Windows 7 End of Life recommendations – What next!?

The day has arrived, and today Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7. Microsoft has already pushed a bunch of the latest updates, and they're still available. If you haven't done so far, you may want to update your Windows 7 one last time. In this article, we will talk about the end of Windows 7 support, followed by End-of-life recommendations for Windows 7 – if you choose to stay with Windows 7.

End of Windows 7 support

So what does the end of Windows 7 support mean? This means that Microsoft will not resolve any security issues even if they are reported openly. If you plan to use Windows 7 without the Internet, you can very well do so, but if not, be very careful. Unethical hackers and malware creators will be ready with their delivery package which can not only steal data from your computer, but also spread viruses over the network, lock files using Ransomware, etc. . The risks of staying with Windows 7 after end of life can be far too great to manage!

I'm sure Windows 7 does an amazing job for you, but the latest version of Windows 10 has changed a lot and offers more features and security. It no longer makes sense for Microsoft to maintain it.

End-of-life recommendations for Windows 7

Although Microsoft may release a security update for Windows 7 in the event of a major outbreak, do not believe in any hope. By the time the update is released, the system may already be compromised. So here are our opinions, if you plan to stay with Windows 7 for a while, consider the following:

1. Windows 7 Extended Security Updates
2. System image backup
3. Keep your files in the cloud
4. Microsoft Security Essentials
5. Lock Windows 7 computer

You can track all or part of them depending on the choice you make.

1) Subscribe to Windows 7 Extended Security Updates

Microsoft is offering a last chance to those serious about upgrading to Windows 10. Extended security updates are a subscription plan from Microsoft. In this document, you can pay per user and per computer each year for fixes for any new vulnerabilities found or reported. It is the best option for anyone who wants to continue using the Internet for their business and applications. Learn more to find out if your computer is eligible for security updates.

2) Create a system image of your Windows 7 PC

Once you've downloaded and applied the latest set of updates to your Windows 7 PC, create a system image of drive C. And if possible, also create a full sector-by-sector backup of your Windows 7 computer. this picture in the future to restore good condition, if the need arose.

3) Keep your files in the cloud

We recommend that you purchase a paid subscription plan and move all of your files to services such as OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Get into the habit of saving data to clients that you install on a Windows 7 PC or download them. He will make sure that your data is always safe. When I say files, it also includes photos, videos, etc.

4) Microsoft Security Essentials

Unlike Windows XP End of Life, Windows 7 users are lucky. Microsoft will support and deploy malware signature updates over the next three years. Most antivirus solutions are likely to stop working or cost. Make sure to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials if you haven't done so already.

5) Lock Windows 7 computer

Keep the computer disconnected from an existing network. If possible, create a separate WIFi SSID for Windows 7 and log in only through it. It will ensure that no malware spreads through it to another computer.

Apart from that, create a restore point every time you start the computer, remove admin rights from other users, looking at desktop virtualization, you can consider other temporary solutions . Our article on securing Windows 7 after support ended in January 2020 will certainly give you lots of advice on this.

If you're open to the idea of ​​upgrading from Windows 7, here's what you can do.

1. Windows 7 is ten years old software. It can neither provide the functionality that the current user base needs today, nor security against threats like Ransomware. So if you can, upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and chances are you can get it for free. If you have an authentic Windows 7 license, upgrade it to Windows 10 and it is likely that the free upgrade offer is still not closed.
2. You can also choose to upgrade to Linux or Mac if that's convenient for you. In the end, consider switching from Windows 7 to any modern operating system.
3. Windows 10 may not work properly on Windows 7 hardware if it is too old. You can think of getting a new Windows 10 PC, which comes preinstalled with Windows 10. This will save you money.
4. Use tools such as PCmover Express or PCtransfer to migrate your data to the new operating system.

All Windows 7 users may need to migrate to Windows 10, or whatever operating system is right for you. Our suggestion would be to immediately upgrade to Windows 10 – and if that is not possible, purchase the extended update subscription plan and quit Windows 7 as soon as possible.

Stay safe!