More than eight years since Microsoft decreed its death and more than 20 years after its release, many of us still love Windows XP. What’s more, if you are a gamer, as, for many of us, those were the days.
If you have moved on, all that is left is the longing. If you are still using it, the time for missing it will come but first, you MUST let it go. Seriously, moving for a new Operating System is for your safety. And That’s why we will help you to upgrade Windows XP to a modern OS.
For some of us, it may be hard to imagine that there is still an existing computer running Windows XP. After XP, we had some new versions of the most famous operating system in the world. They are:
- Windows XP Professional x64 version
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
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A New Operating System is the Best Change?
Microsoft still releases technical and security updates only for Windows 8 and onwards. The others aren’t officially supported any longer, which shows how much Windows XP users are behind.
If your computer is still running Windows XP, we don’t know if your PC meets the minimum requirements to upgrade to Windows 8, 8.1, 10, or 11, which is the latest version available. Your graphics card and other settings may just not be enough or compatible with the “new technology.”
Considering all of that, an upgrade from Windows XP to a new version of Windows may not be the best option for you, Depending on how old your Machine is, it will be better to go for a new computer. Well, in case you don’t have the money to spend and finally go for a new PC, leave XP anyways.
Reason You Shouldn’t Run Windows XP
What keeps a Windows version safe are the new features that Microsoft released during the years. Besides that, all the updates regarding new scams, schemes, and different types of hacks or viruses are too much to handle for no longer supported OS.
Besides, any driver, new functionality, and basic programs, such as an internet browser like Google Chrome will not work. To have the latest app set, upgrading will be necessary. To complete, new peripheral components, such as a mouse and a keyboard may present some functionality problems. Just mind that old peripheral equipment that runs on Windows XP may also present compatibility problems with recent Operational Systems.
Which Windows Should I Choose?
Several versions of Windows have already been launched since XP, but there are not that many reasonable options. Since Windows Vista and Windows 7 are no longer supported, they are no valid choices. So, your options are Windows 8.1, 10, and 11. So which of them?
Why Not Go for Windows 8
This is not essentially your best option and there are some reasons for it. Even though this Windows version still comes with Microsoft’s support, it will end in January 2023. So, if you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 8, you will soon end up with the same problem, which may force you to migrate again, even though the 8 version won’t be as vulnerable as Windows XP.
Another reason is that Windows 8 was released when touch screen smartphones and tablets were taking over the electronic market. Identifying this as a tendency, Microsoft decided to release a Windows version fully optimized for touch screen computers. Guess what? It was a complete fail.
The fashion didn’t catch and most computers didn’t even have a touch screen functionality to begin with. And even though it optimized for it, Windows 8 had a lot of flaws for typical PCs. That’s why Microsoft had to run with Windows update in the form of 8.1.
Why Choose the Upgrade to Windows 10 or 11
Well, we can easily say that Microsoft learned from past mistakes, and both Windows 10 and 11 are far better than their predecessor. Whether for business, gaming, or personal use, you will find several features that make these versions of Windows far superior to the others.
Besides that, all that touch screen apps and setup are gone, making them far easier to navigate through. You will have lots of new security features that make your devices perform faster. To complete, Windows 10 will be supported until 2025, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy it. There are no predictions regarding Windows 11 support, which is also excellent.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 Prices
The last thing we must look at before we go through the upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 10 or 11 is the software prices. You can find digital keys for both versions on Microsoft Store or in famous retail stores, such as Amazon.
For Windows 10 Home, the prices generally vary from $110 to $139. On the other hand, if you look for a professional version, prices can go from $149 to $160.
For Windows 11 home versions, you will also find prices that go from $109 to $140, depending on where you look for. For the professional version of the Operating System, the prices are around $199.
Just mind that the prices vary depending on the moment and the region where you are looking for the software. That means the values listed won’t be what they are forever.
Third Party Alternative
Alternatively, you can look for Windows 10 and Windows 11 digital keys at third-party sellers. They offer legal, working, and safe keys for some of the best prices you will find on the market. You will find Windows 10 Home and Professional versions for $3,90. If you’re looking for Windows 11, keys, you will find the Home version for $3,80. For the Windows 11 Professional version is also available, this time for $3,70.
How to Upgrade to a New Windows Version
As you get the Windows key, it is time to go through the upgrade process change from Windows XP to Windows 8, 10, or 11. The first thing we must say, which is not a cool thing, is that there is no direct upgrade path, which means you must do a clean install on your computer if you consider upgrading to Windows 10 or any other.
Check if Your PC Has What it Needs to Run a New Windows
If your PC is old enough to still have Windows XP, make sure you meet the operational necessities to run some of the newest operating systems. That will be a problem and a big indication that you must change the PC. Well, the requirements to run Windows 10 are
- Processor: 1 GHz
- Memory: 1 GB (32 Bit), 2 GB (64 Bit), or faster RAM
- Storage: 32GB
- Graphics: DirectX 9 or Latter, with WDDM driver 1.0
- Resolution: 800×600
As you can see, the requirements are pretty easy to meet, and it is hard to think about a machine, no matter how old that can’t get to these numbers. But we also must remember that Windows XP is more than 20 years old and, if you still use it, this may be your case.
Make a Back Up of Your Important Archives
If you have to throw your OS in the garbage, purchase a new version and do a clean installation from scratch, remember to take all your personal files and programs and send them to an external drive. If you don’t, all your personal items will be lost.
After the clean installation, all the archives inside the USB drive or the external hard drive can be sent back to the computer with Windows 10 or the other version you chose. This is even more important if you use the computer for business purposes.
The Installation Process
- First, you will need a USB flash drive with the new Windows version. You can create a USB flash drive after downloading the creation tool from Microsoft itself. Your installation media will be on this drive.
- After you have your Windows 10 or 11 Installation Media, you need to boot your PC. Go to the BIOS, which you can access right after starting your PC through the delete key or function key.
- After entering your BIOS, you must change your Boot device priority to the USB Flash Drive you created containing Windows 10 or whatever version you chose.
- Then, no matter your choice, you will be taken to the Windows Installation Wizard, so you can set your new Windows to your device. There, you will be prompted to click accept license terms, choose region, language, system architecture, and other things. There will be no big mystery from here. You just need to follow the wizard basic steps to finish the upgrade installation.
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