How to Reserve Windows 10 Upgrade (Free)

Infopackets Reader Rob B. writes:

" Dear Dennis,

I have a Dell D630 laptop and an Acer Aspire One D-150 that I managed to install Windows 7 on. The Dell laptop is Windows 7 64-bit, while the Acer is Windows 7 32-bit. So far neither of the computers have shown the 'Get Windows 10' app in the tray bar, while my main machine (an Asus with an Intel core i7) says it is ready for the Windows 10 upgrade. I was hoping to use one of the other laptops to put Windows 10 on, but I get the feeling that they are missing something necessary in their CPUs to allow installation. I should also state both units are fully patched with Windows Updates. Any ideas? "

My response:

In order to activate the "Get Windows 10" app (which allows you "reserve" your free copy of Windows 10 using Windows Update), there are a number of prerequisites to be met in order to qualify. In a nutshell, here is a list in order of importance:

1. Only Windows 7 and 8 users qualify for the free upgrade to Windows 10.
    
2. You must have a legitimate license of Windows 7 or 8, or you won't see the "Get Windows 10" app.
    
3. Windows 7 users need to have Windows 7 Service Pack 1 installed, or you won't see the "Get Windows 10" app.
    
4. Windows 8 users need to update to Windows 8.1, or you won't see the "Get Windows 10" app.
    
5. If your Windows Update is broken and won't update, then you definitely won't see the "Get Windows 10" app. I have written an article on how to fix the Windows Update if it won't update.
    
6. Windows RT users won't be able to upgrade to Windows 10, but will have some partial compatibility.
    
7. Windows 10 CPU requirements suggest that your CPU must support PAE (physical address extension), SSE2 (supplementary instruction sets), and NX (no execute bit). Most computers made in the last decade support this; if you aren't sure, please read this article.
    
8. In addition to the above requirement, you will need to enable the NX (no execute bit) in BIOS if you receive an error message that your CPU isn't compatible with Windows 10. This particular error message will only appear once you install the "Get Windows 10 app", which is part of Windows Update KB3035583 (described further down). Refer to this article for more info on enabling NX in the BIOS.
    
9. Other hardware requirements for Windows 10 include: minimum 1 gigabyte of RAM for 32-bit Windows, and 2 GB of RAM for 64-bit Windows, 16 GB of free hard disk space, a graphics card supporting Microsoft DirectX 9 and WDM drivers, a Microsoft account, and Internet access.
    
10. To receive the "Get the Windows 10" app (which is effectively the program that allows you to reserve your copy of Windows 10), you need to have Windows Update KB3035583 installed, plus all of the above prerequisites mentioned. You can only download KB3035583 using Windows Update, so make sure all your Windows Updates are up to date and downloaded. Note: you may need to review your Windows Update History to ensure that you didn't accidentally hide updates that may prevent you from receiving the "Get Windows 10" app.
     
11. If you are connected to an Enterprise Windows Domain (for example, at work), then KB3035583 would most likely be blocked as it is the role of the Administrator to allow the upgrade to follow through.
     
12. Users wanting the free upgrade to Windows 10 will have 1 year to complete the upgrade. After that, it will cost $119 for WIndows 10 Home and $199 for Windows 10 Pro. Any users that don't receive the free upgrade can purchase Windows 10, including XP and Vista users, providing hardware requirements are met.
     
13. If you change your mind and you want to cancel your reservation for Windows 10, you need to uninstall KB3035583.

You can still Download Windows 10 without Reserving It

If you've exhausted all of the above, you can still download Windows 10 without using the "Get Windows 10" app reservation.

According to a Microsoft Wiki the "Get Windows 10" app serves mostly as a reminder notification and you will be able to download Windows 10 after the launch date (July 29, 2015) even if you don't reserve it. Most likely you will be able to download Windows 10 as an .ISO file (in order to create your own bootable DVD and USB media), but the release date for that has not been confirmed by Microsoft.

Other Questions Related to Windows 10 Upgrade

We've recently answered more questions related to Windows 10, including in-place upgrades and clean installs. Feel free to read more:

• Can I Cancel my Windows 10 Reservation and Reserve Later?
• How to Clean Install Windows 10 using Windows 7, 8 License
• No Service Packs For Windows 10; Support ends 2025
• Will Windows 10 Install Automatically?
• Windows 10 Upgrade: Do I have to Reinstall Programs?
• Windows 10 Upgrade: Can I choose 32-bit or 64-bit?
• Which Version of Windows 10 Will I Get (Home or Pro)?
• How to Reserve Windows 10 Upgrade (Free)
• How to Fix: CPU Not Compatible with Windows 10 Error
• Windows 10 Upgrade: Can I keep my Old Windows Install?
• How to Cancel Windows 10 Reservation (Properly)
• Download Windows 10 .ISO (DVD) for Clean Install?
• Microsoft: Windows 10 Will Be The Last Version
• Windows 10 to Natively Support iOS, Android Apps
• Does Windows 10 require the CPU to support PAE?
• Windows 10: Can I Upgrade or do I need a Clean Install?

Got a Computer Question or Problem? Ask Dennis!

I need more computer questions. If you have a computer question -- or even a computer problem that needs fixing -- please email me with your question so that I can write more articles like this one. I can't promise I'll respond to all the messages I receive (depending on the volume), but I'll do my best.

About the author: Dennis Faas is the owner and operator of Infopackets.com. With over 30 years of computing experience, Dennis' areas of expertise are a broad range and include PC hardware, Microsoft Windows, Linux, network administration, and virtualization. Dennis holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Science (1999) and has authored 6 books on the topics of MS Windows and PC Security. If you like the advice you received on this page, please up-vote / Like this page and share it with friends. For technical support inquiries, Dennis can be reached via Live chat online this site using the Zopim Chat service (currently located at the bottom left of the screen); optionally, you can contact Dennis through the website contact form.