Good day all, this is the Angry Systems Administrator. Thursday, Microsoft unleashed the free upgrade for people using Windows 7 and Windows 8 to their latest and “Greatest” version of Windows, Microsoft Windows 10.
I’ve been researching Windows 10 for a few months and had a chance to play with it briefly last week at a Microsoft store. I was impressed enough to consider installing the Operating system on a pair of computers that are “expendable.” These are PC’s we use for testing and development work and frankly, we don’t care what happens to them.
In order to get the free upgrade, you have to be running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Windows XP and you are out of luck. If you have those, you will see an icon in the task bar you haven’t seen before. Click on it to reserve your copy. Now that Windows 10 has been released, you can either wait for Microsoft to push it to you or you can go off and get it.
Now, being a Systems Administrator/Engineer, I’m not one to just “Take the defaults.” Since I wasn’t part of the beta program I had to go online and find all the information I could find. I started with CNET and found this article, How to do a Clean Install of Windows 10. I also listened to the Twit.TV podcast Windows Weekly number 424.
I followed the instructions and came up with the new operating system. Now I did not save my settings or do just a straight up install. I always wipe a computer when I load an operating system on it, for one simple reason. A clean install installs a clean and pristine operating system. You won’t have all the problems you get if you do just a straight upgrade.
I am impressed. It is a bit different from Windows 7, but isn’t the trashy interface that the failed Windows 8 is for the desktop. I still have a lot to learn about how it works, but I should figure it out in fairly short order. However, it will be quite a while before I install this on the production and office systems, no matter what The Angry Destroyer of All Things Electronic wants.
As I learn more about this new operating system, particularly what WON’T work on it, I’ll post here. Would I recommend that you install Windows 10? If you are on 7, then I will say no. Wait a bit. If you are on 8, yes. The improvements are dramatic. (It helps that Microsoft got rid of the clods who came up with Windows 8’s interface) Good luck and always remember to back up everything before you get started.
Thank you.
~The Angry Systems Administrator~
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