Does It Still Make Sense To Choose Windows 7?

I have a Dell Optiplex that dates from (I think) 2002, and now I'm finally thinking of getting a brand new PC.

I'm used to XP, and when I got a new laptop at a bargain price, it was running 8.1 and I REALLY hate it. I installed Classic Shell to make it a bit more user-friendly, and stopped that bar thing coming in from the side whenever my mouse strays too near the edge of the screen, but I still feel 8.1 is gimmicky and has so much stuff that it's really difficult to master.

Now it's all Windows 10, which to me seems even more gimmicky - for instance, I really don't need to talk to my PC, I've got ten fingers, for goodness sake. If it's anything like 8.1, it'll be really hard to get my head round, because there'll be so much inside it, where with XP, I could learn it 'inside out', if you know what I mean.

I kind of see Windows 7 as a 'grown-up's' OS, something that was built to do a job without a lot of glitz to impress you, so when I get my new PC, I'd really like to go for 7. But is this wise? Or should I just grit my teeth and go with 10?

 

To the thread subject question the answer is a very emphatic NO. Support for Win 7 ends very soon.

Windows 10 is probably the very best Windows OS for more than 10 years. I'm not going into the reasons for that as they are found easily online from IT experts on the architecture of computing, and not lay people who have moaned in their droves about every OS since Windows 95 because it is 'different'. Windows 8 when upgraded to 8.1 was very good. Windows 10 is better.

 

I like Windows 7, myself, but use Windows 10, too. I agree that from Windows 8 , it has become more gimmicky, and intrusive.
You will find it difficult to get a new laptop/pc with Windows 7, now, as most will be Windows 8/8.1, or, windows 10.
If you can get one with Windows 7 on it, and you can get on with it, then all the best. It is still a great operating system.
I always say that if a computer does what you want it to, then that is the one you need.

 

I doubt you will find one. The architecture of new machines differs fundamentally from that of Win 7 machines, with UEFI motherboards and GPT disks. You cannot just install Win 7 instead of 10 either. What you can do though is save yourself some money and a lot of aggro by finding a good used Win 7 machine. As for me, I used 7 Ultimate for years but no way would I go back to it after using 10 since its launch.

 

win7 is still supported for 3 more years: Microsoft won't end security updates for your Windows 7 PC until Jan. 14, 2020
to me. this is one of those questions that is based on personal preference and comfort level.
my main home computer is a 2008 mac pro running snow leopard, osX 10.6.8, it does everything i could possibly want.
at work, i support computers running winxp and we are just getting around to replacing some really old computers with win7.
what do you actually need the computer for? and from a moral standpoint, are you comfortable with the data collection and actual ads that win10 bakes into the operating system? also, one needs to have enough computer savvy to deal with the occasional problem that eventually crop up when dealing with older systems. in my mind, win7 is fine, still supported, and one can accomplish anything you need on it. i have this kind of conversation with my brothers constantly, they like the glare of bright and shiny, where i prefer old and reliable.
good luck with it!

 

Mainstream support for Win 7 ends next year. But for anyone with a smoothly working laptop/desktop with Win7 and it meets their current needs, then by all means yes, they can of course continue using it, like some with XP do.
But buying a NEW system now, and putting Win 7 on it? No, it's technologically mad since it will hardly work.

 

I run 7, 8.1 and 10 on two computers. With Win 7, I had to go to Dell to get Win 7 device drivers for both. Not the case with 8.1 or 10. I actually prefer 8.1 to 7 or 10 but like you, I run Classic Shell on 8.1 AND 10. Win 10 also has some of the features of Win 7 built-in.

As stated though, "new" computers come with Win 10, have UEFI instead of BIOS and the disks are GPT instead of MBR. To install Win 7 on one of those you'd need to make some changes to both UEFI and the way the hard drive is initialized before beginning installation of Win 7.

The only way you'd get a computer with Win 7 on it is used or refurbished.

