Windows 7 end of support - What to do guide

It's the end of the world as we know, and I feel ... kind of okay. Here's a guide discussing the end of support for Windows 7 and considerations for continued use, including security, hardware, performance, and functionality, alternatives like Windows 10 and Linux, and more. Might make your future options a little bit less of a pain, so do take a look.

https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/windows-7-end-of-support-guide.html


Cheers,
Mrk


MODS: Move or merge if necessary, please.

 

Thanks for the helpful article Mrk.

Very reassuring, but at the same time I wonder if sticking with W7 is not in fact simply prolonging the inevitable.
Perhaps it's best to use this Microsoft-imposed deadline as a prompt to shift gears.

My inclination, at this moment, is to try to ride it out for a spell.

 

Thanks

 

@Mrkvonic. Good advise.

It's the hardware that is more difficult to let go. I have business grade systems currently running W7 and they are still chugging away quite nicely.
They came with W7, so they were meant for W7.

 

Yeh well I'm still using XP. And not likely to give it up even when Windows 11 comes out.

 

Thank you, Mrkvonic ! It confirms what I already thought !

ot: I always wonder if EMET or a goodo HIPS highly configured make the better protection.

 

I was hoping for a section that covered how users can fine tune Windows 7 once support ends.The obvious one is turning off Windows Update in services but is there anything else that can be turned off or set to manual start etc,I'm looking for a list of settings that can be tweaked once support ends that we don't need anymore.

 

Patch Lady at AskWoody is not advocating sticking with W7 after support ends...

Patch Lady – free isn’t free

 

I like that, mainly because I would want to do the same. How do you feel, JR, about PL's statement to not surf the web or do any financial transactions with W7 after Jan 2020? Think she is giving out bad advice, or at least being too cautious?

 

Well said. Different breed, tied down to the extreme. A good thing, indeed.

 

Maybe hypothetical situation:

You use Windows 7, you do financial things with your bank online, you do purchase things online.
Something went wrong, for whatever reason. You lost some money.
Maybe your bank would be willing to pay you back that money.
But that bank is asking you: is your computer safe and secured?
You have to tell the bank what OS (and version) you are using.
You say: Windows 7.
The bank says: sorry, that Windows version is no longer supported. Because of that reason we cannot help you.

 

I will admit that I'm not a big fan of MS, and now running UNIX and being Mickey-free is very liberating. But I did like Win 7 and would have probably ran it up to its end of support. Although M$ made the decision to move on easy for me when I couldn't update anything in Win 7 for over a year.

So I think with some sensible precautions Win 7 should be pretty secure for a while after support ends.

I kinda miss it .... nah ... I have a laptop running Ubuntu and an iMac lol.

 

Exactly. Wilders members forging ahead with Win 7 will indeed have their machines locked down against these type of threats. I decided a while back to ditch Win 7 for Win 10, but then recently have migrated to Linux, with Win 10 for rare, occasional use only.

 

The same thing could happen now, while W7 is still updated, or last year, wherein the customer's computer was not necessarily safe and secured, despite MS support availability.
Does the bank make that determination? Do they ask customers what security software they use?
I'm wondering, FanJ, not arguing.
And what happens with W10 customers who have lax security, or poor online habits and practices?
Does a bank make that determination?
I think it comes down to whose computer was breached... the bank or the customer.
If it is the customer's computer, I don't think they care what OS you are using.
If the bank gets owned, they can't very well try to play that off on their customers.
A good hypothetical, though.

 

Exactly.

 

There were some cases that went to court in country I live in and bank had to return/ pay you back money to person entitled to bank account. It is worth to note money in bank is bank property. Bank has obligation to let you withdraw money you put into savings account. It may seem like the same thing, but it has some consequences.

 

That's a random statement. If your system isn't infected and you use a modern (patched) browser, then it doesn't matter what activity you do.
Mrk

 

You are being too nice.
Even Windows 3.11 quality was better than W10 and that's something.

 

"...if you want to surf on the web on a Windows 7 machine after January of 2020. Don’t... don’t do online banking..."
Smacks of hyperbole, perhaps FUD.
My question is: Will previous patches / updates be available for DL after deadline?
I've read vague / non-committal references from MS suggesting that they would be available for ~3 yr.s.
Reason asking is if I require a HDD format in a year or two, will they be available?

 

there are still folks taking the modern updates and integrating them into windows xp
https://ryanvm.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=25
i am thinking 7 will be ok for a bit

 

I am seeing some encouraging posts in this thread.

 

Banks like to keep things quiet when a customers account get hit. They sell the notion that their system is super secure, so when things go bad, they usually assume the loss. If it became public or if it becomes an scandal, in the papers, the money loss is bigger, so they take the loss regardless of how bad or good security the customer has. Assuming the loss is a good business practice.

Bo