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There will be an update to 10. Upgrade to game mode

Everyone knows that the newer version of the OS is installed, the better it is, often, because every Windows Update contains new features as well as fixes for old bugs present in earlier builds. Therefore, it is quite important to always monitor the latest updates and install them on your PC on time.

Before you start updating the system, you need to know it current version, since it is quite possible that you already have the latest OS installed (at the time of writing this is version 1607) and you do not need to perform any manipulations.

But if this is not the case, let's consider a few simple ways, with which you can refresh your OS.

Method 1: Media Creation Tool

Media Creation Tool is a utility from Microsoft whose main task is to create bootable media. But with its help you can also update the system. Moreover, this is quite simple to do, because all you need to do is follow the instructions below.


Method 2: Windows 10 Upgrade

Windows 10 Upgrade is another tool from the Windows OS developers with which you can update your system.

This process looks like this:


Method 3: Update Center

You can also use the standard system tools. First of all, you can check for a new version of the system via "Update Center". It needs to be done like this.

On a device that has Windows 10, you can reinstall or clean install Windows and get an update to Windows 10 again. You do not need a product key to reactivate Windows 10 on the same hardware. Windows support

Free ways to upgrade to Windows 10

Windows 7 will be supported with security updates until January 14, 2020, and Windows 8.1 will receive security updates until January 10, 2023. You can always find these support dates on the Microsoft Windows Lifecycle website page.


But you have a belated desire to switch to the modern, new Windows 10 operating system for free. How to do this?

There are several ways to get Windows 10 for free, without using a pirated license: you can install Windows 10 with a 7 or 8 key, or install Windows without a key - it will work fine, except for a small watermark reminding you that you need to purchase a license.

How to upgrade for free to Windows 10 using a Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 key

Although you can no longer use the "Windows10Upgrade" tool to upgrade from Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, you can still download Windows 10 installation media from Microsoft and then provide Windows key 7, 8 or 8.1, during installation. We checked this method again on January 5, 2018, and it still works.

Windows will contact the Microsoft activation servers and confirm that the key to the previous Windows versions is real and Windows 10 will be installed and activated on your PC.

Your computer acquires a "digital license" and you can continue to use and reinstall Windows 10 on it in the future.

If after Windows installations you will go to Settings ⯮ Update & Security ⯮ Activation, you will see the words "Windows activated with digital license".

Microsoft has not said whether it will block this method in the future. But it's still working. Even if Microsoft blocks this trick, your PC will retain its digital license and Windows 10 will remain enabled.

A way to reinstall Windows 10 after a hardware update

I wonder if it's possible to use the free one? Windows license 10, ?



The free Windows 10 license you received is tied to your PC hardware. You can still use Windows 10 on the same PC even after replacing your hardware. Activating this license is easier than ever.

If you took advantage of the offer of a free upgrade to version 10, or legally installed Windows 10 or provided a key for a suitable previous version Windows, you can continue to "get" Windows 10 updates for free on this computer.

To do this, simply download Windows installer 10 (Windows10Upgrade. See above.) and activate it on this computer. Do not specify the key during the installation process. It should automatically activate once it is linked to Microsoft servers.

You can only do this if you have already upgraded to Windows 10, and you will be able to continue installing Windows 10 for free on the same computer even if you replace it HDD or other components.

The new Activation Wizard will help you resolve hardware changes and rebind the digital license for this PC.

A way to upgrade to Windows 10 if you skip the key and ignore activation warnings

Here's the real secret: you don't need to provide a product key to install Windows 10. You can download installation media Windows 10 from Microsoft and install it on a PC, Boot Camp on a Mac, or in a virtual machine without providing a product key. Windows will continue to work normally and you can do almost anything you want.

Windows 10 will continue to attack you to activate the product and will not allow you to change any settings under Settings ⯮ Personalization, but otherwise work just fine. Don't forget later operating system.

This doesn't necessarily need to be done on your main computer, but it is very convenient way set up quick virtual machine, test Windows 10 on a PC or install Windows 10 in Boot Camp. You can even pay to upgrade to a legitimate, activated version of Windows 10 from your inactive Windows 10 system after installing it.

This is not allowed by Microsoft management, but it actually works. If Microsoft didn't want people to do this, they would have blocked this feature in Windows a long time ago. But Windows has been working this way for many years. This is possible even on Windows 7.

Free 90 day version of Windows 10 Enterprise


You can also go to Microsoft's website and download a 90-day evaluation version of Windows 10 Enterprise. It will work for 90 days - about three months. This version is intended for organizations Windows ratings 10 Enterprise.

This evaluation copy comes with additional functions, built into Windows 10 Enterprise, to test them. However, you can upgrade any version of Windows 10 to the Enterprise edition as long as you have the key.

Upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro

You can also upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro using a product key from a previous business edition of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 (Pro/Ultimate). This could save you $50-$100 in OEM upgrade costs if you buy a new PC with Windows 10 Home pre-installed.

Unfortunately, other free offers, such as Microsoft's Accessibility offer, have now ended. But these methods for free upgrade to Windows 10 should be enough.

