Windows 7

[1978 NYB]

I just received a message that there won't be any updates or support for Windows 7 in 2020.

I'm not the whiz kid when it comes to computers and I have Windows 7 laptop and a Windows 8 Tablet. I have to ask my 10 year old niece and nephew to figure out anything new function.

I have resisted Windows 10 because of all the trouble I heard about that system.

I know its time for a new laptop so I'm asking the experts here and Joey of course for recommendations on what system to get next. Give in and get a Windows 10 laptop or is there a new version or system on the horizon that will come out before the support for Windows 7 ends.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Davea Lux]

I just received a message that there won't be any updates or support for Windows 7 in 2020.

I'm not the whiz kid when it comes to computers and I have Windows 7 laptop and a Windows 8 Tablet. I have to ask my 10 year old niece and nephew to figure out anything new function.

I have resisted Windows 10 because of all the trouble I heard about that system.

I know its time for a new laptop so I'm asking the experts here and Joey of course for recommendations on what system to get next. Give in and get a Windows 10 laptop or is there a new version or system on the horizon that will come out before the support for Windows 7 ends.

Thanks in advance!

Windows 7 has been and will probably continue to be a reliable operating system. The main issue for concern if you laptop is still functional will be that security updates will cease in 2020. As long as you keep a high quality anti-virus program up to date, you probably will not have too many problems. A lot of this will have to do with how and where you use the laptop. If you do a lot of on line shopping it is usually a good idea to keep an up to date operating system. If you are mainly using the computer to surf the internet, security is not as big of an issue.

Windows 10 takes some getting used to, but for the most part it has been reliable.

Dave

 

[Ripinator]

I just received a message that there won't be any updates or support for Windows 7 in 2020.

I'm not the whiz kid when it comes to computers and I have Windows 7 laptop and a Windows 8 Tablet. I have to ask my 10 year old niece and nephew to figure out anything new function.

I have resisted Windows 10 because of all the trouble I heard about that system.

I know its time for a new laptop so I'm asking the experts here and Joey of course for recommendations on what system to get next. Give in and get a Windows 10 laptop or is there a new version or system on the horizon that will come out before the support for Windows 7 ends.

Thanks in advance!

This is gonna be another huge PIA for me. . . In order to keep up to date regarding security patches and to install new applications down the road, I'm most likely gonna hafta buy a new 64-bit computer and then move all my photos, financial data and other files from the old computer to the new one. I'll also need to acquire and re-install new Windows 10-compatible versions of all the software I'm currently running. I'm pretty much gonna waste an entire weekend diddling with this krap.

 

[march]

After 42 years in the business I can tell you:

• Windows 10 is available in 32 bit and 64 bit versions.
• Contrary to what was recommended above, an upgrade will be necessary for security purposes. Once MS stops sending security patches, antivirus software alone, isn't good enough, especially if you surf the web.
• If your PC meets these requirements, Windows 10 will work on it: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028142/windows-windows-10-system-requirements
• If it doesn't meet these requirements, you'll need to upgrade or replace the PC. -Or get a tablet or laptop that doesn't run Windows.

 

[1978 NYB]

Is there a new system that will supercede Windows 10 on the horizon?

 

[71NewYorkMan]

I know its time for a new laptop

Word of caution- Many legacy software products have no Windows 10 equivalents. I have factory service manuals and engine diagnostic programs that are not compatible with Windows 10, thus I have a 15 year old XP laptop and 7 year old Win7 laptop that I've kept to access these products. If you do go for a new laptop, you may want to keep the old one around...

 

[Fratzog]

FYI I upgraded a few years back and yes Windows 10 is a PIA and takes a learning curve and although they made arbitrary changes to the user interface just to make it more difficult you get used to them after a while. Short term pain for long term gain I guess. Sounds like march knows what he is talking about so consider taking his advice.

 

[Ripinator]

After 42 years in the business I can tell you:

• Windows 10 is available in 32 bit and 64 bit versions.
• Contrary to what was recommended above, an upgrade will be necessary for security purposes. Once MS stops sending security patches, antivirus software alone, isn't good enough, especially if you surf the web.
• If your PC meets these requirements, Windows 10 will work on it: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028142/windows-windows-10-system-requirements
• If it doesn't meet these requirements, you'll need to upgrade or replace the PC.

I agree with everything you say. But, if I'm gonna do this upgrade, I only want to do it once - hence the 64-bit requirement. Also, I doubt the upgrade can be done with Windows 7 in place, therefore I gotta move the files anyway. So, I might as well bite the bullet now.

