Windows 8 has already made a splash in the tech world. The new operating system from Microsoft looks significantly different than any system that came before. The reviews so far have been mostly kind. And as a business owner, you’re ready to upgrade to the new system. You only hope the move goes smoothly. Fortunately, you can follow quite a few strategies, covered in a recent post on the Smallbiz Technology website, to ensure that your move to Windows 8 is a painless one relatively.
Do the Research
This may seem obvious but before you even decide to upgrade you need to be sure that your computer can in fact run Windows 8. The following are the system requirements: 1GB of RAM, 16GB of hard-drive space, and a 1GHz processor. If you are already running Windows 7, there is no need to check. These are the same requirements for that operating system.
Backups
Having secure backups of your most vital data is a good idea for many reasons. One never knows what could happen. It is especially important to back-up your data before trying to upgrade your systems. You can transfer your data to an external hard drive or you can use a secure cloud service that many MSPs (Managed Services Provider) offer. Using a secure cloud can be cheaper and more secure as you can lose or damage an external hard drive. But whatever path you take, this is one of the most important steps to ensure you do not lose all of your data if something goes wrong during the upgrading process.
Setup utility
Microsoft offers its own setup utility that will search your computer to ascertain if your software and drivers are supported in Windows 8. This is especially important for computers that are using Windows XP. As you might know, Microsoft won’t provide support to this operating system starting in 2014. If you’re upgrading from it to Windows 8, you will have to reinstall all of your drivers and software. This means you will need to find all those installation discs that came with your software. Updating to a new operating system is never an easy task. But Windows 8 promises to be worth it. The extra features that come with the system could boost your efficiency at work. Just make sure that you take the steps needed for a safe and hassle-free Windows 8 installation.