I get where you're coming from. It's tough to say goodbye to an old faithful system, especially when it's been working just fine for you. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.
You mentioned that you're considering upgrading to Windows 8 since your current desktop won't be able to handle Windows 10. That's a solid plan! And if you're looking to save some cash, you might want to check out
buying cheap Windows keys online. There are a lot of options out there if you know where to look.
I know this thread is a bit old, so you might have already made the switch to a newer operating system.