Which SSD to buy?

[PeterBJ]

Thank you very much. I'll order the 1TB EVO drive then.

 

[stratman]

so the free upgrade should work or what?

Depends on whether Microsoft somehow blocks your country from using the Tool. I can do it here in the US. Since you can choose language during the install you should be able to download the Media Creation Tool from USA servers in your country. But you won't know till you try. Read all the three links here to see requirements and instructions on updating as well as obtaining the Tool.

As for whether a Windows 10 update will perform adequately on a specific machine... it depends on the CPU and RAM per the requirements I linked to above. Unless something has changed in the update process, you have 30 days to revert back to your old OS. Windows 10 stores your old OS on the drive just in case you do not like 10. After 30 days, Win 10 deletes the saved copy of your old OS.

Consider backing up your Win 7 drive before updating.

 

[PeterBJ]

The W10 media creation tool is also available in Denmark. I used it for creating a DVD with the 32 bit Home version for my W10 laptop and the disk worked well, so I think I can use the same DVD for the Win 7 laptop. I also have the Win 7 key needed for the upgrade.

It seems the media creation tools are updated when Win 10 gets a major update. Here are the downloaded tools from my download folder, notice different versions from different dates:

I wonder if I can install Win 10 on an empty HDD if I enter the Win 7 key? If that fails I will try to upgrade the Win 7 already installed on the laptop instead. Yes backing up is a good idea. Sometimes something goes wrong with an install. If the free upgrade fails I think there are two options for old Win 7 computers after January, Linux or the electronics waste container.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

If you choose to upgrade from Win7 to Win 10 the proposed way, please accept that you cannot run your old Win7 system anymore from a mirrored/restored system disk. The registration key won't be active anymore on Win 7 in that case, it has been used to verify that you have a valid key, upgraded to Win 10 in this case. If you want to go back to Win 7 you need to do that via the Win 10 uninstall procedure. If you plan to do a clean install of W10 you should be able to buy pretty low cost W10 activation keys - via Ebay and similar . Those keys are valid in the EU as per some court decisions although Microsoft is trying strongly to discourage you to do so. This would give you the chance to keep your Win 7 installation as a backup without licence key limitations.
I did several Win 7 to Win 10 system upgrades about two years ago, all worked pretty fine, except one. The problem was some dongle protection and emulation software which blocked the process that much that I could not even go back anymore. A few programs did not run anymore under 10 although they passed the screening the upgrade process is doing as one of the first steps. But that could b fixed easily with newer versions of that software.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Microsoft is doing some version upgrade every 6 or so months, go for the latest version 1903. If you choose to install an older version you'll have to run lots of patches and updates and the 1903 update with 3GB to download.
Yes, you can use a Win 7 key for a new Win 10 installation, but you cannot use that key anymore for another Win 7 installation, it is used up for the Win10 system.

And there is another point to consider - whether you install the 32 or 64 Bit version; the 32Bit version may be o.k. on a system with 2GB memory but if you have 4GB or more, or plan to upgrade from 4GB later, go for the 64 Bit version; I did not get into any problem even with older 32 Bit software, it runs on a 64Bit system - notebook or desktop.

 

[PeterBJ]

Never mind about the Win 7 key being cancelled. After January I think it will be a very bad idea to go online with a computer that no longer gets security updates.

Re low cost Windows keys from Ebay or special websites: I read on a gamer forum that these keys offered were legitimate keys purchased from Microsoft, but paid with stolen credit cards from the dark web. When the fraudulent payment to Microsoft is cancelled, Microsoft will cancel the key. I have wondered about these inexpensive keys and why Microsoft seemingly does nothing to stop the sale. I still don't know what is the truth about these low cost keys.

 

[stratman]

I wonder if I can install Win 10 on an empty HDD if I enter the Win 7 key?

It has been possible in the past and still may be so. The following link details the procedure as of December 2018.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-do-clean-installation-windows-10

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

o.k. - you may not buy such a key from the Cayman Islands - but most of such keys are valid; there have been lots of legal proceedings over time nationally and on EU level under which conditions Microsoft can or cannot block sale/resale of such keys, there are several, quite some scenarios for resellers of such keys without impediment by MS, and this does not apply just to MS software but other companies as well - with more expensive software than MS system stuff. MS is trying to scare people - it's up to you. The issue is older than W10, there are companies offering keys for Win 7, 8, 8.1, Office etc, and based on the problems (claimed lost business) Microsoft changed the key validation, registration etc process very much with Win 10, the license is much tighter linked to the specific hardware the installation is done on the first time. But people found a way around all that as well......................... And be aware, all this might be different in other regions of this world, regions with other legislation in relation to software licensing.

 

[stratman]

with Win 10, the license is much tighter linked to the specific hardware the installation is done on the first time.

I have read it is pretty much the same as with 8.x. Don't know about 7, though. Changing or adding drives, RAM, and video card are usually no issue. The biggies are CPU and motherboard that are connected for the activation / ID process. A call to MS can often result in joy depending on your explanation and the person you talk with.

If you purchase the retail version of Windows then you are able to install regardless of changes or on a different machine altogether, albeit only one installation / activated version at a time.

 

[SkedAddled]

I wonder if I can install Win 10 on an empty HDD if I enter the Win 7 key?

That's what I have done, albeit without having to enter ANY key. The license
information would seem to be 'baked into' the downloaded media, as the process was instigated
from a fully valid Win7 system. I suspect that system's validity was automagically coded into the
download.

If you choose to upgrade from Win7 to Win 10 the proposed way, please accept that you cannot run your old Win7 system anymore from a mirrored/restored system disk. The registration key won't be active anymore on Win 7 in that case, it has been used to verify that you have a valid key, upgraded to Win 10 in this case.

This would apparently not apply to separately-installed operating systems.
I have each of Win7 and Win10 installed, on physically separate drives.
The Win7 system was used to obtain the Win10 media.
I then installed Win10 to a clean, separate drive.
Depending on my wishes, I can choose to boot from either drive. Both remain activated/valid.

I'm running Win10 as I submit this post.
If I shut down, swap to the Win7 drive and power on, I have a fully activated, installed,
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit system to use.

This may be different if the drives are always connected and available to the computer,
but physically separate drives of the two OSes are not affected in any way(in my experience so far).