Welcome to the Fast-Air Tech Talk newsletter. The Tech Talk newsletter is a free service for all Fast-Air customers. Please feel encouraged to suggest newsletter topics.
Starting June 1 many Windows users have been receiving popup “nag” notices that Windows 10 will be available July 29. The “nag” notice was automatically installed on all eligible Windows systems that are configured to allow Recommended updates.
The proverbial big carrot in front of the horse is the update is free.
Updates are intended to be automated. How will this unveil and how will users be affected?
The short answer is nobody is required to update. Nobody is required to reserve a copy of Windows 10. Users do not have to update on July 29 or at any time thereafter. Updating is fully opt-in.
Now for the nitty gritty details. Grab your favorite beverage before continuing.
The long answer is caveat emptor.
The first thing to do after receiving the nag notice is inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Do not panic.
The second thing to do is decide whether you want to update to Windows 10. Users have one year to update for free. Thereafter eligible users can still update but will need to pay.
The End of Life (EOL) for all currently supported Windows operating systems provide plenty of breathing room. There is no immediate urgency to update to Windows 10.
Windows Vista: April 11, 2017
Windows 7: January 14, 2020
Windows 8.1: January 10, 2023
Important to know is a license for XP and Vista are not eligible for the free Windows 10 update. Computers running XP systems likely do not have the necessary hardware to run Windows 10.
Note: Windows XP no longer is supported and is a potential security time bomb. Windows XP reached EOL more than a year ago on April 8, 2014. A future Fast-Air Tech Talk issue will address the options for users still using Windows XP.
Folks using the Windows 10 beta technical preview with a registered Microsoft account are eligible for the free update.
Note: Windows 7 users must update to Windows 7 Service Pack 1 to be eligible for the free update. Windows 8 users must update to 8.1 to be eligible.
Bottom line: Do not panic. You can keep using your current version of Windows for quite a while. Eligible users have one year to decide to accept the free offer.
You might not have received a Windows 10 nag notice on your Windows machine. Reasons include but are not limited to the following:
- You use a volume license (enterprise users).
- You have automatic updates disabled.
- You have automatic updates enabled but disabled Recommended updates.
- You are using an unlicensed copy of Windows 7 or 8.1.
- You have not updated to Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1.
- You are using Windows XP or Windows Vista.
The initial pricing for retail versions is “up to $199.” That pricing affects users not updating from previous registered versions and affects eligible users who do not choose the free update. Read more here:
While the free update period is one year, there is nominal speculation the period will be extended because a Microsoft goal is to get everybody on Windows 10 as soon as possible. Heavy emphasis on “speculation only.” Whether the free update period is extended remains to be seen and should not be a guiding factor in deciding.
Retail versions of Windows 7 no longer are available. OEM versions are available but are restricted licenses and tied to the installed hardware.
Automatic updating will not be an option for hardware failing to satisfy minimum requirements. Users with such hardware have the decision made for them.
Generally, anybody running Windows 8.1 likely has the necessary hardware to run Windows 10.
Users running Windows 7 probably have the required hardware but might not. The minimum hardware requirements are listed at the Microsoft web site:
Not intuitively obvious in these requirements is the CPU requirements listed for Windows 8.1:
Windows 8.1 System Requirements
The CPU requirements for Windows 8.1 include support PAE, NX, and SSE2. These requirements will carry over to Windows 10. Read more about those CPU features here:
The Windows 10 notification software that was installed automatically should reveal whether a system has the minimum hardware. Users who now have the Windows 10 updater installed and have received nag notifications can manually verify their system’s compatibility with Windows 10 following some simple steps. Read more here:
Other options for checking compatibility exist: Download, install, and run the Windows 8 or the Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant:
Just remember: do not panic. If your computer lacks the required hardware then you can’t update to Windows 10 for free or for fee. If you have minimum hardware, you are not required to update after July 29 and you have up to one year to decide to update to the free offer.
Remember that caveat emptor warning? Updating to Windows 10 will terminate certain current features. Read more here:
Lost features when updating to Windows 10
Losing the Windows Media Center need not be traumatic. The popular free Kodi multimedia software can be installed as a replacement.
Losing the ability to watch DVDs is not devastating. The excellent free VLC media player will work fine as a replacement to watch DVDs on a PC.
Losing the Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts games comes with a caveat. The software can be installed in Windows 10 but requires an online Microsoft online account. The requirement of creating an online account could be viewed by some Windows 7 users as Yet Another Data Mining effort and might not be a palatable option to some users.
