ON SECURITY By Susan Bradley By now every Win7 user should know that official support for the venerable OS ends next year. The final updates should go
[See the full post at: Windows 7: Preparing for an uncertain future]
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Patch reliability is unclear, but widespread attacks make patching prudent. Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems. |
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Windows 7: Preparing for an uncertain future
- This topic has 68 replies, 26 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 6 months ago.
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Realistically, it will be lack of browser support primarily, followed by lack of anti-virus and anti-malware support, that will begrudgingly drive users not fully committed to move from Win 7 to Win 10.
But I find the tone of this article somewhat confusing. It sounds like a “hard sell” to get users off Win 7 and onto Win 10.
For the technically knowledgeable, or even those who have simply read about and understand the “features” built into Win 10, there should be serious doubts about the security of an operating system that spies on its user and has advertising and malware delivery engines BUILT IN by design. Worse yet is the inability to turn such undesirable “features” off. This will certainly kill it as a viable alternative in a handful of regulated industries that have SMBs whose user counts don’t favor the Enterprise edition.
To date neither I nor any tech person I know has encountered a computer that was compromised by any sort of threat that would have been mitigated by a Microsoft patch. Zero day threats don’t count, since no patch would have existed, and most security software mitigates the threat long before Microsoft comes out with an update. Truly serious issues usually get a patch, even if EOL, but as you point out that may not continue. Unfortunately, we have had to repair, recover, or outright replace computers that were wiped out by Microsoft Updates on a sickeningly regular basis, especially since 2017.
I’ll likely stick with my safe and dependable copy of Win 7 instead of gleefully moving to a pre-infected version of Win 10 until I have no choice but to move on.
And this isn’t just uninformed pontificating. I have quite a few test computers running assorted versions of Win 10 Pro, each modified in some way to test the efficacy of the many Win 10 tweaking and cleaner utilities and scripts. Aside from the hoops one must jump through to make Win 10 usable, I’m just not sure I can make it secure from advertising and malware like I can with Win 7.
I have tested both the LTSB and LTSC versions of Win 10 in a live environment, and they go a long way to being a proper OS once something like Classic Shell is installed. Too bad it isn’t a viable alternative for the consumer and small business market.
And then there is real life experience. Neither I nor the the many hundreds of computers and users I directly support run the Enterprise versions of Windows. So far, the very small group of Win 10 users I support have had the lion share of problems these last few years. Program incompatibility is still a rampant issue, but the amount of damage caused by Microsoft Updates has me completely on the fence about subjecting more of my users to this abuse. This includes users waking to find their computers completely wiped out due to an unrequested upgrade issue, users having working software just stop working after updates, data loss (particularly dicey with icloud), and just a general loss of usability compared to their prior version of Windows. Granted, the last one can often be improved with a proper Start Button replacement and user interface tweaks.
So I’m not so sure the “cure” isn’t worse than the disease in this case. Many of us will be forced to Win 10 rather than cheerfully moving to it, but I think the writing’s on the wall for Microsoft and although their earnings may be high now, just the smallest of true alternatives could turn them into another of the major once great corporations that just fall off a cliff.
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Excellent article Susan. I was reluctant to move from XP to 7, and I feel even more reluctant to move from 7 to 10. Given the number of Win7 units still out there, I am a bit surprised that M$ hasn’t offered some kind of patch subscription program for consumers similar to what they are doing for corps. I don’t know what the magic $$ number is for me, but I would be tempted to pay a $20 or $25 annual fee to keep my Win7 machine up-to-date instead of having to move to Win10. Maybe I’m the only one.
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Excellent article Susan. I was reluctant to move from XP to 7, and I feel even more reluctant to move from 7 to 10. Given the number of Win7 units still out there, I am a bit surprised that M$ hasn’t offered some kind of patch subscription program for consumers similar to what they are doing for corps. I don’t know what the magic $$ number is for me, but I would be tempted to pay a $20 or $25 annual fee to keep my Win7 machine up-to-date instead of having to move to Win10. Maybe I’m the only one.
You aren’t! I’d be happy to pay for extended support rather than have to buy 2 news Win 10 computers and make a move I am not really ready – or need – to make. I keep hoping that as the year wears on, something will become available when MS realizes that not everyone is jumping right on the Win 10 bandwagon.
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..and the intention of the GWX campaign on unsuspecting Win7/Win8 home users has nothing to do with that!
Windows - commercial by definition and now function...1 user thanked author for this post.
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Personally, I would say it is Microsoft that has an uncertain future.