 

Depending on the chip, if you downgrade to 7, MS will not offer you any updates.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ch-you-receive-a-your-pc-uses-a-processor-tha

 

Fortunately, this doesn't apply to my two Dell laptops (phew!)

 

You can easily make W10 look like 7 if you want to. Classic Shell is a great program.

 

MS has closed the door on Win 7, they will not allow it to run on new systems (Kaby, Ryzen, etc). This act of desperation comes from so many Win 7 faithful that are tired of the spying and popups Win 10 has. But that tactic need not make you downgrade to Win 10.
The future is not clear, Linux, Mac or something else is not an option for hard core gamers.
Many offices have gone to Linux as they are afraid of the spying MS does in Win 10.
Like so many companies, greed will be MS downfall.
I run Win 7 with my chosen updates. Its fast, its compatible, it supports all my hardware and software. I don't chase viruses any more. Image/restore is much more time effective so I run MalwareBytes and am careful where I go on the internet. Win 10 holds no advantage in my scenario and many disadvantages.
It's a resounding YES, in some cases Win 7 makes sense.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that Win 8 and Win 10 introduced features many don't want and data collection ('spying') that is obnoxious.
However, as someone with 4 Win 10 systems, and manages about 30 others, I have found it supremely EASY to shut down/shut off every bit of it. Many 1000s of other users have also been able to do that.
There are now several programs (my favourite being O & O's Shut Up 10) which make it so easy to shut off every single one of those features not wanted, that only a grouch would still moan.
I also don't use or want the vast majority of 'Windows Apps' that come pre-installed on Win 10 and with the IoBit Uninstaller's 'Windows Apps' left side menu item, you can CLEANLY remove every single one of them!

 

I posted an error there. Actually mainstream support for Windows 7 ended on January 13, 2015. Extended support, but with no fixes or service pack updates or online assistance, will end in 2020.

 

We have programs available from this very forum that turn off "spying".

 

I want to find a win 7 home premium disk and drivers for a dell laptop , I want to upgrade from vista home premium
any ideas with out spending a bundle?

 

Download Microsoft Windows ISO Download Tool from MajorGeeks. It will get you your ISO to burn to DVD.

You WILL need to purchase a Product Key. They can be obtained for around $26US from ebay.

You'd need to enter the Service Tag Number of the Vista machine at the Dell Support site and check to see if Windows 7 Device drivers are available.

 

As mdonah says- that is a cheap way to upgrade, although I m still not sure of Microsoft's licence terms officially, as when I asked some time ago, the answer as that that do not sell keys separately- However they often work if used within a certain time.
As or upgrading from Vista to Windows 7- I always found the laptop/computer worked far better than when Vista was installed, and drivers can always be installed in compatibility mode to Vista. I feel that Dell usually cope very well in this situation.

 

Since I only own Dells, both of mine required AT LEAST the Windows 7 Ethernet driver for each one so I could connect to the internet and get Microsoft Updates for Win 7.

BTW, recently, I've not encountered the Win 7 Updates issues that were present a little while back. On the most recent install of Win 7, it took about 20 minutes to produce a list of available updates (instead of hours or even days) and i didn't need the stand-alone installers listed in other threads here.

 

Like you I've only owened Dell's and haven't had any problems ,just got this laptop (Dell) and want to convert it to win 7,cheaply.
thanks guy's looks like I'll be on the "hunt" for what I need .

 

Hold on a minute. 'just got this laptop (Dell)' - does that mean NEW or old refurbished? Are you still referring to the system that came with Vista??
If it's new it would have come with 8.1 or 10 and trying to revert to an OS that is no longer supported - mainstream - and will be junk in a little over 2 years is ridiculous and mad idea architecturally.
If it's an old system pre Win 8 then fine.

 

Concerning Windows 7 updates, before my first clean install, Windows update worked fine. Then after
the clean install, the update mechanism immediately stopped working. I found a trick to apply to each
update individually. Then I found a complete fix from information found on some website called MAJOR GEEKS.
It turns out, there were just two critical updates that completely fix update issues, but those critical
updates couldn't be installed because of update issues that those two updates were intended to fix. Ha ha.
So trickery had to be used to install those two. Then later after another clean install, like mdonah said,
no update issues at all. So that pretty much proves that Microsoft dropped the update ball, but then the
decision to pick it up eventually made its way out of multiple committees competing in a slow contest.

