DrJBHL DrJBHL

RIP W7

▼

RIP W7

You can still update to W10 for free

https://www.howtogeek.com/469859/rip-windows-7-were-going-to-miss-you/
from WinCustomize Forums

W7 ran its course from 2009 to 2020.

MS has notified that there will be no more support for W7, meaning its kernel will become vulnerable to attack:

"Security updates are essential to staying safe online, and Windows 10 is getting them while Windows 7 isn’t. Many flaws found in Windows 10 will also apply to Windows 7. Attackers will hear about them and can start attacking those vulnerable Windows 7 systems. As more time goes by, more unpatched, known flaws will exist in Windows 7 for exploiting. Hardware manufacturers are also supporting Windows 10 instead of Windows 7. This will only get truer after the end-of-support date. Even software companies will one day stop releasing new versions of their web browsers and other software for Windows 7." - How to Geek

Needless to say, drivers compatible to W7 will also not be updated by the various hardware and software companies.

Many aren't updating because their machines might be old. This is another error. W10 will run faster than W7 if the W10 requirements are met, and which aren't so different than the demands of W7.

True, the huge updates are a minus, but, they go hand in hand with security updates as well. Also, the updates have been getting smaller, perhaps because they involve enabling features present in prior downloads which sit quietly on your system until enough testing (supposedly) allows MS to "unmask" them.

The security, or lack thereof in W7, is well explained here: https://www.neowin.net/news/gchq-its-time-to-ditch-windows-7-if-you-want-to-stay-safe-online. GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), is an intelligence and security organisation responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the government and armed forces of the United Kingdom.

There's still a way to update to W10 for free: https://www.howtogeek.com/266072/you-can-still-get-windows-10-for-free-with-a-windows-7-8-or-8.1-key/

All in all, W7 is now an OS with a major liability, and you should migrate.

 

gHacks has a good take on W7's end of life: https://www.ghacks.net/2020/01/14/windows-7-support-ends-today-here-are-your-options/?_m=3n%2e0038%2e2414%2ehj0ao01hy5%2e2iur

451,770 views 68 replies
Reply #51 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 49

More on the broken wallpaper function due to W7's last update:

https://www.ghacks.net/2020/01/26/that-windows-7-wallpaper-bug-we-introduced-buy-esu-to-get-it-fixed/

 
End of DrJBHL's quote

Would have been 'clever' if that final update for 7 made the OS unusable...and forced everyone to go to 10....

Of course....they would have got into a whole world of 'hurt' when half the planet wanted their balls...;p

Reply #52 from Stardock Forums Top

8.1 had much better performance for lower spec systems - maybe because it was doing much less or less security? But my little windows tablet (built for Win 7) ran beautifully on 8.1 - 10 killed it.

In saying that, windows 7, hell even 98 was doing everything I really needed on a PC. Using an old 98 install in VM or on the hardware which could last actually run it feels so zippy.

Wish I could time travel. 

Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #53 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The 'test' for when Windows 10 has matured enough to be considered a 'real OS' is when my 'second' [Terry's] computer can actually update itself without wetting its undies in a hissy-fit.

It's the second fastest/second most capable...and second most complicated...an up-time around 10 years or so....took an upgrade to 10 back when MS claimed it was an OS ready for release, but is now resisting all efforts to get it to do the things it's SUPPOSED to do - itself - like updates.

Doing command-line calls to stop and start services etc shouldn't be needed...and they're not...cos they don't effing change anything.

There's still a dozen or so failed updates...all with an error code which obviously translates as ...."fucked if I know - have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?".

Of course....there's bound to be an update that fixes the problem....but....

It's why I downloaded the media creation tool for the other machines...to bypass the same problem on the lappy... but Installing 10 [newer] over 10 [neanderthal] is bound to be hit-miss and I'll brick the entire animal.

And THAT will guarantee my main machine stays happily ticking over on 7 till I turn up my toes...;p

Reply #54 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Jafo, reply 53

The 'test' for when Windows 10 has matured enough to be considered a 'real OS' is when my 'second' [Terry's] computer can actually update itself without wetting its undies in a hissy-fit.
End of Jafo's quote

I've had the occasional update in 10 that failed, but for the most part it has been pretty good.  It wasn't always that way, though.  I recall one time back when 10 was fairly new, it downloaded about 500 gigs of updates and seemingly installed them without issue, but after the obligatory reboot I got a message stating that the update failed and any changes were being undone.  It happened twice, a terabit of download data wasted.

Things are better these days, but I'm still not sold on 10 being better than 7 or 8.1.  I'll have to see how well it performs on the Big Beastie MkII.... when I get it built, that is.  The motherboard arrived today but I was rather unwell and spent the whole day in bed; hence no progress regarding the build. 

It's now 1.06AM Wednesday and I've been up for about 20 minutes to get a drink, etc, but I still feel like crap so I'll return to bed and see how I feel in the morning. 

Reply #56 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I would say ten is better. Or at least better that eight. I think vista is better than eight.

edit I just found out that windows ten can't play DVD's for free.

Reply #57 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 55

MS issues a patch for wallpaper glitch:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-actually-windows-7-is-getting-a-new-update-to-fix-black-wallpaper-bug/
End of DrJBHL's quote

So much for the end of life/support, eh!  I wonder if this is the beginning of a reprieve, something like XP did for businesses?  Something a friend told me is that MS pulled thousands of Win 7 licences and that activating or reactivating Win 7 will be no more.  Not too sure if that is so, but I was gifted a Win 7 license that did activate okay but became invalid some months later.

I rang MS to get it sorted out but was told that it could not be reactivated and that I should purchase Win 10 if I wanted to continue computing.  It's a bit bloody rude if you ask me, but then look at how forceful MS was in the early days of 10... ruthless to say the least.