Their continuous disregard for their Win10 users (spyware built into the OS with a EULA authorizing them to spy, pushing untested updates that have caused data loss and downtime) is exactly opposite of the integrity, reliability and security that I demand from an operating system.
Even my corporate office has recently moved away from Windows to Debian Linux Workstations. We’re no longer buying any Microsoft software or services and things actually seem to be working much better than when we were using Microsoft operating systems.
Anyways, it’s just a matter of time before the general public realizes how bad things are and jumps ship to Linux/Mac/Chrome/etc.
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Anyways, it’s just a matter of time before the general public realizes how bad things are and jumps ship to Linux/Mac/Chrome/etc.
The same general public that mindlessly gives Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snap/DataFarmerOfTheDay complete access to every aspect of their lives?
Not likely.
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Personally, I would say it is Microsoft that has an uncertain future.
That could be true if Microsoft’s most prized product was still Windows, but it’s clear that it is not. Microsoft is making a ton of money, and it’s not because of Windows. They’re all about the cloud now, and by any standard, it seems to be working well for them, even if it vexes us Windows users and former Windows users.
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In the past however many years that Windows 10 has been foisted on the general public, they either knowingly or unknowingly accept it mainly because it’s convenient to do so, trust MS, and or just don’t care as long as they can surf the web and do basic things.
My own sister falls into this category and has had Win 10 since it downloaded itself on her computer. If you ask her what operating system she has she can’t tell you, nor does she care. In the past year or so she has become more reliant on her smartphone to do the things she used to to do on her laptop. This seems to work for the “general public”.
For businesses it’s a different story and I would say that most of the complaints and tails of woe voiced on this site stem from business people. Win 10 just is not living up to what MS has given us in the past, and they don’t seem to care. That is almost incomprehensible.
Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's1 user thanked author for this post.
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About antivirus vendors moving away from 7, should note that some still support XP even now, so highly doubt that will happen anytime soon. Browsers are a question, but there may be forks made just for this.
As for not being so quick to say I’ll hate 10, let’s see, may it, at any point and for any reason, install an update without me specifically telling it to? May it, at any point and for any reason, reboot without me specifically telling it to (including a BSOD, since I always had it set to not automatically reboot then)? May it, at any point and for any reason, use any noticeable system resources for automated activities I can’t readily turn off and keep off if I so wish? May it, at any point and for any reason, require a connection for local functions to work properly? If the answer to any of these (and likely others, but these were unnecessarily many already) is yes, then I can be very sure it’s not an option, period.
— Cavalary
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Unlike the big box stores we have a local computer business who will set up your home user W10 on your new computer to look and run mostly like W7. If this is possible then some one on this site might want to do the same with instructions to advise home users on how to do this.
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Cool, that’s another story idea
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
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Um, yeah, and they can make the updates run just like Win 7? That is when you want to download and run them? How about being able to play movies from DVD’s on Media Player the way you can on Win 7?
Find out whatever it is that makes Win 10 “more secure” and make it into an update for Win 7. Then they’d really be doing something! I know, just so much wishful thinking.
Being 20 something in the 70's was far more fun than being 70 something in the insane 20's -
Um, yeah, and they can make the updates run just like Win 7? That is when you want to download and run them? How about being able to play movies from DVD’s on Media Player the way you can on Win 7?
Find out whatever it is that makes Win 10 “more secure” and make it into an update for Win 7. Then they’d really be doing something! I know, just so much wishful thinking.
Indeed! But we can always hope, I guess! Thanks!
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Anyways, it’s just a matter of time before the general public realizes how bad things are and jumps ship to Linux/Mac/Chrome/etc.
The same general public that mindlessly gives Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snap/DataFarmerOfTheDay complete access to every aspect of their lives?
Not likely.
That always cracks me up. People kvetching about the lack of privacy in W10, then turn around and fire up Chrome on their W7 machines.
Then log into Google and start surfing the web. Then log into Facebook, Twitter etc, and stay logged in, and continue on their way.
Hello! McFly…
I don’t mean to sound like a j***, but as far as I see it, anybody using Chrome on their W7 machines has no right to complain about W10’s lack of privacy.
Now, lack of quality with too many of the updates, forced updates, that’s a different issue.
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Woody has gone on record recommending Chromebooks several times. A lot of people only really need a browser and just enough of a computer/OS to run that browser, and for them, Chromebooks can work… if they don’t mind the whole Google spying on you thing. Some people don’t care about that stuff, or they do care but tolerate it because of other factors, like the convenience (they boot and update quickly, among other things) and ease of use, which is where I believe Woody comes in on that issue.
