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This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Computer Basics Absolute Beginner's Guide, Windows 10 Edition, 8th EditionComputer Basics Absolute Beginner's Guide, Windows 10 Edition, 8th Edition

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This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Computer Basics Absolute Beginner's Guide, Windows 10 Edition, 8th EditionComputer Basics Absolute Beginner's Guide, Windows 10 Edition, 8th Edition

Learn More Buy

Windows 10 for Windows 7 Users

It’s fair to say that the last great version of Windows was Windows 7. It was so beloved that most Windows 7 users didn’t upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1; they kept running 7 on their old machines and avoided buying new PCs so that they wouldn’t have to run the dreaded Windows 8. (Nobody liked Windows 8. Trust me on this one.)

But Windows 7 is starting to get a little long in the tooth, and many of those older Windows 7 PCs are starting to show their age. There’s a raft of Windows 7 users who’ve been holding out on upgrading until something better than Windows 8 came along. That something is Windows 10.

If you’re a Windows 7 user, you’ll find Windows 10 extremely familiar. I view Windows 10 as the natural upgrade to Windows 7 that Windows 8 should have been but wasn’t. Windows 10 sticks with everything that people liked about Windows 7 and makes some natural and quite useful enhancements.

What will Windows 7 users find new in Windows 10? Here’s a short list:

  • There is no Start screen or full-screen Modern apps to deal with. By moving from Windows 7 directly to Windows 10 you avoid everything that everybody hated about Windows 8.
  • The translucent Aero interface is gone, replaced by a more contemporary flat interface design with minimal windows “chrome.” (Although the Start menu is still somewhat see-through.)
  • There aren’t any desktop “gadgets” in Windows 10. Sorry about that.
  • The Start menu has been substantially revamped. Pinned apps now appear as live resizable tiles on the Start menu, and the Start menu itself is resizable.
  • You now sign into Windows with a Microsoft account. You can sign into multiple PCs (all running Windows 10) with the same account and have your personal options appear on the other PCs.
  • There’s a newer, faster, more compatible web browser to replace the older, slower Internet Explorer. The new browser is called Edge, and it has a similar (but edgier) “e” shortcut icon as the older Internet Explorer.
  • Windows Explorer is renamed to File Explorer, with a new ribbon interface.
  • The Task Manager tool is completely overhauled to make it more functional.
  • The Windows Defender antivirus/antispyware tool is still included, free of charge.
  • Windows adds options to both refresh and reset the operating system in case of severe system problems.

In terms of compatibility, Windows 10 should run just fine on a Windows 7 PC. You may find some compatibility issues with some older software, so check with Microsoft or your software publisher to make sure everything works well together.

You should be able to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing any of your files, programs, or settings. Any Windows 7 user can upgrade to Windows 10 for free, for the first year of release.

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Last Update: November 17, 2020