The biggest problem with using older versions of Windows isn't keeping them safe so much as the fact that programmers keep dropping support for them. OK, maybe you don't want to run new programs, you just want to keep using your computer the way you're used to. Unfortunately, web sites keep changing what's "required" to properly access the site, and often, only a recent version of any given web browser will work 100%, or even at all. BTW, I put "required" in quotes because for probably 99% of web sites on the net, the only reason that they "require" a newer web browser to do the exact same stuff that web sites have been doing for the past decade is that the site was created with some site designer program that uses tricks that only work in newer web browsers. It's like being told that gas (petrol for some parts of the world) stations "require" you to get a new car because some designer decided to make the nozzle just a little too big to fit in your tank. There's no reason for it, but they did it anyway.
The reverse is true, at least in one specific example that comes to mind. The space jam website from 1996 has been updated throughout the years so modern browsers can display it properly. Sometimes it's the browser that doesn't know what to do with old HTML and CSS. Which seems odd to me but hey somebody paid someone else to update the space jam website decades after it was launched.
.. also, they have strategic alliances with "hardware vendors" (All in the Family) This isn't just about pushing a newer version OS on you, it's about making sure all those new laptops and desktops (with the newer version OS) move off the store shelves too
I've been using an old version of chrome for years and some sites like imgur will fully load and I can see the site on the screen and then some script loads which just blanks out the page. I think this only happens because my internet is slow so the screen blanking script doesn't get loaded till after the entire page is already working. Some sites that do this will still let me interact with the site after it has been blanked, I can like start and stop videos and navigate the menus as if they were there. It is all 100% FORCED obsolescence.
As a windows 7 ultimate user this guide is amazing but right now Google chrome and Microsoft Edge has officially unsupported all security updates to all Windows 7 devices. AVG anti virus and avast anti virus still works. System restore is also a good thing to do to stay safe. Your guide is useful and I love it all love for windows 7.
One can only dream... if only some of us didn't have to use "windows 8+ required" apps... the world would really be a much better place :) TLDR: Thank youu for keeping the W7 spirit alive! That os TRULLY WAS a revolution!
My Uncle is doing the same thing. He's a music guru/audiophile has an top-of-the-line stereo system from April 1997. Despite it being perfectly fine in high quality, Windows 10 and 11 won't even recognize it, but Windows 7 works with his late 90s stereo system like a charm with no fuss at all.
@@adventuresinnostalgia its mostly optimization, windows 10 is just very un stable and un optimized process wise, and windows 11 last time i checked just crashed explorer everytime i wanted to search. I have tried tiny 10, and it works better but still doesnt have the same optimization and smoothness of windows 7. It's not even the fact that my computer is underpowered, im running a ryzen 7 3700x and a rtx 3060, yet a os thats "unsupported" runs better then a recommended one. I'm now dualbooting windows 7 and 8.1 and 8.1 is a lot better of an experience then windows 10, but i might not use it because VxKex (api extensions for windows 7) just had a update that adds electron support and other things. There's also dotexe1337's extended kernel for windows 7, that is still a WIP but is different then VxKex because it replaces the kernel, instead of VxKex which loads a dll into the application on launch using IFEO.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Running the same thing, Win10 + Win7 Dual boot. Windows 7 is just snappy, debloated, beautiful, and overall the best windows experience; I switch to Windows 10 when I need to use Adobe, Ableton, and other creative apps, as well as gaming, that doesn't support windows 7 :/ But for homework and casual browsing (even gaming to an extent) I go to windows 7 and use whatever software I can that is still supported. Windows 7 is just great!
A lot of these tips are not only good for users of Windows 7, but all users regardless. Computer security is very important. Even if you don't use Windows 7, please follow most or all of these tips.
No doubt that Windows 7 is still truly one of the BEST childhood operating systems of all time, the fact that it even included some banger songs like Ninja Tuna by Mr. Scruff makes Windows 7 even more memorable. ✊
One thing I didn't see mentioned is that one way to use an up-to-date browser in Win7 is to use VirtualBox to create a virtual Linux system for all your internet use. It doesn't have to be large -- just big enough to hold the programs you run. You can also set it up so that the virtual machine has read/write access to your Windows user data (ie: desktop, documents, etc.) . Virtual box also has a seamless mode where the guest OS and host share the entire screen. You could set up Linux Mint as a guest, with the Menu bar configured to be on the top and, when you go into Seamless Mode, the bar on the top will run Linux apps, while the Start Menu on the bottom will run your Windows stuff. All will be on the same Windows 7 display.
Yeah not a bad idea for sure, Other thing alternetly would be trying out gpu passthrough to a win7 vm and use a linux distro as the host, but requires sum work to have it set up for sure, and kinda specific hardware to make it work too.
Honestly, virtualization isn't actually very system intensive. I was doing it on an imac from 2008, for several years, running both windows and linux guests. With virtualbox. They ran very smoothly, actually. No joke. It had a Core 2 duo and 4gb of ram. It's VERY different than emulation - where a whole different type of hardware (like the CPU) has to be actively generated in the background. Which is a thick layer of software translating code made for one type of CPU into code made for another type. Virtualization doesn't do this, it _almost_ runs the software natively. When you run another OS this way (like linux with windows), there's no emulation layer - it's running the VM as if it's any other program (almost). The virtualization program just makes a "pretend space" in the computers memory, where the other OS works and runs perfectly fine, unaware it's not the "main operating system running the machine". It can do this because the software is already coded for that type of processor and computer. Linux distros and windows both are coded for standard PC hardware. That's also why you could use virtualization on macs when they had intel processors. Really, there's just a few tricks going on, like virtual drivers. But since it's _nearly_ running natively, it mostly comes down to having enough RAM for both OSs to sit in. That and making sure you are not running too many things at the same time, but that goes for all programs. Like I said, 4gb of ram in 2008, no real performance issues.
I use Windows 7 Professional as the operating system on my main computer, a Dell Optiplex desktop that I got (refurbished) in 2015. I plan to keep using it as long as I can, hopefully for years to come. I use Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus (yes, the Win 7 version is still being updated), and Firefox as my web browser. To run some old 16-bit and DOS software, I use the Windows XP Mode virtual machine (with internet access in XP mode disabled in the XP device manager by disabling the ethernet port there, to protect it against viruses). So far, so good.
A neighbor of mine from years ago worked in law enforcement and had a laptop running Windows 98. He had to stay on Windows 98 well after Windows XP had come out because of the software used in his profession and all of the data that had already been collected on cases and whatnot. He simply couldn't upgrade to anything newer.
Windows 7 was and still really is a great OS... if you have older hardware. Older hardware is still being sold though, and even some of them are new boards based on older chipsets you can buy online at a reasonable price. To this day I still use 7 but not like I use to. Basically I use it for offline programs and older games since 7 supports secure disk. Online browsing and modern gaming I use 10. However, as long as it's possible I will still have a 7 machine, which won't be gone any time soon. I'll hang on too it and in ten years it'll be nastalgic and collectable like real old windows versions. 7 is to the memory of my wife before she passed away, so in no way can I get rid of it.
I have a Windows 7 SP1 64-bit desktop with 32GB RAM, running on an 8-core Ryzen 7 2700X CPU. All you need to make this work is a compatible motherboard with downloadable Windows 7 drivers. The only built-in hardware port that lacks support is USB-C (no updated USB driver from Microsoft). No problem, I just use a USB-C to USB-3 adaptor.
That's a really interesting way to use a dual boot system! What kind of offline programs and older games do you find yourself running most often on Windows 7?
@@adventuresinnostalgia actually I don't even dual boot anymore... quit that scenario years back. I build separate machines based on the OS installed. On 7 I run all my older games, call of duty 1 and 2, a James Bond game, NASCAR 2002, which is still pretty good for today's standards, crysis 1 and 2, older splinter cell games, up to splinter cell conviction and black list, brothers in arms, command and conquer series, ect ect, got a bunch of 'em, too many to list. Some of those games 10 won't run because it doesn't support playing off the dics and I don't use 8. Even running on 7 or 8, a update will disable secure disc, but there's a way around it... with 10 it's a no go, MS completely done away with it by then.
I REALLY feels that AS MOST OF US that brought our own kinds of the computers WE should be able to makes our own choices to chose whatever types of the operation systems WE WANTS.
Well, we are to be honest. This is not the problem. Neither is the dropping of support for older systems, since it would be unreasonable to expect a company to support a piece of software for ever. The problem is that the newer versions of Windows are a pain to put up with due to how bloated, full of spyware and nonsensical design decisions they are. This is why it's annoying to see end of suppoert, you're left with a choice between obsolete and shitty.
Still using Windows XP here. There are still web browsers available that are being updated regularly by the XP user community. I might upgrade to Windows 7 in a few years, but at the moment XP works fine.
I was pissed at Windows 7 at the time since it made quite a few good older programs not work anymore. I till keep a Windows XP machine for nostalgia. What to you like for the best browser? I like Firefox but it is not updated for XP.
@@pctrashtalk2069 I still keep an old NEC 9820, Pentium I, 233mhz, 64mb ram, running WinME, for nostalgia. (I'd never consider putting it on the internet again, though)
While you say to avoid unofficial service packs, you ignored the 0patch project which still provides hotfixes for Win7. This is a very useful tool on 10 and 11 because they don't wait as long as MS to push out fixes.
Thanks for pointing out 0patch! It sounds interesting, but I'm curious - have there been any independent reviews on the long-term security effectiveness of 0patch compared to a full upgrade to Windows 10/11?
windows updates are far better then user based patches of 0patch but those who can't update to 11 0patch is super useful to have some patches for cves that Microsoft patch only on lastest versions of windows @@adventuresinnostalgia
Win7 user here. Why are y'all so concerned about security? The last time I got a virus was in 2015. Just do regular backups (at least 2 copies, one in the cloud) and don't install anything suspicious, always use virustotal. And don't keep credit card numbers in text files and stuff like that. This system is so old that nobody is really going to try to mess with you. It would be better if you were concerned about bloatware in 10 or 11 from M$. Or their unethical competition practices against the user.
