Windows 7 End of Support

[Brds7t7]

I pretty much spend most of my computer time on the Windows 7 drive, and only occasionally use the Win 10 because every time I think it's doing ok, it seems to screw something up.

I only run Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine, and it rarely gets booted up to be honest. I use it for around half an hour before it starts annoying the cr*p out of me!
I've got to know my way around it, but I'm still unimpressed!

 

[townsbg]

I only run Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine, and it rarely gets booted up to be honest. I use it for around half an hour before it starts annoying the cr*p out of me!
I've got to know my way around it, but I'm still unimpressed!

Same for me and I run it every day at work. I use it more than my own computer.

 

[FourPuzzles1987]

I plan to use it forever as well. As far as my lappy, I still have the XP recovery discs for it, made copies of those, I have an entire directory of drivers, all paperwork, etc.... This machine does all I need it to do. I even added the Bluetooth chip it was supposed to have I have it fined tuned, thanks to Brink (and others) exemplary care and tips over these years. But anyway I tried Windows 10 on this machine on an old drive being the MS fanboi I am I still tried to participate in learning the new OS. I installed it with the internet unplugged. Let's just say I am staying right here. With the spying and everything it is just a way the government weaponizes a corporation. When I tried to use certain .exe files Windows Defender ATE them. It was very slow. None of my emulators worked with it... I unplug my internet every few mins just in case something is going on there... I'm in it for the long haul I make constant backups so we good.

 

[OfficialAlexM]

I want to go back to Windows 7. But I'm afraid software/drivers might stop supporting it. I'm not worried about security since I have a MBAM premium license and know how to protect myself, and I don't go to shady sites.


Should I remain in W10 or switch back to 7? And if I should switch back to 7, what should I know?


Win 10 is giving me headaches with a 144hz/60hz dual monitor setup (because it forces vsync on everything and locks my main monitor to 60hz when anything that requires GPU acceleration goes on on my secondary monitor). I heard it's not an issue on 7.

 

[SandraChung]

I'm running a dual boot machine. Win 7 64bit Ultimate, and Win 10 Pro. I have customized Win 10 desktop to get rid of that annoying tile set up. So, it's not the UI that makes me use my Win 7 boot drive more often.

When Win 10 runs right, it's ok. But when it screws up, it does so with devestating results, and if I didn't have data recovery software, I would have lost the data on two 3tb external HDDs. 10 kept offloading my 5 drive bay, without properly ejecting the bay, causing 2 partitions to be blown. I now keep my external drive bay 'off' unless I need something on it when using Win 10, or just boot into Win 7 (which doesn't have any issues with keeping the drives at the ready)

And then there was Win 10's inability to install updates. Then task manager stopped working. I got in touch the MS Assure, and whatever she did, she totally bollixed up the Win 10 installation. After messing everything up, her solution was to 'refresh' windows. Even THAT didn't work. Lucky for me, I had made a clone of the installation when everything was working, and just swapped the drives out.

As for Office 2010 on Windows 7, it's not as if my version will suddenly stop working. Just no more updates. That's fine with me, as I use it only for myself. I don't want to 'rent' Office 365, when I own a copy of Office 2010 and 2016 Pro.

I also have 'legacy' software that I can't install on Windows 10 because the company that made the software no longer uses the same authentication service. And then there's hardware that Win 10 just refuses to recognize that Windows 7 works with flawlessly.

I also still use Windows Media Center, as I use my computer to watch TV. Prefer that than using 3rd party software.

 

[enderpman]

There could be a registry hack to continue receiving updates due to Windows POSReady 7's later EOS date, similar to the registry hack for Windows XP and Windows POSReady 2009.

 

[SandraChung]

I ended up taking out the Windows 10 HDD and replacing it with the back up, because the tech support person bollixed everything up trying to 'fix' Task Manager not working. After that, all updates installed without a problem, but I still don't trust Windows 10 to NOT screw up my external data drives.

I know some say just run Win 10 as a VM, but when you're running 64bit software, that isn't an option.

I'm not really worried about MS ending support for Windows 7. As for security, there's reliable software that prevents all the big bad bogey men that MS tries to scare people into thinking will wreck their Win 7 installation/systems.

As for the possible registry hack, if it shows up, fine. But again, if not, not worried.

 

[enderpman]

POSReady 2009 updates ported to Windows XP SP3 ENU - Windows XP - MSFN it's a simple .reg file. As soon as we can figure out the POSReady 7 equivalent, Windows 7 support can be artificially extended to October 12, 2021, Windows POSReady 7's EOL. Sure, it's only 2 years, but that's still a substantial amount of time. Something to consider.

 

[HAVOC]

Windows 7 support ending

I know that you know about this but I received an email today and thought I'd share.
I'll probably be using 7 for sometime to come but I am going to dual boot with ten after I buy needed SATA cables.

 

[blue skies]

I bought a new computer and installed Linux Mint 19.1 on it. I really like it! I tried a bunch of distros on live USBs and virtual machines, and that was the one that seemed to work best for me.

