Still free upgrade to Win 10

[Osvaldo Cristo]

After resist for long time expecting for bug fixing from Microsoft, last year finally I went from my great Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 10 in my home made (then) five years old workstation... despite the free offer for the upgrade

technically w

as dued, I had no diffcults to upgrade it straightly from their site... free of charge, of course!

Microsoft has all interest to turn everybody to the last Windows release so if you have a regular license from previous OS I think you will have no difficulties to get free upgrade. Why do not test?

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Windows 10 is a "downgrade" from 7 pro. There is a reason corporate computers use 7 pro.

I fully agree you when the Windows 10 was released and that was the main reason I stayed with Windows 7 Ultimate up to last year when finally I went to Windows 10 upgrade route despite I hated Microsoft to force the upgrade at its release!

I decided for the upgrade as a couple of applications I use extensively for image processing at home lost compatibility with previous Windows editions and I imagined after so long time released Microsoft would patch the original release to a more stable and comprehensive OS. My one year extensive use of it points Windows 10 is at least so stable and reliable than my (beloved) Windows XP 64-bit and Windows 7.

The upgrade was simple and direct with most of my applications migrated smoothly. I had to re-install a couple of them. My biggest loss was my XP Virtual Machine where in the Windows 7 I run a couple of applications with more sentimental than practical sense, including my fantastic MacSyma - but I was aware of that previously to the upgrade, so no surprise, actually.

[Kev Williams]

Just my opinion, but the Win7-XP virtual machine was nothing more than a plot by MS to convince the user that win7 was MUCH better than XP. This became glaringly clear to me after downloading Virtual box onto the same win7 computer, installed my XP Pro and started working. You simply won't find a faster working computer than an fresh installed XP virtual machine running in the background of an 8 core 32gig ram win7 64. In contrast, the built-in VM was like trying to stir coal tar with a toothpick. It's frustratingly slow pace just plain got old, and FAST, which is why I tried Vbox in the first place. But alas, I could never get the USB port sharing to cooperate in Vbox so I don't use it either.. a whole separate computer and a KVM switch is SO much easier...

[Scott Donley]

What, no love for ME

[Kev Williams]

So they're giving away Win10, and now I'm getting email ads to buy Win10 at a 25% discount... lol

[Grant Wilkinson]

@Kev: I think you are limited to updating from win 7 or 8 if using the free media provided by MS. If you want a clean install, you need to pay for the media.

[Curt Harms]

@Kev: I think you are limited to updating from win 7 or 8 if using the free media provided by MS. If you want a clean install, you need to pay for the media.

I've downloaded a Win10 iso from Microsoft's site and burned it to a disk. It installed and ran without glitch or nag. I only ran it for a short time so can't say whether it would have gotten problematic over time or not. I use Windows about 15 minutes every 28 days so can't say if it's good or bad, does what I need it to do.

[Ole Anderson]

So I have been running Win 10 for a month now. Regretting it. I don't see any advantages and several disadvantages. Mainly it runs much slower, longer to boot up with a frustrating login sequence. Extra clicks to do the same operation. Next step, install an SSD drive.

[Grant Wilkinson]

That's interesting,Ole. I have two machines running windows 10 home and one running windows 7 home. The two running 10 were previously running 7. Both of the 10 machines run faster than the 7, and they running faster now than they did when they were running 7. I wonder if your results and mine vary because I did clean installs of 10 and you did an upgrade. I'm not arguing with your results. I'm just curious because the last machine that I need to move to 10 is my wife's. She has more applications and configurations that I have any desire to re-install, so my plan is to do an update, not a clean install. Time will tell, I guess.

[Frank Pratt]

So I have been running Win 10 for a month now. Regretting it. I don't see any advantages and several disadvantages. Mainly it runs much slower, longer to boot up with a frustrating login sequence. Extra clicks to do the same operation. Next step, install an SSD drive.

I agree with Grant, Ole. Something ain't right there. Of the 3 desktops & 1 laptop that I went from Windows 7 to 10 on, All were significantly faster running 10. If you really want to speed things up, go with an M2 PCIe drive. My current computer goes from POST to the desktop in 4 - 5 seconds. You'll probably need a new motherboard for that though.

