Chapter 4: Upgrades and Clean Installs

In This Chapter

arrow.png Finding out whether you can upgrade that old bucket

arrow.png Upgrading online to Windows 8.1

arrow.png Installing Windows 8.1 from a DVD

arrow.png Cleaning the gunk off a new PC

arrow.png What to do if Windows dies

If your current PC runs Windows 7, you can install Windows 8.1 over the top of the old system by using Microsoft’s online upgrade. Indeed, if you bought a new Windows 7 PC after June 1, 2012, you probably already have a $14.99 upgrade certificate in hand.

As long as your copy of Windows 7 bears a “genuine” product key, and you have a copy of that key handy, the whole process takes less than 30 minutes — much less if you have a fast Internet connection. (“Genuine” being a Microsoft term that means your copy of Windows has passed an online test and doesn’t appear to be fake.)

askwoodycom_vista.eps I’ve been upgrading Windows machines since I moved from Windows 286 (a souped-up ...

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