Browser Query re installing Windows 10


  1. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1
       #1

    Browser Query re installing Windows 10


    I have been nervous about installing Windows 10 on my desktop computer but feel it would probably be better to take the plunge before July. At the moment I use Internet Explorer for an email address I use to register for websites and Firefox for my general emails and Chrome for Hangouts which I use for my family. Also Thunderbird for my talk talk email address which I don't use as much as the others. I also have folders set up in the browsers for emails I want to save. What will happen to my browsers if I update to Windows 10? I know it has Windows Edge now as a browser but I am comfortable with the ones I use now and am worried if I update to Windows 10 it will delete my current browsers and I will lose emails I have saved in various folders. I would appreciate any advice.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #2

    Hmmm. Advice would be to make a system image before you do anything. Macrium Reflect is free and well regarded. Make an image of your complete system such that the whole drive is imaged and save the backup on a separate plug in USB drive. Make sure you understand how to recover the image if needed. Macrium bootable media that you create yourself would allow recovery even with no operating system present.

    Also, as double insurance, simply copy your user files and folders to a flash drive. So the folders you mention containing emails you simply right click and send to a suitable flash drive. You can never have to many backups and you need a fall back plan.

    From that point you can try an upgrade install of W10 but be aware that upgrade installs can be problematic for some. A clean install is far far better (but remember you lose everything and start from a clean slate). If it goes wrong, a disk image lets you put everything back as it was. From that point you could then try the clean install if you wished.

    And with a disk image program that you are comfortable using, you can always go back as if nothing happened.

    So that would be my advice.

    1/ Disk image. Make sure you are happy using the program and confident to restore the image.
    2/ Copy user files to flash drive (docs, piccys, music, email etc)

    Then try the upgrade.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Mooly said:
    Hmmm. Advice would be to make a system image before you do anything. Macrium Reflect is free and well regarded. Make an image of your complete system such that the whole drive is imaged and save the backup on a separate plug in USB drive. Make sure you understand how to recover the image if needed. Macrium bootable media that you create yourself would allow recovery even with no operating system present.

    Also, as double insurance, simply copy your user files and folders to a flash drive. So the folders you mention containing emails you simply right click and send to a suitable flash drive. You can never have to many backups and you need a fall back plan.

    From that point you can try an upgrade install of W10 but be aware that upgrade installs can be problematic for some. A clean install is far far better (but remember you lose everything and start from a clean slate). If it goes wrong, a disk image lets you put everything back as it was. From that point you could then try the clean install if you wished.

    And with a disk image program that you are comfortable using, you can always go back as if nothing happened.

    So that would be my advice.

    1/ Disk image. Make sure you are happy using the program and confident to restore the image.
    2/ Copy user files to flash drive (docs, piccys, music, email etc)

    Then try the upgrade.
    Oh dear - even more nervous! I have never made a disk image but sounds like it could be useful to do anyway even if I don't upgrade. I don't want to have to start from scratch again, I had a problem with my computer last year and had to do that. I do copy files to Dropbox, but haven't done email - I will have to see if I can do that. May decide to stay as I am until Microsoft stops updates for Windows 7 and then pay for Windows 10 or may be Windows 11 by then! Does anyone know when that would be likely to be?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #4

    I think January 2020 for W7 running service pack 1 is end of extended support.

    Windows lifecycle fact sheet - Windows Help


    A disk imaging program (W10 actually includes one) is imo the single most important program you can have. Used properly and it makes you immune from any disasters and you are free to try things out at will knowing that you can revert back.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #5

    Hi, upgrading to Win 10 should keep all the programs you mention. A very few programs are removed for compatibility reasons, but
    a. You probably haven't got these
    b. They are easily replaced afterwards.

    Note that built in to the upgrade process is the ability to go back to where you were within 30 days.

    When you upgrade, I would recommend you download the iso, and use that, rather than letting Windows 10 download and do the upgrade. Why? Because you need a bootable Win 10 medium (DVD, flash drive)
    a. if you need to repair Win 10 using one useful method,
    b. if you decide to clean install
    c. if you need to redo the upgrade
    d. you can do certain helpful things by booting from it

    So save yourself the download time. Do it once.

    The biggest risk is probably related to drivers and hardware compatibility, where things don't work out smoothly.
    A further risk is that the upgrade fails.
    My first attempt did, because of one program I had installed. My PC was unbootable.

    What saved me? The disk image I had updated before I upgraded.
    As Mooly says, disk imaging can save your PC, your data and I'll add your sanity.
    3rd party disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + its boot medium + external storage) has been found by people here to be more reliable than Backup and Restore in Win 10.

    A few people found their desktop content disappeared during the upgrade. It can be recovered from your disk image.

    Win 10 is a bit of a learning curve, but you can essentially use it as a desktop in the way you've been used to, and ignore all the universal apps and Cortana if you wish.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 3
    Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks everyone for advice given. I have decided that as I will be the wrong side of my seventies by the time extended support ends in four years, I will be better ticking over with Windows 7 as I am comfortable using it. Maybe I won't be around by then or 'doolally' and not even able to use a computer! I have a tablet so can download any Apps that I want. A friend updated to Windows 10 recently and is having problems.

    Another reason is that I use a very old programme called HotMetal to do websites voluntarily for associations I belong to and as I am very much an amateur I just type in it and it changes it to HTML. Fortunately it has been compatible each time I have updated the operating system but maybe this time it wouldn't be and I don't feel like finding another one and trying to get used to it.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 1,871
    W10 pro x64 20H2 Build 19042.610
       #7

    If what you have is working OK then sticking with it is a good option. Four years is a long time in computer terms, and it sounds like you are already a pro with your website work :)

    And for what its worth, I tried the upgrade route and even clean installing W10 on a fairly new laptop and had major issues (it was unusable). What did work was a totally clean install which meant taking the drive down to unallocated space, in other words removing everything and undoing the formatting of the partitions and then letting W10 clean install. That worked beautifully and I'm impressed with W10 but had I been an average user I would have been stuck.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 42,735
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #8

    Wise decision I think!
      My Computers


 

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