 

[march]

The upgrade can be done with Windows 7 in place. It will replace Windows 7. You may need to re-load some software; usually not much.

Chrome OS laptops and tablets, and Android tablets are Windows competitors. PC's are being phased out by smart phones, plus:
ChromeOS laptops are relatively cheap ($199) and come with free software. However, they probably won't run repair manuals, etc, made for Windows, unless those products were delivered as something generic, like a PDF.

 

[Samplingman]

I left the Microsoft universe years ago and never looked back. I do everything I need and want to do on a refurbed Mac Book Air and Ipad Pro.

 

[commando1]

I go back to DOS from the mid eighties. Every time MS came out with a newer OS, I upgraded right along with it.
Then came WINDOWS 10. Ughhhhhhhhhh.. My desktop has been collecting dust ever since.
Got hooked on Android. Been using Android tablets ever since. F*** Windows.
Current Tablet is Android 10 and there's nothing it can't do now that everything is Cloud based.

 

[Ripinator]

The upgrade can be done with Windows 7 in place. It will replace Windows 7. You may need to re-load some software; usually not much.

Chrome OS laptops and tablets, and Android tablets are Windows competitors. PC's are being phased out by smart phones, plus:
ChromeOS laptops are relatively cheap ($199) and come with free software. However, they probably won't run repair manuals, etc, made for Windows, unless those products were delivered as something generic, like a PDF.

Thanks for the info about a Windows 7 in-place upgrade. But I feel a "clean install" is probably the best way to go. Somehow, things sometimes can get twisted up during a huge in-place install like this.

 

[Ripinator]

I left the Microsoft universe years ago and never looked back. I do everything I need and want to do on a refurbed Mac Book Air and Ipad Pro.

Communist!

 

[march]

I agree re: Android.
Android and ChromeOS are very similar. Both are provided by Google.
I like them so much that my wife has used Chrome laptops for years. I use Windows 10 on our PC's; just sold my last Win7 laptop.

Apple is good too, but are usually more expensive. They have a following.

 

[BLUPORT]

It's my job to keep current with technology. People who are hating on Windows 10 clearly gave up early. It wasn't without flaws, but now it runs quite nicely. I will advise you to get ahead of the curve, and get a Solid State Drive (SSD) installed, and have the OS boot from that drive. It's a $150 investment for a good Samsung drive, and worth EVERY penny.

If you go to Win10, you won't have any issues of new versions to worry about since end of support for Win10 is 10/2025, and by then, any PC you buy today will be overdue for replacing anyway.

Windows Polaris is the rumored future, but it won't be a forced upgrade.

 

[300rag]

I just don't like the forced updates all the time. My PC should be my choice.

 

[BLUPORT]

I just don't like the forced updates all the time. My PC should be my choice.

It is your choice. Turn updates off, and expose any of your personal data to the world. Be as vulnerable as you want.

 

[Mike66Chryslers]

I just don't like the forced updates all the time. My PC should be my choice.

You sound like a good candidate for Linux! When my old WinXP desktop PC at home died, I pieced one together with the parts that still worked and the rest from a junked PC that I pulled out of the scrap bin at work. I wouldn't install XP on anything now because it's so old, and the system probably wouldn't handle Win7, so I installed Ubuntu Linux 16.04 on it. It has a few quirks but I'm generally happy with it, and it didn't cost me anything.**

My desktop PC at work is running Win7, and the one connected to the TV in our living room is Win7. The kids websurf and play online games on that one, so I don't do any banking on it. my experiences with Win10 so far are my wife got a Win10 laptop, and at work IT installed Win10 on my coworkers' PCs.

Win10 seems stable now. However, I don't like how, with every new Windows version, they change the user interface and hide the advanced configuration controls behind more layers. Also, I use a lot of specialized software at work, and there's always a worry that an application that I require won't be supported in the new version.

** Disclaimer: I was already somewhat familiar with Ubuntu Linux from work, though I was apprehensive about relying on it as my home desktop OS.

 

[300rag]

It is your choice. Turn updates off, and expose any of your personal data to the world. Be as vulnerable as you want.

The one really annoying thing is scheduling. I have delayed updates on occasion and then when I hit the keyboard in the morning I'm stuck waiting while it does it's thing. Ultimate control of my PC should rest with me. I'll decide what's a good time for me.

 

[67Monaco]

I left the Microsoft universe years ago and never looked back. I do everything I need and want to do on a refurbed Mac Book Air and Ipad Pro.

Ah, a cultist in our midst I see. I belong to one church don't much care for belonging to a second.