TECH What to do after Microsoft stops support for Windows 7?

[Hacker]

I've seen some headlines stating that Microsoft will withdraw support for Windows 7, in January, 2020. What to do?

I need a windows machine for my publishing business. My present Windows system (which I seldom use) is a Win 7 with MS Office 2007. This works great for my present needs, especially considering that Word 2007 puts out good quality PDFs for my print manuscripts.

I remember that MS tried to force Win 10 on everyone. I also remember reading that Win 10 was quite invasive - such as sharing your WiFi password with others, without your permission. Thus, I never upgraded to Win 10.

Now, though, I'm thinking a Win-10 upgrade might make sense, especially if it allows me to keep my (other) present software on the computer. I'm also thinking I can just attach it to Ethernet (while taking the password off the WiFi software, thereby negating MS's propensity for sharing the password with the world.

I know there's lots of tech people here who keep up on this stuff better than I do. I'm also aware that privacy is a big deal among all of you.

Thus, please let me know what you think ...

 

[WalknTrot]

Shouldn't affect anybody that much. I just had a massive computer meltdown here at home last week, and ended up re-installing Windows 7. (Problem was a screwed up sector on the hard drive of a 7 year old CPU.). I didn't even consider upgrading to 10.

I have not allowed Windows updates for years, because all they ever did was cause problems. Just keep good firewalls, active anti-virus, and anti-malware going. It'll be fine.

 

[Doc1]

Try Linux, at least as an alternative/backup. You can easily do a dual boot installation where you have both systems on your machine and have the ability to boot into either.

Best regards
Doc.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I also remember reading that Win 10 was quite invasive - such as sharing your WiFi password with others, without your permission.


Win10 isn't "invasive" per se. It DOES "phone home" a lot, but I never read anything about one's passwords being "shared". You probably want to loosen the tinfoil a bit and do some reading of what's currently known about Win10. I don't do anything "shady" on my PC (but then, the alphabets have a dossier on me as it is, and I'm probably under constant electronic surveillance.) Thus, anything M$ might do is mild by comparison.

There are ways to add entries to your HOSTS file to block most of Win10's phone home crap. It's all out there for you to read and act upon.

Have fun...

 

[Dennis Olson]

The "dual boot" thing has become pretty deprecated these days. Currently, the conventional wisdom is to run a Virtual Machine inside a Linux session that boots into Windows. That keeps everything isolated, and if the Windows machine picked up any malware, it won't propagate into the machine itself. Closing the VM session wipes the malware.

 

[alpha]

I utilize Linux as my boot OS with Windows XP in an Oracle Virtual Machine on that system. I haven't allowed upgrades to the XP in years and it is still running as well as the day they released it to the public.

 

[Oreally]

you must avoid windows 10 like the plague. listen to walkntrot.

worst operating system ever. incredibly intrusive, controlling, bloated . .. it is actually spyware masquerading as an OS.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I've had great luck with Win10. I consider it the most robust and non-buggy version of WinDoze in a decade.

 

[Hacker]

I also remember reading that Win 10 was quite invasive - such as sharing your WiFi password with others, without your permission.


Win10 isn't "invasive" per se. It DOES "phone home" a lot, but I never read anything about one's passwords being "shared". You probably want to loosen the tinfoil a bit and do some reading of what's currently known about Win10. I don't do anything "shady" on my PC (but then, the alphabets have a dossier on me as it is, and I'm probably under constant electronic surveillance.) Thus, anything M$ might do is mild by comparison.

There are ways to add entries to your HOSTS file to block most of Win10's phone home crap. It's all out there for you to read and act upon.

Have fun...

Check this out: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/209208-windows-10s-new-wifi-sense-shares-your-wifi-password-with-facebook-outlook-and-skype-contacts

If we know it does this, then what else does it do?

 

[Hacker]

FWIW, please know I run Linux on most of my systems.

 

[Dennis Olson]

That's interesting indeed. Note that you have to give permission.

Something to keep in mind is that with the release of Win10, M$ standardized its operating system across all platforms, the Xbox One game console in particular. So some features/functions that would seem bizarre or unnecessary on a PC make sense when applied to a game console. Not saying the one above is one of those, but one should keep all this in mind.

 

[Satanta]

I have a duel boot machine with Linux as the main tho I am still working on getting it tied to the Net-need some cable to connect to my Router then I can do something about WiFi because it does not pick up my Wifi card [[USB but apparently no way to get the drivers into Linux without direct DL ofthem]] Anyhoo-I use Win7 myself. I keep two backups of it in .zip along with all the drivers and such because my version of Photoshop runs on 7 and I've no interest in the cost of going to a newer PS nor going into storing my work on a Cloud in someone's basement.,

So, consider a dual boot-once you get Linux going use it for your Net/online and disconnect Win7 so Microsnoot cannot access it and keep it stable or reload it as needed.

 

[changed]

You should still be able to get computers that come with windows 7 from Dellauction.com. As far as what to do after 2020 I don't know. I'll be in the same boat cause I ain't giving up win 7 voluntarily.

 

[Yogizorch]

I upgraded to Windows 10 and never regretted it. Yes there are updates but you can schedule them at night if you like. If you think that by keeping Windows 7 instead of upgrading to 10 is somehow hiding something from Microsoft, I'm afraid you are mistaken.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I have a duel boot machine

heh....

 

[GammaRat]

Closing the VM session wipes the malware.

That's dependent upon how you setup the Image. If it's read only, you're good. Otherwise, the next time you start the VM, it will still have a virus.

 

[Dennis Olson]

You are correct.

 

[Caplock50]

Lol...now can Ya'll say all thet in plain English?

 

[Dennis Olson]

Probably not - heh.

 

[Satanta]

I have a duel boot machine

heh....

Heh. I was up till 7AM doing property patrol as the dogs apparently chased someone out of the backyard around 11PM. Wanted to make sure anyone thinklking of coming back saw the blinding LED I use to light up the property and make sure the dogs did not bite someone and get some disease from eating rotten meat.

So I was tired. Still am but moving around getting some work done helps.