On January 14, 2020 Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows 7 with updates, security patches, etc. it was a good ten-year run for Windows 7 and if your hardware, either desktops or servers, are still running on in, the operating system is not the only thing you’ll need to upgrade.
Because Windows 8 was such a departure from the “classic” Windows look and feel, recent reports from Netmarketshare show that nearly 2 in 5 (39%) of PCs are operating on Windows 7.
Microsoft’s newest Operating System, Windows 10 requires more robust machines… not to mention that you’ll need newer versions of all your software applications.
Windows 7 has been in a “extended support” phase since 2015, meaning that while the operating system has still been patched and updated to make sure security issues and bugs are fixed, there have not been any new features or enhancements introduced. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft will stop releasing updates and patches and won’t offer help and support.
If you have Windows 7 still, it’s critical to identify the operating system you will migrate to and along with it, the hardware requirements it and its accompanying (updated) applications will have. It’s likely that some of your desktops and servers will absolutely be obsolete with the upgrade and need to be replaced. For instance, if you are moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10, here are the minimum specifications:
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC.
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit.
- Hard disk space: 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS.
- Graphics card: DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver.
- Display: 800 x 600 resolution
If your Windows 7 machine doesn't meet these specifications you won’t be able to run Windows 10. If your machine(s) just barely meet these requirements, Windows 10 won’t perform very well. Agility recommends at least a 2GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM (8GB ideally) and a 160GB hard drive for Windows 10 to run well.
If you need assistance ascertaining which servers and desktops need upgrading, Agility can help you find which need to be replaced and provide great alternatives to keep your environment and your employees running smoothly. Contact Agility if you’re interested in exploring hardware options.
