A good operating system can sometimes be like that worn out recliner that you just don’t want to part with. It’s comfortable, you know all the nooks and crannies, and you just don’t want to change and have to get used to something new.

But when it comes to operating systems, there is a ticking clock in their lifecycle. When the alarm goes off once the OS reaches “end of life” (EOL), sticking with it after that date leaves your computer and network open to all types of malware and other online threats.

That virtual alarm will go off for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. That’s the date where the operating system loses extended support, which is often referred to as reaching EOL.

Windows 7 was first released on October 22, 2009, so it’s had a good decade plus run. Ten years is typically the timeframe that Microsoft supports a Windows operating system and Windows 10 was released in July of 2015, so users have had a little over 4 years to transition.

For residential and business PC users that use a managed IT services plan, in order for your security to remain intact, there needs to be regular security updates to install, otherwise your computer and data are left vulnerable.

What happens if you keep on using Windows 7 after EOL?

According to Microsoft, after the EOL date:

• Technical assistance from Microsoft will no longer be available
• Software updates from Windows Update will no longer be available
• Security updates that protect your PC will no longer be available

They state that, “Microsoft strongly recommends that you move to Windows 10 sometime before January 2020 to avoid a situation where you need service or support that is no longer available.”

Unpatched system vulnerabilities were responsible for nearly 60% of data breaches that happened in the last two years.

Some of the key issues with continuing to use Windows 7 after it loses all support are:

• Hackers can easily exploit vulnerabilities in the operating system knowing they won’t be patched any longer.
• You’ll have trouble finding support for technical issues because you’ll be running a no longer supported system.
• Hardware and software conflicts will start to arise because manufacturers focus on compatibility with current operating systems not outdated ones.
• You’ll be out of compliance with data privacy regulations such as HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

What Are My Options for Upgrading to Windows 10?

While time’s just about run out for Windows 7 (or already has, depending upon when you’re reading this), you do want to take a moment to consider your upgrade options before you rush into one or another.

For some users, upgrading their PC at the same time they do their operating system will make the most sense. For others, the best option might be simply upgrading to Windows 10 on their existing device.

Here are the main Windows 10 upgrade options to consider.

Buying a New PC with Windows 10

If your computer is 3-5+ years old, there’s a chance it might not support an upgrade to Windows 10. Even if it can, if it has other problems due to age, such as being low on hard drive space, then buying a new PC with Windows 10 already on it might be the option that makes the most sense.

While age can vary according to model and use, the average lifespan of a computer is 3 to 5 years.

Here are the Windows 10 system requirements to check against your current PC:

• Running the latest operating system, either: Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update.
• Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC
• RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit
• Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS or 20 GB for 64-bit OS
• Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver
• Display: 800 x 600

Upgrading to a Windows Virtual Desktop

If you’ve been thinking of jumping on the trend of virtual desktops, Windows just announced theirs in the fall of 2019, and it allows you to access your Windows 10-powered desktop from any device.

Rather than having your operating system installed on your computer’s hard drive (and all your software, files, folders, etc.), it’s installed on an Azure virtual server that you can use just about any type of PC or mobile device to access. It comes with an always updated copy of Windows 10.

Keeping Your PC and Upgrading the Operating System

If your computer is in good shape and you don’t need to replace it, then you can simply purchase Windows10 Home or Pro and install the upgrade.

You may want to get some help from an IT professional to ensure a smooth upgrade process because operating system upgrades are a bit more involved than updating software, and a pro can handle it for you without the stress, and test everything afterwards to make sure there are no problems.

Upgrading from Office 365 to Microsoft 365

If your company subscribes to Office 365, then you might find that a better way to upgrade your existing computers to Windows 10 is to upgrade to a Microsoft 365 subscription. You’ll still need to upgrade your computer, but you won’t have to purchase Windows 10 separately because it’s included in the subscription.

Microsoft 365 Business Includes:

• Office 365 Business Premium
• Windows 10 Pro
• Microsoft Intune (mobile device manager)
• Additional security features

Get Help with Your Windows 10 Upgrade from Cris’s Tech Repair

If you’re facing an urgent need to upgrade to Windows 10 to avoid having an unprotected PC, Cris’s Tech Repair can help! We’ll ensure a smooth upgrade to an existing PC or help you migrate your data to a completely new computer.

