Any Upgrade Path from Windows 7 Starter to Win10 on ASUS Netbook?


  1. Posts : 45
    Win10 Home, ver 22H2 build 19045.3996
       #1

    Any Upgrade Path from Windows 7 Starter to Win10 on ASUS Netbook?


    I read with interest the thread by teachermark about installing Windows 10 on his netbook and it got me thinking about the same to mine. My 2012 ASUS Eee PC 1012C with the Dual core Intel Atom N2600, 1600 MHz w/ 1 GB ram. It came with Windows 7 Starter but that made the machine pretty useless. I bought the netbook for my wife but there wasn't much she could do with it. I soon put a Linux distro PeppermintOS on it and that made it useful. While I like the Peppermint system there are the limitations that Windows users like me find - software choices. Plus I'm using my desktop PC and my HP Spectre machine.

    Reading some of the posts here about people installing Windows 7 and 10 on these netbooks, I'm not seeing (or maybe comprehending is more likely) the steps one would take since my situation is just that I had done a clean install of Peppermint some years ago removing Windows 7 Starter in the process obviously. I don't know if any trace of it would still be recorded in the BIOS so I don't know if I can even get to a Windows installation. I tried downloading a Win10 iso, and tried to see if Microsoft recognized my 7 Starter key, but MS failed to recognize it, hinting that it is an expired media or something.

    Anyway, someone out there in 10Forums Land may know about these things to suggest I'm without hope or what the possibilities are. Many thanks!
    John
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #2

    Truth is running W10 on such low end spec is going to be a very unhappy experience, and practically unusable.

    It is time to retire that device to the great bit bucket in the sky or stick to Linux.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #3

    starchase said:
    I... My 2012 ASUS Eee PC 1012C with the Dual core Intel Atom N2600, 1600 MHz w/ 1 GB ram. It came with Windows 7 Starter...
    ..my situation is just that I had done a clean install of Peppermint some years ago removing Windows 7 Starter in the process obviously. I don't know if any trace of it would still be recorded in the BIOS so I don't know if I can even get to a Windows installation. I tried downloading a Win10 iso, and tried to see if Microsoft recognized my 7 Starter key, but MS failed to recognize it...
    Yes, Win10 will run on an Atom N2600, in fact I'm replying using an Acer Aspire One AOD270 with the same processor and a whole 2GB of RAM.

    And Yes, Win7 Starter can be upgraded to Windows 10 Home for free. Your problem is that you don't have an activated Win7 installed to upgrade.

    You are using the key from the CoA sticker, aren't you? If you retrieved a key from the installed OEM W7 Starter then it would be a generic OEM key that can't activate anything.

    You could try installing W10 again, but this time don't give it the key, instead click 'I don't have one' then select W10 Home to be installed. After W10 has installed change the installed key to the W7 Starter key from the CoA sticker. It should then activate.

    The activation servers seem unable to verify a W7 or W8 key if it is entered during the install, but they usually accept it if you change the key after W10 has been installed.

    Change Product Key in Windows 10

    W10 will run on your N2600, but you should be warned that there are no W10 drivers for the video. You will only have the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter. This has no hardware acceleration, so performance on YouTube will be poor. It's OK for general browsing though (and replying to threads like this )

    Any Upgrade Path from Windows 7 Starter to Win10 on ASUS Netbook?-image.png
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 13,895
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #4

    What size is the storage drive? I have two Notebooks with only unchangeable 32GB SSDs that don't provide sufficient space for the last 3 or 4 Version Upgrades of Win10, now quite happy with Linux Mint.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #5

    A clean install of x86 21H1 on a 32GB drive should be possible - the problem will come with the upgrade to the next version of W10. There may well not be sufficient storage for the upgrade, another clean install may be required.

    My netbook's x86 W10 Home 21H1 occupies just 15GB.

