Windows 7

Windows 7 is the operating system of the Windows NT family, following Windows Vista. In the Windows NT line, the system is numbered 6.1 (Windows 2000 - 5.0, Windows XP - 5.1, Windows Server 2003 - 5.2, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 - 6.0). The server version is Windows Server 2008 R2, the version for integrated systems is Windows Embedded Standard 2011 (Quebec), the mobile version is Windows Embedded Compact 2011 (Chelan, Windows CE 7.0)

The operating system went on sale on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of the previous operating system, Windows Vista. Volume Licensing partners and customers were granted access to RTM on July 24, 2009. The final (a copy from the discs, which then went on sale) pirated version was available to everyone from the first of August 2009.

Windows 7 includes both some developments excluded from Windows Vista and innovations in the interface and embedded programs. Inkball, Ultimate Extras were excluded from Windows 7; applications with analogues in Windows Live (Windows Mail, etc.), Microsoft Agent technology, Windows Meeting Space; from the Start menu, the ability to return to the classic menu and automatically dock the browser and email client has disappeared. Also, the Windows Calendar disappeared from Windows.

Windows 7 Security

Main article: Windows Security

Innovations

The operating system has support for multi-touch management. This opportunity was first demonstrated by Microsoft at the annual TechEd "08 conference in Orlando. During the demonstration, the assembly of the 6.1.6856 system was used, as well as an experienced laptop model with a multi-touch screen.

Branch Cache network technology allows you to cache the contents of Internet traffic. If a user on a local network needs a file that has already been downloaded by someone on their network, he can get it from the local cache storage, and not use a channel with limited bandwidth. The network cache can operate in two modes - Hosted Cache and Distributed Cache. In the first case, the file is stored on a dedicated local server running Windows Server 2008 R2, in the second case, the server is not required, and the cache is distributed for storage on users' computers. The technology is designed for large networks and is offered for implementation at enterprises as part of Corporate and Maximum OS versions.

The OS also has about 120 background drawings built in, unique for each country and language version. Thus, the Russian version includes the theme "Russia" with six unique high-resolution wallpapers. All versions include 50 new fonts. Existing fonts have been modified to display all characters correctly. Windows 7 is the first version of Windows to include more fonts to display non-Latin characters than to display Latin characters. The font control panel has also been improved - by default, it will only display fonts for which the layout is installed on the system. Support for Unicode 5.1 is implemented. The Instant Search panel now recognizes more languages. For example, Russian cases, declensions, gender, singular and plural are recognized.

An additional advantage of Windows 7 can be considered closer integration with driver manufacturers. Most of them are determined automatically, while in 90% of cases backward compatibility with drivers for Windows Vista remains.

Windows 7 supports aliases for folders internally. For example, the Program Files folder in some localized versions of Windows was translated and displayed with the translated name, but remained English at the file system level.

Multimedia

The new 11 version of DirectX, first released as part of this operating system, has the following improvements: added support for new computational shaders, the ability to multithreaded rendering, improved tessellation, new texture compression algorithms, etc.

Windows Media Player 12 received a new interface and became truly "omnivorous," unlike its predecessor, which needed a large number of codecs to play. However, it cannot play licensed Blu-ray video discs, but has the ability to read and write data to them.

Mobility

Despite the fact that the Windows Mobility Center has not undergone significant changes since Windows Vista, Windows 7 runs longer than its predecessor on laptops and consumes less power, especially when playing DVDs. On the system presented at the end of August 2009 with two identical laptops preinstalled with Windows 7 and Windows Vista, the win was up to 20%. A record system boot speed of 11 seconds was also shown. The system included an SSD and other high-performance components. A similar test inspired enthusiasts to test the impact of the browser on battery life. Included in Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8 performed best on the Intel platform .

Nevertheless, according to the results of independent tests, it turned out that Windows 7 is noticeably faster than Windows XP, puts the laptop battery. Since August, experts from Laptop magazine (laptopmag.com) have been testing the final version of Windows 7, including measuring the battery life of portable PCs under its control. The overall result was disappointing: the average netbook running the "seven" as a whole runs on a battery for 47 minutes less than XP. In the case of the ASUS 1008HA model, the "shortage" was 57 minutes or 16.7%. Other publications also conducted similar studies and also came to these conclusions. The loss is 10 to 30 percent in terms of work time.

A possible reason is to optimize Windows 7 for graphics accelerators, while many netbooks run on built-in Intel and VIA graphics cards that sometimes do not support Aero functions. Also, many netbooks run Windows 7 Starter Edition, which does not fully support Aero. Another possible reason is the lack of OS support from netbook manufacturers. So, with new drivers and BIOSs dated November 2009, Asus Eee 1000HA has been running Windows 7 for as long as it does running Windows XP.

