How to prepare for Windows 7 End of Life

Despite Windows 10 having been around for a couple of years now and Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 for many more, I still know a few people sticking with their Windows 7 computer. Unfortunately, the time is now here for a new operating system and likely, a new computer too.

The Windows 7 End of Life date has been announced as January 14, 2020 which is when support will officially end. That means no more security updates, no more Windows updates, no more app support and no third party app compatibility guarantees. While the OS will run fine without these updates, the computer will gradually become susceptible to emerging threats.

Preparing for the end

Microsoft is already preparing you for the end of Windows 7. As soon as you install Windows Update KB4493132, you will begin seeing prompts to update to Windows 10 before January 2020. This is an optional update which you can elect to not install if you want but will arrive on its own if you have automatic updates configured.

So how can you prepare?

Your main option is to upgrade to Windows 10. You missed the free upgrade offer but you can acquire cut price licenses if you know where to look. Otherwise, Dave’s Computers can help prepare you with a system refresh and full upgrade to the new operating system.

You will need a computer with these minimum specifications to run Windows 10.

  • 1GHz or faster processor.
  • 1GB  of RAM for 32-bit or 2GB of RAM for 64-bit.
  • 16GB of hard disk space for 32-bit OS or 20GB for 64-bit OS.
  • Graphics card with DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
  • Minimum of 800 x 600 resolution display.

If your current computer meets these specs, you can upgrade to Windows 10. We would suggest those as an absolute minimum as many games and programs designed for Windows 10 will require more hardware capability than that.

If you don’t want to buy a new computer or pay for the upgrade to Windows 10, there’s always Linux. Free, super-stable and friendlier to use than ever, Linux is now a viable home operating system for normal people.

Whichever way you go, we can help you transfer your files over to your new operating system and help you set everything up just how you like it. It’s all part of the Dave’s Computers service!