The ultimate guide to obtaining and installing Windows 10

Hear ye, here ye, Windows 10 has finally arrived, once again reversing the blight caused by Microsoft’s consistent pattern of launching one excellent OS followed by one awful OS. Windows 10 is the former, rectifying many of the nuisances introduced by Windows 8. But on flipside, Windows 10 is unlike any other OS released up to this point: it’s free and is the last numbered OS. Going forward, Microsoft plans to constantly update and improve the software over time, adding new features as it sees fit.

Initially, it was thought that those who opted to be Windows Insiders would be the first to acquire it, along with anyone registered for the upgrade or purchase an up-to-date PC beginning July 30. To everyone’s surprise, loads of other people have been given the option to download and install the software with additional invites coming in waves.

Simply check your system tray to verify if you’re eligible. Those who qualify will see a Windows 10 reservation icon. In time, all will qualify . Next, click to expand the menu and chose the “Check your PC” option to display a compatibility report with your current version of Windows. If you’re currently running Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1, then you’re most likely ready to go, although in some instances you may need to upgrade certain drivers if you have not yet done so.

But first, some things to know:

• Windows 10 is not available to users of Vista and XP
• The process outlined below details how to install Windows 10 using a consumer version of Windows, volume licensing customers such as business will have their own activation keys.
• If you have not yet backed up your data, do so now (there’s always the possibility of something going wrong, even if you’re just upgrading an existing OS instead performing a clean install). Copy your files onto external storage of into the cloud if you’re so inclined.

Presuming your PC is eligible for Windows 10, you’ll have the option to upgrade the current OS and automatically retain your content. Doing so will also preserve fragments of your previously installed OS in addition to generating a unique hardware hash that’s based on your system’s hardware configuration along with a certificate of validation. The hardware hash and certificate will be stored on Microsoft’s servers so that if you ever decide to reformat your PC, you won’t need to retroactively install Windows 7 or 8.1 before proceeding to install Windows 10.

If the “upgrade this PC” option doesn’t work for whatever reason, or you prefer to a clean install devoid of an extra “baggage,” then you’ll need to visit Microsoft’s web page to download and place the files on a USB drive (Yes, we can format Windows like that now) or create a bootable ISO image. Once the download is complete, engage the setup.exe to initiate the upgrade process or boot from the USB or ISO and proceed with the clean install.

Clean install
Unfortunately the vast majority of users will opt for the upgrade because of its ease, but clean installs are always superior. Upgrading an from an pre-installed OS increases the likelihood of bugs, compatibility issues, and missing DLL files that’ll compromise the system’s overall performance and piss you off. I highly recommend clean installs.

Assuming you’ve gone this route, select “skip this step” anywhere it asks you to input a product key, and continue with the standard installation process. The required hardware hash and its accompanying certificate will generate automatically; verify that it worked under Settings > Update & Security > Activation. If not, proceed from there. Future updates may require additional reactivation, but engaging the activation process should allow you to reinstall Windows 10 without needing a product key.

Pirated or non-genuine Windows
When Microsoft first announced Windows 10, the company mentioned that users of pirated Windows will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. This is true for the most; you’ll still get a notification telling you to download it, but you won’t be able to use it forever. If you upgrade, Microsoft will required you purchase a product key/license otherwise Windows 10 locks after a 30-day or so trial period.

Source: Winsupersite.com, Anandtech, and myself