Windows 10 Upgrade - Do I Have To Reinstall Programs

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Home (/) Dennis Faas (/authors/dennis-faas) Windows 10 Upgrade: do I have to Reinstall Programs?
Windows 10 Upgrade: do I have to Reinstall Programs?

by Dennis Faas on July, 13 2015 at 08:07AM EDT
Infopackets Reader Ed H. writes:

" Dear Dennis,
Regarding Windows 10: do I have to reinstall my programs once Windows 10 is installed, or will
everything move over automatically? I'm confused because I read that if I install Windows 10 I will have to
reinstall programs, but other websites say that I won't have to reinstall any programs. How can I know for
sure? "
My response:
Most users will be doing an 'in-place upgrade' through Windows Update; in that case, most of your
programs (including your user data) should automatically move over without any problems. On the other
hand, if you are doing a clean install of Windows 10 using a DVD or USB drive, then you will have to
reinstall all your programs and user data because a clean install usually means formatting the hard drive,
which erases everything.
Windows 10 Clean Install vs In-place Upgrade

05/07/2016 8:24 a. m.
Most tech users, including myself, prefer the clean install method (https://www.infopackets.com
/news/9512/windows-10-can-i-upgrade-or-do-i-need-clean-install) because it means that Windows will be
completely 'clean' with little to no chance of errors. On the other hand: because an in-place upgrade will
move over all your installed programs and user data, there is also a chance that any errors that you had
in the previous Windows environment will also be ported over to the new installation of Windows. That's
why a clean install is the preferred method -- but only if you don't have any problems reinstalling all your
programs and user data afterward.
Please note that you can only do a clean install of Windows if you have downloaded the Windows 10
.ISO from Microsoft (and you make a bootable DVD or USB from it), or are using a genuine Windows 10
DVD purchased from a store. You cannot do a clean install through Windows Update / by reserving
Windows 10 via the Get Windows 10 app.
How to Know if your Programs are Compatible with Windows 10

If you have the 'Get windows 10' app running in your tray bar next to the clock (denoted by the white
Microsoft Logo), you can have it perform a compatibility check on your system. From there it will tell you
of any compatibility problems, including which programs ("apps") won't work after the upgrade has been
completed.
To check if your PC, hardware, and programs are compatible with Windows 10, do the following:
1. Left click on the white Microsoft logo in the tray bar next to the clock. This is the "Get Windows 10"
app; if you don't have the app, refer to my article on How to Reserve Windows 10 Upgrade (Free)
(https://www.infopackets.com/news/9624/how-reserve-windows-10-upgrade-free).
2. Once you click the white Microsoft logo, a new window will appear with the title "Get Windows 10";
go to the upper left of the window and click on 3 blue lines that look like a square to open up a sub
menu.
3. From the sub menu, look under the heading "Getting the Upgrade" and click on "Check your PC".
This will run the compatibility check on your system. If there aren't any issues with apps or
hardware, it will say "This PC meets system requirements" and will have a big green check mark.
What if a Program or Hardware isn't Compatible with Windows

10?
If you encounter a program that isn't compatible with Windows 10, you have two choices: one is that you
can wait and see if the software developer will release a compatibility update to make the program work
with Windows 10; optionally, you can scour the Internet and look for an alternative program that has
similar features and performs the same function as the program that has compatibility issues and install
that instead.
In the case of a hardware incompatibility: the rules are the same, except that the hardware manufacturer
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05/07/2016 8:24 a. m.
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will either release a driver update which you will either receive automatically through Windows Update, or
you will have to download from the manufacturer's website manually. Or, there is a possibility that no
update will be released and you may have to look for alternative hardware to use in Windows 10.
Other Questions Related to Windows 10 Upgrade

We've recently answered more questions related to Windows 10, including in-place upgrades and clean
installs. Feel free to read more:
Can I Cancel my Windows 10 Reservation and Reserve Later? (https://www.infopackets.com
/news/9640/can-i-cancel-my-windows-10-reservation-and-reserve-later)
How to Clean Install Windows 10 using Windows 7, 8 License (https://www.infopackets.com

/news/9639/how-clean-install-windows-10-using-windows-7-8-license)
No Service Packs For Windows 10; Support ends 2025 (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9638

/no-service-packs-windows-10-support-ends-2025)
Will Windows 10 Install Automatically? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9634/will-windows10-install-automatically)
Windows 10 Upgrade: Do I have to Reinstall Programs? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9630

/windows-10-upgrade-do-i-have-reinstall-programs)
Windows 10 Upgrade: Can I choose 32-bit or 64-bit? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9629

/windows-10-upgrade-can-i-choose-32-bit-or-64-bit)
Which Version of Windows 10 Will I Get (Home or Pro)? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9625

/which-version-windows-10-will-i-get)
How to Reserve Windows 10 Upgrade (Free) (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9624

/how-reserve-windows-10-upgrade-free)
How to Fix: CPU Not Compatible with Windows 10 Error (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9619

