FEBRUARY 2020 PCWorld 105Click Install and wait for the tool to work its
magic. After several reboots (and potentially
a long wait), you’ll be on Windows 10, which
is still being supported for years to come.
Yay!
If you want to take a more complicated
route, you can also use the Create
Installation Media option to clean-install
Windows 10, inputting the Windows 7
product key you dredged up earlier when
you were asked for your Windows 10
license. How To Geek’s
article walks you through
the process step by step.
Most people should stick
with using the much
simpler Upgrade This PC
Now option, though.
Sometimes, Microsoft
will prevent the upgrade
from occurring because
of compatibility errors
with your hardware or
software. If so, you’ll be
dumped back into
Windows 7 after a reboot. Troubleshooting
those errors gets hairy and far beyond the
scope of this article. Consider checking if
there’s a BIOS or firmware update available
for your system if you run into an issue,
though. Find one? Install it and run
Microsoft’s upgrade tool again.
If you’re still out of luck, check out our
guide to running Windows 7 safely (see
page 97), and consider migrating to Linux
(go.pcworld.com/lnxd) or buying a new
Chromebook or Windows PC (go.pcworld.
com/blpt) to hop back on the security
update bandwagon. Seriously: You don’t
want to be running an unpatched, insecure
operating system in today’s world. Linux is
much more user-friendly than it used to be
and should handle most people’s basic
needs with minimal headaches.Now may be a good time to buy a new Windows laptop.