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26 Apr 21 - 04:45 PM (#4103613) Subject: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: robomatic I've got several laptops which have physically lasted much longer than I expected. I am long past when I expected to need a new one, but well, here I am. The newer laptops have 'self-updated' to Windows 10 and I've made my peace with that. My oldest laptop, a Toshiba Satellite, I left at Windows 7 because it was a bit older and slower and I didn't think it could survive with the far more sophisticated needs of Windows 10. I just went out to a coffee shop with internet and got this old thing working quite nicely. I even loaded an anti-virus software onto it and it says its clean. But Microsoft does not support the system anymore. I am not inclined to pay Microsoft for their corporate 'aftercare' support package. Are any of you still rocking with Windows 7? Any workarounds? My default workaround if Win7 crashes with no phoenix rising from the ashes would be to install a form of Linux. But for now if it ain't broke I don't wanna fixit! |
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26 Apr 21 - 05:50 PM (#4103622) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Bill D "Support" is not terribly important..if you do have a decent anti-virus..etc. I have 2 PCs and a lap top running Win 7, and the only updates they get are occasional 'malware removal aids'. Since I don't go to sites that might have malware, I've had no problems at all. I personally do not like the attitude on WIN 10 and its desire to 'herd all us sheep' into their desired pens and pastures, no matter how green they say the grass is... :>) I have a very large collection of freeware programs that won't all be tolerated by WIN 10, so I just hope 7 will last me till...ummm... whatever. |
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27 Apr 21 - 05:41 AM (#4103670) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,jim bainbridge I am no techie & can't stand those orrible tiles & general arrangement of the W10 screen, so have engaged a free programme which makes my screen look just like W7. I do nothing more than emails, internet, wordpad & photos/docs etc & have a good Norton protection. If you want more, there may be a problem, but for simple souls like me, it's fine..... |
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27 Apr 21 - 06:05 AM (#4103675) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Jos I used to use Norton. No longer. About a year ago it insisted on an upgrade. The updated version took it upon itself to "protect" my pdf files by not allowing me to add comments such as to insert or delete text. I had to cancel m subscription forthwith in order to carry on earning a living. |
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27 Apr 21 - 06:06 AM (#4103677) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,Jaz If you're using your W7 laptops for offline stuff then I would say crack on - I still have a machine running Windows XP because I have a nice Terratec sound card for digitising vinyl and an expensive 35mm film scanner for which no drivers exist for a later OS. But it has no network card or WiFi - I wouldn't be letting it anywhere the Internet! I would not be using any life-expired operating system online. Your Win 7 laptop will be perfectly capable of running Linux, though - Ubuntu is a good choice (I went to it in 2008 and it's been on my main machine ever since) - try running it from a CD to see if you like it, and you can check out the repositories full of free software to see if what you need is available. |
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27 Apr 21 - 06:20 AM (#4103678) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Jon Freeman I'm another who would take the Linux route. I changed to it being our main OS when Windows XP would have been our next MS upgrade route. OpenSuse with the KDE deskop is my choice. Try a few, there may well be one that just feels right to you. |
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27 Apr 21 - 06:34 AM (#4103680) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,David Yes, am installing it after searching on https://google.com/ or Google or [google](https://google.com) |
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27 Apr 21 - 08:13 AM (#4103687) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Bonzo3legs I changed our 15 years old laptop original hard drive to SSD at the weekend, cloned the old one using Acronis. Running Windows 10 the start up time was reduced from 7 minutes to 70 seconds!! |
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27 Apr 21 - 08:19 AM (#4103688) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker I'm not budging off win 8.1. And would run old XP and win 7 machines offline with obsolete legacy music software and hardware. The dilemma will be if and when I can ever afford a new high power music DAW PC or laptop. Music software is having to move onto win 10 for updates, despite all the inherent flaws dangers and shite in that malfunctioning operating system. I've already encountered new music software which refuses to install on win 8.1. |
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27 Apr 21 - 08:24 AM (#4103689) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: DaveRo You won't get updates to Windows itself to fix security flaws so you'll be relying absolutely on your 'antivirus' for that. I think MS 'extended support' carries on until 2023 so presumably the AV makers will watch what bugs MS fixes and mitigate the flaws - if they can - by trying to detect threats which exploit them. But the flaws will always be there - like a house with faulty locks. Less obvious is that internet security standards have moved on since Windows 7. For example TLS, which handles HTTPS, released v1.3 in 2018 which is not supported by default in Win7. This will not be a problem for a few years - sites will fall back to the less secure TLS1.2 - but it's an example of a security vulnerability that cannot be papered over by antivirus software. Use a modern browser since these mitigate against modern online threats. Not Internet Explorer, obviously; Firefox preferably, Chrome if you must, or Brave perhaps. Even if you think you don't visit 'unsafe' websites you will certainly be targeted by 'malvertising' - malware embedded in adverts. So blocking adverts, with uBlock Origin or AdBlockPlus for example, is good for security as well as improving the experience. This Android 9 tablet is out of support but it's my main device for browsing, using Firefox. So I treat it as insecure and do not use it for banking or online purchasing. Mind you, I'd regard Android as insecure even if it was the latest version! |
