How to install the Windows 10 Preview: Everything you need to know

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Are you ready to walk on the wild side? Windows 10 is on the horizon, and even though it’s still not going to be complete to sometime around fall 2015, Microsoft’s giving IT Pros and PC enthusiasts an early taste of what’s to come with the Windows 10 Preview.

After releasing initial Windows 10 Technical Preview on October 1, 2014, Microsoft released a steady flow of new builds and features. On January 23, 2015, the companypushed out build 9926, a feature-packed update with Cortana, the new Xbox app, and many of the other new goodies revealed at its January Windows 10 event.

But this isn’t like Windows 8’s Consumer Preview, which was released as a simple ISO image. The Windows 10 Technical Preview is being released via a new “Windows Insider” program that asks for user feedback and even provides private forums for discussing trouble spots with Microsoft engineers. Lots of things have already changed and many more are sure to change going forward, from features to basic elements of the operating system.

All that said, are you still curious? Can’t resist the lure of the bleeding edge? Just want to run away from Windows 8? Here’s how to install the Windows 10 Technical Preview right now.

(And if you're already set up with Windows 10 but want to try Cortana and all the new stuff in the January build immediately, open PC Settings > Update and recovery > Preview builds in Windows 10 and click the Check Now button. In our experience you'll need to be fully up-to-date with system patches before the new preview will successfully install.)

Further reading: Hands-on with Microsoft’s new Windows 10: UI changes that look great at first blush

Wait!

Actually, you won’t be installing the Technical Preview for a few minutes yet. Didn’t you hear the part about this being a very early pre-release build? That means catastrophic errors are an all too real possibility.

Don’t take my word for it: Here’s part of the terms of service you agree to when you sign up for Windows Insider (emphasis Microsoft’s):

“The Program Services include experimental and early prerelease software. This means that you may experience occasional crashes and in rare cases data loss. To recover, you may have to reinstall your applications, the operating system, or re-flash your device. Using the Program Services on some devices may impact your warranty (check with your device provider). By participating, you agree to frequently backup your data.”

In case that didn’t make it clear enough, back up your data before you start. Dump your pictures in Dropbox, drag your documents to an external hard drive, whatever works! Just make sure your data is safe and secure in case something bad happens when you’re installing the Windows 10 Tech Preview.

Windows 10 Technical Preview requirements

Before we get too involved, it’s worth noting that the Windows 10 Technical Preview is limited to PC and Windows tablets with x86 processors—there’s no version for Windows RT tablets and their ARM processors available, as Windows RT tablets won't be receiving Windows 10. (Sorry, Surface RT owners.) If you’re unsure which version of Windows your tablet is running, right-click on the “This PC” icon in File Explorer and select Properties. Your Windows edition information will be at the top of the window that appears.

Here are Windows 10’s other hardware requirements, which are just as modest as Windows 8.1’s.

• Processor : 1GHz or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2
• RAM : 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
• Hard disk space : 16GB
• Graphics card : Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver

Some additional notes: You’ll also need a Microsoft account and Internet access. And if you want to access the Windows Store or use Windows Apps, your monitor’s resolution will need to be at least 1024x768. The Windows 10 Technical Preview is available in English, Chinese Simplified, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Still here? Now head over to preview.windows.com and click the Get Started button. After registering for Windows Insider, you’ll be prompted to download the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Download the appropriate Technical Preview build for your machine—the “This PC” or “My Computer” Properties window can also tell you if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit processor under the “System type” field.

Jot down the product key for the Technical Preview, too, though I didn't need to use it to install the Technical Preview. Couldn't hurt to have it handy though.

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Installing the Windows 10 Technical Preview

With all that done, it’s time to get the Tech Preview on your PC! But since it’s a very early pre-release build of the operating system, you probably don’t want to overwrite your PC’s operating system with Windows 10—especially since doing so renders Windows Media Player incapable of playing DVDs and removes Windows Media Center entirely from upgraded Windows 8.1 Pro installations.

If you have a superfluous computer lying around, sure, feel free to install the preview on that. (My colleague Mark Hachman did, overwriting Windows 8.1—but only after creating a recovery drive.) But most people will want to install the Windows 10 Technical Preview either in a virtual machine, or dual-boot the OS from its own hard drive partition.

