Windows 10: Win7 to Win10 Tips & Tricks (Install Prep Guide)

After searching through multiple threads I am seeing assistance at all levels on what to do when errors and BSODs occur during or after installing Win10. This is relative to ISO or upgrades, all inclusive. As I have NOT installed Win10 on any of our systems yet, I am seeking advise as well as narrowing down the main points of "preparing to upgrade," not necessarily troubleshooting a problem after the fact.

To-Do List (Prior to Download or Install of Win10)

1. Return your Over-Clocked system to it's base specs. (Memory, CPU, and Video)
2. Uninstall dedicated video drivers/software suites and return to On-Board VGA, single-monitor state (if available)
3. Leave all Home/WorkGroups, Remove shared services/drives, remove USB devices not needed (Flash, Cameras, HUBs, Printers, etc)
4. Move your system to your LAN via Cat5e+ cable (turn off laptop Wi-Fi)
5. Uninstall 3rd party Anti-virus software suites
6. Good Option: Backup your current OS/system to prevent bad roll-backs. 7. Reboot your system one last time to verify stability and confirm all residual uninstalls
8. Shutdown all other systems on your given network after steps 1-5 have been completed for all relevant systems
9. Work each system upgrades one-at-a-time, prior to creating your new WorkGroup/HomeGroup (this is more specific to network managed services and shared devices in an office environment. Not specific to home users.)

To-Do List (After Install)

1. Visit tenforums.com for help when your stuck : )

What have I missed?

:)

 

808 camera guide / tips / tricks

Try reading through the tips found HERE, HERE and HERE to
get you started.



Ray.

 

808 camera guide / tips / tricks

I mainly shoot in automatic mode, but here are my custom settings:

C1 (landscape): 8Mpix PureView mode, superfine jpeg, vivid colors, sharpness +1, ND filter off for the most part, I only turn it on if its a really bright scene. Don't worry, it will look like its overexposed on screen, but once you take
the shot it will be okay.

If you want more color, bring the saturation up. Adjust EV and ISO according to the conditions. If you want a natural looking image, which I prefer, just set the color mode to normal.

C2(sunset/sunrise): 5Mpix PureView mode, superfine jpeg, vivid, everything else on 0. Color tone: cloudy. EV on -.7 .. depending on conditions. ND filter OFF (faster shutter speeds)

C3 (aiming for the most natural image): Full resolution, everything on default except +1 or +2 sharpness, nd filter OFF

At night, if you want to blur motion.. ND filter ON and set the iso @ 50. If you just want to take a shot, you can go up to 800 iso, and the images are still usable.

for HDR, bracketing mode 3 shots: -2, 0, +2 .. set the ISO to 100, ND filter to ON or OFF (not on auto)

 

If I had to do all that prep work to have a successful upgrade you can bet I would never consider upgrading!

I'm sure most users would feel the same.

The thing you missed that's probably most important in my mind is to do a backup before starting the upgrade.

 

Might want to consider making an image of your HDD before doing the upgrade. I have heard that sometimes the "rollback" feature doesn't work properly. Macrium Reflect Free is a good one.

 

Uninstall any 3rd party Anti-Virus

 

I agree with you 100% - that's the whole problem with new OS fields. If they spent more time in Alpha/Beta and actually taxed their software in real environments then tenforums.com wouldn't have so much activity.

As it is, all of my points 1-7 have been mentioned in various stages of attempting to fix these installs.

 

Here is a list I've been putting together:

Create an image backpack of your existing operating system to an external USB hard drive using a program like Macrium Reflect Free. If you don't have an external drive, get one as they are relatively cheap. A 1TB drive runs $50 to $60. Create the Rescue Disc before you create the image backup so if anything goes wrong, you can recover in 20 to 30 minutes.

Check for updated drivers for your hardware at the manufacturers web site.
Disconnect everything except mouse, keyboard and display EVERYTHING!
Uninstall your anti-virus if it's other than the built-in Defender.
Uninstall your firewall if it's other than the built-in Firewall.
Uninstall any Start button programs like Classic Shell, Start8, also Window Blinds, etc.
Uninstall any theme modifications.
If you moved any of your user folders to another drive or partition, move them back.
See here: Successful upgrade to Windows 10 from 8.1 with 'Users' in other drive!

If you upgraded from Windows 8 or 8.1 and used EaseUS Partition Manager to change the partition structure, see EightForums for instructions on how to get your recovery partitions sorted, because the upgrade won't work otherwise.

Run chkdsk /r and let it start and complete on reboot.
Run sfc /scannow and see if it finds and repairs any system files.

 

Excellent @Ztruker!
One thing I would mention for people upgrading from W8 who have used EaseUS Partition Manager to change the partition structure: go visit EightForums for instructions on how to get your recovery partitions sorted, because the upgrade won't work otherwise.

 

I don't disagree with your list, in fact, I think it's quite good -- but it's not reasonable to expect the vast majority of Windows users to think of any of the things on this list, especially the last two.

And, while it's also not reasonable to expect an Upgrade Tool to be able to handle any odd situation, what IS reasonable is to expect it to do the last two things you mentioned: chcdsk and sfc/ scannow -- and if any problems are found with either, do the following:
1) Display a message to the user indicating the problems found
2) Display a message to the user indicating the solution to the problems
3) Shut down the upgrade BEFORE any changes are made.

What kind of IDIOT writes an OS upgrade tool that goes charging forward in the presence of such problems and ends up trashing the user's machine -- Microsoft!!

 

Thanks, added it.

 

"Uninstall your anti-virus if it's other than the built-in Defender.
Uninstall your firewall if it's other than the built-in Firewall"
Indeed. My first attempt at 'upgrading' ended up a brick. Finally saw this recommendation and did so. Funnily enough the next attempt went super smooth. Then I stupidly turned it all back on. What was I thinking? I got the first of what I am quite sure will be literally hundreds of 'updates' and guess what? Brick again! I mentioned this over on the Microsoft support forums and you might have thought I was peeing in the punch bowl. "What kind of an ( fill your choice word here) doesn't go and check with their anti-virus vendor to make sure .....blah, blah". Not to mention the audacity of even using a third party vendor ! Well Norton has been very clear about them making sure that the software was ready and since I am on auto update with them I figured no prob. But that and $10 will get you a half-caf cappuccino grande.

Anyway, I don't know for sure if my Norton Security Suite caused the update to go south but my experience with the initial install certainly lends some suspicion to the scenario. But bloody hell, you can't control the updates any more! So I feel just a bit manipulated into "choosing" to use MS Defender security. Not my first choice for sure. If I am tripping here please enlighten me. Thank you. Watch out for the updates!

 

The single most important thing to do if you are upgrading from Windows 7 is to make a clone or an Image and keep it. You can always restore it . There are many reasons, one is that you may not like Windows 10, not everyone does, but the price is right and it is stable.