Windows 10

Why? Windows 10 is now a great and stable operating system.  Windows 10 is the most popular desktop operating system in the world. See here. So the best reason is your own reason.

Windows 10 UpGrades and Re-installs

If you have windows 7, 8 8.1 or even non bootable Windows 10 on your computer  then you can probably Activate a fresh install or reinstall of Windows 10 onto that computer for very little cost.  You will need a a windows COA, a blank hard drive and a USB drive with free Windows 10 software from Microsoft.  Use Microsoft’s free Media Creation Tool 

Back-UP.  Before installing an Operating System (Windows 10) please find & back-up your windows COA and other software keys, and your important data onto an external drive and/or a cloud product (like Google Back-up and Sync, One drive or Dropbox).  Please also double check that the data is really backed up. The best way to check your back up is to restore to another computer and test the data before you upgrade.

Find your product keys That might be complicated but normally not that hard. Microsoft has some good suggestions for locating your product keys but if those don’t find everything  you need then try Belarc Advisor and/or Nirsoft Product Key These utilities may also help you find product keys for other software installed on your old drive. Nirsoft Product Key can even help find some product keys from computers that do not boot. Also,note the full name of the version of software that your product key is was for.  For Example: Windows 7 Professional 64 bit

Install a fresh or formatted hard drive.  I suggest that clients pay for new faster SSD hard drive (a new PNY 250gb ssd costs about $25 on amazon).  SSD is much faster that any OLD HDD.  If you keep you HDD then consider using it as a second drive but make your C drive a new SSD drive.

Windows 10 updates

Windows 10 DOES NOT push major updates automatically.  Check to see if you are updated to the latest version of windows 10. Windows 10 20H1 is due around May 2020.

Click Start, Settings, System, About, scroll down to “Version”.  Look for 1909 or higher.

Learn to run winVer.  On your task bar you can find or add the Cortana search box.  Replace the label  “Type here to search” ( or similar) and search for winVer,  click to Run.  Look for 1909. if your number is lower than 1909 then you are out of date.  You might see 1803 1809 or 1903 for example.  Search for Check for Updates and then click Check for Updates or Download and Install.  See also Routine Preventative Maintenance.

Windows 10 1803 end of life

Home, Pro, and Pro for Workstation editions of Windows 10, version 1803 (the April 2018 Update) reached end of service on November 12, 2019, update these devices, as well as those running earlier versions of Windows 10 that are past end of service.

Try mounting the disk on or in another working PC. Confirm free space is adequate. Remove temp files and temporary downloaded files if that is unnecessary. This will give disk repair programs room to work. Try folder size or windows to find and remove unnecessary files etc.

Enter bios try F1 or F2 or delete from manufacturer splash screenBoot the computer using:
a recovery disk or
A windows install disk
Or the windows 10 recovery options
Perhaps under advanced options choose a command prompt option

go to a command prompt and enter that drive and hit enter,

example…..if the old windows drive letter is now F: then type F: <enter>

now type the following…..

chkdsk /f /r <enter>

If prompted you may have to dismount the drive. By choosing Y (yes)
The command above will attempt to run and fix errors.

let that process complete…it might take awhile, it may stall out for a while but it may then continue.

If it completes successfully that is good news. If it repairs enough errors that maybe good news.

Reinstall the drive and try to boot.