What does Win 10 Update do?

[Oldwolf]

That seems like an obvious answer (The title that is). But I currently have Windows 7 professional 64bit. I have Steam with over 400 games installed. I have an incredible amount of other files and things stored on my 4tb total of storage space. What will change what will be lost?

I am retired but my wife still works. Her PC has all of her Business' files and information so she would like to know also. I know enough about computers, hardware, software etc. to get myself in real trouble so forgive me if this is a simple question. I just need to be sure of what I am doing before I upgrade.

Thanks for reading my post and for any help,

Oldwolf

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
On a good day the update would replace your current os and integrate your files... into it,

On a bad day no telling not many have done it yet it's not released,
The bad days always remind us to do full backups and a reliable system image before doing such a drastic step like replacing and integrated a new os in your world

Heck you can still join the insiders program and test win-10tp if you'd like too,
Download Windows 10 Insider Preview ISO - Microsoft Windows
See if you like it.

 

[4wd]

I just need to be sure of what I am doing before I upgrade.

IMO nobody (incl. MS) knows yet how w10 upgrade will behave on the myriad of different w7\w8 hardware\software combinations, I'd say wait and read news and forums, give time for drivers to catch up, evaluate if one needs\wants w10 (w7 supported for many years to come), and if going ahead with the upgrade, follow that good advice posted above:

do full backups and a reliable system image before doing such a drastic step

& if w10 gets to some pc's here, it'll definitely be clean installs, not upgrades. btw, testing the w10 previews, Classic Shell works fine!

 

[AddRAM]

You should seriously consider looking at Windows 10 before you upgrade, you may not like it at all.

But, you shouldn`t loose anything

You have a year to upgrade, there`s no rush, and you don`t have to if you don`t want to.

 

[Ztruker]

Backup, Backup, Backup.

Nothing else will guarantee no loss of data in case something goes wrong. What happens if you hard drive dies or the motherboard goes bad?

Do an image backup to a large external hard drive (1TB or larger) and then you can always recover, no matter what happens, unless of course the external hard drive dies, then it's over.

 

[cluberti]

Best advice yet ^. You only have 30 days to roll back to Windows previous once you upgrade to Win10 RTM, so having a backup in any case is a good idea. As to Steam, I'd say it should work, but who knows for sure. It's worked a few times on my end during testing, but I don't have that many games.

 

[Oldwolf]

I want to thank everybody who answered my query. I Just wanted to be certain of what to do. As I stated, I get into trouble with PCs the moment I think I know something

 

[ThrashZone]

No problem
lol That's why we learn from mistakes and share with others

10tp is okay but yea you should test it on it's own hdd first with no other drives connected and try to install your most used programs... to see first hand how 10 will work.
It's the best way to test a new os in your environment

Then you get to the entire windows update delivering the new os.... and those are unknown issues that might happen,
Cheers.

 

[Seffrid]

Unless you know that there's something about Windows 10 that you both must have, there is absolutely no need to rush into an upgrade (or even make the upgrade at all).

The best advice is to sit tight for a few months and then assess the situation once other users have exposed the teething issues and manufacturers and developers have had a chance to upgrade their drivers and applications. Even then, however, if Windows 10 offers no specific features that you need then there's really no point in making the upgrade. In particular, the loss of control over the installation of Windows Updates and the omission of Windows Media Center from Windows 10 are two very good reasons to hold fire on any upgrade.

 

[ThrashZone]

Good point if you use and enjoy windows media center it will be removed and you'll need a substitute

 

[Oldwolf]

Wowa! Loss of control over Windows Updates!? That is a kick in the pants! Microsoft will keep pushing these gestapo tactics no matter how many times the outcry forces them to change. They just don't care about the embarrassment that comes with mistakes like this.

It's bad enough living with what I imagine is going on behind the curtain with current Microsoft products, but if this gets through they will take full advantage and who will stop them from the kind of espionage and data theft they are really after to control the markets?

I would take my tinfoil hat off but now I am afraid

 

[AddRAM]

Paranoid ?

 

[NoelDP]

If you read the License terms for your current install, MS have always had the right to push software onto your machine. They simply haven't taken advantage of it (much).
Now they are going to - but on the performance of the last 12 moths of Win7 updates, I'm not exactly sanguine at the prospect myself!