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27 Apr 21 - 08:24 AM (#4103690) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Bonzo3legs Once you have the Group Policy Editor ln Windows 10 Pro, it's much easier to change it. |
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27 Apr 21 - 08:33 AM (#4103691) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker As far as I understand it, some newer music software, now won't work unless it's permanently connected online. Scuppering plans to run older versions of Windows machines offline.. That'll be something else for me to consider when when 8.1 is discontinued... |
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27 Apr 21 - 11:18 AM (#4103712) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: leeneia I use an older computer with Windows 7 to work on music. It is not connected to the Internet. |
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27 Apr 21 - 11:28 AM (#4103713) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Stilly River Sage My old computer has gone through several OS versions but is no longer in contact with the Internet world so is stable as is. It's running Win10 Pro, and with any of these OS it is helpful to go with the more robust Pro version. The laptop arrived with Win8, upgraded to the improved Win8, then pretty easily to Win10 Pro. I was a WinNT user for as long as I could keep it, then XP. Win7 Pro got a lot of use on my old (2010) computer and I waited until Win10 Pro was out, skipping Win8 on it. Partly because Win8 was designed for more computers with touch screens and fore more sophisticated tablets, that's why they went to the tile features, but users didn't follow by buying mostly touch screen monitors. So when Win10 came out they kept much of the look but built in more of the old functionality for the standard non-responsive monitors. |
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27 Apr 21 - 01:58 PM (#4103728) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker When I first got Windows 7 I personalised it to look and act as much like XP as possible. But only in as much as I'd made XP look as close to Windows 98.. As soon as I got Windows 8 I personalised it to look as much like Windows 7 looking like XP looking win98 as I could... I did have Windows 8 phones which I actually liked. But had no desire for win 8 on computers to look like the mobile phone tiled interface.. One of my win 8 laptops which was brand new 7 or 8 or 9 years ago, does have a touch screen. But I've never used it and forgot it was there. I'm too OCD about smeary fingerprints on computer screens... |
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27 Apr 21 - 02:30 PM (#4103734) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: robomatic I wrote in my OP from my Win7 at a coffee shop I hadn't visited for a year due to Covid. They shut the doors but the proprietor let me hang out on my own running antivirus AVG and writing to you good people so I satisfied myself that the slow old thing still worked. Decided to leave it as is which is working and kind of funky with old screensavers and perfectly suitable for off line use as you recommend. I have other laptops to load with linux. Used Ubuntu in the past and loved it but I've got to relearn it by now. Thanks for every one of your observations. I'll look into 'em. |
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28 Apr 21 - 08:33 AM (#4103827) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Nick I have used every Windows operating system since Windows 3.1 and ceased to get too excited about what they look like. They are tools and vehicles. They have a structure that is there to make it easy to find and run things. Personally Windows 10 gives me no hassles. I have a good back up system which I do remember to do and I clone my machine on a monthly basis including the virtual machines below. I run Windows 10 on two machines with no hassle. One of them additionally runs three virtual machines in case I want them - one running Win XP and one running Win 7. I can install a 16 bit app on Win XP (I just tried it - but why would I want to?); I use Win 7 as a little sandbox in case I want to install anything that I have ANY concerns on to make sure it is safe. ALL of them have internet connections (which can be on or off) and all have antivirus which is up to date as of today. Every program I want and use is a maximum of two clicks away and every file is accessible via Everything (which makes windows search just look silly) and I can find everything I have within seconds. There is not a single program on my 64 bit Windows 10 system (including 16 bit programs that don't natively run) that I can't run if I need to. If it all went BANG I can be back up and running with all programs and everything in about 10 minutes. |
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28 Apr 21 - 08:37 AM (#4103829) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Nick And yesterday I found that you can run a DAW on one machine and run the plugins on another machine. I still have a copy of the very old Cakewalk programs from early 2000's that I used to do mixing on and photography. Could I say that software is rather better than it was then. Always nice to look back at the good times though. Someone will come along in a minute and say how much they loved Windows ME |
