Windows 7 users will begin to see a interactive full-screen warning that their OS is no longer supported

[biffzinker]

In the KB article for today's Windows 7 update, the Redmond firm outlined some things that will happen after January 14.

Windows 7 users will begin to see a full-screen warning that their OS is no longer supported, and it will stay on the screen until you interact with it. It will be included on Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate, but it won't be on domain-joined machines or those that are in kiosk mode.

The warning won't necessarily be telling you to go and upgrade to Windows 10. Rather, Microsoft wants you to buy a new Windows 10 PC. The company says that PCs built for Windows 7 are using 10-year-old technology, and a lot has changed since then. Obviously, newer hardware is faster, and it's more secure.

Another thing that Microsoft points to is touch, something that became popular on Windows in the Windows 8 era. And oddly, the final bulletpoint is the Photos app, which makes it "easy and fun" to search for images.

The full-screen notification is part of this month's Patch Tuesday update, so if you don't want to see it after January 14, your only option is to not install the update and become unsecure a month early, which probably isn't a big deal if you're willing to run an unsecure PC a month from now.

Microsoft will start giving Windows 7 users full-screen upgrade prompts for Windows 10

Microsoft outlined its plans for the end of support of Windows 7 today, explaining that users will get a full-screen warning that their PC is no longer supported, and to get a Windows 10 PC.

www.neowin.net

Updated

 

[Solaris17]

Its tough enough to educate users as is with anything. Every little bit helps.

 

[lexluthermiester]

For those of us who manually control our services, we will not see such prompts.

 

[Easo]

Queue the outrage. xD
I fully expect another zero day after 14. january and only a matter of time before some of it is exploited by another WannaCry.

 

[Bill_Bright]

The company says that PCs build for Windows 10 are using 10-year-old technology,

Huh? Did you type that in or something? That makes no sense. PCs built (not build) for Windows 10 are using today's technologies.

And a quick look at the Neowin article clearly show it correctly says, "PCs built for Windows 7 are using 10-year-old technology"

 

[biffzinker]

Huh? Did you type that in or something?

It was a direct copy from the article 8 minutes after it was posted.

In case there's any confusion.

 

[eidairaman1]

For those of us who manually control our services, we will not see such prompts.

It's a matter of watching what updates that are to be installed

Huh? Did you type that in or something? That makes no sense. PCs built (not build) for Windows 10 are using today's technologies.

And a quick look at the Neowin article clearly show it correctly says, "PCs built for Windows 7 are using 10-year-old technology"

That ain't true at all

 

[Splinterdog]

Most of my customers still on Windows 7 will happily ignore this unless I remind them, but even then it's a hard sell for most.

 

[eidairaman1]

Most of my customers still on Windows 7 will happily ignore this unless I remind them, but even then it's a hard sell for most.

10 is truly a Hard Sell they had to make it free just to get it to be sold so what does that tell you it's a potato

 

[lexluthermiester]

It's a matter of watching what updates that are to be installed

True. Generally though, they launch those kinds of prompts from a service. Disabling or deleting such a service will prevent the prompt from annoying the user.

 

[dorsetknob]

True. Generally though, they launch those kinds of prompts from a service. Disabling or deleting such a service will prevent the prompt from annoying the user.

Probably windows Update .....

 

[lexluthermiester]

Probably windows Update .....

Very likely, and if it's disabled...

 

[Bill_Bright]

That ain't true at all

It is 100% true.

In case there's any confusion.

And to ensure there's no confusion, here's a screen shot where it says "built" (not build) and "Windows 7" (not 10).

 

[lexluthermiester]

It is possible that when @biffzinker copy/pasted the quote it had uncorrected errors that have since been corrected. Let's not argue such a minor point.

 

[Bill_Bright]

It is possible that when @biffzinker copy/pasted the quote it had uncorrected errors that have since been corrected. Let's not argue such a minor point.

I agree. But it seems others who came in after me should have seen the corrected image too. Perhaps different servers were hit and the corrected copy had not been totally propagated. I don't know. But I agree, we need to move on.

