Ed Cryer wrote:
Stef wrote:
Keith Nuttle wrote:

In reviewing the need to upgrade to Windows 10 from 8.1, the question
comes up about the size of the Windows 10 installation on an existing
8.1 install?

Will Windows 10, increase the size of the OS install appreciably.


What about a tablet will a Windows 10 install increase the size of the
OS install on a tablet? (HP Stream 7 32 gb)

As far as specific numbers, no one will know exactly until the final W10
is released. And, of course, it will depend on which one you get. But!
Ask yourself this: When has a new Windows release's footprint ever
been SMALLER than the previous release?

Stef


Plus, of course, the replaced OS will be stored on your hard drive; some
folder such as Old-Windows.

Ed


Yes, Windows.old takes space.

So all you need, is a reliable number for the Win10 Preview size
of C:, as an estimator of the additional space. After you
run Disk Cleanup and remove Windows.old from there, you'll get
that space back (from the old OS), and C: will actually have
less Microsoft content on it than previously. But the "peak" will
be the additional size required by Win10 C:\Windows folder. My
Windows 7 C: partition is 40GB, used is 26GB, leaving 14GB, a
tight fit if the Win10 Windows folder is 13GB. YMMV. If the install
finished, some portion of that 26GB would get deleted
during Disk Cleanup.

There is an incentive now, to keep Win10 size down. To make
it smaller than Windows 8. And that reason is "market capture
for tablets and smartphones and mobile devices". The idea
is to continue to use 32GB Flash for those devices. Can't
pork out the install too much, or it won't fit. If you make
Windows 10 low-end devices more expensive than a Chromebook
to build, it makes Microsoft less competitive when crushing
the Chromebook.

Paul