I loved using Windows 7 on my main PCs all these years. There are a couple things Linux Mint lacks that Windows 7 has - like the taskbar jump lists. I used jump lists all the time, and really miss that feature in Linux. Other than that, it has been a very smooth and painless transition.

At this point I'm planning to keep Win 7 on my laptop to use offline, after I get everything transferred and set up.

 

[RoWin7]

Aha, someone who knows what a jump list is. What is it?

 

[blue skies]

Aha, someone who knows what a jump list is. What is it?

Jump Lists are lists of recently viewed/opened files that you can see/access when you right click programs that are pinned to the taskbar in Windows 7. You can also pin specific files to the jump lists.

So, for example, I have notepad pinned to the taskbar and have a bunch of text files that I often access pinned to the notepad jump list. Also, whatever I've opened most recently will be listed there as well... which is great because I tend to save and close a note an then almost immediately think of something else I want to add to it. Other Jump Lists I use very frequently are for Windows Explorer, SumatraPDF, and my media players.

Linux Mint is adding the ability to "pin" files and folders in the soon to be released version 19.2... but the pinned files and folders won't be connected to individual program icons in the taskbar like they are in Windows 7, but instead added to the main menu, I believe.

 

[RoWin7]

I did away with things pinned to the taskbar to make maximum space, but I have (Recent) Documents in my StartMenu with the last 25 files I've opened recently. I can increase that number in Classic Shell. As usual, there are several ways to do anything in Win 7

 

[gui1988]

I use Win 7 and Office 2016 and even in 2020 i will not stop using. I really don´t like Win 10.

 

[SandraChung]

I did away with things pinned to the taskbar to make maximum space, but I have (Recent) Documents in my StartMenu with the last 25 files I've opened recently. I can increase that number in Classic Shell. As usual, there are several ways to do anything in Win 7

I use StartMenuX Pro. On Windows 7 and on Windows 10. It keeps a list of recent documents/files accessed, has user configurable Virtual Groups (example all Photo Editing programs under "Graphics" group, Video and music related things under "Audo/Video".

Also, one thing that doesn't get mentioned or I just haven't seen it anywhere in this thread; but does anyone here actually rely on only Microsoft to keep their OS secure? I use BitDefender on Windows 7 drive, and MalwareBytes Premium on the Windows 10 drive.

I make regular clones of each of the drives. I use Mailwasher Pro, always scan any and all files/attachments on emails, and if they're from people I don't know, I don't even do that, I just delete them.

 

[Brds7t7]

I've never relied on MS products for security. A lot of users used to recommend installing Microsoft Security Essentials. I tried it briefly, but just didn't like it. And it's detection rates always seemed to come out pretty low compared to a lot of other free AV software, so I never really understood why so many people recommended it? But, that's just my personal preference.

I do use a few layers of protection, but none of it provided by MS. Right now I'm using Avast free along with Malwarebytes free. Avast has active protection, whereas MB is just an on demand scanner. I scan every file i download with both. Been thinking about switching from Avast lately though, as it's become a little too bloated, even with most of the components not installed.

I've never had a single virus (as far as I'm aware anyway) *touches wood*.

One of first things I do on a fresh 7 install is disable Windows defender.
I can't comment on the 10 built in protection though, as I only use it in a VM.

I just use a lot of common sense online. I use an adblocker and privacy extension in my browser. I never open any attachments in emails from anyone. If somebody I know sends me an attachment (which is very rare), then I message them first to check to see if they've sent it.

I use an older version of CryptoPrevent which sets up around 5000 group policies on my PC to stop ransomware and other Malware from running in the first place.

Plus, I'm completely OCD when it comes to Backups! I have 3 lots of backups for all 4 drives in my main system. 2 stored locally, and one stored in a safe place. All strongly encrypted. I don't use any online cloud backup services. I'm sure there's some good ones, but I'd rather keep my own backups stored, and not rely on services.

With ransomware on the increase every year - I'm not taking any chances!

 

[jjr]

That's a shame, Win 7 I love and does not have all the bloatware like 10. I had 10 for a few weeks last year and I hated it. Why cant they leave well enough alone for us old folks.

Then on to Office in the past you purchased it and owned it, now I believe you can only rent it on a $$ year to year basis...

Again for being a older person the only and I mean only part of any of my past Office programs that I use is Word. Will MS ever offer that separately ?

I saw a somewhere that was saying will Win7 if phasing ou,t time to buy a new PC with Win 10 installed? I believe it was from MS .

Just a vent and my 2 cents

I'm pretty surprised the W7 die hards are not all over this!!!

W10 FTW

 

[z3r010]

Then on to Office in the past you purchased it and owned it, now I believe you can only rent it on a $$ year to year basis...

No, not true at all, they still offer a version of office you can buy as well as a subscription version.

 

[jjr]

Why should I buy again as I already own a working earlier version?

 

[z3r010]

I didn't say you should.