If a laptop that runs a browser is all you need, a Linux laptop running whatever browser you want (just not the actual Chrome, please… there are de-googled Chromium browsers if you like Chrome!) will give you the same utility and keep you up-to-date on security fixes for the OS and browser, but without the data slurping. It is also a real OS that can run full-fledged programs and keep your photos, videos, etc., stored on the SSD or hard drive rather than in “the cloud.”
The main issue with this, for people who mainly need a browser, is that it’s easy to go buy a Chromebook that’s already set up and ready to use, but you have to go to one of a few select sources to find a Linux PC that’s preconfigured. You can go see and try out several Chromebooks at your local Wal-Mart, but to find a non-Chrome Linux PC, you’re going to have to special order one, in all likelihood.
Most of us who use Linux had to set it up ourselves, and that’s something not everyone is willing or able to do, which is a barrier that a lot of people (including myself) have struggled to recognize at times (for me, it’s a fun and relaxing way to spend an evening). Others need specific Windows software, so neither ChromeOS or a conventional Linux will work.
Still, it’s an option to consider, even if you have to find someone to set it up or buy from one of the vendors that sells preconfigured Linux laptops. For day to day use, doing things like browsing, email, watching videos, etc., any of the major Linux distros have graphical interfaces that are easy to understand and have a lot in common with Windows 7– in some ways more than Windows 10 (such as the start menu).
I do wish there were more Linux PCs preconfigured and on display at places like Wal-Mart so that people can get a look at it and see that it’s not that different from what they’re used to. I don’t mean to say it’s just like with Windows… Linux PCs can be more work to get set up correctly (though not always), and adding things like printers and scanners can be dicey, since a lot of makers of hardware don’t provide Linux drivers. Windows can sometimes be trouble too, but people never see that if they buy a PC whose maker has already done all the hard work of getting it set up!
Of course, there are also Macs, which I have no experience with in their current form. The hardware selection is a lot more limited, as you have to pick from the models Apple offers, and their lack of repairability is a big down-side to me. Apple really wants you to buy another one if something goes wrong after the warranty ends.
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Unless you have given Windows 10 a fair try do not be so quick to dismiss it. For most people, it is very solid. I am not a fair comparison because I run the latest preview builds on a production machine and have since the Insider Program started. In that time I’ve had one stop (BSOD now GSOD on Insider builds) and that was from a video driver problem which was resolved quickly. The only other persistent problem I had was two or three years ago. That was a problem installing updated sound drivers for several builds.
Other than that all the programs I used on 7, 8, 8.1 all worked on 10. I quickly got used to the Windows 10 start menu which seems to be a big sticking point for a number of users. If it would be a problem for you there are several third-party programs that will make the start menu look like the Win7 start menu.
I say give Windows 10 a good shot. Don’t be afraid of it.
--Joe
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Joe, you are right when you say not to dismiss Windows 10 if you haven’t tried it. I was forced not only to try W10, but also to support it, on my 2nd job – I do desktop support part-time at a local credit union. Also, on my regular job we use Windows 10.
Once I was forced to use and support it, I found that it’s not a bad system. In fact, I think it’s an excellent system, if you have modern hardware.
At home we have a choice, and that choice is Windows 8.1 (with Classic Shell) and Linux Mint. My wife and daughter use Windows 8.1 exclusively, and I am about 65/35 Linux/Windows. On my main computer, Linux Mint is the host OS, and I always have a Windows 8.1 VM open for quick and easy switching back and forth. There are some things that I can’t do in Linux, and for those things I use Windows.
Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server1 user thanked author for this post.
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On my main computer, Linux Mint is the host OS, and I always have a Windows 8.1 VM open for quick and easy switching back and forth.
You were ahead of me in declaring “Group L,” with Linux as primary, but I’m at the point now where I haven’t used my Windows VM in several weeks/ months (it didn’t warrant mention in my sig anymore, heh!), not counting that time I started the VM to shut it down and screencap the shutdown dialog.
That’s not to say I don’t run Windows programs. I do that all the time… just not in Windows, in a VM or otherwise. WINE’s gotten a lot better, and things that were hopeless in WINE only a short time ago now install and run as easily and as well as in Windows.
