It seems that Windows 7 is one of the most favorite operating systems of most people who we talk with, the only other one that is close was Windows XP. Well, users who are still using Windows 7 are starting to get notices from Microsoft that their support for this operating system will end January 14, 2019. We knew the support was ending, but it is ending a little earlier than we had originally thought. Support will officially end January 14, 2020. So, this leads to the question, can you still use your Windows 7 computers or can they still be upgraded? I will answer some of these questions below.
Can I upgrade my computer to Windows 10?
The answer is probably yes, most machines that can handle Windows 7 can also handle Windows 10, but here are the system requirements for running Windows 10:
- Processor: 1GHz or faster
- RAM: 1GB+ for 32-bit or 2GB+ for 64-bit (we suggest at least 4 though)
- Hard Drive: 16GB+ for 32-bit Operating system or 32GB+ for 64-bit Operating system
- (We strongly suggest a minimum of at least 120GB+ hard drive, since even 32GB hard drives have a very hard time doing the feature updates that are released about every 6 months lately. If you don’t store any documents/pictures and don’t install any programs, then the minimum hard drive sizes may work)
You can also find out more about the system requirements at Microsoft page.
There are more variables than just the minimum system requirements though. A couple of things you should ask yourself is how old is my computer, does it still act good or have their been problems lately. If your computer is older, it might be a better idea to purchase a new computer instead of upgrading your current one. This is a case-by-case scenario in our opinion since every user uses their computer differently.
Can I continue to use my Windows 7 Computer?
Yes, you can continue to use your Windows 7 computer. If you do continue to use your computer you will no longer receive any critical, important or optional updates (no updates at all) after that date. These updates are very important though, since they fix holes in the Operating systems that put your computer at a security risk and allows hackers to more easily get into your computer and get your information. With these security holes, even an antivirus can’t completely protect you from these hackers.
Is Windows 10 similar to Windows 7?
Windows 10 is a little different than Windows 7, but they have some similarities. Windows 10 has the better features of Windows 7 & Windows 8. One of the really nice features of Windows 10 is you can click start and just start typing to search for the program or item you are looking for. You can also pin items to the start menu which shows as icons on the right side of the start menu. For most people, the learning curve isn’t too bad.
How do I upgrade?
There are a couple of ways you can upgrade your computer. You can purchase a Windows 10 license directly from Microsoft and upgrade your operating system. If you do this yourself, we strongly suggest that you backup all of your data first, in case something goes wrong, you may not be able to recover your data. Another option, is if you bring your computer to us, we can do the upgrade for you and we will backup your data before we do the upgrades. This way you know your data will be safe and your computer will be updated to Windows 10.
If you are interested in a Windows 10 upgrade, please stop by our office at 410 Jones St, Eveleth, MN 55734 or give us a call at 218-288-5002.