Buy from legitimate sources, don't trust anything else.

a. yes
b. is enough
c. not needed but is possible.
I have on laptop W10 Home and on desktop (both from signature)Pro and see no difference in behaviour with VPro 16

Thanks, John. =D

Buying the Win 7 Pro version "on faith" is what I did last time. I was running Vegas Pro 9 at the time and PreSonus StudioOne version 2 or maybe 3... I'm not sure if a Win10 Home OEM Product Key will be any less expensive than a Pro key, so probably not much pain there.

I would like to avoid any software bloat involved in running the Pro version (as opposed to a lighter Home version) but again, I'm not sure if that's a valid concern.

So in a nutshell, buy Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.

FWIW, I just searched for info on Windows 11. It appears there will be a FREE upgrade (1-year window) for Windows 7 and Windows 10 users - like what MS did to promote Win10 to entrenched Win7 users (like me). Here's the link. Scroll down to the heading "Windows 11 Licence cost:"

I might hold off and just jump to Win11 instead of Win10, but I'm worried about older software not working, and consequently being forced to use cloud-based applications. NOT A FAN of The Cloud, and especially not a fan of subscription-based software.

Buy from legitimate sources, don't trust anything else.

 

Hey, Dot ==
Thanks for Good advice. I agree, but some 3rd party OEM Product Key sellers are legitimate and reliable. I had good luck going that route once in the recent past (knock wood). See my reply to john_dennis with regard to Windows 11 and a potential FREE upgrade path for users of Win7 and Win10. That would make my intended Upgrade to Win10 a moot issue.

I have on laptop W10 Home and on desktop (both from signature)Pro and see no difference in behaviour with VPro 16

Thanks, j-v
Good to know that Windows 10 Home 64-bit will work. I'm also asking this same question at PreSonus in regard to my PreSonus StudioOne Pro 4 audio software. Hopefully both applications have the same system requirements in terms of the Operating System...

Also, thanks for the insight regarding Pro vs Home performance. I want to run the smallest, lightest OS possible, and maybe Win10 Home is the better choice.

See my reply to john_dennis with regard to Windows 11 and a potential FREE upgrade path for users of Win7 and Win10. That might be the best choice

Home should be fine. I also would hold off on 11, give them 6 months or so to work bugs out.

According to Microsoft's past statements on the direction of Windows, there were to be no more numbered versions and Windows would be "Windows 10" for all time. I'd check the site that you linked. Its likely bogus.

If you really want to trim the bloat from Windows you could look at Windows 10 Pro for Workstations or, if you have a number of workstations, Windows 10 Enterprise. It's likely that you don't need the specialized hardware support and you pay dearly for having them leave out Solitaire. If you don't understand why you need it just buy Windows 10 Pro and move on.

Home should be fine. I also would hold off on 11, give them 6 months or so to work bugs out.

Thanks, fr0sty. Good to have the option of the Home version, if it's up to the job and cheaper. And YES, I've paid the price of being on The Bleeding Edge before. If john_dennis is right about no Windows 11, then going to Win10 Pro (or Home) 64-bit is a good move.

According to Microsoft's past statements on the direction of Windows, there were to be no more numbered versions and Windows would be "Windows 10" for all time. I'd check the site that you linked. Its likely bogus.

If you really want to trim the bloat from Windows you could look at Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

I can't find any definitive answer to whether Win11 is for real. I see posts from 2018 (dated) and posts on Quora (not reliable) saying no dice, but that's not the end of it. If you see anything current from a reliable source stating that there is no successor to Win10 in the pipeline I'd sure like to see it.

As for Win10 Pro Workstation, I'm no IT professional (and how) and find that ubiquity is my friend in most cases. I frequently need to scrape Google for answers to OS problems, and a large pool of contributors (Home or Pro) can be really helpful. And I'm assuming a WIn10 OS for Workstation might be more expensive than Home or Pro flavors...

I appreciate the ideas.

