How to Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 Without Losing Data or Using the Media Creation Tool for FREE

 

Upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10: A Step-by-Step Guide

Welcome to this guide where I'm going to show you how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing your data for free.

If you've been wondering how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing your personal files and apps OR you've been trying to update to Windows 10 but you get the media creation tool error 0x80072F8F – 0x20000 on Windows 7, this video is for you as I'll take you through the entire upgrade process step-by-step.

I also have a video version if you'd like to watch it:

Before We Begin

Before we dive into the upgrade process, there are a few important things you need to know and do.

Disclaimer

A quick disclaimer: Microsoft recently (September 2023) announced that you won't be able to upgrade for free to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8 anymore. 

However, as of October 2023, this method still works. 

Please let me know in the comments if it works for you, and include the date you performed the upgrade.

Step 1: Ensure Windows 7 is Activated

The first step is to ensure that your copy of Windows 7 is activated. If it's not activated, you'll be prompted for a valid product key during the Windows 10 setup. 

Here's how to check your activation status:

1. Click on the Start button.

2. Right-click on "Computer."

3. Click on "Properties."

Scroll down to the "Windows activation" section, where you can see whether Windows is activated or not.

Step 2: Install Service Pack 1

Check if you have Service Pack 1 installed on your Windows 7 system. 

Follow these steps:

1. Go to the same system page as in Step 1.

2. Look for "Windows edition," which should say "Windows 7" with "Service Pack 1" below it.

If you don't have Service Pack 1 installed, you can download and install it from [this webpage].

Step 3: Download and Install Microsoft EasyFix

Download and install Microsoft EasyFix 51044 to ensure a smooth upgrade. Here's how:

1. Download Microsoft EasyFix 51044 from [this webpage].

2. Run the downloaded file, and follow the prompts.

Step 4: Download TLS 1.1 and 1.2 Windows Update

To download the TLS 1.1 and 1.2 Windows Update, follow these steps:

1. Visit [this webpage].

2. Look for the Windows 7 versions (64-bit or 32-bit, depending on your system).

3. Download the update, and install it.

Don't forget to restart your computer after the update installation is complete.

Step 5: Download 7-Zip

If you don't already have file extraction software, download 7-Zip or similar software:

1. Download 7-Zip from [this webpage].

2. Run the downloaded file and follow the installation prompts.

Step 6: Download the Windows 10 ISO File

To download the Windows 10 ISO file, you can either use the Media Creation Tool on [this webpage] (if it works for you) or follow this method:

1. Download and install Google Chrome from [this webpage] (this step is crucial if you don't currently have Chrome installed).

2. Open Google Chrome and go to the Windows 10 download page by [clicking here].

3. Access developer tools in Chrome by clicking on the three dots, then "More tools," and "Developer tools." (or press F12 on the keyboard)

4. In the developer tools, click on the new three dots inside the developer tools window, go to "More tools," and select "Network conditions."

5. Uncheck the "user agent" box, and change it to "Blackberry BB10."

6. Reload the page.

7. Scroll down and select the Windows 10 version you want.

8. Click "Select edition" and choose "Windows 10 multi edition ISO."

9. Select your product language. (make sure to choose the same language you currently have installed so you can keep your personal files and apps during the upgrade).

10. Download the 64-bit or 32-bit version, depending on your system. (this can be seen on the same system page as in Step 1).

Step 7: Extract Windows 10 Installation Files

1. Locate the downloaded ISO file, right-click on it, and select "7-Zip" for extraction.

2. Choose the "extract to" option, and let the extraction process finish.

Step 8: Begin the Windows 10 Installation

1. Open the extracted Windows 10 folder and find the "setup" application.

2. Right-click on it and select "Run as administrator" to start the Windows 10 setup.

3. Follow the installation steps, ensuring you select "Keep personal files and apps" to retain your data.

Please note: If you don't see the option to keep your files and apps, you may have chosen the wrong language during the ISO file download. Return to the language selection step and choose the appropriate language.

Final Steps

1. Once the installation process is complete, update Windows 10 and your drivers.

2. Check your Windows activation status in the settings to ensure its activated.

Conclusion:

That's it! You've successfully upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without losing any data for free. 

If this guide helped you, please like the video and subscribe to the channel for more tech tips.

See ya!

Memory