Heads up if buying a new computer

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BobHelm
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Heads up if buying a new computer

Post by BobHelm » March 18, 2017, 8:14 am

It seems that if you are buying a new computer that are driven with the latest Intel (Kaby Lake) or AMD (Bristol Ridge) CPU chips that Microsoft will, effectively, only allow you to run Windows 10 as their operating system.
Windows 7 is officially supported until Jan. 14, 2020 & Windows 8.1 until Jan. 10, 2023 however when Microsoft released its' latest security updates this week customers who were running anything but Windows 10 on the new equipment received this message & no updates!!
Unsupported Hardware

Your PC uses a processor that isn't supported on this version of Windows and you won't receive updates.
In addition, many computers will not receive support & updates for Windows 7 from July 17, 2018. To check if your computer will, or will not check at this Microsoft site..
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... -supported

So, what can you do about it??
Well you really have 3 easy options.

1. Do nothing & stop receiving updates.
This is not a sensible course of (in)action to take. Microsoft only issues security updates to protect against known flaws in their system. If you do not receive updates then your equipment is an open door to anyone who wants to infiltrate it.
2. Update to Windows 10.
Some will like it (especially those on Windows 8.1) some will not. If you want to stop Microsoft from snooping on your every word then this takes work & is not just a 'plug & play' move - although Microsoft will tell you it is!! It will also now cost you money (or a friend with a pirated copy) as free updates have long expired.
3. Update to a non-Microsoft system.
There are plenty (too many!!) free alternative Operating system out there. Most, but not all, are Linux based & vary in complexity of use to almost impossible for a normal human being to being a mirror of Windows 7.
Anyone moving from Windows 7 would actually find something like Linux Mint a great deal more familiar than Windows 10.
4. Continue to run Windows 7 but containerised in something like Oracle VirtualBox.
Many users would need some help to set the system up, but after that you are using Windows 7 as before. You are protected from the outside world's interference as the programs are 'isolated' from your actual physical equipment.



DuiDui49
udonmap.com
Posts: 1898
Joined: March 15, 2006, 3:10 pm
Location: Koh Samui

Re: Heads up if buying a new computer

Post by DuiDui49 » March 18, 2017, 8:51 am

Many tutorials to choose from on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... x+tutorial

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