What To Do When Windows 7 Support Ends

Windows 7 cease of support - What to practice next guide

Updated: October 26, 2019

In Jan 2020, Windows 7 will come to the supported end of its respectable lifecycle. Subsequently this betoken, there will be no more updates from Microsoft. Since at that place are roughly 500 one thousand thousand active Windows seven devices yet out there, this raises a very important question: What should existing users do now, and for how much longer can they go on using Windows vii in a style that is safe, smart and logical?

I thought, hither'southward a great opportunity to address this concern. I will explore the Windows 7 question from three principal angles: security, hardware (and functioning), and functionality. We did this thing when Windows XP was about to be retired, and nosotros will exercise it again at present. Oh, and rule no.1: don't panic!

Death

Notation: Paradigm taken from Wikimedia, licensed nether CC BY-SA 3.0.

Security

Most people volition assume this is the virtually important aspect. No, it is not. Far from it. There are some security considerations at play, simply they are far removed from the fearmongering noise you get on the Cyberspace. If annihilation, about guides and article talk about how updates are important (only non why), and they neglect the philosophical element of really UNDERSTANDING what you're doing for figurer security to accept any meaning.

A good computer security do comes in layers. You need a reasonable network solution, which ways a robust and reliable firewall, and this is ofttimes solved by using a router that isn't gear up to lax defaults. Then, yous take the Net-facing element, and hither, you need robust and up-to-appointment browsers. Firefox and Chrome volition do. Lastly, you accept the foobar chemical element - which is what happens when things go incorrect. Indeed, when that does occur, y'all demand to: a) minimize impairment b) ensure the integrity of your data.

Windows 7 desktop

System tray

I've talked about this endlessly over the past decade and a one-half. You lot tin apply a standard user account to reduce the risk of adventitious damage. You can and should use EMET (still works beautifully in Windows 7/viii) to make sure applications behave correctly - if a plan does something wrong, so it'south terminated, no questions asked. And past wrong, I mean software instructions that could pb to bug. And this could be ANY software. That'southward the beauty of EMET. It does not discriminate.

EMET

Finally, failing all this, you must have a reliable, tested information backup plan in place. This isn't simply security. This is to protect your important files from theft, burn down, lightning, hard disk drive failures, or even java spillage. In fact, regardless of what operating system you lot apply, data backups should be the most critical part of your setup.

So what about system updates?

Indeed, what about them? As you can see, in my list, I've not mentioned system updates at any point. In near cases, they aren't really that important. They tin be useful in addressing various bugs, including stability fixes, just it'due south not a do-or-dice situation. The world is not going to cease if you don't patch your system for some time, peculiarly if you lot employ all the other layers mentioned above.

A disclaimer here for those of yous getting triggered right now. This is advice for HOME users, in their HOME setup. This is not a strategy for businesses. If you're running a business or a server or whatnot, then the rules of the game are completely unlike. For home users, who often happen to be the only user on their own auto, where user-to-admin exploits and local-access exploits are not important, organization updates volition rarely matter if the users have good network-facing security (router and browsers).

All of this ways that in one case the Windows 7 support ends, you lot volition be able to go along using your box for quite some time. Most security problems will not necessarily exist applicable to your day-to-mean solar day usage, and unless you do stupid things, they won't matter. If you do do stupid things, no security will ever help.

To sum information technology upwards, here'due south what you should consider for your Windows 7 (or any version) security:

Good router, with better than just admin:admin user and countersign nonsense.
Good browser - Firefox with Noscript and adblocking, or even Chrome with Noscript, plus adblocking. In essence, this is 99% of the task done actually. You can do some extra work by using not-default software, similar mail service client, media player and whatnot.
Standard user account - you tin fifty-fifty use SuRun if you similar. A healthy practice in all situations.
EMET - Superb framework to mitigate nonsense behavior by programs, whatever they may be. This isn't just a Windows 7 affair. In Windows 10, EMET has been replaced with Exploit Protection, but the concept is identical, and definitely something to use.

Data backups - You tin can use Karen's Replicator or SyncBack Costless to brand copies of your stuff.
Don't do stupid things, like randomly opening files that are obviously nonsense.

That's all there is to it. No magic, no drama. Definitely no need for any fearmongering. Yes, at that place are some rough things out at that place, but this isn't new or special in any way. You are more at risk of some company losing or leaking your data than you are from actively pwning your box. At present, let'southward motion on.

Hardware & performance

When I replaced my old Windows XP desktop, I did information technology because of hardware considerations. At that time, the sometime single-core Athlon was getting a bit rusty, and Windows 7 too offered better 64-bit support. Those two factors were what convinced me to upgrade and buy a new beefcake computer, which all the same runs majestically stiff.

Since near 2012-2013, things oasis't inverse much in the desktop space. Or the hardware space. New processors don't offer meaning advantages over the previous generations. The clock speed remains the same, the number of cores is more or less the same, and parallelism still hasn't caught on in the software space, with near programs still doggedly running as unmarried processes.

This means that an existing Windows vii box isn't probable to come across whatever swell disadvantage in the operation space, compared to the newer machines. Nor is this likely to change any fourth dimension soon. If there's 1 thing that the whole mobile shift did, it was to convince vendors to try to continue system requirements lite, and this too affected the desktop arena. Windows 10 does not really require much more than Windows 7. Disk infinite, by and large.

New systems

Now, if you exercise intend to purchase new hardware, then you should not apply Windows 7 on it. Outset, it makes no sense installing an out-of-support operating system on a brand new rig. Second, new processors practise offer additional features (available through CPU extensions), which Windows vii about likely won't support. This also applies to peripheral hardware, including new and updated connectivity protocols (USB, Thunderbolt), hard disks, etc.

