Windows 7: First day of no support

~ beetleypete

** Update WP has stopped letting me comment, even on my own blog. They are sending codes to my phone, then telling me they have expired It looks like I will be ‘incognito’ until I get this sorted.**

At midnight, Microsoft withdrew all support for Windows 7. No more security updates, and no support for any virus or Malware intrusions.

I knew this was going to happen, and have posted about it before. Like most people, I had long-ago installed reliable software to protect against viruses and Malware.

When I opened my PC this morning, I got a full-screen warning from Microsoft. This repeated the ‘doom and gloom’ scenario from last year, and urged me to buy a new computer running Windows 10.

I skipped this message, and continued. I didn’t expect anything drastic to happen on day one of the demise of Windows 7.

Then strangely enough, I had to fully log in, to be able to access WordPress. I did this, and when it didn’t open, I got a pop-up window telling me that a security code had been sent to my mobile phone. Once that was entered, it allowed me to progress to the site.

I then left a comment on another WordPress blog. Once again, I was asked to log in all details and password to allow the comment to be posted.

This may just be a WordPress glitch, as we all know they can happen frequently.

But I cannot help but think it is an interesting coincidence.

84 thoughts on “Windows 7: First day of no support”

  1. Interesting. Having to sign in every time is the handwriting on the wall. You will have to bite the bullet at some point. I’m like you, going down fighting on change. My old (and I mean old) email address has been a dinosaur problem for years, and I’m not gonna change (till I have to.) 🙂 Best to you, Pete.

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  2. I hope you are not relying on third party security suites to protect you online after Windows 7 support dies because … they won’t be much protection. T he Windows 7 security patches are unique to Microsoft and have nothing to do with any outside privately contracted security suites. Please be careful.

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      1. backing up is fine until you try to put something on your regular computer and then it is vulnerable. As long as your stuff is in the cloud it will be alright but if you expose it to your computer it is subject to hacking or infestation. Have you consider a chrome operating system or a Linux distribution?

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        1. I have been investigating the Chrome PCs made by Hewlett Packard and Asus, John.
          They have small storage capacity though, and issues with using a printer. I am also unsure if my portable hard drive is compatible.
          I will keep looking. 🙂
          Best wishes, Pete.

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          3. If you are contemplating a chrome operating system computer, be informed that your best life-expectancy for the system is 5 years from date of release which means that the 24-inch-all in one that I have expires in June 2021 after which I must purchase a new unit …around $400 usd …. and the higher end chrome all in one computers expire sometime in 2015. It is one of the inconveniences of chrome operating system that Google only guarantees data upgrading for 5 years at a time and then you have to buy a new machine or convert the one you have to a linux kernel.

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    2. OK, I read all of that. Very good advice. This is my situation.

      I have all photos and documents backed up on a Buffalo 500 GB portable hard drive.
      I have NEVER used online banking, and have no ‘secrets’ online, whatever they could be.
      My email addresses are non-Microsoft, so can be accessed from anywhere. I have Avira antivirus, plus a free Malware software progamme installed too.

      If anyone ‘ransoms’ my 8 year-old PC, they can have it. 🙂 I won’t be paying anything to unlock it.

      If the current OS becomes corrupted, I have a ‘Plan B’. In the cupboard behind me is a brand new, never-used Lenovo Windows 10 laptop, which I got free for reviewing it on Amazon. It has a 15-inch screen, and the same Intel Processor (i-3) as my PC, with identical RAM, (8 GB) and 1 TB storage.

      However, I prefer a desktop, as I have a 24-inch widescreen monitor, and a nice big ‘Mr Magoo’ keyboard. I also use the DVD drive sometimes to watch things, and have it connected to a very basic printer. So I could use the laptop for a while, then get a new PC later in the year, or in 2021.
      The new version of the HP Pavilion that I currently use is £449, with the same spec. That’s exactly the same price I paid for it in 2012, so very affordable.

      If nothing bad happens, I will carry on using this Windows 7 PC until it becomes unstable. By that time, I’m sure Windows 10 will be defunct, and Windows 11 will be all the rage. 🙂

      I would love to change to an Apple setup one day, but I refuse to pay the prices they charge.

      Thanks again mate. Pete.

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      1. Sounds like you’ll be fine, then. The only thing I’d advise is to disconnect the portable hard drive, and just connect it back up once in a while.

