Upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10

[geek84]

Hi Folks

Can someone kindly tell me the most cost effective way to upgrade my desktop from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

Thanks in advance

[craigjm]

It’s free

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/...

[wombleh]

Aye you can use the win 7 license key to install win 10.

[wizzard67]

wombleh said:

Aye you can use the win 7 license key to install win 10.

Yep, I've upgraded a couple over the weekend with no bother.

[57Ford]

You've not upgraded yet?!!! Today's the last day of support for W7!!! Your bank account will be emptied by teatime!

I decided to upgrade last night but it's taken quite some anguished thought having been subject to the complete mess that was W8 in the past. I had to install W7 to be able to use the damned machine in any meaningful way.

I backed up all my personal files, downloaded the upgrade free and began the upgrade to W10 Pro last night at around 6pm. At around 6:45, we had a power cut for an hour and a half (previously unheard of in this house so hopefully not an indication of things to come because of W10 )
I went to bed with it still installing at about 10pm so it seems to take a while. I'll see if it worked tonight.

Apparently it's quite stable to use but according to my brief research, you don't want to use W10S unless it's for kids or elderly because you can only install apps from the MS app store so you could be limited in future if you want something else on it and have to pay to upgrade. They reckon W10 Home ought to do for most people.

Good luck

[hutchst]

57Ford said:

You've not upgraded yet?!!! Today's the last day of support for W7!!! Your bank account will be emptied by teatime!

I decided to upgrade last night but it's taken quite some anguished thought having been subject to the complete mess that was W8 in the past. I had to install W7 to be able to use the damned machine in any meaningful way.

I backed up all my personal files, downloaded the upgrade free and began the upgrade to W10 Pro last night at around 6pm. At around 6:45, we had a power cut for an hour and a half (previously unheard of in this house so hopefully not an indication of things to come because of W10 )
I went to bed with it still installing at about 10pm so it seems to take a while. I'll see if it worked tonight.

Apparently it's quite stable to use but according to my brief research, you don't want to use W10S unless it's for kids or elderly because you can only install apps from the MS app store so you could be limited in future if you want something else on it and have to pay to upgrade. They reckon W10 Home ought to do for most people.

Good luck

It seems to mirror the installed version of 7.

I had 7 Pro authenticated installed (bought retail) and it installed 10 Pro flawlessly. I immediately made a new repair USB stick and took a new disk image, just in case.

[57Ford]

hutchst said:

It seems to mirror the installed version of 7.

I had 7 Pro authenticated installed (bought retail) and it installed 10 Pro flawlessly. I immediately made a new repair USB stick and took a new disk image, just in case.

Yeah, it seemed to although I was told in the installation notes beforehand that it would offer me the option to install whichever I liked but it didn't - not that it mattered anyway because I decided I needed Pro for the work software I use.

[pubrunner]

Hi All,

I've an iMac which has a Bootcamp of Windows 7 installed - is there any way that I can secure it ?

It seems I can't update it to Windows 10 , but is there any hardware/software (antivirus/antimalware) than can compensate for the lack of Windows 7 security updates ?

Any guidance/helpful suggestions much appreciated.

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:05

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:09

[Trustmeimadoctor]

yes disconnect it from the network

[geek84]

Many thanks for your replies, folks.

[andygo]

pubrunner said:

Hi All,

I've an iMac which has a Bootcamp of Windows 7 installed - is there any way that I can secure it ?

It seems I can't update it to Windows 10 , but is there any hardware/software (antivirus/antimalware) than can compensate for the lack of Windows 7 security updates ?

Any guidance/helpful suggestions much appreciated.

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:05

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:09

Good point.

I have a new iMac i use at home for some work emails but also have Parallels installed purely to run an Excel spreadsheet for a quote system that uses macros. I really don't wan't to update that W7 to W10 - am I likely to be compromised for the twice a week I run it for 5 minutes?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

In reality no but treat your self to a free win10 install

[plasticpig]

pubrunner said:

Hi All,

I've an iMac which has a Bootcamp of Windows 7 installed - is there any way that I can secure it ?

It seems I can't update it to Windows 10 , but is there any hardware/software (antivirus/antimalware) than can compensate for the lack of Windows 7 security updates ?

Any guidance/helpful suggestions much appreciated.

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:05

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:09

IIRC Sophos home will support Windows 7 until 2021: https://home.sophos.com/en-us.aspx I am sure there are other AV/ Security products that will continue to support Windows 7 for some time to come.

[wombleh]

andygo said:

Good point.

I have a new iMac i use at home for some work emails but also have Parallels installed purely to run an Excel spreadsheet for a quote system that uses macros. I really don't wan't to update that W7 to W10 - am I likely to be compromised for the twice a week I run it for 5 minutes?

Email and web browsing are the most common infection routes so yes unfortunately you are.

There are ways you could further reduce the risk but it'd be easier to just upgrade it so I'm reluctant to even say what they are. The cost of cleaning up after a breach would be huge, in many cases there won't be a "work" left. I would push them to pay for any work/licenses needed (Windows itself is free to upgrade, but may be Parallels/Office/etc, plus macros may need tweaking) and accept that every 5-10 years it'll need repeating.

[megaphone]

andygo said:

pubrunner said:

Hi All,

I've an iMac which has a Bootcamp of Windows 7 installed - is there any way that I can secure it ?

It seems I can't update it to Windows 10 , but is there any hardware/software (antivirus/antimalware) than can compensate for the lack of Windows 7 security updates ?

Any guidance/helpful suggestions much appreciated.

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:05

Edited by pubrunner on Tuesday 14th January 12:09

Good point.

I have a new iMac i use at home for some work emails but also have Parallels installed purely to run an Excel spreadsheet for a quote system that uses macros. I really don't wan't to update that W7 to W10 - am I likely to be compromised for the twice a week I run it for 5 minutes?

I still have a laptop running XP, I use it to adjust some old kit that won't work on anything newer, laptop is still running fine, I avoid going on the web etc.

I went past a bank cash point a year or so ago, the screen was showing the XP boot up that had hung, XP went end of life a few years back, still being used.

That said, I run an iMac with VMware Fusion, I have Win 7 running and I have just installed Win 10 along side it using the links above and the Win 7 Key, thought I'd do a fresh install rather than upgrade, all works ok.