No sooner had the "ten" officially come out, as millions of users around the world had already managed to install it on their computers and virtual machines, after which they began to violently disassemble it bit by bit. If you have not yet joined this march of lovers of everything new, today you have the opportunity to do so.

Unfortunately, the free upgrade of Windows (XP, 7, 8/8.1) to Windows 10 version was closed on 07/29/2016. But do not despair - there is one loophole left (the official loophole!), Which we will talk about now.

What's the point?

To begin with, a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 is quite possible, but with XP it is a little more difficult - you need to get a newer version first. As for the upgrade to the new version itself, its advantage over the usual installation is quite obvious - after you upgrade, all your programs and settings will be saved, and you won't have to spend several hours restoring the usual "atmosphere".

Each program and each setting will be carefully transferred to the new version, and you will only have to enter a password for your account, after which you can immediately start working with the modern version of the most popular OS.

Is it possible to update now?

You can upgrade today! Naturally, in order to get a new version, you will have to take several additional steps, otherwise all users would already be sitting on the "top ten" and stubbornly would not understand what happened to their computer. If you follow the instructions below, then the free update will not cause any difficulties.

How to upgrade Windows (XP, 7, 8/8.1) to Windows 10 for free after 07/29/1016?

Microsoft cares about users with disabilities by offering them lifetime access to install Windows 10 on Windows (7, 8/8.1). And the concern is that they offer accessibility features (virtual keyboard, magnifier, etc.) that will be in this version (they can be omitted). You, too, can pretend that you need them and make the transition from (7, 8 / 8.1) to Windows 10 on the sly for free.

To do this, you just need:
1) Have licensed Windows 7, 8/8.1;
2) Go to the page of the official website of Microsoft;
3) Click "Update now" - the installation file will be downloaded (the shortcut will appear on the desktop);
4) Click on the downloaded file - follow the instructions (reboot will be required at the end).

Ready! Now you know how to install Windows 10 instead of Windows (7, 8/8.1). Use this method until it is covered.

For more information about this method, see the video + it shows how to make the version clean:

Can XP be upgraded to Windows 10?

Unfortunately no. First you need to become the owner of a later licensed version (7, 8/8.1). Only after that will the above update be available.

How could I switch from XP, 7, 8 to Windows 10 before 07/29/2016?

The update center is already on every computer, it is called Windows Update and is usually used to deliver traditional "patches" to your PC. As we have already said, the new version of the OS by itself would not have appeared in it, but this situation could be corrected quite simply. First you had to download the Windows 10 Preparation Tool application - it would unlock the ability to download an update to the new operating system on your PC.

As soon as the program was completed, you could safely open the Update Center and look for a new item in it, which "weighed" from 2.5 to 3.5 gigabytes, depending on the version of the operating system you already have (x86 or x64).

That, in fact, was all - it only remained to press the button " Install and the free update would start downloading and installing. In the process, according to good tradition, the computer would restart several times, but after 30-60 minutes you would have had a complete installation of Windows 10 from under Windows 7, 8 / 8.1.

What should have been done if an update notification arrived?

Some computers received notifications on how to upgrade Windows 7, 8/8.1 to Windows 10 online and for free. It looked something like this:

By receiving this message, you could reserve a free operating system update for yourself. The download took place at the moment when it became available, and you could update the system itself a little later - at any convenient time.

In order to reserve it for yourself, you had to click on the "Reserve a free update" button and then enter the email address on the page that appeared, to which you would later receive a notification that the files were prepared for download.

Once the files were downloaded, you could install them anytime you wanted!

Now you know how you can and how not to upgrade from Windows (XP, 7, 8/8.1) to version 10.

The promotion to upgrade Windows 7, and 8.1 to Windows 10 for all users ended at the end of the summer of 2016. Despite the fact that the free transition campaign expired a long time ago, many other methods worked for a long time - from changing the time in the system to activating Windows 10 with existing keys of previous versions of the seventh or eighth generation.

But due to the fact that in January 2018, Microsoft representatives announced the official closure of any update opportunities, it seems that it is no longer possible to get licensed Windows 10 for free. But as practice shows, many of the options that worked before are still active. Let's look at the most convenient and effective of them.

