Microsoft Support for Windows 7

[Mark Kusiak]

I am posting this to "dispel" some of the myths surrounding the impending Microsoft move to no longer "support" Windows 7.

First, Windows 7 will continue to run and work after Microsoft stops supporting it. They just won't be doing any major upgrades
or revisions to the operating system. As time goes on, the operating system will tend to become more buggy and prone to crashes
as the non-support time becomes longer in duration. This duration is "unknown", but probably rated in years more then days, weeks, or
months.

Any system running Windows 7 today will boot and run after Microsoft stops operations to support it. Windows 7 is stable enough to
continue to operate for years to come, most likely with no real problems. Your computer will still boot and run under a copy of the
operating system as normal.

For those who may be running Windows 7, I would highly recommend that you try and capture a recovery image of your current system,
as the recovery image contains all updates. There is a possibility that Microsoft may not keep updates available, creating a problem
should you need to format and restore. There is no doubt that some things may need to be done to protect your system, but if approached
in the right way, you may be in a position to be able to run on Window 7, potentially, for many years after Microsoft pulls the plug.

It is common for software developers to want to "scare" you into thinking that your system will melt down simply because some software
or hardware is "no longer supported". This is a myth. Think about other things that Microsoft stopped working on, like FS9 or FSX. They
continued to run without Microsoft over your shoulder. So it is also for Windows 7. Should you consider upgrade? Sure, but at your pace
and within your budget.

[BobSturm]

I had a laptop that ran Windows XP for years after it was declared unsupported. The laptop finally gave out. I still have 2 computers with Windows 7 and expect to have them for a number of years longer. The only reason I upgraded to Windows 10 was to have a computer that would run X-Plane 11. That is now a dedicated flight sim computer.

[Scott D. Williams]

Ah, good news, thanks Mark. I was able to operate for quite some time on my old computer with WNXP using FS9 in the old days. Eventually FS9 just got too buggy with the old XP but it took a while.

[WWA1813]

I reluctantly switched over to Win 10 a couple years ago. It works ok, but I still say Win 7 was Microsoft's best operating system.

[WWA3290 Paul L Steele]

Thanks for the info boss. My laptop running Windows 7 and FS9 is my only stable flight platform. Depending on how the 2020 system works and its needs may goose me to find a gaming laptop since I really miss FSX with its better scenery and all that came with it. Thanks again and God bless.