Windows 7 - free/cheap upgrade to Windows 10?

DIYhelp76
DIYhelp76 Posts: 247 Forumite
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in Techie Stuff
Hi

I have Windows 7 Home Premium on a laptop.

Just received message saying support is ending for Windows 7.

What is the cheapest (or free?) way to upgrade to Windows 10?

Also how do I tell if existing laptop specs can handle an upgrade to Windows 10?

Many thx.
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Comments

  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    Upgrade is still free.

    The way you upgrade is up to you. Over the top of the old or a clean install.
    Personally, I would take the opportunity to fit an SSD to your device if you haven't done so and clean install Windows 10 Home/Pro to it.

    What is the brand and model number of your device?
  • dan958
    dan958 Posts: 770 Forumite
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    edited 21 May 2019 at 11:51AM
    EveryWhere wrote: »
    Upgrade is still free.

    The way you upgrade is up to you. Over the top of the old or a clean install.
    Personally, I would take the opportunity to fit an SSD to your device if you haven't done so and clean install Windows 10 Home/Pro to it.

    What is the brand and model number of your device?

    With how cheap an SSD is now, and you only need a small sized one for a boot drive (as long as there is space for 2 drives, alternatively, get a bigger SSD). Doing this is also what I would recommend.
  • grumpycrab
    grumpycrab Posts: 4,989 Forumite
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    DIYhelp76 wrote: »
    Just received message saying support is ending for Windows 7.
    Of-course, there's no panic here. Plenty of time to consider options - and answer everywhere's question.
    An SSD is a great upgrade for aging computers but the cheap ones are quite small. First check how much USED disk space you have. Or more accurately, do a properties of C:\users\yourusername and see how much data you actually have (assuming you keep data under here; you may have data in other places too!)
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
  • DonnySaver
    DonnySaver Posts: 562 Forumite
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    Don't move to Windows 10 - it's awful in my opinion. The only stable laptop/PC in our house is one running Windows 7.

    If you can afford it, buy a Mac !
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 2,620 Forumite
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    DonnySaver wrote: »
    Don't move to Windows 10 - it's awful in my opinion. The only stable laptop/PC in our house is one running Windows 7.

    If you can afford it, buy a Mac !
    Windows 10 is fine. If someone is asking about cheap options then suggesting they spend lots of money on Apple kit isn't really sensible.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    grumpycrab wrote: »
    Of-course, there's no panic here. Plenty of time to consider options - and answer everywhere's question.
    An SSD is a great upgrade for aging computers but the cheap ones are quite small.

    240GB is hardly small and you can pick that up for £28 from Crucial. And don't forget you have the original HDD to reuse for additional storage.
  • AndyPix
    AndyPix Posts: 4,847 Forumite
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    edited 21 May 2019 at 4:23PM
    DonnySaver wrote: »
    Don't move to Windows 10 - it's awful in my opinion. The only stable laptop/PC in our house is one running Windows 7.

    If you can afford it, buy a Mac !


    ^^ Worst post ever award goes to this guy - Buy a mac :rotfl:OP is asking for a free/cheap solution
  • Jakubk
    Jakubk Posts: 127 Forumite
    Do not buy a Mac but do not upgrade to Win10 either, I am sticking with Win7 (they will have to pry it from my cold dead hands).

    You do need to make sure your Win7 computer is locked down, do not use admin account for everyday use, run virus checks on it with malwarebytes but do not bother putting in AV running all the time unless it is a very fast machine.

    The fact is that while MS says support is ending, if anything lethal comes along (like the malware that hit the NHS etc out or North Korea) then they issue a standalone fix.

    I have not upgraded my Win7 laptops since 2015 and 2017, no issues so far!
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 2,620 Forumite
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    Jakubk wrote: »
    Do not buy a Mac but do not upgrade to Win10 either,
    Terrible advice.
    Jakubk wrote: »
    The fact is that while MS says support is ending, if anything lethal comes along (like the malware that hit the NHS etc out or North Korea) then they issue a standalone fix.
    That is not guaranteed at all.
  • DonnySaver
    DonnySaver Posts: 562 Forumite
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    AndyPix wrote: »
    ^^ Worst post ever award goes to this guy - Buy a mac :rotfl:OP is asking for a free/cheap solution

    Who said it was cheap? I didn't say that. I said "if you can afford it".


    Windows 10 has caused me hours of pain since I upgraded to it. Had at least 2 very lengthy sessions with MS to try and fix stuff that Windows 10 updates caused. Ended up totally re-installing Windows each time.


    Problems with Windows 7 machine = None.


    I would NEVER buy another MS machine again. IF I could it afford I would buy a Mac....but I can't so I'm stuck with my crap Windows 10 machine for now.
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