Thanks for all your replies.
I have partitioned hard drives and edited boot files in the past, but it is so much easier and less time consuming when the new OS does it for you.
Thanks for the tips. I think I will try Mint on my VistaHP64 system (not the Win7 laptop).
Vista has become buggy with some critical and some recommended updates refusing to install correctly. The problem might be related to the fact that I’ve hidden and not installed (all, I hope) updates designed to ease migration to Win10 (and then nag you unmercifully to upgrade - NOT going to happen).
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I don’t think Vista will nag you to upgrade to Windows 10. The Microsoft free upgrade offer to Windows 10 only applies to Windows 7, 8.0 and 8.1. If you want to install Windows 10 on a Vista system, you have to buy it.
Sadly, VISTA was like a BETA for Win7 (I have been a beta tester since XP).. Win7 was the best (user-freindly-wise) since XP.
At the same time, I was experimenting with Linux... In the earlier days (1999+), Linux was a real pain ITA, but has improved by FUJI size with userability.. (user-friendly).
To get the easiest transformation (WIN - Lin), Cinn.. to actually have control of PC, KDE... to have complete control (but needs some knowledge) Xfce.. ;^)