Upgrading an operating system comes with an obscene amount of considerations. This is especially true for business owners and those that use their computers and laptops for business purposes. With Microsoft offering Windows 10 free of charge, you’re probably tempted to upgrade as soon as possible. Before you do that read this blog to learn what you should know before upgrading to Windows 10.
It Is Still Very Early
One thing about all software, no matter who manufactures it, is there are usually hiccups in the early days. That alone should let you know that sometimes waiting a little while is for the best. Early builds, even highly tested ones, often have bugs and unforeseen issues.
Sometimes, a good strategy is to let the early adopters figure things out first. After all, you have a full year to upgrade for no charge. In that time, other users will discover problems, Microsoft will release patches and updates, and there will be more of a knowledge base about the product.
If you do upgrade, you will find a huge temptation to keep the new operating system updated. Those early updates always come with the potential to do your files some harm. Remember, even though the operating system has been in development for a while, the actual roll out is still prone to mistakes.
Can you imagine updating to fix some small issue, and then finding your OS is corrupted or that you lost all your files? It can be devastating.
New Security Concerns
New and improved doesn’t always mean safer and more secure. New software with new features often introduces new security concerns. When an OS is new, there are knowledgeable individuals trying to figure out ways to infiltrate it. This is important, because exploits need discovery and patching.
So if you give it a little time, then you will have a new operating system with far fewer vulnerabilities. Yes, you want to get your hands on those new features, but you don’t want to jeopardize the integrity of your business in the process.
Take Control of Your Upgrade
The first few points should not scare you away from the upgrade. In reality, bad updates and security concerns are always present, not just when software is new. So if you want to go ahead with the upgrade to Windows 10, then feel free.
However, you need to take control of your upgrade. Don’t just do it and hope for the best.
- Know the Windows 10 system requirements for your device(s)
- Backup everything important, twice if you can
- If possible, make an entire image of your current hard drive
- Disconnect any unnecessary equipment
- Disable antivirus and security programs during the upgrade
- Create a system restore point
Out of all of these, the backups are the most important part. As long as you have good backups of the files that are most important to you, you have nothing to fear. The Windows 10 upgrade happens over your current operating system. You will have the option to roll it back to your previous operating system if you don’t like it.
Microsoft has given you a lot of power over this upgrade. As a responsible business owner, you should take advantage of that power and do your upgrade right.{{cta(‘83409834-2e41-48f4-89e9-1aeb5b7e055b’,’justifycenter’)}}
Written By Kevin Gray
Hello! I am the Sales Manager and one of the Senior IT Consultants @ EnvisionIT Solutions. I help our clients envision great technology solutions that help their businesses grow. Let me know if you have any questions. I am an avid outdoorsman who loves fly fishing and camping. I also love sports – soccer, basketball, football….