Is windows 7 support really ending?
Yes, it’s true. Support will end on the 14th January 2020.
So why should I upgrade? What are the advantages?
There’s one key feature that makes Windows 10 a must-do upgrade: Security. Windows 10 has far better intrinsic security features than Windows 7. This makes sense, because when Microsoft introduced Windows 10, it had six years more experience fighting off cyber attacks than it had when Windows 7 was introduced. Patches have closed up some Windows 7 weaknesses, but Windows 7 (even patched) is nowhere near as secure. Mainstream support for Windows 7 ended a few years ago. Microsoft will stop issuing free Windows 7 security updates on 14th January 2020.
“But, I don’t go to dangerous websites. I’m smarter than that.”
Ten years ago or so, it was the case that pretty much only sketchy websites were rife with malware. But that’s no longer the case. Fully legitimate websites can be penetrated and attacked with malware. Some of them quietly download trojans to visitors’ machines, to be activated later or just run in the background. Some sites get infected when they run their normal upgrade process and a component of the site, like a plugin, has been infected and that infection is downloaded via the automatic update.
“My machine works perfectly now, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
If you’re running Windows 7, your machine ain’t “ain’t broke.” It’s a wide open giant malware-sucking vacuum. You are bound to get pounded. Upgrade. Beyond that, if you’re running a machine designed for Windows 7, it’s at least seven years old. That’s like 50 years in dog/computer generation years. Every element in a modern PC, from storage to CPU, memory, network, chipset, and graphics have improved dramatically over the years.
“I don’t even know if Windows 10 will work on my machine.”
This is a legitimate concern. Windows 10 does have some issues with ancient hardware, but so does Windows 7. If your current hardware won’t support Windows 10, it’s bound to be a lot slower than even low-end modern hardware that does. This might be a good time for a cheap, higher-performance upgrade in your gear.
Can I still use Windows 7 after the support ends?
Yes, it will still work, like windows XP still works. It just means that there will be no more updates provided, such as security updates. You will find that other third supply suppliers such as printer provider will no longer design software to work with their devices, such as printers.
Is Windows 10 easy to learn?
Like anything new, it will take a while. There is a Windows 10 start button that can be installed which makes it easier to navigate around. Windows 10 also has Cortana, a voice assistant, similar to Siri. You can ask it to open documents or search the internet etc.
How much does it cost to upgrade?
Because Microsoft did a big push to get folks to upgrade to Windows 10 by July 29, 2016, many people mistakenly believe that the only way to upgrade to Windows 10 now is to pay. As it turns out, that’s not true — for individuals, anyway. If you have a machine that’s compatible, and if you have a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license key, you can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Microsoft just doesn’t actively promote that fact. As with many things Microsoft, the confusion is understandable. On Microsoft’s Windows 10 page, it lists the price of Windows 10 at $139.00.
if you initiate the update on a currently valid machine you can probably do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10 without spending a penny. If you’re at a larger company, your costs will depend on your Windows contract with Microsoft.
Note: you will have to backup your data prior to upgrading to Windows 10 as the install will clear your hard drive. Programs such as Microsoft Office, Skype, Nero, Picasa, Google Chrome etc will have to be re-installed. You will need to enter your passwords again for services such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Facebook Etc. If all of this seems too hard please give me a call on 0434 230703.