Remote Desktop

The Remote Desktop feature has also changed. Support for the Aero Peek interface, Direct 2D and Direct3D 10.1, support for multiple monitors, multimedia extensions, DirectShow, and the ability to play sound with low delays were introduced.

Safety

Windows 7 implements a more flexible User Account Control (UAC) configuration, which, unlike Windows Vista, has two more intermediate states between the "Always notify" and "Never notify" modes - "Notify, only when programs try to make changes to the computer" (default position), "Notify, only when programs try to make changes to the computer (do not darken the desktop)." It is worth noting that, unlike Vista, dimming occurs only if the program is active and in the foreground. If you clicked at the time of opening the UAC and deactivated the program, blackout may not occur.

Changes have been made to the BitLocker encryption technology, and the BitLocker to go removable media encryption function has been added that allows you to encrypt removable media, even in the absence of a TPM module.

Improvements also affected the Windows Firewall - the function of notifying the user of blocking a program that is trying to access the network has returned.

You can use Group Policy and AppLocker to prevent certain applications from starting.

DirectAccess allows you to establish a secure connection to the server in the background, unlike a VPN that requires user participation. DirectAccess can also apply group policies before the user logs on.

Backward compatibility

Earlier it was reported that Windows 7 will not use the new MinWin kernel as a basis. According to Stephen Sinofsky, the corporation wants device drivers for Vista to work on the new system. Therefore, the Windows Server 2008 kernel will be used. This decision was voiced by Stephen Sinofsky at the "All Things Digital" conference on May 27, 2008.

On November 4, 2008, Mark Russinovich, a member of the technical council of Microsoft Corporation, in his webcast on MSDN Channel 9, said that Windows 7 still implemented the MinWin kernel, but the principle of its implementation is based on dividing the kernel into layers, where the base layer (KernelBase.dll, etc.) takes a total of 30 MB, and the rest of the functionality remains in old libraries (for example, kernel32.dll, etc.). For applications and device drivers, this change is imperceptible thanks to an elaborate scheme for separating functionality.

For users of professional editions, a special virtualization package is distributed that allows you to run Windows XP applications in a Windows 7 environment, provided that you use a processor with Intel VT or AMD-V technology (this restriction was subsequently removed [53] [54]), 15 GB of free disk space and at least 2 GB of RAM (3 GB - for 64-bit version).

Work on compatibility continues after the release of the OS: updates are regularly distributed through Windows Update to ensure compatibility with older applications and drivers. Also, these updates may prevent the program from installing or running if it has the status of a hard lock.

The soft lock allows the program to start, but displays a message that the user may be experiencing launch problems.

Also, Windows 7 includes a program that can help solve compatibility problems. It is called by the% systemroot %/system32/msdt.exe -id PCWDiagnostic command or through Control Panel - Troubleshooting - Running programs intended for previous versions of Windows.

Source Code Breakdown in Russia

In addition to the agreement between the head office of Microsoft and FSUE Atlas with the FSB, the circle of software has been expanded, the source codes of which are being opened by the Russian side. The American company needs this to work with the public sector in Russia.

In July 2010, it became known that an addendum to the agreement on the disclosure of the company's software source codes for FSUE NTC Atlas and the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia was signed. According to it, Russian structures gained access to the codes Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Office 2010 and SQL Server 2008 R2. The agreement itself was signed back in 2002.

According to Alexander Alferov, First Deputy General Director of Atlas, the FSB of Russia is already certified by Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, SharePoint Server 2007 and SQL Server 2008 with integrated Russian information protection tools. The term of the agreement is not limited now, changes to the code of the products mentioned in it are constantly sent for analysis for the absence of bookmarks and vulnerabilities in Atlas. The signatory from the American side is the head office of Microsoft.

After signing the supplement, as before, only the FSB and Atlas receive access to the source code itself. However, now the Russian parties to the agreement have the right to share the results of the analysis with "authorized state organizations." As explained by CNews in Microsoft, the choice of these structures does not depend on the company in any way, their list is entirely determined by the Russian side.

Microsoft unequivocally associates the expansion of the program with the desire to cooperate with the Russian public sector. "The signing of this agreement means for us reaching a qualitatively new level of cooperation with state bodies of the Russian Federation," said Nikolai Pryanishnikov, President of Microsoft in Russia.

