What is the safest way to do this? Should I do a dual boot, and install programs one at a time, use file transfer program, or what. This is an elderly desktop PC with a lot of luggage on board. Any help greatly appreciated...
You have 2 choices 1 just upgrade and keep all your programs docs etc or 2 do a clean install but you would have to buy windows to do that but if you upgraded after you could do a clean install ok.
Safest? Make system image (guess C: is your system drive), if you don't already
No worries about your hardware. I'm using the same motherboard. Working fine.
After you make system image, you can upgrade to Win 10. Clean install would be preferred, but you can always do that later.
Are there any complications with an upgrade? Early on I heard of them but maybe that is no longer a problem. I think I have install files for all the programs but some are very old. Does the Windows Easy Transfer Program work from W7 to W10 with a clean install of W10?
I always have a system image I keep updating.
There is no way to be certain about older programs. I don't remember having any issues, but in the end I did a clean install. this was years ago...
I'm not a fan of transfere programs.. but some do like them. Do you have all of those programs available? And licenses too?
You have D: drive almost empty. Use your system image and restore it to D: (disconnect C:) make upgrade (so Windows 10 will activate) and check how would upgrade behave...If you don't like it, put your C: drive back and wipe D:
Its rare for there to be any problems with installed software even old ones
You have plenty of room on Drive D: to hold a backup image of C:, and you also have plenty of room on C: drive for the upgrade. The way that I would proceed is use Macrium Reflect Free to store an image of C: drive on D: drive, then do the in place upgrade to Windows 10. If you have any unsolvable issues, then you can restore your backup image stored on D: drive back to C: drive.
Also, what @Samuria posted in post #2 is not exactly true. You can activate a clean install of Windows 10 on a computer that has never had Windows 10 on it before if you have a product key for Windows 7 that allows for activation. The Windows 7 product keys that do not allow for activation are the OEM type keys embedded in the manufacturer's restore disks. Windows 7 product keys printed on COA labels and retail Windows 7 product keys will activate the matching version of Windows 10, especially on the same computers the Windows 7 was installed on originally.
I do have a Windows 7 CD with the COA labels. So, I can install W10 on a clean partition and use that CD key to activate it? If I save all my files to a backup, then I could copy them back again. I would have to install all the programs and drivers? Are manufacturers good about having drivers for the hardware with W10? I have another PC with W8 and drivers are not a problem on that one.
Much of the space used on the other drives are backups and system images. I could clean clutter from them and do a system back up on most any of them. I have thought of cleaning off D: drive and installing W10 there and have a dual boot system but I'm not sure how that works these days. I've done it in the past with XP and W7.
Thanks for the reply...
Quote