Lee,

If your computer is a desktop...

Am I understanding correctly that you are going to have to install Windows 10 as a completely new installation and not an update?

If this is so...

...why not buy a new hard drive and install Windows 10 onto that. Your current hard drive could then be kept in your machine as a secondary hard drive for additional storage. Hard drives are not that expensive these days.

Doing the above means that you'll be able to access all your current files without having to create back ups, etc. It will also allow you to see what programs you have installed and may wish to reinstall. Lastly, keeping your current installation on a separate drive will give you access to drivers that you presently use should you need them for your new installation.

To install, only have the new drive plugged in initially. When installation is complete, the old drive can then be brought into play.

When you first start up the computer with both hard drives set to go, the computer should sort out which is C: (mine did a couple of months ago when I did the above in going from Vista to Windows 7).

I haven't read through all the posts so I might have missed if this has already been mentioned.

Regards,
Noel

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2025