        Another option you might want to consider some time, is to connect you keyboard, mouse and monitor to the laptop. You get to use what your are used to, with any advantages from using a more modern, up to date machine.

        On the other hand, for as long as it ain’t broke….

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        1. Cheers, Ian. I don’t have the portable hard drive connected all the time. I just get it out occasionally, to update extra photos. I will take your advice about having a ‘play’ with the laptop though. Just in case…:)

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  4. Hi Pete, reading through the comments I see that the problem ended up being a WordPress issue. Is it fixed now?

    Re Windows 7. I’ve always remained at last two operating system upgrades ‘behind’, simply because Micro$oft is incapable of bringing out two decent upgrades in a row. Anyone remember Windows ME? Terrible. Then there was Windows 2000. Brilliant. Vista? Resource hog, best forgotten. XP was good and I stayed with it until a techie friend convinced me that 7 was better. He was right. Windows 8? and 8.1? Just awful. Then 10 was rushed out …

    I have 10 on my 2nd pc, the laptop I use for teaching [because my students buy pc’s with 10 installed by default], but I had to spend hours combing through all the settings, turning off all the sneaky little options that allow Micro$oft to data mine its users. All my real work though, happens on my Windows 7 desktop, and it’s going to stay that way until I have to upgrade the hardware. After that? -sigh- I don’t know. Maybe I’ll finally bite the bullet and get Linux. 😦

    Bottom line: IF you have a /good/ anti virus software and don’t just rely on Windows Defender, then you should be ok on 7 until third party software you need no longer runs on 7. You can check online for a comparison of anti-virus software. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

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    1. Thanks very much for your thoughts, and good advice.
      Wordpress admitted their blame for the problem I had, but were not specific about why it happened.
      It seems to be fixed for now, but my fingers remain crossed.
      (It’s tricky typing like that!)
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  8. As you know Pete, I have been having issues with my ability to “like” some bloggers…I use a Mac, but wordpress still has not been as helpful as I hoped….they just keep asking me to find a different internet provider…since I am able to “like” about 25% of the blogs I follow, not sure how my IP is able to be “selective” – but the battle goes on…good luck to you!

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  16. I have seen a growing number of “expired session” warnings and login requests from WP in the last couple of weeks. My primary home system is Linux, or Chrome OS. I suspect it represents a tightening of security, and nothing to do with Windows 7. Many of our work systems are still Windows 7, and not showing any issues, with the exception of very old machines.

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      1. I know of a couple of bloggers who have switched to Chromebook. I had a look at it, and it doesn’t appear to have very much storage. If things get bad later, I might consider changing, as long as I can transfer files, photos, and use a printer.
        Best wishes, Pete.

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        1. Chromebook works differently and they have little storage. I bought a cheap Chromebook and added a 128GB micro SD.
          My photo libraries are one external hard drives anyway.
          My blog image workflow makes use of one of my Google accounts, connected to WordPress (and Jetpack). That works well with the Chromebook.

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      2. I have a chromebook – my better half is usually using that. But for my needs and a bad left hand, the desk top tower and mouse are my “thing”. BTW, I received the full-page warning after installing 3 updates this morning.

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        1. I’m an IT Manager with about 20 Win 7 machines in the field! No user problem reports yet, but I’ll fire up a test machine tomorrow!
          I bought the Chromebook to see how far I could stretch it! Very impressed, but still need the Linux system for “heavy hauling” like RAW photo editing! But that’s occsional – Snapseed on the Chromebook does enough for blog use.

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  19. I can’t even remember what my software is at home but support was withdrawn several years ago and last time I looked it was working fine. Mind you, I haven’t turned it on in nearly a year but am planning to next time I’m home. It will be interesting to see what’s still working. Hope the WordPress problem resolves itself.

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  21. I can’t see how the withdrawal of windows 7 support would affect the wordpress servers, so am thinking it’s most likely a co-incidence. However, if you don’t keep an updated operating system on your PC, the whole thing is going to get crankier and crankier, so be prepared for more frustration until you bite the bullet and get yourself into 2020 tech. 😀

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            1. I am not going to let myself get worked up about it. I am supposed to have ‘support’ with my paid plan, but when I try to get that, it asks me to login, then says it is not me! Going round in circles!

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