It\’s all about Windows 10
Hi and welcome to the Aspiring newsletter.
Since the last time I wrote, there has been some changes to Windows operating systems that I would like to update you on. Here is my opinion:
Windows XP and Vista are both out of support now. Which means importantly, major software such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer etc are no longer updated for these operating systems leaving you very vulnerable when on the web. It is highly recommended that you retire the machine or replace the operating system on these machines immediately.
To help you, we can migrate data and programs from an old machine to a new machine and we can also assess an old machine to determine whether it is a good candidate for changing the operating system to Windows 7.
If you bring to us, the first 10 minutes is free – a free assessment in other words.
Windows 10. The biggest problem initially was incompatibility, now it is the hard disk dying as a result of the effort to do the upgrade. The data is sometimes recoverable, sometimes not. So my advice now is:
If you\’re happy with Windows 7, and your computer isn\’t new, leave it on Windows 7. When we do an annual service at the moment we put in software to prevent Microsoft quietly changing the operating system. Book an annual service!
If Microsoft have automatically changed the operating system; test your computer and ensure everything functions OK. If everything works, leave it. You have 30 days to use a very easy process to revert it back to Windows 7 if your are not happy.
· If you have a brand new laptop or a Surface Pro – use Windows 10 (if it comes with Windows 8.1, it will be safe to update to Win10)
· If you are buying a desktop for business use – buy Windows 7 if you have other Windows 7 desktops (we can supply desktops with Win7) or if you run old software else Windows 10 is fine.
· If you are buying a desktop for home use, then 7 or 10 is fine. We can supply Windows 7 at the moment.
· If you have a desktop or laptop for home use less than 2 years old, consider updating to Win 10. But before you do the Microsoft update, check the manufacturers website for compatibility and follow their process, not Microsoft\’s. (Or we can do it for you) Or use our process here: Microsoft\’s\’ own process doesn\’t even do a data backup first, so can end in tears if the .
· If you have a desktop or laptop more than 3 years old, Windows 7 is probably the best operating system for it.
· If you have a poorly performing computer, changing the operating system will probably not fix it, it will probably make it worse.
· Finally, if all the above is mumbo jumbo, send me an email with the model number and I will give customised advice on which is the most appropriate operating system.
Note: one of the complaints of Windows 10 is that is \’spies\’ on all your activity by default, so talk to us about changing the settings to prevent that.
Windows 10 has an excellent built-in anti-virus (called Windows Defender) that does a fine job, easily as good as any of the paid anti-virus software. (So you have just saved $100 bucks by reading this newsletter to here!)
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Please email or Text me any questions you have on computing.