For me, this will always be the primary consideration - hardware replacement. So when you do go a new auto, presumably a DIY desktop, then other operating systems, like Windows ten or a recent edition of a Linux distribution, make much more sense.

Functionality

This is the real deal. Your programs. As long as they run well on Windows seven, you're covered. The simply question is, how much fourth dimension practice you have before companies stop supporting an end of life operating system?

Nosotros tin can wait at Windows XP for guidance. It took a solid two, even three years before we started seeing a shift. The situation isn't likely to be whatever different this time around. In fact, it might take even longer, considering Windows XP was around for 14 years, and its support extended, which gave companies sufficient time to move on to the next Windows edition - they skipped Vista, and so Windows 7 was the obvious option. Windows seven enterprise customers accept the option to purchase extended support, and information technology's highly probable, every bit long as this service remains effectually, there will be no compelling reason for software companies to cull Windows vii from its lists.

This is primarily of import when it comes to Net-facing software. You do want those patched. This ways browsers mostly. As long as at that place are large numbers of Windows 7 users out there, browsers vendors will probable continue providing updates. We're talking two or iii years at to the lowest degree.

Practically, this means that most people will have a compelling - hardware - reason to switch by and so. It's not probable that you've bought a new Windows 7 machine in quite some time now, so whatsoever you accept at the moment is probably four or five or fifty-fifty seven years old (or more than). Add together a few more than summers, and you will have the right justification to do a full hardware + software upgrade. Until so, the software should keep working without any major complications.

Merely some numbers. When XP was EOL-ed, information technology still had a market share of about 20%. Windows vii currently holds roughly thirty-35% market. That's quite a share. And it'south not something that will only disappear overnight. Simply if yous do start seeing issues - no more than graphics drivers, games and/or Steam, software not beingness updated, then you will know information technology's time to move on. Sad? Perhaps. Inevitable? Absolutely.

Looking alee, alternatives. Should you Windows 10?

So, we covered the security angle, the hardware side, the prediction on software support. Every bit long every bit your machine functions well, you're not probable meet to major issues with your programs in the side by side two or three years. By and so, I believe most Windows 7 rigs will be old enough to justify a new purchase and the obvious switch to a new operating system. If you lot're thinking Microsoft, this means Windows 10.

I've reviewed Windows ten many times over the years, including various new builds. Bottom line, it'south more than or less the same as its predecessors, with some surplus annoyances and depression-IQ features for the common user. But essentially, yous can remove all the nonsense, and then y'all have a fairly solid, reasonable operating arrangement. The Pro Edition is what you want, considering it has features that advanced (and intelligent) users await, like the ability to create an offline account without any tricks, and disable forced automatic updates.

The quality of updates is less than before (one more reason not to install them blindly), the performance is more or less the same as before, things change style besides oftentimes, and the sense that this is a super-polished and super-stable operating arrangement like it used to be is somewhat eroded.

But permit'due south not delude ourselves. This is the but version of Windows you tin have now, and if y'all must have Windows, and so Windows x it is. No sentiments here. Elementary needs. For me, information technology boils down to Microsoft Office and games. I can weep a river, but this is what it is. If anything, I should exist angry that in that location isn't a viable alternative.

What about Linux?

Yeah and no. I've been using Kubuntu in a product manner on my Slimbook Pro2 laptop. Works really dandy. But then, I still happily employ Windows 7/8 machines, because they also work great, I take the reliability and the software that I need, and most importantly, I can apply Microsoft Office for when I need to work with book editors and such, and I've got the full gamut of games, some of which withal aren't available for Linux.

Desktop

Saying 'just use Linux' is a wishful dream. It's not like that. Most people can't cope with the switch, hardware question is a gamble, and at the end of the day, there are applications that you don't get. Compromising for credo isn't worth it. If you tin have your full productivity without any issues using Linux, so by all means, this is a good, smart option. Alas, for most people, this is science fiction.

Conclusion

If you lot have a Windows seven machine, you tin continue using it part the operating system EOL engagement. I've laid downward the recipe for good security, the hardware will work every bit long as information technology lasts, and the software won't simply vanish. You will have time to conform, and this should coincide with hardware replacement. Once that happens, yous should definitely get out Windows 7 backside, and get a modern up-to-engagement operating system to match the capabilities of your new motorcar.

In the long(er) run, most if not all of the current Windows 7 users will switch to Windows 10. That's the simple reality. I'yard not happy that this is the case, but no corporeality of self-pity volition alter it. Some people may become for Linux, only this isn't trivial, and not an pick for gamers. Speaking of Windows x, the new arrangement is like the new Internet, more than abrasive, more than in-yer-confront, more hyperactive, and all nearly buzzwords. You can peel this layer of modernistic crap, and so you lot accept the essential Windows, which you tin can then use happily and reliably for another decade or so.

At that place. Your Windows 7 EOL options. You lot might not be happy, just at least you know where you stand. And I know what's bugging you. It'southward the sense of choice, the control, which you now take so much less of than you lot had a while back. Windows 10 is less benign than Windows 7, the aforementioned way Windows 7 was less benign than Windows XP (I still accept the old, original pre-activation license). But don't arraign Microsoft for this.

Blame anybody, especially the smartphone vendors. They helped perpetuate the online-cloud nonsense, and this is why the innocence of yore is gone. And to aid with any future illusions, don't expect things to become ameliorate. Operating systems will become narrower, more restrictive. Just like Boob tube. Just like the Internet. The commercial model has only one management, and that'due south the shareholders bottom line. Remember this, put your emotions aside, and endeavour to focus on getting the job washed with as little pain as y'all tin can. There's nothing else.

Cheers.