And in any case, I dread the day those full screen warnings appear, but I also think they are an evil necessity. I dread it because we know the forums will be swamped by whiners and MS haters. But I feel it is a necessity too because folks need to update or risk becoming a threat to the rest of us. And that's the issue. Not that they put themselves at risk, but that they put the rest of us at risk just as the XP hold-outs have done - at least those who let their systems have Internet access.

Sadly, some simply think they are smarter than the smartest bad guys.

 

[Grog6]

Does that mean I should think about updating my WinXP machines?

 

[lexluthermiester]

Does that mean I should think about updating my WinXP machines?

At least put them behind a combination of software/hardware firewalls...

 

[Bill_Bright]

At least put them behind a combination of software/hardware firewalls...

What I did for several years was load my trusty old XP system that refused to die with drives and turned it into a NAS. I then blocked its Internet access in my router. So all my local systems had full access to it, but it was not exposed to the Internet.

 

[candle_86]

Give it a few months, a zero day will hit that the home user doesn't get an update for and they will begin asking for an upgrade to 10. Same thing happened to xp hold outs after wanna cry, suddenly they where ready to move on.

As for the folks with updates disabled, I truly feel sorry for them, they are a botnet waiting to happen, anyone that disabled updates I automaticly assume has zero relevant experience and I encourage anyone to avoid shops that discourage updates.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Give it a few months, a zero day will hit that the home user doesn't get an update for and they will begin asking for an upgrade to 10. Same thing happened to xp hold outs after wanna cry, suddenly they where ready to move on.

As for the folks with updates disabled, I truly feel sorry for them, they are a botnet waiting to happen, anyone that disabled updates I automatically assume has zero relevant experience and I encourage anyone to avoid shops that discourage updates.

Every has the right to their opinions...

 

[basco]

my opinion:
anyone that does not disable automated updates I automatically assume has zero relevant experience

just a joke:
i automatically assume nothing for other peeps only myself and that does not work out ever so often

 

[candle_86]

Every has the right to their opinions...

Maybe but encouraging people to compromise security is leaving everyone vulnerable.

 

[bobbybluz]

All of my Win 7 machines are running Enterprise so no warnings should appear on them. I suspect it won't be long before h4x0r3d copies of the paid-for extended updates appear on torrent sites. Ars Techica had an article last month of folks already compromising the paid-for extended updates beta version.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Maybe but encouraging people to compromise security

No one is doing that. Just because Microsoft has ended support doesn't mean everyone else making security suites will. As mentioned elsewhere, many have stated they will continue support on 7 for the next few years. Additionally, 7 isn't going to fall apart.

leaving everyone vulnerable.

Rubbish. That is a flawed conclusion based on fear-mongering and little else. One compromised system does not automatically compromise every other system. System vulnerabilities are based as much on secure computing methodologies as it does well structured code. The better a system is secured, the less code vulnerabilities matter. Wannacry only affected systems with specific services left unsecured and running unchecked. Systems that were properly secured were completely unaffected.

 

[candle_86]

No one is doing that. Just because Microsoft has ended support doesn't mean everyone else making security suites will. Additionally, 7 isn't going to fall apart.

Rubbish. That is a flawed conclusion based on fear-mongering and little else. One compromised system does not automatically compromise every other system. System vulnerabilities are based as much on secure computing methodologies as it does well structured code. The better a system is secured, the less code vulnerabilities matter. Wannacry only affected system with specific services left unsecured and running unchecked. Systems that were properly secured were completely unaffected.

The average user doesn't lock down their system, this why a corporate network will kill a port you plug an xp or Vista computer into. And yes one machine can compromise a network. Let's say that you have file sharing turned on, that one compromised computer now has access to every other system, it can also talk to your router. It takes one unlatched system to get behind a firewall, only 1.

Do a course on information security it's spelled out clearly. This why my retro boxes are blocked from the internet with them, and I keep file sharing disabled and only use an encrypted ftp to send files to my computer's.