Microsoft offering some customers an extra year of free Windows 7 updates

[midian182]

In brief: With Windows 7's extended support period set to end on January 14, 2020, businesses that can’t or won’t upgrade to Windows 10 face paying Microsoft’s high fees to keep receiving extended security updates (ESUs). But the company is running a promotion that allows some customers extra time to migrate to the newer OS.

As reported by The Register, the Windows 7 and Office 2010 end of support FAQ reveals that companies running Windows 10 Enterprise E5, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 E5 Security, and Government E5 plans will receive the first year of Windows 7 ESUs free.

The offer will save businesses a lot of money. Those using Windows 7 Enterprise would normally be paying $25 per machine during the first year of ESUs, while staying on Windows 7 Pro starts at $50. The prices double every year for three years.

"Starting June 1st, EA and EAS customers with active subscription licenses to Windows 10 Enterprise E5, Microsoft 365 E5, or Microsoft 365 E5 Security (as of December 31, 2019) will get Windows 7 Extended Security Updates for Year 1 as a benefit," writes Microsoft.

"With this limited-time promotion, you have more options to continue receiving Windows 7 security updates after end of support."

Yesterday, antivirus giant Kaspersky released a customer survey that revealed 40 percent of very small businesses and 48 percent of small, medium-sized businesses (SMB) still used unsupported or approaching end of support operating systems. Specifically, 47 percent of SMB and Enterprise customers were found to be still using Windows 7. The survey aligns with a recent report that showed many businesses were taking too long to migrate from Windows 7.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81622-microsoft-offering-customers-extra-year-free-windows-7.html

 

[Uncle Al]

I guess the important question is "if they can support some, why not all?". I upgraded years ago but I am empathetic towards those that cannot or will not. The sad fact is that there are so many companies out there that continue to support ancient products for little or no fee, there is simply no good reason for Microsoft to be so heartless or perhaps the word is greedy. Or perhaps we need a better definition of the term "support" as it is used here so everyone has a better understanding .....

 

[errorhelp]

Do we have any idea how many e5 Windows 10 licenses we need to have to be eligible? Can we just buy 1 license and be covered for hundreds of Windows 7 PCs? How will Microsoft be able to identify which Windows 7 PCs of mine are eligible?

 

[yRaz]

Windows 7 was the best OS they ever made, it's a shame they're abandoning it for windows 10. I gave windows 10 am honest chance for a number of years but finally grew frustrated and switched to Linux. Security and stability are my number one concern now. The games I play the most all run on it fine, thank God. However, I do encounter issues that have taken close to an hour to resolve. Linux has come incredibly far but I'd still be on windows 7 if I wasn't forced into the dumpster fire that is windows 10

Windows 7>Linux>windows 10

RIP windows 7, you will be missed ;(

 

[dualkelly]

The amount of bs that ms pushes for them to try to get you to upgrade is insane. there is a very large community of people on msfn and mdgx that has win 98 running at win 7 capabilities. You dont 'need' to upgrade because microsoft wants you to.

 

[BSim500]

I guess the important question is "if they can support some, why not all?"

For the same reason DX12 on W7 was "technically impossible"... until it wasn't (link)...

 

[Teko03]

Windows 7 was the best OS they ever made, it's a shame they're abandoning it for windows 10. I gave windows 10 am honest chance for a number of years but finally grew frustrated and switched to Linux. Security and stability are my number one concern now. The games I play the most all run on it fine, thank God. However, I do encounter issues that have taken close to an hour to resolve. Linux has come incredibly far but I'd still be on windows 7 if I wasn't forced into the dumpster fire that is windows 10

Windows 7>Linux>windows 10

RIP windows 7, you will be missed ;(

Somehow every 10 years we're shocked and angry support ends for an older version of Windows.....

 

[pcnthuziast]

If direct x were open source, I'd never use a MS product again. I used 7 from the early days of the beta on and it was always just another OS to me. Go figure. 10 is fine and plenty secure with a few tweaks.

 

[Nero7]

I guess the important question is "if they can support some, why not all?"

For the same reason DX12 on W7 was "technically impossible"... until it wasn't (link)...

There is more than one feature level for DirectX12.

Remember Kepler cards for example do not completely feature DirectX 12.

 

[yRaz]

Somehow every 10 years we're shocked and angry support ends for an older version of Windows.....

I'm not shocked it ended, I'm shocked they replaced it with the piece of garbage that is windows 10. I need security, stability and access to the OS. You get none of that with windows 10. Windows 10 is designed to collect and sell your data for a profit. MS is no longer a software company, they are a data company. Any money they make from software or device sales is just a bonus for them.

I switched from 7 to windows 10. Hated 10 and switched to Linux. I'm curious where your comment about being surprised windows support ends came from.

