Posted on 12/13/2019 8:03:09 AM PST by knarf
I have options, but not enough knowledge.
I finally reverted to 18.3 and everything works great. I liked the way 19.2 looked and felt (Linux Mint 19.2, 64-bit, Cinammom) but if it don't work it's no good to me.
So I'm gonna stick with 18.3 for the time being, though I will program a separate hard drive with 19.X in hopes that the folks at Mint get their act together.
The complete instructions are at How To Geek link: You Can Still Get Windows 10 for Free With a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 Key
Back up everything before upgrading, and print out your "Programs and Features" (you will have to reinstall these), and your COA Key.
Follow the instructions and you will be fine.
Well, first get out your bottle of WD40...
Spray a bit in.
Then wipe off 3/4 of the WD40
Now you got W10 on your machine
Hmm as I recall there was a prompt that asked if want to keep programs, etc.
I had no problems with this and did not print out and re-installed.
My Windows 10 upgrade was almost seamless...and I was pleasantly surprised...
But I had YouTube videos explaining stuff and did one computer at a time just in case there was a problem...Our family did 4 upgrades last month.
To clarify, I did not have to re-install programs or files—all came over the upgrade fine...So did my various video, PDF and word docs.
I ran XP for a year or so and ran into problems with certain programs. I found a cheap upgrade to windows 7 and upgraded to win7.
My computer's hardware is so old now that being compatible with win10 might be difficult if not impossible. S
o I will probably keep the win7 machine and buy a new machine. I might turn the win7 machine into a Linux server or just run Linux desktop.
Printing the list makes it easy to be sure you transfer everything.
Skid on the breaks HARD.
If your old box does what you need it to, and is still running, you’re probably better off to stay with that until you get a better processor. Something more recent than someone’s old attic computer.
Remember, old computer’s don’t have the current hardware and firmware, the tech has changed. They don’t run the new stuff well or even at all.
You’ve been warned.
I have not had any problems with Windows Upgrade on older DELL and HP laptops...Guess it just worked out...
I reluctantly just upgraded...Bought them used from Newegg a few years ago and they were good in their hayday, so they are not current but have decent hardware and firmware.
Since I use them for trading...Need very good security and was worried about Windows 7 with no upgrades or fixes after January.
Knarf, If you can get cheap computer and free upgrade, may be worth a try...but as some have said, you may want to get important stuff backed up on paper or external drive.
Allow me to throw in my 2 cents ... “I don’t know what to use to wipe a computer clean...”
Well, if you reinstall Windows, either reinstall W7 or upgrade to W10, the installer will give you an option to wipe everything from the machine.
As for upgrading, you can just download the Windows 10 installation media (you can burn it to a CD or create a USB-key):
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15088/windows-10-create-installation-media
Then you want to install it and during the installation it will ask you for a product key. From what I understand, even though the freebie offered expired, the Win 10 installer will still accept Windows 7 or 8 product keys and give you a free license for Windows 10. So make sure that you know what your old Win 7 product key is before you run the install.
Worst case scenario, the Win 10 installer rejects your Win 7 key, then you can still continue the install without a product key, and just purchase a license from Microsoft afterwards and load it to authorize your installation.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activate
W7 / W10 = WD40
[[A swap shop in town has a tower (I use PC) for $90 that I can just plug and play, or I can wipe this one and install it from download or CD or something.]]
depending on what’s in the tower- buy it- sounds like a good cheap backup computer or main one even if components are good enough- worth it just for the Hard Drive- especially if it’s an SSD of good size-
Take the free one too- install linux on it :) alwways good to have backup computers- install clean os on one, and use it just for things liek online banking, or shopping places like amazon or whatever- and keep it unplugged till you need to purchasde something online- keep all credit card and sensitive info off your other online computers- This creates a more secure business computer environment- unplugging it when not shopping-
does it work if your os is oem installed?
Also- windows 10 should run without the key- BUT you won’t be able to customize it and there will be a watermark down i n right hand corner- nag screen- small, but obnoxious- there is a way to get rid of it though-
[[PS ... the wife machine is for essentially fakebook and messenger with her Filipino family ..... pretty much all she does ....]]
Perfect for linux- and much safer than windows too- if that’s all she’s doing i definitely would install linux mint cinnamon version on it- it’s very fast, doesn’t use huge resources- and is pretty good these days- pretty easy to use-
Best thing to do is try different versions. Maybe try Mint with the MATE desktop instead of Cinnamon or try Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu etc
If you want to run the latest software, apps or games, you probably already upgraded your hardware and your OS beyond Win7. But if you want to check email and get on Farcebook, then there’s no reason to send more $$$ to microphallus
[[Only downside is, it keeps freezing on me, which requires a hard shut down and restart whenever it happens.]]
Something’s not right then- I’m running 19.3 and no issues at all
hmm- seems some folks are having issues with 19.3 - I haven’t had any issues with it but i upgraded from 18.3 instead of doing a clean install- maybe that’s the reason? My computer is like 7 years old too- not the newest by any means- My old printer works, networking works, wireless works- everything- soemthign is not right with your computer if 19.3 didn’t work it seems- on thign you coudl try doing is install virtual machine, virtualbox, install 18.3, update it fully, then upgrade to 19.3- see if it still acts up- but that woudl be a lot of work- and fiddling-
PS, you can install the MATE desktop right along side Cinnamon. Then just choose MATE when you log in. If Cinnamon is set up to log you in automatically with no log in screen, then you’d have to log out of Cinnamon to get a log in screen. There should be a place to set the default desktop to log in to.
You’re supposed to be able to install most any ubuntu based desktop. I see a bunch listed in Software Center. They probably take up quite a bit of disk space so you probably wouldn’t want to have too many installed. https://www.howtogeek.com/193129/how-to-install-and-use-another-desktop-environment-on-linux/
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