New hardware requirements for Windows after July 28th

[Tim Locke]

Article in ArsTechnica last evening.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016...specs-going-up-for-the-first-time-since-2009/


The interesting thing is how weak they are...with of course many comments as to how the extra cost of memory will make PCs unaffordable and just as many saying that they should be higher for W10 to even work properly.

And the TPM module stuff. My new mobo has a TPM header ( the addin card is available) but it looks as if any installation/upgrade will be fine but NEW machines will have to have TPM embedded.

 

[Vince Massi]

Good article. This MIGHT be Microsoft requiring that new Windows 10 machines actually be designed for Windows 10. Currently, new Win 10 machines are designed for Windows 8.1.

 

[Jake B]

Well most 64 bit OS machines have at least 4 gb of ram when purchased as far back as Windows 7.

 

[Tim Locke]

Yes. This article is writing about those cheap laptops with little memory and tiny M2 discs. There is a member here who has one like that and had trouble doing Windows Updates IIRC

 

[Vince Massi]

Jake and Tim, you both make interesting but disappointing points: MS might only be trying to improve cheap laptops.

Looking at all the problems people are having with 10 (I love it), it appears that manufacturers need to get moving on building machines that are designed for it.

 

[Jake B]

Reading other articles on this subject this is only for hardware companies going forward. Current devices already sold will no be affected and will be able to install the update.

 

[Norton]

My PC Dell (2) OptiPlex only have 4 GB of RAM and works perfectly. In fact, I think that Dell recommended 4GB as the max to support Win7 OS. I may be wrong (usually I am) but if 4 GB RAM was good enough for Windows 7 OS, then 4 GB should work just fine with Win 10. Doesn't Win 10 use memory data and page file compression.

 

[Vince Massi]

Norton, here's a surprising fact that drives some people into a rage: a computer with a dual-core CPU and 2 gigs of RAM goes about as fast as a computer can go. More RAM lets you play high-tech games, do intensive tasks like video editing, and multi-task. But your rig won't go much faster.

Claims that something works twenty times faster are often true. But taking a half-second process to 1/40 of a second isn't that beneficial.

If you're buying a new rig, I recommend 8 gigs of RAM because of future upgrades and more advanced software. And for high-tech gamers like me, 4 gigs on my Windows 7 machine (currently running Windows 10) is a must.

 

[ram1220]

My PC Dell (2) OptiPlex only have 4 GB of RAM and works perfectly. In fact, I think that Dell recommended 4GB as the max to support Win7 OS. I may be wrong (usually I am) but if 4 GB RAM was good enough for Windows 7 OS, then 4 GB should work just fine with Win 10. Doesn't Win 10 use memory data and page file compression.

Dell is probably recommending only 4Gb of RAm for Win 7 32 bit as 32 bit Windows will not use it all. The 64bit version of Windows can/will use more than 4GB if it is installed.

 

[Norton]

ram1220.
I purchased 2 refurbished Dell OptiPlex 760 small form factor, Intel dual core, from a MS Authorized repair centre. One Dell had 3 GB RAM installed the other had 4 GB. They were shipped with Win 7 Pro 64 bit and MS Office installed. Both machines worked well with Win 7 64 bit, and I'm thrilled with their performance on Win 10 Pro too.

 

[Vince Massi]

I've had two cheap laptops running Windows 10 just fine with 2 gigs of RAM. No high-tech games, of course. But the kids watch videos and cartoons, and they play games from the Windows Store.

 

[ram1220]

ram1220.
I purchased 2 refurbished Dell OptiPlex 760 small form factor, Intel dual core, from a MS Authorized repair centre. One Dell had 3 GB RAM installed the other had 4 GB. They were shipped with Win 7 Pro 64 bit and MS Office installed. Both machines worked well with Win 7 64 bit, and I'm thrilled with their performance on Win 10 Pro too.

I never said Win 10 wouldn't run fine with 4GB of RAM. I was addressing your point that Dell said 4GB is the max to support Win 7. I was only explaining that 32 bit OS will only see 4GB. 64bit OS will see as much as you have in your system. 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, etc...

 

[Defender01]

I have 2gb o f ram on a 64bit never had any problems.