The company has long been open about its desire to participate in the construction of e-government in Russia. An example is the interdepartmental segment operating in the UK, which allows different departments to exchange electronic documents. However, at the federal level, Microsoft now has no implementations in this area, the company cooperates only with individual regions. In Russia, there is now a second attempt to create an interdepartmental segment (at first there was an OGIC at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Research Institute Voskhod, now the work of Rostelecom, which has become the operator of the electronic government infrastructure), but none of them uses Microsoft software similar to British experience.

Chronicle

2022

Google will disable support for Windows 7 in Chrome browser

October 25, 2022 Google is preparing to end support for 7 operating system Windows in its browser Chrome. This could cause its spread to fade rapidly, especially amid the fact that Microsoft it stopped supporting it almost three years ago - in January 2020.

The lack of support for a particular OS in Chrome leads to a loss of interest in it from users.

Chrome will stop working under Windows 7 with the release of version 110. It will be released in early February 2023. Thus, Windows 7 users will be able to update their browser to a maximum of version 109.

The exact number of those who are still running Windows 7 was not installed at the time of publication. Nevertheless, it is known that by the end of 2021 there were about 100 million of them around the globe. StatCounter statistics for September 2022 state that Windows 7 is the third most popular version of Microsoft OS in the world after Windows 10 and Windows 11.

In the world, it holds 10.68% of the market against 13.55% of Windows 11 and 71.85% of Windows 10. In Russia, it is even more popular - 20.64% and second place, while Windows 11 has only 5.65%, and Windows 10 - 64.82%.

The first thing that users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 will face after excluding their OS from the list of supported in Chrome is the increased attention of cybercriminals. With each release of Chrome, Google fixes the identified bugs in it and fixes the vulnerabilities. Over time, it will become unsafe to use Chrome 109 due to the gradual increase in the number of "holes" found in it, which attackers will probably want to use.

This will be followed by "sanctions" from popular Internet services. Sooner or later, they will stop supporting Chrome 109, as a result of which certain sites will stop working in it and will require a more modern browser.

By minimizing support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, Google will set an example for other browser developers. Most modern browsers, such as Brave, Opera, Microsoft Edge and Vivaldi, do not have their own engine and are therefore forks of Chrome, so they will also stop supporting outdated Microsoft operating systems.

This happened with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Their support in Chrome was discontinued in April 2016. Other browsers "pulled up" almost instantly^[1].

Microsoft 365 Cloud Support Shutdown Plan

On July 12, 2022, it became known that Microsoft had found a way to force users to switch to its modern versions of Windows as soon as possible. To do this, it uses Microsoft 365 - the cloud analogue of the classic Office. All this applies to users who prefer to work in operating systems Windows 7, Windows 8.1. The first was released in 2009, and Microsoft stopped supporting it in January 2020. Windows 8.1 appeared in 2013. The innovation will also affect those who work for Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows 8.1 will stop receiving updates on January 10, 2023. The release of updates for Microsoft 365 applications will stop on the same day. Read more here.

2021: Updating Windows 7 to Windows 11 is possible only after a complete reinstallation of the OS

In mid-July 2021, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 and 8.1 users will be able to switch to Windows 11, but this will require a complete reinstallation of the OS. Therefore, users will have to back up their data before installing Windows 11 on a PC. Read more here.

2020

Microsoft releases update for Windows 7 operating system

Microsoft has released a new update for the Windows 7 operating system, official support of which was stopped in early 2020. However, the company does not install a new update without fail. The user chooses whether he wants to download it or not. The patch is also compatible with Windows 8.

According to ToDay News Ufa, the update with the number KB4567409 adds a new version of the Microsoft Edge browser based on Chromium to the OS.

It was this function that formed the basis of the latest patch for Windows 7. Edge is required for non-commercial use, but it does not replace Internet Explorer, which is still the default browser on the old operating system.

It can be concluded that Microsoft provides the new updated browser with outdated operating systems that are still relevant to users.

Developers demand from Microsoft to turn Windows 7 into SPO

On January 27, 2020, it became known that Free Software Foundation (FSF) he called for Microsoft the opening of 7. source code OS Windows On his website, he posted a petition, inviting everyone who would like to receive updates to this system in the future and not switch to, Windows 10 to sign it.

The publication of the petition, called Upcycle Windows 7, is directly related to the complete termination of support for Windows 7 - from January 14, 2020, ordinary users can no longer receive updates for it, they are available only to Microsoft corporate customers for a fee. In addition, the installation of the final update released by Microsoft on the day of termination of support disabled the function of installing wallpapers on the desktop.

