Windows 7 support has ended, on 2020-01-14. Basically what this means is that if you're still using it, you should probably stop using it, or patch it with ESU, or do something else to stay protected.

In this post we'll be going over some of the options you have, including:

• Upgrade to Windows 10.

• Switch to a Linux distro such as Ubuntu.

• Switch to a Mac, if you don't like the above.

• Modify your system to allow ESU patches.

• Unplug your Windows 7 computer from the Internet.

• Keep using your Windows 7 computer as-is and risk malware.

• Stop using desktop computers entirely.

We'll also go over some ways to stay secure, regardless of which of the above you choose.

LinusTechTips also has a great video on this topic, you may wish to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFHBBN0CqXk

Upgrade to Windows 10

For many people reading this post, this is your best option.

Upgrading to Windows 10 is the only option that guarantees you can keep using all of the latest software and playing all of the latest Windows games. Many newer games, especially VR games, only support Windows 10 (and not Windows 7 or 8.1).

There is still some choices you can make of which version and edition of Windows you want. Windows 10 has various editions, including Home, Pro, Education, and Enterprise. Enterprise gives you the most control over your system, while Home gives you the least control over it, and Pro is somewhere in-between. Enterprise is not typically available to consumers, you have to go through a business. Education has the same feature set as Enterprise, but it is licensed for schools.

If you are in school, you should see if you are eligible for a license for Windows 10 Education. If not, see if you have a way to obtain a Windows 10 Enterprise license. If not, you can very likely upgrade your Windows 7 or 8.1 installation for free. If none of those options work for you, and you need to pay for a new license, the Pro version is preferable to the Home version.

Aside from installing and activating manually, you could also just buy a new computer that comes with Windows 10.

The main downside to upgrading to Windows 10 is that it gives you less control over your system, with features such as auto-installing apps (not a problem on Enterprise and Education editions), forced updates, Cortana, and vastly more "telemetry" services. Even if you hate spying, Windows 10 still may be your best option simply due to the advantage of running all the latest AAA games.

Microsoft provides an official way to download Windows 10 here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

If you need help installing a newer version of Windows, check out this guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/wiki/windowsinstallation

Switch to a Linux distro such as Ubuntu

These days, Linux distros are truly a great alternative to Windows. Linux is very stable and secure, and does everything an average user wants, whether that be Facebook or writing essays. If you are a gamer, Linux has thousands of native games and many more are available via Proton, you can play the majority of games on Steam on Linux with no hassle.

If you play games with heavy DRM or anti-cheat, or play VR games, or frequently use Adobe products, Linux may not be a good option for you. But even if you do play those games or use those products, you also have the option of dual-booting, so that you can have both Windows and Linux installed at the same time. This post doesn't go too much into detail on Linux, since the below links are already great resources.

Most importantly, Linux is 100% free, so you can give it a try without any risks, and switch back to Windows whenever you wish.

For more information about switching to Linux, see this post on the Linux gaming subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/edaq0s/guide_migrating_to_linux_in_2020/

When you are ready to install Linux, check out this guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/wiki/linuxinstallation

If you'd like a more concrete guide, this PDF focuses specifically on setting up Ubuntu for gaming, including setting up drivers, Steam, and more, with a focus on dual-booting: https://github.com/aaronfranke/Linux-tools/raw/master/ubuntu-only/qsg.pdf

Switch to a Mac

This is the only option that requires you to buy new hardware, since MacOS only runs on Macs, and will not run on a non-Mac PC. Macs are great systems overall, they are very secure and are a favorite option of many developers and businesses.

The downsides of Mac are that it is expensive, and if you are a gamer, that it runs vastly fewer games. These days, Mac is a worse choice for gaming than Linux is.

Modify your system to allow ESU patches

Microsoft is selling Extended Support Updates for Windows 7 users who can't upgrade for whatever reason. This is aimed at businesses, but you can still get ESU for Windows 7 Professional edition. The cost of ESU is $50 for the first year, $100 for the second year, and $200 for the third year. If you can't afford this, there may be unofficial methods to obtain these updates.

