If you’re still using Windows 7 on your laptop or home computer, we can sympathise. It was a sturdy, attractive operating system that looked and worked like Windows versions of old. Microsoft continued supporting it long after the introduction of Windows 8 and later versions but, twelve years after its release, that’s no longer true.
Support ended on 14 January last year and, although Windows 7 will keep running, it will no longer receive updates, fixes or security patches. So, the longer you keep using it, the greater your risk of becoming the target of hac-kers, malware and other viruses.
You are watching: How Do I Download Windows
Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 on 24 June 2021 for release later this year. In the interim, if you want to keep using your laptop or desktop computer as usual, we’d highly recommend you upgrade to Windows 10, the current version of Microsoft’s operating system.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Windows 10?
Windows 10 is Microsoft’s current operating system for laptops and computers. Launched in 2015, it builds on Windows 7 with hundreds of handy features including Cortana, Microsoft’s voice assistant, an app store that makes it easy to quickly download programs and a faster web browser called Microsoft Edge.
Although its successor has already debuted, support for Windows 10 will continue until October 2025, so there’s no imperative to upgrade right away – particularly if your computer doesn’t support Windows 11’s advanced security features, which rely on specific hardware components.
If you’re planning on buying a new PC over the next few months, check with the manufacturer or retailer that it supports Trusted Platform Module version 2.0 or later so that it will be able to run Windows 11.
How much does Windows 10 cost?
See more : How To Download .torrent Files
When Microsoft initially launched Windows 10 it was available as a free upgrade to anyone who already owned Windows 7 or 8.
However, that offer expired on July 29, 2016. So you will need to pay to upgrade.
A Windows 10 Home licence for one computer will set you back £119.99. Windows 10 Pro is more expensive at £219.99 for one device licence but unless you need specific tools to erase data from a device when it’s lost or prevent accidental data leaks (features aimed at businesses and schools), Windows 10 Home will suffice.
These are digital files that you download from the internet, but if your laptop has a CD/DVD drive, it may be worth considering buying a physical disc from Amazon, as this can work out to almost half the price. Alternatively, it may be better value for you to purchase a new laptop with Windows 10 already installed.
Can Windows 10 be installed on any laptop?
There are minimum hardware requirements for Windows 10 to run on a laptop or desktop computer. You’ll need a 1GHz or faster processor, 2GB of RAM, at least 20GB of space on your hard drive.
You can check your processor and RAM by pressing the Start menu and right clicking on Computer from the right-hand side of menu.
Choose properties and then check the information display. To confirm how much storage space you have, press the Start Menu and click on Computer then under Local Disk you’ll be able to see how much free space you have.
How to install Windows 10
- On your PC, visit the dedicated Windows 10 upgrade page and scroll down to Create Windows 10 installation media.
- Press Download tool now and select Run. Accept the license terms and when it says ‘What do you want to do?’ choose ‘Upgrade this PC now’, then press Next.
- Follow the on-screen instructions that will walk you through how to set up Windows 10 on your PC.
- When the operating system is ready to install, you’ll see a recap of what you’ve chosen, and what will be kept through the upgrade. Press ‘Change what to keep’ if you want to switch between keeping personal files and apps, keeping personal files only, or keeping nothing during the upgrade.
- You’ll need to save and close any open apps and files running, then press Install.
- It’s worth noting that it will take some time to install Windows 10, and your PC will restart a few times. Whatever you do, don’t turn off your PC.
What if ‘Something Happened’ appears on screen
See more : How To Pre Download Diablo 4
Occasionally, your Windows 10 upgrade may run into problems. If you see a blank screen with ‘something happened’ on it or a warning that Windows 10 failed to install, then this is the case.
The screen won’t give you much information about what the issue is but start by taking the following steps:
- Disconnect any unnecessary items connected to the USB ports such as memory sticks, phone chargers and so on (although mice and keyboards can stay)
- Temporarily switch off any antivirus software. To do this, open the software from the Start menu and look for an option in the menu that says disable or turn-off
- Turn off the Windows Firewall. From the Start Menu choose Control Panel, then System and security. From the menu displayed select Windows Defender Firewall followed by ‘Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off’ from the left hand side. Then click in the circle beside ‘Turn off Windows Defender Firewall’
- Restart the machine
Now try the installation again and, when it’s completed, remember to switch on any antivirus software and firewalls you previously disabled.
If it still fails, try checking for any updates to Windows 7 that may not have been installed. To do this, press the Start Menu and select Control Panel from the right hand side.
Choose System and Security then press Windows Update and press the button that says Check for Updates. Install any updates found. Do this several times until it says that the software is up to date.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get the GHI newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every week.
SIGN UP
Source: https://tholansonnha.com
Category: Download software
