So I keep getting popups on Windows 8.1 saying my free upgrade to Windows 10 is ready. When I upgraded operating systems before I just use the upgrade feature. It worked but everything was a little kinky. So I did a clean install. Does the upgrade feature work now or not? Also is 10 similar enough to 8.1 that I won't need all new drivers for everything? Sorry if this is all been covered before.
Westside Steve

You should start by reading the posts in the Computers section of this forum regarding Windows 10.

I just upgraded from Win 8.1 to 10 a few days a go and it couldn't have been any smoother. ALL the drivers for my internal hardware components were automatically updated with the Win 10 upgrade.
 
If there's drivers for all your hardware in 8.1, they should work well in Win 10.
 
If you see your "free upgrade to Win 10" is ready, go for it. It took about 30 minutes and everything was up & running. If you don't see that "free upgrade" message in your task bar, you can check in the Computer forums for a thread that shows the actual location of it. (I'm just not sure since you've done a clean install (Win 8.1?) on how MS does their upgrade thing after that.)  

dlesaux
You should start by reading the posts in the Computers section of this forum regarding Windows 10.

That's very good advice. I do believe I heard you should install the download over prev Windows first then you can do a clean install.

If the upgrade does not work (ie not a clean install) try creating a new user account and running it from there. There have also been reports that changing language and regional settings to US sometimes work (assuming you are not US).

Yup I've been there.

Btw even a clean install leaves crap all over your hard drive, and your data. It wipes the data withib your user accounts however.The cleanest way is to install windows booting off the DVD and wipe the partition you are installing on (with obvious consequences). Best to do the upgrade first though so you get a product key.

Always backup!!

Another thing sorry. The big change in windows 10 registration is they keep your product keys in the cloud. So you don't really need to type them in once registered (although I take a note to them as I don't trust it).

Doktor Avalanche
If the upgrade does not work (ie not a clean install) try creating a new user account and running it from there. There have also been reports that changing language and regional settings to US sometimes work (assuming you are not US).

Yup I've been there.

Btw even a clean install leaves crap all over your hard drive, and your data. It wipes the data withib your user accounts however.The cleanest way is to install windows booting off the DVD and wipe the partition you are installing on (with obvious consequences). Best to do the upgrade first though so you get a product key.

Always backup!!

 When people were using the Insider Preview, problems upgrading came from using flash drives in USB 3 ports or was it USB 3 drives in USB 2 ports. Something like that.
 

kitekrazy1
When people were using the Insider Preview, problems upgrading came from using flash drives in USB 3 ports or was it USB 3 drives in USB 2 ports. Something like that.

 
And it has been fixed. Nothing to worry about.