On 14th January 2020, Microsoft will withdraw support for its operating system Windows 7.  There’s much love for Windows 7, as at the time of release it was a ground-breaking operating system.   However, it was first released in October 2009 and the longer a piece of software exists the less sustainable it becomes to maintain.

The other significant reason is that there are now much better and more modern alternatives available – namely Windows 10 – which is rumoured to be the last operating system due to its ability to maintain updates for a much longer period of time.

Windows 7 has quite a distinct visual appearance compared to Windows 8 or Windows 10 (see visual comparison below), but you can find out which version of Windows you have installed by following these instructions:-

• Click the Start button (bottom left of the screen)
• Type Computer in the search box
• Right-click on Computer
• Click Properties

The windows dialogue which appears will tell you which operating system your PC is running along with any specific service pack level / version.  If this states Windows 7 (regardless of the Service Pack or SP), then you need to consider upgrading in the very near future.

The first thing to say is your PC will continue to function, and it will not suddenly stop.   However, over time, you’ll find that some applications (such as photo editors or office applications) and some websites will stop working properly or worse will not run at all.

Of greater concern though, is the fact from 14th January 2020, any PC running Windows 7 will no longer receive Windows Updates, and whilst this may seem like less hassle, updates are very important to ensure your PC is patched against cyber security threats.

In a business environment which has multiple computers, then the situation is an even greater cyber security risk due to the fact issues can multiply quickly across a business network.

Our advice is to act now, and don’t leave it to the last minute.

Your options are very much dependant on the age of your computer hardware.

Buy New Hardware

If your PC/Laptop is more than 5 years old, then it may be time to consider buying a new one and because all new PCs will come with Windows 10 pre-installed, the only tedious part of the process is transferring any files from your old device to your new one.

Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10

If your PC/Laptop is more modern and less than 5 years old, and if you feel it performs well enough to suit your requirements, then you can purchase a software licence for Windows 10 which will allow you to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

A readiness check should be run to ensure that your hardware is fully compatible with Windows 10 and this being especially important if you have upgraded any components since it was new e.g. graphic cards, network adapters etc.

You then have the option of doing a complete format and re-install i.e. a fresh copy of Windows 10 (important: backup all files before doing so, and note it may require a higher level of technical expertise) or you can do an in-place upgrade which attempts to transfer all your applications, settings and files (although we also recommend you backup all files before you start).

Our IT experts are on-hand to advise and help with upgrades, supply of new laptops or computer hardware, supply of Windows 10 licenses, or just to answer any questions or concerns you have.

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm

Call 01847 892892 or email support@navertech.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

About this website

The website you are on now is Navertech Support – the website which explains more about the IT Support services we can provide to Highlands and Islands based businesses.  This website now sits alongside two other websites explaining our Digital Marketing and Software Development services.