For me, a new computer and Windows 10 are one and the same. The longer the wait, the better the computer.
On a scale of 1 to 10, my initial reaction to Windows 10 was unfavorable. What's with all the $@&%-ware?
Microsoft automatically installed Windows 10 on my Dell. What's really ironic is that Microsoft probably
did that through Windows update. And NO I did NOT click on any acceptance button to let Microsoft do that.
Windows 10 made the Dell unusable. Programs wouldn't launch, the task manager always froze up, and the computer
had to be unplugged to turn off. Some lady sued and won $10,000 from Microsoft because Microsoft trashed her
computer without her permission by installing Windows 10. If Microsoft wants to trash my computer, they need
my permission.

 

its an "older" (not reburbished) laptop that came with vista installed on it , I've had good luck with win 7 so I figured that I'de put it on if
it wasen't to costly. just to have a "backup " in case my desktop went down.

 

That's fine then and you can still run the Win 7 Upgrade Advisor Tool on that Vista box to see if the hardware will work
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=20

 

It was easily possible to NOT upgrade Win 7 and 8 systems to Win 10 from the very day of the full year it was offered. There were multiple threads here (and all other Tech forums) constantly for a year telling people how to block it. There were small free software programs even that blocked it.
And yes you would have had to have allowed the prerequisites for Win 10 upgrade on to your system - they stood out very clearly.

 

I was never on tech forums at the time in question. I'm certain that I never accepted.
But the offer to upgrade happened so annoyingly frequently that it's possible I accidentally
accepted. Still, the following quote from the lady who sued Microsoft makes me all the more certain.

 

That's impossible anyway. Every single Win 7 and Win 8 user system had quite prominent notices on their systems telling them Win 10 as a free upgrade was coming. Every single user system had Win 10 prerequisite updates showing very clearly with notices about how to agree or dismiss the updates.
I saw them. On all my 4 systems that were Win 8, and the 30+ people whose systems were Win 7 or 8 that I help maintain.
It is very very common for the average Windows user to simply not read what's in front of them, or millions wouldn't get malware, or install software that added all kinds of options they didn't want because... they didn't keep their eyes open and their attention sufficient. That's a sad fact of life.

 

The following article explains to the tee what happened to me. First Microsoft, gave some users, possibly not all,
only the option to install now or to install later. Thus to decline, I had to click the closing X. At some point Microsoft
then made clicking the closing X an acceptance. This is all supported by the following article.
As the article states and as it happened to me, the automatic upgrade occurred without
any consent while I was away from the computer.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3088...ows-10-upgrade-just-cost-microsoft-10000.html.

 

They paid that person off to avoid further costs and publicity. But you can continue to believe whatever you like even though it is just history.

 

What went on with a specific person (the lady Microsoft paid off) really isn't relevant. The fact is that
there is clear documentation that not only did Microsoft go to extremes to trick people to install
Windows 10, they went even beyond that and sometimes installed Windows 10 without any consent
whatsoever.

 

Don't waste time by bringing it up then. Don't like MS OS products? Don't use them.

 

It's good to know that there are programs that can help prevent data collection in Win 10 for when I upgrade to it in the future. Anyway, if you're going to use Windows 7 for your old PC, that'd make sense. But since you're getting a new one, I'd advise getting Win 10 since updates for Win 7 will be ending soon.

 

This is incorrect. Windows 7 will receive updates through January 14, 2020. That is 2 years and 10 months of updates.

 

Mainstream support ended two years ago.
Extended support - critical updates only ends January 2020
In IT terms that is soon!
Also: Prior versions of Windows, including Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, have limited support when running on new processors and chipsets from manufacturers like Intel, AMD, NVidia, and Qualcomm. For more information, please see the Support Lifecycle FAQ.
So paying money for a Win 7 key for an old system is only worth it for someone who isn't bothered by the cost.
It is totally unfeasible for a new system.
So it 'makes sense' to continue to use it, but it 'doesn't make sense' to choose it.