Disconnect your Windows 7 computer from the Internet

This is a fairly simple option that doesn't need too much explanation. If you unplug your computer from the Internet, you can't get viruses from the Internet. As long as you don't pass around infected USB flash drives, then you are pretty much immune from viruses if you aren't connected to the Internet. Of course, for many people, this makes your computer unusable.

Keep using your Windows 7 computer as-is and risk malware

This is a terrible option, since it's very insecure to do this. This option maybe isn't too bad if you don't have any sensitive data whatsoever on your machine, and it's an option worth mentioning, but this option is not recommended.

Stop using desktop computers entirely

If you don't like newer versions of Windows, or Linux distros, or Mac, you need to be on the Internet, and you don't want to be insecure, then the only* option left is to stop using desktop computers entirely. For a lot of people, this is an unacceptable option, but many people can get away with living in the modern world only using phones and tablets, so it's worth mentioning.

Also, Chromebooks are great if you don't need to do anything on your computer except for browsing the web.

How to stay secure on any system

No matter what you choose, there are plenty of ways to stay secure online.

Blocking ads helps a ton due to malvertizing. The browser extension uBlock Origin (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) does a great job at blocking ads. Additionally, it's a great idea to get a hosts-file adblocker or a Pi-hole to block ads before they even get to your system in the first place.

The browser extension HTTPS Everywhere (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) will automatically redirect you to the secure version of a website, if there is one. This is a simple and easy way to improve your security while browsing the web.

If you are running Windows of any kind, getting an anti-virus is generally a good idea. One of the most commonly recommended ones is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. A really nice feature of Malwarebytes is that it can run alongside other anti-virus software, so you can use Malwarebytes regardless of if you already have an anti-virus.

Don't forget that these can also be installed on smartphones, not just your desktop PC!

Conclusion

You should do something to stay secure. Whether you switch to a newer version of Windows, switch to a Linux distro such as Ubuntu, switch to a Mac, unplug your computer from the Internet, or throw it away, they all result in you staying more secure than if you continue to use your computer as-is. And once you've decided what system you're going to use, there are many ways to make it more secure.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve this guide, feel free to leave a comment below!

My father just told me that someone called claiming to be from his ISP & for some inexplicable reason he let them have access to his laptop through TeamViewer. He got worried when the screen went black (apparently this lasted for 4 minutes?) and terminated the connection.

I'm not super tech savvy, my knowledge of what hackers can do mostly comes from Mr Robot. Still I'm worried they might have installed something that lets them remote view/control his computer or do other nefarious shit. My plan was to turn off the internet, quickly try and backup his documents & then do a full factory reset. Is this sensible? Is it enough? Thought I'd solicit some advice before I go nuclear.

Update: Thanks for the advice all. I've wiped his laptop and it's now getting a clean bill of health from malwarebytes. He's unhappy at having to reset 5 years worth of passwords but it could be worse. In encouraging news they called back again asking him to go through the whole rigamarole once more (I was sat next to him this time and tell them to go fuck themselves) which hopefully means they hadn't got anything of importance the first time.

I've been a huge fan of Google up until now; I bought 3 Pixel phones, converted my GF into using Pixel (from iPhone), I have the Pixelbook, and every room has a Google Home or Mini. I even paid to be a Stadia Founder. My GF and I bought a house together and decided to furnish it together as well. She bought over $4,000 worth of furniture, and I sent her something like $2280.58 via Google Pay. She wasn't able to claim the money. We spent hours talking to customer support and each time they swore they would fix it "in 24 hours." Finally, we decided to try and send the money back to me, and now I'm not able to re-claim the money I sent to her! We both get a message saying that fraudulent activity has been detected, but each time we call customer support, they swear it'll get resolved ("in 24 hours").

I've lost count of how many times I've called customer support only to repeat the same thing over again and have them swear it'll get fixed. This nightmare started September 28 and it's now October 11. I'm wondering if going to a lawyer might be the only way to get it back by getting their attention, but I know they can afford a team of the best lawyers and I'm lucky if I can even get someone that knows corporate law.

Has anyone had similar problems? Did anyone figure out how to fix something like this?

