Windows 7 End of Life. What are my Options?

The Western Weekender has asked me to do a selection of articles on topics relevant to their readers. Windows 7 is now End Of Life (EOL). What are your options?

When Windows 7 was released in October of 2009 to replace Windows Vista, it received an abundance of positive praise and became one of the most popular computer operating systems of all time. Sadly, the time of Windows 7 has come to an end. With Microsoft officially discontinuing support for it on January 14th 2020.  Microsoft will no longer be releasing security patches and updates for the operating system. As of March 2019 Windows 7 still currently holds 34% of desktop windows market share and many businesses, including yours, may be at risk when support discontinues.

The lack of security updates and support from Microsoft after the end of life will result in your computers being unprotected from the hundreds of thousands of new viruses and malware being developed every day, potentially increasing your vulnerability to hackers or data theft.

Computers will be more susceptible to ransomware, this is when a computer is locked, and money is demanded to regain access. But all of these problems can be avoided by migrating to a newer operating system.

Windows 7 End Of Life Options.

With Windows 7 End of Life coming quickly here are some options.

  • Continue using Windows 7 and accept the risk that you will be more vulnerable to security risks. Not really a recommended solution given the increase in hacking and fraud activity.
  • Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10. You need to purchase a copy of Windows 10 upgrade, backing up your existing data is always good practice. The installation itself is easy and leaves your data and programs intact.
  • If you are a business and have Office 365 – upgrade to Microsoft 365 which includes Windows 10 licences. Microsoft 365 is a new product for Office 365. It includes Windows 10, MS Office, Emails, Teams, Sharepoint, Office 365 security, and Mobile Device Management. It is a great solution.
  • Purchase a new PC or laptop. There are devices that meet almost all price points. Windows 10 is installed standard
  • Switch to Linux – an open source operating system which is updated regularly with security patches. (Eg Ubuntu). This is good for slower machines unable to be updated to Windows 10. There will be a learning curve so you should choose a well-supported distribution. I have used Ubuntu
  • If you are a business, you can pay Microsoft for extended support at around $200 a device a year for up to three years.

Helpful links

General Pricing Information

  • Windows 10 Home $200 inc 
  • Windows 10 Pro $300 inc
  • Microsoft 365 Business $27.50 per user per month inc

Other helpful Posts

Here at Nortec we understand the complexities surrounding migration to new operating systems and are here to help! Windows 7 End of Life will affect a great number of people and businesses. We can assist with a free audit to help you decide what is best for your situation. Is it upgrading existing PC’s, buying a new one, or moving to Microsoft 365.

For more information or advice contact me on the form below or contact me Phone Line :  (02) 9894 9514

[gravityform id=”1″ title=”true” description=”true”]

Tags

Comments are closed