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Now that Linux in going deprecate i386 support there is a huge cry from Wine users :
That link is not working for me (I am not at home and the hotspot I am using is having DNS issues), but as far as I know, that was just Ubuntu planning on cutting of the 32-bit libraries. They already walked it back, saying that they will work with WINE devs and others to keep the 32-bit libraries needed by those projects on the repository.
Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon 6.2
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deanwmn, my opinion based on many years of experience with Macs is to avoid them unless there’s software you need that only runs on Macs. I actually built my own PC to run Windows 7 after being frustrated with Apple, my MacBook Pro, and the Genius Bar. Here’s my post about it.
Here’s a video from a guy who runs a successful MacBook repair shop in NY and often complains about how poor Apple’s repairs are, while showing how he makes the repairs. (If you prefer to avoid YouTube, you can watch it on Invidio.us and on Vimeo.)
Here’s a video about Apple’s Genius Bar caught ripping off a customer on camera by CBC News: YouTube, Invidio.us.
I suggest considering Linux as an option, specifically Linux Mint or Ubuntu because they’re popular, easy to use, and have a lot of good community support. I’m still on Windows 7 for now, but I’m planning to move to either Debian (another popular Linux “distro“) or Linux Mint Debian Edition as soon as possible. I’ve been doing my research and learning about Linux for a while. (I also wrote the post further down this page about online banking security with Windows 7, while not logged in, and thought it might be helpful to respond to your post about Macs and because others might be interested.)
There’s a Linux for Windows wonks forum here on AskWoody.
Here’s a big thread about Linux Mint on AskWoody.
If you’re looking for a good laptop, consider a Dell which can be ordered with Ubuntu (Linux) already installed; scroll down on this page to see “Customizable with Ubuntu OS” and “Ubuntu Linux 18.04” as the installed operating system.
Canadian Tech and others on here on AskWoody have had good experiences with Dells, and I would buy one if I needed a laptop.
Here’s a thread on AskWoody about using a Dell Refurbished Laptop for Linux Mint.
Article from Forbes: “Ditching Windows: 2 Weeks With Ubuntu Linux On The Dell XPS 13”.
“Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series Laptop Ubuntu Edition”
Here’s a list of Dell laptops certified for Ubuntu, but you can install Ubuntu, Mint, and other Linux distros on a very wide range of hardware, and I plan to install it on my custom-built computer that’s currently running Windows 7.
Of course, I have no affiliation with Dell or any of the organizations or companies listed above, or anyone for that matter.
Good luck!
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I concur with getting a Dell laptop with Linux pre-installed, except for the price – they are very expensive. You could get any Dell computer and install Linux on it and come out far cheaper.
A few years ago I bought a new Dell desktop with Windows 7 pre-installed. I soon got the Linux bug. I decided to install Linux as the host OS on the computer, so I created a Linux install disk, removed and stored the original Dell hard drive, installed a new hard drive, and installed Linux on the new drive. In this way, I could easily get back to Windows just by swapping hard drives. Also, I could get a really big hard drive to replace the original drive.
If you do what I did, you can come out a lot cheaper than buying a new Dell laptop with Linux pre-installed.
Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server -
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I would say that the way to deal with an uncertain future is to make it more certain by deciding on a path to follow and sticking to it. And, in the case of Windows 7 EOL next January, as the clock is ticking, it is high time to get cracking with the preparations, in order to carry them out as soon as possible and have so many more days left to get familiar with the new setup before EOL.
The possible choices I know something about and that exclude abandoning Windows 7 for Windows 10 (in my case, because I don’t want to have to deal with a system overhaul every several months) are:
(1) Stick with Windows 7 either for things that do not require connecting to the Internet, following the Patch Lady’s advice, or hope things will be OK if one connects to it, even with no further security patches, as the Group W people here have been telling the rest of us is OK to do, according to their own experience. And also hope that, maybe, there will be a hack that makes possible to use the embedded Win 7 patches that MS is bound to keep providing, although there will be no DEFCON for those…
(2) Keep Windows 7, but install 10 in dual boot.
(3) Keep Win 7 but install Linux in dual boot.
(4) Do as above, but installing Win 7 in a virtual machine or, alternatively, the other system in a VM.
(5) Buy a Mac.
(6) Buy a Mac and install Win 7, or W 10, or Linux, or more than one, on VM(s) running on the Mac.
(7) By a Meerkat PC that runs Linux.
(8) Buy a Meerkat and do as in (6) with a Mac.
I have already implemented (3) and (5), (3) for several months already and (5) for almost two years, with no complaints, so far. And the threads posted by knowledgeable people in “Macs for Windows Wonks” and “Linux for Windows Wonks” here at Woody’s, are very valuable resources for those that would make the move to include one of those systems in their future computing.
