Posted on 11/11/2018 5:18:37 PM PST by steveo
I have a perplexion. I need to move my lovely Windows 7 to a new laptop running the evil Windows 10. There are all sort of solutions claiming to be the easiest quickest fastus (sic) way to migrate to the new machine.
I could rack my brain and make a large partition on the new machine and load a bootable system image, Leaving space for maybe a linux dist for the other.
Who has done similar and what software did you use?
“I forgot to state I have a 2TB external HDD available”
From your WIN 7 Machines...load all your important files onto this external hard drive.
Important files are typically found in:
Downloads
Documents
Desktop
Photos
Videos
Music
Also save yr favorites from internet explorer
CHROME — Find how to export and save your bookmarks
FIREFOX — Same as Chrome...export/save yr bookmarks
Save the above onto external hard drive.
On yr new Windows 10 machine you install all or part of what you saved on your external hard drive. Me -— I would only install the really important files onto the new Windows 10 machine. You can always plug in yr external hard drive to access yr ol Windows 7 machine’s files.
Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t “migrate” your Windows 7 onto your new Win 10 Machine. You will make a mess. Forget Windows 7.
See my post above. Just copy your important files (on the old Win 7 machine) onto yr external drive
make a partition of around 200 gig or so and install linux mint- it will be the first to boot- use it for all your online stuff- and only boot into windows when you need to run windows only programs offline like photoshop, or windows games (ok to go online for a game if you only go to the gaming site i guess)
That is what i did when i got sick of constantly having to ‘secure windows’ to keep from all the constant redirects i was getting awhile back which would shoot me over to some infected website before i could blink-
All my daytime Internet stuff is done on linux now- much much safer- and just as easy as using windows- at night I do photoshop work for my photography, and do some gaming (I do online sim racing)- so i boot into windows- takes only about 1 minute to do so- no big deal (I have an SSD which is blistering fast booting and running games)
What i had done was I downloaded an ISO of windows 7 before they stopped offering it for download- and using my old windows 7 key, i can install it on my machine if i ever have to again- but alas windows 7 ISO is no longer available unfortunately from what i understand- don’t know if you can email microsoft and ask them for the iso or not
Yup. The reason Windows 10 exists is because Windows 7 was too easy to hack.
you can’t download that if you have an OEM liscence (factory preinstalled windows 7-)- I’ve also read many horror stories abotu keys purchased online not working- so beware
another thing you can do is make an exact copy of your HD using Drive duplicator (not very expensive, around $50 or so) IF all you need is a new HD on your old computer- (I know you have a new comp- so this likely isn’t applicable to your question, but just pointing out that duplicators are an excellent way to back up a computer onto a new HD to have as a spare incase your HD ever fails- and an excellent way to back up all your files- although it does take awhile to duplicate- so plan accordingly (around 8 hours if i remember right)
don’t know abotu hte following, but here’s an option i think for purchasing windows 7
https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Description=windows%207&Submit=ENE
I understood Classic Shell would not work with the newest update versions of Windows 10. True or untrue??
“Yup. The reason Windows 10 exists is because Windows 7 was too easy to hack.”
Thanks. Since Windows 10 gets major updates 2x a year....Would you do a clean install of Win 10 every 12-18-24 months?
A few minutes ago I installed the latest updates on this Win 10 machine, and Classic Shell still seems to work. Of course, the next Windows update may break it.
Amazon too? Damn.
That's exactly what I said when I got off the phone with MS. LOL
You are mistaken. You can download the Windows 7 disc images in ISO format from Microsoft. It makes absolutely no difference what operating system you are using on the computer you download it on. You can use the iso file to burn new discs and do a clean install on a laptop with windows 7 preinstalled, but you either need to use software ahead of time to save and then reuse your OEM license or you can purchase a non-oem license.
I’ve also read many horror stories abotu keys purchased online not working- so beware.
Yes I have heard those types of “horror stories” as well. But I have used keys purchased in virtual machines many times from eBay sellers who have large amounts of positive feedback over a period of years. As I said previously, I do not know about their origin. Some of the sellers have claimed that people and organizations have discarded their Windows 7 machines and that their licenses have legitimately been salvaged.
Since I have used these licenses only in virtual machines believe that I have risked only the purchase price which was nominal. All the keys that I have purchased have worked immediately and have continued to work over a period of years.
I am sorry. I see what you are talking about. I went back to Microsoft’s current download link and you need to have a product key to use it. If you don’t have one currently and do not feel like you can stand to risk $5 to get one on eBay then I guess you are out of luck.
They are often the same vendors. I generally trust the eBay seller feedback more than the Amazon. So I guess that I need to count my lucky stars, because I have never had any of the product keys that have I purchased rejected.
But you are scaring me so I went ahead and started up a few virtual machines with some of my older licenses to try and verify. It could still be just a matter of time I guess... This includes Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, and Microsoft Office licenses. I do not buy the absolutely cheapest licenses listed, and I only buy from sellers with large amounts of good feedback who have been around for awhile. These have all mostly been used in virtual machines.
OK, I went ahead and tried the last Windows 7 Key that I purchased on eBay on the Microsoft download link and it came back as an OEM even though it still worked fine with virtual machine installations using the installation discs that I already have.
OK, I found that one of my Windows 7 virtual machines is now reporting that it is “not genuine”. I guess that is $5 that I will never get back.
Cost me $40. By the time MS shut it down, the return window had expired.
I use this in a virtual machine to test software in a “safe environment”. I sent an email to the seller, to see if they will send me another activation key. I am using this on a Hyper-V virtual machine. The Windows 7 license I am using on VMware is still working.
The seller is still active on eBay. I used Paypal and they give 180 days to dispute a transaction which I am still within. So thank you for the timely heads up. It actually came to $6.46.
I run miners in the winter - free heat. :)
Used to do the same as you, and ran machines for testing apps, etc., before going Galt.
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