Windows 10 is yet another radical change from previous versions, and it's a huge Microsoft effort to recover after the critics on Windows 8. The new operating system brings a brand new user interface, a new Start menu, Cortana, Continuum, and some other features. This makes the operating system new again, but more familiar to customers upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8. Also, Microsoft is making its new operating system a single piece of software that with little modification can easily run across devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, and game console.
Download size
How much data do I need to download to install Windows 10? Brian
The download size depends on the version and varies from PC to PC. Windows 10 Home is currently around 2.6GB, but 3GB is a good round number. Updates, patches and apps will add to that.
Time taken
How long does the upgrade take to install? G James
It depends on the version, the speed of the PC and, especially, the speed of the hard disk or SSD (solid state drive). It may take from 30 to 90 minutes, but typically it takes about an hour.
Saving files
When Windows 10 is installed, will it keep everything I have in Windows 7 or do I need to make a backup disk? Bryan
Almost all your old files and downloads will remain in place, unless something goes wrong. For that reason, you should backup your files to DVD or an external USB hard drive. (You should make a backup even if you don’t move to Windows 10.) Otherwise, see my earlier answer: How should I prepare my PC for the upgrade to Windows 10?
I said “almost all” because some Windows features will be removed: see Feature deprecation for full details. Also note that “Windows Media Center” is a completely different program from Windows Media Player, and the Media Player is not removed. (You probably don’t know what Windows Media Center does, and hardly anyone used it.)
Direct downloads
I reserved Windows 10 ages ago, and I received an email with a link to upgrade. The upgrade button does absolutely nothing. Where do I go from here, please?Cary
Go to the Windows 10 Upgrade page and click the button that says “Download now”. It should upgrade your Windows 7 to Windows 10. If not, see the next answer....
Direct upgrades
Can I install Windows 10 from an ISO using a Windows 7 product key? I lost Windows 7 when my hard disk failed. James
Yes, that should work. At launch, Windows 10 did not recognise old product keys, but it does now.
You can download a “media creation tool” and an ISO of Windows 10 and install it from a DVD or USB device. Start here.
Activation keys
I got the free upgrade of Windows 10, but I did not get an activation key. Cora
Windows 10 does not use individual activation or product keys. When you install Windows 10, Microsoft creates a hash from your hardware and stores the number online. Your PC should activate automatically when you connect to the internet.
Try again
I installed the Windows 10 upgrade and reverted to Windows 7 after a brief period. Can I install it on my computer again? papawnana
When you upgraded, Microsoft stored your PC’s hash code on its activation server. You can now upgrade to Windows 10 whenever you like, even after the free upgrade offer ends.
Saving emails
I upgraded a few months ago and all my Outlook emails were gone, so I reverted back. Now it appears to make sense to move forward with upgrading to Windows 10. Any suggestions on backing up the emails properly? Josh
You can back up your emails by finding the Mail app’s folder and copying the contents to an external hard drive or USB thumb drive, then copying them back later if necessary. The folder is hidden so you will have to change the View option to show hidden files and folders.
If a search doesn’t find Mail, you will have to dig for it by going to the Users folder, your user name, and then Appdata etc. The full address will include some unique random names, for security, but it will be something like C:\Users\Username\Appdata\Local\packages\microsoft.Windowscommunicationsapps\Localstate\Indexed\Livecomm\randomname\randomname\Mail
The same approach will work with emails saved by the Windows Live Mail program.
Note that are different types of email service. If you are using a POP3 (Post Office Protocol) service then emails are downloaded to your PC and deleted from the server. If you are using an IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) service, the emails are retained on the server, so you can download them again.
Whither Vista?
I have an HP Compaq 6720 running Windows Vista Business. Is there a free upgrade to a newer operating system such as Windows 7 or 10 or even something else? Miguel
Sorry, you cannot upgrade directly from Windows Vista to Windows 10, even if you pay. You can, however, install a free alternative in the form of, for example,Linux Mint 17.3. However, Linux does not run popular Windows software including Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Apple iTunes,most games and so on.
If you want to continue with Windows, you will have to upgrade to Windows 7 first, then to Windows 10 before July 29. Unfortunately, you missed the chance to buy a cheap upgrade but you can shop around for deals on Windows 7. Otherwise, see my earlier answer: When and how should I upgrade my old Windows Vista laptop?
There is no guarantee that Windows 10 will work on an old PC, so search the web for your specific make and model to see how others have fared. A quick look suggests you should be OK.
Enterprise problems
I am currently running Windows 7 Enterprise and would like to upgrade to Windows 10. What would be the most efficient way to do this? Gary E
The free upgrade offer only applies to PCs running the Home and Pro editions of Windows 7/8/8.1, not the Enterprise versions, which are only available via aMicrosoft Volume License.
You – or the company that took out the volume licence – will have to upgrade it via the Volume Licensing Service Center. You will need a valid Enterprise product key.
You can do an upgrade but you cannot do an in-place downgrade from an Enterprise edition to a Home or Pro version. That would need a clean installation from an ISO.
Stopping the upgrade
Bonus answer: I couldn’t find a recent email asking this question. However, the current answer is: look for the line of text under the date that says “Click here to change upgrade schedule or cancel scheduled upgrade.” If you want to reverse the upgrade within 30 days, go to Settings, select Update & Security, and then Recovery. Click the option that says “Go back to Windows 7” or whatever.
If you want to block Windows 10 from being installed, download GRC’s free utility, Never10. This is not a program. It simply changes the settings following Microsoft’s instructions, which people either don’t know about or can’t follow.