Joe Belfiore, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems Group, demonstrates Continuum for phones at the Microsoft Build conference in San Francisco April 29. Microsoft used the conference to demonstrate software features and app-building tools of Windows 10, with an emphasis on mobile devices as well as PCs that’ll be running the upcoming operating system. Credit: Jeff Chiu / ASSOCIATED PRESS
In response to an item about the upcoming Windows 10 operating system, a reader, Gail, wrote, "What about us poor souls who have Windows 6? May we upgrade to Win 10 also?"
Microsoft says Windows 10 (the successor to Windows 8; there was no version 9) will be a free upgrade for current users of Windows 7 or Windows 8 when it arrives later this year. Unfortunately, there are still some people using Windows XP (AKA Win 5) and Windows Vista (Win 6). For them, Microsoft says there won't be a direct upgrade path, which means they'll either have to buy a new computer, tablet or phone equipped with Windows 10 or purchase a copy and install it fresh.
Even with a fresh install of purchased software, there's no guarantee that much older PCs will work well with Windows 10. You can check online for a list of hardware requirements for Windows 10.
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