Continuing to run Windows 7 but getting Windos 10

[jacercat]

I'm running windows 7. The notification to upgrade to windows 10 has arrived. I want to have a copy of windows 10 for future use but I don't want to run the upgrade and install this yet. For the time being I want to keep with windows 7.
Ideally I'd like my windows 10 to be on a disc or memory stick, with a note of any product code or whatever, so that at any time in the future I could reformat and do a clean install of windows 10.
Is there a 'best practice' way of achieving this? I'd like, if possible, after saving windows 10, to stop Microsoft overriding my windows update choices and stop trying to force me to upgrade.

 

[Trouble]

Ideally I'd like my windows 10 to be on a disc or memory stick

The installation media can be obtained through either of these two resources.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench
OR
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Once you have the ISO, you can use ImgBurn to burn it to a DVD or Rufus to burn it to a USB ThumbDrive, either of which you can use to perform an in-place upgrade of your previous version of Windows (Win7 SP1 or 8.1 /Update) or by booting from the media, a clean install if you have the product key for your previous version of Windows 7 or 8.1.

so that at any time in the future I could reformat and do a clean install of windows 10

In order to do that you will need to know your previously qualifying Windows version product key in advance of a clean install in order to enter it when prompted, or......
A possible alternative, would be to perform an in-place upgrade of your previous version of Windows and the underlying product key will be used automatically by the upgrade process.
After which you would then be able to perform a clean install (on the same hardware) at any time you choose.

I'd like, if possible, after saving windows 10, to stop Microsoft overriding my windows update choices and stop trying to force me to upgrade.

The only thing that I've found that works semi-well for this is
GWX Control Panel
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/gwx_control_panel.html
Might be worth a try.

 

[clifford_cooley]

The free upgrade does currently have an expiration date. That date is July 28, 2016. To get the free upgrade, you have to actually upgrade before the expiration date.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-july-28/cdb00e85-66fc-4766-9acb-355290522b63