How to install Windows 10
Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 on Wednesday, making the new operating system available to the vast majority of the PC and Windows tablet universe.
For those who were frustrated by Windows 8, this should be a welcome update. So how do you jump on board?
First things first: You should figure out if you can upgrade and how much it's going to cost.
Most Windows-based PCs out there should be able to upgrade, but not all of their owners will be able to do so for free.
If you're still among the portion of the Microsoft-using world that uses Windows Vista or Windows XP, you'll have to buy the new system for $179.
If you're working with a computer that's running one of those systems, chances are that it's also probably pretty old. (Microsoft, in its own FAQ on the upgrade, not-so-subtly suggests it may be time for a computer upgrade if that's the case).
So you should also make sure that your computer is capable of running Windows 10. Microsoft has some technical specification requirements on its website that you should check out if you fall into this category.
Windows users who are already running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 should be eligible for a free upgrade for the next year — so you can wait to install if you want, but don't wait forever.
Those folks should be able to download the new system for free straight from their desktop, via the "Get Windows 10" app that will appear in the lower-right corner of their screen.
Follow the instructions in that app and you should be good to go.
If you don't have the "Get Windows" app or haven't gotten any notification about upgrading, don't worry.
Microsoft is rolling out the upgrade in phases, since having everyone downloading a system at the same time could be overwhelming for its systems.
But if you want to make sure you're going to get one down the line, check to make sure that your computer is set to get automatic updates.
To do that, you should head to your settings menu and click on the section that refers to updates — "Windows Update" in Windows 7 or "Update and recovery" in Windows 8.1 — to turn on the option to receive important updates.
For those who really want a hard copy of the update, or those who may be looking to install Windows 10 on a newly built PC, Microsoft is offering some of those in retail stores.
It's always a good idea to backup important files before you start installing any new system, so be sure to get those key documents, photos or other files onto an external drive or into the cloud before you hit the "Install" button.
People are reporting that upgrading takes anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour, so go ahead and grab a snack while you wait.
After Windows 10, Microsoft is going to change the way it updates its operating system, making smaller, more frequent updates rather than letting a couple of years go by between major releases.
So, in theory, you won't have to ever do this sort of thing again; future updates should just come to your computer automatically.
