worth upgrading W7 Notebook to W10
Discussion
Hope you can help me:-
I have an aging W7 Asus 12" screen Notebook - It has 4gb ram and a 320 HDD.
It's my holiday PC so only gets used on hols. I love it to bits so would be sad to see it go. Is it worth updating the OS to Win10 and if so how do I go about this - I'm not a tech geek so simple answers please
I ask this because I'm unable to open less and less websites with the current W7 setup, though all my loaded Programs :- Corel draw, Canon photo software etc. etc - all work fine.
TA
Rene
I have an aging W7 Asus 12" screen Notebook - It has 4gb ram and a 320 HDD.
It's my holiday PC so only gets used on hols. I love it to bits so would be sad to see it go. Is it worth updating the OS to Win10 and if so how do I go about this - I'm not a tech geek so simple answers please

I ask this because I'm unable to open less and less websites with the current W7 setup, though all my loaded Programs :- Corel draw, Canon photo software etc. etc - all work fine.

TA
Rene
Your old laptop is a similar spec to my old one. I did upgrade that from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and it worked, but it really struggled.
W7 is now outdated and unsupported, as will be W10 next month, so updating to W10 is a waste of time really. The sensible option for you is to buy a new cheap laptop running W11, hopefully that will still run your old software and keep you safe online.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell you to spend a few grand on a Mac!
W7 is now outdated and unsupported, as will be W10 next month, so updating to W10 is a waste of time really. The sensible option for you is to buy a new cheap laptop running W11, hopefully that will still run your old software and keep you safe online.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell you to spend a few grand on a Mac!
Josh & Steve
the win7-win10 upgrade no longer works [at least not for my pc]
>
SWMBO has a new Win11 laptop which is 'orrible [not user friendly at all] - it's something to do with Win 11'S' - which doesn't allow loading your existing [BOUGHT] programs onto it - you have to buy a new version via the 'APP' store - Duh FFS!. That's my reasoning for a Win10 upgrade. If I can't upgrade I'll be forced to buy a New small 12-13" Win10 laptop - anyone any suggestions where to look
It's true though that the PC is slow when surfing, I have NO intention of buying a new version of my existing programs though.
TA
Rene
the win7-win10 upgrade no longer works [at least not for my pc]

>
SWMBO has a new Win11 laptop which is 'orrible [not user friendly at all] - it's something to do with Win 11'S' - which doesn't allow loading your existing [BOUGHT] programs onto it - you have to buy a new version via the 'APP' store - Duh FFS!. That's my reasoning for a Win10 upgrade. If I can't upgrade I'll be forced to buy a New small 12-13" Win10 laptop - anyone any suggestions where to look

TA
Rene
Edited by rene7 on Saturday 19th July 15:42
The OP's only issue is lack of compatibility with some websites - the advice to stay off the internet kind of misses the point.
In this case I would stay on W7 and just get an up to date browser eg. Supermium:
https://github.com/win32ss/supermium
In this case I would stay on W7 and just get an up to date browser eg. Supermium:
https://github.com/win32ss/supermium
rene7 said:
Josh & Steve
the win7-win10 upgrade no longer works [at least not for my pc]
>
SWMBO has a new Win11 laptop which is 'orrible [not user friendly at all] - it's something to do with Win 11'S' - which doesn't allow loading your existing [BOUGHT] programs onto it - you have to buy a new version via the 'APP' store - Duh FFS!. That's my reasoning for a Win10 upgrade. If I can't upgrade I'll be forced to buy a New small 12-13" Win10 laptop - anyone any suggestions where to look
It's true though that the PC is slow when surfing, I have NO intention of buying a new version of my existing programs though.
TA
Rene
Windows in 'S' mode is an intentional mode to lock down the computer. You can switch out of S mode by following the instructions in the link below (bear in mind that this is a one way, one time change)the win7-win10 upgrade no longer works [at least not for my pc]

>
SWMBO has a new Win11 laptop which is 'orrible [not user friendly at all] - it's something to do with Win 11'S' - which doesn't allow loading your existing [BOUGHT] programs onto it - you have to buy a new version via the 'APP' store - Duh FFS!. That's my reasoning for a Win10 upgrade. If I can't upgrade I'll be forced to buy a New small 12-13" Win10 laptop - anyone any suggestions where to look