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28 Apr 21 - 12:25 PM (#4103856) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker My memory is getting hazier these days due to increasing old age and family stresses.. If I recall correctly, earlier in the year Steinberg was offering decent prices on an upgrade to the latest version of Cubase Pro. But neglecting to inform potential purchasers upfront that it's not supported on any versions of Windows below 10 ? If that is the correct case, I can't remember if that means it will still install on Windows 8 but but it's not supported. Or will not install at all...??? Around the same time Focusrite gave subscribers a time limited free offer of a music program by an associate company. It installed but would not open, stating Windows 10 was required.. I wasted too much time in futile troubleshooting and searching for workarounds.. Bastards... But at least I haven't paid for it... |
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29 Apr 21 - 12:23 AM (#4103925) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,leeneia When the DH retired, he bought himself a laptop, and it had Windows 8 on it. It was an utter dog's breakfast. No manual, no directions, nowhere to go for help. We'd touch or click on things, and either nothing would happen or it would go somewhere else. I didn't just fall off the Christmas tree. Instinct born of 50 years working in offices told me that Windows 8 was put together by people who resented each other and refused to work together. Pretty soon the DH returned that computer and got another one which worked somewhat better. In time he got Windows 10. But to this day he uses it as little as possible and always wants to borrow mine. |
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29 Apr 21 - 07:15 AM (#4103944) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Nick Leeneia Your post says it all. People want things to be the same from where they first came across them. I used to install software occasionally on site and most of the day was people apologising about what they didn't use.Every upgrade for 5 or 10 years had been ignored (apologetically) for the safety of what they understood AND most of all worked for them I'm reasonably IT competent for a person in their late 60's but still have the fun of realising that new things are often better and that I have often been wrong about my assumptions |
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29 Apr 21 - 07:19 AM (#4103945) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Nick Sorry I typed the wrong thing - "People want things to be the same from where they first came across them." I think it is that "People want things to be the same from where they first understood them." It's enough. And it's an observation NOT a criticism. My old Nokia phone with rubbed out letters would give you a picture that I completely ignored mobile technology for me personally. |
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29 Apr 21 - 11:20 AM (#4103968) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: DaveRo Nick wrote: People want things to be the same from where they first understood them.I think the real problem is that they managed to use it without ever understanding it. I have a brother who uses Windows without understanding anything about it. I remember when he got a Win98 machine I tried to teach him some basic concepts - what a program is, what a file is, and that there are two ways of opening a document: - open the program and then find the file - find the file and open it with the associated program He wasn't interested. He had been told, and written down, to double-click the program icon on the desktop (somebody had set one up) then go to file, then open, then documents .... If any step of that failed, he was lost. To me, Windows 7 and Windows 10 are essentially the same. Sure, there are differences but they're superficial: under the glossy surface they work exactly the same way. But my brother cannot see below the surface: he sees only differences where I see equivalences. |
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29 Apr 21 - 12:07 PM (#4103974) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker I was getting along ok with win7 on an old PC and laptop. But actually looking forward to the introduction of Windows 10, as I'd been just about convinced by preview news, and early beta reviews that it was going to be a superior operating system. A genuine advance on win7 and win8. The offer of free upgrade to Windows 10 was the clincher. So I purchased 2 identical budget price Win 8.1 PCs. I got too good a bargain deal not to. As soon as they were delivered, I unboxed the first of them. Checked that there were no problems and it was operating correctly. Then immediately carefully upgraded it to the free win 10 install. That did not go smoothly without problems. In fact it completely buggered a brand new PC. My account of the trials and tribulations were posted here at mudcat. So after many hours of futile troubleshooting, in the end I gave up and reluctantly decided to roll back to win 8.1. That didn't work properly either, and left significant problems, Which I had to live with from then on. Obviously that negative experience turned the against Windows 10, and I didn't let it anywhere near the other identical new PC. Which is still my main day today work-horse machine. The other still works reasonably ok, And I'm guessing a number of years of regular system updates have helped resolve the early install and rollback faults...??? Based on my experience, not prejudice, I refuse to install Windows 10 again until it's an absolute last resort. Then I'll buy a cheap $10 key for win 10 Pro... |
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29 Apr 21 - 12:09 PM (#4103975) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: punkfolkrocker But that would have to wait until I can afford a new barebones PC... |
