So I downloaded windows through windows update but it forces me to ins

I saw since yesterday the option to upgrade to windows 10 pro. Today I started downloading it. I know of the ISO method and have downloaded that to just in case but this way through windows update seems more smooth and safe or am I wrong?


I thought it would allow me to install windows when I want to but instead I get this:
https://i.imgur.com/luKl5L9.png not left with many days to chose from now am I? I thought I could really chose when and not be limited like this...

Imagine my surprise when I see the last date I can chose is only 3 days from the date I downloaded it!?

Is there anyway to stop the upgrade and do it an other time like say a month from now? How do I stop windows from upgrading at this point?
If not I shall proceed?

Also just to cover this already:
I'm got some questions I need answered before upgrading in general; like:

1) I use junction points in my program files directory for video games so that it takes up less GB on the win drive, will this cause issues when upgrading?

2) When upgrading do I still got my user accounts and files or are they all located in the windows.old folder?

3) what are the chances the upgrade will mess up my windows 7 ultimate 64-bit pc?

4) I've hidden some control menu items and context menu links in windows, does this impact content menu items and control menu items in windows 10?

Based on this I ask below:

When you upgrade to the free 10 from an activated Windows 7/8.1 PC, you do not get a product key. The free Windows 10 activation is registered on MS activation servers for your PC instead. That's why you would "skip" entering a key during a clean install if done after you already upgraded to register the activation.

5) What do I get when using windows 10 that will help in the future own it and use it? Or does it simply check my pc hardware ID or something and use that to make my windows 10 valid? Because what happens then if I change parts of my pc's hardware will it then ask me to activate or buy windows 10?? If so what use is this free upgrade? You don't get to own any new key to use for windows 10.

6) the languages you have as default on win7 will be ported over to windows 10 or what language pack will be installed on that? Is it really easy to manage languages like shown here:
Using multiple languages - Microsoft Windows Help

Finally I guess my best way to handle this would be to proceed with the install and then revert back to windows 7?

Also how long can I revert back?

Say a year from now I want to switch back to windows 7. Can I just use a system image from the day before I upgraded? What happens to my windows 7 CD key? will it turn invalid after inactivity of say a year? Or is it still active while using windows 10?

Will my sticky notes be ported over as well?

Hello Max,

I'll try to answer the best I can inline below. Sure is a lot for one thread.

Max Pen said:

I saw since yesterday the option to upgrade to windows 10 pro. Today I started downloading it. I know of the ISO method and have downloaded that to just in case but this way through windows update seems more smooth and safe or am I wrong?

Either way is fine as long as you upgrade to the free Windows 10 from within an activated Windows 7 or 8.1 to register Windows 10 activation on Microsoft activation servers for your PC.

Max Pen said:

I thought it would allow me to install windows when I want to but instead I get this:
https://i.imgur.com/luKl5L9.png not left with many days to chose from now am I? I thought I could really chose when and not be limited like this...

Imagine my surprise when I see the last date I can chose is only 3 days from the date I downloaded it!?

Is there anyway to stop the upgrade and do it an other time like say a month from now? How do I stop windows from upgrading at this point?
If not I shall proceed?

You could either uninstall the update, do a system restore to before it installed, or proceed to upgrade.

Max Pen said:

1) I use junction points in my program files directory for video games so that it takes up less GB on the win drive, will this cause issues when upgrading?

2) When upgrading do I still got my user accounts and files or are they all located in the windows.old folder?

3) what are the chances the upgrade will mess up my windows 7 ultimate 64-bit pc?

4) I've hidden some control menu items and context menu links in windows, does this impact content menu items and control menu items in windows 10?

Based on this I ask below:


5) What do I get when using windows 10 that will help in the future own it and use it? Or does it simply check my pc hardware ID or something and use that to make my windows 10 valid? Because what happens then if I change parts of my pc's hardware will it then ask me to activate or buy windows 10?? If so what use is this free upgrade? You don't get to own any new key to use for windows 10.

6) the languages you have as default on win7 will be ported over to windows 10 or what language pack will be installed on that? Is it really easy to manage languages like shown here:
Using multiple languages - Microsoft Windows Help

Q1) It may break them.

Q2) Yes, your accounts and user folders will remain intact.

Q3) Pretty good chance it will replace your Windows 7 with Windows 10.

Q4) Yes. These will be replaced with the default in Windows 10.

Q5) Your free Windows 10 activation will be registered on Microsoft activation servers for your PC. If you make hardware changes (ex: motherboard) on the PC after the July 29th 2016 deadline, then you may have to purchase a retail copy of Windows 10.

Q6) I doubt it. You'll most likely need to add the languages again.

Max Pen said:

Finally I guess my best way to handle this would be to proceed with the install and then revert back to windows 7?

Also how long can I revert back?

Say a year from now I want to switch back to windows 7. Can I just use a system image from the day before I upgraded? What happens to my windows 7 CD key? will it turn invalid after inactivity of say a year? Or is it still active while using windows 10?

Will my sticky notes be ported over as well? [/QUOTE]

You have up to a month to go back to Windows 7 if you do not delete the Windows.old folder. However, I would strongly recommend to create an image backup of Windows 7 to be safe.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...s-windows.html

I would recommend to backup your Sticky Notes to be safe.

Sticky Notes - Backup and Restore - Windows 7 Help Forums

Yeah sorry I know its like I've written an article! xd

You could either uninstall the update, do a system restore to before it installed, or proceed to upgrade.

Oh my that is great news! I'm going to do a system restore then. :)

Q5) Your free Windows 10 activation will be registered on Microsoft activation servers for your PC. If you make hardware changes (ex: motherboard) on the PC after the July 29th 2016 deadline, then you may have to purchase a retail copy of Windows 10.

Why is it only until that date? Deadline to what? So if I make hardware changes before that say I change some hardware parts like the GPU, CPU, cooling and motherboard before that date my windows will stay legit on windows 10?

Windows 10 - Go Back to Previous Windows

In your tutorial I see an Option ONE and an option TWO, are there any ups and downs to both options and I assume option 1 can be done anytime and option two only until the windows.old is removed?

Restoring to previous build (as mentioned in option one) will that cause data lose to your windows 10 or exactly what does it do? Does it convert windows 10 back to windows 7? (windows 7 = for my situation)

And what happens to my windows 7 CD key when upgrading to windows 10? Will it get deactivated?


Also thank you so much for your detailed response. It has helped me very much and sorry for my stupid question if it will mess up my windows 7.

That's just the 1 year deadline that Microsoft set for users to reserve their free upgrade of 10.

The options are just different ways to do the same thing.

When you go back to the previous Windows, it'll be how it was before upgrading to 10. Anything you did afterwards will be lost if you don't back it up to restore later.

Your Windows 7 key will always be good. You just can't legally activate Windows 7 with it unless you uninstall the free Windows 10 first.

So basically you can go back at any point you want to windows 7 (using option one) if you upgraded from that to windows 10?

But were does windows 10 store all the programs and data you had before upgrading?

If the windows.old is gone then how can it know what the previous build was like?

That isn't a part of system restore. It's tied to only the Windows.old folder where it stores the previous Windows files at.

No Windows.old folder = no going back.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...s-windows.html

Can I keep windows 10 from deleting it after a month or something like that? Or move it to an other location and direct it to that path?