The authors of the petition formed three main requirements for Microsoft. The first and main is the release of Windows 7 in the form of free software. 'Her life shouldn't stop. Give the community (developers) the opportunity to learn, modify and distribute it. "

The FSF demanded that Microsoft respect the freedom and privacy of users instead of forcing them to switch to other versions of Windows. In fact, Microsoft has repeatedly used various methods to force users to upgrade to Windows 10. As reported by CNews, one of the users sued the company for losing all information as a result of his unauthorized update of his Windows 7 to Windows 10.

The Foundation's third demand is: "We want further evidence that you actually respect both users themselves and their user freedom, and do not use these concepts for marketing when it suits you."

Under the terms of the petition, it must collect 7,777 signatures before the authors hand it over to Microsoft. The petition itself was posted on the FSF website on January 23, 2020.

In less than four days, the fund's initiative was supported by over 5150 people. The initiators of the movement did not set the deadlines for collecting the required number of signatures.

According to data at the time of publication, the software giant has not commented on the initiative of the Software Foundation. The authors of the petition also do not guarantee that the collection of the required number of signatures will take effect, but, according to them, Microsoft has repeatedly disclosed the source code of its developments.^[2]

FSTEC recommended government agencies to transfer their systems from Windows 7 to newer versions

January 22, 2020 TAdviser it became known that FSTEC he published a special information message on the termination of support 7; operating system Windows state bodies and other organizations that continue to use this system as of January 2020 are encouraged to upgrade to more recent versions of Windows before June 1, 2020.

In the information systems of authorities and local governments and in many organizations, several versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are used, certified by the FSTEC for information security requirements.

This is due, among other things, to the presence of a large number of specific application software developed for Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, used for the implementation by state authorities and organizations of their powers, - says the publication of the FSTEC[3]

However, on January 14, 2020, Microsoft discontinued support and release of updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 due to the end of their lifecycle.

{{quote "Discontinuing updates to certified versions of Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems, combined with the likely detection of vulnerabilities in them, will lead to the possibility of implementing security threats to confidential information processed in these information systems, the FSTEC said in a statement. - In addition, interest in Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems from certain categories of violators is predicted to increase. }}

Therefore, FSTEC terminates compliance certificates on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. From January 20, 2020, certificates for systems equipped with the first service pack (SP1) will cease to operate, and from June 1, 2020, information on compliance certificates for versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 with the second service pack (SP2) will be excluded from the State Register of Certified Information Protection Tools.

Organizations and institutions that continue to use these operating systems for the time being are recommended to plan measures to switch to more recent versions of Windows certified by FSTEC by June 1, 2020.

Prior to this transition, it is recommended to install all current and required certified updates for Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and set a ban on automatic updates of certified versions of Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems. And also, if possible, exclude the connection to the Internet and to departmental or corporate local networks of "computer equipment or segments of information systems running Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems." If this is not possible, FSTEC strongly recommends that measures be taken to segment information systems and protect the perimeter of the information system and dedicated segments, including through the use of certified firewalls, anti-virus protection, intrusion detection systems, anti-unauthorized information transfer (DLP systems) and information flow controls .

It is also proposed to periodically analyze the vulnerabilities of information system segments running Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 using certified information security controls (analysis), as well as monitor the integrity of installed operating systems. The FSTEC message also proposes to monitor public sources publishing information about vulnerabilities for information about the latest vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 and take measures to eliminate these vulnerabilities.

In addition, it is proposed to develop and implement rules and procedures for the actions of officials in the event of vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems or incidents of information security associated with their use.

Government information systems are usually very large-scale and complex complexes, and if they are based on software developed specifically for a specific version of Windows, and may be incompatible with later versions of it, migration can be a rather long process. Microsoft and after the official termination of technical support, Windows XP continued to support this system for government agencies of some states, which were never able to switch to later OS in time. Security considerations, however, in any case require the abandonment of outdated and unsupported operating systems by the manufacturer and the transition to others. This situation also reminds of the need to use and develop domestic system software. Repeated attempts to expand the presence of domestic software in the public sector look more and more justified, says Dmitry Gvozdev, CEO of Information Technologies of the Future

Windows 7 was released by Microsoft in the fall of 2009. In terms of the duration of support, this operating system is second only to Windows XP, released in 2001 and removed from support in 2014.

Over the past ten years, Microsoft has managed to release two more versions of its operating system - 8/8.1 and Windows 10. Windows 8 has not gained much popularity, but Windows 10 by January 2020 is the most popular operating system in the world - about 50% of traditional PCs run it.

Windows 7, however, is in second place - its share is still about 22%.

China is not ready to abandon Windows 7

In mid-January 2020, Microsoft stopped technical support for Windows 7, but it turned out that China is not yet ready to say goodbye to this operating system. The once dominant OS in the market is still used on almost half of Chinese computers.