    Any Upgrade Path from Windows 7 Starter to Win10 on ASUS Netbook?-image.png

    Fortunately mine has an HDD, so space isn't an issue for the upgrades.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 5,286
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #6

    starchase said:
    I read with interest the thread by teachermark about installing Windows 10 on his netbook and it got me thinking about the same to mine. My 2012 ASUS Eee PC 1012C with the Dual core Intel Atom N2600, 1600 MHz w/ 1 GB ram. It came with Windows 7 Starter but that made the machine pretty useless. I bought the netbook for my wife but there wasn't much she could do with it. I soon put a Linux distro PeppermintOS on it and that made it useful. While I like the Peppermint system there are the limitations that Windows users like me find - software choices. Plus I'm using my desktop PC and my HP Spectre machine.

    Reading some of the posts here about people installing Windows 7 and 10 on these netbooks, I'm not seeing (or maybe comprehending is more likely) the steps one would take since my situation is just that I had done a clean install of Peppermint some years ago removing Windows 7 Starter in the process obviously. I don't know if any trace of it would still be recorded in the BIOS so I don't know if I can even get to a Windows installation. I tried downloading a Win10 iso, and tried to see if Microsoft recognized my 7 Starter key, but MS failed to recognize it, hinting that it is an expired media or something.

    Anyway, someone out there in 10Forums Land may know about these things to suggest I'm without hope or what the possibilities are. Many thanks!
    John
    Installing Windows 10 OS on that machine is one thing. But installing programs on it could be another road block depending on the system requirements for those programs. So, at the end of the day, you may be able to install windows successfully but may not be able to run some programs that you want.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 45
    Win10 Home, ver 22H2 build 19045.3996
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Berton said:
    What size is the storage drive? I have two Notebooks with only unchangeable 32GB SSDs that don't provide sufficient space for the last 3 or 4 Version Upgrades of Win10, now quite happy with Linux Mint.
    The ASUS has a 320 GB spinner. I haven't opened it up to root around the insides to see about expanding RAM or HDD. I should do that for fun. I used Clonezilla yesterday to make an image of the drive so whatever I do to it I should be able to put Peppermint back on it (I hope!).

    And yes, I got the COA off the sticker inside the battery compartment. This is just a toy project, so I may try to put Win10 on it and then, as Bree suggested try Activation after the fact and see how that goes.
    John
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 15,441
    Windows10
       #8

    starchase said:
    The ASUS has a 320 GB spinner. I haven't opened it up to root around the insides to see about expanding RAM or HDD. I should do that for fun. I used Clonezilla yesterday to make an image of the drive so whatever I do to it I should be able to put Peppermint back on it (I hope!).

    And yes, I got the COA off the sticker inside the battery compartment. This is just a toy project, so I may try to put Win10 on it and then, as Bree suggested try Activation after the fact and see how that goes.
    John
    Atom devices with a 32 GB emmc drive are capable of ruunning W10 at a sedate pace. These were well designed but older atom devices internal design was nowhere near as well optimised.

    With a conventional spinning hard drive, your performance will be dreadful.

    You could invest in an SSD but even then, with only 1 GB RAM, it will be still very poor.

    You can install it unlicenced to test it but you will surely find it to be virtually unusable.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4,511
    several
       #9

    Is it possible to upgrade to 2gb ram on that machine?

    I havent heard of a 1012c, the 2012 models with N2600 and 1gb ram were called 1025c

    looks like fun

    ASUS Eee PC 1025c RAM Upgrade - How to Install NetBook Memory - YouTube
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 45
    Win10 Home, ver 22H2 build 19045.3996
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Was Able to Install Win10 21H1 on This Netbook


    I was able to get Yumi (a universal USB installer) to boot with the above ISO I downloaded using Microsoft's tool and the installation went very smoothly on this ASUS Eee PC 1025C. From the first appearance off the Windows logo to completion of the install it took little over an hour. And my Product Key of Windows 7 Starter on the netbook was accepted and it activated without hitch. So that worked out a lot more smoothly than I could have hoped I'm typing this post on it now. Using Edge, of course - I need to find a good, lightweight browser for this machine now.

    Thanks to everyone who gave me input and insight, I couldn't have done it otherwise! Many Thanks. Here's a screen shot to show how big a fingerprint Windows 10 21H1 is on this machine.
    Any Upgrade Path from Windows 7 Starter to Win10 on ASUS Netbook?-win10footprint.jpg
      My Computers


 

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