Many businesses are taking too long to migrate from Windows 7

[midian182]

In brief: With Windows 7’s extended support set to end in less than six months, enterprise users are rushing to upgrade their networks to Windows 10. But for many businesses, the process isn’t happening as quickly as they’d like.

On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop supporting the aging OS, meaning no more extended security updates (ESUs). Business and enterprise customers will have the option to pay for them, but the Redmond giant is charging on a per-device basis and doubling the cost each year. Starting at $25 per machine (or $50 for Windows 7 Pro), ESUs will reach $100 or $200 per PC by year three.

Unsurprisingly, companies are now migrating to Windows 10, but research from endpoint management and security firm 1E shows that many are significantly behind in completing their upgrades.

While the report reveals 82 percent of organizations say security is a motivating factor in moving to Windows 10, 56 percent say the process isn’t happening fast enough. Of the 600 senior IT decision-makers surveyed, it was reported that 32 percent of endpoints were left unconverted.

Retail, distribution, and transport industries are furthest behind with 65 percent of devices migrated, though financial services, public sector, construction and property, and media, leisure and entertainment are only slightly ahead at 66 percent.

"A main obstacle to the transition appears to be the growth in remote work, which 77% agree is creating security concerns specifically around the challenge of updates. The extraordinarily high rates of concern around the energy sector for remote work (92%) are unsurprising, since, from oil rigs to oil fields, from tankers to trucks, it has long been an intrinsically 'remote' industry," said 1E.

Even those businesses that have moved to Windows 10 could find that its massive bi-annual updates prove to be a problem without the right tools. "If you're already struggling with Windows 10 migration, you will continue to struggle even more with the updates, and it all comes down to the same problem: a lack of endpoint reach and control," said Sumir Karayi, CEO at 1E.

Almost 80 percent of survey participants said software migration automation is the most important cybersecurity investment their organizations must make in the next year, while over 75 percent said remote work would remain a security concern until they can find a way to reach, patch and secure those devices.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81112-many-businesses-taking-long-migrate-windows-7.html

 

[Igrecman]

They're taking too long because it costs a fortune for a big business, and will cause a truck load of problems. Some of them might just be considering other alternatives like MacOS or Linux. Most of them won't do that just because they know their employees are used to Windows and it would cost a fortune to teach them to use an OS they aren't familiar with.

 

[BSim500]

"Unsurprisingly, companies are now migrating to Windows 10, but research from endpoint management and security firm 1E shows that many are significantly behind in completing their upgrades"

"Upgrade"?...

 

[yRaz]

Maybe if windows 10 wasn't garbage they would upgrade. Windows 10 is the reason I switched to Linux. Windows 7 was the best OS they ever made, it's a shame they are stopping support for it in favor of the spyware that is windows 10

 

[ShagnWagn]

I suppose you only mean the ones that are submitting under the MS hammer? "You will be assimilated". Many companies respect their own company privacy.

MS - Don't want to patch Win7 any more, even though it is a huge percentage of the current market? Id10t move on your part. I guess hackers will turn all the Win7 machines into bot farms to destroy your Win10 forced "upgrades". Have fun with that.

 

[Dosahka]

They're taking too long because it costs a fortune for a big business, and will cause a truck load of problems. Some of them might just be considering other alternatives like MacOS or Linux. Most of them won't do that just because they know their employees are used to Windows and it would cost a fortune to teach them to use an OS they aren't familiar with.

Simply called mobile device management which can manage devices if they are online, if they are offline they have to accept the fact that data is "lost", they have a control over at some point , but with windows 7 they have less tools in their (corporates) hands than they will have with windows 10.
I can tell because I manage windows 10 and macos devices, that there many great tools which companies can utilise to secure down remote workers, it will cost a lot to setup first, later on it will be much easier to setup/add/remove devices from their system or simply forcibly push an update to their devices and setup multi factor authentication....etc
This all possible on Windows or macOS and even more, it's their ignorance which can't be upgraded.

 

[hahahanoobs]

They're taking too long because it costs a fortune for a big business, and will cause a truck load of problems. Some of them might just be considering other alternatives like MacOS or Linux. Most of them won't do that just because they know their employees are used to Windows and it would cost a fortune to teach them to use an OS they aren't familiar with.

This comment is all kinds of wrong....

 

[DukeJukem]

If I remember correctly back when xp wasn't supported anymore some person developed a patch that allowed xp to continue to receive updates thus bypassing microsofts bs. I'm sure this will happen again with 7

 

[Igrecman]

If I remember correctly back when xp wasn't supported anymore some person developed a patch that allowed xp to continue to receive updates thus bypassing microsofts bs. I'm sure this will happen again with 7

IIRC it wasn't really a patch. It was a widely used .reg to merge in the Windows Registry so that any XP user could get the updates that weren't offered for the End Users but were still offered by M$ for the corporations. That support ended in April 2019.

 

[fps4ever]

Windows 7 is more useful and dependable than Windows XP if you can believe it. It is understandable why business would be reluctant. Cost is key when it already just works...

 

[Evernessince]

I can understand not wanting to upgrade to windows 10. It seems like every other week Microsoft breaks something and if it isn't that, they revert settings to default every once in awhile.

