On Sun, 7 Nov 2021 at 15:43:40, Ken Blake <ken@invalidemail.com> wrote
(my responses usually follow points raised):
>On 11/7/2021 3:32 PM, jaugustine@verizon.net wrote:
[]
>> I
>> don't think I will wait very long to get Windows 10 (64 bit version).
>
>
>Why? For most people not using a computer in a business, it hardly matters.
>
I was wondering that. Do you have a reason? IMO there's little reason to
switch just for the sake of it; on the other hand there's little reason
_not_ to if you feel like a change. _On the whole_, I think 10 will run
slightly less well on older hardware - especially with little RAM; in
the last year or two, it's also become very much the case that it runs a
_lot_ happier on SSDs. (As would 7, I think - but I think recent
"up"grades to 10 are more and more _assuming_ the presence of a fast
drive, which can't be said of 7 as it isn't _getting_ any upgrades.)
>
As you have the below W10 machine, maybe you want all running the "same"
OS so you don't have to keep switching your brain between them. (Though
differing versions of W10 also differ - but they're probably all closer
to each other than to 7.)
>
>> I have
>> a 13 year old 32 bit Dell laptop with an earlier version of Windows 10.
>
>
>An earlier version? Why haven't you updated it multiple times.
>
Yes, I wondered that. In fact, have you actually taken steps to _stop_
it updating? Otherwise, it would have, if you ever used it online.
Though I suppose, at 13 years old (is the _hardware_ actually only 32
bit?), there might be something about it that prevented some updates
from installing. What version does it say it has?
>
>> Since I have 3 laptops (64 bit) with Windows 7 (2 Dells bought new in

Doesn't matter for this discussion, but you say you have 3 W7 laptops -
2 Dells 2013/'14, and you don't tell us what the other is.

>> 2013 & 2014), and all have internal CD/DVD drives (no longer standard on new
>> laptops unless special order), I thought about paying for Windows 10
>> (download if from Microsoft web site, I assume).
>
You don't need to pay - I _think_ even quite legally. The period during
which the upgrade happened automatically if you _didn't_ take action
finished years ago, but ever since then, it's been possible to download
a 10 and install it - either a clean install or an upgrade - on any
_legitimate_ 7 system. See Paul's post in this thread for details (as
well as many other posts from Paul and many others over the last few
years, at least in the 7 'group [which I've added]). If doing a clean
install rather than an upgrade (or in general anyway), probably best to
note down keys (as many as you can find - off 7 CDs if you have the
box/slip they came in, stickers on the PC, and ones extracted by Belarc
and/or other utilities) before you start.
>
>Whether they have CD/DVD drives is is irrelevant. The free upgrade
>period has expired but you should still be able to do it for free if
>you call Microsoft and ask nicely.
>
No need to actually call Microsoft - see above. And as Ken says, you
don't have to use a DVD (no way 10 will fit on a CD; some recent combo
versions not even a single-layer DVD); see Paul's and other posts for
how to "mount" a .iso file. (Personally, I'd burn a DVD anyway, so that
I had one in case anything goes wrong - but, at least if the booting of
the PE environment I did recently while using Macrium is anything to go
by, W10 via DVD is painfully slow.)
>
MS can decide to stop activating such "up"graded systems any time, but
there have been no signs they are going to; we thought they would do so
a month or two after the end of 7, but it didn't happen, and as that's
now been some time, we assume they won't. (If anything, based on what
happened with XP and _seems_ to be happening with 7, they might become
increasingly lax about 10 now 11 is out. But that's just hoping, not
based on any evidence.) If they _do_ decide to stop activating, that
won't "kill" any systems activated before their decision. [In theory,
they could, but AFAIK they haven't put out a deliberate kill even of any
XP or 7 systems, other than a few grossly pirated keys; the public
backlash if they did would be terrible PR for them. (Some upgrades have
_unintentionally_ killed systems! But that's usually been rectified soon
after.)]
>
>> I have spare HDs and a SSD for laptops. I could remove one Win 7 HD
>> from one of those laptops, put a spare (new) HD or SSD in it and install
>> Windows 10 that I bought from Microsoft.
>
>
>Just upgrade. There's no need to change the drive.
>
Unless you want to, of course. (E. g. to have an uncorrupted 7 you can
switch back to [without invoking images etc.] if you want.)
>
>> Before I make my final decision, I would like to get some
>>"feedback".
>> Thank You in advance, John
>>
Basically:

1. Why do you want to? (Not saying you shouldn't, just curious.)
2. You don't have to pay, or even contact MS. (At worst you might have
to "talk" to their activation bot, though in most cases not.)
3. In _my_ opinion, you might be disappointed on how W10 (especially
recent versions) runs on older hardware, especially with not a lot of
RAM.
>
>
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

he was eventually struck off by the BMA in 1968 for not knowing his gluteus
maximus from his humerus.