Like Windows 8/8.1, creating a Microsoft account is not required when installing Windows 10. The trick is paying careful attention to the installation process.
Another caveat not explicitly discussed is peripherals. Some scanners and printers might not receive software drivers for Windows 10. Hardware vendors are under no obligation to provide drivers in Windows 10 for older hardware. Because vendors make money selling new hardware, some vendors might not provide Windows 10 drivers for older peripherals. Verify drivers exist before updating to Windows 10.
Another caveat is how well data is transferred from critical apps such as mail clients and calendar apps. Some utility apps, such as third-party backup tools and anti-virus software, will require updates from the sponsoring vendor. No information is yet available whether those apps will be automatically updated for free or for a fee.
Related to data migration is vertical needs software. Users running any kind of vertical software, that is, software made only for specific users and industries, such as health care, should be in no hurry to update to Windows 10. Verify with vertical software providers of Windows 10 compatibility before attempting to update. Typically such software is mission critical so get those assurances in writing.
Another caveat is the required Windows 10 files will be about 3 GB total to download. With a 1 Mbps connection and no interruptions of any kind, that will translate to about 6.8 hours. A 2 Mbps connection will require about half that time. Dialup users will require weeks to download all of the needed files. Most Fast-Air customers have at least a 1.5 Mbps connection and most customers have 50 GB of monthly bandwidth. The good news is the downloads are not expected to be performed in one long sitting. That is, do not be afraid to shut down the computer.
Another caveat is the update licensing terms include the phrase “life of the device.” There are online discussions and debates about the vagueness and meaning of that phrase. Most people agree that users should not presume the phrase means “forever.”
Likely “life of the device” includes meaning the license is not transferable to other or newer hardware. No news whether that phrase is included in the off-the-shelf retail license. (OEM licenses are always tied to a device.)
“Life of the device” also means that eventually Windows 10 will be updated to a point that is no longer backwards compatible with your computer’s hardware. Much like the demise of Windows XP, users will still be able to run Windows 10 from that day forward but no longer will receive feature updates. How long security updates will be available after that date remains to be seen.
Another caveat through a cursory reading of computer discussions is some beta testers believe Windows 10 is not yet polished and ready for public release. Some beta testers are wondering whether the July 29 release date is too soon. Perhaps caution is advised about being quick to update, except for beta testers and tech savvy users.
The last caveat should be obvious to anybody familiar with computer history. Just do not be in any hurry to update. Historically new software releases are prone to bugs and issues. Let the dust settle for a while. Especially when the free update offer is available for a full year.
The updates will not all occur concurrently around the world on July 29. The updates will occur in controlled and staggered roll-out phases. That means users who reserve a copy of the free Windows 10 will be updated any time on or after July 29. Folks who reserve a copy will be placed in a roll-out queue. No information is yet available on the actual schedule for when users will be updated.
The download process should be robust. That is, if a user shuts down a computer before all files are fully downloaded, the updater software should intelligently handle this and continue the downloads the next time the computer is online. There are several distinct phases in the full update process:
The first phase is notification.
The second phase is the reservation. This is opt-in. Users are not required to reserve a copy. Possibly throughout the one year free update period, users who do not reserve a copy will receive periodic nag reminders to reserve a copy.
Users can cancel a reservation at any time.
The remaining phases include Download In Progress, Download Complete, Ready for Setup, Setup in Progress, and Setup Complete.
While the Download In Progress phase need not be completed in a single sitting, no information yet exists for people who want to update for free but lack the bandwidth to download all files. There will be an option to enable peer-to-peer transfers, which might mean downloads could occur locally. Conventional agreement online is eventually a DVD will be made available for clean installs but no official word has yet been released.
Once a system is ready for updating the process will take at least an hour on most hardware.
Reverting to a previous license after updating to Windows 10 requires a full reinstallation.
Completely uninstalling or disabling the nag notices is possible. Search the web for details. Understand that doing so is not a Microsoft goal. The Microsoft folks are aggressively pushing to get people to update. For now, just ignore the nag notices.
Do not panic. Take your time and do not feel pressured into updating until you are ready. Do not update at all if you feel so inclined. Both Windows 7 and 8.1 have several years before EOL.
Next issue: Learning Web Lingo.
Ever wonder just how connected we have become? Enjoy this short video. Yes, all of the people are real humans — no trickery, just amazing technology.
- Free Gift Phishing Scams (Notice 2020-001) - January 15, 2020
- Tech Support Phone Scam (Notice 2019-001) - March 14, 2019
- VPNFilter Router Malware (Notice 2018-007) - May 30, 2018