Advice Request Is Windows 7 Really Outdated?

[Exterminator]

Microsoft is trying to convince everyone to upgrade to Windows 10, and after offering the operating system free of charge in the first 12 months of availability, the company is now trying a different tactic aimed directly at Windows 7 users

The firm says that Windows 7 has “outdated security,” explaining in a blog post that only Windows 10 can deal with today’s security threats and no matter how hard you’d try, you still can’t make Windows 7 just as secure as this latest Windows version.

The post was made on the company’s German blog, which is a bit surprising given that no English version was published, but it still shows that Microsoft is already preparing its arsenal for moving users off Windows 7.

“Windows 7 is based on outdated security architecture,” Microsoft says. “Companies and users who won’t upgrade from Windows 7 within the next three years are facing enormous dangers.”

Windows 7 end of support
Judging from third-party data provided by market research firms, Windows 7 continues to be the number one operating system on the desktop, despite the aggressive push for Windows 10.

Windows 7 is now running on nearly 48 percent of PCs worldwide, while Windows 10 is the runner-up with about 24 percent. While Windows 7 indeed lost market share because of the arrival of Windows 10, it’s still the dominant operating system on the desktop, running on nearly 1 in 2 PCs across the globe.

With Windows 7 support coming to an end in January 2020, Microsoft doesn’t want to experience another Windows XP moment, so it’s starting the struggle to upgrade users a lot earlier. Although Windows XP no longer receives updates since 2014, it’s still running on 9 percent of the world’s PCs.

 

[Ink]

@tonibalas You're limited by your hardware.

Run Windows 10 or any other OS on a Solid-state Drive and you'll see a gain in performance, likewise with faster RAM and a more powerful CPU and GPU for professional or gaming.

Most will try Windows 10 on ageing hardware and never use it again. Run iOS 9.3.5 on an 2011 iPhone 4s and you'll see the limitations brought up by the interenals.

 

[tonibalas]

@tonibalas You're limited by your hardware.

Run Windows 10 or any other OS on a Solid-state Drive and you'll see a gain in performance

I have an SSD installed ( Samsung 850 EVO 120 GB ) and you are right i can see the difference in performance.
But since my CPU is old i also see that W10 is stressing my system.
Now that i have installed W7 in the other partition and use i can see that my CPU isn't stressed so much.
By the way i haven't uninstalled W10 because i really like it and i use it from time to time
but now my primary system is W7.

 

[Deleted member 178]

@tonibalas select the OS that was available when you bought your computer, don't upgrade to a newest one, unless you also upgrade the hardware. Simple rule.

 

[Rolo]

@tonibalas You're limited by your hardware.

Run Windows 10 or any other OS on a Solid-state Drive and you'll see a gain in performance, likewise with faster RAM and a more powerful CPU and GPU for professional or gaming.

Most will try Windows 10 on ageing hardware and never use it again. Run iOS 9.3.5 on an 2011 iPhone 4s and you'll see the limitations brought up by the interenals.

Most do the in-place upgrade, thinking its the same as a clean install and it is by no means not.

They designed W10 to be lighter and a better performer than its predecessors; this has a greater impact on older hardware, not lesser. Better memory management and ditching Aero for starters...


Besides, the question is, "From a security standpoint..." The answer is undeniably, "yes", since there are far more security mechanisms in 10 than in 7. 7 gets patched, not technology updates. XP does as well (with POS hack); this doesn't mean it's getting the same security updates 10 is.

Microsoft is phasing out EMET since it is being incorporated into 10 natively.

 

[tonibalas]

@Umbra i bought my laptop in 2009 and it had Vista installed.
I upgraded to W7 since the manufacturer said i could ( SONY ) and 2 years ago i installed an SSD.
After using W10 for some time ( almost a year ) and reading your posts about old hardware and old system i decided to return to W7
and so far i think this was the right decision.
So thanks for your helpful posts

 

[Deleted member 178]

@Umbra i bought my laptop in 2009 and it had Vista installed.
I upgraded to W7 since the manufacturer said i could ( SONY ) and 2 years ago i installed an SSD.
After using W10 for some time ( almost a year ) and reading your posts about old hardware and old system i decided to return to W7
and so far i think this was the right decision.
So thanks for your helpful posts

You are welcome, glad i helped you make a decision that fit your needs.

 

[tonibalas]

You are welcome, glad i helped you make a decision that fit your needs.

You surely did

 

[Arequire]

Happy with 7 for now; don't feel it's outdated. I didn't upgrade to 10 at the time of it being free due to Microsoft's horrifying excuse for an upgrade campaign with them basically turning it into adware. Once Windows 7 stops receiving security updates in 2020 then I shall move onto Windows 10.

 

[Arequire]

Not meaning to be rude but who in their right mind would use any of windows operating system built in AV products they are Sh*t your better off using Norton internet security, Trend Micro, Bit defender, Comodo internet security, AVG in combo with Hitmanpro Alert or something similar you yourself are responsible for securing your system Microsoft is inadequate to protect you with their own AV products or product.

Besides that there are better security experts who develop better security software and who have been in the security arena far longer than Microsoft has.

I think MSE/WD is fine as long as you pair it with something that shores up its zero-day protection. Pair it with Zemana, Comodo Firewall or HitmanPro Alert, use an adblocker to stop malvertising, Avira Browser Safety for protection against malicious sites and make frequent data backups and you'll probably be fine, especially if you aren't click happy. I myself would never suggest using MSE/WD on its own though.

 

[Wave]

Not meaning to be rude but who in their right mind would use any of windows operating system built in AV products they are Sh*t your better off using Norton internet security, Trend Micro, Bit defender, Comodo internet security, AVG in combo with Hitmanpro Alert or something similar you yourself are responsible for securing your system Microsoft is inadequate to protect you with their own AV products or product.

Besides that there are better security experts who develop better security software and who have been in the security arena far longer than Microsoft has.

Yes windows 7 is getting older but hackers and nasty people have a new target they can have a crack at now windows 10 where with all the new added apps and you use them are putting more and more of your eggs so to speak in the same place for the fox aka hacker to steal.

Sorry I do not follow, are you referring to Windows Defender built-in to Windows or additional third-party software which is bundled by the manufacturer and not Windows itself?

If you're referring to Windows Defender you should know that it isn't as bad as you think, it's done me well for a good few years now... Combine it with UAC and SmartScreen and you'll be fine as long as you use your brain instead of relying on a third-party AV and then believing you're invincible (that isn't aimed at you btw).

Anyway, Microsoft don't bundle any third-party AV onto Windows - by default you'll only have Windows Defender enabled - but the manufacturers do.

 

[Deleted member 178]

yes i'm referring to windows defender i prefer 3rd party software that is also not preinstalled than Microsoft's Windows defender and if there is pre installed 3rd party AV software ill give it a try if i don't like ill uninstall it, I like to have in my system software i know that works, i know how to use it, Im not a fan of Microsoft's windows defender

That is your opinion, i rather use a bugless integrated security features that doesn't break my system, doesn't hamper the kernel safety , doesn't add crappy drivers, doesn't create BSODs and doesn't need updates every week; because i just want 1% more in some stupid flawed AV tests.

 

[Handsome Recluse]

Adblocking and updates combined with disabling macros should lessen the risk of things Smartscreen doesn't take care of. Data Backups, too. Maybe add something easy like Appcheck and an antilogger just in case of something hidden. No real need to overthink. You only need to lessen risks.