Please Share Thoughts on Laptop Options

MrsWenger

Hi HereToday, thank you again for the reply and the information. 

I am certainly learning a lot today 😀

HereToday

Once you have created the Windows 10 USB Flash installation media and changed the edition of Windows 7, you can move to the next step:

Next, insert the USB Flash media you’ve just created and search for a file called “gatherosstate.exe”. You’ll need to copy this file to the Windows 7 desktop. Double-click and execute the file; it will create a file called “GenuineTicket.xml” on your desktop.

If the “GenuineTicket.xml” file is created in an activated OS and is being reused on the same computer that’s running Windows 10, it will mimic what the Windows 10 upgrade does and auto-activate the install...without the need to run the upgrade over the top of Windows 7/8.

Next, copy the “GenuineTicket.xml” file from your desktop to a temporary location off your computer, such as a USB disk or a network drive. You will need it, and unless you copy it separately from your existing computer, you will lose the file once the computer is formatted. So keep it somewhere safe.

Now, do a clean install of Windows 10 Pro 64-bit once you have fitted the SSD on your computer, using the USB Flash drive you’ve just inserted. If the system asks for product key, click “Ignore”.

Once Windows 10 is installed, log on as yourself (you will need to either log with your Microsoft account, or create a local user, whatever you prefer). Next, insert the USB disk you’ve used and copy the “GenuineTicket.xml” file from it to your C drive using this path:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\GenuineTicket

Note: This folder is hidden by default. To see it go to File > Options > View > and click “Show hidden files, folders and drives in File Explorer”.

You may be prompted to provide permissions for this file copy. Click “Continue”.

Reboot your PC.

Open System Properties by right clicking “This PC” in Windows Explorer and selecting “Properties”. You can also use the Windows + Pause/Break key combination. Note that Windows should be now activated.

HereToday

A couple of notes concerning the Windows 10 installation:

https://winaero.com/install-windows-10-version-2004-with-local-account/
As above, the installation choices have changed between version, but this is still a useful guide of what to choose during installation: https://fdossena.com/?p=w10debotnet/index_1903.frag

Do NOT choose Microsoft's suggested Express option of making the choices for you. No need to go further than "

LET IT DOWNLOAD ALL THE UPDATES

" in that particular guide.

MrsWenger

Hello HereToday, 
Thank you again for the all of the additional information you have provided in the two posts above. I really do appreciate you taking the time to help me.

thevilla

Save your money.  Put Ubuntu*  on your existing laptop (easy, lots of online guides).  Forget virus checking.  Use LibreOffice instead of MS Office.

* or another Linux distro.

MrsWenger

Thank you for your post thevilla. Not something I had considered as I have only ever used Office products.

I have taken a different route for now as I was able to get a pristine Lenovo laptop at a great price. I will get that set up and then investigate upgrading my current laptop. Slightly daunted by it but a lot of really helpful advice from HereToday has given me the confidence to try it. 

MrsWenger

I just wanted to update this thread to say I have successfully updated my laptop to a SSD and have Window 10 on it now and it is so mu her better; definitely worth the effort!
It was a little daunting to try this myself but I have had so much help from HereToday and the information he shared was first class, thank you very much indeed!