I imagine not all of "y'all" have multiple computers and Windows 7 isn't exactly practical for a daily driver. I would not recommend doing tasks like online banking from a Windows 7 PC. That may be way you see a lot of anti-Windows 7 comments out there
Make sure you have a backup of every driver and software that you need for the future. I literally can't find 98% of the drivers that I need for windows XP and i'm guessing windows 7 will eventually take the same route
That's a good point about having backups! Have you tried any methods for finding older drivers that might work with Windows 7? There are some community driver databases out there that might be helpful.
I’m so tired of hearing AI narration. Somebody told me the other day I might as well get used to it because it’s here to stay. It might be, but I won’t get used to it and I won’t listen to it.
@@adventuresinnostalgiaThan what's the point of being a content creator if you don't create content, using your own voice for example. Mine as well have ai make the video too.
@@adventuresinnostalgia By letting robots talk for them, humans are losing the ability to form sentences properly or use the correct words. For example, "indistinguishable for" should be "indistinguishable from". I rest my case!
The video has some very good suggestions to make any system more secure, but it has one flaw, it uses Windows 7. Being careful about malware in old Windows versions is like pulling back in time to avoid a pregnancy. In the last 10 years I had 2 malware attacks, one I got after opening a photo in an email from an old collegae, claiming to send an old photo of us. After clicking his photo, I did see some very strange effects. He had been hacked, maybe by still using Windows 7 and the hacker did send the email using his email account. I still use Windows 7 in a Virtualbox VM :) :) I closed the firewall for inbound traffic and last time I checked, say one month ago I still received Windows Defender updates. Personally I will avoid the use of the browser, email, etc fanatically. For that stuff I use the Host OS or preferably another up-to-date VM. What saved me from that hack, were snapshots. On the Host I use the OpenZFS file system, that includes snapshots. So I rolled back the virtual disk of the VM to a snapshot from before the hack. Virtualbox also supports snapshots for virtual disks and you could also encrypt the virtual disk using Virtualbox.
Just saying ... But all malware is built on thiniking you using the best security and probably windows 10 or 11 ... so even if you use windows 10 you stil lget infected... the odds are the same because they are built for it... being on windows 7 or 10 if its malware, its malware in the end... malware is not more effective on windows 7 or 10 ... its effective and is what it is ... malware
Weird, 15 years of using Windows 7 and not one virus or malware. I never understood when people say it's risky. Bitdefender, firewall, Firefox with noscript etc and common sense.
Thanks for the video! Would totally still be on 7 but it just lacks enough support for some applications/games nowadays. It and XP are tied for my favorite Windows OS.
My grandma had a Windows 7 PC. I remember the option to upgrade the PC to Windows 10 for free appeared. My grandma was upset that I upgraded it as it just worked for her purposes. Honestly. I am kicking myself to this day about that decision because I, too, liked Windows 7
Using Avast with Hardened Mode enabled is a really good choice for prevention of infections because it basically trusts nothing. Using Edge/Chrome with Malwarebytes extension is also a good way to prevent internet based infections automatically.
Thanks for the tips! Avast with Hardened Mode sounds very secure. Can you tell me a bit more about the trade-offs of using such a strict setting? Does it impact how you use your computer in any way?
@@adventuresinnostalgia Well, the only impact as far as I can tell is that because Avast is now "paranoid", it either blocks stuff or ask/tells you that certain things are blocked or should not be trusted. You can then of course add said program or website to the exclusion list if it is a legit program or site. Performance wise, I feel no impact at all. I am running the full Avast Premium on my daily computers and none of them has had any performance or infection issues. I, in fact use my workshop daily runner to clean computers (I work in IT). I have tested a few ransomware infections on a virtual setup with Hardened Mode and it blocked it each time. You should also protect you anti virus setting with a password so someone of something can not willy nilly switch of or change its settings.
My only issue with Win 7 is that many games and stuff no longer support that OS. I love 7 and XP, but for my gaming needs, Windows is the only one. I'd stick with 7 or XP forever if they were supported. Hell, I'd even use Win 11 if it looked and functioned like either of those two and didn't have all the garbage spyware from Win 11
my dad actually still uses windows 7 for his e-mails and invoices, i should tell him about some of these tips. i'm also considering using windows 7 on an '07 thinkpad for school, so this video is very helpful! thank you!
Great suggestions, but you forgot a few spots. Namely that installing alongside your antivirus would also be a powerful firewall if you intend to continue browsing the internet. Another recommended step, once you've configured your system, is make a full backup of it to a separate drive or thumb drive. Multiple copies are recommended. Another interesting piece of software I came across many years ago, is the software called Deep Freeze. Which allows the user to do whatever they want with the system, and it will revert the system to its previous state upon reboot. Though the proper use of this software if you want to save stuff is to have multiple partitions or drives and linking certain files and folders though shortcuts into those places instead, or using "symbolic junction links". I will admit these suggestions of mine are more for the paranoid, but better safe than sorry, right?
That’s all good. But I’d use Blu-ray media to backup your system. If you can’t write to it you can’t catch a virus. No, USB memory sticks and any rewritable media don’t fully work Because you can write boot sector and other viruses to it. ONLY optical write once media can keep you safe in case of malware like boot sector viruses, hypervisors, and ransomware
I've used Deep Freeze before. It is rather good! I wish I could find this hilarious article about the developers brother who makes what he calls Deep Unfreeze. It basically just unfreezes the system, but sound the the kind of thing a brother would do...
@@joshj88 You are absolutely correct about optical media! I point this out from time to time (an as long as you don't already have an infection and then burn that infection permanently to a disc which I have actually done before many years ago - had to get all the stuff off the discs, clean the data, then burn all new discs). If you burn a clean copy to an optical disc and verify the disc after burning - you will have a clean permanent copy of that information. Blu-Ray discs are excellent for this as they hold the most storage of any optical disc, they're the fastest of the 3 (4 if you count the short-lived HD-DVD), and Blu-Ray discs are also virtually unscratchable. Optical media should NOT be dead and our machines should still ship with optical drives for this very purpose!
Used to use deep freeze too. A much better one now is shadow defender. Lets you select or make your own folder to put new files or other info in. Easier to use for a lot of people also. Then you can scan the one folder to check all the files in it then or later. Even ran a file from that folder with a virus. Clicked reboot and it was history. Deleted the file and it was done. No running virus scanners and hoping it was completely gone.
I have used 7 with Firefox for years, without any windows updates and without antivirus software. No problems. Every now and then I have scanned it, no viruses. In normal use, there is no need for antivirus program. Preferably a firewall if you want to install something, but really nothing else matters except that the browser is up to date.
Each users needs are a little different. If you have the need to download torrents you could run into some trouble with viruses and malware. If you use a tool like Snappy Driver Installer, the current installer package contains malware. Some websites that request permission for things like your location, can high Jack your browser. There are plenty of seemingly innocuous things that can lead to viruses and malware. It sounds like your Internet usage is pretty limited, so you could get by without any real security measures in place. However, that advice is not generally applicable
17:00 I wish that the remark at the end about using "anything still maintained by its developers to improve security" had included specifics such as "like your preferred Linux distribution". While no OS is completely immune to attack, especially with fallible human beings at the keyboard, every up-to-date Linux system benefits from the fact that over 90% of malware is written to attack Windows.
Which distro has universal hardware compatibility? I have a bunch of older machines, running various outdated versions of Windows (ME, XP, and Win7), that could really use it.
That's a good point! Have you tried any particular Linux distributions that you'd recommend for someone comfortable with Windows but curious about a more secure option?
@@app103I don't know if any distro has truly universal hardware support, but many have very broad support, especially for older machines. My laptop is a Windows 7 era machine, and I'm fine with using a distro that runs on an older Linux kernel because I don't have any exotic hardware requirements.
@@app103 The chance of your hardware not being supported by Linux is incredibly small, especially hardware that's old. Any distro targeted to beginners should work just fine. Personally I'd recommend Linux Mint. It's fast and has software to download drivers through a GUI so that you won't have to use the terminal if you don't feel comfortable with it. If you are ok with messing with the terminal any distro will work like Debian, Fedora or OpenSUSE
I will likely make a video focused on using Windows 10 forever. At some point I would like to do a video that explains service hardening as well. Is there anything I missed in the video or something you think should be added?
Windows 7 was good and it still is, the only problem is that since it is already discontinued the system always remains with the probability of virus attacks or hackers have more easily created altered systems, these being Windows 7 under current systems that sound like a good option considering that they do not require so much ram, only 1 GB of ram to function correctly but remembering that being under windows 7 you will not have compatibility with certain programs that now work with windows 10 or windows 11 you but a few years ago I went to windows 10 and later with the current windows 11 pro system and it goes without problems with this I have stayed but windows 7 has only remained in my memories of those times
I'm still using Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) along with Acronis anti-ransomware and Opatch for micro patches to hopefully somewhat make up for the loss of Microsoft security patches. I'm still keeping my options open as regards putting Windows 11 on my perfectly functioning 10-year-old laptop. There are multiple vids here on YT on how to do that. But I'm no expert and I'm throwing all this out there in hopes of getting more informed opinions from other users.
You can now create you own Windows 11 'lite' by using the Tiny11 open sourced script tool to modify and strip a Microsoft sourced Win 11 install ISO file. No worry of risk of hacked viruses or malware. I still run Win 7 Pro daily. And use MSE, which still receives daily updates. I simply don't use my system on any suspicious sites or allow access via email phishing.
That's an interesting setup you have with MSE, Acronis, and Opatch! Have you noticed any performance slowdowns or compatibility issues with using those three together on Windows 7?
@@adventuresinnostalgia Nothing really noticeable. But I'm still reluctant to do online shopping, email, or online banking on it. I use my smart phone for those. So, my laptop is mainly for general surfing, where any privacy or security risks are lessened.
