I think it was the "dual boot" part he was nervous about.
That's an option, but it's not necessary.

GreyFuss, If you get a new hard drive, and if you don't want the old drive attached, you can leave the old one in the computer and switch the cables over to the new one. Or you can take the old drive out and put it in a box. You can even put the old one in a USB caddy, so you can plug the caddy into a USB port if you want to transfer files off of it.

If you're really, really nervous about losing anything, look for a cheapie computer with Windows 10. There's no danger of losing anything on your Windows 7 installation at all if you do that, and no configuration necessary. Having more than one computer has advantages beyond being "easy" -- if anything happens to one of the computers you can always use the other to go online for help.

I know Draclvr, but if Greyfuss wants to back up and upgrade, I like what Jenny suggested. As I posted earlier in this thread, the option I'm going with is keeping my Windows 7 computer and buying a whole new computer with Windows 10.

The problem with removing the Windows 7 drive and just keeping as a backup is that he doesn't have the use of that Windows 7 hard drive any more. And his goal is to have all his games, programs and files available to use after the upgrade. If he simply put in a new drive and kept the old one as a backup, he wouldn't be able to do that. The Windows 7 drive is also a very nice fairly new 1 TB drive and it would be a shame to just put it aside.

There are lots of options including getting a new cheapie Window 10 computer, but if you ever wanted to play any modern games on it, it may not be capable of playing anything but Big Fish casual games. He's got plenty of time to decide though!

Got it! You're right of course! He doesn't want it just for back up. I am also not looking forward to trying to reinstall all my programs and especially not the internet.

But, I don't know about the "plenty of time to decide" part. Time is flying by, for me anyway!

I know what you mean! Especially the older I get.

Not sure what you mean by installing the internet... you don't install the internet. Once you connect to your modem or router, you just enter your password and connect with a browser.

Which would be fixed by putting the drive in a USB caddy.
Or keeping it in the computer and attached, but not in a dual boot.
Whether you want it external depends on how much room is in the computer case.


The object of getting a cheapie with Windows 10 is to have something for regular Internet use without any headache or worry about losing anything on the Windows 7 installation. If he wants to play modern games that are graphics intensive, he'll have the old computer for that. (I'm assuming it's not all that old). If he wants a 2nd "gamer" computer, that's going to bring up the price.

At this point in time, the "2nd computer" option would be my personal choice -- even though I'm capable of setting up a dual boot. I'll probably get a computer specifically for Internet later this year (or build one), and it will probably not be a "gamer" computer.

Drac - just setting it up - installing the server/modem whatever the 2 items are. I don't remember any password. I've been looking for my information from when I did this 8 years ago because I would like to change out my equipment right now as I am having a lot of connection problems and want to see if that would help, but so far, no luck.

Are you using wireless?
If you're using an ethernet cable you don't need a password.
Your computer would need a password for a wireless connection though.

I was remembering that you were using WiFi, but as Jenny says, it you use an ethernet cable, then you don't need a password. You just plug the cable from your router or modem directly into the back of your computer and you're good to go.

Changing out your equipment may have to go through your internet service provider. Just not sure what your setup is.

I have DSL and an ethernet cable. I had to install a Linksey (router?) that I think had a password but I'm not sure anymore, and then also a modem. When I tried to just change the modem only, it would not connect to the computer. It was all lit up properly but no connection to my computer for some reason. I really just probably need to read the instructions from start to finish again. Also though, I had done the original set up in my other computer and then I think this one is on a network or something. The other computer has not been working for 4 years. I don't really remember at all how it is all connected. And I know my internet provider does want me to upgrade the equipment. I kind of want to wait until I get the new computer but at the same time I'm not sure that's a good idea. We'll see!

You'd need a password to log into the router and configure it.
If the router was installed by the ISP, they'd give it a good password for you.
The routers you buy yourself usually have a simple password or none at all, but they strongly urge you to create a good password for it.

I don't know if your router would need a password to connect to the modem.
The ones I've used don't, but maybe some do.

