Simple (I hope) question ...upgrade WIn7 to WIN8

I am currently running WIN7 but for various reasons I have never been able to get SP1 to instal (have tried since 2011).
Can I now "simply" upgrade to WIN8 ...ie. WITHOUT having SP1 installed on WIN7 - I know I cannot go direct to WIN10 from WIN7 without SP1 ...my plan might therefore be to go (at a ££/$$ cost) first to WIN8 ...and then to WIN8.1 .... leaving WIN 10 to a later date when it becomes more stable. It seems it should be possible to go from WIN7 "basic" to WIN8 preserving windows settings, files and aplications but I cannot get this verified categorically.

Any and all advice appreciated.

Thanks

Have you read through the forum at all down the bottom of this page is several links that might be of help to you

Have a look here ... http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2234-upgrade-install-windows-8-windows-8-1-a.html

Barman58 said:

Have a look here ... http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2234-upgrade-install-windows-8-windows-8-1-a.html

Click to expand...

Thanks, but unless I missed it I don't think this answers the question ......it explains in detail how to upgrade but not whether you can do it from WIN7 without previously updating WIN7 to SP1 ... the implication is that you must, or should, apply all WIN7 updates (including SP1 ??) before the WIN8 upgrade ... that's my "problem"...I cannot get the WIN7 SP1 update to install ....

The Win7 to Win 10 details are clear and specific ...without SP1 on Win7 you cannot upgrade to Win10 ....the Win7 to Win8 details are, as far as I can see, not clear or specific on that ...or did I miss something ?

hTconeM9user said:

Have you read through the forum at all down the bottom of this page is several links that might be of help to you

Click to expand...

Thanks but see my reply to Barman58 ...I don't think the other links answer the basic question ...nor can I find any other information on the web, or any other MS forum, that gives the answer ...... it's clear you can go from Vista, for example, to WIN8, and from "various" WIN 7 versions, but the information on the requirement - or otherwise - for WIN7 SP1 as a prerequisite seems to be missing....although it is clear and specific when it comes to the "rules" for upgrading from WIN7 to WIN 10 (ie ...no WIN 7 SP1 .... no WIN10 upgrade !)