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV1 user thanked author for this post.
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The idea that Windows 7 becomes unsafe right after the January update is a silly one. It’s a narrative Microsoft likes, but it’s not true. There is no looming deadline.
I think it’s more useful to look at Windows XP and Vista and how long they were out of support before there was some major issue (i.e. one that could not be worked around or stopped with third party software) that Microsoft did not patch. Unfortunately, I don’t have that sort of data, but I hope someone here does.
That would give us a much better idea of long we have. As would how long software kept supporting the older OS. (It still surprises me how little Windows-10-only software there seems to be. Even Microsoft is getting in on the act with new Edge.)
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Anonymous: Behind this statement “I think it’s more useful to look at Windows XP and Vista and how long they were out of support before there was some major issue (i.e. one that could not be worked around or stopped with third party software) that Microsoft did not patch.” there is, implicit, the assumption that the past is prologue. But the world is changing fast, and not always for the better, particularly when threats on the Web are considered. I hope you are right, but have my creeping doubts about this. I think the best chances for Windows 7 being safe to use on the Web, past EOL in January, might be more a matter of lack of interest on an officially defunct system among Internet predators out there. But I wouldn’t count too much on that either.
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV1 user thanked author for this post.
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Personally, MS seems hell bent on killing off the OS side of their business. Seriously, they seem to keep (mis)implementing things to drive people away. Every day I’m greeted with more disappointment in regards to Win10. The latest:
Guess what, while you were not watching, MS disabled automatic registry backups. Did anyone notice? I didn’t.
https://www.ghacks.net/2019/06/29/microsoft-explains-the-lack-of-registry-backups-in-windows-10/
Their reason: to save disk space. Their published solution: create restore points regularly. BUT: Each major Win 10 update actually makes sure restore point functionality is disabled & leaves it that way. WTH?!
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If privacy is your concern, it might be reassuring to you to think about how Tim Cook made it a priority for Apple. Running Firefox on a Mac might be a pretty good combo. Lots of Mac users love their expensive device and wonder why Windows users complain and still use Windows.
As for security, a Mac is simpler and runs on a modified FreeBSD OS which is one of the most secure OS ever made. The OS is also more stable so maybe there are less security issues in general to fix. However, I am not sure Apple are that quick at responding the security issues. They also have a very bad philosophy of “always run the latest version” so on IOS (Ipads and Iphones), if you bought a device that was a bit older, you might not get security updates after a quite short time when Apple decides your device is too old for the latest IOS and they won’t provide any security update to the previous version, which is very bad in my book. With Apple on IOS, it is buy the latest or get a small discount to buy something that will last less long because of shorter support. On the Mac side though, things are better.
At some point, Apple might have to up their game about security if an important incident happens. Maybe they also never saw the urgency to send security patches on their older devices. I must say I never heard anyone complaining about having malware on their outdated IOS device around me. It might be anecdotal, but I see a lot of malware stories on Windows. Sure, some security issues are more important to patch than others, but I think the current approach is still not the most sensible one in a world that is not going to be less dangerous in the future.
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if you bought a device that was a bit older, you might not get security updates after a quite short time when Apple decides your device is too old for the latest IOS and they won’t provide any security update to the previous version
Wrong. Apple support iOS devices for 5-6 years. Every new iOS updates/versions contains security updates. The current iOS 12 supports iPhone SE and 5S from 2013 and iPads..
But…
When Microsoft drops support for its 10-year-old OS it’s an issue?
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Hey, I still own a EMachine from Walmart with W7. “Takes a lickin and keeps on tickin”. Maybe I’ll break down and get another Acer cheapo desktop with W10. Some local tech company said they can make it look like and act pretty much like w7 for home users.
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When Microsoft drops support for its 10-year-old OS it’s an issue?
Apple fans tolerate a lot of things that I would not. This is one of them, and is an area where MS has long been well ahead of Apple. When one version of Windows goes EOL, you can usually use that new version on your older hardware and extend its lease on life. My Core 2 Duo laptop from 2008 still runs fine with the current version of Windows, approaching or meeting double the 5-6 years of supported OS life that was claimed for Apple Macs, and it’s not done yet.
It’s not always possible to keep using old hardware with the newest Windows, but it seems to be true more often than not.
The reason MS ending support on Windows 7 is a problem is that they have not provided a suitable replacement in the minds of a lot of Windows users. It’s not that 10 years isn’t good enough… it’s that Windows 10 isn’t good enough.
