× Auto Repair Pros Member Benefits TechHelp Knowledge Base Forums Resources My iATN Marketplace Chat Pricing About Us Join Industry Sponsors Video Members Only Repair Shops Auto Pro Careers Auto Pro Reviews
Join Now
International Automotive Technicians Network
Re: Windows 10, Should I or Shouldn't I?
Posted to PC Users Forum on 10/4/2015

Thumb!

Also bear in mind...

If your current machine runs scan tool, module reprogramming, or shop management software (anything that is "mission critical" to your work or business...), you need to make absolutely certain that you can get support for running that software on Windows 10 in the event you have a problem. Get confirmation on Windows 10 compatibility and support BEFORE you pull the trigger on upgrading!

For example:

http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=4892

http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=5004

Even if you can install the software in question on a Windows 10 machine - if the software maker doesn't support Windows 10 and you have a problem in the future, you're on your own as far as figuring out a resolution. Finding this out after getting errors and/or lockups while you are in the middle of programming a $500+ control module is not the way to go, believe me...

Hard drives are way too cheap these days. If I were doing the Windows 10 upgrade on any machine that was used for business or that had irreplaceable stuff on it, I would buy a new hard drive and a USB-to-SATA adapter and clone the existing Windows installation to the new drive first. Then and only then would I attempt an upgrade. If unforeseen issues pop up with the Windows 10 install, a quick hard drive swap puts you right back where you started.

I am also old-school enough where I would do a clean install of Windows 10 (as opposed to an in-place upgrade) whenever and wherever possible, but that's just me.

Michael Joachim
Owner
Mike Joachim
Pelham, Alabama, USA