I still use Win7 but for an offline/stand alone music server, but as an online pc/workstation, I migrated to Linux by 2020 after Win7 support stopped; and never looked back since
I'm curious, with all of the music streaming services available now, what is the advantage of using your own music server. I could see if you purchased a lot of music over the years it would make sense to have your own curated collection.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Streaming won't always have the music you want, and there is the risk of the music being removed from say Spotify. You don't have to depend on some other service for your music or pay just for no ads
Thanks for mentioning 0patch! Have you used it yourself on Windows 7? I'm curious to hear about your experience, especially if there were any challenges with it.
I'm not using WIndows 7 but i was so curious how someone would make it as secure as possible, great video, I even used some of these tips in my current OS
Thank you for posting this very informative tutorial. I use a Win 7 on a desktop that I originally built from scratch more than a decade ago. My decision to use Windows largely came down to platform dependencies required to run AutoCAD, and a number of Adobe creative tools. As time as progressed, I'm finding it more of a struggle maintaining this system. The largest obstacle seems to be finding software written in 32 bit code. As my needs have branched out into photo and video editing, I've noticed that have some very serious hardware limitations. As an example, I finally did find a 32 bit program that can process RAW files from my camera (Photivo). The developer clearly states that certain operations will crash the program, as there just isn't enough address space on 32 bit systems to handle all that data at once. As much as I love using the computer, it's pretty apparent I'm going to have to migrate to something newer to handle my creative needs. There's fantastic deals on the used market. Last year, I picked up a used 64 bit i5 business laptop running Win 10, for less than the cost of a Chromebook. Although it was intended just for general business use, I've been pleasantly surprised with how it performs with multimedia.
amaizing video thanks regards from argentina, I was wondering if it was possible to use windows 7 in a safe way, because the old netbooks run very well with windows 7.
Thanks for the kind words! Windows 7 definitely runs great on older netbooks. In the video, we focused on general safe practices, but did you have any specific concerns about using Windows 7 on a netbook in 2024?
I heavily rely on WSL, WSA and other 'windows' appx that are not available on windows 7, it would be neat for someone to mod the most basic features from 7 to newer windows versions.
I'd never go back to a OS without modern official support.. also, the reason I moved to w10 was because many programs, games and file types I used didn't work well on w7 anymore.. it's a great OS, no doubt, but modern problems require modern solutions.. my family laptop struggled with w10, but Linux Mint worked perfectly on it 👌🏻 I was surprised by the modern support and updates, while having no need for an antivirus and also, being free (no activation needed)
The word "use" is an interesting one. I suspect most users would include Internet access in that, and I quite agree an anti-virus is a perquisite for these users. Thus when there is no more anti-virus availability for Windows 7, that will end the useful life of Windows 7. Would be a good to see if GNU Linux will run on your system via a live distribution that you can test with before you install anything. I strongly suggest people do that BEFORE Windows 7 becomes useless. Yes I'm in this camp and have installed Linux MINT / Cinnamon on the new systems I built. Works for us, but that does NOT mean it will for everybody, or that your hardware (printers, scanners etc) will work either. Good video brother in computers!
If you've got a printer that was sold on retail shelves, there's a good chance that it will work out of the box on something like Mint, no drivers necessary. For everything else there's a package called foomatic. That's what I had to use on my Arch machine for my old Brother laser printer. Then I was able to select the model through Plasma desktop settings and it works great! I don't have a scanner so I'm not sure what that experience is like. But I suspect that most "kitchen sink" distros (Mint, Fedora, Ubuntu, Pop!OS etc) are 90% likely to support whatever someone might have.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment! You're absolutely right, internet access is a big part of how most people use Windows 7 today. That lack of future antivirus support is a major concern. Here's my question: Have you encountered any significant compatibility issues with peripherals (printers, scanners etc.) when switching to Linux Mint on your new systems? This is a common worry for people considering the switch. Your insights would be valuable to viewers who are on the fence about using Windows 7 without security updates.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Well, i cheated. I had a test system that I used to try out distributions on real hardware. Plus I asked the users at large what printers were usable. I found out that HP and Brother were both Linux friendly, and since I had to replace older printers at that point, that is what we bought. Both brands have continued to run well for us, and it happens that our scanner does as well. I can't say enough about how good the Mint development team is. We've had zero drama regarding updates or upgrades in the last four years. Try that record compared with recent Microsoft operating systems, grin.
@@adventuresinnostalgia No significant issues, but we can tell people that HP and Canon printers work well for us. Otherwise, easy to install and use over the last three years.
Sadly, you still get forced to move because the apps you use the PC for in the first place all start requiring it. Even when it breaks old things you paid for like with Steam. They ditched XP a while back which made a lot of games unplayable and are ditching 7 at the end of the year which means tons more will no longer be playable because they don't work on newer OSs.
That's a great point! Have you encountered any specific games that have become unplayable since the move away from XP? It would be interesting to hear some examples for viewers who might be in the same boat.
I do not like how some online Programs, Websites, Games and Steam are requiring Windows 10+ which locks out existing users from accessing their online accounts. I would like to see legal action to change their requirements to be downward compatible.
Im a y2k man and I still have my windows 7 laptop. Keeping everything as is for nostalgia reason. I use it mostly for offline activities to burn cds for my playstaion1 :D
What would you suggest to be an alternative to Windows 7 POSready? I've seen these crash and reboot. Is it something simple like running updates? Or using a different OS all together?
Ms Edge is no longer supported in Windows versions older than 10 (i.e., Vista, 7, 8, 8.1), so you might be able install it, but you won't be able to receive updates for it.
There are quite a few photo/print shops in India that still use Windows XP machines. They have just one task and the systems are not connected to the internet. Though photo editing software has improved by leaps and bounds with new time saving features such as smart/generative fill etc., people proficient in older versions can still get similar results even though it may be time consuming (and one could argue that there's no replacement for meticulous work involving the human touch.) Surprisingly, (or rather not surprisingly) many top end printers and multifunction devices still ship with drivers for Windows XP. I myself use the latest versions of Photoshop and there's a plethora of online tutorials to guide me with my photo editing, but what I can accomplish even with all those modern tools, pales in comparison to what those people who have mastered the older software can accomplish.
This is great information! You raise an excellence point about software in the user proficiency. What good is newfangled features and toys if you're not able to use them very well?
I think windows 7 is the best version of windows ever made and it would be great to keep it alive but as time goes on more stuff wil simply not work with 7 anymore sadly.
Thanks for your comment! Windows 7 definitely has a loyal following. What kind of stuff are you finding won't work with it anymore? Maybe there are workarounds we can discuss in the comment
I can understand why you would leave Windows behind. Windows has a lot of problems, such as security vulnerabilities, bloatware, and a lack of control for the user. Linux, on the other hand, is much more secure, lightweight, and customizable.
Well I guess this is decent suggestion. However, personally, I think incomplete. Mean, this guide as is, would only work on older systems. I really like how lite/light win7 is compared to win10, but the first part of this guide should be about on how to install it. If I remember correctly, win7 isn't officially supported on ryzen and 8th gen intel and newer. So even before thinking about on how to protect and optimized it, we first need a guide on how to install it. As of right now, the best option is to actually use win10 stripped down to it's core or just use any version of linux. Specially now that, linux is gaining tons of support from companies and developers due to valve and the handheld pc community as a whole.
I've just gone back to windows 7 from 10 in my old 2011 laptop and will be using it for retro gaming and stuffs like that. I've installed avast and opera which still support windows 7. I will use stuffs like banking, shopping etc which require signing in in my new windows 11 laptop.
Everything is fine until you have to start to use antiquate browser cause chromium will no longer be supported with os lower than win 10 (and soon enough neither this one), since chromium is starting to be a standart use this is quite a problem, not only to get internet access (where firefox is still a good alternative) but with programs that starting using it as main base eg. Steam.
Have you tried any of the browsers built on Chromium that offer better compatibility with older operating systems, like Vivaldi or Opera? They might be worth a look while you explore other options
Spybot S&D 1.6.2 - The older version of spybot can do something the new version can not. It has a HOSTS list of BAD IP's that get blocked, saving you connection from bad adservers Download the older version, MODE tab > ADVANCED MODE Ticked Click TOOLS tab > Tick all boxes except Bugreports Now click where it says HOSTS on left side > Click the Green "+" Add Spybot S&D Hosts File at top of the window Also Immunise your PC - This works great btw Reset PC You now block a shedload of bad sites v1.6.2 (works better on older OS's such as XP-7 than v2.xx of spybot, it's more light weight nice video, may have to reinstall 7 again :) Spybot v1.6.2 Install - Run - Update - Immunise Simple :)
Staying on Windows 7 is an interesting concept. But eventually almost nothing will support Windows 7 anymore. If you really hate modern versions of Windows that much, just run Linux instead. Probably would save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run
@@adventuresinnostalgia I was talking about the long term. Windows 7 still supports many software that Linux doesn’t, for sure. But, for example, by 2024 Steam is dropping support for Windows 7. As the years go by, more and more software will drop support for Windows 7 & eventually only out of date software will be supported by the OS. So at some point Windows 7 users will have to ask themselves, how important is this software they use? & are there any alternatives that run on Linux? Because as time goes on Windows 7 will only become more and more obsolete. Think of how Windows XP is today, Windows 7 will be there as well some day
This great guide is mor e about a sensible use of the operating system, but you're still vulnerable to attacks to certain components, for instance, smb.
Been using win7 x64 as my main gaming/web browsing machine, works flawless, also manage my own security, and can disable win defender completely(which behaves worse like a virus).. Considering a time will come when hardware wont be there anymore. Compared to my win10/11 machines, these are a pain in the ass, my win7 boots faster too! and is more RESPONSIVE, win10/11 isnt as responsive compared to win7, when im using high end hardware on most my machines; actually its been annoying the hell out of me, on how bad these newer OS are and slow response times and program compat issues. Easy to manage win7 for its features and programs that are compatible with and more efficient. Makes me sad that good hardware will be harder to get later on for win7, considering my win7 hardware is still future proof for 10+ years or more.. just as my win11 machine is. Anti virus isnt really needed, the majority of virus's is due to adverts and email (google is partly to blame), use ublock/with no script with all OS systems/android. I never had a virus system with any OS.. While fam and friends, they always had virus issues, in which I NEVER UNDERSTOOD how they got them.
