Advice for continued use of Windows 7 after 2020

[faerystorm]

Hello,

I understand that this question has been posted on this forum several times, but usually the discussion is regarding about whether or not to switch to Windows 10. I am clear that I wish to use Windows 7 with certain risks involved, but I don't have another option. I have tried several Windows 10 laptops with different monitors, but I suffer from severe eyestrain and headaches. I have computer glasses etc. There is only one system that works for me: Thinkpad X220 (core i5, 12 gb ram, 512 gb ssd, Win 7 Pro x64) linked to a Dell S2419H monitor. I wish to continue using my system after 2020. So I need some advice on the steps I can take to keep using the system for another few years:

1. Antivirus: Any recommendations please?
2. I use Google Chrome as my main browser and I will keep this updated.
3. Any advice on how to deal with updates in the next coming months.
4. Will office 365 be still usable after 2020?
5. I am backing up my data everyday.

I primarily use my system for writing and data processing (over 70%), web browsing and watching videos (30%). I have a Macbook for security sensitive tasks.

So I would really appreciate your advice on what steps I can take or should take with the approaching end of support for windows 7. I would like to thank everyone for their understanding and help in advance.

 

[Megahertz07]

Welcome to the Forum.

1. Antivirus. I like and use Avira free
For the antispyware I use SUPERAntiSpyware.exe as it's not memory resident.
2. Don't like Chrome as it loads on startup, is memory resident and spy everything you do, online or offline. I use Firefox 64 That's up to you.
3. You should have a Win 7 SP1 PRo 64 installation disk so if your disk fails you can reinstall Win 7.
Win 7 SP1 PRo 64. The link is valid for 24 hours. Download it NOW.
Go to Lenovo site and download all drivers laptop thinkpad x220 - US
You can also create the recovery USB disk using the link on your laptop.
For the updates, you should keep a Win 7 SP1 offline update. My suggestion is to use Simplix UpdatePack7R2. Is a 700MB with all updates up to April 2019.
Also download Framework 4.8
4- Witch version of Office 365 you have (2013, 2016...?) As it's a subscription you should buy one that you can use for the laptop life time. Office 2019 doesn't run on Win 7.
5- I Backup my DATA once a week only. It's up to you.

 

[faerystorm]

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I will try Avira anti virus and yes I do have back up installation discs etc. Office 365 annual subscription installed Office 2016 on my laptop, I might find my Office 2016 standalone key I purchased a while ago, which might be better. Mostly I use Scivener now, so thats ok for me.

Thanks for the tips on the drivers which I had not considered. I have copied and saved my drivers from my existing system and have done a back up.

Do I have to turn any updates off in the next few months in case Microsoft upgrades it to Windows 10?
Thanks!!

 

[Megahertz07]

M$ is trying to kill Win 7, but it wont try to install Win 10 anymore.

There were many updates that had made many computers not work as it should, like meltdown.
If you have Simplix, that is trouble free, you don't need WU.
For about two years now my WU is set to Manual under services and Never check under WU page.
Now I only run WU manually (to check Office 2010 updates) and I install Security ONLY updates from MS catalog.
windows-7-sp1-update-history
MS releases SP2 for Windows 7

 

[johnhoh]

Just to point something out - it sounds like you are most concerned about keeping your existing hardware. Well it will run just fine on Win10. With a few tweaking programs you can make Win10 look and run just like Win7 and also control the updates with the same level of control. I have two identical hardware systems in my living room, one is Win7 and one is Win10. Other people can't tell the difference between them.

 

[Megahertz07]

Just to point something out - it sounds like you are most concerned about keeping your existing hardware. Well it will run just fine on Win10. With a few tweaking programs you can make Win10 look and run just like Win7 and also control the updates with the same level of control. I have two identical hardware systems in my living room, one is Win7 and one is Win10. Other people can't tell the difference between them.

John, I've seen this argument in another thread.
As most of us don't like Win 10 because of the different layout, spy, update control etc, why don't you create a new thread, like a tutorial, and explain what you did, providing all links to the software tweaks.

I do have Win 10 on another disk but prefer Win 7 as I know how to use it and I don't see anything that I would like to have that I only find on Win 10.

 

[johnhoh]

why don't you create a new thread, like a tutorial, and explain what you did, providing all links to the software tweaks.

If someone requests input on how to make Win10 operate virtually the same as Win7 I will probably respond, whether in this thread or on a new thread. But I don't feel inclined to initiate a thread tutorial on my own, as it would fall far short of Brink's Standard Of Excellence And Thoroughness when it comes to writing tutorials.

But fwiw, I rarely use the Win7 system anymore as this Win10 system (same hardware) is faster. Win10 is probably doing something with smart caching that Win7 doesn't. I made a post on tenforums trying to figure out why its faster but no one was able to say why. When I say its faster, I just mean it loads programs faster.

ClassicShell, Winaero Tweaker, and Sledgehammer (which controls windows update) contain 95% of the tweaks involved.

 

[Keithuk]

If someone requests input on how to make Win10 operate virtually the same as Win7 I will probably respond,

Interest in question.

When I had a problem with my MSN weather gadget no showing in another post.

Weather Gadget problem

I checked the properties in gadgets and it showed Microsoft v2.0. When I clicked on the link it said:

Support for Windows 7 is ending on January 14, 2020

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/13787/gadgets-have-been-discontinued

When I bought my new laptop in 2012 it had Window 8 installed. I tried everything for 6 months to see if all my apps work.

I use Visual Basic 6.0 which I've been programming with for years. When I tried to install it, it did work right. I had to search my VB forum for this problem. Which I found a solution.

I never liked Windows 8.

I bought a bigger new hard drive as it was sill under warranty. I installed Windows 7 32bit. All the software I uses works great.

Anyway when Microsoft were pushing everyone to change to Windows 10 update prompts. I was due for a rebuild so I thought I would give it a try.

It installed no problem. As before I tried all my apps to see if they still worked. All the VB apps did but there is 2 other apps I use ETKA and ElsaWin.

ElsaWin worked but it changed my language back to German to I had to change it to English.

ETKA wouldn't work as all. I checked the properties of the desktop short-cut and changed it to Windows 7 and it still wouldn't work. I found no solution with Google.

There wasn't much point in reverting back to Windows 7 as I was due for a rebuild.

I installed Classic Shell on Windows 8 and 10 as I'm old and I like things to look and operate as all Windows have done. I don't like all the pictures of apps to use as a picture can mean loads of different things.

 

[johnhoh]

Interest in question.

I took this as a prompt to make the win10 vs win7 post discussed earlier.

Making Win10 look and act like Win7

 

[johnhoh]

I’m sorry but I don’t see how this fits this thread about advice with continued use of Win 7 after 2020. The OP didn’t request advice on use of Win 10 disguised as Win 7 and made that clear with first sentence. “I understand that this question has been posted on this forum several times, but usually the discussion is regarding about whether or not to switch to Windows 10.” I for one would be interested in content of this thread as intended, as I’m also tied of hearing about Win 10. I apologize in advance for ruffling feathers but hate to see thread high jacked.

You do realize that the reason I posted a link to another thread was to avoid hijacking this thread, right?

 

[Struggling7]

You do realize that the reason I posted a link to another thread was to avoid hijacking this thread, right?

I guess I didn’t….. Sorry, I apologize again.