I realize it is not "news" but I just got another reminder and it got me to thinking.

Seems to me that I have 2 choices. One, stay with Win 7 and forgo updates, etc. or convert to Win 10 with all the attendant issues, like what happens to my files, etc.

From what I heard, quite a while ago, converting to Win 10 was a royal PIA.

Any thoughts, suggestions, etc welcome.

I am toying with the idea of buying a new PC with Win 10 on it, but then have to somehow migrate all my stuff to the new one.

The problem with EOL for Win7 isn't so much a lack of updates re: functionality, but a lack of updates re: security patches.

Anyone using Win7 after EOL and connected to the interwebz will be an increasingly easy target for all manner of hooligans.

I don't like Win10 either, but it was either that or a Linux distribution and due to certain systems I have to work with, the latter wasn't really a practical option.

I say buy a new machine if yours is more than a few years old so you can have both up and running while you take your time migrating your programs and data.

-Rob

-Rob

Friends of mine, both in their mid-80s and in VERY fragile health, just bought a new Win10 computer upgrading from a Win7 unit. I got the honor of moving all their critical files between units.

Overall, the process wasn't horrible, except...

She's hooked on Outlook as her email. She has YEARS of emails all neatly sorted and filed in a logical system of folders, much of it medically related. This created a number of problems that were a cast iron BITCH to get around.

First Win10 does NOT support legacy Outlook.

Second, the only way to get Win10-compatible Outlook is to buy Office 365 which you don't actually buy you RENT for $99/year. That did not set well with them, so I tried like hell to get Thunderbird to make nice with Outlook and Win10. And failed, miserably.

I was just back today, her SiL re-installed Office 365 (unbeknownst to her) and got Outlook working, but it's a completely different interface and not even a little bit intuitive. She thought it wasn't working, but it was just that it was so different she didn't know how to use it.

That goes for Win10 in general. Nothing is where it was in Win7 and they "fixed" a whole bunch of shit that wasn't broken. It's a steep (and ultimately unavoidable) learning curve.

I'll run 7 until it won't run any more.

I didn't find upgrading from Win7 to Win10 that much of an issue; I did it several times.

Part of my job requires me to work with a variety of operating systems, so I try to keep my hand in.

A year or so ago, I purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e, which came with Windows 10 Pro pre-installed.

It's been nothing but a pain in the @$$. Windows10, for some reason, seems to like rebooting the machine randomly for no apparent reason. I have tweaked the power settings to no end, to no avail.

Getting Docker Desktop to work on it (a project, not a requirement) was more than a challenge.

I've booted it with a Linux thumb drive, and all of a sudden it's become like a new machine. It's got a touch screen, and Linux knows it, automatically. It actually tracks better and responds better than Windows.

There are some programs I run that aren't currently available for Linux, but I may consider using WINE to overcome that issue.

I've already converted two of my older computers to Linux, and it's breathed new life into them!

I use Windows 7 in a virtual machine hosted on a Mac. I only use it for two applications:

1. QuickBooks, which does not require an internet connection for my use, so lack of security updates is not a problem there, and
   
   
2. Medlin Payroll. The only internet connection required by this is for tax table updates, which I initiate via a connection to Medlin's website, so again, lack of security updates is not a problem.

Everything else that I do, and specifically everything that requires an internet connection, is in the Mac environment, so no, there is no reason for me to "upgrade" from Windows 7 to a newer version of Windows.

What is the age and resources (specs) of your existing computer?
I wouldn't necessarily make a move just because of the W7 EOL notification.
If the existing computer is running fine for normal use then estimate how long you have left the buy a new hardware/OS then.
Upgrades are risky and do not always live up to the expectations due to old or aging hardware.
New hardware technology is fantastic and yes W10 is much better than W7.
However, I'd thing twice of an in place upgrade (or new fresh install) on aging or obsolete hardware.
It will/should/may work but I'd consider something new (hardware + W10) vs just keep driving the old one.
YMMV

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

First Win10 does NOT support legacy Outlook.

Second, the only way to get Win10-compatible Outlook is to buy Office 365 which you don't actually buy you RENT for $99/year.

What do you define as "legacy Outlook"?

NOT TRUE is that O365 is the only thing compatible and I have installed Outlook going back as far as Outlook 2007 (I won't use anything before that).
Outlook 2003 and before you are just asking for problems (with any OS).

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

What do you define as "legacy Outlook"?

NOT TRUE is that O365 is the only thing compatible and I have installed Outlook going back as far as Outlook 2007 (I won't use anything before that).
Outlook 2003 and before you are just asking for problems (with any OS).

Interesting. I think she was running Outlook 2007 on her Win7 laptop. I couldn't find a way to transfer it, but I'm not all that computer savvy.

Can you download Outlook 2007 from somewhere and get it to run on Win10? That would be a godsend for her.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

Can you download Outlook 2007 from somewhere and get it to run on Win10? That would be a godsend for her.

All you need to do is either copy over the PST file (most likely named outlook.pst but could be different).
or
From the old program > File > open > import > export to a file > PST > {choose folder} > [choose location]
then
import on new computer the same way

Outlook 2007 will run on W10.

Outlook (office) 2007 has long EOL and not sure where to get it.
FWIW, Comcast used to offer free Outlook 2010 (if you use them) and you can import the PST into that (or other newer versions).
If it is 2010 then you can get it here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-u...ware-download/office

Good Luck

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
What is the age and resources (specs) of your existing computer?
I wouldn't necessarily make a move just because of the W7 EOL notification.
If the existing computer is running fine for normal use then estimate how long you have left the buy a new hardware/OS then.
Upgrades are risky and do not always live up to the expectations due to old or aging hardware.
New hardware technology is fantastic and yes W10 is much better than W7.
However, I'd thing twice of an in place upgrade (or new fresh install) on aging or obsolete hardware.
It will/should/may work but I'd consider something new (hardware + W10) vs just keep driving the old one.
YMMV

My system was upgraded with new processor, new, more, and faster memory about 3 years ago.

I have a dedicated back-up drive that gets a new back up every Sunday evening. Don't know if it would run with Win 10, or not, but don't see why it should not.

Anyway, I have a little time to figure out what to do and how to do it.

I have seen sites that offer no-cost upgrades to Win 10, but have to wonder how they do that, legally.

still running Win 7 and have purchased two Linux boxes

not at all interested in Win 10

bloated spyware and keystroke logging OS