Free Windows 10 Upgrade Ends July 29

Free Windows 10 Upgrade Ends July 29: Should Your SMB Upgrade

Time is running out for small and medium-sized businesses to take advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade. With just a few days to go, this offer is set to expire on Friday, July 29, 2016. And as an SMB owner or IT manager, ignoring to do so can be a costly mistake, (up to $199 per computer for Windows 10 Pro, to be exact!). Though Windows 10 may provide many benefits to win over end-users (such as the return of the Start menu), it’s important to note that upgrading blindly may impact your IT infrastructure negatively.

Here are 5 things business owners should know before clicking “Upgrade Now”.

  1. Privacy concerns. Microsoft is more than likely to collect your personal information, thanks to Cortana (Microsoft's virtual assistant). And you may not even realize it. Via Windows 10, your account settings and data will link to the OS, collecting saved information like application and Wi-Fi passwords, browsing history, data from documents uploaded to OneDrive and even content from emails.
  2. Data Loss. It’s business critical to back up all your computer files, especially before upgrading to a new operation system. Though rolling out Windows 10 shouldn’t result in missing or corrupt files, it’s recommended that your IT department backup all your documents and media files beforehand. Once you upgrade, it may be very difficult to recover missing files that didn’t copy over correctly.
  3. Employee Preparedness. Don’t be surprised if your employees don’t know how to use Windows 10. Abruptly upgrading your operating system can lead to a drop in productivity and a surge in helpdesk assistance. To ensure a smooth transition for your staff, your helpdesk team needs to be ready to provide training and user support.
  4. No License, No Upgrade. Machines running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 are eligible to move to Windows 10 at no cost, as long as they have a valid license. However, computers still running on Windows 7 need to upgrade to SP1 and those running Windows 8 need to upgrade to 8.1, all before moving to Windows 10.
  5. Minimum System Requirements. If your PC or tablet is under 3 years old, it’s more than likely able to run Windows 10. However, devices that are more than three years old may not meet Microsoft’s official minimum specs:
  • OS: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update
  • Processor: 1GHz or faster
  • RAM: 1GB RAM for a 32-bit system or 2GB RAM for a 64-bit system
  • Hard drive space: 16GB for a 32-bit system or 20GB for a 64-bit system
  • Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
  • Display: 1024 x 600 resolution

Before SMBs owners give in to the urge for a free Windows 10 upgrade, be sure that the new OS can support your company’s legacy software. The IT professionals at Tech Rage IT are here to guide you through the upgrade process and any technology changes that the new operating system will bring. Call us today to discuss any concerns or challenges you may be having regarding the free Windows 10 upgrade or your IT environment!