Usually when you connect a new modem (or router/modem combination) to your Internet connection's wall jack, it will not be able to connect to Internet until the ISP's equipment detects the change. Last time I had to connect a new modem I called up the ISP to tell them about the change in modem and they told me it would detect automatically -- but it took over an hour before it was working. Nothing to do with a password though, unless the ISP issued it.

Ah, maybe I didn't wait long enough for the modem to be detected. I did wonder about that.

The equipment is from my provider but they did not install it. The modem is hooked to the router; the router is plugged into the wall jack. Both sets of equipment are from my provider but are equally old. This second set ended up not being used though, so I thought maybe it might work better even if it is still just as old as the one I'm using. (I had gotten the second set because I THOUGHT something was wrong with the first set but there wasn't.)

So many decisions

And to add to this, all the crazy problems that are happening with Windows 10 and the latest forced Update...geesh!


Question:
If I do go with a second Harddrive... can I back up the entire computer as it sits now with everything including all programs and Windows 7? If I did do this with a second drive, would everything still be on the current drive so when that drive was upgraded to Windows 10 all the programs would remain the same including the Browser Bookmarks and everything else?

Also if the current computer is totally backed up (if possible) to a second drive, would I have to Boot into that before searching on it if I do lose something with the Win 10 upgrade?

If you go with a second hard drive, you would simply install Windows 10 on it and leave your Windows 7 drive intact... as-is. When you boot up, you are presented with a screen listing Windows 10 and Windows 7. You select which one you want and boot into it. You can always disconnect from the internet once you boot into Windows 7. Nothing would change on your Windows 7 drive and you could continue to use it just like always, but you could boot into the Windows 10 drive to learn how to use it and start gaming and using the internet there. Kind of best of both worlds.

Remember how I told you this is supposedly the "last" Windows 10 ever and you won't ever have to do this again? Well, the reason is exactly this most recent update... Microsoft will periodically be updating the operating system. There are some very cool new feature in this new update, but I haven't explored any of them yet. This update was just released this week and I had zero problems with it on either of my Windows 10 drives.

Not that you're anticipating doing anything yet, but you can get a very nice 500GB Western Digital solid state drive (they are super fast!) for around $100 - $130. A license for Windows 10 Home is around $100. It's easy to install the drive and the OS, but I'm sure it would be nerve wracking for you - it always is for me! So, if you have a repair shop or something nearby, just have them do it for you. There are even places that come to your house. This wouldn't take more than an hour to do. It would still be less than a cheap new Window 10 computer and you wouldn't have two of them sitting around and trying to use the same monitor, keyboard and mouse. Or purchase new ones. Plus, you'd be using your excellent video card and other good components in your existing computer.

Really, if there is any way you can swing it, this would keep your Windows 7 just like it is and you could continue to use it off-line. Windows 10 would be there when you want to start using it.

Or, just bite the bullet and upgrade the Windows 7 drive to Windows 10 which would probably keep all your programs and files intact, but now you'd have only Windows 10.

EDIT: Just check my emails and saw that Newegg has a 500GB WD SSD on sale for $68! So, when it comes time to decide what to do, if you go the two drive route, watch the sales!

Yes. You need a 2nd drive that's at least as large as the first one.

I take it you want to do an in-place upgrade.


I'm not sure if it saves all your programs, considering articles like this
https://www.howtogeek.com/243581/windows-10-may-delete-your-programs-without-asking/

My guess is you may lose some older games during the in-place update -- especially lesser known ones that Windows 10 doesn't recognize as "legitimate software."

People have also reported losing certain settings, though I don't remember reading about browser bookmarks specifically. You can back up your browser bookmarks using your browser though, and restore them later. One user reported
That's from here
https://www.infopackets.com/news/9630/windows-10-upgrade-do-i-have-reinstall-programs


No you can access files on both drives. You could search the 2nd drive the same way as if you had that drive for storage. You might have to configure Windows 10 for where to search though -- as in which drive to search.