Interesting perspective on Windows 7! I understand the frustration with newer OS feeling less responsive. Have you tried any performance optimization tweaks for Windows 10/11? Some users report seeing improvements after disabling specific features. Also curious, what security measures do you take besides ad blockers to manage your Windows 7 system without antivirus?
I use Windows 7 Pro on my laptop and Ultimate on my gaming pc. I have proton vpn installed, as well as Malwarebytes. I've also installed the API-Extensions so I have Windows 10 and 11 compatibility so I can use Steam and later apps
This is an excellent question. The embedded versions of Windows are for embedded systems. Take for example a point of sale system you might find at a store, a self-checkout as they are called. Security updates are updates for security. Security meaning vulnerabilities found in the operating system itself. They are "patches" that fix or prevent the exploitation of system internals. Point of sale systems have different "entry points" then standard desktop PCS do. Consider the debit card reader for example. That is an interface on the point of sale system that transmits data. The "right" combination of ones and zeros can cause some serious problems if ingested via the debit card slot. Assuming there is a known vulnerability for the debit card slot it would likely be patched within the operating system. Perhaps it would make more sense to look at the individual updates for the embedded version of Windows 7. There is typically a knowledge base article associated with them that explains what their purpose is. If the patch is for a component not commonly found on a desktop PC installing the patch will not likely make a desktop PC more secure. I hope this makes sense
Fantastic video, Windows 7 was/is great. But browsers support and other support features are on it's end days for 7. That's a shame. Microsoft is trying to make 11 like mac or linux.........
One of the thoughts that came to mind the first time I used Windows 11 was the taskbar looks like it was center aligned in Microsoft Word... Thats not a good thing.
I think you are right about what you click onto, there is something i was told a while back and that was to rename your hard drive from c drive to whatever you want to name it and this method also helps in protecting your system...is this right ?
Just a notice for anyone that still uses Windows 7 to play games, valve have announced that the steam client WILL NOT RUN on windows 7 and 8 starting from 2024. I know alot that still used win7 for gaming that are pretty annoyed by this therefore its probably time to save the hassle and upgrade to 10
@@himmelskibetyes my steam has been offline for 4 years now on my windows 7 machine. If i need to update i use my other pc with windows 10. And use that for newer games.
Still missing *_one_* ingredient to fulfill the "forever" claim: *_Windows Verification!_* Did I miss a video? I don't care how safe the O/S is if it keeps nagging me about verifying when Microsoft won't verify my original key.
windows 7 was a really good operating system, its what I used on my alienware laptop. On my gaming pc I mostly use windows 10 pro instead since its more reliable and I wont be installing windows 11 if I can help it. On my mac mini from 2012 its using ubuntu linux since mac os is unsupported on that and ubuntu makes it usable again and its actually much faster too.
3 minutes into the video, I already have some issues: 1. while I totally agree that the behavior of the user can reduce the risk to get infected by virusses, windows defender is a pretty solid solution to defend your windows PC. 2. chrome will soon lose the windows 7 support (decision by google). there might be chromium or others that provide updates to chrome-based browsers, I doubt it. no idea when firefox will drop the windows 7 support. 3. is there even a way to run flash in 2023? I do know that there are ways to get updates that are only meant for microsoft customers who pay for extended support. and microsoft will nail that down more or less. my suggestion is, that most virusses, trojans etc are today checking if they are running inside a virtual machine. convert your PC to a VM, install linux and run your old installation in that VM. unless you are specifically targeted by a hacker, malware will stay silent in a VM because the risk is to high that it ended up in a sandbox of an antivirus company, deciphering the virus and pumping out a signature to detect it. and don't get me started on the game "but if they have better ways to hide, then a regular VM would be no problem, because that'd be too obvious. that is too easy to monitor. ;-)
Thanks for the detailed comment! That's a great point about Windows Defender. In the video, I focused on user behavior as a first line of defense, but definitely agree security software is important. Would you recommend any specific settings for Windows Defender on Windows 7 to maximize protection?
@@adventuresinnostalgia there are a few settings to make it even stricter, it's funny to then watch microsoft defender complaining about other microsoft products violating their own rules of security.
Windows 10 and 11 already have enough loopholes for security as it is, I can't imagine how many Windows 7 has since it isn't receiving security patches anymore. I would stick to a supported version of Windows if you can. Also, Windows 7 runs just fine out of a virtual machine if you really need to use it.
That's a good point about virtual machines. But for users who can't upgrade right now, are there any steps they can take to minimize the risks of using Windows 7 besides a virtual machine?
i will absolutely correct you here... browsers do usually automatically update and have been doing so for years. why would my browser lie about it being updated on a page when it does after a restart
There is no such thing as "safely using Windows 7" these days. You can mitigates SOME (not all) risks with these steps. However they don't patch the security holes that are in the OS itself. The best thing is use an OS that is currently support, if not Windows 10 Linux is an option.
Yet how many holes are there really after decades of patching a stable, unchanging system? It's often new updates that open up cans of worms, and Win 7 doesn't have them. Wouldn't the real Swiss cheese of security holes be WIndows 11, because it's new, and hundreds of millions of non-power users are pushed towards it? Seems like a better option for hackers, surely?
You DON'T need anti virus software. But you do need proper network layer security. Which in itself is way beyond the scope of most users. Also blocking of all advertising servers and never allow scripts to run surreptitiously. You put all your trust in software that CONSTANTLY scans every aspect of your system and slows everything down everywhere. I miss Windows 2000 myself. It was the best OS Microsoft released. XP is the second. Things went downhill from there. windows Defender is the worst piece of malware out there. And in the latest build of 11 it's getting difficult to permanently remove from a system.
Including some kind of security software with the operating system is good for novice users. Taking away the users choice of security software is bad. I wonder why Microsoft hadn't been sued for it. They were a couple decades ago over the inclusion of Internet Explorer with Windows.
I still use Win 7 Pro daily, because it just works, and has worked reliably for 14 years. Of course there's things that can't be updated anymore, like certain browsers, but when it comes to legacy programs like my security cam software, it STILL works better than Windows 10. There's others I use only on Win 7 because they display odd behavior on Windows 10. I can still get AV updates, and of course security updates from 0patch. It does a full disc image backup once a week, so if a drive fails, I can be back online in an hour or so with system restore and the latest Windows backup. I use Win 10 for my everyday driver now, and it has some nice features, but you have to clip it's wings considerably to keep it from 'phoning home' to M$ every time you do something, and that shouldn't HAVE to be an issue!😐
Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you've got a great system set up for keeping Win 7 running smoothly. Out of curiosity, what legacy programs do you use that work better on Win 7 than 10? It would be helpful for viewers who might be in a similar situation.
that's a great point about choosing a free antivirus! There are so many options out there. Do you have a favorite free antivirus you'd recommend to viewers? Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for watching! Windows 7 definitely holds a special place in a lot of hearts. What are some of your favorite things you miss most about using Win 7?
The biggest problem with using older versions of Windows isn't keeping them safe so much as the fact that programmers keep dropping support for them. OK, maybe you don't want to run new programs, you just want to keep using your computer the way you're used to. Unfortunately, web sites keep changing what's "required" to properly access the site, and often, only a recent version of any given web browser will work 100%, or even at all.
BTW, I put "required" in quotes because for probably 99% of web sites on the net, the only reason that they "require" a newer web browser to do the exact same stuff that web sites have been doing for the past decade is that the site was created with some site designer program that uses tricks that only work in newer web browsers. It's like being told that gas (petrol for some parts of the world) stations "require" you to get a new car because some designer decided to make the nozzle just a little too big to fit in your tank. There's no reason for it, but they did it anyway.
The reverse is true, at least in one specific example that comes to mind. The space jam website from 1996 has been updated throughout the years so modern browsers can display it properly. Sometimes it's the browser that doesn't know what to do with old HTML and CSS. Which seems odd to me but hey somebody paid someone else to update the space jam website decades after it was launched.
Maybe because Microsoft becomes greedier over time. And won't stick with something good.
They do it on purpose !!!! Yet they are all grren energy lavers. WHAT HYPOCRITES......
.. also, they have strategic alliances with "hardware vendors" (All in the Family)
This isn't just about pushing a newer version OS on you,
it's about making sure all those new laptops and desktops (with the newer version OS) move off the store shelves too
I've been using an old version of chrome for years and some sites like imgur will fully load and I can see the site on the screen and then some script loads which just blanks out the page. I think this only happens because my internet is slow so the screen blanking script doesn't get loaded till after the entire page is already working. Some sites that do this will still let me interact with the site after it has been blanked, I can like start and stop videos and navigate the menus as if they were there. It is all 100% FORCED obsolescence.
As a windows 7 ultimate user this guide is amazing but right now Google chrome and Microsoft Edge has officially unsupported all security updates to all Windows 7 devices. AVG anti virus and avast anti virus still works. System restore is also a good thing to do to stay safe. Your guide is useful and I love it all love for windows 7.
there's firefox
@@jedsiecz even better there's Linux
Firefox is going to unsupported windows 7 in September 2024
Not to mention gaming no one supports 7 anymore.
@@scottcombs5395 there are still games like half life 2, garrys mod and counter strike source
Windows 7 is the best operating system of all times!
true
Thats right
Windows 7,my favorite os next to 8.1.
Not really, JUST WAIT FOR WINDOWS 12
How many os you have tried ??
One can only dream... if only some of us didn't have to use "windows 8+ required" apps... the world would really be a much better place :)
TLDR: Thank youu for keeping the W7 spirit alive! That os TRULLY WAS a revolution!