/how-fix-cpu-not-compatible-windows-10-error)
Windows 10 Upgrade: Can I keep my Old Windows Install? (https://www.infopackets.com

/news/9613/windows-10-upgrade-can-i-keep-my-old-windows-install)
How to Cancel Windows 10 Reservation (Properly) (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9612

/how-cancel-windows-10-reservation-properly)
Download Windows 10 .ISO (DVD) for Clean Install? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9608

/download-windows-10-iso-dvd-clean-install)
Microsoft: Windows 10 Will Be The Last Version (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9585

/microsoft-windows-10-will-be-last-version)
Windows 10 to Natively Support iOS, Android Apps (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9577

/windows-10-natively-support-ios-android-apps)
Does Windows 10 require the CPU to support PAE? (https://www.infopackets.com/news/9553

/does-windows-10-require-cpu-support-pae)
Windows 10: Can I Upgrade or do I need a Clean Install? (https://www.infopackets.com

/news/9512/windows-10-can-i-upgrade-or-do-i-need-clean-install)
Got a Computer Question or Problem? Ask Dennis!

05/07/2016 8:24 a. m.
4 of 8
I need more computer questions. If you have a computer question -- or even a computer problem that
needs fixing -- please email me with your question (http://www.infopackets.com/news/9378/how-canyou-fix-my-computer-over-internet) so that I can write more articles like this one. I can't promise I'll
respond to all the messages I receive (depending on the volume), but I'll do my best.
About the author: Dennis Faas is the owner and operator of Infopackets.com. With over 30 years of
computing experience, Dennis' areas of expertise are a broad range and include PC hardware, Microsoft
Windows, Linux, network administration, and virtualization. Dennis holds a Bachelors degree in Computer
Science (1999) and has authored 6 books on the topics of MS Windows and PC Security. If you like the
advice you received on this page, please up-vote / Like this page and share it with friends. For technical
support inquiries, Dennis can be reached via Live chat online this site using the Zopim Chat service
(currently located at the bottom left of the screen); optionally, you can contact Dennis through the website
contact form (http://www.infopackets.com/contact).
Filed under: Windows Tips (/categories/windows-tips) | Tags: user data (/tags/user-data),
in-place upgrade (/tags/place-upgrade), update (/tags/update), computer (/tags/computer), compatibility (/tags/compatibility),
install (/tags/install), reinstall (/tags/reinstall), app (/tags/app), hardware (/tags/hardware), programs (/tags/programs),
program (/tags/program), pc (/tags/pc), windows (/tags/windows), compatible (/tags/compatible)
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Average: 4.8 (9 votes)
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Comments
Both Installation Methods Ran Smoothly (/comment/1218#comment-1218)
Permalink (/comment/1218#comment-1218) Submitted by dan_2160 (/users/dan2160) on
Mon, 07/13/2015 - 10:39
(/users/dan2160)
I've tested (using a spare solid state drive as my "C" drive (for Windows and applications) along
with a separate conventional hard drive for all data, etc.) recent builds of the Windows 10 Preview
both ways in the past week or so. The installation over Windows 8.1 went more smoothly than any
other in-place Windows upgrade ever. All programs continued to work just fine. I had to recreate a
few customizations I had made, but otherwise it was a very smooth transition.
However, it did preserve some very irritating quirks I had developed in Windows 8/8.1 -- I'm a bit too
adventurous trying out customizations and new applications.
So I decided to do a fresh install of Windows 10. It, too, went smoothly. Now I'm in the lengthy
process of installing applications over the next week or two (a little each day ... I do have to work).
So far, so good -- and without the irritations I had developed in Windows 8/8.1.
So I would agree with Dennis that a clean install is the way to go if you do not want to carry over
any quirks that had developed in your previous version of Windows.
But either way, it is a smooth upgrade. But always be smart and make a clone or disk image back
up before starting the upgrade to Windows 10. Play it safe.
05/07/2016 8:24 a. m.
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Thanks article. Did have to redo some older apps. (/comment

/1320#comment-1320)
(/users/beergas)
Permalink (/comment/1320#comment-1320) Submitted by beergas (/users/beergas) on

Tue, 08/11/2015 - 10:21
Upgrade to Win 10 x64 Pro went ok. Did get caught in that loop bug afterwards where Win threw
me into Recovery mode where ended up at tail end again with Hi screen. So redid the screen
resolution, themes, etc. that didn't come across.
Had to redo a bunch of prior apps like hotkeys, alarm clock, lastpass. And Chrome as default took
lot of work. MS Edge not yet ready to block spam and malware.
Overall decent performance. GodMode, and DoNotSpy10 (avoid the 'extras' it offers during install)
are best for config of new setup.
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Live Tech Support
(/news/9378/how-can-you-fix-my-computer-over-internet)
Need tech support? Chat with Dennis now using the chat button near the bottom left of the screen.
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Windows 10 Upgrade - Do I Have To Reinstall Programs

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