Update to Windows 10 Before It’s Too Late
Do you like feeling secure? Do you own a small business? Do you still use Windows 7? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading...
Microsoft Will No Longer Support Windows 7
Microsoft announced that they will no longer be releasing security updates or patches for Windows 7. They use the term “end of life” to describe this process. Essentially they are removing an old product to get users to upgrade to their new product.
The Windows 7 End of Life Deadline
Microsoft announced that all Windows 7 support will stop on January 14th, 2020.
What this means for you is that if you’re still using Windows 7 after that date your machine will be vulnerable to security risks.
Right now, any vulnerabilities in the Windows 7 operating system are regularly patched for your protection. Unfortunately, once Microsoft stops releasing these patches, cybercriminals will be able to exploit these vulnerabilities.
Microsoft will continue to issue updates for Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Pro devices, but it will be expensive. This option is more geared toward businesses with many machines running Windows 7. In this case, it would be very expensive and time consuming to upgrade every machine.
If you are a Windows 7 home user with only one or two machines, it is in your best interest to upgrade to Windows 10.
Things to Consider
Some things to think about when considering upgrading.
- You can get Windows 10 for free while you have a license for Windows 7, 8, or 8.1
- Windows 10 is currently the most used operating system in the world. According to an article posted on October 4th, 2019 by The Inquirer titled “Windows 10 is now comfortably the most used OS in the world” Windows 10 controls over 50% of the market.
- Small business owners who still use Windows 7 for credit/debit transactions will be putting said transactions at risk to cyber criminals. In addition, credit card companies may charge a higher fee to protect these transactions
Before you update
You will want to make sure your computer has the necessary system requirements to run Windows 10.
Official System Requirements for Windows 10
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
- Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS
- Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
- Display: 800 x 600
Click here for more detailed specifications.
Recommended requirements for Windows 10
- Processor: 2.5 GHz Dual Core
- RAM: 8 to 16 gigabyte (GB)
- Hard disk space: 250 GB or Solid State Drive (SSD) 250 GB (learn about the differences between HDDs and SSDs here)
- Graphics card: Any GPU will work (Not necessarily needed)
- Display: 1920X1080 (HD)
We’re Here to Help!
All in all, upgrading to Windows 10 is a safe bet. Even something as simple as browsing the internet after the deadline could put your computer at serious risk for viruses and cyber-attacks.
On the other hand, we know how daunting of a task upgrading your operating system can be. Many people may not even know how to check to see if they have the necessary system requirements for the update.
The good news is we’re here to help! No question is too small, and no task is too big here at The Computer Guild.
We can help
- Make sure your computer is capable of running Windows 10
- Upgrade your computer to the necessary system requirements to run Windows 10
- Backup your computer to get you upgrade ready
- Install Windows 10 for you
- Walk you through Windows 10, what changes have been made, and what new features are available
- Answer any additional questions you may have
- Optionally, upgrade your HDD to an SSD and see how fast your machine can go
Let's recap
- Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows 7 effective January 14th, 2020.
- Using Windows 7 after that date will put your computer’s security at serious risk.
- Windows 7 Enterprise and Pro users can continue to receive updates for a fee, but this would only be worth it for large businesses
- Windows 10 is free for anyone who has a licensed version of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1
- Windows 10 is currently the most widely used operating system in the world
- Small businesses may have to pay a higher fee to run credit/debit transactions on Windows 7
Remember, we’re here to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any additional questions.
Please feel free to email us or call at 269-372-1170. Follow us on Facebook @ComputerGuild.