At the moment, three free upgrade methods are working: using the Windows Upgrade Assistant utility, activating the system with a key from previous versions, and clean installing Windows 10 (relevant for users who have already made the transition, but for some reason returned to the previous versions).

Possible upgrade options:

Before considering the current upgrade options, you need to consider the following points:

1. The Windows 10 migration process cannot be done from Windows Vista or XP.
2. The system you are migrating from must have the latest updates installed.
3. The current system must be activated or an official key purchased.
4. Computer hardware must be supported by Windows 10.

Upgrade via Upgrade Assistant

For a long time after the end of the promotion for all users for a free upgrade, Microsoft provided a free upgrade to the new version of Windows 10 for people with disabilities. At first, the period of this promotion was extended until December 31, 2017, but after the expiration of this period, the opportunity to upgrade was active until January 18, 2018.

The company even created a separate one in order to make the upgrade as comfortable as possible. One of the features of this promotion was that the user, in order to confirm his incapacity, did not need to undergo any special checks or confirmations. Anyone who went to the site and downloaded the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant utility could upgrade.

At the moment, on the main page of the Microsoft site for updating for people with disabilities, there is an announcement that this promotion is ending. The company points out that now the only option is to purchase the original version already preinstalled on the new device, or buy a separate full version of the software. No download links are provided for this utility.

BUT the file with the bootloader (Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant) is still available on the Microsoft website, download while you have access.
If the file disappears from the downloads, write in the comments, we will try to put it simply on the site (if at that time, in general, this update option still works).

During the first installation, the program will check the current version of the update assistant.

After that, you will need to read and agree to the terms of the license agreement.

The Setup Assistant will check if you can upgrade to Windows 10 on this computer.

And, if all the items have passed a positive check, after pressing the OK button, the upgrade process to Windows 10 will start. After the upgrade is completed, the key of the previous version is picked up, and at the exit the user can use the activated system.

If the utility gives an error on the first run, this may be due to what was said earlier - Microsoft has officially closed the possibility of this update. But to get around this limitation, it is enough to change the system time to any one that will be earlier than 12/31/2017.

To do this, click on the clock on the taskbar and go to change the date and time settings.

After you need to go to the section to change the date and time.

And then choose any date that will be earlier than the agreed date 12/31/2017.

After this procedure, you can try to run the update assistant program again, it should run smoothly and update the system.

Upgrading using a key from previous versions

This method is the simplest and fastest. To get started, you already need to be the owner of a seventh or eighth generation Windows key. To upgrade to Windows 10 you need:

The system must accept the key from the previous version and activate it.

Clean install of Windows 10.

It is necessary to make a reservation again that this method is suitable for users who have already upgraded to Windows 10 before. It consists in simply performing a clean installation of Windows 10, and the activation key should be automatically picked up by the system.

The activation key should be accepted automatically due to the fact that the first time you upgrade to Windows 10, the user became the owner of a digital license. This means that the activation key is tied to the hash sum of the hardware that is installed on the user's system. Then, after logging into a Microsoft account, the activation data is stored on the company's servers, and the digital license is automatically assigned to both the user account and the system hardware.

Windows 10 OneDrive is like a red rag: what is this program and how to remove it

Updated: March 31, 2018 by: Denis

If you want to know how to make the transition to Windows 10, then we can only congratulate you - here you will find the answer to your question, as well as detailed instructions ... So, before starting the story, I would like to note that installing a completely legal software on your computer "ten" after 07/29/2016 (when Microsoft stopped its free distribution) is quite difficult. Numerous tearful “I can’t upgrade to Win 10 for free, what should I do ??” have already appeared on the network. Of course you can't if you use outdated methods. But read our website and understand that all is not lost.

How to switch to the official Windows 10 now

So is it still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free? After all, the message “update me, I’m all yours” no longer comes ten times a day, even on the official website it’s no longer possible to download for free and the license for the top ten is being sold with might and main. Yes, all of the above is true, but Microsoft left the last loophole. It still works, so we use it until we cover it:

1. Conditions for switching to Windows 10: you must have a licensed OS 7, 8 or 8.1
2. You need to go to one of the pages of the official Microsoft website. It offers a dozen for people with disabilities. It has special features such as a virtual keyboard or a magnifying glass (you can not turn it on). Otherwise, Winda is completely ordinary;
3. Click "Update Now" - an installation file is downloaded to your computer (look on the desktop);
4. Click on the file - it starts - follow the instructions.
5. After the reboot, we get a new ten for use.

