1. Preparing for Windows 10 - Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 Systems
Note on preparing for Windows 10. Windows 10 will reach RTM on the 1st of July 2015. If you have a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 (including Windows 8 licenses updated to Windows 8.1) OEM license you should get a notification on the Taskbar which is the Get Windows 10 App.
- Windows 10 RTM (Build 10240) is out for Windows Insiders (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- What you need to know Preparing for the Free Upgrade to Windows 10 Including Microsoft Product Activation Issues (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- A Sneak Glance at Windows 10 Insider 10147 (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- Windows FAQs (Microsoft)
- I want to Reserve my free copy of Windows 10 but I don't see the Icon on the Taskbar (Microsoft Forums)
A .iso should be made available for clean installation:
2. Dell System Drivers
This concerns Dell OEM licenses which dictates Dell driver support and does not cover Retail Licenses:
- Windows Vista was released on January the 30th 2007
- Windows 7 was released on October the 22nd 2009
- Windows 8 was released on August the 1st 2012
- Windows 8.1 was released on August the 27th 2013
You can check the date of your system model by looking on the Dell FTP Website. For older models look at the release date of the lowest BIOS revision for an idea. You are best to have the latest BIOS installed before installing Windows 10.
Windows XP and Vista Systems (Legacy BIOS)
Most systems sold before Late 2009 do not have Dell Windows 7/8.1 OEM licenses and are classified as Vista and XP systems.
As a general rule of thumb:
- Desktop Models <2005 will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
- Laptop Models <2006 will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
- Systems with IDE and DDR RAM will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
The systems I have listed as compatible for Windows 8.1 in Unofficial Driver Sets should run Windows 10. More than likely these systems should have all the necessary system drivers inbuilt or automatically by Windows Update. The unofficial drivers may be used for Dell specific utilities such as Dell Quickset.
Note most Vista systems classified as Late 2008, Early 2009, Mid 2009 may have had the BIOS updated and were eligible for the free upgrade for Windows 7 (so can be thought of as the category of early Windows 7 systems in terms regarding driver support).
These systems will have MBR (non-UEFI BIOS) and it should be upgraded to the latest version before installation of Windows 10.
Clean installation of Windows 10 from .iso is recommended. You will need to download the Windows 10 RTM .iso, prepare a 8 GB Bootable USB (for MBR non-UEFI BIOS). More details about the RTM .iso will be given when known.
Note: If there has been no Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 Retail license used on these systems perform a clean installation of the Windows 10 Insider Preview otherwise you will need to pay for a full Windows license and for hardware of this vintage in many cases its not worthwhile.
Early Windows 7 Systems (Legacy BIOS)
Dell therefore has been selling Windows 7 systems for ~6 years. The warranty period on the other hand is about 3 years. It is unlikely Dell will invest time and resources in providing drivers for systems sold in the time period Late 2009 - Mid 2012.
These systems will have MBR (non-UEFI BIOS) and it should be upgraded to the latest version before installation of Windows 10. Before installation of Windows 10 you should upgrade Dell Backup and Recovery to the latest version and prepare a 16 GB USB Flash Drive Media see instructions in Dell Backup and Recovery 1.8.1.71. Note early systems will be unable to boot from an External Hard Drive so its pointless making recovery media from the External Hard Drive.
Clean installation of Windows 10 from .iso is recommended. You will need to download the Windows 10 RTM .iso, prepare a 8 GB Bootable USB (for MBR non-UEFI BIOS). More details about the RTM .iso will be given when known.
More than likely these systems should have all the necessary system drivers inbuilt or automatically by Windows Update. The official Dell drivers for Windows 7 may be used for Dell specific utilities such as Dell Quickset.
Mid Windows 7 Systems and Windows 8 Systems (UEFI BIOS)
For the systems sold Mid 2012 to Mid 2013 that came with Windows 8 it is recommended to clean install Windows 8.1 see here this prevents issues in system performance and Windows Update due to distribution of Windows 8 via the Windows Store. Systems sold within this period will have a UEFI BIOS and it should be upgraded to the latest version before installing Windows 10.
For systems in this time period sold with Windows 7 you should upgrade Dell Backup and Recovery to the latest version and prepare USB Flash Drive or USB External Hard Drive Installation Media see instructions in Dell Backup and Recovery 1.8.1.71.
Clean installation of Windows 10 from .iso is recommended. You will need to download the Windows 10 RTM .iso, prepare a 8 GB Bootable USB (FAT32 formatted for GPT UEFI BIOS). More details about the RTM .iso will be given when known. After preparing installation media if your system shipped with Windows 7 adjust your BIOS settings to Enable UEFI and SecureBoot.
More than likely these systems should have all the necessary system drivers inbuilt or automatically by Windows Update however. The official Dell drivers for Windows 8 may be used for Dell specific utilities such as Dell Quickset.
Dell are unlikely to test these systems for functionality as they are out of warranty.
Late Windows 7 Systems and Windows 8.1 Systems (UEFI BIOS)
For the systems sold after Mid 2013, these will have a UEFI BIOS and it should be upgraded to the latest version before installing Windows 10.
For systems in this time period sold with Windows 7 or 8.1 you should upgrade Dell Backup and Recovery to the latest version and prepare USB Flash Drive or USB External Hard Drive Installation Media see instructions in Dell Backup and Recovery 1.8.1.71.
Clean installation of Windows 10 from .iso is recommended. You will need to download the Windows 10 RTM .iso, prepare a 8 GB Bootable USB (FAT32 formatted for GPT UEFI BIOS). More details about the RTM .iso will be given when known. After preparing installation media if your system shipped with Windows 7 adjust your BIOS settings to Enable UEFI and SecureBoot.
Look for any Windows 10 Driver Updates by Dell.
3. Preparing for Windows 10 - Windows Vista and Windows XP Users
You will not get the Get Windows 10 App as Windows Vista and Windows XP are not eligible for the free upgrade to Windows 10. Systems upgraded previously to Windows 7 Retail or Windows 8.1 Retail should get the Get Windows 10 App and be offered a path to Windows 10 RTM.
Microsoft's representative Gabriel Aul has made it known that there will be no cutoff for Windows 10 Insiders so its recommended for Windows 10 so what are you waiting for install Windows 10 Insider?
- Download Windows 10 Insider Preview (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- How to Qualify PCs Running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Linux for the Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer (Microsoft MVP Andre Da Costa)
Again as a general rule of thumb:
- Desktop Models <2005 will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
- Laptop Models <2006 will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
- Systems with IDE and DDR RAM will not run Windows 10 - Recycle these.
4. Windows 10 - Preview and Sneak Peak
You may take out the Windows 10 10130 Insider Preview out for a spin to get a taste of Windows 10 or alternatively look at the screenshots of my guide:
- The Windows 10 Insider Preview .iso and Notes on Virtualisation or a Physical Install (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- A sneak glance at Windows 10 Build 10125 (Dell Community Rockstar Philip Yip)
- Windows 10: The Next Chapter (Channel 9)
- Upgrading to Windows 10 (Channel 9)