Upgrade from Windows Vista to 7

[Aldo67]

I would like to switch from the operating system windows vista to windows 7 32 bit or higher versions of Windows because of some important software (antivirus, browsers, ...) no longer provide updates and why windows update no longer works for almost a year. I would like to know if and what version of windows I can install in order to find the updated drive without throwing money in unnecessary purchases

[IT_WinSec · Accepted solution]

Hello @Aldo67

Welcome to the HP Support forum.

HP does not officially support any other operating system on your PC model. There are no drivers released for Win 7, 8 or 10

Unofficially, I think your PC may run Windows 7. You can also try 8.1- no guarantee

It is recommended that you create a back up of most important files and you may want to try WIn 8.1

Microsoft offers 90 day free evaluation copy of 8.1 >> https://www.microsoft.com/en-GB/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-8-1-enterprise

All that is needed from you is to register with Microsoft account, download the ISO image and burn it on a blank DVD

or write it on a USB.

Here is an example  (example is with Ubuntu but works the same way with Windows ISO)

* How to create bootable ISO on USB device >> http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows

or

* How to write ISO to DVD >> http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-windows

Eventually, boot the PC from Windows 8.1

Follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Post-update, ensure your drivers are updates using the Device Manager method -> https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03330139

Update all major componets and run Windows Update.

You can test for about 90 days before you decide if you want to purchase a license from somewhere and reinstall a full version.

[mdklassen]

> Why Windows Update no longer works for almost a year.

It does work, but I have found that on a dual-core 2.0 Ghz processor, it now takes literally 7 days of continuous computing, with one of the cores running at 100% busy for the entire time [the other core is mostly idle], for Windows Update to determine which updates are needed.

Sad, but true, how sloooooooooooooooooooooow it has become.

From: https://support.hp.com/ca-en/document/c01476577

         Release date: 27-Mar-2008

         Processor: Intel Core2 Quad, with operating speed: Up to 2.4 GHz

         Disk-drive: 320GB @ 7200 RPM

        RAM: 3GB (supports up to 8GB with 4 sticks of DDR2-5300 or DDR2-6400)

So, this implies that your disk-drive and your motherboard could be up to NINE YEARS OLD.  Antiques!

If your automobile's tires were that old, and showing their age (no tread left, sidewalls cracking), would you replace the tires, before the tire would "blow" ?  Similarly, if I were planning to spend money to purchase a new disk-drive (50 to 100 Euro for 1000 GB) and to purchase a copy of Window 7/8/10, I would stop, review, and then consider buying a brand-new computer.

[Aldo67]

Thanks for the concern, I will start to download Windows 8.1 and try it for 90 days even if not immediately. However, I will make you know how it went

[Aldo67]

Certainly I will buy a new one later, but my hp pavilion (9 years old) works fine and it's a pity to get rid of a still efficient machine that has never abandoned me

[mdklassen]

> it's a pity to get rid of a still efficient machine that has never abandoned me.

You've had "good luck", and should buy a lottery ticket, to see if that luck is "transferable".  🙂

I'm not saying that the entire computer must go to "end-of-life" responsible disposal.

If it were my computer, I would buy a new disk-drive, for say $80 US, and amortize the cost over the 4 years that I expect that a new disk-drive will be functional. $20/year for "peace of mind" is a small price.

Or, I would spend $80 US on an external disk-drive, and make good & frequent "backups" of the files on the current disk-drive -- "you can never have one too many backups", and thus be prepared for a failure of the disk-drive.

Or, if it were a desktop computer, with a spare drive-bay for a 3.5-inch disk-drive, I would spend $70 US on an internal disk-drive, and use "disk-cloning" software, once a week, to copy every byte from your "antique" disk-drive onto the new disk-drive.  Then, if the "antique" fails, remove it, and boot from the "clone".  This is not much different from a one-time replacement, as above, of the "antique".

[Aldo67]

I downloaded from the page https://www.microsoft.com/it-it/evalcenter/ the 90 days trial version of Windows 8.1, but an alert informed me that I could set up it only if I had already installed windows 8. I downloaded from the same page windows 8 but its installation was difficult.
So I would give some advice who are going to face the same problems
1) No need to format the hard disk, just insert the DVD (with W8) after Windows Vista start-up
2) Having started the setup from the DVD, I don't recommend choosing the option "search and automatic updating of the drive from Internet" because it is never-ending (at least on my PC)!
3) The installation was unable to keep the Windows Vista settings, although it included this option (maybe it is valid for whom start with W7), so I moved to the next option, but got to 36% of copying W8 files, a warning advised me that some files were corrupted and the process stopped with an error code. Fortunately Windows Vista remained fully functional.
4) Following a tip from a Microsoft support forum, I downloaded the ISO of Windows 8 again but this time on a laptop with Windows 10. This gave me the opportunity to "see" the contents of the Windows 8 installation ISO as if it were an external drive. I copied those on a USB Pen directory and restarted the installation on the PC desktop.
This time it started and, after a little over an hour, ended.
The next goal will be to install the 90 days trial version of Windows 8.1 ...

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @Aldo67

I didn't mention you should perform an upgrade - no, this is not supported.

You need to create a copy of your files, boot from the installation DVD and perform new clean installation of Winows 8.1 which means you will delete all existing HDD partitions/erase all data/ and start from scratch. Custom install, delete all partitions, install on "Unallocated space"

After successful installation of Windows 8.1, you will then transfer back your files to the new installation and reinstall your apps.

Here are some examples (Yours may look slightly different) :

>> http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/windows-7-install.html

>> http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/the-complete-guide-to-a-windows-8-clean-installa...

Don't use Windows 8 - it is very old now. Just Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise or Windows 8.1 Enterprise.

Cheers and Good luck !

[Aldo67]

Hi IT_WinSec,

in the end I booted from the installation DVD and performed a new clean installation of Winows 10!!  Although my HP Pavilion a6460.it PC had a 64-bit processor, the 64-bit versions of both Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 crashed continuously, so I installed the 32-bit version of Windows 10 (previously the operating system was 32-bit Windows Vista ).

It was very useful to test the trial version of Windows 10 from

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-10-enterprise 

before buying it (pro version)

[IT_WinSec]

Thanks for the news @Aldo67

It's real pleasure to hear back from you. Keep me updated and don't hesitate to post again in the HP forum.