A few Windows 10 questions

- After january 2020 Microsoft won't support Window 7 anymore.

- I am already thinking about moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I would prefer to install Win10 on the laptop I now have (see the system setup in my signature). But I fear that the biggest hurdle is going to be the system drivers for my system. Can I install those drivers on a Win10 system as well ? The support website for my system suggests that I can't install those drivers on a Win10 system. Is Windows10 smart enough to provide those drivers as well ? Or is MS able to provide those drivers ?

- I also fear that my system is too old to be able to upgrade to Win10. The laptop was produced in 2011/2012 already some 8 years ago.

- In a discussion on the "Wilders Security" forum someone commented that installing those drivers wouldn't be a problem. But I am not convinced it will work.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/survey-predicts-the-rise-of-windows-7-zombies.417270/

- Is there anyone who can shed some light on this matter ?

There should not be a problem installing Win 10 on your machine. I have a laptop older than yours which was running Win 7 but now runs Win 10 1903.

Win 10 is great at putting the drivers in automatically for you, just check after install for more Win Updates.

You can either upgrade using the Media Creation Tool, or you can upgrade and then do a clean install. (you DON'T need to sign in with a Microsoft Account, just choose to use a local account during a clean install. )

Your speccy link doesn't work at the moment, Piriform still haven't fixed it (service unavailable) :(

Drivers shouldn't be a problem.

(Unless they are very old drivers for a specific application that is no longer supported, it which case it probably wouldn't run on Win10 anyway).

Win 10 will download and install any drivers that are needed, as Hazelnut says doing a "Search for Updates" after a new install will make sure.

The problems for older machines, especially laptops and tablets is the amount of ram and storage available, as well as the processor speed.

Microsoft upped the requirements for the latest Win 10 version (1903).

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		Windows 10 version 1903 will require a PC which fits the following specifications:
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			Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
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			RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
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			Hard disk space: <span style="color:#ff0000;">32 GB for both 64-bit and 32-bit OS</span>
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			Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later
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			Display resolution: 800 x 600, a minimum diagonal display size for the primary display of 7-inches or larger
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  • .

If you use Microsofts' Upgrade Assistant it will analyse your specs before doing anything else, and advise you if your machine will sucessfully support Win 10.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

You will need to purchase a digital licence for Win 10, if you haven't already got one for that machine, this is a one off transaction and gives you a digital key linked to that machine/motherboard.

The key is stored digitally at Microsoft so you don't even have to remember it for any future updates/reinstalls.

You don't need a Microsoft account, but be careful as it will push you to create one during the install.

You can install with a Local Account instead but i the installation screens they put that option in small print hoping you wont notice it.

The look of Win 10 when first installed is obviously a change from 7, but it's not that different and you can soon customise it to look as you want.

(It's not like 8.# which was a dogs dinner, and it's even a lot better and easier to customise the look than the early Win 10 was).


Turn off/disable Cortana and OneDrive, install your favourite browser, and things start to get more like older Windows versions.

My Laptop is from 2014 and I put Win 10 on it as soon as it became available.

I've never had any real problems with Win 10, (a few niggles), it's always upgraded seamlessly and is now on Win 10 version 1903.


I did get tricked into signing up for a MS account, but later deleted it. (Takes 6 months to delete, they don't like you doing it).

Why not just test it in a non-permanent way first; You could create a system disk image of your system as it currently is (for later restoration), then download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft and install it - no need to buy anything just test it unregistered - what I'm implying is simply for you to test things out. Or you could install it on an additional unused hard disk if you have one and swap them out in the laptop.

One thing with Win10 in my opinion it needs to be installed onto an SSD otherwise it's slow at least from what I've experienced on laptops with an HDD. If your system has at least a SATA 2 connection for the hard disk then a boot drive 2.5 inch SATA 3 SSD (of at least 240GB) would be highly recommended.

@nukecad

The reserved storage requirements (32 GB for both 64-bit and 32-bit OS) only apply to new PC's.

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		Reserved storage: Reserved storage sets aside disk space to be used by updates, apps, temporary files, and system caches. It improves the day-to-day function of your PC by ensuring critical OS functions always have access to disk space. Reserved storage will be enabled automatically on new PCs with Windows 10, version 1903 pre-installed, and for clean installs. It will not be enabled when updating from a previous version of Windows 10.
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https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/whats-new-windows-10-version-1903#reserved-storage

Not just new PC's, it also applies to new Win10 1903 installs on an old machine.

It's with updates from an existing Win 10 version that it's not needed.

