CloudReady could be the perfect answer for those continuing to stick with, say, Windows 7 PCs – despite Microsoft having stopped delivering free patches since January 15. Importantly, CloudReady still gets patches and fixes just like Chrome OS, served up every six weeks.

There are two notable catches with switching to CloudReady. After installing it, there's no returning to Windows, so users should make a backup of their files.

Also, after transitioning, accessing a local drive becomes difficult because this Chrome-OS variant relies almost entirely on Google Drive for storage.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Fri Dec 18, 2020 5:02 pm

An unpatched local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability affecting all Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 devices received a free and temporary fix today through the 0patch platform.

The zero-day bug affects all impacted devices, enrolled in Microsoft's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program or not until the company will release its own security updates to ESU customers.

0patch's free micropatch is targeting Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 computers without ESU (updated to January 2020) and those with ESU (updated to November 2020).

At the moment, only small-and-midsize businesses or organizations with volume-licensing agreements can get an ESU license until January 2023.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:45 am

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Sat May 02, 2020 12:38 pm

Statistics: Posted by Erik — Sat May 02, 2020 3:39 am

Windows 7 users have been reporting that they are receiving a popup message that reads "You don't have permission to shut down this computer" every time they attempt to shut down or reboot their systems.

The cause of the bug remains unknown at the time of writing.

For the past two days, users have been scratching their heads for solutions around the problem. The good news is that they've found at least three temporary workarounds and one unofficial fix to resolve the issue.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Mon Feb 10, 2020 7:41 pm

"After installing KB4534310, your desktop wallpaper might display as black when set to Stretch," said Microsoft.

It's also promised to provide a fix in an update that will be made available to everyone running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 RS SP1.

Microsoft says the issue can be resolved by setting the custom image to any option other than Stretch, such as Fill, Fit, Tile, or Center.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:40 pm

If you, or someone you know, has been clinging to Windows 7 until the bitter end, you should know that your operating system won’t receive any more security updates past January 15. Now is as good a time as any to finally upgrade your system to Windows 10, especially since it might be free—and because I found a super-simple PowerShell script that makes it easy to perform an unattended upgrade.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed Jan 08, 2020 12:53 pm

“In our investigation we confirmed the problem having to do with KB4530734 (December Monthly Rollup for Windows 7 Service Pack 1). More specifically, we believe it had something to do with KB4531786 (Servicing stack update for Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1: December 10, 2019) applying out of order. Interestingly, if you look at the notes for the December rollup it specifies a recommendation to install the SSU afterward (not a requirement). Lastly, we found some (not all) machines in various states of "Uninstall_Pending" regarding the November Monthly Rollup….”

Those of you using plain old single-system Monthly Rollups won’t encounter the problem. But if you or your system’s admin is manually installing patches, getting them in the wrong order can cause all sorts of problems. Manually installing the Servicing Stack Update can be particularly vexing because SSUs won’t show up until you’ve installed (or hidden) all outstanding patches.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:30 am

Microsoft doesn’t talk about that Windows 10 free upgrade offer anymore, but devices with legitimate Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 licenses could be upgraded to Windows 10 for free using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

To get Windows 10, you’ll just have to download and run Media Creation Tool on Windows 7/8/8.1 and upgrade the PC to Windows 10. After the upgrade, connect to the internet and your older Windows license will be converted to a Windows 10 license.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:29 pm

Microsoft is ready to push a full-screen warning to Windows 7 users who are still running the OS after January 14. The nag-screen payload is part of the December 10 Patch Tuesday monthly rollup.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:51 am

"No, your Windows 7 computer is not protected by MSE ((Microsoft Security Essentials)) after January 14, 2020," the company said in a support document mainly concerned about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) being shilled to enterprises. "MSE is unique to Windows 7 and follows the same lifecycle dates for support."

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:27 am

Nothing immediately.

The operating system will continue to work or not, as it did or didn't, for each user the day before support retirement. That's important to remember, if only because some still don't - assuming that after midnight on Jan. 14, 2020, the OS screeches to a stop.

Even Microsoft reminds customers that Windows 7 will continue to run post-retirement, although it could move those reminders closer to the top of its to-do list. In this FAQ about the end of support, Microsoft waited until the fifth item before making note of the operating system's resilience. "If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work," Microsoft pledged, also noting that, "Your PC will continue to start and run."

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

Beginning December 1, 2019, small-and-midsize businesses (SMBs) also will be able to purchase ESUs if they are not going to be ready to get off Windows 7 as of January 14, 2020, which is the date Microsoft will end free support (and security updates) for the product. SMBs will be able to get the ESUs for up to three years by purchasing them from qualified Cloud Solution Provider partners, officials said.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed Oct 02, 2019 8:02 am

On August 20, 2018, Microsoft made a blog post designed to help developers “effectively plan your development cycles.”

The blog post was aimed at telling developers when the Microsoft Store would stop accepting and distributing apps to Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices and in short, said Microsoft would stop accepting new app submissions for Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and WP8.x on the 31st October 2018.

Then on July 1st, 2019, Microsoft would stop distributing app updates to Windows Phone 8.x or earlier devices and on July 1st, 2023 Microsoft was planning to stop distributing app updates to Windows 8/8.1 devices.

Microsoft however quietly updated the blog post on the 2nd April 2019 with a major change for Windows 8 (not the slightly more popular Windows 8.1).

That operating system would now stop receiving app updates on the 1st July 2019, instead of the earlier 1st July 2023.

Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Fri Apr 19, 2019 5:32 am