I couldn't agree more! Long Live Windows 7!
But windows 8.1 support dropped on Jan 10, 2023 so now you either need to use Windows 10 or Windows 11
@@tomasplunksnis1087Then goes windows 10 in 2025
@@Seeded335 Then goes the enterprise long-term-support versions of windows 10
Trully? Or truly? 😂
Im STILL not letting go of Windows 7. Everything afterwards is an insufferable nightmare.
My Uncle is doing the same thing. He's a music guru/audiophile has an top-of-the-line stereo system from April 1997. Despite it being perfectly fine in high quality, Windows 10 and 11 won't even recognize it, but Windows 7 works with his late 90s stereo system like a charm with no fuss at all.
If it's not broken, don't fix it
@@adventuresinnostalgiathat is the rule that companys love to ignore…
I don’t see a big difference. Every os has basically been the same. I’ve updated my os since 98 and I’ve always been happy.
@@albalog2449How does it “plug in”?
im doing a windows 7 and windows 10 dual boot, windows 7 just looks better and is overall a better experience, this tutorial helped a ton, thanks!
So am I !
Interesting! What aspects of Windows 7 do you find make it a better experience for you than Windows 10?
@@adventuresinnostalgia its mostly optimization, windows 10 is just very un stable and un optimized process wise, and windows 11 last time i checked just crashed explorer everytime i wanted to search. I have tried tiny 10, and it works better but still doesnt have the same optimization and smoothness of windows 7. It's not even the fact that my computer is underpowered, im running a ryzen 7 3700x and a rtx 3060, yet a os thats "unsupported" runs better then a recommended one. I'm now dualbooting windows 7 and 8.1 and 8.1 is a lot better of an experience then windows 10, but i might not use it because VxKex (api extensions for windows 7) just had a update that adds electron support and other things. There's also dotexe1337's extended kernel for windows 7, that is still a WIP but is different then VxKex because it replaces the kernel, instead of VxKex which loads a dll into the application on launch using IFEO.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Running the same thing, Win10 + Win7 Dual boot. Windows 7 is just snappy, debloated, beautiful, and overall the best windows experience; I switch to Windows 10 when I need to use Adobe, Ableton, and other creative apps, as well as gaming, that doesn't support windows 7 :/ But for homework and casual browsing (even gaming to an extent) I go to windows 7 and use whatever software I can that is still supported. Windows 7 is just great!
Same here.
A lot of these tips are not only good for users of Windows 7, but all users regardless. Computer security is very important. Even if you don't use Windows 7, please follow most or all of these tips.
This is sage advice right here ^
No doubt that Windows 7 is still truly one of the BEST childhood operating systems of all time, the fact that it even included some banger songs like Ninja Tuna by Mr. Scruff makes Windows 7 even more memorable. ✊
Windows 7 was definitely a classic! But what features from Windows 7 did you miss the most when you upgraded to a newer version?
@@adventuresinnostalgia Windows Media Center was and is my favorite for media.
@@adventuresinnostalgiathe ability to easily change into the classic theme, it was my favorite
One thing I didn't see mentioned is that one way to use an up-to-date browser in Win7 is to use VirtualBox to create a virtual Linux system for all your internet use. It doesn't have to be large -- just big enough to hold the programs you run. You can also set it up so that the virtual machine has read/write access to your Windows user data (ie: desktop, documents, etc.) .
Virtual box also has a seamless mode where the guest OS and host share the entire screen. You could set up Linux Mint as a guest, with the Menu bar configured to be on the top and, when you go into Seamless Mode, the bar on the top will run Linux apps, while the Start Menu on the bottom will run your Windows stuff. All will be on the same Windows 7 display.
This is an interesting concept. You would need a decently powerful system to run a virtual machine and modern browser on a Windows 7 host system.
Yeah not a bad idea for sure, Other thing alternetly would be trying out gpu passthrough to a win7 vm and use a linux distro as the host, but requires sum work to have it set up for sure, and kinda specific hardware to make it work too.
Why not run Windows 7 in a VM on a Linux machine? Then you would have access to a modern browser, and Windows 7 would be much safer to use otherwise.
not all pcs support virtuallazion. its gonna be terrible
Honestly, virtualization isn't actually very system intensive. I was doing it on an imac from 2008, for several years, running both windows and linux guests. With virtualbox. They ran very smoothly, actually. No joke. It had a Core 2 duo and 4gb of ram.
It's VERY different than emulation - where a whole different type of hardware (like the CPU) has to be actively generated in the background. Which is a thick layer of software translating code made for one type of CPU into code made for another type.
Virtualization doesn't do this, it _almost_ runs the software natively. When you run another OS this way (like linux with windows), there's no emulation layer - it's running the VM as if it's any other program (almost). The virtualization program just makes a "pretend space" in the computers memory, where the other OS works and runs perfectly fine, unaware it's not the "main operating system running the machine". It can do this because the software is already coded for that type of processor and computer. Linux distros and windows both are coded for standard PC hardware. That's also why you could use virtualization on macs when they had intel processors.
Really, there's just a few tricks going on, like virtual drivers. But since it's _nearly_ running natively, it mostly comes down to having enough RAM for both OSs to sit in. That and making sure you are not running too many things at the same time, but that goes for all programs.
Like I said, 4gb of ram in 2008, no real performance issues.
I use Windows 7 Professional as the operating system on my main computer, a Dell Optiplex desktop that I got (refurbished) in 2015. I plan to keep using it as long as I can, hopefully for years to come. I use Microsoft Security Essentials as my anti-virus (yes, the Win 7 version is still being updated), and Firefox as my web browser. To run some old 16-bit and DOS software, I use the Windows XP Mode virtual machine (with internet access in XP mode disabled in the XP device manager by disabling the ethernet port there, to protect it against viruses). So far, so good.
A neighbor of mine from years ago worked in law enforcement and had a laptop running Windows 98. He had to stay on Windows 98 well after Windows XP had come out because of the software used in his profession and all of the data that had already been collected on cases and whatnot. He simply couldn't upgrade to anything newer.
Just in case you're not already doing this, there are VPNs that can run under Windows 7.
Windows 7 was and still really is a great OS... if you have older hardware. Older hardware is still being sold though, and even some of them are new boards based on older chipsets you can buy online at a reasonable price. To this day I still use 7 but not like I use to. Basically I use it for offline programs and older games since 7 supports secure disk. Online browsing and modern gaming I use 10. However, as long as it's possible I will still have a 7 machine, which won't be gone any time soon. I'll hang on too it and in ten years it'll be nastalgic and collectable like real old windows versions. 7 is to the memory of my wife before she passed away, so in no way can I get rid of it.
I have a Windows 7 SP1 64-bit desktop with 32GB RAM, running on an 8-core Ryzen 7 2700X CPU. All you need to make this work is a compatible motherboard with downloadable Windows 7 drivers. The only built-in hardware port that lacks support is USB-C (no updated USB driver from Microsoft). No problem, I just use a USB-C to USB-3 adaptor.
That's a really interesting way to use a dual boot system! What kind of offline programs and older games do you find yourself running most often on Windows 7?
@@adventuresinnostalgia actually I don't even dual boot anymore... quit that scenario years back. I build separate machines based on the OS installed. On 7 I run all my older games, call of duty 1 and 2, a James Bond game, NASCAR 2002, which is still pretty good for today's standards, crysis 1 and 2, older splinter cell games, up to splinter cell conviction and black list, brothers in arms, command and conquer series, ect ect, got a bunch of 'em, too many to list. Some of those games 10 won't run because it doesn't support playing off the dics and I don't use 8. Even running on 7 or 8, a update will disable secure disc, but there's a way around it... with 10 it's a no go, MS completely done away with it by then.
i really love Windows 7 because everything just works, even in day1, unlike 11 and early 10.
Thanks for your comment! What's your favorite feature of Windows 7 that just feels irreplaceable?
Thank you for all of these videos. It is great to make old legends like windows 7 be back again.
You are most welcome!
Legends? I never stopped using it.
its been 2023 and i'm still using Windows 7 Ultimate to this day.
Keep up the excellent work!
mine says out of build
I use xp since i was 4 and still. I have almost every windows on a device like xp, 7,10,11 and I had also 2000,vista,8
I REALLY feels that AS MOST OF US that brought our own kinds of the computers WE should be able to makes our own choices to chose whatever types of the operation systems WE WANTS.
That seems reasonable to me.
Indeed
Then use Linux, which respects this a lot more than MS. Mistake number one is supporting a monopoly and expecting them to care
Well, we are to be honest. This is not the problem. Neither is the dropping of support for older systems, since it would be unreasonable to expect a company to support a piece of software for ever. The problem is that the newer versions of Windows are a pain to put up with due to how bloated, full of spyware and nonsensical design decisions they are. This is why it's annoying to see end of suppoert, you're left with a choice between obsolete and shitty.
im sure they have thought the way to switch 'sample' mode and real mode, or not
Still using Windows XP here.
There are still web browsers available that are being updated regularly by the XP user community.
I might upgrade to Windows 7 in a few years, but at the moment XP works fine.
XP the greatest OS of all time imho.
Windows XP Black here
I was pissed at Windows 7 at the time since it made quite a few good older programs not work anymore. I till keep a Windows XP machine for nostalgia. What to you like for the best browser? I like Firefox but it is not updated for XP.
Windows XP is still very much loved! My most popular video is the Windows XP version of this video.
@@pctrashtalk2069 I still keep an old NEC 9820, Pentium I, 233mhz, 64mb ram, running WinME, for nostalgia. (I'd never consider putting it on the internet again, though)
Avast itself is another virus that cannot be completely removed except for formatting the disk.
That's interesting! Have you had any negative experiences with it? Would you recommend a different antivirus for Windows 7?
While you say to avoid unofficial service packs, you ignored the 0patch project which still provides hotfixes for Win7. This is a very useful tool on 10 and 11 because they don't wait as long as MS to push out fixes.
