Envy upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10

[Ryck]

Hi

Windows 7 is ending its official life in 1/2020.  I want to upgrade to Windows 10 64 Professional. What's my best option?

Run Windows 10 64 as an installed upgrade or do I install fresh from a new hard drive?

If I install fresh from a new hard drive, what about the HP software apps and drivers that I have now? How do i get them?

Thanks.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

There is no information from HP indicating whether or not your PC has a W10 Pro product key in the BIOS.

Run the free utility that I zipped up and attached below to see if there is a W10 Product key in your PC's BIOS.

If you haven't purchased W10 Pro, see if you can do a free in-place upgrade by clicking on the blue Update Now button at the link below.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

This link explains how you may still be able to get the free upgrade.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/heres-how-you-can-still-get-a-free-windows-10-upgrade/

If you are asked to enter a product key during the installation, select the 'I don't have a product key option."

That way, perhaps the installed apps will carry over to the upgrade.

If you clean install W10, the only apps you will be able to get would be those listed on your PC's support page.

If you still have the SWSetup folder on your C:\Drive, copy that folder to a portable hard drive.

That folder may also contain the program installation files that came with your PC.

[Ryck]

That's great, Paul.  I'll check it out later but I came on briefly to thank you.

I got my Envy about two years ago direct from HP.   It came with Windows 7 64 Professional already installed. The box itself has Windows 7 sticker. I don't believe it has Windows 10 anywhere.

I already bought Windows 10 Professional from Microsoft and made the installation USB. My main concern is how best to deploy it. I'd rather it install itself over Windows 7 so I don't have to change too much nor start all over with a fresh new C drive. But I've always been told that every new Windows install likes to install on to a clean slate.

If I can get the free upgrade, YAY!  I can always use the Windows 10 install I bought on another machine.

[Ryck]

By the way, I confirm the existence of a D drive called HP_RECOVERY. In it is a picture folder named Recovery. I haven't touched it but backed it up.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

The easiest way to do the in-place upgrade from 7 to 10 would be to click on the blue Update Now link from the Microsoft site I posted..

Whether or not you get the free upgrade...you will know at the end and you can use the product key to upgrade another PC or if you don't get the free upgrade, you can use it then.

The HP recovery partition will reinstall W7.

[Ryck]

This is a follow up.

I bit the bullet and upgraded my Envy to Windows 10 Pro 64 last Saturday.  Windows 7 expired that week.  It turned out I didn't have anything to worry about. I didn't start with a new hard drive and then reload everything as I feared. I just let the Windows upgrade do its thing and overlay itself over Windows 7 after answering a few questions. 

After a week of getting used to it all my apps so far are working just fine.  Still used to FireFox and still with it as it is configured to my liking but Edge is a definite improvement. Got a book on Windows 10 and hope to learn more about it.

Thanks for everything.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.