Of course, you can also just buy a new PC that comes with Windows 10. If you decide to upgrade from Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, it makes more sense to buy new computer, which comes with Windows 10, rather than spending $120 on a Windows 10 Home license to upgrade an old computer.

Release of a new operating system Microsoft- the result of the work of many people. To develop and debug new version Windows requires a lot of resources. It is not surprising that the operating system costs a lot of money. So it came as a surprise when Microsoft announced that you could upgrade your previous version of Windows to Windows 10 for free.

Is it possible to upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10

operating room Windows system 8 does not have a direct upgrade option to Windows 10. The fact is that this system was replaced by Windows 8.1, developing and finalizing the changes in the main version. If you haven't updated Windows 8, you should do so before upgrading to Windows 10.

This may seem unfair, since Windows 7 has the ability to be upgraded to Windows 10, despite the fact that it is an older version of the operating system. This is due to the fact that Windows 8.1 is not so much a new operating system as an improved version of the previous one.

Upgrading Windows 8 to Windows 8.1

Let's figure out how to make this upgrade for the next one - to Windows 10. Perform the following steps:

The system has been successfully updated to Windows 8.1 and is ready to upgrade to Windows 10.

Upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Until July 29, 2016, the opportunity to update was provided to everyone Windows users 8.1 free. Users were pleasantly surprised by this. But due to intrusive notifications about the possibility of updating, many were dissatisfied. Now the official option for a free update is no longer available, and you can only purchase the Windows 10 operating system at full price. The price of the home version of this operating system is more than eight thousand rubles. For users who are not ready to pay such a sum, Microsoft has left a loophole that makes it possible free update Windows 8.1 to Windows 10.

Free update after July 29, 2016

Even though the free upgrade option was disabled as promised, the offer is still valid for people with disabilities. Microsoft does not require any proof, so everyone can use this update method, even if they are not entitled to it due to their social status. This is done as follows:

  1. Open the promotion section on the official Microsoft website and download special utility. It will be used to update. To download the utility, click "Update Now".
  2. After downloading, make sure that your version of Windows is correct and that the operating system itself is activated.
  3. Run the downloaded utility, read and accept the terms of the license agreement.
  4. The computer's compatibility with Windows 10 will be checked. It is enough that 2 gigabytes are installed on your system random access memory and there was enough space on the hard drive. Requirements to central processor insignificant. Click Next.
  5. The utility will begin loading the operating system onto your computer. Wait for it to finish. The download may take a long time (depending on internet speed).
  6. As soon as the download of the operating system is completed, scanning of the downloaded files will begin. This is necessary so that during installation there are no problems if one of the files does not download completely due to network outages. Wait until the scan is completed.
  7. The installation procedure for the new operating system will begin. All this time you can continue to work at the computer.
  8. A notification appears asking you to restart your computer. You will have half an hour to complete the current work on the device. If you want to delay the final stage of installation, you can click Restart later.
  9. Once the system is restarted, the final stage of installation will begin. Wait for the process to complete.
  10. A notification will appear indicating that the process has completed, and the new Windows 10 operating system will start to perform initial settings systems.

Of course, Microsoft developers are aware of the possibility of “unfair” updates. However, they benefit if people use their product even when they are not willing to pay for it. After all, profit comes from sales software and in-app purchases for the new operating system.

Video: free update after July 29, 2016

Now you know how to upgrade Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 completely free of charge. Use this knowledge if you want to upgrade to the latest operating system from Microsoft.

Are you looking for how to properly upgrade Windows 8 to Windows 10!? Then you've come to the right place.

Read about how to do this correctly in our review.

To update or not to update - that is the question?

According to data provided by Net Applications, the most popular OS today is still Windows 7.

The eighth version was only slightly ahead of the once popular Windows XP, which ranks 3rd in the ranking.

But things are completely different with Windows 10 in just 2 months (!) it was able to take 5th place, which is quite good compared to the previous release from Microsoft.
Why is the new OS so popular?

Apparently, the developers tried to follow the rule of the golden mean, taking the best from the two previous releases - the convenience of the seventh version and the creativity of the eighth version.

For example, changes affected the Start menu, the style of which the user chooses from personal preferences - classic/modern.

After opening, the application does not occupy the entire screen (as on a tablet), but takes on the classic look that most PC users are accustomed to.

You can simultaneously place up to 4 applications on the desktop, and their size will be automatically scaled by the system. Running applications are now highlighted like in Windows 7.

By using a mode that is very similar to Hibernation mode, Windows 10 can boot faster compared to previous versions.

Important! Also important is the fact that the “ten” has more complete driver support than the “seven”.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning two OS reinstallation functions that are not available in Windows 7: using the Refresh function, you can save all data by deleting all operating system and application settings.

The Reset functions are complemented by Refresh, allowing you to delete, incl. and user data.

Main support for the "Seven" ended in January 2015, so the user will no longer see any functional changes in the system.

Extended support, during which security updates will be released, will last until January 2020.

For those who are hesitant in making a decision, we will say that after the update you will have 30 days during which you can roll back to the previous version - the main condition is not to delete the Windows.old directory.

