Page 26 - Oxted Local October 2024

26 October 2024
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Oxted Local 
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If your computer is still on the
Windows 10 Operating System
(OS), and you have been receiving
warnings about the end of
support, you may be wondering
what you can do about it. If you
are on another Operating System
all you have to do is think of a
smug comment to make when a
Windows user complains about
the change.
Why does it matter? – When
support stops for an OS it means
that any new bugs and security
flaws are not patched and you
will not have access to any new
features. This may not matter
initially but after a period of time
some of your software may refuse
to update to the latest version
or features will no longer work
as they require a more modern
Operating System.
Is my PC compatible with
Windows 11? One of the main
features of Windows 11 is the
increased security. It requires a
very specific hardware component
to be installed and unfortunately
if your system does not have this,
you will not be able to upgrade.
If you have Windows 10 and
would like to see if your machine
can be upgraded, download and
run the PC Health Check software
from Microsoft. You will receive a
report which will give a yes or no
answer.
T I P S
TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY
You can also check by
going to “Settings”
then “Update and
Security” where you
may see an option to
update, or you may see
a message telling you
that the machine does
not “currently meet
the minimum system
requirements” meaning
that you are out of luck.
Options - The easiest
way to get windows 11
is to buy a new PC (I said
easy not less painful on
the wallet).
There is an option to pay to
continue to get the updates,
however this can be expensive
and may not apply to your version
of the system.
There is always the wildcard
option—ditch Windows entirely
and explore the world of Linux or
macOS. This option requires a bit
of courage and a willingness to
learn new things, like how to use
a command line or where to find
the best Apple accessories that
don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Upgrading to Windows 11 -
Windows 11 promises to be
sleeker, faster, and more efficient.
If you have been prompted to
upgrade, it may be an idea to
do so before the cutoff point.
Make sure you allow plenty of
R.I.P Windows 10?
time for the upgrade as this can
take a few hours and requires a
large download. You must remain
connected to the internet during
the upgrade. Once you have set it
running, don’t interrupt it, as this
could leave you with a corrupt
system which could possibly be
unusable.
If it is a laptop, make sure it is
plugged in and charging.
Back up files just in case – Before
you trigger the upgrade make
sure you back up your data. The
upgrade process moves a great
deal of data around and a crash or
power cut at the wrong time could
be catastrophic.
© Martin Middleton - I.T.Aide
(see page 31 for contact details)