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		Reserved storage will be enabled automatically on new PCs with Windows 10, version 1903 pre-installed, <strong>and for clean installs</strong>. It will not be enabled when updating from a previous version of Windows 10.
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		"It will not be enabled when updating from a previous version of Windows 10," Microsoft notes.   
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-1903-well-still-update-pcs-with-less-than-32gb-storage-says-microsoft/

I don't read it that way. From the article you quoted

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		New disk space requirement for Windows 10, version 1903 applies only to OEMs for the manufacture of new PCs. This new requirement does not apply to existing devices," said Microsoft. 
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I guess it's just marketing talk and misdirection.

Even then there are some lower spec Microsoft "Surface" tablets that were sold with Win10 installed that will not (currently) support an upgrade to 1903 because of the new memory requirements.

We are all expected by the marketing men to replace "old" stuff at least every 3years nowadays.

- Thanks for the answers so far. I still some more questions (even after doing some GOOGLE-ing)

- Someone said that when I use the Media Creation tool then I still can get a free transition to Windows 10. Is this true ? It sounds too good to be true.

- How does this work with the Win7 license key ? Is it transformed to a Win10 license key ? Can I still use it when I want to back to Win7 ? Or can I use it for both Win10 & Win7 ?

- I also read that in some cases users want to go back to e.g. Win7. I assume that that is only possible when I upgrade and not when I use the media creation tool ?

- SPECCY: tried to make a new snapshot and upload it but to no avail ("Service Unvailable"). Is SPECCY going to be "phased out" and is this the 1st step to discourage the usage of the program ?

- Disk space is not a problem (500 GB SSD) and I Always can delete several GBs (got it nearly all the content of my SSD backed up) to free up space.

Yes transition to Win 10 is still free with the media creation tool. It is also free if you go the upgrade route.

Your key will then be changed to a Win 10 digital key which will be stored on Windows servers.

14 minutes ago, Willy2 said:
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		- SPECCY: tried to make a new snapshot and upload it but to no avail ("Service Unvailable"). Is SPECCY going to be "phased out" and is this the 1st step to discourage the usage of the program ?
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Speccy servers have been unavailable for some time. They were migrating but unknown status. See here.

Piriform does seem disinterested in speccy of late but I don't think it's being phased out.

1- There was a legal way to get a free upgrade to Win 10 for about 2 years after the mainstream offer ended, but that eventually also ended.

You simply had to say that you used "assistive technology" (disability aids) and the upgrade was still free. They never checked just took your word.

I don't know of any currrent way to get a free, legal, upgrade.

2- If you still have Win7 installation media (discs) then you could still use those to roll back.

6 minutes ago, hazelnut said:
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		Yes transition to Win 10 is still free with the media creation tool. It is also free if you go the upgrade route.
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		Your key will then be changed to a Win 10 digital key which will be stored on Windows servers.
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Realy?

Colour me surprised?

1 minute ago, nukecad said:
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		Realy?
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		Colour me surprised?
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I think you still need to buy/activate windows 10, the transition is free

That's what I thought, you have to buy a digital license.

There again I could sort of see them offering free updates including a license again - just to get the 'hangers on' to update to 10.

6 minutes ago, Nergal said:
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		I think you still need to buy/activate windows 10, the transition is free
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No you don't need to buy a key to upgrade from 7 to 10 as long as the key you have already is legal.

I did one last week. Same applies to win 8 to 10.

That's news to me.

May be what I said above about trying to get more users on 10.

Not doubting you for a second.

I'll do some searching when I get back home, but it's Friday night and I'm in the pub for a while.

Some YouTuber's that fix and upgrade PCs have it happen both ways, upgrade a customers PC and they have to buy a Win10 license, upgrade another customers PC and it's free. Luck of the draw I suppose.

I found this article (updated last week) about it:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/

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		As of July 30, 2016, the upgrade notifications stopped and the GWX app began disappearing. In theory, that means the only way to get a Windows 10 upgrade is to pay for it.
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		The funny thing is, no one told the folks who run Microsoft's activation servers. Which means today, two full years after the free upgrade offer supposedly ended, you can still upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 and claim a free digital entitlement, without being forced to jump through any hoops.
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It doesn't seem to happen for everyone though.

So officially you need to buy a Win 10 digital license, unofficialy it will still update your valid Win 7 (or 8.*) license for free.

They have so much stuff that they spy upon users in the OS so in my opinion that alone should make Win10 Home free of charge!

If someone needs more features, etc., they can pay for enterprise and pro versions - and when someone is paying for it that should completely disable the spying aspects of the OS.