# windows 10 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717 "2015-08-01T12:11:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/1 "2015-08-01T12:11:22Z")
I have a dell latitude 630, running 32-bit, windows 7 home premium. I have the icon to get windows 10 for free but cannot because my computer does not support BIOS. In very simple terms, can someone explain what that means and what ( if anything ) can I do about it ? All I do is email, watch DVD’s, surf the internet and play some games. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/2 "2015-08-01T12:16:33Z")
Where are you getting the information that your computer doesn’t support BIOS? That’s a strange phrase–each word in it is clear, but I haven’t ever seen them put together that way. To my knowledge, every personal computer _has_ a BIOS, so it wouldn’t make much sense to say one doesn’t “support BIOS.” ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/3 "2015-08-01T13:02:52Z")
Technically newer PCs use UEFI instead of BIOS, but that Windows 10 doesn’t support BIOS is unbelievable. Probably going to need the exact error message on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/4 "2015-08-01T13:03:48Z")
Is the upgrade checker stating that something is not compatible (maybe bios does not support UEFI?) ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/5 "2015-08-01T13:47:02Z")
How old is the computer? Maybe they mean the version of bios is too old? my 2 year old Alienware updated fine. I"m not totally sold on the new OS but it appears to be functioning well. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/6 "2015-08-01T13:52:10Z")
It sounds like the OP has a Dell Latitude D630. A Google search indicates that model was introduced in 2007. It’s entirely possible that it’s just not capable of running Windows 10. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/7 "2015-08-01T14:05:03Z")
I have windows 7 and that is supposed to be compatible with windows 10. I have the windows icon in the lower right side of my computer. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/8 "2015-08-01T14:14:08Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > I have windows 7 and that is supposed to be compatible with windows 10. > I have the windows icon in the lower right side of my computer. I thought that if the icon appears, it means Microsoft has determined that your machine is compatible. Who (or what) is telling you that your machine is not compatible with Windows 10? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/9 "2015-08-01T14:16:09Z")
Have you checked with Dell for a BIOS software upgrade? ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/10 "2015-08-01T15:28:22Z")
guizot, When I click on the Microsoft icon in the lower right of my screen, it tells me that my computer is not able to get windows 10 because it does not support BIOS. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/11 "2015-08-01T16:36:12Z")
While it may very well be that the OP is garbling the error message, it does appear that some Windows 10 upgraders are getting some really odd messages. The most [famous](http://bgr.com/2015/07/30/windows-10-something-happened-error-message/) of which is: "Something happened Something happened." ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/12 "2015-08-01T16:42:09Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > guizot, > When I click on the Microsoft icon in the lower right of my screen, it tells me that my computer is not able to get windows 10 because it does not support BIOS. That error message makes no sense. What is the exact, word-for-word text of the error message? I suspect it is “The BIOS isn’t supported.” This means that Microsoft is aware of an incompatibility between the BIOS version on your computer and Windows 10. You should check the Dell support website to see if a “BIOS update” is available. If not, you will probably not be able to install Windows 10 on this computer. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/13 "2015-08-01T17:35:30Z")
absolute, it says; Unfortunately, this PC is unable to run windows 10. ( this is on the left side of the window) ( below, is what’s on the right) Compatibility issue: The BIOS isn’t supported. ( underneath this is ) view report. ( When I click on this , I get ) About your PC, Here’s why windows 10 can’t be installed on this PC. The BIOS isn’t supported. Honest guys, I’m not making this up. It doesn’t tell me what to do to solve this. Oh yeah, it does suggest that if I get a new computer, that might help. This makes me wonder if this is just a scam to get me to buy a new computer. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/14 "2015-08-01T17:39:19Z")
As **Morgenstern** suggested, update the BIOS and then try again. It may still not work and if it doesn’t, it’s not “a scam to get you to buy a new computer.” The computer may just not be capable of running Windows 10. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/15 "2015-08-01T17:43:23Z")
[Here’s a link where you can download the latest BIOS](http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/latitude-d630/drivers) for your laptop. It’s dated July 2013. Dell hasn’t officially confirmed that the D630 is Win10 compatible but some rough Googling suggests that it’s been done. Start with updating the BIOS and go from there. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/16 "2015-08-01T17:49:43Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I thought that if the icon appears, it means Microsoft has determined that your machine is compatible. The is true. Try updating the BIOS then try the update to Win10 again. -Dawn ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/17 "2015-08-01T17:53:31Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > [Here’s a link where you can download the latest BIOS](http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/latitude-d630/drivers) for your laptop. It’s dated July 2013. > > Dell hasn’t officially confirmed that the D630 is Win10 compatible but some rough Googling suggests that it’s been done. Start with updating the BIOS and go from there. The sites I found said that some people were able to get the technical preview working last October. It might have been possible then, but perhaps not now that Windows 10 is in production? Of course one option for the OP is just to continue with Windows 7. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/18 "2015-08-01T17:59:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The sites I found said that some people were able to get the technical preview working last October. It might have been possible then, but perhaps not now that Windows 10 is in production? > > Of course one option for the OP is just to continue with Windows 7. It’s possible; my guess was that the original BIOS is not 64-bit compatible, but I just learned that 32-bit Win10 is a thing so now I’ve got no idea what the sticking point might be. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/19 "2015-08-01T18:05:05Z")
Here is some more info. I am 64 and kinda new to this computer stuff. I did know about the free offer for windows 10 but did not have the icon till now. I went to Dell and downloaded the BIOS update. Windows 7 works fine for me, however, I was told that windows 10 is better. By the way, I know about windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. What happened to windows 9 ? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717/20 "2015-08-01T18:09:12Z")
Seven ate nine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10/726717.md?page=2)