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Windows 8 - Your Options in January 2023
After 10 January 2023 Windows 8.1 will no longer receive security updates. Therefore if you continue to use Windows 8 after this date you are opening yourself up to an increasing security risk. And don’t think because you have a security package such as Norton or McAfee that this will protect you. It's time to upgrade and I will outline all of your options.
You don't have to buy a new computer
If you are running Window1 8.1 you don’t have to buy a new computer. It is still possible to get a free upgrade to Windows 10. Yes, a free upgrade! I’ve updated lots of Windows 8 computers to Windows 10 without having to buy a brand new Windows license.
Isn’t my laptop too old to run Windows 10
The simple answer is No! If your computer currently runs Windows 8 then it will run Windows 10, and probably run even better.
Furthermore, you will probably find Windows 10 runs better than Windows 8 You also get a proper Start button again, just like Windows 7 and previous versions.
Almost all of your software programs and hardware such as printers will work on Windows 10. I can’t guarantee everything will work but the chances are definitely in your favour.
Speeding up your old Windows 8 computer
Your Windows 8 computer, laptop or Desktop PC, is very likely going to have an old style spinning hard drive. There are two issues with this:
- Hard drives don’t last forever. On average around 8-10 years As your Windows 8 computer is likely to be a similar age this is good time to upgrade the hard drive. All hard drives fail eventually which why it’s so important to backup.
- The new types of hard drives are called Solid State Drives SSDs. They are much faster than spinning hard drives so putting one of these into your computer will make it run much, much faster.
How to upgrade to Windows 10
There are two methods to upgrade, both of which involve upgrading the hard drive to a new SSD.
Clone existing hard drive to the new SSD drive and then do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10. This has the advantage of everything on your computer stays the same with regards to personal files and software programs installed. But everything will run much faster. Cloning works very well for most customers. However, sometimes it doesn’t work and in these situations a fresh installation is best.
Do a fresh installation of Windows 10 and then copy across your personal files and reinstall software programs such as Microsoft Office and Google Chrome and other programs you like to use. I’ll also setup your printer and scanner and other devices you use.
What about Windows 11
Firstly, a Windows 8 computer will not be able to upgrade to Windows 11. Secondly, my personal experience of Windows 11 has not been good. I’ve seen far too many problems with Windows 11. From things not working as they should do to a poor user experience in general using Windows 11 I continue to recommend that customers stay on Windows 10 for as long as possible. As Windows 10 will be supported till October 2025 this a perfectly feasible option.
How much does it cost to upgrade my computer to Windows 10
the prices below include a brand new SSD hard drive, a free upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 10 and transfer of all your files and programs.
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01628 298 820