 

And tha's why they make ClassicShell.

Custom Start orbs, custom menu, customize as you like it.

 

I may have contacted MS once back in the early 90's. The ending of mainstream support means nothing to most home users.

 

If you read the thread title and the OP's first post it does matter. It doesn't make sense (unless money is no object) to buy a Win 7 key for a new system (on which it is unlikely to work anyway), or one that already has Win 8.1.
For a different poster here (crookedbandit) it does make sense for a system that is Vista, if it meets the upgrade scan.

 

Max- Let's make this clear. Microsoft admitted to the fact that they installed
Windows 10 on some computers without consent. I love Microsoft products.
However, I like thousands and thousands of other's hated the fact that my computer
was trashed by Microsoft's chicanery.

P.S. Is Major Geeks really moderated? I never once insulted Mr. Turner.
The only thing I did was to vigorously defend the fact that Microsoft installed
Windows 10 without my consent. Nothing less nothing more.

 

Put it down to a life experience and move on.

 

After turning off all the spyware, what does Win 10 tell MS? The packet sniffers are running, but the jury is still out on if the spying actually stopped or just changed faces when "turned off".
https://arstechnica.com/information...ndows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/
Until Win 10 stops communicating with MS incessantly, stick with another OS. Probably Win 7 for now.

 

More than a year ago...

http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/windows_10_sends_data_home_5500_times_a_day.html

 

I still don't trust it.

 

That only makes sense for an old system and not for one with architecture based on Windows 8 onwards. For someone considering buying a new system but not wanting Win 10, buying a refurbished one with Win 7 is the only logical solution.
For an existing Win 7 user where the system works fine, then just keep it.
In terms of privacy in Win 10, it is possible with a 3rd party app and some settings > privacy changes, to block 95% of the outward data. And as that article showed it is possible - if anyone can be further bothered - to block the rest.
For people who really feel so strongly about Win 10 - then they can go to Mac or Linux instead.

 

One option Earthling pointed out was getting a used '7 machine. I can still find many refurbished at shoppes without even going online. And most major retailers have these online for in store delivery or home delivery.

Another option if buying new hardware is getting a Virtual Machine up and running Win '7. I run one on a '8 machine and sometimes find myself using it more during the day than '8. A win 7 dvd or ISO and key and you can install and run '7 all you like.

I'm sure you can find help here if needed to get it up and running. Just another option to consider.

 

I can build a brand new desktop and install windows 7 on it.Yeah i know it's a pain to install all the updates and every thing but i don't really see what the big issue is here.Yes windows 10 has it's good and it's bad but i for one don't like the spying part even though you can shut off some of it."voice input features like speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing".

I heard some cases that Microsoft can sit and hear what you say.And that there are backdoors that they have access to.So they could by pass if needed even Violating there own rules.They could sit there and activate your web cam and take pictures.Like hackers can.

I feel that Windows 10 has more vulnerabilities than 7 seems.

Quote from Microsoft "We will share your data with your consent" Since you agreed to the license they have the right to send info to Ad company's and boom you with ads.They record your details and what you like to read and watch Ect ect.

I feel that even though windows 7 is about 8 years old i still prefer it over 8 and 10 just be cause i don't need the latest and greats OS.And you can still stay secure if you know what you are doing.

And i like Windows 7 better be cause of ease of use.A lot of windows 10 is hard to disable.You need a third party tool most of the time for this.Just in that it inherits a risk it self.Be cause a lot of times you really don't know what your downloading unless you scan each file you download.

FYI windows 10 has an Ad Id number this is how they find you.

And has any one hear read up on cortana is bonzi buddy they are all most the same thing.

 

Seriously, how many people do you think can, let alone do, 'build' their own system? So few that it isn't relevant.
Online there are 1000s of ads for refurbished systems that will have win 7.