How was it possible to go to the top ten earlier

Method number 1: update

So, if you needed to know how to completely switch to Windows 10 from a licensed "seven" or "eight", then the answer was quite simple:

• check if you have automatic updates enabled and, if so, just wait;
• sooner or later, an offer to upgrade would appear on your screen, after which you had to download a couple of gigabytes of files (all this would have happened without your intervention);
• then it’s trite to press the “Next” button until the new OS greets you from the PC screen.

To test the update service, you had to do the following:

Step #1

Open Start - Control Panel.

Step #2

Double click on the Update Center icon.

Step #3

Open the "Settings" section on the left side of the window.

Step #4

Switch the installation mode by selecting "Install updates automatically".

Step #5

Press OK.

Method number 2: insider

The second answer to the question of how it was possible to make the transition from Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8 to Windows 10 for free, suited those who at one time spared money for a license. In this case, you needed a Microsoft account that had access to the Microsoft Insider Program. Then it only remained to download one of the insider builds (fortunately, they are still lying around on torrents), and then wait until it is updated to the latest build.

True, it should be borne in mind that in the second case, you will act as a test subject, as you will receive all the new features and updates before other users. There are both pros and cons to this, for example, you may well get a "raw" software that has several errors. However, they are quickly corrected ...

That's all. Now you can tell your friends how to turn on Windows 10 upgrade.

A few users of the Vista operating system, which was the first to show the world the Aero interface used so far, so named because of the transparency effect of windows and their elements, faced the expected problem. The developers of Windows 10 did not provide for the ability to upgrade XP and Vista to "ten". To switch to a new operating system, it is recommended to download the image for its installation from the Microsoft website and perform a clean installation of the OS. But in this way you will have to buy a license key or use an unactivated version of Windows 10, which will remind you of this, periodically offer to purchase a key and will not allow you to change most of the appearance of the Metro interface.

For those who don't remember or don't know, you can only upgrade to Windows 10 using Windows 7 with the latest SP1 or having Windows 8.1 on your device. Knowing that Microsoft provides the ability to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7, we can conclude that theoretically it is possible to switch from Vista to Windows 7 using Windows 7 as an intermediate option.

Switching from Vista to the "seven"

• We check whether your computer meets the system requirements that Microsoft imposes on the "seven".

In principle, they have not changed since the release of Vista. The PC must be equipped with 1 GB of RAM to install 32-bit or twice as much RAM to install 64-bit Windows 7. A video card with DX9 support, a processor of the appropriate bit frequency of 1000 MHz and the presence of 16 (for x86) or 20 GB ( for x64) places to store operating system files and temporary files.

Just in case, create copies of important documents that are stored on the system partition, although the developers assure that they will all remain intact.

• We go to the Windows developer site and download an application called Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.
• Run the utility, accept the license agreement and install it.

• We call the adviser and click "Start Check" so that the program checks your computer for compatibility with the "seven".

The application requires an internet connection to work.

As a result of the check, the adviser will display detailed information about a possible update and suggest the optimal edition of Windows 7, as well as indicate possible problems (for example, in our case, Aero effects will not be available in Windows 7 due to a weak video card installed on the computer).

• We boot from the installation flash drive with the distribution kit of the "seven", which will be installed during the update process, and click "Install".

• We postpone downloading fresh updates and select the "Update" option.

The installer will check Vista's compatibility with the future operating system and display information about affected applications.

• Click "Next".

Here, the classic installation of Windows 7 will begin, saving all the information located on the system volume.

• After completing the process and starting Windows 7, go to the Update Center using the control panel.
• Click on the link "Search for updates", which is located on the left side of the window.

• After the scan is completed, click "Install Updates" in order to acquire the first and only upgrade package for the "seven".

This is one of the conditions for further upgrading to Windows 10.

Upgrading Windows 7 to Windows 10

Windows 10 is available to download from Microsoft for free. The only limitation of the non-activated "tens", which users will immediately notice, will be the inaccessibility of personalizing the appearance of the new OS.

But this drawback is also easily circumvented by turning off the Internet while customizing the appearance of windows.