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29 Apr 21 - 12:36 PM (#4103976) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,jag "People want things to be the same from where they first came across them." I'm content if things stay the same as they did when they evolved to be adequate for my purposes. I use Windows 10 but so a far I haven't noticed anything where it serves me better than Windows 7 - other than the hardware it is on. I guess some features may be more effective for newcomers to Windows. I think that by Windows XP the user interface was fairly mature - being familiar with that allowed me to find my way around a couple of Linux desktops with less effort than using Windows 10. I moved to Windows 7 to use more memory. I use Windows 7 on a non-internet connected network for some things where I have fairly pricey perpetual licences that won't run on Windows 10 without taking out an annual subscription. It's nice that it's the same today as it was yesterday and last year. Nothing getting screwed up by updates. |
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29 Apr 21 - 08:26 PM (#4104017) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey I still do all my clever stuff on XP. I have windows on a new PC and it is by far the worst operating system I have ever tried to use. I have had discussions lately with the people who supplied my latest PC and in and among the things we discussed was the revelation that SSD drives are prone to fail without warning and be extremely difficult if not impossible to recover data from. I did ask them why they were pushing them in a recent promo email but did not get a straight answer? There's a surprise. Yes they are very quick but be sure you have anything valuable - photos, sound recordings, meaningful databases and the like backed up to trusted,if somewhat slower, media such as DVDs & CDs or remote HDs although the latter can also give problems. You could of course back the stuff up to such as cloud - at a price - but my religion, Devout Yorkshire, prevents me from doing so. A quick reminder of happier times can be found with Les Barker's "Reinstalling Windows". Cheers |
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30 Apr 21 - 05:29 PM (#4104113) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST I am typing to you on a computer using 7. I refuse to budge with it if possible. With my 2nd computer, I voluntarily upgraded to 10. 10 wiped that computer, the side programs, the external drive holding things I can never replace, and through Dropbox some things on this computer. It was a nightmare and I curse Microsoft softly to myself every night before I go to bed. I am using Avast for antivirus: Avast has saved my computer at times nothing else could. There was this nasty boot virus that got in somehow. Shudder. And malwarebytes. Still use CDs. The times I relied on the cloud things happened and lost stuff. I don't care what the big tech guys want us to think; those shinies can be invaluable for backups among other things. STill going strong. |
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30 Apr 21 - 05:33 PM (#4104115) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Spearcarrier Doggonit I was supposed to be logged in for that. *points u p* |
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30 Apr 21 - 06:06 PM (#4104119) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Cap't Bob My wife has a windows 10 which I don't care for. I have one windows 7 that I use for photos, videos, song lyrics etc. The other one I have is half windows 7 and half Linux Mint. I use Linux Mint on the Internet which is around twice as fast as windows 10. Windows 7 was a great operating system and its a shame Microsoft no longer provides support. |
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02 May 21 - 12:19 AM (#4104266) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,leeneia One thing I love about Windows 7 is the ability to use the keyboard to Save, Save As, Open or Print files. Instead of aiming the mouse at a teeny icon, my left hand dances over the keyboard - alt f s for save, for example. In an instant it's done. |
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02 May 21 - 02:42 AM (#4104271) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: DaveRo GUEST,Malcolm Storey wrote: ... the revelation that SSD drives are prone to fail without warning and be extremely difficult if not impossible to recover data from.This is broadly true. Received wisdom is that the reliability of an SSD is mainly dependent on the number of writes to it. Bit this recent article makes a different claim - that age, not usage, affects reliability. If like me you keep machines for years (I still use a laptop made in 2006) that's not good news. I put an SSD in my wife's 8 year-old Lenovo Thinkpad (was once XP, then 7, then free-upgraded to 10, now clean-installed 10) It had slowed down to the extent that the alternative was a replacement, and a similar machine was ~£1000. It's now as fast as when new, and quicker to start. SSDs will become more reliable over time (so don't buy a cheaper older model). And yes - backup to at least two places. USB 'Passport' drives are easy - but don't leave them plugged in. (I generally use control-S for save.) |
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02 May 21 - 04:03 AM (#4104276) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: GUEST,Jiggers My anxiety levels have dropped since moving to Apple platform. I still fell foul to an e-mail scam though, luckily I was onto it before any damage could be done. |
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02 May 21 - 08:47 AM (#4104298) Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone Still Using Windows 7? From: Malcolm Storey There is a problem with knowing just how old a piece of kit might be. In the last 9 months I have purchased a couple of HDD drives from Argos. On each occasion I have had to return them for refund as they did not work on any platform. I suspect Argos buy in old stock to keep up the myth of them being cheaper but maintaining quality. So it looks like buyer beware. |