Microsoft, a few days ago, announced the end of support for Windows 7 after 11 long years of first launching it. Windows 7 will no longer get support or any security updates leaving millions of PCs around the globe prone to security vulnerabilities and potential threats.
Windows 7 was first released in 2009 and fixed the problems and failure of Windows Vista launched in 2006. It enjoyed 6 years of absolute rule until the release of Windows 10 in 2015. Even then, Windows 7 was so popular that for years Microsoft had to push folks to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Now that the company is dropping the support, millions of PCs that are still operating on Windows 7 will be left vulnerable to security threats. Microsoft’s decision to end support was long overdue since it makes more sense for it to focus on the new OS – Windows 10 instead of still working on the decade-old Windows 7. However, Windows 7 users might have some questions that need explaining.
Will your Windows 7 computer still work?
Your laptop or desktop PC operating on Windows 7 will still be fully functional. Except it won’t receive any security patches or new feature updates that Microsoft sends to keep its operating system safe from outside threats and generally improve the user experience. Sure, you still will be able to boot your Windows 7 PC up just as usual, edit the documents, browse the web, watch movies and make the most of Microsoft Suite. All your peripherals will work just fine and you would still be able to print your reading notes.
You won’t be able to, however, keep your system immune to viruses and malicious software that otherwise would have been, to great extent, taken care of by consistent security updates and support provided by Microsoft for Windows 7. While the end of support will not meddle with your basic daily computing activities, it is not wise to continue to use Windows 7 while your computer stays unprotected.
It’s especially not a smart move for businesses to keep using Windows 7. Although Windows 7 Enterprise users will be able to receive extended security updates, these updates will cost money and prove to be a costly venture for businesses. Extended security updates can be purchased by Windows 7 Enterprise users for £19 per machine in the first year of the end of support. The cost doubles to £38 per computer in the year 2021 and further to £77 in 2022. Windows 7 Pro users will have it worse in case they decide to stick with the old operating system and purchase extended security updates. They’d have to spend £38 per computer in the first year, £77 in the second year and £155 in the third year for extra security. For businesses with a significant number of computers running on Windows 7, this will eventually cost a lot. And hence, the better option will be simply switching to Windows 10.
How can you update to Windows 10?
Windows 7 users can download Windows 10 from Microsoft website or buy the same software from retailers like eBay, Amazon or Best Buy for £119.99 for a single license! You can install it by following the installation instructions provided by Microsoft. While it may not be a walk in the park, the process is not too hard either. Boot up your computer, follow the prompts that appear on-screen and you will be done in almost an hour depending on the model of your computer. Before you upgrade your system to Windows 10, don’t forget to back up your files and have at least 8GB of storage space available for the download. While £119.99 is the cost for downloading Windows 7 Home, Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Pro for Workstations is available for £219.99 and £339.00 respectively.
However, if you have a device that’s at least some eight years old, it might not be in your best interest to upgrade your Windows 7 PC to Windows 10 since your device might not be compatible with the latest Windows 10 and end up experiencing limitations or feature failures. In that case, the best way forward will be to buy a new PC, provided your pocket allows. You can explore our wide range of Windows 10 devices on our website.
While some users may still want to stick with Windows 7, Windows 10, undoubtedly will provide you with the latest features, better security and improved user experience.
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