Even on the more stable update tracks, there are many bugs which microsoft does not care to fix.

 

[texasrattler]

I can understand not wanting to upgrade to windows 10. It seems like every other week Microsoft breaks something and if it isn't that, they revert settings to default every once in awhile.

Even on the more stable update tracks, there are many bugs which microsoft does not care to fix.

There is also many things that they simply aren't responsible for. Not every issue is their fault. Yes Windows 10 is going through issues, all OSes go through this when making big changes which is what Windows is going through.
It's happened with Apple And Google.

Also when MS changes something that users don't like doesn't mean they broke it. That is so highly used.

 

[yeeeeman]

All microsoft wants is more money. Full stop.

 

[Evernessince]

There is also many things that they simply aren't responsible for. Not every issue is their fault. Yes Windows 10 is going through issues, all OSes go through this when making big changes which is what Windows is going through.
It's happened with Apple And Google.

Also when MS changes something that users don't like doesn't mean they broke it. That is so highly used.

Just talking about issues that are directly attributable to the operating system, Microsoft has major issues on the monthly. Aside from the fact they has been existing bugs forever in the operating system (go add tags to an .mp4 file and then remove them, this will corrupt the file).

1903 has bugs with even the basics like removing the highlight from an item your mouse is no longer hovering over.

example: https://imgur.com/a/8TjMIp8

Big changes? Please, they've been going through "big changes" since windows 8. It would be one thing if these changes were improvements but it's another when 90% of them are simply stylistic and made to change the way things work more to microsoft's liking.

 

[dualkelly]

Work in one of the largest hospitals in the country and we have embedded systems and hardware that is still running xp. not really sure where this myth of having to force upgrade to the newest windows comes from. many embedded systems are only upgraded once the machine is dead.

 

[DukeJukem]

IIRC it wasn't really a patch. It was a widely used .reg to merge in the Windows Registry so that any XP user could get the updates that weren't offered for the End Users but were still offered by M$ for the corporations. That support ended in April 2019.

thanks for clarifying

 

[Dimitrios]

Remember the ATM's that use Windows XP then when support ended it was hacked and was on the local news a few times. Hmmmmmm Windows 7.

 

[Lew Zealand]

They're taking too long because it costs a fortune for a big business, and will cause a truck load of problems. Some of them might just be considering other alternatives like MacOS or Linux. Most of them won't do that just because they know their employees are used to Windows and it would cost a fortune to teach them to use an OS they aren't familiar with.

Always use the right tool for the job.

I'm nominally a Mac user and we have departments that prefer Macs but in a Corp. environment with smb shares, we simply have fewer problems with those shared on PCs. We continue to recommend they get PCs for this work and they continue not to do so. Oh well, stop complaining when it doesn't' work 100% of the time, you get a lot closer to 100% with a PC.

And if you're a PC user, don't switch to a Mac or Linux for the reasons you state at the end. If an employee is used to a platform and gets their work done most efficiently on that, then give them that platform.

 

[netman]

Microsoft had to create Win 8.1 because Win 8 was missing the start button... MS may have to do a similar undertaking making a Win 10 classics for those Win 7 procrastinators!

 

[yRaz]

Always use the right tool for the job.

I'm nominally a Mac user and we have departments that prefer Macs but in a Corp. environment with smb shares, we simply have fewer problems with those shared on PCs. We continue to recommend they get PCs for this work and they continue not to do so. Oh well, stop complaining when it doesn't' work 100% of the time, you get a lot closer to 100% with a PC.

And if you're a PC user, don't switch to a Mac or Linux for the reasons you state at the end. If an employee is used to a platform and gets their work done most efficiently on that, then give them that platform.

I switched to Linux years ago, it's easier than ever to use. I prefer Linux mint. I had the hang of it in a couple hours and mastered in a week.

 

[amghwk]

For small businesses that use common things like a word processor, spreadsheet, emails, etc, Linux suffices.

Minimum, if at all any, training for this is required.

 

[Igrecman]

1903 has bugs with even the basics like removing the highlight from an item your mouse is no longer hovering over.

example: https://imgur.com/a/8TjMIp8

That's probably your graphics card driver because I don't have this problem with 1903

 

[Igrecman]

I switched to Linux years ago, it's easier than ever to use. I prefer Linux mint. I had the hang of it in a couple hours and mastered in a week.

Try MX Linux. It has become the most popular Linux distro this year for a reason. https://distrowatch.com

 

[Evernessince]

That's probably your graphics card driver because I don't have this problem with 1903

Nope, clean install with DDU multiple times with different drivers.

 

[DelJo63]

businesses are taking too long to migrate from Windows 7

That comment discloses that the author has NO (zip, nada, zilch) experience with commercial accounts or software.

Even the U.S. Navy STILL has systems running on the XP base! WHY you ask? Because of custom 3rd party software that needs to be TOTALLY rewritten.

Hospitals and medical facilities are similarly bound to Win/7. Just last week I saw that my dentist was still on 7.

Add to this the issue of Win/10 update management by the user binds these businesses to anything OTHER THAN Win/10.