In a virtual machine

Installing it on a virtual machine is the easiest option. Grab VirtualBox, Oracle’s stellar no-cost VM tool, and you’ll be ready to rock. Download the Windows 10 Preview and configure it in VirtualBox using mostly the same steps outlined in PCWorld’s guide to test-driving Windows 8 in a virtual machine. (When you're initially setting up the Windows 10 VM, select "Windows 8.1" as the operating system type.)

If your attempt to install the Windows 10 VM isn't successful, try tweaking these settings. Once you’ve completed the initial Windows 10 set up, open the VM's Settings > System. In the Motherboard tab, ensure the box next to “Enable EFI (Special OSes only)” is checked, as well as the “Enable PAE/NX” box under the Processor tab.

Setting up the Windows 10 Technical Preview in VirtualBox.

It's worth noting that I encountered troubles installing the 64-bit version Windows 10 on VirtualBox—the installation hung right after the "Press any key to boot" screen, stuck forever on the Windows logo against a black background. Several others have beensuccessful in getting it to work, however, and I was able to install the 32-bit version of Windows 10's Technical Preview in VirtualBox successfully. (I also successfully installed the 64-bit version to a hard drive partition, and another 64-bit instance overwriting Windows 8.1 on a laptop.)

Dual boot Windows 10 in a hard drive partition

Running operating systems in virtual machines also sacrifices some performance,  especially if you don’t have extra CPU cores or much RAM to dedicate to the task. If you want to experience the Windows 10 Technical Preview natively, you can create a new partition on your hard drive and install the preview there. (It’s best if you’re able to do this on a secondary PC, just to be safe.)

Creating hard drive partitions in Windows.

PCWorld’s guide to installing Windows 8 on a new partition can walk you through the process—the same basic steps apply to the Windows 10 Technical Preview, and Windows 8 handles hard drive partitioning the same way Windows 7 did. Note that Windows 8 includes native tools for burning a bootable ISO to a DVD, however—simply right-click on the Windows 10 ISO file and select Burn disc image.

The Windows 7 USB/DVD tool can help you make a bootable USB drive with the Windows 10 ISO despite its name. One tip we have though for those installing from USB onto a desktop: use the native Intel USB ports. Some motherboards use discrete USB 3.0 controllers that Windows 10 may not recognize during the install causing it to bomb out. If it does fail mysteriously, consider trying a different USB 3.0 port with your best bet being USB 2.0 ports.

Living on the edge

There you have it. Enjoy the sweet, sweet desktop improvements and let Microsoft’s team know if you hit any rough spots. You'll find a feedback tool baked right into the Windows 10 Technical Preview. That’s why you joined the Windows Insider program after all. Right?

Editor's note: This was originally published on October 1, 2014 but has been periodically updated with additional information as new builds go live.

Microsoft Confirmed Next Windows as Windows 10

Touted as the company's "most comprehensive platform, ever," Windows 10 stresses a single product family, platform, and store. While the announcement covered quite a bit in terms of enterprise customers, general consumers have some changes to look forward to as well—one of which is an updated and familiar Start Menu.

The new version looks more like the pre-Windows 8 Start Menu, revealing a list of apps, folders, and a search bar, but to the side will be a series of Live Tiles. Essentially, you'll find a Windows 7 Start Menu with a Windows 8 twist. The search function works much like it does when typing from the Windows 8 Modern UI, revealing apps, files, and web results.

Windows 8-style apps can now be windowed within the traditional desktop, adding more flexibility in how you use them—currently, they can only be used at full-screen or within the confines of "snapped" windows. For the newly-designed windowed apps, you will be able to snap them to the edges of the screen like you would from the traditional Windows desktop.

Microsoft has also added a new multi-tasking feature that looks and works similar to what we see on other platforms. When you initiate "Task View" a series of small desktop views will be displayed at the bottom of the screen, with larger previews of the apps being shown off in the middle of the display. You can also quickly select and move around apps from different desktops with a new "Snap Assist" function, which will be nice for the power users out there.