If you read the disclaimer on the page you linked about Windows 11 you will see it is not an official page.

If you read the disclaimer on the page you linked about Windows 11 you will see it is not an official page.

Indeed, all Windows messages, update a.s.o. come from Microsoft, but that so called W11 message is not. So don't believe all that you find on the WWW.

Even Magix treats Windows 10 Home like an ugly step-child sometimes...

• VEGAS POST can now be activated on systems running Windows 10 Home without running as an administrator

I'll tell my wife "don't believe all that you find on the WWW."

Thank you, Dot and j-v.

When I get time I'll try to find out if there really is a Windows 11 coming, or not. I kinda hope not. Each new version of anything seems to drag us closer to the "subscription" marketing model and I want to remain free of that.

Even Magix treats Windows 10 Home like an ugly step-child sometimes...

Thanks for the link, John. I'll read it later.

I like Windows 7 Pro 64-bit and don't want to give it up. I think I'd rather yield to Windows 10 than to Windows 11 though, which looks a lot more "Cloud oriented."

As an aside, I just watched your YouTube video "Grandmother - Granddaughter Resemblance 2013." Fascinating. =D
Here's the link so others can see.

I'm glad you found it found it fascinating, as I did. Sometimes, I think I'm stirring my coffee that same way my mother did.

PS

I updated my profile to reflect the change of all my systems to Windows 10 Pro.

For the OP, the key from a legitimate Windows 7 sticker which is attached to your PC if a Dell, HP etc will activate Win 10. Win 7 Home will activate Win 10 Home, Win 7 Pro activates Win 10 Pro. If you built your PC and bought Win 7, the key you got from Microsoft should also work. You'll want Win 10 64bit, Win7 key will work irrespective if Win 7 was 32 bit or 64 bit. You can even get by without any key, when installing select "I don't have a key", windows will ask for one later but you can ignore it and apparently all you lose is some ability to customize desktop layout etc.

Also I am using Vegas Pro 15 on Win 10 home, works fine. Windows has an option to run some older programs in compatibility mode so the program thinks it is being run in Win 7 or XP

"For the OP, the key from a legitimate Windows 7 sticker ... will activate Win 10." 

You can do an in-place upgrade from a running Windows 7 system with Windows 10 installation media downloaded from Microsoft. You won't have to reinstall applications to have a running system.

Then, if you decide to do a clean installation of Windows 10, you will have a digital license for that hardware and won't even have to type in the license key.

Disclaimer:

You should save a system image before you do anything I tell you to do. All of my advice comes with a double money back guarantee.

Win 7 Pro activates Win 10 Pro. If you built your PC and bought Win 7, the key you got from Microsoft should also work. You'll want Win 10 64bit, [...] You can even get by without any key, when installing select "I don't have a key", windows will ask for one later but you can ignore it and apparently all you lose is some ability to customize desktop layout etc.

Also I am using Vegas Pro 15 on Win 10 home, works fine. Windows has an option to run some older programs in compatibility mode so the program thinks it is being run in Win 7 or XP

WOW! Thank you, wjauch!

I built my own PC and purchased an authentic copy of Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. So if I understand, I should do the following:

1. Download from Microsoft FOR FREE the Media Installation executable file for Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.
Man, that's a surprise...
2. Begin the installation.
3. When asked for the Windows 10 product/activation key, simply type in my existing Windows 7 product key as appears on the DVD envelope that contains my Windows 7 disk.

This 3-minute YouTube video explains how to download, create ISO disk and install Windows 10. But it's actually a "Free Trial" opportunity - a 30-day trial window that does not require an activation key. But on Day 30 you do need a key (or not, if you go the "I don't have a key" route).

To be clear, you're saying I can use my existing Windows 7 Pro 64-bit activation key to activate this install of Windows 10 Pro 64-bit at the time of installation - and be done. Right? =]

And thanks for the heads up regarding Win10's Win7/XP Compatibility Mode. I'll be studying that for sure.

Tom