TA
Rene
Edited by rene7 on Saturday 19th July 15:42
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/switch...
You won't be able to install 11 on your PC due to 11's requirements for a TPM module and a modern processor. (you can bypass these checks if you really want to)
I see no point in updating to 10 from 7. As others have said, it's end of support in a couple of months
Zippy
I'm not a tech geek - so can you explain why Win 11 'S' mode wants to 'lock down' any persons PC ?????
I'm sure your answer will be of interest to plenty of other 'NON TECHIE' PC users. like me who have bought their software
Most current software is only available as a monthly subscription.
>
Dan
Regarding the 'Supermium' link above - my win 7 PC is a 64 bit Machine - not 32 bit which I assume is the supermium browser is.
TA
Rene
I'm not a tech geek - so can you explain why Win 11 'S' mode wants to 'lock down' any persons PC ?????
I'm sure your answer will be of interest to plenty of other 'NON TECHIE' PC users. like me who have bought their software

Most current software is only available as a monthly subscription.
>
Dan
Regarding the 'Supermium' link above - my win 7 PC is a 64 bit Machine - not 32 bit which I assume is the supermium browser is.
TA
Rene
To cut a very long, and frankly interesting (in a demonstration of spectacular corporate hubris) story short.....
When Microsoft released Windows 8 they had a grand vision for the future. An app store that would be used to install all software on Windows. Presumably a 30% cut of all software sales, and of course the destruction of those pesky Apple people.
MS Office was an app, and I believe they convinced Photoshop to release as an app. Anyway that was to be the future.
In the context of this "future", Windows 'S' probably made sense. in this new world side loading software would either be legacy or niche, so a locked down app store only version wasn't unreasonable.
Things didn't work out that way and Microsoft had to swallow a billion dollar loss on the s
te tablets they made to replace iPads. Steve Balmer and Steven Sinofsky (the architects of the vision) were given the Spanish archer and Microsoft transitioned to being a cloud provider that made an OS.
The only 2 relevant questions now are:
Why are Microsoft still selling 'S' versions?
and how did your wife end up with one?
When Microsoft released Windows 8 they had a grand vision for the future. An app store that would be used to install all software on Windows. Presumably a 30% cut of all software sales, and of course the destruction of those pesky Apple people.
MS Office was an app, and I believe they convinced Photoshop to release as an app. Anyway that was to be the future.
In the context of this "future", Windows 'S' probably made sense. in this new world side loading software would either be legacy or niche, so a locked down app store only version wasn't unreasonable.
Things didn't work out that way and Microsoft had to swallow a billion dollar loss on the s

The only 2 relevant questions now are:
Why are Microsoft still selling 'S' versions?
and how did your wife end up with one?
Steve_H80 said:
W7 is now outdated and unsupported, as will be W10 next month,
I may be worth several posters in this thread reading https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/microsoft-...You have to jump through a hoop or two, but consumer Windows 10 looks as if it will get free patching to October 2026
BlueMR2 said:
Fair enough, I missed this when I went back to reply.
32bit should run on a 64 bit system OP, so give it a try.
It's 64 bit on 64 bit.32bit should run on a 64 bit system OP, so give it a try.
Re. W10, IME it's awful with 4GB RAM, and an OS upgrade never really works that well compared to a full erase and install from scratch.
There'll also be the potential for all kinds of compatibility issues with your existing software.
I'd really stick with W7 and just sort out the browser as mentioned to keep you going.
Zippy3X
Are you a politician - you never answered my Q, just side [loaded] stepped it
- ANd why are MS, knowing how CRAP Win11 'S' is -STILL SELLING IT and making normal folks lives HELL?
I'll answer your Q though - like me she's not a tech geek, and NO mention in any MS win11 BS about what the 'S' meant or it's implications for any Mug that bought Win 11 expecting it to be an improvement on Win10
>
Dan98
I was expecting a poster to mention W10 on 4GB of ram - but plenty of new laptops are still being sold with 4GB of ram - checkout Argos!! My Asus w7 notebook is 13 years old so yep its slow the processor's an atom - I think I'll treat myself to a new one - if I can find a smallish one with Win10 and 8gb ram
>
Hope the win10 patches til 2026 turn out to be real!
Threads turned interesting
Rene
Are you a politician - you never answered my Q, just side [loaded] stepped it

I'll answer your Q though - like me she's not a tech geek, and NO mention in any MS win11 BS about what the 'S' meant or it's implications for any Mug that bought Win 11 expecting it to be an improvement on Win10

>
Dan98
I was expecting a poster to mention W10 on 4GB of ram - but plenty of new laptops are still being sold with 4GB of ram - checkout Argos!! My Asus w7 notebook is 13 years old so yep its slow the processor's an atom - I think I'll treat myself to a new one - if I can find a smallish one with Win10 and 8gb ram
>
Hope the win10 patches til 2026 turn out to be real!
Threads turned interesting

