Planning for 2020

Windows 7? ... Windows 8.1? ... Windows 10?
Planning for 2020

Note: these comments may be irrelevant after July 29, 2016.

Are you like me? I'm very happy with Windows 7 which I've been using for 6-8 years and my computer is tweaked just like I like it. This custom-built computer has adequate power for now and is easily upgradable. But  Microsoft is definitely going to kill Win 7 in four years while I hope this computer will still be going strong. At that time, I'll have to upgrade to the newest version of Windows for which Microsoft may want to charge me $249 by then.

By July 29 - I should have started sooner - I will upgrade "this" computer to Windows 10 for free. Then I'll revert and go back to using Win7 until it can't walk any more. However, any time in the future I'll have a free Win10 license ready to run.

There are two ways I could do this "upgrade on new installation" or "upgrade, archive, and revert." I'll use the first method, "upgrade." If you have an OEM Windows without install or restore media, you may have to use the second, more complex method.

METHOD 1 - A clean install

My plan is to install Win7 on a new hard drive in this box and allow it to get upgraded. Since I'm no fan of dual boot - and am not sure I could dual boot the same DVD key - I'll disconnect my current C: drive and repeat the basic process I performed 2 years ago. Once Win 10 is installed, I'll take the new drive out and return to my running machine. Occasionally I'll swap back to Win10 to get updates and verify the installation.

Since this is a generic computer and I have a retail copy of Win7 on DVD, it shouldn't be significantly different from what would happen if I had a drive failure. At this writing, I have installed Win7 on a new drive, but am missing a few drivers. I'm looking into a utility to extract the running drivers from the running installation which happens to be on the same hardware. There's also the issue that a reinstallation of Win7 will require over 200 updates and can take a week to complete. There is a means to shortcut that problem by manually installing just a few updates.

METHOD 2 - Upgrade and revert

If you don't have your original distribution media or find it difficult to temporarily replace your primary boot drive, you will need to upgrade the way Microsoft expects most people to. This will require multiple backups, one or more large capacity external drives, and a lot of interactive patience.

Start with a complete data backup to reliable media. Don't forget any settings and customizations you've made to your applications and your password database. Also backup your email and account details and passwords if not included in your data folders. This protects your data in case something goes terribly wrong.

Then do a full system image of your Win7 boot drive. There are multiple programs that can do this; most of the ones with comprehensible interfaces you will need to pay for. This allows you to get back to where you started if the upgrade and revert processes fail.

Now allow the Win10 upgrade to install and use it for a while so it has a chance to stabilize. After you're comfortable that everything is working and no data or applications have been lost or corrupted, create an image of Windows 10.

Within 30 days of the upgrade you can revert back to your previous operating system. Theoretically you have a perpetual license to reinstall Win10 on this computer at any time in the future - even if you've made minor changes like adding memory or replacing a hard drive. I don't know how either process works or will work. If anything fails, you've still got your image backups to get back to where you started.


. This work by Bill Barnes is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://zaitech.com/satellite/contacts.htm.
(cc) 2016- Bill Barnes - Disclaimer - Home Page - Blogs Home

A second thought on upgrading to Windows 10

(1)

If you seriously want to get Windows 10 for free on your computer, you might want to get started by mid-July, 2016. When I went to upgrade my newest brand-name laptop from its factory-installed Win 8, I had to fight with it for several weeks. Here are things to consider:

• If you are happily running Windows 7 or 8.1; consider keeping it. Microsoft will continue to support them for another 3-1/2 years and you won't have to worry about missing drivers or other quirks.
• Will your computer take the upgrade smoothly? In my experience, what Microsoft considers "adequate" hardware has always been very optimistic. It was very happy to install Win10 on my netbook with 1 GB RAM and a 1 GHz Atom CPU. I am telling my clients they need a minimum of 4 GB RAM and a 64-bit multi-core CPU. (2)
• Is your computer at all old or non-standard? Even if the hardware is capable, your manufacturer may not provide 64-bit or Win10-compatible drivers for components more than 2 or 3 years old. The same goes double for any non-factory components you've added or peripherals like printers or scanners.
• Perform a full-system image backup to facilitate a roll-back should you have any problems. Even better, clone your hard drive to a new one and upgrade the disc that hasn't already got several years usage on it. Then your old drive is your backup.
• Get the resources from Microsoft to install Win10 from a DVD or USB; even if you intend to allow the automatic upgrade. (3)
• Verify you can boot from your external media. I found the Secure Boot feature of new computers would not allow me to do so. These two steps alone took me a week to complete.
• Back up your data again. (4)
• Finally say "OK" to the nag you've been getting for months. I recommend you choose the "download now, install later" option to ensure a clean, continuous download. The entire package is 3-6 GB.

Bill Barnes

Notes:
(1) Share these notes here: http://fromthehelpdesk.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-second-thought-on-upgrading-to.html
(2) Find this information in Control Panel > System. If you have 32-bit Win7, but a new computer; the app at https://www.grc.com/securable.htm will determine your CPU's capability.
(3) https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/.
(4) Naturally, I recommend you buy Carbonite backup software from me: http://goo.gl/CXqBsB.

Quotes without comment (Windows 10 edition)

Some stories that were recommended for me to read/view:

On Friday I received:

But on Thursday I had already gotten a link to:



(These screenshots are linked to the documents. Click on them for the “full” story.
Open links are below to verify source. For the safest surfing, read the destination [// domain.com/] and copy the link into your browser.)

Microsoft:
https://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/TechNet+Radio/TNR1655?wt.mc_id=DX_840368&MC=MSAzure&MC=CloudPlat&MC=Windows&MC=EntMobile&MC=SecSys

Thurrott:
https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/67367/upgradegate-microsofts-upgrade-deceptions-undermining-windows-10?NL=WIN-01&Issue=WIN-01_20160526_WIN-01_114&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_2