Microsoft will be launching Windows 10 next month, but many people are wondering whether they should upgrade at all. If you own a genuine version of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, the choice is simple. You should definitely upgrade. You will get the Home or Professional version of Windows 10 for free depending on what version you already own.

If you have a pirated version of Windows, or even genuine Windows Vista, Windows XP, or anything older, you will have to buy Windows 10. No official price has been announced as yet, but the Home version could cost you over Rs 7,500 and the Professional variant upwards of Rs 12,000.

You need some preparatory work for Windows 10. First, make sure your computer is up to date. Windows 7 users must have Service Pack 1 to enable the update, and Windows 8 users should have upgraded to the latest version of Windows 8.1. Next, reserve your copy of Windows 10 so that you get it on July 29 when it is launched. Look for the tiny Windows icon in the right corner of your taskbar, and click it to launch the Windows 10 reservation app. This icon will appear only after you have the latest updates for your Windows.

Microsoft says for Windows 10 your computer should have a 1 GHz or faster processor, 1 GB RAM for 32 bit or 2 GB for 64 bit PCs. However, Microsoft's listed requirements often fall short for daily use. So 64-bit machines should have at least 4 GB of RAM to ensure that your computer runs smoothly. In addition, the graphic card should support DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver. Also make sure your display supports a resolution of 1024x600. If you are not sure about your computer's specs, right click the Windows 10 app on your PC's taskbar. Click on 'Check your upgrade status'. Now click on 'Check your PC'.

There is a lot to be excited about in Windows 10. For a start, the Start Menu is back. It looks similar to that of Windows 7 but includes a Universal Search bar that also pulls results from the Internet. Tiled shortcuts to Windows 8 apps appear by default. This should please touchscreen users.

I sincerely hope Cortana, Microsoft's personal digital assistant, is launched in India with Windows 10. Cortana provides you a quick glance at stuff with a single click, but you will have to spend time training her. Tell her your interests and from next time all you have to do is click on Cortana and you will get all the day's updates. You do not need to go to the individual apps like news, sport, stocks or weather.

Microsoft has dumped Internet Explorer. The new browser, Edge, is fast and tightly integrated with the Bing search engine. With its predictive results, you may not require Google again.

On the downside, you will lose Windows Media Center. You will require a separate playback software to watch DVDs. Solitaire, Minesweeper and Hearts Games that came preinstalled on Windows 7 will be replaced with newer, different versions.

If you choose to upgrade, some of your applications or settings may not migrate, so make sure to back up anything you cannot afford to lose. Once the upgrade is complete, Windows 10 will be free forever on that device. Windows 10 for phones will be coming later.

 

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