Windows 7 - Now what?

I missed the Windows 7 end date! Now What?!

There is no need to panic just yet; your computer will not stop functioning just because it is not version Windows 10.

 As of January 14th, however, you will not be receiving critical security updates or patches of the operating system. You are also at serious risk for Ransomware and Malware and out of compliance if your business requires it. So, what do you do now? Depending on how many computers you have, you do have a few options.

 Option #1

Upgrade your computer to Windows 10, this was free at one point, but you must now purchase a new Operating System license. This will run you about $200.00 and take up some of your time to run the install but is fairly simple to do.

You will want to verify that your computer will handle Windows 10 before you run out and buy the software. Here is what you should have;

• Processor should be Intel i3, i5 or i7 at least 3rd generation
• 8 GB of Ram (you may be able to upgrade your computer if you do not have this much)
• Space on your hard drive at least a 40 GB of free space for the install

Option #2

Replace your computer – generally, computers that do not meet the specs listed above are older than 5 years. This is the time that hardware starts to fail on computers; hard drives start dying, memory causes issues, fans die. So, why not get a new system with a much better processor and more memory? We highly recommend to our clients to replace computers that are between 4 and 5 years of age as it generally starts costing more money to keep them running than buying a new one.

Things to look for if you're going to buy a new computer;

• Will you be connecting to a domain? If so, make sure the computer has Windows 10 Pro. Most systems purchased locally (Best Buy, Costco, Office Supply Stores) have Windows 10 Home, and this will not work on your work domain.
• Get at least 8 GB if not 16 GB. Memory is cheap; getting more can only help you when running multiple applications or lots of open windows on the internet.
• SSD Hard Drive – SSD stands for Solid State Drive. Unlike the older hard drives, there are no moving parts to these drives; they are all chip-based and much faster than spinning platers. Please make sure you get one with enough space; they generally come in 128GB, 256GB, and 500GB. To run multiple applications and save files, the larger you can afford, the better.

Option #3

Leasing – Leasing computer equipment is becoming more widely used, especially if you need to replace a lot of computers. With leasing, you have one monthly payment to make instead of a large bill for the replacement of all the computers that you need to upgrade. Most IT companies (including AcaciaIT) have leasing companies we work with for just these types of events. Talk to your IT about leasing and see if it is for you.