Regardless of whether you had an activated or unlicensed Vista, like the "seven", the Media Creation Tool, which can be downloaded from the window OS developers website, will help you switch from the latter to Windows 10.

• Download the utility of the appropriate bit depth from the official page of its developer.
• We launch the program and stop at the option "Upgrade this PC now."

• We select the language of the updated system, its available edition, architecture and click "Next".

• We select the option "USB device" to install Windows 10 from a USB flash drive.

• Select the target flash drive if there are several connected.

All information from the drive, of course, will be deleted, so take care of creating a copy of the necessary data.

The end of downloading files and writing them to a USB flash drive will be marked by the appearance of a window asking you to read the license agreement and accept it.

• Click "Accept".

• We choose an acceptable option (the first or second is recommended).

• If the settings are correct, click Install.

From time to time, every Windows user begins to think about how to upgrade an outdated version of their system to a newer one. However, sooner or later, everyone will still have to switch to at least Windows 10, as Microsoft is gradually adapting all its application software (in particular, Microsoft Office, DirectX 12, modern shader support programs, etc.) specifically for the latest version of the OS .

Preparing for the upgrade

Some users are wondering: do I need to back up my files and settings before updating the system? It depends on the OS version that you currently have installed. If you decide to switch to the "top ten" from Windows XP or Vista, then it's better to take care of data backup. If you have Windows 7 or 8, then this is not necessary, since the automatic update process does not affect the existing data on the hard drives in any way. True, it is possible that individual programs will stop working due to bitness incompatibility with the new operating system.

Switching to Windows 10 from different original OS versions

Algorithms for updating the OS to Windows 10 can be divided into two options:

• upgrade from Windows XP or Vista;
• upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.

How to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows XP or Vista

For Windows XP/Vista users, unfortunately, the only way to upgrade to Windows 10 is a clean installation of the system. That is, you will need to install Windows 10 as the original OS, since the upgrade process for older versions such as XP and Vista is simply not available due to differences in system component builds. To install Windows 10 on a Windows XP/Vista PC, you must first create a bootable USB drive.

1. Go to the official Microsoft website and download the special Media Creation Tool by clicking on the "Download tool now" button. For detailed instructions on downloading and working with the utility, click on the auxiliary buttons in the form of circles with pluses
2. Launch the Media Creation Tool and after accepting the license agreement, select "Create installation media for another computer".
   Make sure you have a USB device connected to your computer before creating bootable media
3. In the settings window that appears, check the box next to the "Use recommended settings" line.
   You can also set the settings manually
4. Then select the option to create bootable media "USB flash drive". Click "Next".
   Remember that the size of the USB device must be at least 8 GB
5. Wait for the bootable media creation process to finish, and then you can exit the Media Creation Tool.
   The process of creating bootable media takes several minutes
6. Ready. Now you can start installing Windows using a bootable USB drive. Boot from it and follow the instructions that appear on the monitor screen.

Video: How to create a bootable USB drive with the Windows 10 operating system

How to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8

For Windows 7/8 users, there are several ways to upgrade to Windows 10, both free and paid.. All of them are relevant for both versions of the OS, and there are no differences in the update process.

Free Upgrade to Windows 10 (Special Edition)

Until recently, Microsoft provided owners of older operating systems with the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. However, this generous promotion expired on July 29, 2016. After that, users could upgrade to "tens" thanks to "a special edition for people with disabilities." But this method also ceased to be available on December 31, 2017. To date, there are no longer such official campaigns for updating the system, which can be seen by going to the official Microsoft website. Therefore, to upgrade to Windows 10, you have to use other options, which will be discussed below.

As of today, all promotions for a free upgrade to Windows 10 have long expired.

Upgrading with the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant

The Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant utility (“Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant”) was available during free upgrade promotions, after which it was removed from the official Microsoft website. The Upgrade Assistant has been replaced by a new utility - the Creation Tool, which does not have the ability to upgrade the OS to Windows 10. But today, the Upgrade Assistant can still be found and downloaded on thematic sites. In order to update Windows through this utility, you must:

1. Find and download Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant. After launching it, it will start checking the compatibility of your PC with the latest Windows 10 service pack.
   If at least one of the PC components is incompatible, a message will appear stating that the update is not possible
2. Upon completion of the check, the assistant will begin downloading all the necessary files to install and update the system.
   During the preparation of the update, you can continue to work on the computer by minimizing the "assistant" window
3. After downloading the update package, the assistant will automatically restart the PC.
   Rebooting the PC can be delayed by clicking on the line "Restart later"
4. After rebooting, Upgrade Assistant will automatically start the process to upgrade your system to Windows 10.
   The duration of the update process depends on the processing power of the PC

Windows Digital License Activation

This method is relevant for users who have previously purchased an official digital license for Windows 10 linked to a Microsoft account.

