Windows 10 Offline Upgrade From Windows 7

[michael diemer]

Now that Windows 10 is nearly EOL, I'm considering upgrading one of my Windows 7 drives, since there will no longer be forced updates. But I want to do it offline, using the upgrade method, and keeping my data and programs.

I have done the update before on this drive, and have a digital license when it completes. In the past, the update madness always drove me back to Windows 7, but this time I wonder if doing it offline will result in a smother and more painless process. I would then keep it offline, so no update worries ever.

The reason for doing this is so I can have one system where I could use software that won't work on Windows 7. I compose music, and although I am happy with what I have on Windows 7, there may be something that is a game changer at some point. Like a reverb or other sound enhancing thing that would really be helpful. I could still work on W7, and port it over to 10 for the finishing touches.

It's really a "just-in-case" type of thing. I may never need it for that reason. But maybe I would. So, is this feasible, and if so, how to go about it?

BTW, I'm not on the Ten forum, so I'm asking it here.

 

[Bree]

This tutorial is still valid, but it is for an online upgrade.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/139745-upgrade-windows-10-windows-7-free.html

If you want to do the upgrade offline, then you'll need to download the install media. While you could download the ISO, you'd then have to mount it to run the upgrade. That's not a built in function in Windows 7, it would need 3rd-party help.

An easier route would be to download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and use it to make an install USB.

https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10

Then you could run Setup on the USB from within Windows 7 to start the upgrade. See Step 6 here:

Upgrade to Windows 10 | Tutorials

 

[michael diemer]

Thanks Bree. As it turns out, I already had the ISO on a USB, using the Media Creation Tool. I actually have done the upgrade before, more than once. But always while online, so getting updates, and then updating as needed going forward. And that is when the fun began, so to speak. I always gave up and reverted back to Seven. Others may have more patience, but mine wears thin after a few days of never-ending update loops.

Being the impulsive person that I am, I went ahead and did the offline upgrade last night. It worked. I had to go online briefly to activate the digital license, which took about 10 seconds. I then disabled the network adapter, and configured Windows 10 the way I like (basically, almost everything turned off). I postponed updates for a week.

So now the question is, what happens when the week is up, and Windows wants to update? Will it allow me to use the system without updating? Or demand that I connect to the internet, so it can do its updating?

P.S. Sorry about posting in the wrong place. I was confused about where it should go, so I put it in the General Discussions spot.

 

[maxseven]

This tutorial is still valid, but it is for an online upgrade.

Upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for Free | Tutorials

If you want to do the upgrade offline, then you'll need to download the install media. While you could download the ISO, you'd then have to mount it to run the upgrade. That's not a built in function in Windows 7, it would need 3rd-party help.

An easier route would be to download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and use it to make an install USB.

https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10

Then you could run Setup on the USB from within Windows 7 to start the upgrade. See Step 6 here:

Upgrade to Windows 10 | Tutorials

Bree, I had thought I'd missed my opportunity to upgrade my W7 laptop to W10. Am I wrong i.e. I can still do it? I too made a USB a few years ago now for a different machine but still have it here somewhere...

 

[michael diemer]

Microsoft ended the free upgrades a couple of years ago, but if you did it before then, you got the digital license, which will be good on that machine for that version of Ten, even if you uninstalled it. It will still be good if you install it again.

There may be other ways, if you have another license, like an OEM one. It may work on another machine. It's hit or miss. I've seen tutorials on it.

 

[maxseven]

Microsoft ended the free upgrades a couple of years ago, but if you did it before then, you got the digital license, which will be good on that machine for that version of Ten, even if you uninstalled it. It will still be good if you install it again.
There may be other ways, if you have another license, like an OEM one. It may work on another machine. It's hit or miss. I've seen tutorials on it.

Thanks Michael--I did the upgrade on an identical Dell laptop that I bought as a spare--maybe I can somehow use an image (or something) from that PC to update this primary machine that is still running W7.

In any event that clarifies things for me. Thanks again.

 

[michael diemer]

An update: it's now past the pause-updates period, so here's what happened: With the network adapter disabled, I opened Windows Update. It had a message that my system wasn't up to date, and I should check for updates. I did so, knowing Windows could not go online. It gave me another error message, about fixing the connection.

So, at least so far, Windows has not done anything nasty, like disable my system until I let it do its update thing. I will keep it offline, and continue to use Windows 7 for my music creation. If I want to demo some software that won't work on Windows 7, I'll fire up W10 and try it. Of course, I would need to download the software on another system. If there is a code to put in, that could be a problem, but most software has ways of authorizing offline.

What I won't do is take it online, because then it would immediately try to update, thus most likely making the system unusable due to update errors, loops etc. It's a shame what lengths we have to go to in order to make Windows be what it used to be, namely, a system that lets the user control their computer. Rather than what we now have, where Microsoft controls your computer.

 

[Bree]

Bree, I had thought I'd missed my opportunity to upgrade my W7 laptop to W10. Am I wrong i.e. I can still do it? I too made a USB a few years ago now for a different machine but still have it here somewhere...

