Windows 7 had a very good run in the ten glorious years following its introduction back in 2009, but following the discontinuation of support by Microsoft last week, we must finally say a fond farewell to the decade-old operating system. This is not least because by ending support for Windows 7, Microsoft will no longer be providing technical assistance, patches, or software updates, meaning any bugs or security vulnerabilities that still exist within the OS will never be fixed. This makes Windows 7 PCs an attractive and easy target for hackers and cybercriminals.
It doesn’t have to end this way
Regardless of the security issues that may be encountered as a result of sticking with Windows 7, there’s been a lot of resistance when it comes to upgrading to Windows 10, which is what Microsoft is encouraging users to do. To some degree, this is understandable – Windows 7 was incredibly popular, and it can be hard to let go of something so familiar to make the leap to something new. With that in mind, we have some great news for steadfast and loyal users of Windows 7 – Extended Security Updates (ESU) are still available for Windows 7 Pro, Enterprise, and Pro for Embedded Systems editions.
What does this mean?
Thanks to the availability of ESU, we have the option of extending the support of our Windows 7 machines for up to an additional three years. This means your G2 PC could still be benefitting from Embedded Support in 2023! And while you can still purchase our products with the Windows Embedded Standard 7 service pack until 2024, you won’t receive any security patches without ESU, so we think it’s a complete no-brainer if you’re a dedicated Windows 7 user.
What’s the catch?
Windows 7 is already living on borrowed time. Its mainstream support officially ended in 2015, so for the past four years it’s been leeching off Microsoft’s extended support. Now having finally reached its end, there are a lot of issues to circumnavigate. To add to the fact that without any support or security updates your PC is no longer protected, you also won’t get the benefit of any new software or features as these will be incompatible with the OS. Likewise, very few manufacturers now offer Windows 7 drivers with their hardware, so you’ll be restricted to what little is available.
Maybe it’s time to move on
Although we’ll still readily offer the option to extend the support of your Windows 7 G2 PC, the argument to consider switching to Windows 10 is compelling. It’s more secure, user-friendly, and agile, and according to Microsoft will likely be the last major release of the OS for a very long time. For that reason, upgrading to Windows 10 alongside an upgrade to your current PC seems like a considerably worthwhile investment.
If you’d like to know more about how you can enjoy Windows 7 Embedded Support, or are interested in upgrading to Windows 10, please contact one of the team.