1. Go to the official Microsoft website and download the Media Creation Tool.
   After installing the Media Creation Tool, you can then use it to download and install Windows 10
2. After starting the program, you will be prompted to accept the license agreement. Then you will need to select the "Upgrade this PC now" option.
   You can also save Windows 10 to USB to create a bootable device
3. After clicking the "Next" button, a long process of downloading and checking all system components for updating will begin. At the same time, about a dozen successive windows will open sequentially.
   Before you begin the preparation phase of updating Windows, make sure you have enough free space on your system hard drive
4. Upon completion of the preparatory process, a window will appear informing you that the update is ready to be installed. Click the "Install" button.
   You can change the components selected for saving, marking only those that are really needed
5. Now all that remains is to wait for the installation process of Windows 10 to finish.
   After clicking the "Install" button, the standard installation process of Windows 10 will begin

After successfully updating Windows 7 to Windows 10, you should bind a “digital license” to it. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and click on the Settings tab. You can also open the "Settings" settings by pressing the WIN + I hotkey combination
2. Go to the Update & Security section and select the Activation setting. Then click on the "Add account" line.
   Clicking the "Learn More" link will provide Microsoft help on activating Windows.
3. Enter the required information (login and password) to sign in to your Microsoft account.
   You must already have a Microsoft account with an activated Windows 10 digital license
4. Done, your Windows 10 is now account bound and assigned a "digital license".
   After signing in with a Microsoft account, a message will appear in the OS activation field stating that Windows 10 is activated using a digital license

Connecting to the Digital Entitlement Partner Program

Digital Entitlement, or "Digital Resolution", is available only to members of the Windows Insider Partner Program (this program from Microsoft gives users the right to insider evaluation of Windows 10). To become a Windows Insider member and receive a "digital clearance" to upgrade your Windows OS to version 10, you must:

1. Go to the settings of the "Windows Insider Program" ("Start - Control Panel - Update and Security") and click the "Start" button.
   You can also open the program settings through the Windows search box
2. After starting the settings, you will need to sign in to your Microsoft account (if you do not have an account, you will have to create one).
   You can also create a Microsoft account through the official website of the corporation.
3. Upon completion of the account integration with the OS, you will be prompted to choose one of three Windows Insider build packages:
   
4. After confirming the selection, your computer will automatically restart.
   Restarting the PC can be delayed if necessary
5. After rebooting the system, go to the "Windows Update" settings and click on the "Check for updates" button. The Windows 10 update package will automatically download and install.
   If the button is not pressed, it means that the process of automatically downloading updates is already running
6. Wait for the update process to finish and restart your PC.

Video: How to become a member of the Windows Insider Program

After updating Windows through "digital release", even if you download the Windows Insider build package number three, it still does not guarantee stable operation of the system (update files will still be test files). In addition, you will have to update the system more often (it will become mandatory), and the resulting version of Windows 10 will not be truly licensed (you will only be given a trial version for 90 days, followed by automatic renewal).

Purchasing a license activation key

There are two options for purchasing a license activation key for Windows 10.

Buying license digital keys for Windows 10 on third-party marketplaces often causes problems. The most common of them are non-working activation keys or the purchase of temporary "OEM licenses" (keys that are revoked by developers after a certain time). In order to protect yourself as much as possible when buying on third-party trading platforms, you must carefully check all the information provided, namely: the reliability of the seller, the type and version of the activation key, the availability of a return within 30 days.

To date, there are several ways to upgrade Windows 7 and 8 to "tens". In addition to purchasing a digital license or an activation key, you can also become a member of the Microsoft partner testing program for free or use a special utility. For users of Windows XP and Vista, there are no alternatives other than a "clean" reinstallation of the system.