Microsoft will let Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PC owners upgrade for free to Windows 10 for one year starting on July 29. However, along with all of the new features Windows 10 brings, it will also take away some features and applications that are a part of the older versions of the OS.
Here's the list of what's being taken away with the Windows 10 upgrade. Many of the items on this list will affect Windows 7 owners only
- If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center, or Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center and you install Windows 10, Windows Media Center will be removed.
- Watching DVDs requires separate playback software
- Windows 7 desktop gadgets will be removed as part of installing Windows 10.
- Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available. Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will have the ability to defer updates.
- Solitaire, Minesweeper, and Hearts Games that come pre-installed on Windows 7 will be removed as part of installing the Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft has released our version of Solitaire and Minesweeper called the "Microsoft Solitaire Collection" and "Microsoft Minesweeper."
- If you have a USB floppy drive, you will need to download the latest driver from Windows Update or from the manufacturer's website.
- If you have Windows Live Essentials installed on your system, the OneDrive application is removed and replaced with the inbox version of OneDrive.
Microsoft's Windows Insider head Gabriel Aul has previously revealed that the company will "provide another option for DVD playback in the future" for Windows 10 owners. Microsoft has already revealed that a version of Solitaire will be included as part of Windows 10 but it looks like Minesweeper will be added as well.
Source: Windows 10
