Upgrading to Windows 10 or 11 from a Windows 7/8 computer with TPM 1.2 in 2024

[Peperonix]

Hello,

A customer came with a Windows 7 Pro high end laptop that he wants to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
The laptop is very decent hardware and still costs a few hundred dollars nowadays.

The client was still okay working with Windows 7, but the uncompatibily of some websites with past Chrome and Firefox versions forces him to upgrade.

As the computer has TPM 1.2 support, but no TPM 2.0 support, I see three possible solutions that I list by order of preference:

1. Activate Windows 10 with a digital licens if still possible from Windows 7 or 8.x
2. Obtain a Windows 10 Professional license
3. Obtain a Windows 11 Professional license and disable TPM 2.0 requirement to allow installation.

I would like to hear about what can I do, with the requirements: of keeping same hardware and staying with Windows.

1. Activate Windows 10 with a digital license if it still possible from Windows 7 or 8.x
Would be my favorite solution because without additional license cost.
I read, it is no longer possible from January 2024. Is this correct?
The computer refused to automatically activate Windows 10 using a digital license.
The computer has a Windows 8 OEM HP license, which is likely stored in the BIOS.
The laptop currently running an activated version of Windows 7 Pro, but there is no COA.
It was not sold by me and the customer cannot remember why his computer is running Windows 7 instead of Windows 8.
Maybe it was an option at the time of the purchase.
I heard about ShowKeyPlus, as well as NirSoft ; would this be the solution ?
I could export some ProductId nodes from the registry, but so far have been unsucessful retrieving the license key from there.

2. Obtain a Windows 10 Professional license

In my country, it would cost around 165$.
It would be the most staightforward solution, but Windows 10 is no longer being sold and I cannot find unused genuine DVD with a license code on domestic marketplaces.

3. Obtain a Windows 11 Professional license and disable TPM 2.0 requirement to allow installation

In my country, it would also cost around 165$ as well.
It seems being an acceptable solution, with however the risk some quirks with updates for the mid-/long- term.
There is a video named "Install Windows 11 Without a TPM 2.0 or on Older CPUs" on Ask Leo! 's YouTube channel.
I am currently not sure if disabling the TPM 2.0 requiremetn is also possible for a Windows 11 fresh install.

Thank you for your advice about upgrading the device's OS to preferably Windows 10 and else to Windows 11.
Please stay on topic as a I am not looking for a "change the computer" solution.

 

[Markverhyden]

1. Clone the drive, remove original drive, install cloned drive. Download W10Pro iso to the machine and run it within W7Pro. This way it thinks it's doing an upgrade. When complete reboot a couple of times and then check the license status. I did one recently but can't remember how long ago.

2. Have you gone online to major office equipment retailers to see if they still offer it?

3. Personally I'd never do that for a customer. Any customer. You're disabling an important part of the security profile which is there for a reason. You have no way of knowing in the future if some BIOS update, OS update, etc will cause that to turn back on or require it.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Free upgrade is over, but may still work.

Windows 10 is the last supported OS, remove Windows 11 from your vocabulary, to not ever sell Windows 11 on a laptop that doesn't meet the sysreqs. You'll just get bad reviews later.

But honestly, I'd just skip this job entirely. The option forward for me is to have the customer purchase a new laptop.

 

[Peperonix]

Thank you Mark, and thank you Sky-Knight,

1. I will attempt the approach of cloning the drive and attempt upgrading to Win10Pro from Win7Pro.
I already received the same SSD and it is the best option.

2. Yes. Using domestic price comparison site, I could see that in my country Windows 10 is no longer available in my language.
However, I see that one last retailer still has the DVD English version (FQC-08929).
If like others this version also allows adding other language pack after install, it would be ok.

3. I would also avoid Windows 11.
It would be a last resort solution, and only if the customer would still want it after having been warned about the risk.
But I agree this sounds like a bad solution for the mid-/long- term.

But honestly, I'd just skip this job entirely. The option forward for me is to have the customer purchase a new laptop.

Thanks, but first, the client doesn't have the budget to purchase a new laptop.
Secondly, I already ordered for his laptop some new components.
Last but not least: electronic waste is a real problem and I want to contribute as less as possible to this nightmare.

Hence:

Please stay on topic as a I am not looking for a "change the computer" solution.

 

[fincoder]

Would be my favorite solution because without additional license cost.
I read, it is no longer possible from January 2024. Is this correct?

Correct. Upgrade from 7 or 8 no longer works. But it might be worth a try just in case.
If, however, Windows 10 has been installed and activated on that laptop sometime in the past, a clean install of Windows 10 will activate (or maybe even an in-place upgrade).

the customer cannot remember why his computer is running Windows 7 instead of Windows 8

I assume it's a business-grade computer. During the Windows 8 era, business computers came with an 8 Pro license but quite often 7 Pro came pre-installed. They were making use of the Downgrade Rights in Windows Pro licenses.

 

[britechguy]

I would definitely try an in-place upgrade after having taken a full system image. You've got absolutely nothing to lose.

 

[InHomeComputerHelp.com]

Just an outside the box thought, but if he spends almost all his time online what about "upgrading" to Linux Mint?

Rick

 

[trevm999]

Install it and get them to sign something that it's their responsibility to activate it.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Thanks, but first, the client doesn't have the budget to purchase a new laptop.
Secondly, I already ordered for his laptop some new components.
Last but not least: electronic waste is a real problem and I want to contribute as less as possible to this nightmare.

So the client has told you they have no money to pay you, yet you've continued onward and spent money. You've also not aided the environment, the unit is still ewaste, being in use doesn't change this fact.

This is not assisting him, this is a poor investment made in poor faith. I call on you to do better.

This will end my interaction on this topic, there is no professional means to move forward in this circumstance that doesn't involve replacement.

 

[Peperonix]

So the client has told you they have no money to pay you, yet you've continued onward and spent money.

No, you are twisting my words.
The client had, according to his own words and request, had not the cash yet to buy a new high-end business laptop, but was okay to invest 15% of the value (~300$) of its very high-end laptop (~2500$) to replace some used parts, upgrade it to Windows 10, and work a few years more with it. Frankly, I don't see anything wrong with that.

You've also not aided the environment, the unit is still ewaste, being in use doesn't change this fact.

Wrong. The unit will be ewaste the day where it it no longer in use.
Meanwhile, by repairing/upgading hardware you postpone the scrap date and avoid the production of a new ewaste.
Changing hardware every 10 years is not the same as changing every 2 years.

 

[sits]

Instead of getting a new high-end laptop, are there options to get an older refurb model? i.e. Something 8th gen or higher, so you won't have to get around the install restrictions (and it'll continue to be supported for years then).

 

[Rosco]

But honestly, I'd just skip this job entirely. The option forward for me is to have the customer purchase a new laptop.

Yeah, I had to learn this lesson way too many times. The couple hundred is not worth the stress and possibly a bad review. It was a lesson I unfortunately had to learn 4 or 5 times.

 

[dcomp12]

Unfortunately its probably more cost effective to look for a certified refurbishing company. The worse thing is that you spend all of your time and their time to have the operating system lock down after any new Microsoft update

 

[Marknet]

Unfortunately its probably more cost effective to look for a certified refurbishing company. The worse thing is that you spend all of your time and their time to have the operating system lock down after any new Microsoft update

I won't say 'unfortunately' since refurbished items are pretty good. They have a cheaper price and work exactly the same as the new ones. So, I would say that I agree with you on the idea that taking the refurbished approach is better