Specific upgrade paths to get to all versions Windows 10

Mooly · May 21, 2015

One possible 'semi clean install' route via the upgrade path might be for those that have a retail version of 7/8/8.1 to make a duplicate system image of just the basic OS with absolutely nothing else added. Just let Windows update the OS to whatever it thinks is correct. Don't install any drivers, don't go online etc etc. Just leave it as Windows + updates (because I'm assuming the upgrade will require an updated version of the OS it is to replace). I would think that would then give the cleanest 'upgrade' possible because there is nothing to carry over.

alphanumeric · May 26, 2015

Well, I can confirm that Windows 8.1 (Core) now gets you Windows 10 Home Technical Preview. And that Windows 7 Ultimate gets you Windows 10 Professional Technical Preview. I don't think it did that in the past. You just got Windows 10 Technical Preview, which I believe was the equivalent of Pro. These were both online upgrades to 10074 via the Insiders page. Then upgraded again to 10122.

Interesting note: On the Windows 7 upgrade it never prompted me to setup a live ID. It just let me long on with a local account on the first boot into Windows 10. No nag screen to switch either. I had to manually do it. It may have prompted me to switch eventually, I don't know. I switched to the Live ID after my first log in.

Allison · May 29, 2015

I'd honestly rather buy a full retail copy in store if needed and keep both licenses- I bought Windows 8.1 for my new custom build desktop in January precisely because I wanted to use the OS for years, full well knowing Windows 10 is getting released later this year. I wanted the freedom a retail copy gave and I'll deal with a new OS later by getting a retail copy in store, without any strings.

wase4711 · May 29, 2015

when you install the technical preview, on a current win 7 pro setup, do your "main" programs, like office 2013 and Evernote, and such continue to function as before, and things like your newer printers and such continue to work, or does everything except the built in window 10 stuff just sort of die?

alphanumeric · May 29, 2015

wase4711 said:
when you install the technical preview, on a current win 7 pro setup, do your "main" programs, like office 2013 and Evernote, and such continue to function as before, and things like your newer printers and such continue to work, or does everything except the built in window 10 stuff just sort of die?

They should? I'll have to go poke around on my other PC to see if anything got broken. I don't think I have office installed on that PC. Office 2013 kept working when I upgraded from 8.1 to 10. Outlook still worked anyway.

wase4711 · May 29, 2015

thanks; I have been holding off on testing this on my win 7 machine, but so many folks are reporting that this latest build works good enough for a daily, that I am really tempted to take the plunge..As long as office 2013 still works when you install the latest preview, I would be good to go

alphanumeric · May 29, 2015

I've done a few clean installs of some of the previews and one of the first things I install is office 2013. No issues that I am aware of. Activates fine.etc. I'm just careful to keep track of what keys are used on what PC. I've never had an issue reinstalling office on the same PC it was originally activated on, even with a different OS installed. I've gone to 10 and back to 8.1 several times on my laptop and office still works.

wase4711 · May 29, 2015

would you say the latest release is good enough to use as a daily, or is it still really rough around the edges?

alphanumeric · May 29, 2015

It didn't work out for me on my laptop due to AMD graphics driver issues. Also couldn't get my external USB 3 monitor to work. I went back to Windows 8.1. I have 10 installed on my spare desktop but have hardly used it, yet. I personally wouldn't use it as my daily OS if I only had one PC. I won't put it on my main desktop PC at this time. Some have no real issues though. You may want to create an image of your current setup in case you try it and want to go back to your current OS. Or at least make sure you have everything you need to reinstall it if need be.

wase4711 · May 29, 2015

well, I have an AMD graphics card in the desktop I was going to install it on, so maybe I will hold off until that part of win 10 is up to snuff

Atomcrusher · May 30, 2015

Windows 10 launch date: report

An article re: Windows 10 seen on a South African tech forum.
Windows 10 launch date: report

alphanumeric · May 30, 2015

wase4711 said:
well, I have an AMD graphics card in the desktop I was going to install it on, so maybe I will hold off until that part of win 10 is up to snuff

Have a look at this. AMD released new drivers which should work with Windows 10 build 10122 - Windows 10 Forums

wase4711 · May 30, 2015

wow, thanks, you are making it way too tempting to upgrade now!
Is the best way coming from a win 7 desktop to burn a bootable cd, or run the iso from a thumb drive?

I guess I should find my original stuff from when I bought this machine, in case of a nightmare!

alphanumeric · May 30, 2015

wase4711 said:
wow, thanks, you are making it way too tempting to upgrade now!
Is the best way coming from a win 7 desktop to burn a bootable cd, or run the iso from a thumb drive?

I guess I should find my original stuff from when I bought this machine, in case of a nightmare!

I would definitely have everything on hand to reinstall Windows 7 just in case it does go bad. Windows 10 is still an unfinished product. I do all my installs from thumb drives these days. You can upgrade to 10074 online via the insiders page, or download the ISO from the same web page and upgrade from that. You'll still need to do at least one more online upgrade to get to the current build, 10130 I think just released via the fast ring.

wase4711 · May 30, 2015

do you have to first change your bios to boot from the thumb drive, or just run setup from there and the computer will do the rest?
I never ran an install from a thumb drive before, always with a bootable cd/dvd

thanks!

alphanumeric · May 30, 2015

wase4711 said:
do you have to first change your bios to boot from the thumb drive, or just run setup from there and the computer will do the rest?
I never ran an install from a thumb drive before, always with a bootable cd/dvd

thanks!

You can do it either way. On a clean install you have to boot from the thumb drive. For an upgrade you could either boot from the thumb drive or just run setup.exe on the thumb drive from your current OS. As long as your not going from 32 bit to 64 bit.
Windows 10 Insider Preview - Upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 - Windows 10 Forums

wase4711 · May 30, 2015

ok, I have 64 bit win 7 now; is the preview 32 or 64 bit?
I assume you can choose which one you d/l...

alphanumeric · May 30, 2015

The preview is both I believe, you can chose one or the other. If your current install is 64 bit you want the 64 bit version. If you upgrade online you'll get what matches your current install. You can't upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit or vise versa.

bagavan · Jun 2, 2015

Say I upgrade to windows 10 (within 1 yr of the release)and then If I happen to revert back to windows 8.1(after a year) and then will it be possible to go to 10?

alphanumeric · Jun 2, 2015

bagavan said:
Say I upgrade to windows 10 (within 1 yr of the release)and then If I happen to revert back to windows 8.1(after a year) and then will it be possible to go to 10?

On the same PC you did the upgrade on, most likely yes. I say most likely because all the details haven't been released by Microsoft. If you get a Windows 10 product code with the free upgrade you could use that to reinstall it again latter on. I'm also assuming they don't lock out your key for the Windows 8.1 install you upgraded from. A lot of the answers to questions like the one you just asked are going to be guesswork on our part. There just isn't enough info out there yet to give a definite answer.

Specific upgrade paths to get to all versions Windows 10

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer

New Member

My Computer

slightly off center

My Computer