[Curt Harms]

Just my opinion, but the Win7-XP virtual machine was nothing more than a plot by MS to convince the user that win7 was MUCH better than XP. This became glaringly clear to me after downloading Virtual box onto the same win7 computer, installed my XP Pro and started working. You simply won't find a faster working computer than an fresh installed XP virtual machine running in the background of an 8 core 32gig ram win7 64. In contrast, the built-in VM was like trying to stir coal tar with a toothpick. It's frustratingly slow pace just plain got old, and FAST, which is why I tried Vbox in the first place. But alas, I could never get the USB port sharing to cooperate in Vbox so I don't use it either.. a whole separate computer and a KVM switch is SO much easier...

I wonder how 98 & XP work on new hardware? New chipsets and features (I don't think NvME was even around in the early 2000s) may not be supported. Or do you have enough spare machines/parts to last 'til your lasers/engravers are replaced? It certainly makes $en$e to run your machines as long as possible. I was able to get VBox to recognize flash drives on USB ports running on an Ubuntu host once I got guest extensions(?) configured but never tried anything beyond that. Win 7/10 guests on an Ubuntu host seemed to work pretty well for the limited tinkering I did.

[Barry McFadden]

So I have been running Win 10 for a month now. Regretting it. I don't see any advantages and several disadvantages. Mainly it runs much slower, longer to boot up with a frustrating login sequence. Extra clicks to do the same operation. Next step, install an SSD drive.

I was running XP and decided to get a new computer with Win 10. It boots up and is ready to use in about 30 seconds... I don't know what login sequence you're talking about as mine dosen't require any login....

[Jim Becker]

So I have been running Win 10 for a month now. Regretting it. I don't see any advantages and several disadvantages. Mainly it runs much slower, longer to boot up with a frustrating login sequence. Extra clicks to do the same operation. Next step, install an SSD drive.

My experience was the opposite...in multiple iterations. Win10 performs substantially better than Win7 did. Did you do a "clean" install or an upgrade?

You will, however, see a big improvement with the SSD, regardless of OS...they breath new life into computers, especially with the extent of constant drive access there is with modern OS. So many computers only seem slow because of drive access, not the processor which is often just "loafing" along. RAM also matters...the more RAM, the less "swapping" to the drive, too. 4GB is marginal these days. 8GB is what I consider the "new minimum" for great performance with most normal applications and uses outside of merely browsing the Internet.

[Kev Williams]

I wonder how 98 & XP work on new hardware? New chipsets and features (I don't think NvME was even around in the early 2000s) may not be supported. Or do you have enough spare machines/parts to last 'til your lasers/engravers are replaced? It certainly makes $en$e to run your machines as long as possible...

I have an unlimited supply of XP computers available, many of my customers keep asking if I'll take theirs! 98's are a different story, but the old HP Pavillion I'm running now shows no signs of going belly-up. I did have to change out the power supply about 3 years ago, I didn't even install it, it's just sitting next to it, easier to change out if there's a next time. And, the computer it replaced, I still have it, it's perfectly ok and has every program on it the HP does. The only reason I changed was processor speed, 133 to 200mhz...
This my old crew-
puters.jpg
the HP 98, the circa '02 e-machine XP, and Dell Optiplex 760 XP, which was originally a Vista machine..
The 98 is strictly to run circa 1992 and 1995 Casmate Graphics software, it's graphics vector-tracing program is still the best I've ever used. It only gets used about twice a week so it's usually off-

The e-machine has 5 machines connected to it, strictly a 'print server', never runs programs. It has 3 hard drives, I just use those for random backup. Always on or hibernated

The Dell is connected to 2 of my machines, and runs Corel and Gravostyle to drive my LS100 laser, and is always on or hibernated.

This is the machine I'm using now, my T5400 Precicsion running 7 Pro 64, it's connected to 2 machines, and is the 'main' computer around here
5400.jpg
-- I'm constantly amazed at how slow this thing is, it should be anything but!

I also have 2 more Optiplex's, one in the office, one in the garage shop, both running 7 Pro 32.

And then there's 2 HP small factors running XP, an HP laptop running Vista, and Chinese Hasee laptop running 7 Ultimate 32.

The only newer-than-7 computer I have is a win 8 that I upgraded to 8.1, which was followed by a catastrophic HD failure shortly afterward.

No more 8's, never going to have a 10.

[Ole Anderson]

I believe part of my slow running experience with Win 10 was that I only had 4 gig of ram. I just upped it to 8 gigs (cost under $33) and now it runs more to my expectations. Still might add an SSD drive. Looking at this hybrid: https://www.amazon.com/Laptop-Solid-...ustomerReviews