 

[Norton]

Bill Gates once said "Nobody should require anymore than 64K" I wonder if he still truly believes that. LOL

 

[Sante L. Giuliani]

I currently am running Windows 10 Pro on 3 PC's. As illogical as this may sound the weakest of the 3, a Dell All in one with Blueray Drive, a 1Tb HDD, an i5 CPU and onboard video card and 4 Gb memory took Windows 10 from Windows 7 like a duck to water.

My laptop is an Alienware M17x with 8 Gb RAM, this has an engineer CPU which I can overclock, dual Ati video cards running in Crossfire, it has 2 SSD drives me 1 is 1 Tb, the other 512 Gb when I went to make the upgrade it failed, I looked up the failure code and did the necessary things required and tried again. Not only did it not work I thought it had bricked the laptop. With frustration I went to my main desktop.

My main desktop PC was a beast when running Windows 7 Ultimate, it has 18 Gb RAM, 3 1.5 Tb HDD's and a 1 Tb SSD, an Ati 5970 dual video card with 4 Gb RAM running in Crossfire mode, 2 Blueray burners, one good for burning 25 Gb RWBD's the other 50 Gb RWBD's, i7 975 CPU factory over locked, and more than I need to mention. Ran into the same issues with it as I did with the laptop so I now had 2 bricked machines.

I knew my machines were healthy since there were no issues when running Windows 7 Pro on the laptop and Ultimate on the desktop si with Windows 7 disk in hand for each machine I went about the task of repairing the Windows 7 on each.

It worked but not like prior trying to upgrade to Windows 10. I decided to remove my A/V program Avast on each, download Malwarebytes ( had to do this in safe mode for some reason ), ran Malwarebytes on each and was shocked to find the intrusions I did since I knew these were not there prior to the Windows 10 download.

I took good notes and when I referenced them I noted both of the 10 downloads came from the same server but the other 10 download did not. While I trust that MS has the servers doling out the Windows 10 upgrade are free of Malware and viruses but after this happening I wasn't so sure any longer. I played with each machine over the next several weeks and finally got them to where they were prior to trying the Windows 10 upgrade with the All in One Dell running like a champ the whole time I was at least becoming well versed with the in's and out's of Windows 10.

As a retired IM/IT Specialist working for Navy Medical prior to retiring I am a glutton for punishment. If you are having issues with your machine either running Windows 10 currently or are planning to upgrade to Windows 10 I encourage you to download and install the latest free version of Malwarebytes and run it. I always get downloads of this naturre from CNET as I have never had an issue with any software I've downloaded from their server. Then uninstall any A/V software you have, if you used Defender just disable it.

Even if you are not having issues with your Windows 7 with your Windows 7 disk run a repair and even something minuscule can cause a hiccup. Once this is completed install Windows 10, using this procedure got the 2 machines I thought I had brick running like champs. Don't forget to reinstall your A/V program or turn it back on in the case of Defender.

This may seem like a lot of work for an upgrade but considering the issues others have run into it's a walk in the park once you've done the upgrade and it works like it's supposed to, I find it the least memory hosed OS ever to come from Microsoft and fast like no tomorrow, it also got my hardware working the way it was intended. I hope this helps someone, regards.
banjo

 

[Norton]

CNET is well known for malware and unwanted forced downloads. I avoid CNET like the plague. Always download from the original vendor sites.

 

[Sante L. Giuliani]

Thanks, I honestly never had an issue with the stuff I got there, of course it's generally been an A/V or as I wrote Malwarebytes. I always use the OEM vendor for equipment and installed software upgrades and Microsoft for the additional ones that they support directly.
banjo

CNET is well known for malware and unwanted forced downloads. I avoid CNET like the plague. Always download from the original vendor sites.

 

[Norton]

Thanks, I honestly never had an issue with the stuff I got there, of course it's generally been an A/V or as I wrote Malwarebytes. I always use the OEM vendor for equipment and installed software upgrades and Microsoft for the additional ones that they support directly.
banjo

I like Malware Hunter too from Malwarebytes.

 

[oldwibowhunter]

Lap top HP, up graded from Win 7 to Win 10 & can't load pics from SD card with out having my son do it for me. To many hoops, old 7 was so easy it took about 5 seconds to do. Win 10 SUCKS!! Any short cuts like Win 7 ?
Help Thanks.

 

[Tim Locke]

Usually if a problem is insurmountable ( in the Windows context) a 12 year old can fix it in 5 minutes or less and an adult can be taught albeit slowly with lots of repetitions.

/jk