With the end of Windows 7 support just two weeks away, a reader wants to know what the best option is?
“Is it easier for an “ole poot” like me to upgrade to win 10 from my Win 7 XPS Dell or to just buy a new puter with Win 10.”
Great question. It depends on the condition of your current PC and the licenses of the programs you use.
Upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is pretty easy. It may take some time but your program and files shouldn’t be affected. While I suggest backing all of your important stuff up just in case there’s an issue, I’ve upgraded several PCs from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing any files.
The requirements for upgrading a Windows 7 PC to Windows 10 are:
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Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
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RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
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Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS
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Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
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Display: 800 x 600
That being said, now might be a good time to purchase a new PC that can handle future upgrades to Windows and advances in technology. Going forward, it’s likely Microsoft won’t charge for Windows upgrades as long as your PC can handle the tech specifications. A PC with up-to-date hardware should put you in good stead for a long time to come. And there are some good deals to be had right now. But that would depend on if you have money in your budget for a new computer right now.
Of course, if you switch to a new computer, you’ll have to transfer all of your important files. You’ll want to make sure you have the original discs or activation keys for any programs you’ll want to move to your new computer. Whichever way you decide to go, let me know if you need any assistance.