Microsoft encourages users around the world to switch to Windows 10, but this OS is used by less than 10% of Chinese computers whose owners want to protect their PCs from potential threats. Windows 7 users, in turn, are ready to put up with inconvenience and do not plan to move on.

Microsoft stopped technical support for Windows 7, but it turned out that China is not yet ready to say goodbye to this operating system

Windows 10 appeared in 2015, three years after Microsoft released a radically redesigned Windows 8 that embarrassed many users. In turn, Windows 10 was perceived by critics as a long-awaited return to its favorite interface. However, constant software updates within this OS annoy some users. One of the users who settled on Windows 7 explained his position:

Sometimes I urgently need a computer, but as soon as I turn it on, it starts updating - 10 or 20 minutes. And if it freezes in the middle of the update, I can't even reboot it.

Other users face a different obstacle - outdated equipment.

Most people do not want to switch to Windows 10 because their computers are outdated, "explained one of the popular Chinese bloggers. - And the popularity of smartphones shows that people are using PCs less and less.

One Weibo user explained that in the hospital where he works, some of the devices still use Windows XP. New medical software is sometimes even impossible to install, because Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in 2014, 13 years after its introduction.^[4]

Russian banks were not ready to abandon Windows 7

On January 15, 2020, it became known about the unwillingness of Russian banks to completely abandon Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 - operating systems that Microsoft has ceased to support.

It is impossible to use an unsupported operating system according to information security rules  - computers become vulnerable to attacks,  banks can receive an order from the  Central Bank.

Termination of support for Windows 7 threatens Russian banks with problems

According to Cisco security business consultant Alexei Lukatsky, Windows 7 is installed on about one in five computers in Russian banks. Updating 20% of this fleet to Windows 10 will require at least 15 billion rubles, taking into account the volume discount.

Several Russian banks have signed an agreement with Microsoft on paid support for Windows 7 (EAS), but the architect of the Microsoft technology center in Russia, Ivan Budylin, clarified that this is only a temporary measure.

According to Kommersant, in 2015, when support for Windows Server 2003 was discontinued, FSTEC issued a letter in which it extended previously issued certificates until August 2017. This allowed banks to smoothly switch to new software. However, now there is no such letter, Lukatsky noted. Therefore, the Central Bank has every reason to hold banks accountable.

VTB is regularly updating the operating system due to the termination of support for Microsoft systems Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. This was stated by a representative of the bank to the Kommersant newspaper, commenting on reports of the threat of data loss. According to him, banks need "temporary and financial costs for upgrading equipment and information systems."

Alfa-Bank reported that they completely switched to Windows 10. This process took a year and a half and required the modernization of systems. About 25 thousand computers in the bank fell under the update.^[5]

UK government communications centre urged not to use Windows 7 for internet banking

The Government Center communications Great Britain urges from January 14, 2020 not to use Windows 7 for - Internet banking, as well as email computers on this one. OS This became known on January 14, 2020.

The UK Government Communications Centre advises users to switch to Windows 10 or take alternative precautions, such as sharing their sensitive data via a separate supported device.

Earlier, the National Center of cyber security the country said that devices that will continue to work on operating system the Windows7 after January 14 will be more susceptible to the attacks due to the termination of support from the company, Microsoft which, in turn, also advised purchasing another PC with a more modern OS.

Malware can spread much more easily on legacy platforms, as known vulnerabilities will not be fixed without security updates. As a result, it is crucial to move away from them as quickly as possible.

One notable example of these dangers is the WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017, which targeted the NHS.

Due to the additional cyber risks associated with the growing financial service industry, and much deeper sources of data, stored banks and other enterprises, the warnings of the National Cyber ​ ​ Security Center should not be taken lightly^[6]

2019

Free support in voting systems in the United States and allied countries

On September 20, 2019, Microsoft announced the preservation of free technical support for the Windows 7 operating system installed in voting devices. The company is taking these measures as part of its own Defending Democracy Program initiative.

According to Tom Burt, corporate vice president of Customer Security & Trust at Microsoft, free security updates will be provided by Windows 7, used in federal voting systems, until the end of 2020. In all other cases, support will be discontinued on January 14 of that year.

Microsoft agreed to support Windows 7 for free in voting systems in the United States and allied countries

Microsoft makes an exception for election equipment, since the company admits that it will not be possible to transfer this equipment to a new OS before the US presidential election (scheduled for November 3, 2020).

Thus, free support is provided primarily to ensure election security in the United States. However, Microsoft says a similar service will be available in "other democracies in the EIU Democracy Index."

