Clean install options

If you already have the DVD, you could use it to make an ISO from it and then using RUFUS you can turn it into a bootable USB. No need for internet.

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"So I really don't want to waste any more time trying to get things from the MS web site. I have a laptop running W10 that works with the MS web site and downloads things just fine. But not this desktop. Don't know why."

You could potentially use that laptop to create a bootable USB Windows 10 installer from its own installation...

I suggest you make a full system backup when you have done the clean install (e.g. using Macrium Reflect) and archive the backup file

brashboy said:

I have a very slow connection and creating a bootable usb from the Windows site takes like 10 hours

What is your connection speed? Years ago, it took 62 minutes to download and create a 3.78-GB ISO file on a 10 Mbps connection via MediaCreationTool, which I have not used since then.

brashboy you said that you want to upgrade from win 8.1 32Bits to win 10 64Bits.
Do you have a Win 10 64bits installation DVD?
- You can't upgrade from a 32 bit to a 64 bits keeping programs and data as the current Win 8.1 is 32bits and the new Win 10 is 64 Bits. You will need to do a clean install (deleting everything on the disk).
- As you have a nice desktop, my suggestion is to buy a small SSD (120G) to install Win 10 64 bits (a clean install) as UEFI-GPT and use the current HDD for data only. You will have the speed of a SSD with the space of a HDD at low cost (~US$25).
This option is simple and safe.
- You install win 10 64 on the SSD with the HDD detached (Power or SATA cable)
- Once Win 10 is installed on the SSD, you clean Win 8.1 on the HDD keeping on only the \user"name" where all your data is.

If you have Win 10 Ver 1909 - 64 bits on a DVD you can copy all files and folders to a USB Fat 32 drive (it will boot only as UEFI).