While a Windows 7-style Start Menu is good and all for mouse users, Microsoft will also introduce a different version for those using touchscreen computers. Instead of a small menu consisting of a bunch of text and small Live Tiles, touch users will be greeted with something that more resembles the Windows 8 Modern UI, while still in the traditional desktop. Microsoft is really working to blend its two distinct interfaces into one experience that works for all users.

If you want to get your hands on an early version of Windows 10, Microsoft will be launching its Windows Insider Program tomorrow, offering a preview build for both laptops and desktops. The company plans to discuss more about consumer-facing changes during the first part of 2015.

Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky?

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Today, people around the globe will feel uneasy about getting out of bed, leaving their homes, or going about their normal daily routines, all because of a superstition. These unfortunate folks suffer from  “paraskavedekatriaphobia,” a common neurosis familiar to us all—the fear of Friday the 13th. But just where did this superstitious association come from, and how did it catch on?

The truth is that no one is absolutely sure where the idea that Friday the 13th is unlucky originated. Donald Dossey, the founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina suspects the fear can be traced back to a Norse myth about twelve gods who had a dinner at Valhalla—the fabled hall where legendary Norse heroes feasted for eternity after they died—that was interrupted by a thirteenth guest, the evil and mischievous god Loki. According to legend, Loki tricked Höðr (the blind god of winter and son of Odin, the supreme god in Norse mythology) into shooting his brother Baldr (the benevolent god of summer who was also Odin’s son) with a magical spear tipped with mistletoe—the only substance that could defeat him. Thus the number thirteen was branded as unlucky because of the ominous period of mourning following the loss of such powerful gods by this unwanted thirteenth guest.

For whatever reason, among many cultures, the number twelve emerged throughout history as a "complete" number: There are twelve months in a year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve Gods of Olympus, twelve sons of Odin, twelve labors of Hercules, twelve Jyotirlingas or Hindu shrines where Shiva is worshipped, twelve successors of Muhammad in Shia Islam, and twelve tribes of Israel. In Christianity, Jesus was betrayed by one of his twelve Apostles—Judas—who was the thirteenth guest to arrive for the Last Supper. Surpassing the number twelve ostensibly unbalances the ideal nature of things; because it is seen as irregular and disrespectful of a sense of perfection, the number thirteen bears the stigma of misfortune and bad luck we know today.

WHY FRIDAY?

Friday joins in the mix mostly because all of the early accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion agree that it took place on Friday—the standard day for crucifixions in Rome. As Chaucer noted in The Canterbury Tales, "And on a Friday fell all this mischance." Yet perpetuating Friday as an unlucky day in America came from the late-nineteenth century American tradition of holding all executions on Fridays; Friday the 13th became the unluckiest of days simply because it combined two distinct superstitions into one. According to the Oxford University Press Dictionary of Superstitions, the first reference to Friday the 13th itself wasn’t until 1913. (So despite actually occurring on Friday, October 13, 1307, the popular notion that the Friday the 13th stigma comes from the date on which the famed order of the Knights Templar were wiped out by King Philip of France is just a coincidence.) 

The repercussions of these phobias reverberated through American culture, particularly in the 20th century. Most skyscrapers and hotels lack a thirteenth floor, which specifically comes from the tendency in the early 1900s for buildings in New York City to omit the unlucky number (though both the Empire State Building and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel have 13th floors). Street addresses sometimes skip from twelve to fourteen, while airports may skip the thirteenth gate. Allegedly, the popular Friday the 13th films were so-named just to cash in on this menacing date recognition, not because the filmmakers actually believed the date to be unlucky.

So, is Friday the 13th actually unlucky? Despite centuries of superstitious behavior, it largely seems like psychological mumbo jumbo. (One 1993 study seemed to reveal that, statistically speaking, Friday the 13th is unlucky, but the study's authors told LiveScience that though the data was accurate, "the paper was just a bit of fun and not to be taken seriously." Other studies have shown no correlation between things like increased accidents or injuries and Friday the 13th.) And Friday the 13th isn't a big deal in other cultures, which have their own unlucky days: Greeks and Spanish-speaking countries consider Tuesday the 13th to be the unluckiest day, while Italians steer clear of Friday the 17th. So today, try to rest a little easy—Friday the 13th may not be so unlucky after all.

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