Update OS on Old Laptop (will it take?)

Last year I upgraded two vintage 2006 desktop PCs to Windows 10 as backup systems with great success. Here are my tips:

1. Backup the current installation e.g. using Macrium Reflect Free
2. Check the instructions on your CPU since Windows 10 64 bit needs particular support. The CMPXCHG16b instruction needs to be supported for 64 bit windows. Support is also needed for Physical Address Extension (PAE), No-eXecute (NX) and Streaming SIMD Extensions 2 (SSE2). Use Coreinfo to check which instructions are supported https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sys...loads/coreinfo
3. Buy and install a cheap 64 bit Windows 7 licence if the above instructions are supported else the 32 bit version (32 bit doesn't support more than 3GB RAM).
4. Validate the Windows 7 installation including activation and backup this installation.
5. Use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive.
6. Boot the USB installation drive and you should still get the free upgrade to Windows 10. Check you have activation with a digital licence linked to the PC. Backup this installation.
7. You should now have a working Windows 10 PC at minimal cost. You have the option of doing a clean install which will activate using the digital licence.
8. Consider using a cheap SSD. This made a huge improvement on my old PCs.

Now that I had a while to think, and thanks to the lifecycle fact sheet, ill try out windows 7 (pro) first, get a feel for it, then windows 8.1 (pro). Won't be using windows 10 on her laptop; at that point, we might as well get her a new laptop (nothing too beefy, but still better than what we got), but that and everything else costs money we're tight on

Until I get a job to afford ordering a new hdd or ssd, or even a ram upgrade, I'll have to deal with what I got

The update from Windows 7 to 10 is free. The upgrade from 7 to 8.1 is not free. IMHO it is a total waste of money to upgrade to Windows 8.1.

To OP: If the laptop has both Windows 7 32-bit and Windows 7 64-bit drivers, it might be compatible with Windows 10. If any driver is not installed automatically by Windows you can use the respective Windows 7 driver. You cannot upgrade from Vista directly to Windows 10. You have to go though Windows 7 (same variant 32 or 64, same version Home/Pro and same language) first and then upgrade from 7 to 10 (also same all). This is the practical part and what you wanted to find out. As for the legality of that, I don't judge anybody, "The non-sinner let cast the first stone", as Jesus said.

Advice: If you have up to 2GB RAM go with Windows 10 32-bit to maximize compatibility. Also see the "Install Windows 10 on old hardware" (or similar) thread.

"The best software is the one you know how to use it"
With 4 G of memory it will run better with 32 bits version. 32 bits OS can only deal with 3.2G and the .8G will be used by graphics.
Upgrade to Win 7 32 or just reinstall Vista 32.
If you want to boost it, buy a SSD.

I just installed windows 7 on it, and right away, the only option for internet is by ethernet connection; I installed the dell packages that had to do with network for vista and windows 7, but the wifi does not show up; I configured windows update to look for updates to windows and other microsoft products, and at this post, I am downloading said updates (hoping this will resolve the missing wifi)

In device manager, I have 3 entries in the unknown device tab: Intel wimax link 5150, network controller, and unknown device; what do?

BrokenDaily said:

I just installed windows 7 on it, and right away, the only option for internet is by ethernet connection; I installed the dell packages that had to do with network for vista and windows 7, but the wifi does not show up; I configured windows update to look for updates to windows and other microsoft products, and at this post, I am downloading said updates (hoping this will resolve the missing wifi)

In device manager, I have 3 entries in the unknown device tab: Intel wimax link 5150, network controller, and unknown device; what do?

Look on the suppliers web site for a Windows 7 wifi driver. If all fails you can buy a cheap USB wifi dongle.

BrokenDaily said:

I just installed windows 7 on it, and right away, the only option for internet is by ethernet connection; I installed the dell packages that had to do with network for vista and windows 7, but the wifi does not show up; I configured windows update to look for updates to windows and other microsoft products, and at this post, I am downloading said updates (hoping this will resolve the missing wifi)

In device manager, I have 3 entries in the unknown device tab: Intel wimax link 5150, network controller, and unknown device; what do?

It appears your Wi-Fi is an Intel 5150, so either go to Intel | Data Center Solutions, IoT, and PC Innovation and download the driver for 5150 or use a driver utility such as Snappy Driver Installer or Driver Pack. To avoid any compatibility issues, just install the missing drivers, avoid upgrading already installed drivers.

I'll take a look at driverpack, seems light enough so I only download what I need atm, but snappy driver installer, im a bit wary on. last update was Feb 27 2017, nothing past that; someone on sourceforge pointed towards a fork called SDI Origin, and that does look good, but 16.9 GB for the application and drivers?

ill go the lightweight route for now, will edit/reply with results