He did make a vid in 0patch
Thanks for pointing out 0patch! It sounds interesting, but I'm curious - have there been any independent reviews on the long-term security effectiveness of 0patch compared to a full upgrade to Windows 10/11?
windows updates are far better then user based patches of 0patch but those who can't update to 11 0patch is super useful to have some patches for cves that Microsoft patch only on lastest versions of windows @@adventuresinnostalgia
Win7 user here. Why are y'all so concerned about security? The last time I got a virus was in 2015. Just do regular backups (at least 2 copies, one in the cloud) and don't install anything suspicious, always use virustotal. And don't keep credit card numbers in text files and stuff like that. This system is so old that nobody is really going to try to mess with you. It would be better if you were concerned about bloatware in 10 or 11 from M$. Or their unethical competition practices against the user.
I imagine not all of "y'all" have multiple computers and Windows 7 isn't exactly practical for a daily driver. I would not recommend doing tasks like online banking from a Windows 7 PC. That may be way you see a lot of anti-Windows 7 comments out there
I Never bank On Computer or Mobile...Only Land Line...Yep I,m Old School.
Do you do anything like online banking on your Windows 7 machine?
Windows 7 is a legendary operating system❤❤❤🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍.
Excluding Windows 7 do you think any other operating systems deserve the title of legendary?
@@adventuresinnostalgia def the current MacOS
@@adventuresinnostalgiawindows 10
Make sure you have a backup of every driver and software that you need for the future. I literally can't find 98% of the drivers that I need for windows XP and i'm guessing windows 7 will eventually take the same route
That's a good point about having backups! Have you tried any methods for finding older drivers that might work with Windows 7? There are some community driver databases out there that might be helpful.
I’m so tired of hearing AI narration. Somebody told me the other day I might as well get used to it because it’s here to stay. It might be, but I won’t get used to it and I won’t listen to it.
I imagine AI narration will get better over time and eventually be indistinguishable for human voices.
It will still never be the same 😢@@adventuresinnostalgia
@@trash6763rUh, do you not know what indistinguishable means?
@@adventuresinnostalgiaThan what's the point of being a content creator if you don't create content, using your own voice for example. Mine as well have ai make the video too.
@@adventuresinnostalgia By letting robots talk for them, humans are losing the ability to form sentences properly or use the correct words. For example, "indistinguishable for" should be "indistinguishable from". I rest my case!
The video has some very good suggestions to make any system more secure, but it has one flaw, it uses Windows 7. Being careful about malware in old Windows versions is like pulling back in time to avoid a pregnancy. In the last 10 years I had 2 malware attacks, one I got after opening a photo in an email from an old collegae, claiming to send an old photo of us. After clicking his photo, I did see some very strange effects. He had been hacked, maybe by still using Windows 7 and the hacker did send the email using his email account.
I still use Windows 7 in a Virtualbox VM :) :) I closed the firewall for inbound traffic and last time I checked, say one month ago I still received Windows Defender updates. Personally I will avoid the use of the browser, email, etc fanatically. For that stuff I use the Host OS or preferably another up-to-date VM.
What saved me from that hack, were snapshots. On the Host I use the OpenZFS file system, that includes snapshots. So I rolled back the virtual disk of the VM to a snapshot from before the hack. Virtualbox also supports snapshots for virtual disks and you could also encrypt the virtual disk using Virtualbox.
That is a true statement! "trying" to be safe while doing something dangerous is still dangerous
Just saying ... But all malware is built on thiniking you using the best security and probably windows 10 or 11 ... so even if you use windows 10 you stil lget infected... the odds are the same because they are built for it... being on windows 7 or 10 if its malware, its malware in the end... malware is not more effective on windows 7 or 10 ... its effective and is what it is ... malware
Weird, 15 years of using Windows 7 and not one virus or malware. I never understood when people say it's risky. Bitdefender, firewall, Firefox with noscript etc and common sense.
Thanks for the video! Would totally still be on 7 but it just lacks enough support for some applications/games nowadays. It and XP are tied for my favorite Windows OS.
The third-party software is where they get you. it really forces you to switch to a newer version of Windows
Glad I'm not the only one who sees XP and 7 as the best from Microsoft!
@@adventuresinnostalgia hi if i use windows 7 would i automatically have internet or do i need to download one please help me ill do anything
Still the best Windows!
Love my WIN 7 Ultimate!
I have it too and it is Ultimate. I think I'll just use another computer for all that unsupported sfuff.
Me Too
Me too using but now only having problem is browsers like chrome, chromium and firefox stopped updates. Does anyone have any solution for it?
My grandma had a Windows 7 PC. I remember the option to upgrade the PC to Windows 10 for free appeared. My grandma was upset that I upgraded it as it just worked for her purposes. Honestly. I am kicking myself to this day about that decision because I, too, liked Windows 7
Using Avast with Hardened Mode enabled is a really good choice for prevention of infections because it basically trusts nothing. Using Edge/Chrome with Malwarebytes extension is also a good way to prevent internet based infections automatically.
Thanks for the tips! Avast with Hardened Mode sounds very secure. Can you tell me a bit more about the trade-offs of using such a strict setting? Does it impact how you use your computer in any way?
@@adventuresinnostalgia Well, the only impact as far as I can tell is that because Avast is now "paranoid", it either blocks stuff or ask/tells you that certain things are blocked or should not be trusted. You can then of course add said program or website to the exclusion list if it is a legit program or site. Performance wise, I feel no impact at all. I am running the full Avast Premium on my daily computers and none of them has had any performance or infection issues. I, in fact use my workshop daily runner to clean computers (I work in IT). I have tested a few ransomware infections on a virtual setup with Hardened Mode and it blocked it each time. You should also protect you anti virus setting with a password so someone of something can not willy nilly switch of or change its settings.
My only issue with Win 7 is that many games and stuff no longer support that OS. I love 7 and XP, but for my gaming needs, Windows is the only one. I'd stick with 7 or XP forever if they were supported. Hell, I'd even use Win 11 if it looked and functioned like either of those two and didn't have all the garbage spyware from Win 11
Great point! if the operating system simply doesn't do what you need it to do, there is no sense in holding on to it
This video was way better than I thought it would!
I'm pleased to know that I at least slightly exceeded your expectations!
my dad actually still uses windows 7 for his e-mails and invoices, i should tell him about some of these tips. i'm also considering using windows 7 on an '07 thinkpad for school, so this video is very helpful! thank you!
Great suggestions, but you forgot a few spots. Namely that installing alongside your antivirus would also be a powerful firewall if you intend to continue browsing the internet. Another recommended step, once you've configured your system, is make a full backup of it to a separate drive or thumb drive. Multiple copies are recommended. Another interesting piece of software I came across many years ago, is the software called Deep Freeze. Which allows the user to do whatever they want with the system, and it will revert the system to its previous state upon reboot. Though the proper use of this software if you want to save stuff is to have multiple partitions or drives and linking certain files and folders though shortcuts into those places instead, or using "symbolic junction links". I will admit these suggestions of mine are more for the paranoid, but better safe than sorry, right?
That’s all good. But I’d use Blu-ray media to backup your system. If you can’t write to it you can’t catch a virus. No, USB memory sticks and any rewritable media don’t fully work Because you can write boot sector and other viruses to it. ONLY optical write once media can keep you safe in case of malware like boot sector viruses, hypervisors, and ransomware
I've used Deep Freeze before. It is rather good! I wish I could find this hilarious article about the developers brother who makes what he calls Deep Unfreeze. It basically just unfreezes the system, but sound the the kind of thing a brother would do...
I so know a Program for that which works with Containers or temp usecases. Sandboxie
@@joshj88 You are absolutely correct about optical media! I point this out from time to time (an as long as you don't already have an infection and then burn that infection permanently to a disc which I have actually done before many years ago - had to get all the stuff off the discs, clean the data, then burn all new discs). If you burn a clean copy to an optical disc and verify the disc after burning - you will have a clean permanent copy of that information. Blu-Ray discs are excellent for this as they hold the most storage of any optical disc, they're the fastest of the 3 (4 if you count the short-lived HD-DVD), and Blu-Ray discs are also virtually unscratchable. Optical media should NOT be dead and our machines should still ship with optical drives for this very purpose!
Used to use deep freeze too. A much better one now is shadow defender. Lets you select or make your own folder to put new files or other info in. Easier to use for a lot of people also. Then you can scan the one folder to check all the files in it then or later. Even ran a file from that folder with a virus. Clicked reboot and it was history. Deleted the file and it was done. No running virus scanners and hoping it was completely gone.
I have used 7 with Firefox for years, without any windows updates and without antivirus software. No problems. Every now and then I have scanned it, no viruses. In normal use, there is no need for antivirus program. Preferably a firewall if you want to install something, but really nothing else matters except that the browser is up to date.
Each users needs are a little different. If you have the need to download torrents you could run into some trouble with viruses and malware. If you use a tool like Snappy Driver Installer, the current installer package contains malware. Some websites that request permission for things like your location, can high Jack your browser. There are plenty of seemingly innocuous things that can lead to viruses and malware. It sounds like your Internet usage is pretty limited, so you could get by without any real security measures in place. However, that advice is not generally applicable
17:00 I wish that the remark at the end about using "anything still maintained by its developers to improve security" had included specifics such as "like your preferred Linux distribution". While no OS is completely immune to attack, especially with fallible human beings at the keyboard, every up-to-date Linux system benefits from the fact that over 90% of malware is written to attack Windows.
Which distro has universal hardware compatibility? I have a bunch of older machines, running various outdated versions of Windows (ME, XP, and Win7), that could really use it.
@@app103 Linux in general has improved hardware support quite a bit in recent years, but anything Ubuntu based is a good bet.
That's a good point! Have you tried any particular Linux distributions that you'd recommend for someone comfortable with Windows but curious about a more secure option?
