I'm looking to upgrade my wife's older Dell desktop. She is running windows 7, I would like to give it new life. It takes minutes to completely start up. I purchased a 1TB hard drive and a 250gb ssd. Can I install an OEM version of windows 10 home? or should I get a retail version? (USB, DVD or download?) Everything else is staying, No MB upgrade.
Hi, you can upgrade to Win 10 for free. You've not said which license you have for Win 7. In this tutorial it gives a list showing you whether you would get Home or Pro:
Upgrade to Windows 10
You can upgrade by
- using Windows update (if Win 10 has not been offered that way, there's some incompatibility)
- by using the MS media creation tool to download an iso file
Check there's precedent for that PC running Win 10. Note that a few older PCs may run one Win 10 build, but have problems with the next at some point. Make sure the BIOS is fully up to date (there's an urgent 2019 update), and observe this before upgrading:
a: create a disk image (tenforums members tirelessly recommend e.g. Macrium Reflect free-paid be used routinely)
b. Uninstall any 3rd party security programs
c. Ensure there's at least 30Gb free on C:
d. Run a disk check and chkdsk c: /scan
Good combination - O/S and programs on the SSD- plenty of space- and keep as much personal data as possible off C: and on the HDD.I purchased a 1TB hard drive and a 250gb ssd
https://www.dell.com/support/home/uk...s-8700/drivers
You can 'clone' your O/S to your SSD - where I use the term 'clone' loosely as is the custom these days- including the resizing of C: as necessary. That's assuming your existing O/S partitions exceed the size of the SSD.
You will need to assess the size of the used space on C: currently and decide on how to manage this, for example by moving data off C: onto another disk.
That's a separate procedure from upgrading. There are plenty of example threads dealing with cloning the O/S, and plenty of guides on this if you search. You will need a 3rd party tool such as Macrium Reflect, or one from Aomei or Easeus for example.
To skip all the confusion, that is why I was thinking about just removing current hard drive and do a fresh install on clean ssd amd knew hdd. I've never done any partitioning or backing up of files. Just don't know how to. Her current hard drive is old, I'm sure its cluttered with lots of junk files. I don't know is this way better? I know I would have to purchase a copy of windows 10. Or should I try cloning the OS.
Thank you for your reply.
Now considering a clean install only instead of cloning as you asked earlier. Discard parts of above as appropriate.
1. If you are keeping the existing hardware and only changing the disks, then you do not have to buy another license- unless your edition of Win 7 does not upgrade to Win 10 Pro and you want Pro.
2. You do not know what license presently applies. Please run this utility
ShowKeyPlus
and it should tell you.
Post the type of license.
3. Read the tutorial I posted in my #2. From that, what edition of Win 10 will you get when you upgrade?
4. Are you happy with that?
5. See:
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First
- nothing to buy.
6. I've never done any partitioning or backing up of files.What do you do when you disk fails, is infected by ransomware, becomes irretrievably unbootable, your PC is stolen?Key to avoiding tears, stress, frustration, the loss of family photos etc etc is backing up.
When you clean install, you should use the following sequence:
a. As early as you can, create your first Windows disk image (Macrium Reflect - free- + large enough USB disk for image files).
b. Keep a note of program installation and changes (so they can be redone if necessary).
c. Create a (smaller faster differential disk image using M Reflect).
d. Repeat (b) and (c) until a Win 10 upgrade when you start at (a).
That way you have multiple dates to which you can restore Windows or any imaged disk or partition- without technical help.
Partitioning: with a 3rd party program it's usually a matter of dragging sliders and drag 'n drop on a program's window.
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