FAQ

• What will stop working?
  • It’s hard to know for certain but on past experience (such as when Win 7 & 8.1 became end of life)
    • Web browsers won’t upgrade anymore & some websites/browser plugins may to stop working
    • Software won’t update & may stop working
  • It’s unlikely that anything will immediately stop working but it’s not worth taking the chance. We have seen other clients have to upgrade in haste when they didn’t move on from EOL systems & of course this was more impactful (Sage being a key example).
• Is Windows 11 a free upgrade?
  • At the moment, yes.
• How much will new computers cost us?
  • For general business use, we normally say in the region of £500–600+VAT for desktops & £550-£650+VAT for laptops. This is a ballpark figure.
• How much will this cost me?
  • To check compatibility
    • You can check yourself for free if you follow the instructions I the point below
    • If we check it, it depends on a few factors such as how many machines you have & where far you are from our office.
      The check itself doesn’t take long on each machine, the most time consuming part may be arranging a time when we can carry out the check on each of your devices.
      We can potentially also upgrade eligible machines when we carry out the checks.
      Every case will be different and one of our engineers will need to discuss this on a case by case basis with you.
  • To do the upgrade
    • In general to do a single computer of reasonable specification and internet connection, the backup and upgrade takes about 1.5 hours. If there are multiple machines to be upgraded then generally there will be some time saving for additional machines.
  • To replace the machines
  • To replace the machines
    • This always depends on how complex the configuration is on a machine, with simple configuration it might be as little as 1.5 hours, with complex configuration it could be 4 or even more.
      As a rule of thumb its 2-3 hours.
  • Can we check whether machines are compatible ourselves?
    • Yes absolutely, this link tells you what to do – you need to use the confusingly named “PC Health Check App” – this will tell you if your machine can be upgraded
  • Will I need license information for the others software I use?
    • More than likely, it would certainly be needed for replacement machines and may potentially be needed for upgrading existing machines.
  • Is your list of expected compatibility for Windows 11 definitely correct?
    • Generally it will be but occasionally there will be machines we expect to be compatible which are not, and others which we would not expect to be compatible which are
    • The list we are basing our reports on was generated mid November 2024 so any changes made since then may not be reflected.
  • Are there any risks in upgrading existing machines?
    • Potentially yes although generally they go smoothly, if we carry out the upgrades for you then we will take an image backup of your machine first to allow for recovery if the worst did happen.
  • Does it affect my Apple Macs?
    • No – unless you are running Boot Camp with Windows 10

What issues could I face when Windows 10 reaches End of Life?

1. Security Vulnerabilities: Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates, leaving systems exposed to new threats and exploits, insurance companies may view out of date operating systems as ‘negligence’ and refuse to pay out in the event of a cyber incident.
2. Microsoft Support: Official support for troubleshooting and technical assistance will be unavailable, leaving users without help.
3. Software Incompatibility: Many third-party applications will stop supporting Windows 10, causing potential compatibility issues with newer software.
4. Hardware Driver Updates: New hardware drivers and support for modern devices will no longer be provided, affecting device compatibility.
5. Browser Support: Popular browsers may end support for Windows 10, limiting access to the latest features and security enhancements.
6. Cloud Integration: Integration with newer cloud services and platforms will become limited or unavailable on Windows 10.
7. Windows Store: The Microsoft Store may stop offering new apps and updates for Windows 10, reducing app availability.
8. Windows Update: Windows Update may no longer deliver regular updates or bug fixes, leading to outdated system components.
9. Virtualization Support: New virtualization technologies and features may no longer be compatible with Windows 10.
10. Enterprise Features: Many enterprise-specific features, such as those for managing large-scale deployments, may be discontinued or unsupported.
11. Price rises & stock availability: We expect that as the End of Life date draws near, prices of PCs & Laptops will rise, along with a drop in stock-availability, due to a global rush to replace out of date systems.

What was affected when other Operating Systems reached End of Life?

Windows 7

1. Security Updates: Windows 7 no longer receives critical security updates, leaving users vulnerable to new threats.
2. Browsers – Microsoft Edge & Google Chrome: The latest versions of Edge & Chrome will no longer run on Windows 7, making some websites inaccessible.
3. Microsoft Office Support: Some newer versions of Office stopped supporting Windows 7, leading to compatibility issues.
4. Windows Store Apps: The Microsoft Store no longer offers new apps or updates for Windows 7 users.
5. Third-Party Software: Many developers dropped support for Windows 7, leading to incompatible or outdated software.
6. Driver Updates: Hardware manufacturers ceased releasing new drivers for Windows 7, affecting peripheral compatibility.
7. Windows Defender Updates: The Windows Defender antivirus no longer receives feature updates, affecting malware protection.
8. DirectX 12: DirectX 12 is unavailable on Windows 7, limiting access to the latest gaming technologies.
9. Windows Update Services: Windows Update became less reliable, offering fewer updates or causing issues for users.
10. Online Services Compatibility: Some online services or apps stopped supporting Windows 7, requiring a newer OS version.

Windows 8.1

1. Security Updates: Windows 8.1 no longer receives security patches, leaving systems vulnerable to new threats.
2. Microsoft Support: Official Microsoft support for troubleshooting and assistance ended, leaving users without direct help.
3. Microsoft Store: The Microsoft Store stopped offering new apps or updates for Windows 8.1 users.
4. Internet Explorer Updates: Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 8.1 stopped receiving updates and security fixes.
5. New Features in Windows 10: Many features introduced in Windows 10, like Cortana or DirectStorage, are unavailable on Windows 8.1.
6. Driver Updates: New hardware drivers ceased being released for Windows 8.1, causing compatibility issues with newer devices.
7. Cloud Integration: Integration with newer cloud services and platforms became limited or unsupported on Windows 8.1.
8. Windows Update: Windows Update became unreliable, offering fewer updates and causing installation issues.
9. Office 365 Features: Some newer Office 365 features stopped supporting Windows 8.1, limiting functionality.
10. App Compatibility: Certain modern apps or services ceased compatibility with Windows 8.1, requiring an upgrade to a newer OS.

Windows Server 2012

1. Security Updates: Windows Server 2012 no longer receives security patches, increasing vulnerability to cyber threats.
2. Microsoft Support: Official Microsoft support for troubleshooting and assistance ended, leaving users without direct help.
3. Third-Party Software: Many third-party applications and services stopped supporting Windows Server 2012, leading to compatibility issues.
4. Cloud Integration: Certain cloud services and platforms ceased compatibility or offered limited functionality on Windows Server 2012.
5. Hardware Drivers: New hardware drivers were no longer released for Windows Server 2012, affecting device compatibility.
6. Software Updates: Users no longer receive regular software updates, including performance or feature improvements.
7. Virtualization Support: Newer virtualization features and updates, such as Hyper-V improvements, are unavailable on Windows Server 2012.
8. Windows Admin Center: Some newer management tools, like Windows Admin Center, no longer support Windows Server 2012.
9. Remote Desktop Services: Remote Desktop Services and associated features were limited or unsupported for Windows Server 2012.
10. Active Directory Features: New Active Directory features and updates were not available for Windows Server 2012, limiting functionality.