What Does This Mean?

Windows 7 was launched on 22nd July 2009, that makes it well over 10 years old which, as we all know, in I.T. terms makes it pretty long in the tooth. During that time Microsoft have released updates, security patches and bug fixes every month.
We won’t get into the rights and wrongs of it but, since 14th Jan this year, Microsoft have said they will no longer release these updates.
This doesn’t mean Windows 7 will suddenly stop working, but it does mean that any computers running Windows 7 will be at more risk of hijack or virus infection.
You will also find that hardware and software manufacturers eventually stop supporting Windows 7 too, although this is unlikely to happen in the near future.

What are my options?

• If you have a relatively new computer you can probably just upgrade Windows to version 10
• If your computer is more than 3 years old or low grade hardware you could upgrade some parts such as memory and/or disk storage to give it a new lease of life then upgrade Windows.
• If your computer is more than 5 or 6 years old and/or very low spec hardware it is probably time to think about replacing your computer.

What should I consider when choosing the best option for me?

• Will all my software run on Windows 10
  If you run older software it may not run well on Windows 10; we can often get older software running but it won’t be supported by the manufacturer
• Is my current computer hardware supported by Windows 10
  Although Windows 10 supports most recent hardware out of the box, if you have any old or unusual hardware or devices it could be tricky to get it working properly on Windows 10.
• How will I back everything up before upgrading
  Before making a major change to your computer you should always back it up. Although it doesn’t happen often there can be problems with the upgrade process that can put your data and system at risk.
• What are the risks of not upgrading
  As previously mentioned, your computer will be more at risk of hijack and infection from malware particularly new variants that exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities in Windows 7.
• Do I have enough disk space to upgrade
  Microsoft suggest that you have at least 16GB – 20GB of free space on your computer but we have seen the upgrade fail with this amount of free space.
• Would I rather invest the cost of the upgrade in a new computer
  You may already have been considering replacing your current computer and the ‘love – hate’ relationship you have with it. A couple of benefits to this option are that you will get current hardware designed for Windows 10 and a three year manufacturer’s warranty.

Still got questions?

Call, email or pop in for a chat about upgrading or replacing your current computer/s.
We sell new laptops and desktops as well as all other IT equipment