How to Upgrade
to Windows 10

If you are operating on Windows 7, support is going to end on January 14th, 2020. Windows 7 security risks will greatly increase because it will no longer be receiving security updates and patches from Microsoft. This means that if you are still running Windows 7 after January 14th, 2020, your computer can be easily exploited by hackers through the operating system. Even if you are running Windows 8, its end of life date is January 10th, 2023, and Windows 10 is said to be the faster and more secure operating system.

To ensure your system is secure, you should update to Windows 10 before Windows 7 support ends on January 14th, 2020. The sooner, the better! This will help you avoid security breaches and the risk of supply/demand if you need to upgrade any old devices in the process.

There are three pricing models for Microsoft Windows 10: Windows 10 Home ($139.00), Windows 10 Pro ($199.99), and Windows 10 Pro for Workstations ($309.00). Other costs can be incurred if you are relying on a third-party to facilitate the upgrade for your business. These typically depend on the age of your devices (more or less than 3 yrs. old), your storage type, the use of hard disk drives (HDD) or solid-state drives (SSD), and what applications you're currently running.

Upgrading to Windows 10 typically takes about 1-2 hours per device. There are some simple questions you can ask to determine if your upgrade will take longer. Are you operating on older devices (3+ yrs. old)? Are you using a solid-state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD)? Upgrading to a new computer or having a slower (HDD) drive can tack a little extra time on your upgrade. Planning is key!

If done properly, upgrading to Windows 10 should take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours to complete. To optimize your time, schedule your upgrade during non-peak hours to avoid any disruptions to your workflow.

If your answer is "yes" to any of the following questions, you should inquire about updating your hardware before your Windows 10 upgrade. • Are the PCs in your environment older than 3 years? • Are you running out of storage on your PCs? • Do your devices have less than 8 GB of RAM?

Most of the applications that were designed for earlier versions of Windows will work on Windows 10. The only time you may run into issues is with older and/or custom applications.

Yes, Microsoft has made it simple to upgrade to Windows 10 on your own. However, there are a lot of moving pieces involved in migrating an entire company over to Windows 10. IT professionals can set you up for success by highlighting all the possible concerns in your environment before the upgrade takes place. By outsourcing, you can bypass bothersome errors, guesswork, and pricing out all the new hardware/software needed to complete the transition.

It's the simple things that end up taking the most time. This expression reigns true here. There shouldn't be any complications during your Windows 10 migration, but if you run into an issue, it can be resolved a lot faster (or avoided altogether) by someone trained to handle it. It's better to get it right the first time than to waste valuable hours with your devices out of commission.

Your data will be safe and sound when upgrading to Windows 10. As with any operating system update, we do encourage you to back up your data beforehand.

Don't fear the switch to Windows 10! There are not a lot of changes to the platform's overall user functionality. Windows 10 is a great blend of Windows 7 & 8 and is more secure, faster, and performs better on tablets and touch screen devices.