Like tears in the rain Windows 7 saw a lot of action this past decade, but the time has come for it to move aside and be replaced with the new and improved Windows 10.
On January 14th 2020 Microsoft will remove Windows 7 from support and it will no longer receive critical updates. The primary reason is that Microsoft have shifted to improvements for Windows 10, which is faster, more secure, and becoming more cross compatible as updates are rolled out.
Security
As an operating system gets older it presents more security threats as people have gotten to know the ins and outs of its features. And with its abandonment these security threats will no longer be checked or patched by Microsoft. This includes all versions of Windows 7 (Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate).
Compatibility
Drivers will no longer support Windows 7 builds and hardware may not be recognised. If you’re looking to put the latest GPU into your Windows 7 machine in the near future you may find that the driver version is out of date and much of the software you’re running cannot recognise the card. For example: Redshift requires the latest Nvidia drivers in order to render.
Unfortunately, if you haven’t upgraded to Windows 10 by now then you’ll need to pay for a license as the free upgrade ended in 2016.
Microsoft are, however, offering paid for extended support for an as yet undisclosed amount.
You can still use Windows 7, but you will soon see yourself being left behind by application and hardware developers, leaving yourself exposed to attacks by hackers and viruses. Escape Technology recommends upgrading to the latest OS before the 2020 deadline in order to allow plenty of time for fixes and checks. You can contact our team via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.