虽然一些用户更愿意将Windows 8 与 Windows 7(alongside Windows 7)或其他版本的Windows一起安装，但其他用户则希望直接升级并(upgrade and use)仅使用Windows 8。对于这些用户，我准备了有关如何升级到Windows 8(Windows 8)的分步指南。我还将分享您在继续升级之前需要考虑的要求，以免出现意外。
升级到Windows 8 是可能(Is Possible)的，但有一些注意事项
您可以从任何版本的Windows（从Windows XP开始）升级到Windows 8。该过程将遵循相同的步骤，但可以迁移的内容有所不同，具体取决于您要升级的Windows版本。(Windows)您被问到的第一个问题是关于要保留什么。可用的选项如下：
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保留 Windows 设置、个人文件和应用程序(Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps)- 这仅在从 Windows 7 升级到 Windows 8 时可用。
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保留 Windows 设置和个人文件(Keep Windows settings and personal files)- 仅在从 Windows Vista 升级到 Windows 8 时可用。
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仅保留个人文件(Keep personal files only)- 从 Windows XP、Windows Vista 和 Windows 7 升级到 Windows 8 时可用。
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无(Nothing)- 从 Windows XP、Windows Vista 和 Windows 7 升级到 Windows 8 时可用。
还有其他重要方面需要考虑：
- 您可以从 32 位版本的Windows升级到 32 位版本的Windows 8。对于 64 位也是如此。但是您不能从 32 位版本的Windows升级到 64 位版本的Windows 8或其他方式。
- 您可以从Windows XP 和 Windows Vista(Windows XP and Windows Vista)零售版升级到Windows 8 Pro。目前不知道您是否可以将它们升级到Windows 8的基本版本。
- 您可以将Windows 7(Windows 7)的所有零售版本升级到Windows 8 Pro。
- 您只能将 Windows 7 Home Basic、Home Premium 和 Starter升级到(Home Premium and Starter)Windows 8的基本版。
升级前要记住(Mind)的事情
当您开始升级过程时，安装(setup program)程序会检查一些需要的东西，其中最重要的是可用空间量。安装当前操作系统(operating system)的分区上至少需要 20 GB 的可用空间。如果您没有此可用空间，则无法完成升级。
如果遇到任何问题，在升级开始之前，您会看到需要修复的摘要。
在升级过程成功完成之前，旧版本的Windows将保持不变。只有在确认升级成功后才会将其删除。这样，如果升级出现问题，系统会自动恢复到以前的Windows 版本(Windows version)。
因此，您不必担心如果升级失败，您将无法使用您的计算机。
如何升级到 Windows 8
登录(Log)到要升级的Windows 版本。(Windows version)插入(Insert)Windows 8 安装光盘(installation disc)，打开Windows 资源管理器(Windows Explorer)并运行setup.exe文件。在继续之前不要忘记关闭所有正在运行的程序。
系统会询问您是否要联机并安装最新更新。选择您喜欢的选项，然后按Next。
接下来，系统会要求您输入随 Windows 8 版本提供的产品密钥。(product key)键入它并按Next。
阅读许可条款，选中“我接受许可条款”("I accept the license terms")框，然后按接受(Accept)。
现在，系统会要求您选择要保留的内容，具体取决于您要升级的Windows 版本(Windows version)。选择您喜欢的选项，然后单击Next。
如果满足所有先决条件以开始升级，则升级继续。如果没有，它会在此处停止，并向您显示需要修复的内容才能继续升级。
如果一切正常，您会被告知确实要安装Windows 8，并提供您选择的操作的摘要。要继续，请单击安装(Install)。
安装过程(installation process)相对较快地结束，它涉及多次重新启动。
安装完成后，就可以个性化Windows 8了。首先(First)，选择您要使用的颜色主题，然后单击(color theme)下一步(Next)。
是时候自定义Windows 8中的默认设置了。如果您想快速完成它们，请单击使用快速设置(Use express settings)。但是，我们建议单击自定义(Customize)，以便按照您希望的方式进行设置。
现在会询问您是否要打开文件共享。选择您喜欢的选项。
系统会要求您打开或关闭一些与Windows 更新(Windows Update)、Internet 隐私和安全(Internet privacy and security)相关的设置。设置(Set)你想要的东西，然后按Next。
接下来，系统会询问您是否要向Microsoft发送不同类型的信息，以使Windows 8及其应用程序变得更好。根据您的喜好进行(preference and click)设置，然后单击(Set)Next。
然后，系统会询问您故障排除选项以及您要打开的内容。此外，您可以设置应用程序是否可以使用您的姓名和帐户图片(name and account picture)，以及是否允许它们访问您的位置。根据需要进行设置(Set)，然后单击Next。
现在，您需要输入用于登录先前Windows 安装的(Windows installation)用户帐户(user account)的密码。键入它并按Next。
您可以选择关联Microsoft 帐户并使用(Microsoft account and use)该帐户登录Windows 8，而不是旧的用户帐户(user account)。键入您的Microsoft 帐户，然后按(Microsoft account and press) Next。
键入您的Microsoft 帐户使用的密码，然后按(Microsoft account and press) Next。
然后，您可以提供备用电子邮件和电话号码(e-mail and phone number)来恢复您的帐户密码(account password)，以防您忘记密码或被不速之客更改。提供请求的详细信息，然后单击Next。
设置过程(setup process)需要一段时间才能完成所有设置，然后它将显示有关如何使用新Charms的教程。
登录后，升级过程就完成了。
结论
如果您将升级到Windows 8与全新安装Windows 8进行比较，您会发现所涉及的步骤更少，并且过程结束得更快。但是，还有更多的依赖项和要求需要考虑。如果您注意上述所有步骤，复杂性将无法充分发挥您的作用，您将能够成功完成升级。
How to Upgrade to Windows 8 from Windows 7, Windows Vista or Earlier
While some users will prеfer to instаll Windows 8 alongside Windows 7 or anоther version of Windows, others will want to mаke а straight upgrаde and use only Windows 8. For those users, I prepared this step by step guide on how to upgrаde to Windows 8. I will also share the requirements you need to consider before going ahead with the upgrade, so that there are no surprises.