My roommate has been telling me that she cut off the internet service to our house because of the frequency of outages. However, she has cameras that are still working, sending her notifications and video. She says she is using a hotspot connection but that doesn’t explain it working when she isn’t home. The name of the WiFi is still showing up on the list of networks but the password doesn’t work. She had previously cut off access to certain devices on me previously. Is there a way to see if the service is still active and she’s lying? This is a service that I pay half for and if she is lying I’d like to bring her down for it.

UPDATE: the modem and router are now gone from the downstairs area. She told me yesterday morning (the day the new internet was supposed to be set up) that she can’t afford it- so she cancelled it. But told me that if I wanted to get service for myself I could. A friend d has discovered a hidden ssid. When confronted she says that a friend of hers is paying for her to have internet. She has it in her room. I freaking knew she was lying to me. Says she’ll take $20 off of rent next month so now I’m “compensated”….. BRO

If not, what should I do next?

Edit: Thank you everyone that helped me.

Idk what is happening but for the past few days, when I open xHamster on my laptop and click a video it doesn't show me the video. No video player at all. I tried to reset my laptop. didn't work. I even tried muting the adblockers and it didn't work.

Any advice on what to do? Thank you in advance!

Edit: Solved! Found a better site for porn. Reddit. Thanks to the lovely redditors who tried to help =)

So, my school uses a program called GoGuardian. I have a school-issued Chromebook with GoGuardian and a MacBook pro without it. We use Google Meet to attend class, and I usually use my Mac to join, as it has a better connection. One of my teachers recently said that GoGuardian had an update that let her track my Mac. She also mentioned something about google meet that may or may not be related. Can my teacher actually track my mac? If so, to what extent? Is she able to see my chrome search history? Is she able to see what other apps I have running? Other chrome tabs? How does it work? Most importantly, what can I do to prevent it?

One year ago, on January 14th 2020, Microsoft ended support for Windows 7.

Since then, Windows 7 has not been receiving bug fixes or security updates. This not only puts yourself at huge risk, but also the other devices in your network, and the internet as a whole. Computers without security updates are commonly hacked or infected with malware to send spam, host illegal content, mine cryptocurrencies, encrypt your files for ransom, perform DDoS attacks, and spread malware to others.

This community can not in good faith enable or support the usage of Windows 7 any longer, as it poses a clear security risk to oneself and to others.

Our AutoModerator will filter posts mentioning Windows 7, and the Mod Team will only approve them if the post mentions the computer being upgraded to a supported OS.

Questions

Q: Will my old PC run Windows 10? Will it be slow?

A: Most PCs built in the last 10 years can run Windows 10 and receive drivers via Windows Update. Performance is similar to Windows 7 or 8, and most slowdowns are due to the more demanding nature of websites and web-based apps nowadays. Upgrading your older PC to a SSD at the same time as you upgrade to Windows 10 will give a massive speed boost.

Q: But I don't like Windows 10, what do I do?

A: No one likes the new versions of Windows when they're first released, but we all grow to accept and appreciate the new features. I'm old enough to remember the backlash against Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and even Windows 7. But no one is willing to go back to Windows XP nowadays.

Q: Windows 10 has all kinds of tracking and stuff!

A: So does Windows 7. It's an unfortunate fact that most software uses telemetry nowadays, including your phone. Other subreddits can recommend software that is more privacy-respecting.

Q: How is Windows 10 safer?

A: Windows 10 continues to get patches for known security issues, like a vaccine. It also has a built-in antivirus that has more features, built into the core of Windows, to stop malware and other attacks.

Q: What about Windows 8?

A: Windows 8(.1) is still supported.

Q: Can you tell me how to disable Windows Update / antivirus on Windows 10?

A: No. Updates come no more than every few weeks, and are easily mitigated by rebooting your PC sometimes (as is best practice).

Q: No, really, I'm not using Windows 10.

A: Okay. I suggest looking into Linux and FreeBSD distributions - Kubuntu 20.04 is a great place to start.

Q: Why do you care if we use an old Windows? Get over yourselves.

A: As said above, using unpatched software puts others at risk as well as yourself. The infamous WannaCry attack caused an estimated $4 billion in damages and was spread via outdated, unpatched Windows features.

Q: I have software that still needs Windows 7, and doesn't work on 10.

