Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Updates vs. Upgrades

What is the difference between a software update and a software upgrade on your computer? An update is like the general maintenance (tires, brakes and oil) on your car. It doesn’t materially change the look or feel of your car, it just makes it run better. An upgrade is like adding new features to your four-year old car that were not available when you originally purchased it. So, when should you update and when should you upgrade? In general, software updates are advisable most of the time, but software upgrades are not necessarily advisable, and can actually be detrimental, especially if your computer is more than four years old. A good rule of thumb is if your computer is running fine, don’t feel that you have to upgrade just because Apple or Microsoft prompts you do do so. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

What to do prior to upgrading your computer

To prevent or minimize computer software and hardware issues, there are several preventative measures you can take beforehand to make your upgrade experience more successful.

In the Windows World

To upgrade from a previous version of Windows (XP, 7 or 8) to Windows 10, you will need to do the following:

1. Back up your data to an external hard drive

2. Create a system image. Go to Control Panel and select “Back up your computer” in System & Security section

3. Update device drivers and download the latest firmware and security patches

4. Uninstall all security software (and reinstall it after Windows 10 installation)

5. Unplug all peripherals (and plug them back in after Windows 10 installation)

6. Run Window 10 Upgrade Advisor for additional information to help with the upgrade

7. If this causes too much anxiety, buy a Mac or an iPad

Windows 10, the latest operating system from Microsoft requires 1GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16-20 GB of available hard drive space and a DirectX 9-capable graphics card with a WDDM driver. Windows 10 Home Edition is $120 and Windows 10 Pro Edition is $200. If your PC is more than four years old, consider buying a new one. This is the Microsoft way. 

In the Mac World

According to Apple’s upgrade website, Mac computers introduced in 2009 and later can be upgraded to the latest OS (operating system), El Capitan, but you should make sure your Mac is ready for the change. Apple suggests that your Mac has at least 2GB of RAM memory and 8.8 GB of available storage on the hard drive. In some cases, it is a good idea to increase the RAM and hard drive capacity before installing the upgrade for improved performance.

Here’s a list of things you should do in preparation for the El Capitan upgrade:

1. Make a backup up of your Mac to an external hard drive using Apple’s built-in Time Machine software

2. Run Disk Utility to verify drive health and repair the hard drive

3. Check that all Apple and third-party software applications are compatible with the the latest OS

4. Check that you have enough RAM Memory (4GB is best)

5. Check that there is enough graphics card memory to support the latest OS

6. Free up space on your Mac before upgrading (15-20GB is best)

7. Turn off FileVault or any third-party encryption software that is running

8. If you use Apple Mail to send and receive email, convert any POP email protocol accounts to IMAP before upgrading

9. Go to the Apple Menu and pull down to “About this Mac” to determine current OS, Processor, Memory and Graphics card

10. In some instances, it is better to perform a clean install of El Capitan with a Time Machine backup

Mac OS 10.11 El Capitan is a free download from Apple. However, like many free offers, there can be additional costs that are necessary to prepare your Mac for the upgrade. It’s a good idea to weigh all these factors before clicking on the upgrade button. It is important to realize that after upgrading to El Capitan, older versions of your existing software (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, etc.) may cost hundreds of dollars to upgrade to make them compatible with the new OS.

What Can Go Wrong After Upgrades

If you have upgraded your computer to the latest operating system, you may experience some of the following issues:

1. Computer won’t start up

2. Extreme operating system slowness

3. Hard drive corruption & fragmentation

4. Graphics card issues

5. Email stops working, especially with POP protocol

6. Third-party software incompatibility (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.)

7. Printer and scanner incompatibility (Canon, Epson, HP, Brother, etc.)

8. Decreased battery life on laptops

9. WiFi and Bluetooth connection problems

10. External hard drives or SD cards don’t show up on desktop

Remember, when in doubt, call your local computer store to help you determine if an upgrade makes sense with your particular system.