How to update Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 using Windows Update
The only options you had previously to upgrade from an older copy of Windows to a new one was to run the installer either while the installed operating system was running or by booting from an installation disc or Flash drive to initiate it.
Microsoft wants to make things more comfortable and has added an option to upgrade to Windows 10 using Windows Update.
Windows Update is the operating system's updating service which is best known for delivering security patches once a month to supported Windows devices.
The core benefit of upgrading via Windows Update is convenience. You don't need to download the ISO image of Windows 10, don't need to burn it to DVD or copy it to a USB Flash Drive, and don't need to run it afterwards on your system.
Note: Windows 10 is not ready for prime time yet and it is not suggested to upgrade your work system to it. It is ideal if you have a spare system and want to try it out or a full backup that you can restore.
The upgrade process
The first thing you need to do is downloaded a small program from Microsoft which prepares your Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating system for the upgrade.
It is a 10 Megabyte file that runs automatically on your computer after you execute it. It requires a restart of the PC so that the changes it made take effect.
The device will boot into the current operating system after restart.
- Open Windows Update on the PC now. You can tap on the Windows-key, type Windows Update and hit enter to do so.
- There you need to click on the check for updates button. It may take a while for the check to complete.
- In the end, the update to Windows 10 should be displayed which you can run with a click on the install button.
- As you can see on the screenshot above, the update has a size of 2.8 Gigabyte. The download may take a while depending on your Internet connection speed.
- The update installer runs the same upgrade process as the ISO installer.
Important remarks
It seems possible to go back to the old operating system after the update. While that is the case, it is highly suggested that you create a backup of your important files and data before you proceed with the update.
Update: Some users have reported that they had no option to go back to the old operating system after upgrading to Windows 10. As I said earlier, if there is any chance that you may want to go back to the old system, do a full backup so that you can restore it.
If you are running a 32-bit version of Windows, you cannot upgrade to 64-bit versions of Windows 10.
There is also no option to change the interface language during the upgrade process.
You can remove the "update to Windows 10 preparation update" again from Windows. You find it in the installed updates list as "Update for Microsoft Windows (KB2990214)".
Closing Words
Windows 10 will be a free upgrade in the first year to all (home) customers who run Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 devices and it is likely that Microsoft will make Windows Update one of the delivery options for the update.
Now You: What's your Windows 10 upgrade experience?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help