Contact us today to schedule your Window 10 upgrade. Call 561-985-4961 or reach out online.

We’ve all been there. You get a new computer and everything is clean and organized, then a couple of years later, you’ve got tons of temp files you don’t need, duplicate documents in different folders, and a PC that’s not nearly as fast as it used to be.

You know that refreshed feeling you get when you clean out your garage or tidy up your office? You can get that same feeling when you take time to do a digital housekeeping on your computer.

Cleaning your computer’s hard drive not only can make it easier to find the files you need, it can also reduce your need for PC repairs, and help improve computer performance and speed.

Once files on a hard drive start to get disorganized, that means it’s taking you longer to search for what you need every day. While it might not seem like a lot of time, an extra 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there really adds up.

People spend 19.8% of their workday searching for the data they need to do their job effectively.

Tidying up your computer can be just what you need to get that energized feeling again when you sit down at your keyboard!

Steps to Take to Tidy Up Your Computer

While many of these steps will sound familiar to you, several of them are the “clean the baseboards” equivalent of computer housekeeping. Something we see and know we should do, but never quite get around to.

Making time to go through a thorough cleanup of your computer will be worth it for the boost in productivity, speed, and more.

Purge Temporary Files

Temporary files can build up over time taking up your hard drive space and slowing down your computer. Temporary files are usually created when:

• You install new programs
• You print something
• You copy/paste
• Your computer shuts down unexpectedly
• You create browser cookies when visiting websites

On Windows, you can delete them by using the Disk Cleanup tool.

On Mac, you can use a tool like CleanMyMac, or look for them yourself and delete them manually by going to Finder and using the Go menu. Open “Library” and look for “Cache.”

Do a File & Folder Review

While it can be time consuming to look through all your PC’s folders and files, this is a great way to get them organized, and possibly find something you thought you’d lost.

Delete the files you don’t need any longer and organize them so that older files aren’t in your way. For example, if you have something you don’t want to delete, but also don’t need to access regularly, create an Archive folder and put those types of files there. That way they’ll be out of your way when looking for documents that you do use regularly.

Clean Out Your Email Inbox

Do you really need that sale email from 5 months ago in your inbox? Email is another area of our PCs that tend to get unruly after a while and we can be left with inboxes full of information that’s out of date and no longer needed.

Clean out your inbox with these email cleaning tips:

• Delete emails you don’t need,
• Save data from emails that contain info you need but that don’t need to reside in your email program (OneNote is a great application to use for this).
• For emails you still want in your email program, create folders where they can be stored by subject and moved out of your immediate inbox.

Do Some Outside Cleaning

While most of our tips cover what’s inside your computer, your digital housekeeping should also include some exterior cleaning that can help your PC last longer and prevent you from having issues like a sticky keyboard or mouse.

Use compressed air that’s designed for use with electronics to clean your keyboard, fan, and mouse. Use electronic wipes that are made for computers and other devices to clean your screen and other areas of your PC.

Clear Browser History & Delete Unneeded Extensions

Open the browser that you use and clear the history, which is another way of cleaning up old data that is just taking up extra space.

Additionally, look at the browser extensions and delete any you no longer need. It’s not unusual to forget about extensions you may have tried and never removed. Getting rid of these can help speed up your browser, especially if they were a particularly “heavy” application.

Review Your Programs and Startup Folder

Take a look at the programs you have installed to see if you’re still using them. You might find remnants of applications you trialed but decided not to get or other things just taking up unnecessary disk space. Delete any you no longer need.

Does it take forever to reboot your computer because there are so many programs you have to wait on at startup? Some programs default to being in your startup folder, even if you never really wanted them there.

Check your startup folder and remove the programs that you don’t need to automatically start when your computer is booted up. This doesn’t delete the program, it just stops it from automatically starting when you boot your computer.

• Check your Windows 10 startup folder by clicking the Windows Start button and going to Settings > Apps > Startup.
• Check your Mac startup folder by clicking System Preferences > Users & Groups. Select your User ID, select Login Items.

Keep Your PC Running Smoothly with Managed IT Services

Get help cleaning your PC and keeping it running smoothly. Cris’s Tech Repair offers residential and small business managed IT services to keep your device secure and running efficiently.

Contact us today to get started! Call 561-985-4961 or reach out online.

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