Is the free upgrade from W7 to W10 still in place?

Please update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, etc.)


These are some links that may be useful:


Windows 10 - Test & Try with No Risk, No Install - Windows 7 Help Forums
Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free
Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First
Upgrade to Windows 10



Imaging with free Macrium - Windows 7 Help Forums


Dual Boot Windows 10 with Windows 7 or Windows 8



This is an upgrade checklist: (modified for upgrading 7 to 10)

Code:

UPGRADE CHECK LIST:
Run through this check list before the next upgrade attempt:

1) remove nonessential hardware
docks
USB devices
printers
headset
speakers
joysticks
projectors
scanners
plotters
portable optical drives (CD, DVD)
microphones
cameras
webcams
smartphones
bluetooth devices
USB drives (other than a windows 10 iso if used for the upgrade)
USB Wireless Mouse or Keyboard Receiver, USB Wireless Network Card
secondary monitors


2) These should be the only attached devices:
wired mouse
wired keyboard
monitor

Any of these that have been done in the past week are not necessary to repeat:


3) open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (repair file system)
chkdsk /r /v C:
This may take many hours so plan to run overnight
Find the chkdsk report in the event viewer using the information in this link and post into the thread:
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/96938-check-disk-chkdsk-read-event-viewer-log.html

4) open administrative command prompt and copy and paste: (repair operating system)
sfc /scannow 

When this has completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

5) update windows (have all recommended updates installed) and reboot after updates

6) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft antivirus software
(This includes always on and manual software.)
(This includes running the applicable antivirus uninstall tools for any AV that could have been incompletely uninstalled)
https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2625/
(And this includes uninstalling Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) immediately before the upgrade attempt)

7) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft firewall software

8) List all Microsoft and non-Microsoft drive encryption software. 
Uninstall all non-Microsoft disk encryption software

9) Run disk cleanup to clean temporary and system files
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html

10) Create and verify that the drive has > 30 GB free space (At least 25 GB is needed for maintaining certain dump files)
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/129976-hard-disk-space-free-up-recover.html
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html


11) Consider placing the computer in clean startup:
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/179159-troubleshoot-application-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

12) Detach all SATA devices other than the disk drive that has the Windows operating system
(Make sure that the only disk drive that is attached to the computer at the time of the upgrade attempt is the disk drive containing Windows)
(Other disk drives may be able to be detached by disconnecting cables or if necessary to remove the drive from the computer)

13) Make sure that there is no metered connection:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq

14) Consider making a free backup image:
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/218920-macrium-reflect-create-bootable-rescue-usb-drive.html

15) Test the drive:
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/313457-seatools-dos-windows-how-use.html
Crystal Disk standard edition:
https://crystalmark.info/en/software/crystaldiskinfo/

You can do a clean install without needing to find or use a key, as long as you currently have a working activated Windows 7 on the machine.

When you do an in-place upgrade from W7 to W10 it gathers the activation state of the W7 and uses that to activate the upgrade. All you have to do is separate that into two processes. First manually gather that activation. Then do a clean install and apply the saved activation. Instruction in this tutorial.

Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

Thank you everyone. I'm truly blown away by the number and quality of the replies.
zbook, good links and a really good checklist.
idgat, an SSD would be nice, but I'm not sure if it will work on my M/B. Maybe later.
Bree, 12 years down the track and I still have the original W7 disk and packaging. But then, I also have various originals that go back to the early 90's. Packrat is the expression that comes to mind...
I've cloned my Disk0, and will probably do a clean install of W10. Right now I'm making a list of everything that I have installed on W7, then I'll have to find the media... I'm sure I'll have it, the question is Where?

I have a lot of reading to do with all the links that have been provided, but I'm bound to have more questions before I finally commit. Until then, thank you all.

I use Belarc Advisor to produce info for my hardware and software.

I then line up installation files or media plus any product keys for purchased software.
Its amazing how much a pack-rat accumulates over many years.

You then have to identify hardware you have. Windows 10 will install most drivers but there may be some hardware you have to install drivers yourself.

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit
Products: Belarc Advisor

I have upgraded around 6 computers from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free. I have only bought Windows 10 once. It was for a new build in 2017 that needed a new O/S anyways.

The only one that was unsuccessful was a laptop I bought in 2004. Laptops can be a challenge but this one proved too much. It will have to stay with Windows 7 which was a better fit anyways.

The only two that were challenging but successful were the two oldest desktops (built 2009 and 2012). The upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 failed but a clean install of Windows 10 was a complete success.

Ghot, thanks for the SSD links. I didn't realize (long time since I looked) how much the price had dropped. I just bought a 1TB WD Blue for AUD$65, and that made me reflect on the past 50 years. The first Hard drive I bought (2.5MB removable cartridge) cost ~$4000 and the controller for it (6' rack) was ~$6000. And that was 1972 dollars. 8KB of core memory was ~$4000. And I forget how much the teletype cost.
I'll get past this W10 upgrade, and then start thinking about hardware.

Speaking of which, I have a question about a statement in the 'clean-install-windows-10' tute. I guess I should keep things clean, and ask it on that thread.

- - - Updated - - -

First of all, Thank you everyone! The tutes that were pointed out, the checklist, the general thoughts, everything contributed to me becoming confident that it would work, and it did. I can now look at a W10 screen (not quite as malevolently as when I first looked at a W8 screen), and wonder 'How the *** do I do this, or that, or ...". My immediate instinct is to find a W7 shell for it, but I'll persevere in native mode for a while.
I've already discovered (the hard way), that W10 doesn't really shut down. W7 (on another disk) went bonkers when I first booted it after shutting down W10. I've fixed that by disabling W10's 'fast start' or whatever it's called, but it would be nice if there was a better solution. i.e. one that preserved the fast(ish) start.

Igdat, my MB has got an IDE connector. And a Floppy, and just about anything else.

That brings up another point. I discovered (after 12 years) how to boot a USB flash drive (for the W10 d/l from MS). It took a lot of searching through a lot of unhappy posts from people who could not boot a USB device on various Gigabyte MBs. It's very simple, just counter-intuitive: Plug in your USB drive, hit F12 during the POST, then ignore the various USB options provided, and instead select Hard Disk (which has a '+' alongside it). That will open a drop-down that shows your real HD, and your USB device! Select that, hit Enter, and wait... eventually it boots. There is not a single word about that in the paper manual, nor the online manual from Gigabyte.

Again, thank you, friends.