On 24/06/2020 15:36, Pancho wrote:
On 24/06/2020 15:10, 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.

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.

Idiots, guide... (well we really don't know what you have, but this is
my procedure)

Backup the files you want.

Buy a 250GB ssd for about £30 replace the laptop drive, keep the old
drive, just in case you have forgotten some files.

Install W10 fresh from USB (software downloaded from Microsoft).
Activate using Win7 credentials or £2 licence off ebay if they don't work..

Copy back the files you want.

This. Don't **** about upgrading in place. New disk and start from
scratch. Reinstall only what you use when you need it instead of
curating a sack of cack software of questionable vintage and security
status.

If your laptop came pre-installed with Win7 (i.e Dell or HP or Lenovo
etc.) your licence will be in the BIOS already and W10 should re-licence
itself when it reboots after installing drivers etc.