Upgrading to Windows 8 Is Possible, With Some Caveats
You can upgrade from any version of Windows, starting with Windows XP, to Windows 8. The process will follow the same steps but the things that can be migrated over are different, depending on the version of Windows you are upgrading from. One of the first questions you are asked is about what to keep. The options available are as follows:
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Keep Windows settings, personal files, and apps – this is available only when upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8.
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Keep Windows settings and personal files – available only when upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 8.
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Keep personal files only – available when upgrading from Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 to Windows 8.
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Nothing - available when upgrading from Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 to Windows 8.
There are also other important aspects to consider:
- You can upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 32-bit version of Windows 8. The same for 64-bit. But you cannot upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows 8 or the other way around.
- You can upgrade from Windows XP and Windows Vista retail editions to Windows 8 Pro. It is not known at this moment if you can upgrade them to the basic edition of Windows 8.
- You can upgrade all retail editions of Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro.
- You can upgrade only Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Starter to the basic edition of Windows 8.
Things to Keep in Mind Before You Upgrade
When you start the upgrade process, the setup program checks for a few things that are needed, the most important of which is the amount of free space available. You need at least 20 GB of free space on the partition where your current operating system is installed. If you don't have this free space, the upgrade won't be done.
If any problems are encountered, you are shown a summary of what you need to fix, before the upgrade starts.
Until the upgrade process is finalized successfully, the old version of Windows is kept intact. It is removed only after a successful upgrade was confirmed. This is so that, in case of issues with the upgrade, the system is automatically reverted to the previous Windows version.
Therefore you don't have to worry that you won't be able to use your computer if the upgrade fails.
How to Upgrade to Windows 8
Log in to the Windows version you want to upgrade from. Insert the Windows 8 installation disc, open Windows Explorer and run the setup.exe file. Don't forget to close all running programs before you proceed.
You are asked if you want to go online and install the latest updates. Choose the option you prefer and press Next.
Next, you are asked to enter the product key that was made available with your Windows 8 version. Type it and press Next.
Read the license terms, check the box which says "I accept the license terms" and press Accept.
Now you are asked to choose what you want to keep, depending on the Windows version you are upgrading from. Choose the option you prefer and click Next.
If all the prerequisites are met in order for the upgrade to start, the upgrade proceeds. If not, it stops here and you are shown what needs to be fixed in order to go ahead with the upgrade.
If all is OK, you are told that Windows 8 is really to install and given a summary of what you have chosen to do. To go ahead, click on Install.
The installation process is over relatively quickly and it involves several restarts.
Once the installation is done, it is time to personalize Windows 8. First, select the color theme you want to use and click Next.
It is time to customize the default settings in Windows 8. If you want to be done with them quickly, click Use express settings. However, we recommend clicking Customize so that things get set the way you want them to be.
You are now asked if you want to turn on file sharing. Select the option you prefer.
You are asked to turn on or off a few settings related to Windows Update, Internet privacy and security. Set things as you want them to be and press Next.
Next, you are asked if you want to send different types of information to Microsoft, to make Windows 8 and its apps better. Set things according to your preference and click Next.
Then, you are asked about troubleshooting options and what you want to turn on. Also, you can set whether apps can use your name and account picture and if they are allowed to access your location. Set things as you wish and click Next.
Now you are asked to type the password for the user account you used to log in to the previous Windows installation. Type it and press Next.
You are give the option to associate a Microsoft account and use that to log in to Windows 8, instead of the old user account. Type your Microsoft account and press Next.
Type the password used by your Microsoft account and press Next.
Then, you can provide an alternate e-mail and phone number to recover your account password, in case you forget it or it is changed by unwanted guests. Provide the requested details and click Next.
The setup process will take a while to finalize all settings and then it will show a tutorial on how to use the new Charms.
Once you log in, the upgrade process is finalized.
Conclusion
If you compare upgrading to Windows 8 to making a clean installation of Windows 8, you will notice that there are fewer steps involved and the process is over quicker. However, there are more dependencies and requirements to consider. If you pay attention to all the steps described above, complexity will not get the best of you and you will be able to finish the upgrade successfully.