Ways to upgrade Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10

Please note that updating for free is only possible within a year from the date of Windows release 10.

There are 2 ways in which you can perform the update:

  • “Update Center” - this method allows you to save personal data, user settings and compatible programs.
    If an update occurs for Windows 7, desktop widgets, standard games, Media Center will be removed, and analogues will be loaded instead.
  • Download the Windows 10 image from the official Microsoft website.

A significant disadvantage of the first method is the fact that the update will be performed after some time, and not immediately.

The fact is that millions of users around the world are going through the update process, and the company’s servers from which the download occurs have a limited resource, so you have to wait for notification.

This period can vary depending on your luck, from several days to several weeks.

On the other hand, this approach has an advantage for lazy or inexperienced users who do not want or cannot speed up the update process.

The second method allows you to start updating immediately after downloading the disk image and burning it to a flash drive or DVD.

Read about how to install Windows 10 using this method in our next article.

Updating Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 via Update Center

Step 1. Make sure that all the most Latest updates Windows. Open the Control Panel utility and go to the Windows Update section.
On the left, click on the “Settings” link and make sure that the options shown in the picture below are checked:


Step 2. Open the “Get Windows 10” application icon, which is located near the system tray.


Step 3. We go through the application menu, answering questions and filling out the required fields. During the process, a report will be generated whether Windows 10 will work on this computer or not, as well as a list of devices with which problems may arise.


Step 4. We reserve the update.

Step 5. If several days have passed after the above operations and the update has not arrived, we will try to speed up this process. IN command line opened with administrator rights, run the command wuauclt.exe /updatenow.

Step 6. Open Windows Update again. Within a fairly short time, usually no more than 20 minutes after executing the command, the Windows 10 boot process should begin, which on average lasts about an hour.


Step 7 After downloading, the installation process will automatically begin. Installation takes about 10-15 minutes.


The installation of the system ends with a couple of dialogues in which you need to once again confirm the seriousness of your intentions, and if for some reason you change your mind at this step, you can return everything back.

After this, the system offers to postpone the update for a while or perform the installation now.

Whichever option is selected, the system will reboot to configure the hardware (this will take about 20 minutes).

After installation, the OS is prepared to start and very soon the black screen will replace the welcome screen. Congratulations, you have updated your system to Windows 10!

Upgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 10

The release of Windows 10, which successfully took place on July 29, 2015, allowed PC users around the world to immediately try this new product. The easiest way to do this was for Windows 8 users. All they had to do was reserve the update and wait for it to download

If you have Windows 7 or Windows 8 installed on your computer, there is a free official option to upgrade to Windows 10 until July 29, 2016. After this date, this update will not be available and you can purchase Windows 10 only by purchasing the appropriate license key.

Given system update makes it profitable to purchase old Windows OS licenses and then update them to the 10th, currently latest version. This instruction gives an example of updating Windows 7 Ultimate before Windows 10 Pro, general rules The version updates are shown below:

Old version OS Version after update
1. Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 10 Home
2. Windows 7 Professional Windows 10 Pro
3. Windows 7 Ultimate Windows 10 Pro
4. Windows 8.1 Core Windows 10 Home
5. Windows 8.1 Professional Windows 10 Pro

Step 1: Checking Windows Activation, Selecting How to Update Windows 7

After installing Windows, make sure it is activated. To do this, click on the "Start" button. In the menu that appears, right-click on “Computer” and in the drop-down menu, left-click on “Properties”.

There are two ways to start upgrading to Windows 10. Either through automatic update(step 2.1), or using the official program from Microsoft (step 2.2).

The further steps are described specifically for installing Windows 10 using a program from Microsoft. Even if you choose to install via automatic update, you can still follow these instructions, you just can skip some steps, as they will be performed automatically.

Step 2.1: Automatic Windows Update

Left-click on the "Windows 10" icon located near the clock.

In the window that opens, click on the “Reserve free update” button.

After the successful reservation message, close this window.

After this, Windows itself will prepare necessary updates and will notify you when everything is ready.

Step 2.2: updating Windows 7 through a special Microsoft program

Download the official program from Microsoft from this page. You can also download it using direct links:

  • for 32-bit Windows: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=616935
  • for 64-bit Windows: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=616936

You can find out the bit depth of your Windows installation by clicking on the “Start” button, and in the menu that appears, right-click on “Computer” and in the drop-down menu, left-click on “Properties”.

In the window that opens you will be able to see the bit depth of your Windows.

Step 3: Windows Update Process

After launching the Windows 10 update program, in the window that appears, select “Update this PC now” and click on the “Next” button.

After this it will start Windows boot 10 and preparation for installation.

Once the installation is complete, a welcome window will be displayed. Click on the "Next" button, when prompted for speed settings, click on the "Use standard settings" button.

When prompted for parameter settings, enable the properties you need and click on the "Next" button.

When new applications are displayed, click on the "Next" button. After clicking, setting the parameters will begin.

When all the settings are configured, you will be logged into Windows 10. Now in the system properties information window you can see that Windows 10 is installed and activated.



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