Can I get Windows 7 free to replace vista

Grandmas PC currently has vista on it. I ran the Windows update advisor and it says e PC is suitable for Windows 7 32 bit home premium but when I follow the link it goes to Microsoft page about Windows 10.
Am I able to get windows 7 free and if so how do I get it and how do I get a product key.
Thanks
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  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    No. You're going to have to pay for it.
  • Neil_Jones
    Neil_Jones Posts: 8,871
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    If you can still get it, as 7 Home Premium is discontinued. There are a few Pro editions still floating around but they're obviously more expensive compared to Home.

    In a large chunk of cases if a machine is running Vista it will be at least eight years old now and may not be Windows 10 capable.
  • emptybox
    emptybox Posts: 442 Forumite
    If the computer was made for Vista, then it'll almost certainly run Windows 10 without issue.

    If it's an older XP machine that's been 'upgraded' to Vista, then it may still be capable of running Windows 10, but would depend on the processor.

    Won't be free though.
  • SouthUKMan
    SouthUKMan Posts: 383 Forumite
    edited 21 March 2017 at 12:21AM
    Windows 7 was only ever a paid for operating system. Please also bear in mind that Windows 7 was first released in 2009, and it is therefore nearly eight years old. It is no longer sold by Microsoft... so even if you were able to 'upgrade' to Windows 7, the fact is that you will be upgrading to another out of date operating system (albeit one that is a little newer and more stable than Vista).

    If you really do still want to get Windows 7 on your grandma's PC, there are sellers on eBay who claim to be selling legitimate Windows 7 install discs and licenses. I'm sure that some of them will indeed be legitimate, however there will also no doubt be pirated software as well. Telling the difference at the time of purchase can be near impossible. Far better is to invest in upgrading to Windows 10 - assuming your hardware is compliant. It is the current Microsoft OS and is likely to be supported by software developers for a good number of years yet. Compared to Vista, it will also be the most secure.

    As already helpfully pointed out by emptybox, a PC made for Vista will more than likely be able to run Windows 10... as Vista was quite a resource heavy OS, where as Windows 10 is quite streamlined in comparison. However, there can be a big real world difference between a PC being able to run Windows 10, and it being pleasant to use (with potentially slow loading and processing times). A PC made for Vista is likely to be nudging on for a decade old (Vista was first released late 2006), so the performance will not be anywhere near on a par even with today's most budget computers. If the computer was previously upgraded to Vista, then it could potentially be heading on for a decade and a half in age. In which case, you're on a hiding to nothing!

    A quick final thought, if your grandma's PC is of Vista vintage then any similar age peripherals she may have such as a printer, scanner, etc might not work with Windows 7 or 10. Hardware manufacturers are not interested in writing new driver software to support older devices on newer operating systems. So, overall you might think it better to invest in a budget Windows 10 based system. Compared to what your grandma is likely to be using at the moment, even a very low end Windows 10 PC will more than likely feel like a dream in comparison!
  • were
    were Posts: 632 Forumite
    you may find that you need to purchase another PC for grandma, especially since most OS these days are x64 base and tend to use more ram.

    If she just uses the basics, and no odd peripherals, would be mindful of the printer too, would suggest linux Zorin, as it is free, sort of windows 7 look a like making transition easier than Mint, and both do a x32 version, and would probably work ok on her old computer

    Windows 10 in most parts is only available now in x64 versions, although there is a x32 for tablets out.
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    Perhaps. What is the Service Tag on the machine?
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,272
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    Perhaps. What is the Service Tag on the machine?

    What makes you think it's a Dell?
  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,669
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    unforeseen wrote: »
    What makes you think it's a Dell?

    OP tells us so in the browser for vista thread ;)
    ......Gettin' There, Wherever There is......

    I have a dodgy "i" key, so ignore spelling errors due to "i" issues, ...I blame Apple :D
  • No u can't
    Sure, the OS is old in technology terms, but that doesn’t mean that it’s worthless. Windows has always been a paid product and Windows 7 is no exception, even now when Microsoft no longer sells the software. Up until recently it was possible to download the ISO (an installable digital copy) of Windows 7 from Microsoft for free, but you still needed the Product Key to activate the system. Now this feature has been removed, and the site requires the Product Key before you can even begin the download. Trial versions also offered 30 days at no cost, but even these seem to have fallen by the wayside as the platform ages.
    Your signature has been removed by the forum team - please read the forum rules for an explanation of what is and isn't allowed in your signature.
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,507
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    What does grandma want to do that she can't do with Vista? If it does what she wants, why bother trying to upgrade?
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