This index is calculated using the methodology of the British research center The Economist Intelligence Unit and is based on a combination of expert assessments and the results of public opinion polls from the relevant states.

We are also partnering with major manufacturers that sold voting machines running Windows 7 to ensure that any security updates were successfully installed on these systems, Tom Burt reported.

He also said that as part of the Defending Democracy Program, Microsoft engages government agencies responsible for elections and are customers of Microsoft Azure to provide recommendations and technical assistance on the use of current security features in the cloud.^[7]

Some companies will receive free updates for Windows 7

At the end of August 2019, it became known that some Microsoft customers will be able to receive updates for Windows 7 for free even after the end of support for this operating system. The service will not be available to everyone and not always.

According to information posted on the Microsoft website in the frequently asked questions section regarding the termination of support for Windows 7 and Office 2010, corporate users who purchase active subscriptions to Windows 10 before the end of 2019 will be able to receive a free year of support for the period of transition to Windows 10.

Some Microsoft customers will be able to receive free updates for Windows 7

The innovation will be able to take advantage of users who have entered into Enterprise and Enterprise Subscription agreements with subscriptions to Windows E5, Microsoft 365 E5 and Microsoft 365 E5 Security active as of December 31, 2019.

No actions on the part of users or system administrators will be required, everything will happen automatically. The subscription must remain active for the duration of extended support, otherwise updates will stop coming.

For other corporate users, paid support in the first year after the completion of support will cost $25 per device, in the second and third years - $50 and $100, respectively.

According to the NetMarketShare service (studies the activity of more than 160 million unique users browsing over 40 thousand sites around the world), in July 2019, Windows 10 was installed on 48.86% of personal computers in the world against 45.79% a month earlier. The share of Windows 7 for the month decreased from 35.38% to 31.83%.

To help companies move faster from Windows 7 to the top ten, Microsoft launched the FastTrack service in August 2019.

With FastTrack, we can help you create a technical plan, understand how to connect and implement new services, and/or connect new users. We will work with you during the implementation process, - says the description of the service.[8]

Blocking update due to Symantec antivirus incompatibility

On August 15, 2019, it became known that Microsoft blocked the installation of certificate-signed SHA-2 updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 on computers with Symantec security solutions. The blocking is due to the fact that antiviruses remove updates during their installation, which is why Windows stops starting.

Over the past few months, Microsoft has regularly updated its support bulletin, reminding companies and users to drop updates signed with SHA-1 and switch to SHA-2.

Starting August 13, PCs running Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 will have updates signed with digital SHA-2 certificates only. The transition to this algorithm is due to the insecurity of the previously used SHA-1. However, due to the move to SHA-2, Symantec security solutions (including Norton) began to block or uninstall KB4512506 updates and KB4512486 during their installation, and systems stopped downloading.

As a precaution, Microsoft temporarily blocked updates for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 until Symantec fixes the problem. According to Symantec's notice, the patch will be available with the release of the following versions^[9] products^[10].

Completion of Official Support

In 2019, official support for 7 ends operating system Windows. This means that Windows 7 will no longer receive updates safety and becomes more vulnerable to attackers. Commercial licenses also cease to operate.

2018: OS Support Extension

On September 7, 2018, Microsoft announced the extension of extended support for the Windows 7 operating system (OS) of the Professional and Enterprise editions from 2020 to January 2023. Thanks to this, enterprise customers who do not dare to switch to the current version of the OS, Windows 10, will be able to receive Extended security updates (ESU) for another two years after the expiration of the originally designated period.

Microsoft noted that ESUs will be provided to the client on a paid basis with an annual increase in the cost of the service, and you will have to pay for each device with Windows 7 separately. Owners of Windows 10 editions of Enterprise and Education will be entitled to a discount when purchasing Windows 7 ESU.

Enterprise users of the Microsoft Office 365 Pro Plus cloud service who pay for ESU will be able to use this office suite in Windows 7 as before.

Microsoft decided to generally revise its plans for the terms of support Office Windows for both enterprises and the field formations in order to make migration "to a modern desktop" less painful for the client.

According to Microsoft, Windows 10 editions of Enterprise and Education will receive longer support periods - 30 months instead of the standard 18. Microsoft will continue to support Office 365 Pro Plus in Windows 8.1 through January 2023, and in Windows Server 2016 through October 2025, Office 2016 with Office 365 connectivity will continue to run through October 2023 instead of the originally planned October 2020.

