windows 7

[lzap]

how do i determine if my mini can handle upgrade to windows10? (Also - Not sure if 32 or 64bit)

[WAWood]

@lzap 

I wish I could say there was an accurate and fail-safe way to do that WITHOUT installing Win10, but unfortunately, there is not.

MS has repeatedly mentioned apps you can fun from them which will SUPPOSEDLY check out your PC, but I have found through experience, like so much other stuff from MS, those are unreliable and can produce false results.

The best way to find out for sure involves the following:

1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR) from here: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive or USB stick
3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD 

NOW, you have the ability to restore your PC to Win7 and something to restore it FROM.

4) Using this link to download and create Win10 install media;  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

5) Insert that media into your PC, do NOT boot from it, find the folder containing the files, right-click on setup.exe and select Run as Administrator.

That will start an in-place Upgrade process which should complete in less than two hours.