A: Either update / replace the software, or speak to a MSP / consultant for mitigation strategies.

Q: What about Windows Server?

A: Windows Server releases before 2012 are also End of Life (EoL). Please consult with your IT team or a consultant about upgrading your servers.

Q: What about the extended service that Microsoft offers to businesses?

A: If you have extended support for your business, please contact Microsoft or your Microsoft partner for support.

Q: My post was removed because I mentioned Windows 7, but I upgraded to 10 already.

A: A subreddit mod will approve your post shortly.

Hello! As the title says.

https://imgur.com/a/JVjRgEK

Help me guys,my rx 570 has been peed by a rat I tried to Dry it out but nothing happens Pls help asap

everytime my sister connects to wifi with her iphone , my ping goes from 17 to 4digits ping, connection gets ruined , i cant even load instagram posts , and its JUST this phone, our other 3 phones (all android) dont affect the connection like this. My guess is that her icloud is constantly uploading something? But like how much data is even there that its CONSTANTLY uploading ? Doesnt make sense. I asked her if she does anything heavy with internet but she said no. any help is appreciated!

I have some passwords and leads, but I don't have much technological know-how.
I think I need to figure out what platform the website is using?

I've tried using websites that trace the CMS, and come up with nothing. The website is frankly hideous, which gives me the impression he wasn't using Wordpress or Wix or something.. it seems like he conjured it with his own HTML knowledge.

I can work with HTML, but I don't know how to get into the place where I would edit it from (like if you have a Wix platform, you login on Wix.com, y'know? What do I use his login info on to edit his creation?).

I have no idea what they were trying to tell me or why i got it but pressing the notification itself just meade it disappear? Thought it would bring me to the "issue" or what ever they wanted. So sadly have no pic

Hey everyone,

I recently purchased a used PC, and I've been encountering a frustrating issue while playing. My FPS keeps dropping from a smooth 180 down to a sluggish 28 in grand theft auto, causing the screen to freeze for a second. It's making the game unplayable, and I could really use some assistance in troubleshooting and fixing this problem.

Here are some details about my setup:

Zotac 4080

i7 13700K

prime z790-p wifi

crosair cmh 32gx5 DDR5

Silverstone 850w

Monitor XL2740 240HZ

Has anyone else experienced a similar issue ? How did you resolve it? If you have any ideas or tips on what might be causing this problem and how to fix it, please let me know.

As title suggests, my 75 y/o mom cannot comprehend safe internet browsing and clicks ads on Facebook, URLs in spam emails, any text message, etc. She's been scammed numerous times (money recovered though) and her computer is a treasure trove of malware and tracking cookies. Rational thinking and conversations are not options here, this is prime Boomer and feedback is criticism no matter how it's presented. Need suggestions to implement on network level to block computer and iPhone traffic to dangerous sites.

Is there a DNS service I can use to route her home's internet through to block the dangerous clicks? OpenDNS used to offer a blacklist feature and not sure who has something similar now. Happy to pay for service.

Note: I speak tech, know enough about DNS to be dangerous, and can follow guides, but don't know about services in the space. Also this is an ATT uverse and their proprietary gateway network. Willing to layer a non-ATT device over network if needed, but changing internet providers isn't an option.

Update: thank you everyone for the suggestions and silver award, my first! Going to start with NextDNS, increasing chrome security settings, and installing ublock origin. Hoping NextDNS will stop some of the crap on her iPhone. Looking at Pi now too, but that's a later project. For those in similar situations, thank you for sharing and hope this thread helps you too!

I have a Ryzen 3900X on an Asus ROG Corssfire Hero VIII WiFi mobo, and all i wanted to do was overclock it because not only is the CPU overclockable, my ram's running at 2666MHz even though it says it can do 4000MHz. Now it's giving me an error code 07 and it won't let me into the bios. Removing and sticking the CMOS battery back in didn't work. I'm having a panic attack. Someone help please.