According to the American analytical company Netmarketshare, for 2018, Windows 7 still occupies the lion's share of the desktop OS market - it is installed on 42.04% of PCs and is one of the most popular desktop OS in the world. Since April 2018, the number of Windows 7 machines has been slowly declining with the simultaneous growth of Windows 10 devices "on board." As of September 2018, the share of Windows 10 is 35.18%.^[11]

2017: January 14, 2020 - support end date

Microsoft announced in early 2017 that support for the Windows 7 operating system will be discontinued on January 14, 2020. The company says that the system is outdated and cannot effectively withstand modern cyber threats. Microsoft notes that using an old and no longer supported system is an extra cost for the user, for example, to eliminate the consequences of cyber attacks. Therefore, the company recommends that customers quickly switch to Windows 10.

Microsoft assures that Windows 10 is already more in demand than Windows 7. On the official Windows trends page in the Microsoft community, this was announced back in August 2016. The company said that the share of Windows 10 reached 43% worldwide, while the share of Windows 7 decreased to 42%. Separately for the United States, this ratio was 55% versus 35%, for the UK - 58% versus 31%, in both cases in favor of Windows 10^[12].

However, analysts at research firm NetMarkShare claim otherwise. According to them, in December 2016, only 24.36% of users in the world worked on Windows 10, while the share of Windows 7 users in the same month was 48.34%.

Apparently, Windows 7 will remain the leading computer OS in the world for some time, despite the reduction in support. Those users who decide to remain faithful to it after January 14, 2020 can use third-party security tools that will be compatible with this OS for a long time.

2016

Stop selling licenses for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to personal computer manufacturers

On October 31, 2016, Microsoft stopped selling licenses for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to manufacturers of personal computers. Thus, desktops and laptops running Windows 10 will remain on the market.

Microsoft stopped distributing OEM licenses for Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate at the end of October 2014, and two years later the company removed the version of Windows 7 Professional from sale. Starting November 1, 2016, the world's most popular operating system (according to the NetMarketShare service for October 2016, Windows 7 is used in 48% of PCs in the world) will not be installed in new computers. For some time - while retailers and distributors have previously purchased equipment - consumers will be able to purchase devices with a "seven" at the base.

Sales of new computers based on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 stopped

In addition, on October 31, 2016, Microsoft stopped OEM-deliveries of Windows 8.1, so vendors had no choice when installing the Windows software platform in their products - only Windows 10 is available to them. Sales of new computers running Windows 8 ceased on June 30, 2016, and retail sales of this OS and Windows 8.1 on October 31, 2014 and September 1, 2015, respectively.

According to NetMarketShare calculations, in October 2016, the share of Windows 8.1 in the global computer operating systems market reached 8.4% versus 22.6% for Windows 10. Windows XP, released back in 2001, runs about 8.3% of desktops and laptops.

At the end of September 2016, Microsoft reported that Windows 10 is installed on 400 million active devices around the world, and corporate customers are moving to this OS faster than any other version of Windows at one time. The rapid spread of the "ten" was associated with the possibility of free installation of this platform for owners of computers based on Windows 7 and 8.1.

Discontinuing sales of OEM licenses for Windows 7 and Windows 8 does not apply to current users of these operating systems. Extended support for Windows 7 will end on January 14, 2020, in the case of Windows 8, the deadline is January 10, 2023. Until January 9, 2018, the main support for Windows 8 is valid.^[13]

Windows 7 SP1 for June 2016

On June 25, 2016, Microsoft introduced a cumulative update package for the Windows 7 operating system, which makes improvements to computers running it. According to third-party statistics, the system works on 45% of computers with Internet access ^[14].

The June update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 includes bug fixes and performance improvements. There are no security patches in the service package.

In May 2016, Microsoft announced the launch of similar updates for Windows 7 monthly, keeping computers based on it up to date. They are available in Windows Update, WSUS, SCCM, and the Microsoft Update Center directory.

Due to this, the company promises to simplify the process of supporting Windows 7 and 8.1 systems. The update closes a number of recently discovered problems in Windows 7, including the slow operation of Update Center on a number of computers. Six ballots are presented: KB3154228, KB3153727, KB3161647, KB3161897, KB3161639 and KB3163644.

2015

On January 13, 2015, the Microsoft officially discontinued Mainstream Support for the world's most popular computer operating system, Windows 7. The move could help the US corporation boost the popularity of more recent platforms.^[15]

The completion of the main support for all versions of Windows 7 (Enterprise, Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate and Starter) means that the functional part of the OS will not be improved, and Microsoft will only provide support to customers on a paid basis. This applies to both ordinary users and participants in volume licensing programs.

