This year officially started the countdown for Windows 7 following Microsoft’s End of Life(EOL) announcement. After January 14th, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or support for laptops and desktops running Windows 7.

Unsurprisingly, this news caused dismay to consumers and enterprise users alike. Windows 7 is widely known and recognised as a popular operating system that, even after a decade from it’s release, is still relied upon by millions across the globe. But sadly all good things must come to an end and with less than 3 months to go, Windows 7 doesn’t have much time left.

As hard as Microsoft try to push users towards Windows 10, it may not be as easy as the company initially anticipated. Those who are planning on sticking to this operating system are at a potentially higher risk of being targeted by hackers. Therefore, in order to try and help ease the pain, we have complied some FAQ’s to help you in better understanding this transition from Windows 7 to 10.

What is Windows EOL?

End of Life is a term used by Microsoft to identify a period when the company will no longer support an operating system or application. In this instance, it means that as of 14th January 2020, Microsoft will move on from Windows 7 and no longer patch up security holes in the operating system. Thus, if things go amiss or bugs start to develop, Microsoft are no longer available to assist with your problems.

How many people are still using Windows 7?

You may be surprised to hear that Windows 10 only became the most popular Windows version at the end of last year, taking the crown from Windows 7. Net Applications recorded that at this time Windows 10 captured 39% of the market share in comparison to 37% for Windows 7.

What does Windows EOL mean for my security?

This is where things start to become difficult. One of the benefits of a version of Windows not being in EOL is that users will experience an operating system or software package that is fully supported and patched. So, as of January next year, all of that will disappear for Windows 7 users.

In past years, when Microsoft has announced software EOL, Microsoft have also offered patches in the run up date to try ad secure the operating systems as much as possible. However, the bad news is that while this was a welcome decision, it also provides hackers with an opportunity to gain free rein after the EOL period hits.

The fact of the matter is – the sooner people move away from Windows 7 to Windows 10, the better!

How do I move to Windows 10?

If you want to upgrade to Windows 10, you can do so free of charge with a full Windows 10 licence, as long as your PC meets all the requirements needed to run the operating system.

Windows 10 Minimum Specs

Processor: 1GHz process or faster

Memory: 1GB of RAM for a 32-bit installation and 2GB of RAM for a 64-bit installation.

Hard Disk Space: Up to 20GB of space

Graphics Card: A screen with resolution of 800 by 600 or higher, and a DirectX 9 graphics chip

Connectivity: Internet access

Can I keep Windows 7?

There’s no stopping anyone from using and staying on Windows 7, however, as we’ve spoken about in this blog, it means you will be operating in a system that is no longer supported and you will not be supported with security updates.

Windows 7 will operate just as it does now after EOL, so there shouldn’t be any problems with your computers functionality. Nevertheless, overtime as things change and users increasingly turn to other platforms, developers are bound to stop supporting Windows 7 updates in their apps as well.

Will I be able to install and activate Windows 7 in the future?

If you are serious about sticking to Windows 7 and don’t want to give up on it, you will still be able to deploy it. Microsoft have made it clear that you can still install and activate Windows 7 on the device of your choosing.

Key Dates for End of Support

Summary

If your business is still unsure on whether or not to upgrade to Windows 10, just remember the consequences staying with Windows 7 could have on your business:

• security updates will cease
• your systems will become vulnerable
• risk of being exposed to outside infiltration
• data risk, which could leave organisations being liable, or in breach of many regulations including GDPR.

How we can help

We will assess your network to determine where the outdated platforms reside and what risk they will bring. As your IT partner, we will work closely with you to produce a strategic IT roadmap (gone are the days when IT support was simply advising the customer to replace systems like for like).

Get in touch today to get started.