{"id":179394,"date":"2018-08-17T14:19:14","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T19:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ntegrait.com\/what-the-sunset-of-windows-7-means-to-its-users\/"},"modified":"2018-08-17T14:19:14","modified_gmt":"2018-08-17T19:19:14","slug":"what-the-sunset-of-windows-7-means-to-its-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ntegrait.com\/what-the-sunset-of-windows-7-means-to-its-users\/","title":{"rendered":"What The Sunset Of Windows 7 Means To Its Users"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BnSU5bZAKx4&#038;w=560&#038;h=349]<\/p>\n<p>Windows 7 is being \u201cput out to pasture\u201d by Microsoft at the beginning of 2020.\u00a0 Not all Windows 7 users are aware of precisely what this means and how it can affect their day-to-day business.\u00a0 Because of impending issues, such as steadily degrading usability and increasing security vulnerabilities, Windows 7 users need to know what to expect and what their options are.<\/p>\n<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BnSU5bZAKx4]<\/p>\n<h2>Quick Background On Windows 7<\/h2>\n<p>Windows 7 was released in October of 2009.\u00a0 Its purpose was to serve as an incremental upgrade to the not-so-well-received Windows Vista operating system. Windows 7 included some much-needed improvements to Windows Aero, the new user interface that Microsoft introduced with Vista, and with improved performance.\u00a0 Users responded far more positively to Windows 7 than they did Vista, primarily because it addressed so many of Vista\u2019s deficiencies.\u00a0 The Windows 7 Service Pack 1 came out in 2011, and a platform update was released a few years later in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>By 2014, however, Microsoft began preparations for the retirement of Windows 7 as they began stopping its retail sales.\u00a0 Next, mainstream support for the operating system came to a halt.\u00a0 In 2016, PCs were no longer shipped with Windows 7 pre-installed.\u00a0 Microsoft then announced that on January 14, 2020, extended support for Windows 7 would end.\u00a0 That was the official sunset announcement.<\/p>\n<h2>What Sunset Means<\/h2>\n<p>Sunset begins with Microsoft no longer offering extended support for Windows 7.\u00a0 It also means no more security updates, bug fixes, or service packs.\u00a0 That, in turn, means the usability, security, and performance of Windows 7 will begin to degrade with time. \u00a0On the surface, applications and the operating system will generally perform all right, but there will always be exceptions.\u00a0 Over time, however, there will be a definite trend toward more issues, steadily poorer performance, and serious security vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Why This Important to Windows 7 Users<br \/>\nHere is what a Windows 7 user can expect to see after sunset begins:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Software, utilities, and features may become incompatible<\/li>\n<li>Applications no longer receive updates that apply to Windows 7<\/li>\n<li>New devices (<em>g.<\/em>, printers or webcams) may not be able to connect with Windows 7<\/li>\n<li>Antivirus will not be updated, and third-party virus protection software will eventually stop supporting Windows 7<\/li>\n<li>Software bug fixes are no longer patched, leaving the system open to exploitation<\/li>\n<li>Online banking transaction systems may expire if their authentication and encryption methods cannot be supported by Windows 7<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also, incompatibility can quickly become a problem for companies whose customers or partners need them to use or interface with software that simply will not run correctly on Windows 7.\u00a0 Running a sunset operating system can also cause problems when attempts are made to add devices or install new software.<\/p>\n<p>The most serious issues with sunsetting are those involving security.\u00a0 Hackers will know that Windows 7 has become vulnerable and will seek out ways to exploit those weaknesses.\u00a0 This leaves a system susceptible to malware, ransomware, and viruses. \u00a0The probability of suffering from an attack that renders your computers unusable will continue to increase with time.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21671\" src=\"https:\/\/ntegrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/ThinkstockPhotos-654499764.jpg\" alt=\"Windows 7 Sunset\" width=\"524\" height=\"328\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Options Available to Windows 7 Users<\/h2>\n<p>If you are running Windows 7, then now is the time to start migrating to a new operating system.\u00a0 The most straightforward upgrade path would be Windows 10, which still has some of the look and feel of Windows 7 with a plethora of new features and even better usability.<\/p>\n<p>The other option for most businesses is switching to Mac OS.\u00a0 This means an entirely new work environment for traditional Microsoft users. This option can involve a steep learning curve.\u00a0 While some Microsoft packages, such as Office, are available for Mac OS, they work a bit differently and it will take some time for new users to become proficient. Macs can also be more expensive than a Windows-based computer system, but have a reputation for being more reliable.<\/p>\n<p>Unless a business is heavily involved in video production or graphic design, Windows 10 is probably the best option.<\/p>\n<h2>Getting Ready to Migrate<\/h2>\n<p>Before migrating, perform an inventory of software and group each application into one of three groups: unwanted, optional, or required.\u00a0 Some software may require an upgrade to run on a newer operating system.\u00a0 Next, prepare a similar inventory of hardware.\u00a0 As with the software, some hardware may need to be updated or replaced to remain compatible with the new operating system. Also, check the requirements of the replacement operating system, paying special attention to available hard drive space, physical memory, and processor or CPU needs.<\/p>\n<p>Please note that if a machine is already getting a bit outdated (<em>e.g.<\/em>, 7 or more years old), it might make sense to purchase a new machine with Windows 10 pre-installed. The Trump tariffs will cause an increase in the price of computers, scanners, printers, servers and even their components. So now is definitely the best time to buy!<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>With the sunset of Windows 7 impending, now is the time to start the process of migrating to a new operating system, whether it be Windows 10 or Mac OS.\u00a0 Failure to upgrade will not only lead to issues with compatibility and performance, but will involve serious security risks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BnSU5bZAKx4&#038;w=560&#038;h=349] Windows 7 is being \u201cput out to pasture\u201d by Microsoft at the beginning of 2020.\u00a0 Not all Windows 7 users are aware of precisely what this means and how it can affect their day-to-day business.\u00a0 Because of impending issues, such as steadily degrading usability and increasing security vulnerabilities, Windows 7 users need to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":158871,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[65],"class_list":["post-179394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-mediabytes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - 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