Windows 8 was officially released yesterday and it'south now time to decide whether you lot want to upgrade or not. If you have decided to upgrade a Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows vii car to Windows 8, you probably want to make certain your arrangement tin can support Windows 8 earlier y'all buy the upgrade.

To bank check if your PC is compatible with Windows 8, you tin can download and run the Windows eight Upgrade Assistant. The upgrade banana will become ahead and scan your hardware, programs, and even any connected devices to make sure they will work with Windows 8.

Windows 8 requires certain CPU features similar PAE, NX, SSE2, etc, so information technology's a skillful idea to use this tool if your computer is a bit on the older side.

The tool will too give you a compatibility report for your programs and let you know whether you need to uninstall the plan or update the program before upgrading. Once you download information technology, install information technology and run it, the program will automatically start scanning your computer for apps and devices.

upgrade assistant

Information technology will so tell you lot which apps are compatible and which apps you demand to review.

compatible apps

There are some new features in Windows 8 like secure boot, snap, and fast startup. Upgrade assistant volition notify you if whatsoever of those items are not supported by your system:

windows 8 upgrade

If you didn't already know, Windows eight does not include congenital-in software to play DVDs. If y'all want that feature, you'll have to buy the Pro pack and go Windows Media Center. Notation that if yous already have Windows 8 Pro, you tin can get Windows Media Center Pack for gratis until January 31st, 2013, so get information technology fast!

Also, Microsoft Security Essentials is being replaced past Windows Defender in Windows 8. Information technology's basically the same thing, but for whatever reason they are including Windows Defender built into Windows viii. So if you accept Security Essentials installed on Windows 7, you'll have to remove it before upgrading.

You lot besides get a list of compatible software and hardware that will piece of work with Windows viii:

compatible software

When you click Next, you'll be asked what you would like to continue. This will determine which version of Windows 8 will work best for y'all.

what files to keep

Note that depending on what version of Windows you have, yous tin can merely upgrade to certain editions of Windows 8. For case, if you have Windows 7 Ultimate, you can only upgrade to Windows 8 Pro.

If you have Windows vii Pro, you tin upgrade to Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise. If y'all have Windows seven Enterprise, you lot can merely upgrade to Windows viii Enterprise. Check out the Wikipedia article for more details.

In my case, since I have Windows 7 Ultimate, any option I selected gave me the same consequence: Windows eight Pro for $39.99.

windows 8 pro

That's about all there is to the Windows eight Upgrade Assistant. Information technology's mostly useful for figuring out which hardware and software will not work on Windows viii. Information technology's also useful if you have an older PC and you're not certain if your CPU is going to exist supported by Windows 8. Enjoy!