Windows 10: The Good and The Bad

It has been just over a year since Windows 10 was released, and some businesses are still unsure whether or not they should update to Windows 10 from their current operating system. You may be thinking it is time to update your organization's operating system to this new iteration of Windows. Not so fast. Here are some of the issues you may encounter with your upgrade:

Failed Upgrade

While Windows 10 is lighter, and definitely the way to go in the future, it may not be a wise move at this point in time. Some who have updated have experienced issues and have not been able to rollback to the previous version. If you are thinking of updating it is imperative that you take a full (image based) backup of your computer. Having this complete backup will protect you from a failed upgrade process that you cannot undo. Talk to your IT professional to ensure you are backing up correctly.

Compatibility Issues

In addition, some users have also experienced issues with existing hardware and software not getting along with Windows 10. Older printers and scanners are commonplace in many offices, and they won’t necessarily work with Windows 10. In order to know for sure, you have to upgrade, test, and see if it works. This process can be time consuming, not to mention risky. Your best bet is to buy a new computer with Windows 10 on it down the road, once there has been sufficient testing of the new operating system. Older computers will have little, if any, testing with Windows 10.

Who Should Update?

There are some businesses that make excellent candidates for upgrading to Windows 10. Upgrade if all of these are true:

1. Your business is predominantly web based work
2. You have relatively new hardware (printer, scanner, etc.)
3. You have mixed operating systems (Windows 7, 8, 8.1) within your workplace.

If, on the other hand, your company falls into the following categories, we recommend holding off. Don’t upgrade if:

1. Your company uses mostly old hardware (computers, printers, scanners, fax, etc.)
2. You use any kind of specialized software to run your business
3. You operate in a big corporate environment

Many people have upgraded to Windows 10 and experienced no issues at all, but it is important to outline the risks and take the necessary precautions before upgrading. With Windows 10, the longer you wait to upgrade, the better. The longer you wait the more tested it will be and the greater chance your staff will have a computer running 10 at home, making the learning curve easier. This will save many hours of training and onboarding and ultimately save your business unnecessary expenses.

While Windows 10 is similar to 7 in many ways, there are critical changes that will take getting used to. Talk to your company’s IT professional before making changes to your operating systems. This will ensure that your business is uninterrupted.