Windows 10: Microsoft to discontinue Windows 7 and 8.1 next November

Windows 7 has another year to go before it will no longer be preinstalled on new PCs.


Still want to buy a PC that comes with Windows 7 or 8.1 from the get-go? You've got less than a year.

Updated late October, Microsoft's "Windows lifecycle fact sheet" shows October 31, 2016, as the "end of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled" for both Windows 7 Professional and Windows 8.1, a change spotted by CNET sister site ZDNet. After that date, the only choice for consumers will be to purchase new computers with Windows 10 installed. The lone exception will be businesses with license agreements that entitle them to choose which version of Windows they want preinstalled.

The deadline puts pressure on consumers who have grown comfortable with Windows 7 and are reluctant to upgrade their operating system if they buy a new PC. For Microsoft, it's a necessary step toward its goal of having Windows 10 power 1 billion devices, which underscores the company's message that the new software can tie together PCs, tablets and mobile phones with apps that can run on any of them.

Windows 7 users may not realize it, but they actually caught a break. Microsoft typically sets the end-of-sales date for each version of Windows two years after the release of a new version. That means Windows 7's cutoff date should have been in October 2014, two years after the launch of Windows 8. The lack of consumer demand for Windows 8 prompted Microsoft to keep Windows 7 alive longer than expected.


Users who want to continue running Windows 7 on their existing PCs need not worry. Extended technical support will be available until January 14, 2020, when you'll still be able to get security patches, bug fixes and other updates. The same type of support for Windows 8 will run until January 10, 2023.

Despite the extended deadline for Windows 7 and 8.1, Microsoft is heavily pushing Windows 10.

The new operating system, which launched at the end of July, is available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8.1 users for the first year. Microsoft has been using frequent pop-up notices to remind those who reserved a copy to install the new operating system. The company has also classified Windows 10 as an "optional update" and early next year expects to change that to a "recommended update," Windows and Devices Group executive vice president Terry Myerson said last week.

Source

Microsoft to discontinue Windows 7 and 8.1 next November - CNET

:)

 

Windows 10 is a complete failure after last update

i understand Microsoft is going to discontinue windows 10 and windows 8.1 and revert to windows 7. if they don't they will not be a trading company in a few years time.

 

Microsoft End of support on Windows 7 on Next Gen Processors!!!!!!

in other words, i am going to buy another 20 more computers in the next few months.!!

also, that means, Microsoft will prohibit the sale of OEM Windows 7, you if you were to build a PC after November, you cannot install Windows 7 or Windows 8.1\8!!!

I have been looking at Linux lately. The one i tried and really like is Linux Mint 17.XX Cinnamon, an with the Wine program intalled on linux, i can run Windows programs with a click of a mouse.

 

Seems reasonable to me. 10 seems to be going well with all folks at work who have moved to it.

 

Yes it does to me also.
Because if i brought a new laptop now I would want one with windows 10 on it.
My reason save all the hassle of upgrading.

 

Though the headlines sound sensationalistic, lets not overlook this....

Meaning that though you may not be able to find a PC with a "preinstalled" copy of Windows 7/8, the OS's themselves will still be supported till 2020 for Win 7, and 2023 for Win 8.

 

Was at the dentist last week. They have a screen mounted to the chair to view x-ray's etc. It was running WinXP. Doubt if it will ever be updated.

 

I hope they had something more up to date in the anaesthetic area!

 

Why? IF it's off line....

***Notice, big if*Smile***

 

Many of our government offices still run XP. In our state we return cans and bottles, I noticed that many of the machines also run XP.

Despite Microsoft's efforts I think Windows 7 will be with us for quite sometime. I for one will not be upgrading.

 

Microsoft simply won't be selling new licenses for these old OS's. It's not that they are going to vaporize existing systems and make them go away.

 

Whatever. . .7 and 8.1 just have nothing I want or will miss. . .*Smile

 

Nor me 10 by far the better windows

 

A lot of Doctors and other professionals seem to use really outdated systems. My Dentist actually runs his whole business through a laptop and everything is in the cloud, we were talking about it only about a month ago, he was actually quite Tech savvy I was really surprised.

 

I've ALWAYS updated all of my computers to the latest Windows OS as soon as it's available since the DOS days. I can't stand old operating systems on my computers, same with tablets and phones.