The uproar around the end of this operating system arose several years before its very end. The debate about the need for Microsoft to leave the system at the time of the release of Windows 10, ie in 2015, had its highest wave. What does it look like in the end and what does it mean? Here is the article just for you.
The final end of support for regular users has been announced on January 14, 2020. Therefore, if you still have this system, you will not receive any updates on it. This does not necessarily mean the end of your Windows 7 world, but it will be increasingly difficult for you to live with this system.
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Why doesn’t Microsoft take care of its system?
Users have become accustomed to this system, and after the not quite optimally accepted Windows Vista, it has been the salvation of many. We’ve tested Windows Vista in the past, and although it wasn’t perfect, we liked it and showed the possibilities of new devices and where the world of Windows can move forward. Windows 7 has been here since October 2009.
Microsoft has been taking care of its products for a long time. The habit of users is simply a habit and the reluctance to change something is great. He provided service for this system for a really long time. This is despite the fact that some manufacturers no longer provide drivers for their hardware devices for this system.
Windows 7 continues to work naturally. After all, those who have it, you could see for yourself. However, a warning is displayed stating that it is no longer protected. The system itself will work, but gradually various applications will leave it. For example, because it will be vulnerable.
New versions of your favorite programs may no longer be compatible with Windows 7. We don’t expect much disaster here either, and you may not have experienced software compatibility issues for a year or more. Microsoft will support this system with its Chromium-based Edge browser, as will Google Chrome. Both manufacturers will agree by July 15, 2021. Finally, Total Commander still works for you until Windows 95.
An exception is also Microsoft Security Essentials , which will be supported for the time being and will receive antivirus definitions. The program, like other factory-installed applications on the system, has the same lifecycle as the system. So it gets new definitions of malicious code, but no improvements.
Service Pack
Fix packs for this system can exist, of two kinds. In the first case, it may be a hoax, as the company no longer supports the system and will not issue such cumulative patches. The second case is that specialized fixes for company licenses will be available on the Internet and from there users will be able to accumulate them directly into the Windows installation image. You can also wait for the Windows 7 installer with updates beyond the official end-of-home support date. The situation will be unclear and we will see where the creators of malicious code go with their creativity.
Windows 7 and companies
Enterprise and Windows 7 Professional and Enterprise licenses are a slightly different case. Extended support for Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) for up to three years can be purchased here . It will be quite expensive and the computer will cost $ 50 the first year, $ 100 the second and $ 150 the third year. After all, companies can still delay the transition to Windows 10 until January 2023.
In this case, it is also just about security updates, no improvements will be made to the system. So do new hardware drivers if they aren’t released by the manufacturers themselves. There will be companies that buy this support, so far the case of the German government is known, which really bought such support for its institutions. He will pay around 800,000 euros for it.
Security updates
The problem with vulnerabilities is not just that they are. However, Microsoft also announces them publicly. The company that makes the bug fix update package and publishes what it fixes. However, this is a slightly different case and relates to the need to update the system. So the attackers know exactly what flaws the system is having and focus directly on that. Bugs are known, just exploit them, and in a system that doesn’t have the latest patches for known issues, it’s much easier.
You can, of course, use an antivirus system. Antivirus manufacturers officially confirm that they protect the system in several areas. They block malicious code that gets through the web browser and also cut some access paths in the operating system. However, this will still not be enough
Windows 10 – the best of all time
At the same time, it would be a little sad if the latest system and product of this company were not the best you could use. Changing controls, moving elements from the Control Panel to the Settings application, and other things were cosmetic changes. They were not pleased and the design of the system also did not prove to be the most beautiful of all time. Windows XP was considered a design delicacy, and Vista and the “seven” continued this trend.
With the advent of Windows 8, a schizophrenic change in the design of what the new system should look like began. In many cases, the ground went down after the icons, leaving only text descriptions. The Start menu displayed in full screen has reluctantly accepted the reluctance to accept a radically different system. Again, it was a matter of habit and time. But we admit that many things didn’t work properly and you didn’t really need the new system. If you had a new device, there were still drivers for Windows 7. You could stay with it. Windows 8.1 was a major update and actually a self-perceived system by Microsoft.
The best thing you can do now is to switch to Windows 10. In our view, it’s the best Windows system, and the experience of the various computers we tested it proves. It’s not just about innovations and cosmetic improvements, but about the overall support from the system manufacturer as well as application and hardware manufacturers.
What actually discourages many users are problems with updates. There are many of them, all of them are thrown into one bag, so you didn’t even have to boot the system after the upgrade. Gradually, however, the updates separate, so you can download new drivers for system components, BIOS, or graphics driver without downloading other fixes. They then disabled Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or the audio driver. These are issues that are not worth much for many and postpone updates for as long as possible.
Tens have evolved in this direction, and now the compatibility check is even more rigorous. It was common for some laptops to receive a major update after two months, which we had on another computer. After the computer manufacturer updated its laptop system drivers and specific device drivers, the installation of a newer version was allowed. It was similar with the software.
The case concerns older programs that directly require a close connection to system drivers. For example, VMware Workstation or ESET Endpoint Encryption. The update process checked what you installed on your system and alerted you to potential issues. Until you resolve them, you could not proceed and upgrade to a newer version of Windows. This procedure is correct, and the update was installed at a time when the system was really ready.
System repair
The strength of Windows 10 is the ability not to leave you clueless. You may remember the times with Windows 95, when if you didn’t get into the system, your chances of fixing it were very small. Gradually it improved, Windows XP with a restore point brought salvation, but it was also not always completely helpful. The best support for recovery when the system breaks down and does not start is provided by Windows 10. You have the tools to uninstall updates, save files, and also access the encrypted disk via BitLocker. You also need a smartphone to find out the unlock code if you saved it in your Microsoft account, but it’s an option not to lose files.
It is common for a laptop or computer to have a disk partition so that you have the installation files there. In case of an error, you can try to reinstall the system without losing your files.
Windows 10 still free
It is still possible to switch to a new system. Although Microsoft has gradually stopped providing the transition to Windows 10, as it once pointed out, it is still possible. You need Media Creation Tools to do this . Here’s how to type it into a search engine and download it. You need a DVD or an 8 GB flash drive and you can create bootable media. Everything happens automatically from the download to the preparation of the boot sector on the given media. After restarting the computer, you will boot from the installation disk and upgrade to Windows 10 while preserving your files, or choose a complete disk wipe and a clean installation.
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