Despite the official life span of Windows 7 ending earlier this week, reports have claimed that the software may still live on for a bit longer.
Microsoft has apparently added UEFI and Secure Boot to Windows 7, potentially extending the life of machines still utilizing the platform without the worries of being hit by a cyberattack.
Secure Boot allows a computer to check that the software and firmware drivers it uses at boot are signed off by the manufacturer. Its late addition to Windows 7 could be a further nod to the fact that the platform remains a firm favorite for many business users who rely on the OS to run certain office software.
Windows 7 Secure Boot
While official support for Windows 7 ended in 2020, in recognition that many enterprise and education users were still using the OS that first debuted in 2009, Microsoft opened up an Extended Security Updates program in an effort to keep bugs at bay in its hit operating system.
Fast forward three years, and Microsoft has now ended that program, as of 10 January 2023, which leaves many users now wondering what to do, and whether they should bite the bullet and upgrade to a newer version of the Windows operating system.
According to figures by Statcounter (opens in new tab), Windows 7 accounted for 11.2% of all Windows installations at the end of 2022, making it less popular than Windows 11 which accounted for a touch under 17% of all installs, though the figures suggest that Windows 11 only passed Windows 7 in terms of popularity in August 2022.
Heading up the charts, according to Statcounter, is Windows 10, occupying more than two-thirds of the Windows market, while Windows 8 and 8.1 take up just 3.26% combined.
Joining Windows 7 in its end of life is Windows 8.1, which never gained as much traction as its predecessor, leaving computer users who want regular security patches to pick between Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Via Tom’s Hardware
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