After 10 years of fully supporting Windows 7, Microsoft ended its official support for the out-of-date Windows operating system on Tuesday.
The popular classic Windows 7 OS still runs on some 200 million PCs around the globe, according to industry estimates. Users include small business owners, some larger companies, and hordes of consumers holding onto aging personal computers.
Microsoft committed to providing 10 years of product support when it released Windows 7 in 2009. The company's focus now is on supporting technologies that provide new user experiences, it said.
Microsoft has recommended that Windows 7 users move to Windows 10 prior to the end of support. Those that failed to heed the company's warning will become part of a very large attack vector for hackers, malware, viruses and spyware.
"This end-of-life date is well known to hackers, and they are armed and ready to exploit," said Kate Donofrio, payment card industry technical lead and manager of Schellman & Company.
Windows 7 Pro and Enterprise users can purchase extended security update support for three years from Microsoft. Windows 7 Home editions and Ultimate editions are not eligible for extended support, she told TechNewsWorld.
"Much like mobile devices using the Windows Mobile or Windows CE operating system, a PC/laptop/terminal using Windows 7 will not just stop working the day that the OS end of life begins," noted Brian Harvey, lead systems engineer at Barcoding.
However, the end of support does mean users no longer will get support, security updates or bug fixes for Windows 7, he told TechNewsWorld. Continuing to use Widows 7 can put your data -- and potentially your customers' data -- at risk.
Must Do Something
PCs running Windows 7 probably will not become victims of attacks overnight, but the risk is not IF but WHEN malware, spyware, or viruses will find an opening into any particular unprotected computer.
Of course, Microsoft wants lingering Windows 7 users to upgrade to Microsoft 10. For those with computers no older than four years, a software upgrade can be applied. For older computers, a new purchase is the easiest and fastest way to avoid security risks and issues related to loss of support for Windows 7.
Purchasing a new PC will not be necessary if your existing system meets a baseline configuration, said Banish Angural, owner of Social Media Fellow.
That baseline configuration includes a 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC (System on Chip) with at least 1 gigabyte RAM for 32-bit or 2 GB RAM for 64-bit computers, he told TechNewsWorld. The system should have 16 GB of hard drive space for the 32-bit OS version and 20 GB of storage space for the 64-bit OS version. Also needed is a DirectX 9 or later graphics card with WDDM 1.0 driver and a screen display capable of 800x600 pixels.
If the hardware is not compatible with Windows 10, another option is to repurpose the older hardware by installing a Linux distribution as an alternative to Windows 7, Barcodings's Harvey suggested.
The Linux operating system offers distribution options targeting Windows users and enterprise operations. The cost to download a complete Linux OS is free, and many Linux OS developers offer paid support options similar to what is available for Microsoft Windows 10.
Thousands of software applications that run on Linux also are free to download. Tools such as WINE let users run must-have Windows programs on the Linux platform.
Upgrade for Free
Upgrading to Windows 10 is the most convenient step for users who want to continue using Windows on their computers, said Kenny Trinh, managing editor of Netbooknews. The upgrade process is very easy, and you get to keep all your files in most cases.
That solution has two hurdles, though, he told TechNewsWorld. Your device has to meet the spec requirements to be able to run Windows 10, and you have to buy a Windows 10 license, which costs US$119.
For those whose specs aren't adequate or who don't want to shell out for a license, "installing a Linux OS is your best bet," Trinh said. "Linux is free to use, so you won't have to shell out a dime to use it. Plus, a number of Linux distros are specifically designed to run on older computers, so hardware won't be a concern."
Early on, Microsoft provided free upgrades to Windows 10. All you needed was a computer running an earlier version of Microsoft Windows and a product code number to qualify. That free offer officially ended a few years ago. However, it's still possible to get a free Windows 10 upgrade using the Windows Media Creation Tool.
This upgrade isn't meant for the general consumer, but it works for many nonetheless. First, you must download the upgrade on the computer still running Windows 7, 8 or 8.1.
Second, go to the Microsoft page to download the Windows Media Creation Tool. On that page, select the option to upgrade. Then enter your Windows 7 or Windows 8 license key.
If you have a Windows 7 or 8 Home license, you can update only to the Windows 10 Home version. With a Windows 7 or Windows 8 Pro product key, you can update only to Windows 10 Pro. The free upgrade is not available for Windows Enterprise.
0 Comments