- Dec 28, 2019
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Just a friendly reminder that if you’re running on Windows 7 still, the time to upgrade is now.
Windows 7 will be end of life on January 14th and will no longer be receiving security updates from Microsoft.
What can I do?
There are a few options for what you can do.
Buy a new PC:
This would be the easiest option, but also the most expensive. Plus chances are if you have been happy with your Windows 7 hardware until now you want to continue using it. Luckily there are options…
Upgrade to Windows 10
This is the easiest path for most users. If your machine can run 7, it should cope fine with Windows 10. Most will see a performance boost though if you’re on particularly ancient hardware (Pentium 4 era or below) you may find this will slow you down.
If your PC is capable of running 10, the easiest way to upgrade to either click on one of the prompts that have been installed by recent Windows 7 updates, or to install Windows 10 fresh - you should be able to use your existing Windows 7 key to activate 10, though how long this will continue to work is known only to Microsoft at present
Upgrade to Linux
If you’ve been thinking of making the switch to Linux, now might be the perfect time. If you’re not too reliant on Windows only software it’s a viable option - there are many Linux distros that are easier than ever, and play nicely both on modern and older hardware such as Linux Mint. This option might be particularly suitable if you’re using an older netbook or otherwise mostly use your PC to browse the web, check email and do some light document editing. If you have relatives that you’re the go-to technical support for, installing Linux can minimise risks from malware and viruses.
Hope this guide has been helpful to someone
Windows 7 will be end of life on January 14th and will no longer be receiving security updates from Microsoft.
What can I do?
There are a few options for what you can do.
Buy a new PC:
This would be the easiest option, but also the most expensive. Plus chances are if you have been happy with your Windows 7 hardware until now you want to continue using it. Luckily there are options…
Upgrade to Windows 10
This is the easiest path for most users. If your machine can run 7, it should cope fine with Windows 10. Most will see a performance boost though if you’re on particularly ancient hardware (Pentium 4 era or below) you may find this will slow you down.
If your PC is capable of running 10, the easiest way to upgrade to either click on one of the prompts that have been installed by recent Windows 7 updates, or to install Windows 10 fresh - you should be able to use your existing Windows 7 key to activate 10, though how long this will continue to work is known only to Microsoft at present
Upgrade to Linux
If you’ve been thinking of making the switch to Linux, now might be the perfect time. If you’re not too reliant on Windows only software it’s a viable option - there are many Linux distros that are easier than ever, and play nicely both on modern and older hardware such as Linux Mint. This option might be particularly suitable if you’re using an older netbook or otherwise mostly use your PC to browse the web, check email and do some light document editing. If you have relatives that you’re the go-to technical support for, installing Linux can minimise risks from malware and viruses.
Hope this guide has been helpful to someone
