Windows 10: How Does Windows 10 Upgrade Work?

I haven't used the tool to create any backup media... but when I ran the tool, I just chose upgrade my computer now or whatever the option is, it downloaded the stuff to my Windows drive and the upgrade proceeded to run and stuff.

I think the ISO route is for those who don't want to wait in the update queue, etc. or those who are more tech savvy.

However, you have to upgrade first, otherwise you'll be asked for a Windows 10 Product Key if you fresh install first, since the upgrade is using your current Windows installation as a baseline, as far as I understand it.

But, once you upgrade, activate and all that good stuff, you should be able to then perform a clean install and not have to worry about activation.

 

So basically I just need to go back and use the creation tool again. And this time, just select the upgrade option (as you mentioned) to allow this one time activation of Win7 to Win10. And I suppose after that, I can then use the USB (that I created a short time ago) for a clean install--at any time in the future-skipping the product key.

I guess it's time to dig out another unused USB stick and create a new one (for this one time upgrade process) . I'll do this tomorrow night after work. Thanks Chris

 

I am a Windows Insider and my PC already had 10240 on it from previous install about a week ago. But I downloaded the Microsoft tool and ran the upgrade to get the 29 July version of Windows 10 Pro x64 10240. Everything went smoothly. I also downloaded an ISO for later clean install use.

The upgrade did leave the following hidden folder on my pc that wasn't there prior to running the upgrade tool , it's 5.79GB in size:

C:/$Windows.~WM

It is probably just used for the upgrade. But since I am only using 300gb on a 3TB new disk drive, I will leave it alone for now.

 

From my understanding, yes, as the upgrade will be registered in the Windows Store and referenced if you reinstall Windows 10 in the future.

Yea, I think those are temp files use for the upgrade... The Disk Cleanup tool should get rid of them and the old Windows.old folder, but once you do, you won't be able to revert back to your previous install.

Chances are I'm sticking to Windows 10, but I'll keep my Windows 7 Windows.old folder (which is almost 45 GB of space) for a while myself, even though the temp upgrade files are eating up 10+GB of space on top of the Windows 10 installation and such. I have a 240 GB SSD.

 

This is some good information here posted by others. I haven't created the upgrade USB install media yet, but will probably do that this evening. The only thing that is still a mystery to me is the fact that MS created that waiting queue for people? MS can't be too concerned about their servers being overloaded since they are offering the ISO images online. But at any rate, I will proceed with the upgrade media using an additional USB stick

 

Well, I upgraded my PC this evening using the media creation tool. It took about 2 1/2 hours to download and install the upgrade from my Win7 X64 to Win10. I am thinking I might hold off a bit before doing a clean install using the media I created on USB before doing this in place upgrade. I am impressed that my Device Manager is clean on this PC which is now over 8 years old.

 

I assume it's the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 in your System Specs?

If so, that's what I used to have, nice little processor. I had to upgrade back in May 2014 after I was having computer problems, that was most likely the CPU going bad. Worked rather well though, I got it from a friend in 2008 and it was used at the time and it lasted til 2014.

 

Yep, you got it right. I've got an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600. I upgraded this Dell to its fullest (well almost anyway). I've been using it since 2007 and it's pretty much like a low end i5 so I cannot justify replacing it. With its BTX case and cooling system, it did used to make noise occasionally (hard drive would vibrate sometimes inside the case). But once I switched it out and went with a SSD, it eliminated that problem. Getting a SSD was probably one of the best upgrades I ever made to this PC.