On 24/06/2020 15:10:19, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
My banking app is nagging me to do this, so suppose I must.

I'll do my Win7 Pro laptop first.

Have Googled it, but as usual as many questions as answers.

Ideally, the update would retain all my files data and apps. Obviously
some apps may need updating too - but assume they'd tell me if this is so,
if it doesn't happen by magic?

Ebay has plenty CDs etc for sale for a modest sum that promise to do just
this.

Why not use the Microsoft ISO/USB tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/soft...load/windows10

I use the USB stick route. It's simple to use. Although if you go down
the DVD route you'll need media burning software.

To my knowledge all Windows 7 apps will all work on Windows 10. I
haven't found one that hasn't (64bit).

I do have the laptop backed up - using the Win7 facility - to an external
HD. Would I be able to retrieve my files from that if anything goes wrong
to the new Win10 while installing? Or should I do a second backup of the
files I know I might want later? JPGs and so on.

As usual, an idiots guide would be appreciated.

I see no reason why any external drive visible to Windows 7 should not
be accessible to Windows 10. You can do an update and retain everything.
I recently did a new clean install as I had do much junk on this machine.