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Where is the Windows 10 compatibility checker?

Anonymous
2019-10-14T11:53:11+00:00

Now that Windows 7 support is ending, I'm going to have to move to Windows 10. But the compatibility checker seems to have disappeared from the MS site - anyone here know where it's gone to?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

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  1. Neil D 32,830 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-10-14T14:59:08+00:00

    If you feel happy with a Linux distro then go for that.

    I think MS made the tool available to check at the time if hardware of the time was compatible with the version of Windows 10 as it was released in 2015, I think things have moved on since then. Windows 10 has gone through many versions and developing as it goes.

    They have got generic drivers for most motherboard functions and basic sound. Graphics is different and it relies on the manufacturers drivers for graphics support. I bought my custom built system in 2010 and apart from a graphics card upgrade it still runs the latest version of Windows 10, no problem. I don't know how long that will last.

    I suspect all of us with older systems will have to bite the bullet and upgrade hardware eventually.

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  1. Neil D 32,830 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-10-14T20:52:40+00:00

    Be aware the upgrade may not activate with a Windows 7 licence, the free upgrade period for Windows 7/8 to Windows 10 was July 2015 to July 2016. Although I see in this forum others have received activation after a recent upgrade.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-10-14T18:17:47+00:00

    I'm not entirely happy with the idea of changing OSs, as I have some Windows-only apps, including some Visual Basic ones that I wrote myself and don't fancy rewriting them in another language.

    I've not yet got round to checking the graphics card as I was rather hoping that MS would tell me if it's not going to work....

    I have a nasty feeling that I'm going to have to try it and revert to Win7 if it doesn't work (having made disk images of course). Which is a pain.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-10-14T14:46:03+00:00

    I don't think there is one now. There may have been something originally during the free upgrade period 2015 to 2016 but as Windows 10 has moved on the upgrade path is more difficult.

    Do you have your device spec or make and model. Do the manufacturer offer any Windows 10 support.

    I know there used to be one, and I can't (apart from bloody-mindedness) see why MS should remove the product just because the free period is over. I feel that I should be allowed to find out if my machine will support Win 10 before I pay for it.

    Yes, I've got the spec, but the mobo's quite old and the mfr doesn't officially support it. Sad.

    I can't think of a better advertisement for Linux.

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  4. Neil D 32,830 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-10-14T13:35:33+00:00

    I don't think there is one now. There may have been something originally during the free upgrade period 2015 to 2016 but as Windows 10 has moved on the upgrade path is more difficult.

    There is the spec requirements

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-specifications but these are the bare minimum.

    Do you have your device spec or make and model. Do the manufacturer offer any Windows 10 support.

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