From Microsoft:

Hardware Compatibility Checker. Note regarding products not shown in the dropdown above: Many Microsoft Hardware products that don't state Windows 10 system requirements will at least have basic functionality in Windows 10, however advanced functionality may not be available. We continually update our information and add new products. Check back often.

This small software tool will scan your computer and create an easy-to-understand report of all known system and device compatibility issues, and recommend ways to resolve them. The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can also help you choose the edition of Windows Vista that best fits the way you want to use your computer.

Windows Vista Compatibility Tool

Publisher's Description. True, to a point, the installation program wouldn't run since it realized Vista was not W2K. It did install the driver files and the modem work fine simply by right clking on the install file, choosing properties, then the compatibility tab, and setting to W2K, which was an NT system too. Jul 01, 2019  Windows 10 Compatibility Checker. As for people using vintage operating systems like Windows XP and Windows Vista, you will have to install a fresh copy of Windows 10. That said, the free upgrade offer for Windows 10 by Microsoft was ended on July 29, 2016.

What do you need to know about free software?

This small software tool will scan your computer and create an easy-to-understand report of all known system and device compatibility issues, and recommend ways to resolve them. The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can also help you choose the edition of Windows Vista that best fits the way you want to use your computer.

Windows Vista Compatibility Center

Compatibility testers are available for Windows 7, 8.1 & 10.

The Windows 10 compatibility tester cannot run on Windows XP or Vista but a substitute is available.

Details

1 Test for compatibility with Windows 7 & Windows 8.1

1.1 If you plan to install Windows 7 or 8, you need to check your computer’s hardware & software compatibility with the new OS.

Windows Vista Compatibility Checker Free

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Download[This can run on WinXP & Vista] - see also Windows 7 system requirements

Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant - download[This can run on WinXP & Vista] - see alsoWindows 8 system requirements

1.2 In addition to providing information about the chances of a successful installation, the compatibility reports will alert you to any hardware components that you will need to pay attention to afterwards.See Where to get hardware drivers.

2Test for compatibility with Windows 10

2.1 If you plan to install Windows 10, you need to check your computer’s hardware & software compatibility with the new OS. Review the Windows 10 System requirements carefully; whilst it starts off with a simple table of requirements, there is an awful lot tucked away in its details [see also my section 3 below].

• If you are using Windows 7 SP1 or 8/8.1, use the Windows 10 upgrade checker [GWX]. I am not sure but I think that if you have Windows 7 pre-SP1 and do not want to complete that update first, you might have to use the same substitute compatibility checker that I suggest for XP & Vista users.
• If you are using XP or Vista you will have to use a substitute compatibility checker because the Windows 10 upgrade checker [GWX]cannot run on Windows XP or Vista.So, for XP & Vista, run the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistantinstead as that does run on those OSs.TheWindows 10 System requirementsand the Windows 8 system requirementsare just about the same so the results will still be useful.

2.2 In addition to providing information about the chances of a successful installation, the compatibility reports will alert you to any hardware components that you will need to pay attention to afterwards. See Compatibility report for Windows 10 FAQ - Windows Help &Where to get hardware drivers.

3Additional Windows 10 system requirements

3.1To install a 64-bit OS on a 64-bit PC, your processor needs to support CMPXCHG16b, PrefetchW, and LAHF/SAHF.This is stated in Windows 10 System requirements but is tucked away near the end [Additional requirements to use certain features section, four bullet points up from the end]. The Windows 10 upgrade checker [GWX] and Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant check all these items.

3.2 Early versions of the Windows 10 System requirements stated that the CPU must support SSE2, NX, PAE extensions [a requirement that was introduced for Windows 8.1]. Whilst current versions of the Windows 10 System requirementsstatement do not include this constraint, a forum user reported on 18 April 2016 that lack of support for NX extensions was given as the reason for failure during an attempted upgrade to Windows 10. The Windows 10 upgrade checker [GWX] and Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant check for these items. For further information about SSE2, NX, PAE requirements, see

• What are PAE, NX, and SSE2 - Windows 8.1 Helpand note in particular its statement that CPU NX extensions might be available but turned off in the BIOS.

• Your PC's CPU isn't compatible with Windows 8,10where some alternative BIOS names for these extensions are mentioned.There is no need to use the Microsoft SysInternals tool that is referred to.

4Install Windows 10 as a test before parting with any money

4.1 Even if your computer is compatible you might find that Windows 10 does not perform very well. It does make tougher demands on your hardware then previous OSs and applications can be noticeably slower.

4.2 Just by way of example, I have Windows 10 running well on a twelve year old Dell Inspiron 9300 with just two problems [that I have managed to work around] yet I was in touch in the Dell forums with another user of the same model with apparently the same specs but his Windows 10 problems proved insurmountable.

4.3 You won't know if it works until you try it. So even if it passes all the tests, get yourself a system imaging utility such as Macrium Reflect [free edition] and make a system image of your computer] before installing Windows 10.

• There is guidance on using it on their website and also at Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect - TenForums.
• You will normally also need to make a Macrium Reflect rescue disk.
• A system image will enable you to get back to where you started so that you do not destroy your original OS.

4.4 You can install Windows 10 by booting the computer from installation media created using the Media creation tool. Make sure you choose the right Windows 10 in the choices you make here so that you can avoid any need to reinstall if you do decide to buy it.

• If your review of the Windows 10 System requirements indicates that you can use 64 bit [x64] Windows 10 then you can choose that for its faster processing capabilities. If not, or if you think that you will be in other respects pushing the specs, choose 32 bit [x86].
• To decide whether or not you want Windows 10 Home or Pro, see the comparison chart in this Wikipedia article comparing Windows 10 editions. As far as home users are concerned, the only difference that is likely to matter is encryption [EFS, Bitlocker] as it is only available with Windows 10 Pro.
• During your test installation you will be asked to provide a product key but you can skip that and the installation will complete so that you can test your computer with Windows 10. The installation will not be activated so it can only be used for a limited time before limitations start to be imposed [I do not know how long this will be or what limitations will appear].

4.5 If you currently have Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1, you might still be able to upgrade for free. See Get Windows 10 upgrade still - GroovyPost

Denis