Microsoft recently announced it will be pulling the plug and end Windows 7 support come January 14, 2020. The operating system did have a good run, as it received a full decade worth of updates from the software giant. However, in order to fully devote itself to Windows 10 and newer operating systems, Microsoft decided it needed to move on from 7. If you currently run Windows 7 this very much will affect you and you’ll need to know all the ins and outs of what is changing, what to expect, and when you’ll need to upgrade to Windows 10.
When Does Windows 7 Support End?
Windows 7 has been around for a full decade. The operating system’s early release came out in 2009 and the full offering hit stores and computer systems in 2010. Now, Microsoft is shifting its attention to not only Windows 10 but newer releases that will come along over the next several years.
So what does Windows 7 end of life mean exactly? On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will pull the plug on Windows 7. Now, that doesn’t mean your computer suddenly won’t turn on or the operating system will melt away. Nothing like that. However, Microsoft will officially stop offering technical support for any issue that might come up with the operating system. It also will no longer provide software updates or security updates and fixes.
What Will Happen To My Computer?
You might be asking yourself this very question. Do you suddenly need to go out and purchase a brand-new computer? Chances are no, you don’t. First of all, your computer will still turn on and boot up on January 15 the say way it did on January 13 (although you’ll probably receive a pop-up notification stating you are no longer protected and will no longer receive updates).
This might now initially sound like all that big of a deal, but the problem here is the lack of security updates. The further removed you are from the last security update the easier it becomes for hackers to work their way onto your computer. It realistically is only a matter of time before a hacker, malware, spyware, or some other kind of virus makes its way onto your computer and either begins stealing information off of your computer or completely crashes and corrupts your system.
In order to protect yourself and your data, you need to begin looking at ways to update your operating system.
End of Windows 7 Support and Upgrading to Windows 10
You have two options when it comes to Windows 10. First, you can either update your operating system and second, you can update your computer. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to purchase a new computer now it might be a perfect time. However, if you don’t want to spend that kind of money you may be able to update from Windows 7 to 10 (there is Windows 8.1 available but it is better to skip over this to Windows 10, as support for Windows 8.1 likely won’t be for long either).
In order to see if your computer is compatible with Windows 10 open up the Microsoft Windows store on your computer, or head over to the Microsoft Windows 10 Home download link right here.
When you arrive on the website you will be able to add the download to a digital shopping cart. The website will scan over your computer to determine whether or not Windows 10 will function on your computer. If it does you are free to download it to your computer. If it doesn’t and your computer is too old (which means it was likely built pre-Windows 7) you will need to buy a new computer system.
What Should I Do?
Now that you know whether you can download Windows 10 or if you’ll need to purchase a new computer there are a number of tasks you’ll want to follow. First, it’s always recommended to back up your files. While Microsoft does what it can to keep your files in place during an operating system upgrade, there isn’t a guarantee that some of the files might not be misplaced or completely deleted during the process. In order to avoid losing data you’ll want to perform a file backup.
Once you have finished the file backup you can then proceed either with the Windows 10 update or by purchasing a Windows 10 computer and transferring the files over to the new computer. If you are in need of assistance during this process you are not alone. Instead of hoping you do the file transfer and operating system update accurately and risking the loss of information it is recommended to seek out the assistance of an IT professional. Charlotte IT Solutions can help you with this process so you have peace of mind knowing you’ll have all of your files safely moved over to the new OS.
If you are a business, it is ideal to take advantage of Charlotte IT Solutions. When you have several dozen computers (if not more), not to mention hardware and other software running on Windows 7, you will want to have your entire network professionally updated. This way not only will you have Windows 10 installed onto your computers, but you’ll have the necessary updates installed for your software to ensure the programs work, and the necessary firmware and patches for your hardware are installed as well. This will keep you up and running and help you avoid any kind of downtime.
Begin Updating Your Windows 7 Operating System
You have less than four months to update your operating system from Windows 7 to Windows 10. There may still be a Windows 7 update in the works over the next few months, but once January 14 hits Microsoft will no longer provide support for the operating system. Due to this you need to now begin the upgrade process. This includes testing your computer to see if you can upgrade and if any hardware and software you have running will update as well.
If you are curious as to what all you need to do in order to upgrade yourself and your computer system prior to the Windows 7 end of life, your best bet is to give the team at Charlotte IT Solutions a call. Whether you have some basic questions or you are a large company running Windows 7 and you need to transfer large amounts of files to the new OS, now is the time to reach out, give us a call at (704)823-6988 or contact us here.