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From the article:
If the Win7 machine is your only PC, at a minimum, stay away from sensitive sites. You certainly won’t want to use it for online banking after January 2020.
Actually, you can still safely use Windows 7 for online banking after January 2020, but you need to follow the best practices that you should have been following already.
These best practices also apply to Windows 10, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android:
- Keep your web browser up to date and use a JavaScript blocker like uBlock Origin or NoScript.
- Download only reputable software and files from reputable websites.
- Check all downloaded files with a virus scanner and VirusTotal before installing or opening them.
- Don’t click on unknown and unfamiliar links sent to you via email.
- Don’t plug unknown USB drives and devices into your computer.
- Keep your router firmware updated.
Then you shouldn’t have a problem accessing your bank’s website and running Windows 7 after January 2020. But you should still move away from Windows 7 as soon as possible.
But Windows 10 and any other operating system isn’t going to protect you if you don’t follow the best practices listed above.
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Windows 10 is actually a lot more secure than previous versions of Windows. One of the key reasons that Microsoft collect telemetry information is so that they can deal with security threats. With tons of up-to-the-minute real-time information, they can deal with threats fast.
If you have a modern computer, chances are you won’t have problems caused by Windows updates. If you do have any such problems, it is likely because Microsoft decided to tighten up on some rule in order to make things more secure, and software vendors didn’t keep up with them on it. An example of this is SMB1 – it is insecure, and so Microsoft turned off support for it in Windows 10-1809. But it is an easy matter to turn it on if needed. The only fault I would assign Microsoft on that issue is that perhaps they didn’t give adequate warning on the possible effects of not allowing SMB1; then again, maybe they did.
Group "L" (Linux Mint)
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All this gives me some amusement, I have to confess. We had all this hoo-hah with the demise of Windows XP and nothing really happened; I’m using two XP machines and one Windows 10 here, and the only one that gives me problems is the Win 10 one.
One of the old machines (the one I’m using right now) doesn’t even have SSE2 so can’t even have late-version browsers; I built it when XP was new and in all that time it hasn’t missed a beat. I do practise “safe hex” and follow the procedures alluded to above. My AV provider still releases definitions for Windows 9x, so they won’t be pulling the plug on XP any time soon; in addition, there’s still quite a fan base out there and there’s plenty of support. XP is still my favourite, though I’m no fanboy; I just refuse to play the game, that’s all.
So, to Win 7 users, I say “Don’t sweat”, you’ve a long way to go yet.
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Sorry for the late reply, I’ve been helping to organise a wedding so I’ve been kinda busy. I use Avast and Firefox exclusively. I’m retired now so it’s just the usual personal stuff, surfing, emailing, and…well, this. And I also bank online, sometimes on the computer but on my phone more these days as it’s handier.
1 user thanked author for this post.
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I’m actually looking forward to the challenges of keeping my Windows 7 32bit OS going beyond EOL. I’ll be keeping a keen eye on this section
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/forum/askwoody-support/windows/windows-7/win7-beyond-end-of-life/
Interesting times ahead for allillegitimi Non Carborundum1 user thanked author for this post.
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Hi recently a friend of mine bought a used Win7 laptop including all data from previous owner and the Win7 password. No words about this.
The laptop was in a desolate state took about 4 minutes to start up – having 3 antivirus programs install etc.
After a short look we decided to not take the free Win10 upgrade which is still possible via an older Windows Upgrade assistant.
Rather we dumped HDD and replaced it with a fresh SSD.
We booted from a May 2019 1903 USB key created with Rufus from the official ISO – downloaded by the lastest Media Creator Tool and entered the Win7 OEM key from the back of the Laptop
Windows 10 activated as fine as with the in-place upgrade – we logged into a MS account to save this key into the account automatically.
So anyone who still is on Win7 consider an upgrade first.
or start fresh using your Win7 key during a USB key Win 10 as described.Have fun. Together with this SSD this old laptop boots up in 4 seconds, took 1-2 hours to get it to the shape we needed (apps / settings).
Make yourself happy with Win10 – it is not anymore as worse at it was in the earlier years, especially with 1903.
And be excited about so many settings for people with restrictions and apps that keep you productive like MS To-Do. There is a bunch to explore.
the MS team is doing long lists of what has changed for each release – this is since 1809 – they aren’t even complete.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-home/whats-new-wip-at-homehttps://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/at-home/whats-new-apps-19h1
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