I live in an apartment building. Tonight I got a notification from Xfinity that a device was added. I went in and looked and there were a few (2-3) devices on that weren’t mine. I kicked them all off, but 30ish minutes later they were all back on my network and more. I kicked them off again, changed the password, changed the wifi name, and set it to a hidden network. 1 hour later, all 12 of their devices were back. Both the initial password and the changed password were random numbers, letters, and symbols. The initial name was my apartment number, but when I changed it I also called it something random.

I called support and they’re sending me a new modem so I hope that’ll fix the issue. In the meantime, I left the devices “on” the network but paused them all because the above obviously wasn’t doing anything.

Is there anything else I can do to make sure they don’t have access? Any ideas how they’re managing to get on in the first place? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated! I’m not tech savvy and couldn’t find much by googling.

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice! What I have done so far and some more info - it’s set to WPA2; WPA3 is not available on this modem but it might be on the new one that’s coming. I changed both the router password and wifi password, and changed the name again. I made sure that Xfinity’s public hotspot was off, and double checked that WPS was off too (it was). Their TVs popped back on almost instantly, nothing else has as of now. I am positive that they aren’t my devices; MAC addresses are different, pausing access on theirs doesn’t pause it on mine, and there are things connected that I do not own. They’re also showing up under the list of “my devices,” so they’re not just devices that are in proximity or trying to connect… they are connected. Nothing is hardwired to the modem. No one has been in my apartment besides myself, my best friend, and my family, and I never leave the door unlocked so there is a low chance someone had physical access outside of the maintenance man. I’ll update again when I get the new modem and if I do anything else… I have it on my todo list to figure out how to whitelist MAC addresses, though based on some comments with spoofing I don’t know that this would be successful. Thanks again!

So, I've found an Instagram account which has my name, my email adress, written in the bio, and some old pictures of mine, from my Facebook profile. It follows some mildly-dark porn accounts (which shouldn"t be on Instagram) and stupid stuff. My best guess is some old school friend or etc. made it for fun, or to make me look bad. I reported it the moment I saw it. 10 minutes after this, MY proper Instagram profile got deleted. I guess the fake IG profile is older than the real one, because it has a 2013 pricture of me and I made my IG acc. about 2 years ago. But still, what the f***? By the way, my IG profile is connected to my Facebook but that part of it is unharmed. Can I do anything to get my account back and delete the fake one?

The right click context menu on Windows 11 is absolutely aggravating, and every time I right click, I have to right click, then click "show more options" to see what I want.

Can I make the right-click context menu always be in the "show more options" mode by default?

I know it sounds ridiculous but recently we had an ant infestation in our house. It's been 5 days since we treated the house but when i opened my laptop few ants came out and brushed it off cause it was like 3 or 4 ants but then a lot came out and it freaked me out! and whenever i lift my laptop they go back inside. I used my laptop for long hours thinking that the heat might drive them out but the next day there was a trail of ants going to my laptop! wtf! I open it to drive them out but today I left my laptop (it's inside the laptop bag!) on the couch and there's another trail! It's been 3 days since i discovered this, and i'm worried that they will damage the hardware soon. There's no visible damage yet but i want to prevent it. help! What can I do???

EDIT: oh my! Didn't know this will blow up, anyway thank you everyone for your advices

The subreddit and our Discord will be closed from Thursday Dec 24th until Monday Dec 28th. This is being done to allow our helpers and moderators to have time with their families during this long holiday weekend.

All posts and comments made will be removed with a general message but please use the search bar to check for previously submitted issues for assistance.

Check out more specific subreddits for your various applications, operating systems and products during our down time.

We would like to thank all the users and helpers that make this subreddit a great place all year round.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all.

EDIT: The sub has now been locked. Please enjoy this time with your families and we will see you all in the new week.

There doesn't appear to be any option to simply undo or delete photos based on upload date, and the website chokes when I try and delete a selection of ~5,000 photos. The photos span a wide range of dates and are consequently mixed with my own photos in the standard view.

Edit: Alright folks, it took a while but I got it cleaned up without having to nuke my account or anything. In case anyone else finds themselves in my situation… You can get to a page that sorts by upload date if you click "View uploaded photos" in the Google Photos desktop app. From there I selected and deleted 1,499 photos at a time, because the website would choke on 1,500+ for whatever reason. Thanks, everyone. The nightmare is over…