@@app103I don't know if any distro has truly universal hardware support, but many have very broad support, especially for older machines. My laptop is a Windows 7 era machine, and I'm fine with using a distro that runs on an older Linux kernel because I don't have any exotic hardware requirements.
@@app103 The chance of your hardware not being supported by Linux is incredibly small, especially hardware that's old. Any distro targeted to beginners should work just fine. Personally I'd recommend Linux Mint. It's fast and has software to download drivers through a GUI so that you won't have to use the terminal if you don't feel comfortable with it. If you are ok with messing with the terminal any distro will work like Debian, Fedora or OpenSUSE
Just found my old windows 7 machine (2010(I think) - 2018) I will be doing this!
Sweet!
With Windows 10 updates being dropped in 2025, applying some of these steps to Win10 look like a good idea
I will likely make a video focused on using Windows 10 forever. At some point I would like to do a video that explains service hardening as well. Is there anything I missed in the video or something you think should be added?
Windows 7 was good and it still is, the only problem is that since it is already discontinued the system always remains with the probability of virus attacks or hackers have more easily created altered systems, these being Windows 7 under current systems that sound like a good option considering that they do not require so much ram, only 1 GB of ram to function correctly but remembering that being under windows 7 you will not have compatibility with certain programs that now work with windows 10 or windows 11 you but a few years ago I went to windows 10 and later with the current windows 11 pro system and it goes without problems with this I have stayed but windows 7 has only remained in my memories of those times
That is very true. To a point, Windows 7 will be "frozen on time" so to speak.
I'm still using Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) along with Acronis anti-ransomware and Opatch for micro patches to hopefully somewhat make up for the loss of Microsoft security patches.
I'm still keeping my options open as regards putting Windows 11 on my perfectly functioning 10-year-old laptop. There are multiple vids here on YT on how to do that.
But I'm no expert and I'm throwing all this out there in hopes of getting more informed opinions from other users.
You can now create you own Windows 11 'lite' by using the Tiny11 open sourced script tool to modify and strip a Microsoft sourced Win 11 install ISO file. No worry of risk of hacked viruses or malware.
I still run Win 7 Pro daily. And use MSE, which still receives daily updates. I simply don't use my system on any suspicious sites or allow access via email phishing.
I’d avoid windows 11. 10 is fine and should work well for a while.
@@joshj88windows 11 is fine, relax bud.
That's an interesting setup you have with MSE, Acronis, and Opatch! Have you noticed any performance slowdowns or compatibility issues with using those three together on Windows 7?
@@adventuresinnostalgia Nothing really noticeable. But I'm still reluctant to do online shopping, email, or online banking on it. I use my smart phone for those. So, my laptop is mainly for general surfing, where any privacy or security risks are lessened.
I love my 7 ultimate. Definitely want to keep it safe. I keep it simple. But good to know about the banking websites. Thanks for the video
I still use Win7 but for an offline/stand alone music server, but as an online pc/workstation, I migrated to Linux by 2020 after Win7 support stopped; and never looked back since
I'm curious, with all of the music streaming services available now, what is the advantage of using your own music server. I could see if you purchased a lot of music over the years it would make sense to have your own curated collection.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Streaming won't always have the music you want, and there is the risk of the music being removed from say Spotify. You don't have to depend on some other service for your music or pay just for no ads
Thx . I love my old laptop running it . Wonderful video . Keep up the great work.
thank you! I appreciate the support.
0patch is also very good for Windows 7, it is good at patching the vulnerabilities found that no longer get patches from Microsoft.
Thanks for mentioning 0patch! Have you used it yourself on Windows 7? I'm curious to hear about your experience, especially if there were any challenges with it.
I'm not using WIndows 7 but i was so curious how someone would make it as secure as possible, great video, I even used some of these tips in my current OS
Thank you for posting this very informative tutorial. I use a Win 7 on a desktop that I originally built from scratch more than a decade ago. My decision to use Windows largely came down to platform dependencies required to run AutoCAD, and a number of Adobe creative tools. As time as progressed, I'm finding it more of a struggle maintaining this system. The largest obstacle seems to be finding software written in 32 bit code. As my needs have branched out into photo and video editing, I've noticed that have some very serious hardware limitations. As an example, I finally did find a 32 bit program that can process RAW files from my camera (Photivo). The developer clearly states that certain operations will crash the program, as there just isn't enough address space on 32 bit systems to handle all that data at once.
As much as I love using the computer, it's pretty apparent I'm going to have to migrate to something newer to handle my creative needs. There's fantastic deals on the used market. Last year, I picked up a used 64 bit i5 business laptop running Win 10, for less than the cost of a Chromebook. Although it was intended just for general business use, I've been pleasantly surprised with how it performs with multimedia.
Very interesting, I would think business workstations wouldn't perform well at all with those kinds of tasks
cheaper x86/x64 pcs always perform better than a chromebook not to mention the older models could last longer.
amaizing video thanks regards from argentina, I was wondering if it was possible to use windows 7 in a safe way, because the old netbooks run very well with windows 7.
Thanks for the kind words! Windows 7 definitely runs great on older netbooks. In the video, we focused on general safe practices, but did you have any specific concerns about using Windows 7 on a netbook in 2024?
I heavily rely on WSL, WSA and other 'windows' appx that are not available on windows 7, it would be neat for someone to mod the most basic features from 7 to newer windows versions.
We may reach that point someday. It could be many years from now. but someday...
windows 7 is never ending os that last. next year, will be windows 10 times to do like this. thanks for this explanation and workaround.
I'd never go back to a OS without modern official support.. also, the reason I moved to w10 was because many programs, games and file types I used didn't work well on w7 anymore.. it's a great OS, no doubt, but modern problems require modern solutions.. my family laptop struggled with w10, but Linux Mint worked perfectly on it 👌🏻 I was surprised by the modern support and updates, while having no need for an antivirus and also, being free (no activation needed)
What era laptop is that? Circa 2009?
@@adventuresinnostalgia toshiba satellite c55, just 4gb of ram
The word "use" is an interesting one. I suspect most users would include Internet access in that, and I quite agree an anti-virus is a perquisite for these users. Thus when there is no more anti-virus availability for Windows 7, that will end the useful life of Windows 7. Would be a good to see if GNU Linux will run on your system via a live distribution that you can test with before you install anything. I strongly suggest people do that BEFORE Windows 7 becomes useless. Yes I'm in this camp and have installed Linux MINT / Cinnamon on the new systems I built. Works for us, but that does NOT mean it will for everybody, or that your hardware (printers, scanners etc) will work either. Good video brother in computers!
If you've got a printer that was sold on retail shelves, there's a good chance that it will work out of the box on something like Mint, no drivers necessary. For everything else there's a package called foomatic. That's what I had to use on my Arch machine for my old Brother laser printer. Then I was able to select the model through Plasma desktop settings and it works great! I don't have a scanner so I'm not sure what that experience is like. But I suspect that most "kitchen sink" distros (Mint, Fedora, Ubuntu, Pop!OS etc) are 90% likely to support whatever someone might have.
You can still navegate in safe or secure webs or play some old games, or use office.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment! You're absolutely right, internet access is a big part of how most people use Windows 7 today. That lack of future antivirus support is a major concern.
Here's my question: Have you encountered any significant compatibility issues with peripherals (printers, scanners etc.) when switching to Linux Mint on your new systems? This is a common worry for people considering the switch.
Your insights would be valuable to viewers who are on the fence about using Windows 7 without security updates.
@@adventuresinnostalgia Well, i cheated. I had a test system that I used to try out distributions on real hardware. Plus I asked the users at large what printers were usable. I found out that HP and Brother were both Linux friendly, and since I had to replace older printers at that point, that is what we bought. Both brands have continued to run well for us, and it happens that our scanner does as well. I can't say enough about how good the Mint development team is. We've had zero drama regarding updates or upgrades in the last four years. Try that record compared with recent Microsoft operating systems, grin.
@@adventuresinnostalgia No significant issues, but we can tell people that HP and Canon printers work well for us. Otherwise, easy to install and use over the last three years.
Sadly, you still get forced to move because the apps you use the PC for in the first place all start requiring it. Even when it breaks old things you paid for like with Steam. They ditched XP a while back which made a lot of games unplayable and are ditching 7 at the end of the year which means tons more will no longer be playable because they don't work on newer OSs.
Theres compatibility mode
That's a great point! Have you encountered any specific games that have become unplayable since the move away from XP? It would be interesting to hear some examples for viewers who might be in the same boat.
got my sister in law's laid off work laptop. it's running on windows 8! cant wait to put windows 7 on it
Let us know how it goes!
I do not like how some online Programs, Websites, Games and Steam are requiring Windows 10+ which locks out existing users from accessing their online accounts. I would like to see legal action to change their requirements to be downward compatible.
I agree with you. Forcing users to upgrade really effects poor people.
These are great tips for increasing the security level even on current operating systems.
Thank you the feedback!
Im a y2k man and I still have my windows 7 laptop. Keeping everything as is for nostalgia reason. I use it mostly for offline activities to burn cds for my playstaion1 :D
I love the PS1! Between the PS1 and PS2 there is a lifetime worth of gaming you could do
@@adventuresinnostalgia absolutely endless❤️
I love Windows 7 above all others !
There is nothing wrong with that
Internet Explorer can be turned off compleatly in windows features under add or remove programs which i thunk would be even safer
This is true. Unless you need Internet Explorer for some specific reason, that's the better way to go
What would you suggest to be an alternative to Windows 7 POSready? I've seen these crash and reboot. Is it something simple like running updates? Or using a different OS all together?
There is a Long-Term Support (LTS) version of Windows 10 that is a good alternative. If you can get your hands on an ISO for that.
Ms Edge is no longer supported in Windows versions older than 10 (i.e., Vista, 7, 8, 8.1), so you might be able install it, but you won't be able to receive updates for it.
This is a true statement.
There are quite a few photo/print shops in India that still use Windows XP machines. They have just one task and the systems are not connected to the internet.
