Windows 7 End of Support

[Tharthan]

Sorry! We Linuxers sometimes forget that people who have never and others "distros" (more lingo, it just means a particular Linux OS)

I believe that "distro" is a form of the word "distribution" in GNU/Linux user jargon.

 

[White]

We must be taking full advantage of updates even if they are annoying but they are safe for the system

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

We must be taking full advantage of updates even if they are annoying but they are safe for the system

Like heck they are safe for the system! I got tired of updates breaking or crippling my computers and using updates to put nagware, etc. on my computer trying to get me to downgrade to Win 10 so I stopped updating altogether almost two years ago.

 

[michael diemer]

I stopped about 6 months ago. Just not worth the drama. Got better things to do with my time. Which, other than my music computer computer, I do on Linux. (I have to use Windows for music creation due to third party programs not being designed for Linux. But I will be staying with Windows 7 from here on out).

 

[ranett]

We must be taking full advantage of updates even if they are annoying but they are safe for the system

Backup image is much easier these days.

 

[RoWin7]

Ditto. I stopped my Win 7 updates because for the past 1.5 years they won't install anyway.

 

[Melchior]

Ditto. I stopped my Win 7 updates because for the past 1.5 years they won't install anyway.

Strange... I have not had any issues installing my Windows 7 updates...
I just installed yesterday the September updates...

 

[RoWin7]

Like heck they are safe for the system! I got tired of updates breaking or crippling my computers and using updates to put nagware, etc. on my computer trying to get me to downgrade to Win 10 so I stopped updating altogether almost two years ago.

Have you seen the tutorial here about the next set of nagware for 7 EOL? Easy to stop.
Disable Support nag

Surprise: I was following a thread elsewhere about fixing something in 7, and it linked to MS.com. But a nag for 10 had replaced the original tshoot text.

 

[RoWin7]

Strange... I have not had any issues installing my Windows 7 updates...
I just installed yesterday the September updates...

Not so strange in my computer. I used to think the sky was falling, but after checking some groups online, including this one, I stopped caring.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Backup image is much easier these days.

Not to mention safer and more effective.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Strange... I have not had any issues installing my Windows 7 updates...
I just installed yesterday the September updates...

I'm glad you're able to install them alright. I've had the opposite experience.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Have you seen the tutorial here about the next set of nagware for 7 EOL? Easy to stop.
Disable Support nag

Surprise: I was following a thread elsewhere about fixing something in 7, and it linked to MS.com. But a nag for 10 had replaced the original tshoot text.

Frankly, it's just easier and more effective to blow off the updates.

 

[michael diemer]

Note to anyone thinking of installing Linux: we recently got a new HP laptop 360. The WIFI does not work on it. Supposedly there is a fix, which, which I will try when my USB ethernet adapter arrives, and I can be online during the install (so far I have only tried it as a live version). I have tried several Linux distributions, and all had no wireless. So, best to avoid HP laptops if you plan to install Linux. Newer ones at any rate; old ones probably work fine. It is worth your while to research thoroughly what new machines work well with Linux. I don't want to discourage anyone; most brands probably are fine. but some may have problems, so do your homework!

 

[blue skies]

Note to anyone thinking of installing Linux: we recently got a new HP laptop 360. The WIFI does not work on it. Supposedly there is a fix, which, which I will try when my USB ethernet adapter arrives, and I can be online during the install (so far I have only tried it as a live version). I have tried several Linux distributions, and all had no wireless. So, best to avoid HP laptops if you plan to install Linux. Newer ones at any rate; old ones probably work fine. It is worth your while to research thoroughly what new machines work well with Linux. I don't want to discourage anyone; most brands probably are fine. but some may have problems, so do your homework!

I bought a new mini PC a few months ago and the Wifi didn't work at first (began with Linux Mint - 19.1 at first, and now using Linux Mint 19.2). The wireless card is: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet

I ended up removing some things from Startup, and between that and waiting about 5-10 extra seconds before putting in my password to decrypt the drive and then also when logging in... the network card started connecting. I'm not sure exactly what's going on with that. (I only did all that on a hunch that it somehow was too busy with other processes at startup and wasn't getting around to starting up the wireless card.)

I originally was afraid it was never going to connect. I restarted it many times and the wifi was not working at all and just said the cable was unplugged.

The even weirder thing is that the problem reoccurs every time I upgrade to a new kernel - after which, for the first startup, even with the same accommodations above, the wifi still fails to start up that first time.

I have to shut it down and then turn it on and take my time logging in my passwords... after which it always connects, and continues to always connect after that very reliably. In fact it's even more reliable than my wifi on my Windows 7 laptop which has to be reset all the time. After I get it to connect that first time after a new install or new kernel, the Linux Mint wifi is incredibly solid and also a lot faster than my Windows 7 laptop.

Here are some suggestions that somebody recommended - I only did the first one, but perhaps you might find it helpful: Easy Linux Tips Project: How to solve internet connection problems

I hope you get your wifi to work. That was the only issue I've had in switching to Linux Mint, which has been incredibly stable, reliable, and easy to use. I hate having to use my Windows 7 laptop at this point.

 

[RoWin7]

I just picked this up at another thread0Patch to support Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 with security patches after official support end - gHacks Tech NewsHowever, will these be more reliable than previous Win7 updates (although not as flaky as Win 10's?)

 

[spc3rd]

I just picked this up at another thread, and we've all been rescued:
0Patch to support Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 with security patches after official support end - gHacks Tech News

However, will these be more reliable than previous Win7 updates (although not as flaky as Win 10's?)

An interesting article, RoWin7 - thanks for providing a link to it!

From what I read there and also in reviewing their FAQ's, it seems a home user with a single computer running Win 7 (like me), has to acquire a PRO license (at an annual subscription rate of $25.95??), in order to receive 0Patch's security updates.
(Apparently, the FREE version they offer would not be adequate).

One of the FAQ's states they plan to provide patches for at least one year after M$ Win 7 updates end in January 2020. So, I guess it's a "coin-toss" as to whether or not they will continue to offer patches after that time.
It will be interesting to see how reliable their updates will actually be - as you mentioned in your last sentence.

Cheers!

 

[Brds7t7]

Read about this a couple weeks ago. They're going to be small micropatches and not the full blown security updates MS will be offering.

While this sounds like a good idea, does anyone know much about this company? I'm no security expert when it comes to Windows, and I've never heard of 0Patch. Is this company reputable? Not sure how I feel about a 3rd party company issuing security updates. But, I know nothing about them.

Waiting to find out a bit more about it before I start trusting 3rd party companies to install security updates on my PCs.

 

[Paul Black]

Waiting to find out a bit more about it before I start trusting 3rd party companies to install security updates on my PCs.

 

[nord899]

Read about this a couple weeks ago. They're going to be small micropatches and not the full blown security updates MS will be offering.

While this sounds like a good idea, does anyone know much about this company? I'm no security expert when it comes to Windows, and I've never heard of 0Patch. Is this company reputable? Not sure how I feel about a 3rd party company issuing security updates. But, I know nothing about them.

Waiting to find out a bit more about it before I start trusting 3rd party companies to install security updates on my PCs.

Brds7t7,

This is their blog.

0patch Blog

 

[Brds7t7]

Thanks, I saw the blog when I visited their website a couple weeks ago. The blog just seems to be reporting on security issues in various products. Doesn't really tell much about who they are. I'd never even heard of them until a couple weeks ago.