Rene
rene7 said:
Zippy3X
Are you a politician - you never answered my Q, just side [loaded] stepped it
- ANd why are MS, knowing how CRAP Win11 'S' is -STILL SELLING IT and making normal folks lives HELL?
I'll answer your Q though - like me she's not a tech geek, and NO mention in any MS win11 BS about what the 'S' meant or it's implications for any Mug that bought Win 11 expecting it to be an improvement on Win10
>
Dan98
I was expecting a poster to mention W10 on 4GB of ram - but plenty of new laptops are still being sold with 4GB of ram - checkout Argos!! My Asus w7 notebook is 13 years old so yep its slow the processor's an atom - I think I'll treat myself to a new one - if I can find a smallish one with Win10 and 8gb ram
>
Hope the win10 patches til 2026 turn out to be real!
Threads turned interesting
Rene
He did answer your question it was a plot by Microsoft to make it “more secure” for non techy end users to force only Microsoft approved and store apps be installed.Are you a politician - you never answered my Q, just side [loaded] stepped it

I'll answer your Q though - like me she's not a tech geek, and NO mention in any MS win11 BS about what the 'S' meant or it's implications for any Mug that bought Win 11 expecting it to be an improvement on Win10

>
Dan98
I was expecting a poster to mention W10 on 4GB of ram - but plenty of new laptops are still being sold with 4GB of ram - checkout Argos!! My Asus w7 notebook is 13 years old so yep its slow the processor's an atom - I think I'll treat myself to a new one - if I can find a smallish one with Win10 and 8gb ram
>
Hope the win10 patches til 2026 turn out to be real!
Threads turned interesting

Rene
Just follow the instructions to turn it off as above and you will get full fat Windows 11.
SteBrown91 said:
He did answer your question it was a plot by Microsoft to make it more secure for non techy end users to force only Microsoft approved and store apps be installed.
Just follow the instructions to turn it off as above and you will get full fat Windows 11.
I have an old win 10 laptop that wasnt win 11 suitable, so bought a cheap win 11 laptop, it came with s mode, it took me all of 30 seconds to change to the full fat version, and it cost nothing, so no drama there.Just follow the instructions to turn it off as above and you will get full fat Windows 11.
As an aside i also thought i would try and change the old machine to win 11, even tho update said it wouldnt run it, well i downloaded the win 11 iso and did a clean install and its working just like before but on win 11.
Thus far ive found win 11 to not be much of a change really.
dan98 said:
BlueMR2 said:
Fair enough, I missed this when I went back to reply.
32bit should run on a 64 bit system OP, so give it a try.
It's 64 bit on 64 bit.32bit should run on a 64 bit system OP, so give it a try.
“Regarding the 'Supermium' link above - my win 7 PC is a 64 bit Machine - not 32 bit which I assume is the supermium browser is.
TA
Rene”
I run W10 on an ancient laptop, it is IMHO better than W7.
I have changed the laptop to a Solid State Drive though.
I bought a cheap Win10 keycode, downloaded the Win 10 installer thing (from Microsoft) onto a USB stick using another PC, then ran that and followed the prompts.
That gave me a complete clean install, so I had no contacts or files saved. You may have the odd issue with drivers.
I have changed the laptop to a Solid State Drive though.
I bought a cheap Win10 keycode, downloaded the Win 10 installer thing (from Microsoft) onto a USB stick using another PC, then ran that and followed the prompts.
That gave me a complete clean install, so I had no contacts or files saved. You may have the odd issue with drivers.
BlueMR2 said:
Fair enough, I was just replying to the OP s post.
Regarding the 'Supermium' link above - my win 7 PC is a 64 bit Machine - not 32 bit which I assume is the supermium browser is.
TA
Rene
I see what you mean - yes it's available in 64 bit :Regarding the 'Supermium' link above - my win 7 PC is a 64 bit Machine - not 32 bit which I assume is the supermium browser is.
TA
Rene
https://github.com/win32ss/supermium/releases/down...
It looks like the OP is going to buy a new laptop anyway which makes the whole thread rather moot.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread, Although no poster has said it, it's clear that my thread Title, is not do-able or worthwhile. With that in mind I'll have to buy a new small laptop [hopefully it'll come with Win10] If not we'll have to do what we did with my wifes New laptop which came with the crap win 11'S' installed - we simply wiped the SSD and loaded win10 onto it. It's sad that MS never made Win11 backward compatible with existing software without the need to register the Win 11 laptop prior to removing the 'S' Lockout - thankfully the Morons at MS have been sacked over it [as a poster mentioned herein
]. I've had a PC for 35 years, over that time I've bought software to suit my needs, Most of which is now unobtainable so obviously it will need installing on my new machine 
TA
Rene


TA
Rene
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff