Jan. 13 marks the end of mainstream support for Windows 7

[A Guy]

It might be difficult to believe, but on Jan. 13 we begin the final countdown for Windows 7.

On that date, one of Microsoft’s best and most successful versions of Windows hits its official “end of mainstream support.” Here’s what that means for all Win7 users.

Source

A Guy

 

[Anthony07]

Thanks for the post i think microsoft is really going down hill. I mean how long was xp out before they stopped supporting it. It even outlasted vista but not they are already dropping 7 i think its getting to be a big money scandal

 

[newpgm]

Here's to hoping they extend Extended support beyond 2020 - similar to the extendeded life cycle of XP. I plan on running Win 7 as long as possible. My favorite OS so far

 

[Alejandro85]

Irrelevant for the user. Windows 7 (and actually any software) will live for as long as people use it. The fact that MS wants to kill it to buy newer versions is irrelevant for the use of the already deployed OS.

 

[fireberd]

Here is the info from the latest Windows Secrets newsletter. Obviously Win 7 is not dead, just that mainstream support ends.

It might be difficult to believe, but on Jan. 13 we begin the final countdown for Windows 7.
On that date, one of Microsoft's best and most successful versions of Windows hits its official "end of mainstream support." Here's what that means for all Win7 users.
Windows 7 enters its extended-support phase
Most major Microsoft products have a formal life cycle that includes two key end-of-life dates. For Windows, those dates are listed on Microsoft's "Windows lifecycle fact sheet" webpage. The first date — End of mainstream support — effectively means that Microsoft will no longer offer free updates to the operating system.
Once mainstream support ends for a specific version of Windows, it then enters its Extended support phase, during which Microsoft offers only essential fixes and security updates. (Companies can also pay for specific nonsecurity updates.) When an OS reaches its End of extended support milestone, all official support ends. Windows XP, as many Windows Secrets readers know, passed its "End of extended support" date on April 8, 2014. It has not had official updates of any kind since. (For more specifics on MS product life cycles, see the online "Microsoft support lifecycle policy FAQ.")
As noted in the "Windows lifecycle fact sheet," Jan. 13 marks the end of mainstream support for all versions of Windows 7 SP1. What does that mean for the millions of us doing our daily computing on Win7 systems? Very soon, our operating systems will be essentially frozen — we'll no longer receive any enhancements or nonessential fixes. We will, however, receive monthly security updates until Jan. 14, 2020, Win7's official "End of extended support" date (at which point, Microsoft will want us on Windows 13 — or whatever it's then called).
Just as with XP this past April, Win7 systems should no longer receive updates of any kind after January 2020. And just as XP is now, Windows 7 will then become extremely vulnerable to new malware and exploits. Win7 will continue to work well after 2020 (there's no deadline for your Win7 license), but I wouldn't use it to go online. (I hope all XP users have heeded my advice and are now using some other device for their Internet activities.)
Bottom line: Windows 7 is far from dead, but it is entering its final phase of official life. It's time to plan for that change.

 

[A Guy]

Here is the info from the latest Windows Secrets newsletter. Obviously Win 7 is not dead, just that mainstream support ends.

That's the article I linked to in my post

A Guy

 

[Stephanie]

I think I will be using Win 7 for as long as I can .. thank you Bill .. and happy new year honey

 

[Arc]

Long live windows 7, the best OS ever.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

Some of you long time users really SHOULD have a look at W10 -- it unlike W8/8.1 will be almost identical to W7 in use for desktop users, has some very decent features not available in W7 and will run in general a lot faster and with a lot more security even on older hardware.

I could see a reason for people NOT wanting W8 but I can't really see ANY reason whatsoever to avoid the upgrade to W10 as and when it appears in due course -- always assuming that the price is right.

I challenge a lot of W7 users to tell me what they CAN'T do in W10 that they CAN do in W7 (apart possibly from some really old legacy programs).

Even on the previews I haven't found stuff that won't work on W10 that works on W7 -- Even things like SAPGUI which isn't officially supported even on Windows 8 works fine on W10 preview.

I'm not saying W7 is rubbish --far from it - probably one of the best OS's ever to be developed for mass use - but it's time to move on - especially with newer hardware.

The only previso is cost of course -- and also always remember that you can continue to run the OS as a VM for as long as you want irrespective of support dates.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[ThrashZone]

10 up until now is not a viable upgrade it's more an annoyance than an upgrade,
Look forward to 1/21/15 for the new version but I'm not too optimistic any real changes will be made

The only os 10 will replace is 8... and that's no prize or accomplishment

 

[A Guy]

I think I will be using Win 7 for as long as I can .. thank you Bill .. and happy new year honey

Happy New Year to you too Luv

Long live windows 7, the best OS ever.

Agreed

A Guy

 

[andrew129260]

Ya I was really exited about windows 10, now I am thinking about moving to Linux once Windows 7 support date is fully finished.

Distros I am considering are Zorin and mint

 

[ThrashZone]

I look forward to the day I can stop review optional updates

The only real support for win-7 comes from this site and not from Microsoft

 

[groze]

Long live windows 7, the best OS ever.

Agreed

A Guy

Me too.


Microsoft will still release some nonessential fixes. Also, you might be able to get some through windows catalog instead of windows update. 01/13/2015 is update Tuesday (I think). I wonder if they will include nonessential fixes this time.

 

[Computer0304]

I have one question related to this: Does the links for the Windows 7 Media ISOs in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html still work? If I ever need to reinstall Windows 7 on a machine, I would need it.

 

[gulls777]

This OS seriously deserves an SP2 treatment.

 

[jimbo45]

Ya I was really exited about windows 10, now I am thinking about moving to Linux once Windows 7 support date is fully finished.

Distros I am considering are Zorin and mint

Hi there.

While not getting into a mega discussion over Linux I will say this one thing about it : I really think though you should look at CENTOS as it's the FREE ENTERPRISE desktop version of RED HAT ENTERPRISE so built in robustness and stability is ensured. Red Hat runs about 85% of the worlds servers and it's totally 100% committed to CENTOS of which Rel 7 has support until 2024 (called Long term support releases). It runs VMware just fine - I'm running a load of Windows VM's on it and it NEVER (in my experience) ever crashes. You will need to add NTFS support (install package ntfs-3g) and multi-media (VLC etc) but other than that it runs straight out of the box. Install whatever desktop you like --for me I like the KDE PLASMA but there are many GUI's available (or even none if you just want a headless server).

Windows 7 as a VM runs just fine on it - I'm currently using VMware workstation 10.0.4.

I've also got a Windows surface Pro 3 - I love these convertibles which I'm also running Centos 7 on. Touch on the VM works fine (Running W8.1 as a VM on it as well as W7).

Great thing also with VMware on Linux is you can run in UNITY mode - this means things like OFFICE can run from your desktop without you having to switch back into the VM.

My whole feeling is that W7 should have had an SP2 and W10 should have been the next OS - W8/8.1 is a one way trip to nowhere.

W10 though if you give it a chance is very good and I still can't see why a lot of W7 users are so anti it. W10 is NOT W8 - and has some very nice new USEFUL features that I've mentioned before in this thread.

Here's 3 Windows VM's running quite successfully on Host CENTOS laptop network displayed from File explorer in Windows 8.1 on Centos (Linux) desktop in unity mode. A decent laptop can run THREE windows VM's quite successfully on a Centos HOST - the HOST kernel is much smaller and efficient than windows so less overhead running the VM's. !!!!

(VMware workstation 10.0.4)

Cheers
jimbo

 

[RoasterMen]

Hi there

Some of you long time users really SHOULD have a look at W10 -- it unlike W8/8.1 will be almost identical to W7 in use for desktop users, has some very decent features not available in W7 and will run in general a lot faster and with a lot more security even on older hardware.

I could see a reason for people NOT wanting W8 but I can't really see ANY reason whatsoever to avoid the upgrade to W10 as and when it appears in due course -- always assuming that the price is right.

I challenge a lot of W7 users to tell me what they CAN'T do in W10 that they CAN do in W7 (apart possibly from some really old legacy programs).

Even on the previews I haven't found stuff that won't work on W10 that works on W7 -- Even things like SAPGUI which isn't officially supported even on Windows 8 works fine on W10 preview.

I'm not saying W7 is rubbish --far from it - probably one of the best OS's ever to be developed for mass use - but it's time to move on - especially with newer hardware.

The only previso is cost of course -- and also always remember that you can continue to run the OS as a VM for as long as you want irrespective of support dates.

Cheers
jimbo

I'll give Windows 10 a shot again when it's fully released for the consumers

 

[andrew129260]

Same here. Thanks jimbo though. I am not saying windows 10 sucks, I am just thinking that it is not worth paying for windows anymore imho. I am not interested in the direction it is heading in. Although I might get it for free so we shall see due to my windows 8 license. Anyways, I am mostly considering Linux for the security benefits. And speed. Good lord its fast. (I don't have an ssd-yet)

 

[Arc]

I challenge a lot of W7 users to tell me what they CAN'T do in W10 that they CAN do in W7 (apart possibly from some really old legacy programs).



Cheers
jimbo

Well, I cannot set my icon size between large and extra large in W10, which I can do in W7.

​

As an example.