Q: An acquaintance urged me to get the free Windows 10 update for my desktop PC, an Acer Aspire X3910 model that I bought at the end of 2010. But the upgrade failed and my PC was restored to Windows 7. What can I do?
Barb Berggren, New Brighton
A: Windows 10 failed to install because your 2010 PC is too old to handle it. If you really want the upgrade, you'll need to buy a new PC.
But your situation isn't unusual. Many PCs currently in use, including some sold as recently as the first half of 2013, are technologically too old to use Windows 10. Fortunately, several PC makers have made it easy to find out whether your particular model can handle the upgrade.
In your case, I saw that your Acer model did not appear on the company's list of Windows 10-eligible PCs (see tinyurl.com/jztu68l). Readers with other PC brands can check on Windows 10 compatibility at these websites: HP (tinyurl.com/o79he3r and enter model number), Dell (tinyurl.com/jy27jky), Toshiba (tinyurl.com/q3qylhj), Samsung (tinyurl.com/plyv75f and enter model number), Lenovo (tinyurl.com/oa94qpv) and Asus (tinyurl.com/pazg34t and enter model number).
Q: I'd like to keep Windows 7 as long as possible rather than switch to Windows 10. How long will Microsoft support Windows 7?
Tobey Hyman, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
A: Windows 7 will be safe to use until January 2020 because Microsoft plans to provide security updates for it until then. However, there won't be any new features added to Windows 7 because the company stopped providing improvements for it in January 2015.