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 56

I would say ten is better. Or at least better that eight. I think vista is better than eight.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

Thing is, I quite liked Vista as well.  Many never liked it, but it was the OS we had to have in order to get to Win 7... and Win 8/8.1 is the OS we had to have to get to Win 10.  I'm still not convinced that 10 is the best OS ever, but it has improved over time and is at least usable now....

..... unless yer Jafo, that is. ;P  :grin:  :-"  

Reply #58 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well I have Win 10 running all 9 of the machines in the household..... 5 are mine, 2 are Shaunna's and 2 are Steve's.  It made no sense to hang onto Win 7 or 8/8.1 for any of us.....  with the lifespan of one ended and the other not far behind it, so I may as well bite the bullet and go with 10 and be done with it.  

I'm now left with 4 copies of XP Pro, 2 copies of Vista, 1 copy of 7 and 2 copies of Win 8/8.1.  I've been hanging onto some of them them for several years and not used them.  Hmmmm, what to do with them?  I may keep an XP Pro for older games since Win 7 got deactivated by MS, but the rest I see no use for.

Reply #59 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 56

I would say ten is better. Or at least better that eight. I think vista is better than eight.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

That's a little unfair. Under the hood 8 actually ran better than 7 and certainly better than Vista. The main issue was the UI, which Stardock products could help fix :)

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Reply #60 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting SchismNavigator, reply 59


Quoting admiralWillyWilber,
reply 56

I would say ten is better. Or at least better that eight. I think vista is better than eight.



That's a little unfair. Under the hood 8 actually ran better than 7 and certainly better than Vista. The main issue was the UI, which Stardock products could help fix :)

End of SchismNavigator's quote

Exactly!  Win 8/8.1 were great under the hood, but as you say, the UI was all wrong.  Thank goodness for Start8 and WB to give it a better look and practicality.

Reply #61 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I don't know I just tried playing a DVD movie off windows media player. That didn't work, so I tried downloading the free version of Real Player that didn't work. So microsoft is charging extra to play DVD movies. That is a huge minus for ten. Yes I think that 8 is one of the biggest mistakes microsoft made.  

Reply #62 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 61

I don't know I just tried playing a DVD movie off windows media player. That didn't work, so I tried downloading the free version of Real Player that didn't work. So microsoft is charging extra to play DVD movies. That is a huge minus for ten. Yes I think that 8 is one of the biggest mistakes microsoft made.  
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

Answered here https://forums.stardock.com/498621/page/1/#3770258

 

Reply #63 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting admiralWillyWilber, reply 61

Yes I think that 8 is one of the biggest mistakes microsoft made.
End of admiralWillyWilber's quote

Had there not been Win 8/8.1, there likely would not be a Win 10.... or if there was, it would far more raw and ill-equipped than it is.  Just like Vista!  Without it Win 7 would not have been as polished and ready to go out of the box.

Reply #64 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I'm sorry I figured it out right before I went to bed. Windows Media player played rose red, but it was to late for me to watch it.

Reply #65 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

In 2003 they were testing three operating systems. One was XP service pack two, one was Vista, the other was seven. They decided to go with service pack two instead of seven. Later when they decided to replace XP they liked Vista, because it did less than seven. They realised later that they should have went with seven instead of Vista. We could have went with a rawer less polished version of seven in 2003. Instead of having it in 2007. We would be having right now what we will have in 2024. 

Ok now I said what Microsoft admited to. What you are saying about we can't have seven without eight I also have to drive agree with. What happens under the hood part still is probably true. What I'm talking about is interface. Some of what is in ten is fixing crapping the desktop, not really improvements. They wasted time remaking the desktop. Time never spent if they would have never destroyed the desktop in the first place. If we did it my way windows ten would be about the same under the hood. Just without all these bugs windows keep coming out with, but the interface for the desktop would be light-years ahead right now, because I would never have to try to combine the tablet, smartphones, and the computer. 

Now as far as eight goes. In referencing to how technology works most inventions are based by what was solved when it's being used, not thought of. If they would not have tried to combine the computer and the smartphone with eight. Windows ten would be more desktop oriented right now than it is. Now even with the desktop being better than what it is now. There would still have been other bugs that would still have popped up. 

My point is I would disagree that we couldn't have ten without eight. It would be better right now if eight didn't try to destroy the desktop, and for a freebie we didn't have to have Vista to have seven. Seven could have came out in 2003 also 

 

Reply #66 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just wish we had 7 and that 8 and 10 had never existed. I have never wasted so much time fixing OS issues as I have with 10. It is a POS. :-(

Reply #67 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting LightStar, reply 66

I just wish we had 7 and that 8 and 10 had never existed. I have never wasted so much time fixing OS issues as I have with 10. It is a POS.
End of LightStar's quote
Very true from a skinners perspective, I guess, but remove skinning from the equation, most people find Windows 10 stable and user friendly. My-two-cents.

Reply #68 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting LightStar, reply 66

I just wish we had 7 and that 8 and 10 had never existed. I have never wasted so much time fixing OS issues as I have with 10. It is a POS. :(
End of LightStar's quote

Same here, grrrrh!  Yesterday I had a BSOD and time after time it came up after rebooting, no matter what I did to fix it.  I tried System Restore from several restore points and still the BSOD came up after rebooting, despite System Restore notifying me it had completed successfully each time.  I tried starting in Safe Mode several times to undo any recent changes but still the BSOD persisted.  I tried sfc /scannow and still no go.  I also tried an Acronis system image and that too failed to resolve the BSOD.  

It seemed like nothing was going to resolve the issue and in the end I was given no choice but to reformat and start from scratch.  Now I have to reload all my programs and skins, etc.  I've had BSODs on other versions of Windows in the past, but never did I have one that was irreparable like this one.