Is there any reason to panic with Windows 7 reaching “End of Life” in about 2 months?
Lets first set the ground rules:
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- Rule 1: Keep Calm, Don’t Panic.
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- Rule 2: Make an informed decision.
- Rule 3: Get help from the experts if you are unsure.
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Rule 1: Keep Calm, don’t panic:
“End of Life” is a scary phrase conjuring up images of the grim reaper having his way with your beloved computer. Fear not, your computer will NOT keel over and die on the 14th of January if it is still running Windows 7.
Rule 2: Make an informed decision:
There are however some risks to staying on Windows 7:
Microsoft will no longer release updates of features or security updates for Windows 7.
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- New security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered:
- As an example, the WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017. It exploited a security vulnerability in computers without the latest security patches. Security patches were released in April 2017 for supported Operating Systems, which safeguarded them. On the other hand, the “End of Life” operating systems were left exposed. Patches were only released a day after the attack for the “End of Life” operating systems. These had to be implemented via manual intervention. For many this was too late – their drives were encrypted, and data lost for ever. Although antivirus systems could detect the malware, the only way to stop the malware was to apply the Microsoft security patch. The damage could have been much worse if Marcus Hutchins did not discover and acted on a kill switch domain hard coded in the malware.
- Microsoft will not provide technical support for Windows 7 after 14 January 2019:
- Should you run into trouble, and it is operating system related, you or your IT support provider would not get any help from Microsoft.
- Over time applications loaded on Windows 7 will no longer be supported:
- Microsoft Office (O365) has announced that: if you’re using Office 365 on a computer running Windows 7 we strongly recommend that you move to Windows 10. For these users Security updates will continue for Office 365 for 3 years, but no new features for Office 365. More software vendors will follow this approach.
- New security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered:
Other considerations:
- Will my computer slow down if I upgrade to Windows 10?
- The answer is maybe. It all depends on the age of your hardware, and how well Windows 10 is fine-tuned after the upgrade. Windows 7 has been around for 10 years and as such it may be necessary for a hardware upgrade. Click here to contact us to find out how we can help you.
- Could I lose my data or applications during the upgrade?
- There is a risk that something can go wrong during the upgrade. It is therefore important to do a full back up before an upgrade is attempted.
- Is there a cost to the license upgrade?
- In November 2017 Microsoft announced that it was shutting down its free Windows 10 upgrade program. Although Microsoft disabled the tool that made the free upgrade easy, one can still, with a bit of extra effort, upgrade from Windows 7 to a fully functioning and supported Windows 10 – click here to find out more.
Rule 3: Get help from the experts if you are unsure:
Now that you have the required background information it is up to you to decide what your risk appetite is.
Whether you decide to accept the risk, upgrade Windows or upgrade hardware and Windows it is advisable to consult with our experts if you are still running on Windows 7.
Let us help you: Our contact number is: 011 888 0254 or visit us at 17 Bram Fisher Drive, Linden, Randburg
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