Windows 7 support is ending - Now what do you do? UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 10!

Microsoft has announced it's "End Of Life Support" for Windows 7

The full message reads:

So it's recommended you upgrade to Windows 10, but the free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 actually expired July 29, 2016.

Does that means your plans are awash? 
No....not quite.



There is STILL a way to get Windows 10 for free for those who have Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.

Along with Windows 10 November update, Microsoft has changed the Windows 10 installer to accept Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 product activation keys.
Yea!!! :-) ;-D

So....first off you need to determine your product key for your current version of Windows. To do this you need a product key finder. A good one is Magic Jelly Bean - https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

1. Install and run the key finder program.
2. Write your Windows product key..... you're going to need this later after installing Windows 10
3. **BACKUP YOUR DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, PICS, DOWNLOADS...ETC to an external drive or USB
4. Create Windows 10 installation media if you don’t already have it lying around. 
You can do this with Microsoft’s Windows 10 media creation tool at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 . 
Select “Create installation media for another PC” and the tool will offer to create a bootable USB flash drive or burn a bootable DVD.
5. Insert the installation media (USB or DVD) into the computer you want to upgrade, reboot, and boot from the installation media. Install Windows 10 normally following the steps provided.

  *** You can perform an upgrade installation that keeps your existing files or a clean installation that wipes your system drive.

6. During the installation of Windows 10, you'll be prompted to enter a product key. At this screen you have the option of entering the key from Windows 7 or 8 or you can Just click "I don't have a product key" and enter it later.

7.After you’ve installed Windows 10, head to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and you should see that your PC has a digital license.

If you didn’t enter a key during the installation process, you can enter a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key right in this window when you’re asked to provide a Windows 10 key. Windows will check in with Microsoft’s servers and give your PC a digital license for Windows 10.

And that's it! 
If you ever need to reinstall Windows 10, go thru the same process and use the same key.

You can also sign in to your new PC with a Microsoft account and that key will be associated with your Microsoft account, making it easy to reactivate your digital license if you ever need to reinstall Windows 10 later.