Buying new Windows 10

[silkie]

Thanks for further replies -

My pc is : Chillblast Fusion Ninja 18749, bought in Nov 2008  with basic relevant specs, as quoted in original sale docs, as follows:

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 Processor (3.33Ghz)
Asus P5K-SE/EPU Motherboard
GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB Graphics Card ***  Replaced a couple of years ago with NVIDIA GeForce 210
500W Power Supply
4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 Memory
20x DVD-RW Optical Drive
750GB SATA 7200rpm Hard Disk *** I now have a Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB which I intend to fit (hence this overhaul).
Creative X-Fi Extreme Audio

Compatiblity should be ok, but my knowledge is limited.

With regard to the ads - I looked mainly at Ebay (UK) under Computer Software - Windows 10, and there are pages of cheap offers. I am still not clear - are they really for the license plus the full program?  After reading your comments I will give them a miss.

 

[DaveLembke]

Hardware looks ok for supporting Windows 10. Thinking only questionable drivers are Network and Sound support, but Windows 10 should have a generic driver that works for those with that board. The CPU is 64-bit and the GPU modern enough.

Note that Geforce 210 is a weakling compared to the 9800GTX you had. Depending on what you do with the system you might not notice the difference but if gaming, that Geforce 210 is not the best of performance. I ended up putting a 9800 GT back into my wifes system when the newer Geforce GT 430 video card was noticeably weaker since they changed their GT designation to intro cards. If your video is laggy, you will want to get a newer GTX.

9800GTX = score of 889 https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+9800+GTX%2F9800+GTX%2B
Geforce 210 - score of 177 https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+210

I have a GT 730 that is right around the performance of the 9800GTX, but that the 9800GTX would out perform my GT 730 in certain situations. Score of 921 https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GT+730
And while the GT 730 works, it struggles with some games I run. So I have a GTX 260, GTX 570 and a GTX 780 in 3 better systems.

GTX 260 = 1129
GTX 570 = 4415
GTX 780 = 7975

[camerongray]

I'd avoid any of the cheap eBay licences, they are almost all ripped off of scrapped PCs and are not allowed to be resold.  Sure they may work but you are effectively still running a pirated copy and by purchasing them you are funding the unscrupulous recyclers that are selling these keys.

[Mark.]

+1 with Salmon Trout's last comment.

if you buy the key from eBay etc, what guarantee do you have with the key not being sold again or already being sold prior?

I've seen many PC's show the Your copy of Windows is not genuine suddenly in the lower right corner of the screen for no reason.
After some update, MS has finally detected that the key used has been either used elsewhere before or has been listed on their blacklist tables.

[Salmon Trout]

I've seen many PC's show the Your copy of Windows is not genuine suddenly in the lower right corner of the screen for no reason. After some update, MS has finally detected that the key used has been either used elsewhere before or has been listed on their blacklist tables.

That's not "for no reason". It's for a definite known reason.

[Mark.]

well, Yes, you and I and the people in the know understand the reason.
but the poor pleb with the PC that has been working just fine for months or years, suddenly gets a "non genuine" error doesn't see the connection or understand the reason.

[silkie]

Again, thanks for further replies -

DaveL, your comments re Graphics appreciated.  I was told when the GeForce 210 was fitted that it had limitations - I'll upgrade if it hampers things.

All comments have helped make up my mind and I've ordered the genuine article from Amazon.

[silkie]

Just in case anyone still interested -

ssd + another 4Gb memory installed together with genuine Windows 10 (all much easier than I thought) and no problems so far.

Except - no drivers for my printer (Canon Pixma MP240). Website suggested drivers for Windows 7 might work but decided to get new printer.  Could kick myself for not thinking of that.

[BC_Programmer]

Drivers haven't significantly changed in what features they have to support since Windows Vista. For that Printer the Windows 7 x64 drivers should be sufficient. I havev an old Inkjet printer for which the Vista x64 drivers work fine on Windows 10, for example.

[silkie]

Thanks very much BC - I was taking Canon's webpage for granted - I was worried that an alternative driver would mess something up.  I've now downloaded Windows 7 64 bit and all is well.

[patio]

Good to hear you're all up and running...