You may be waiting 'a few weeks' for your free Windows 10 upgrade, says Microsoft
On Friday, Microsoft sent out an email to users who signed up to reserve their copy of Windows 10. The message says you could be waiting as little as "a few days" or long as a "few weeks" for the upgrade.
"This is the largest software upgrade event ever and we're managing it so everyone has a great experience," the company email said. Anyone running Windows 7 or 8.1 is eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 for the next year.
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Fear not: If a few weeks feels like way too long, it's easy to get your Windows 10 upgrade today. All you have to do is download Microsoft's Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to do an in-place upgrade, create installation media on a USB flash drive, or download the ISO.
For more details on how upgrades work--including ones using the Media Creation Tool--check out our primer on how to install Windows 10 on your PC. Microsoft warns that only "tech-savvy" users should attempt the install via the Media Creation Wizard. That may be a bit of an overstatement, however, especially if you use the tool to do an in-place upgrade.
The impact on you at home: Although many people will be able to run the Media Creation Tool without a hitch, you could run into installation problems depending on your machine configuration, Internet connection speed, and other factors. During the Windows 10 launch day on Wednesday, some people got into the installation process only to find helpful messages like the one above.
To make sure your installation process goes as smoothly as possible, you'll want to be sure all your hardware is upgrade compatible, and don't forget to back up your data. For more details on a smooth transition, check out our three tips for a hassle-free Windows 10 upgrade.