Windows 7

Windows 7 End-of-Life

Windows 7 End-of-Life (EOL) is just around the corner.  So what exactly does that mean?  When Microsoft retires Windows 7 on January 14, 2020 your computer will still work.  It will still start up and you will be able to do most, if not all of the things you were able to do on January 13th.  What end of life means is that Microsoft will no longer be providing support for any version of Windows 7.  This means that you will receive:

  • No Technical Support
  • No Operating System or Software Updates
  • No Security Updates

As stated previously, you can still continue to use Windows 7 after it’s EOL, but just because you can use it, it doesn’t mean you should.

The biggest issue you will face after Windows 7 EOL is that you will be unprotected from any newly found security risks and could expose yourself to infection from viruses, malware, or any newly emerging threats even if you run an updated antivirus/antimalware application.

So what can you do?  Basically you have the following 4 options:

  1. Do nothing
  2. Upgrade your existing computer to Windows 10
  3. Clone your existing hard drive to a Solid State Drive and then upgrade to Windows 10
  4. Buy a new computer with Windows 10 already installed

Let’s take a closer look at each option so you can decide your best course of action.

Do Nothing
You can continue to use your computer as-is with the full knowledge that you are opening yourself to exposure from any newly discovered security risks that will remain unpatched.  You definately should not do anything online that requires you to enter passwords, credit card, or other sensitive information.  Basically you are using the system at your own risk, and those risks include, but are not limited to, getting viruses or malware, having your login and password information stolen, having your credit card information stolen, and/or becoming a victim of identify theft.

Just like Microsoft, Alpha Geeks will not support any retired operating systems.  If you do run in to a problem, we will be unable to help your resolve it.

Upgrade Your Existing Computer to Windows 10
Assuming the hardware on your current computer supports running Windows 10, you do have the option of upgrading your existing edition of Windows 7  to Windows 10.  We can do that for you, and the price is $150.  Keep in mind that you are upgrading to a new operating system on aging hardware.  After the upgrade your system may run slower than prior to the upgrade.  While there are several reasons for this, one of the main ones is that Windows 10 is designed to be run on a Solid State Drive (SSD).  Windows 10 is so efficient at processing data that the bottleneck in performance comes from a traditional hard drive  The drive simply cannot spin fast enough to get data in and out of the drive.

Clone Your Existing Hard Drive to a Solid State Drive and Then Upgrade to Windows 10
As mentioned in the last option, Windows 10 is designed to run on a Solid State Drive (SSD).  Since an SSD has no moving parts, data can be read and accessed at speeds up to 500 times faster than a traditional hard drive.  Once your existing traditional drive is cloned and upgraded, your computer will actually run faster than it did when it was brand new.  The new SSD will be an exact replica of your old drive with all of your programs, pictures, documents, videos, music, and data. We can perform this, hardware included, for $250.  This option is far less expensive than buying a new computer, and is also our most popluar option.  PLAN AHEAD – AFTER JANUARY 14th THE PRICE FOR THIS SERVICE WILL INCREASE TO $300.

Buy a New Computer with Windows 10 Already Installed
The final option is just to buy a new computer with Windows 10 already installed.  Prices vary greatly based on configurations of new systems.  Keep in mind that there are potentially other costs than the price of the new computer that could include:

  • The setup of your new computer
  • The transfer of data from the old computer to the new
  • Programs that you need but no longer have the license key for (Office, QuickBooks, Antivirus, etc)

As always, we are here to help you navigate through the decision making process when it comes to Windows 7 EOL.  Please feel free to call us at (414) 431-8772 with any questions, or for quotes for new computers.