They're free to install Windows 10 anytime, without having to jump through any hoops. The vast majority of Windows PCs sold in the past seven years included Windows 10 licenses, and businesses who have stuck with Windows 7 have typically done so by exercising downgrade rights. Here are ZDNET's top picks for a variety of use cases. Those OEMs are none too happy about the idea of extending the life of an older PC they would much rather have you buy a brand-new PC instead. Remember, Microsoft's Windows business is predicated on its partnership with PC makers, who pay a license fee for every copy of Windows they install on a new PC. The answer to that first question is easy. Why is Microsoft doing this? And is there a catch? Although Microsoft officially ended its free upgrade offer one year after the initial release of Windows 10, in mid-2016, it continues to make the upgrade free (and painless) for its retail customers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 nearly seven years later.Īlso: The ultimate Windows troubleshooting trick With those exceptions aside, the conclusion is inescapable. For details, see my "Windows 10 tip: Use setup log files to troubleshoot installation problems." Chris Hoffman at How-To Geek has also written an excellent summary of troubleshooting techniques: " How to Fix 'What Needs Your Attention' Windows 10 Setup Errors." You might be able to use the SetupDiag tool to examine the log files after a failed upgrade to determine the cause of the failure.
As a precaution, disconnect all non-essential external devices before trying again. You should also check with the PC manufacturer to see if there are updated drivers for the motherboard's chipset, storage controllers, network adapters, display adapters, and other important hardware devices. That's especially true on a PC that was designed before the release of Windows 10 in 2015. If you encounter a compatibility block, the first thing to do is check for a BIOS or firmware update.
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