Upgrade from Win 10 V 1909

kleefarr said:

Hi guys, Been a while....

Welcome back.....

Have discovered that this Samsung R530 only runs the 1909 Version of 10 and to upgrade via Microsoft is €149. Bit steep. So was thinking of getting a Key from reputable sources which would at least half the cost of upgrading, but would it be possible to up grade via download once Key obtained?

Where did you get that idea from? If it runs 1909 it can run 21H1 just as easily. I have a Samsung R519 that's on 21H1 as we speak.

And the idea that a new key would enable you to get a newer version of Windows 10 Home is incorrect. A W10 Home key is valid for any and all versions of W10 Home. You should be able to do an in-place upgrade from 1909 Home to 21H1 Home. This PC has a digital licence for W10 Home stored on the Microsoft activation servers, and that means you could clean install any version of W10 Home without using a key and it will activate. The only case where you'd need to pay for a key would be to upgrade from 10 Home to 10 Pro.

You can get an ISO for the latest version of W10 (currently 21H1) direct from Microsoft using their Media Creation Tool. You can use this ISO to do an in-place upgrade of your 1909 Home to 21H1 Home.

Wanted to update the HDD in it to SDD but keep hitting issues using EaseUS Disk Copy which should be straight forward enough.

Macrium Reflect Free can be used to make system images or clone disks. The last time I swapped out an HDD for an SSD I used Reflect to make a system image of the HDD, swapped in the SSD, then restored the system image to that.

kleefarr said:

Going by what it says on the laptop via Windows update.

Then your Windows Update may be having issues, it should have been offering one of 2004/20H1/20H2 as an optional upgrade by now. But you don't need to wait for WU to offer it to you, you can upgrade it to 20H1 yourself. Download the MCT, make an ISO, then mount the ISO and run Setup from it to start the upgrade.

Download Windows 10 ISO File

Mount or Unmount ISO and IMG file in Windows 10

Upgrade to Windows 10

This was a Windows 7 Laptop that got the free original Windows 10 Update

So is my Samsung R519, the upgrade to 10 from 7 got your PC a digital licence for 10 Home stored on Microsoft's activation servers and linked to the hardware ID of the PC. This licence is perpetual and valid for all versions of 10 Home. You could (if you wanted) wipe or replace the HDD, clean install W10 Home and skip entering a key when asked - and it will still activate from its digital licence as soon as it could contact the activation servers. You certainly don't need a key to upgrade from 1909 Home to 21H1 Home.

kleefarr said:

Thanks Bree, you are a gent.
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Great news, glad I could help.