 

[mailpup]

Windows 7 was the best OS they ever made, it's a shame they're abandoning it for windows 10. I gave windows 10 am honest chance for a number of years but finally grew frustrated and switched to Linux. Security and stability are my number one concern now. The games I play the most all run on it fine, thank God. However, I do encounter issues that have taken close to an hour to resolve. Linux has come incredibly far but I'd still be on windows 7 if I wasn't forced into the dumpster fire that is windows 10

Windows 7>Linux>windows 10

RIP windows 7, you will be missed ;(

Just curious, as I don't know much about Linux, what are some of the games that run fine without much issues?

 

[yRaz]

Just curious, as I don't know much about Linux, what are some of the games that run fine without much issues?

Eve online, Witcher 3, borderlands 2. All the elder scrolls games including ESO. Actually, it's easier to list games that DONT work Linux. Ark survival evolved and basically anything from EA doesn't run on Linux, but I did get crisis 1 running without much trouble. I'm sure there is some way to get EA games to work but I haven't bought anything from them in years and don't really care to try.

There are 4 major methods to getting any game to install. Not all of them work for everygame, but at least ONE of them will. So, yeah, getting things to run isn't always as simple as clicking install on steam but 90% of the time it is.

Basically look at what games you play and how many of them can reliability play on Linux. For me the amount of games that I play that run on Linux is greater than those that don't.

Check out a couple of gaming on Linux YouTube videos, you'd be surprised how user friendly this stuff has become. If you want to switch from windows don't expect Linux to be windows. There is a learning curve and you will have to relearn some things. The thing about it is that decades of development has made many distros incredibly user friendly.

I use Linux mint on every computer in my house and I have a few to say the least. Maybe for you Pop!OS would be the one to start with as it's gaming focused. I'm going to install Manjaro on my new build once.inget all the parts but that's closer to the intermediate side of Linux as I've been told

 

[ShagnWagn]

. 10 is fine and plenty secure with a few tweaks.

From outside in? Maybe. If so, then why do they keep coming out with security updates?
From inside out? Heck no, or you are oblivious to the thousands of articles about it sending your private data out behind your back.

 

[mailpup]

I use Linux mint on every computer in my house and I have a few to say the least. Maybe for you Pop!OS would be the one to start with as it's gaming focused. I'm going to install Manjaro on my new build once.inget all the parts but that's closer to the intermediate side of Linux as I've been told

Thanks for the information. It wouldn't be mainly for gaming though, just some gaming. All my current PCs are Windows 7. I'm due for a new PC and I was considering dual booting it maybe with a Linux distro. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know for sure yet but I'll decide later.

 

[yRaz]

Thanks for the information. It wouldn't be mainly for gaming though, just some gaming. All my current PCs are Windows 7. I'm due for a new PC and I was considering dual booting it maybe with a Linux distro. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know for sure yet but I'll decide later.

Stick it on a jump drive and use it as your daily driver for a few days. Linux mint is easiest to familiarize yourself with coming from windows.

 

[mailpup]

Stick it on a jump drive and use it as your daily driver for a few days. Linux mint is easiest to familiarize yourself with coming from windows.

Okay, thanks. Sounds like a good idea. I just might do that.

 

[Emexrulsier]

We still use windows 7 not because of the os itself as such but more the applications that are running on them. One concern we have at the moment is the impending eol of internet explorer 11. I hate IE but IE11 is the only browser that works with Oracle/Java Forms neither of these work with Chrome or Egde (hate edge even more, often keels over after opening 1 tab).

Windows 10 is kinda on the cards, but we need other software devs to migrate.

 

[Danny101]

Windows 7 was the best OS they ever made, it's a shame they're abandoning it for windows 10. I gave windows 10 am honest chance for a number of years but finally grew frustrated and switched to Linux. Security and stability are my number one concern now. The games I play the most all run on it fine, thank God. However, I do encounter issues that have taken close to an hour to resolve. Linux has come incredibly far but I'd still be on windows 7 if I wasn't forced into the dumpster fire that is windows 10

Windows 7>Linux>windows 10

RIP windows 7, you will be missed ;(

I haven't had much success installing Linux. Just was never quite compatible for my builds. I generally use ASUS motherboards. I had one success and managed to get Fedora to install. What motherboards are you using and who are the BIOS providers?

 

[yRaz]

I haven't had much success installing Linux. Just was never quite compatible for my builds. I generally use ASUS motherboards. I had one success and managed to get Fedora to install. What motherboards are you using and who are the BIOS providers?

The only compatibility issues I have experienced are printer, wireless and USB audio related. Just avoid USB audio, check for printer compatibility before you buy and I've always had problems with wireless cards on all systems so...

But I have MSI, ASUS and ASRock board across all my systems now. It's still a good idea to check compatibility with Linux before buying anything, but it isn't nearly as big an issue as it was 10+ years ago. I also think linux's new found compatibility with gaming makes dealing with those inconveniences justified.