You can still upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10, that hasn't changed. What has changed is that doing so no longer qualifies for the free upgrade. If this is the first time then the upgrade will not be activated and will not get a digital licence for Windows 10.

Michael had already tried the upgrade once before, quite some time ago. So the PC already had an existing digital licence for Windows 10, stored on the MS activation servers.

 

[maxseven]

You say I can upgrade from W7 to W10 but that it won't be activated and is not free. So if I did this and tried to activate it, would MS ask me to pay a license fee? I'm confused.

 

[Bree]

You say I can upgrade from W7 to W10 but that it won't be activated and is not free. So if I did this and tried to activate it, would MS ask me to pay a license fee? I'm confused.

Up until the end of September 2023 if you upgraded from W7 to W10 your PC would get free activation with a digital licence for Windows 10. Microsoft has now turned that off.

Free Activation from Windows 7/8 key or upgrade to Windows 10/11 Ends - Windows 10 Forums

You can still upgrade from W7 to W10, but it won't be activated. Unlike Windows 7 an unactivated Windows 10 does not expire after 30 days, it will continue to work indefinitely with some minor personalization restrictions - you cannot set a desktop wallpaper, for example.

To activate it you'll need to purchase a W10/W11 key (the same key will activate either 10 or 11). I haven't used them myself, but apparently cheap keys can be found if you look around. See the discussion here.

Windows 11 Pro license for just $10 | Windows 11 Forum

 

[maxseven]

Up until the end of September 2023 if you upgraded from W7 to W10 your PC would get free activation with a digital licence for Windows 10. Microsoft has now turned that off.

Free Activation from Windows 7/8 key or upgrade to Windows 10/11 Ends - Windows 10 Forums

You can still upgrade from W7 to W10, but it won't be activated. Unlike Windows 7 an unactivated Windows 10 does not expire after 30 days, it will continue to work indefinitely with some minor personalization restrictions - you cannot set a desktop wallpaper, for example.

To activate it you'll need to purchase a W10/W11 key (the same key will activate either 10 or 11). I haven't used them myself, but apparently cheap keys can be found if you look around. See the discussion here.

Windows 11 Pro license for just $10 | Windows 11 Forum

Thank you Bree--it is clear to me now; I'm a little slow!

 

[michael diemer]

Another update: I decided to try going online with it. Strangely, I continue to receive updates, beyond EOL. The latest failed and had to be undone.

Will it ever reach a point where there are no more updates, and you can just use the system as is? (With a good AV solution, of course. I went with Avast Premium, as I can also use it on Windows 7 machines, up to 10 devices).

Windows 7 is still my main system, however. I do my music on it. It's just so fast and stable, and does what I need it to do. W10 is there if I need it. But forget W11. It appears to be a real mess of an operating system, another of MS's borked offerings.

 

[townsbg]

You might try atlasOS for debloate. AtlasOS - Optimized Windows, designed for enthusiasts. There are others though. You can disable updates. I don't remember if I implemented that however I'm keeping updates on. Don't worry about the install, the instructions make it look scarier than it is. I think our uses of 10 are opposite. I got it for online use.

 

[michael diemer]

I debloated W10 with Winhance. I also recently turned on Fast Boot. That made a huge difference, it boots almost as fast as W7 now. I'll use W10 to demo new music software, in case there is something I really want. But then I would have to do m y music on W10, so this creates a conflict. Oh well...

 

[Bree]

Another update: I decided to try going online with it. Strangely, I continue to receive updates, beyond EOL. The latest failed and had to be undone.

Will it ever reach a point where there are no more updates, and you can just use the system as is? (With a good AV solution, of course. I went with Avast Premium, as I can also use it on Windows 7 machines, up to 10 devices).

Windows 10 will still get any CUs issued up to EoL, another year's worth of CU's if you enrol in the W10 Consumer ESU program. The last non-ESU update was an out-of-band update a month after EoL to improve the ESU experience for those that are yet to enrol.

KB5071959 Windows 10 Out-of-band Update build 19045.6466 (22H2) Nov.11 Windows Update - Windows 10 Forums

But it's only updates for the OS that will end with EoL. Defender will continue to get platform updates and AV definitions, the MSRT will continue to be issued too. MS have promised that they will continue until at least Oct. 2028, the end of the Commercial ESU program. But as we know with Windows 7 MSE, that still gets updates to this day, years after the W7 ESU ended.

 

[michael diemer]

Windows 10 will still get any CUs issued up to EoL, another year's worth of CU's if you enrol in the W10 Consumer ESU program. The last non-ESU update was an out-of-band update a month after EoL to improve the ESU experience for those that are yet to enrol.

KB5071959 Windows 10 Out-of-band Update build 19045.6466 (22H2) Nov.11 Windows Update - Windows 10 Forums

But it's only updates for the OS that will end with EoL. Defender will continue to get platform updates and AV definitions, the MSRT will continue to be issued too. MS have promised that they will continue until at least Oct. 2028, the end of the Commercial ESU program. But as we know with Windows 7 MSE, that still gets updates to this day, years after the W7 ESU ended.

Thank you Bree.