Microsoft has discontinued basic support for Windows 7

Extended Support for Windows 7 will continue until January 14, 2020, under which the manufacturer will continue to release critical security updates. In addition to Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Storage Server 2008 and Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 lost their main support on January 13, 2015.

Microsoft will completely abandon Windows 7 by 2020, but Gartner analysts recommend that companies begin planning a transition from this OS to newer ones as soon as possible. Otherwise, they risk not having time to fully update their systems, as a result of which the information security of enterprises may be compromised, experts are sure.

2014: Windows 7 is installed on almost every second computer in the world

According to the Internet statistics collection service NetMarketShare for December 2014, Windows 7 is installed on almost every second computer in the world, while the joint share of Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 in the desktop operating systems market is less than 13%. The asset of the outdated Windows XP is 24.3 percent.

2011: The number of Windows 7 Update calls in Russia exceeded the number of Windows XP calls

According to the results of February 2011, Microsoft recorded that the number of calls to the Windows Update service from Russian computers with Windows 7 installed on them for the first time exceeded the same figure for Windows XP. About this CNews told Windows Marketing Manager in Russia Yuri Larin^[16].

"According to the data for December 2010, when a similar comparison was made, it turned out that the number of requests from PCs with XP installed became less than from versions of Vista and Windows 7 in total," says Larin. "Now the seventh version has outgrown XP for the first time without the help of other operating systems."

At the stage of accessing Windows Update, the service does not check the license of the installed software, so this method compares the number of OS installations (including pirated ones), and not the sale of their licenses. Authentication control may be required to install major updates such as the Service Pack, Larin adds.

The total number of Windows 7 licenses shipped to the channel (to corporate customers, OEM partners and retailers), according to Microsoft, reached 300 million in the world.

It is worth noting that third-party ratings have not yet confirmed the great popularity of Windows 7 compared to XP. According to Statcounter statistics, which is collected by project counters on various sites around the world, about 30% of the total number of calls occur from computers running Windows 7, and about 48% on XP.

The Liveinternet service collects data for Russia, according to its statistics, the difference is even more serious. Over the past 4 weeks, an average of 52.2% of visitors to sites with project counters installed have used XP, and only 27.5% have used Windows 7.

Yuri Larin explains this discrepancy by the fact that network counters do not cover all PCs: "Windows Updates data is more accurate, because they take into account all computers using the update service, regardless of which sites their owner visits."

2010:240 million licenses shipped in the first year of sales

As of March 2011, the total number of Windows 7 licenses shipped to the channel (to corporate customers, OEM partners and retailers), according to Microsoft, reached 300 million in the world.

In the first six months of sales, the vendor shipped 100 million licenses, 9 months - 175 million, the result of the first year of sales - more than 240 million licenses.

For the 2010 fiscal year, which lasted from July 1, 2009 to June 31, 2010, a total of 175 million copies of Windows 7 were sold worldwide.

In September 2010, Microsoft announced the annual results of promoting Windows 7 in Russia. Its sales started in October 2009, and by September 2010 the company sold about 4.8 million copies, of which about half were sales along with new computers, and the second half - to corporate users. "Boxes" occupy a insignificant share in sales. According to Yuri Larin, and. about. Head of the Windows Promotion Department in Russia, the company expects sales of the new platform to grow in the second year.

Eva Schönleitner, director of Windows Commercial in Central and Eastern Europe, says Windows 7 is more popular in Russia than the global average. So, according to an internal study by Microsoft, the global indicator "Windows 7 favorability" (positive attitude towards Windows 7) is 59%, and in Russia - 72%. China is not much behind Russia with an indicator of 69%, in the United States this figure is slightly lower than the world-wide - 58%, and in Brazil it is even lower - 54%.

Such a high popularity of the new platform in Russia in the corporation is explained, first of all, by the high level of technical savvy of Russian users and their traditional interest in new products. Larin also recalled that the beta version of Windows 7 came to Russia much earlier than the start of official sales, and the percentage of users participating in testing turned out to be one of the highest in the world.

Microsoft plans to continue to promote its product in Russia. Home users, in particular, will soon have access to a family version of Windows 7 called Family Pack. According to Microsoft representatives, this package will allow you to transfer three home computers within the same family with Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7 Home Premium, saving about 50% on each license.

This offer, however, will be available only to those who have licensed versions of Windows installed, and the offer itself will be valid for only a few months. Approximately sales of the Family Pack will begin in November 2010, and the price of the package, according to approximate estimates of the company, will be 9 thousand rubles.

In early October 2010, it became possible for enterprise users to evaluate the economic impact of migrating to Windows 7 on the Alinean Performance Tools Provider website.

Notes