having to use a tiny little phone screen. Well I've always wondered ahy some one has not by now put together a projected screen and hey presto the Chinese were demonstrating just that the other day. I'm sure they had some solution for the small keyboard as well, but certainly the predictive and learning text on the Samsung is excellent, I've never been a fan until recently, even thought of installing a virtual copy on the PC here...