Though photo editing software has improved by leaps and bounds with new time saving features such as smart/generative fill etc., people proficient in older versions can still get similar results even though it may be time consuming (and one could argue that there's no replacement for meticulous work involving the human touch.)
Surprisingly, (or rather not surprisingly) many top end printers and multifunction devices still ship with drivers for Windows XP.
I myself use the latest versions of Photoshop and there's a plethora of online tutorials to guide me with my photo editing, but what I can accomplish even with all those modern tools, pales in comparison to what those people who have mastered the older software can accomplish.
This is great information! You raise an excellence point about software in the user proficiency. What good is newfangled features and toys if you're not able to use them very well?
I think windows 7 is the best version of windows ever made and it would be great to keep it alive but as time goes on more stuff wil simply not work with 7 anymore sadly.
Thanks for your comment! Windows 7 definitely has a loyal following. What kind of stuff are you finding won't work with it anymore? Maybe there are workarounds we can discuss in the comment
How can I install WinUSB 0n Windows 7 64 bit
I use Linux Mint and left Winblows in the dust a long time ago.
I can understand why you would leave Windows behind. Windows has a lot of problems, such as security vulnerabilities, bloatware, and a lack of control for the user. Linux, on the other hand, is much more secure, lightweight, and customizable.
I removed Windows and switched to Ubuntu 22.04
You can activate Ubuntu pro and have 10 years support on 22.04@@user-Theo-Verdurmen
Warcraft III ❤❤❤
Made me happy to see that during the password manager part
Well I guess this is decent suggestion. However, personally, I think incomplete. Mean, this guide as is, would only work on older systems. I really like how lite/light win7 is compared to win10, but the first part of this guide should be about on how to install it. If I remember correctly, win7 isn't officially supported on ryzen and 8th gen intel and newer. So even before thinking about on how to protect and optimized it, we first need a guide on how to install it.
As of right now, the best option is to actually use win10 stripped down to it's core or just use any version of linux. Specially now that, linux is gaining tons of support from companies and developers due to valve and the handheld pc community as a whole.
You make an excellent point. I appreciate the feedback! Thank you
I've just gone back to windows 7 from 10 in my old 2011 laptop and will be using it for retro gaming and stuffs like that. I've installed avast and opera which still support windows 7. I will use stuffs like banking, shopping etc which require signing in in my new windows 11 laptop.
Everything is fine until you have to start to use antiquate browser cause chromium will no longer be supported with os lower than win 10 (and soon enough neither this one), since chromium is starting to be a standart use this is quite a problem, not only to get internet access (where firefox is still a good alternative) but with programs that starting using it as main base eg. Steam.
Have you tried any of the browsers built on Chromium that offer better compatibility with older operating systems, like Vivaldi or Opera? They might be worth a look while you explore other options
I'm going to get a Windows 7 computer soon, once I finish installing all of the security updates and the ESU ones I'm going to watch this video
Nice! Windows 7 can be a great OS. What are you most looking forward to using it for?
@@adventuresinnostalgia just for playing some modern games before those drop support for windows 7
TO BE REALLY VERY MUCH INDEED FAIR AND HONEST WITH YALL I Wants TO USE THE WINDOWS 7 until I gets tired OF IT.
That's the spirit!
Spybot S&D 1.6.2 - The older version of spybot can do something the new version can not. It has a HOSTS list of BAD IP's that get blocked, saving you connection from bad adservers
Download the older version,
MODE tab > ADVANCED MODE Ticked
Click TOOLS tab > Tick all boxes except Bugreports
Now click where it says HOSTS on left side > Click the Green "+" Add Spybot S&D Hosts File at top of the window
Also Immunise your PC - This works great btw
Reset PC
You now block a shedload of bad sites
v1.6.2 (works better on older OS's such as XP-7 than v2.xx of spybot, it's more light weight
nice video, may have to reinstall 7 again :)
Spybot v1.6.2 Install - Run - Update - Immunise
Simple :)
This is excellent! thank you for sharing with us
Staying on Windows 7 is an interesting concept. But eventually almost nothing will support Windows 7 anymore. If you really hate modern versions of Windows that much, just run Linux instead. Probably would save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run
What distro of Linux would reasonably replace windows 7 in terms of having the same features and software support?
@@adventuresinnostalgia I was talking about the long term. Windows 7 still supports many software that Linux doesn’t, for sure. But, for example, by 2024 Steam is dropping support for Windows 7. As the years go by, more and more software will drop support for Windows 7 & eventually only out of date software will be supported by the OS.
So at some point Windows 7 users will have to ask themselves, how important is this software they use? & are there any alternatives that run on Linux? Because as time goes on Windows 7 will only become more and more obsolete. Think of how Windows XP is today, Windows 7 will be there as well some day
Linux Mint
SiS chipsets left the chat
This great guide is mor e about a sensible use of the operating system, but you're still vulnerable to attacks to certain components, for instance, smb.
This is true. There is always a risk
I stick to widows 7.
Has the lack of software support for Windows 7 been an issue for you?
That Vista/7/(8.x) Windows Update control panel applet is already nostalgic to me
Interesting! What aspect of the old Windows Update do you miss the most?
Been using win7 x64 as my main gaming/web browsing machine, works flawless, also manage my own security, and can disable win defender completely(which behaves worse like a virus).. Considering a time will come when hardware wont be there anymore. Compared to my win10/11 machines, these are a pain in the ass, my win7 boots faster too! and is more RESPONSIVE, win10/11 isnt as responsive compared to win7, when im using high end hardware on most my machines; actually its been annoying the hell out of me, on how bad these newer OS are and slow response times and program compat issues. Easy to manage win7 for its features and programs that are compatible with and more efficient. Makes me sad that good hardware will be harder to get later on for win7, considering my win7 hardware is still future proof for 10+ years or more.. just as my win11 machine is.
Anti virus isnt really needed, the majority of virus's is due to adverts and email (google is partly to blame), use ublock/with no script with all OS systems/android. I never had a virus system with any OS.. While fam and friends, they always had virus issues, in which I NEVER UNDERSTOOD how they got them.
Interesting perspective on Windows 7! I understand the frustration with newer OS feeling less responsive. Have you tried any performance optimization tweaks for Windows 10/11? Some users report seeing improvements after disabling specific features.
Also curious, what security measures do you take besides ad blockers to manage your Windows 7 system without antivirus?
I like keeping old versions of Windows around for use with The Old Web mostly.
That's interesting! What kind of things do you use "The Old Web" for that wouldn't work on a newer system?
@@adventuresinnostalgiaIt would work on newer systems but I mean to just get that true nostalgic feeling ha
best windows really
Absolutely
I use Windows 7 Pro on my laptop and Ultimate on my gaming pc. I have proton vpn installed, as well as Malwarebytes. I've also installed the API-Extensions so I have Windows 10 and 11 compatibility so I can use Steam and later apps
what about those updates that are intended for Widnows 7 embedded, that are being applied to Windows 7 normal?
This is an excellent question. The embedded versions of Windows are for embedded systems. Take for example a point of sale system you might find at a store, a self-checkout as they are called. Security updates are updates for security. Security meaning vulnerabilities found in the operating system itself. They are "patches" that fix or prevent the exploitation of system internals.
Point of sale systems have different "entry points" then standard desktop PCS do. Consider the debit card reader for example. That is an interface on the point of sale system that transmits data. The "right" combination of ones and zeros can cause some serious problems if ingested via the debit card slot. Assuming there is a known vulnerability for the debit card slot it would likely be patched within the operating system. Perhaps it would make more sense to look at the individual updates for the embedded version of Windows 7. There is typically a knowledge base article associated with them that explains what their purpose is. If the patch is for a component not commonly found on a desktop PC installing the patch will not likely make a desktop PC more secure. I hope this makes sense
Ah I see, makes a lot of sense. I guess the patches for the windows server 2008 one are the best then?
@@normalguy2121 Win7 = Windows Server 2008 R2, not 2008 :)
Just got Server 2008 R2 on my modern rig 13700k and 3090 Ti. Good stuff.
Awesome! I love hearing good news. Good news is the best news
Fantastic video, Windows 7 was/is great. But browsers support and other support features are on it's end days for 7. That's a shame. Microsoft is trying to make 11 like mac or linux.........
One of the thoughts that came to mind the first time I used Windows 11 was the taskbar looks like it was center aligned in Microsoft Word... Thats not a good thing.
I think you are right about what you click onto, there is something i was told a while back and that was to rename your hard drive from c drive to whatever you want to name it and this method also helps in protecting your system...is this right ?
That is an interesting idea. I could see an attack expecting there to be a drive C:. I'm not sure that would stop the attack on its own
Just a notice for anyone that still uses Windows 7 to play games, valve have announced that the steam client WILL NOT RUN on windows 7 and 8 starting from 2024. I know alot that still used win7 for gaming that are pretty annoyed by this therefore its probably time to save the hassle and upgrade to 10
I'll be downloading a lot of the games that I had on Steam from different sources.
Orrrr... prevent Steam from updating and use Steam on 7 for years to come, just like with the Nov 26 2018 steam package for XP and Vista.
That is very sad news
@@himmelskibetyes my steam has been offline for 4 years now on my windows 7 machine.
If i need to update i use my other pc with windows 10. And use that for newer games.
My favorite version of Windows! (XP/2k are a close second and which one depends on how much RAM I have)
writing this comment on windows 7!
windows 7 never dies. never. I still don't use Windows 10/11 as a main OS and every time I try to use/upgrade to them as main I go back to 7
One may argue that it is impossible to kill that which has no life.
Still missing *_one_* ingredient to fulfill the "forever" claim: *_Windows Verification!_* Did I miss a video? I don't care how safe the O/S is if it keeps nagging me about verifying when Microsoft won't verify my original key.
You are absolutely right. I imagine there call me a fix for that eventually, there just isn't a good solution right now
@@adventuresinnostalgia I understand. Keep up the great work!
windows 7 was a really good operating system, its what I used on my alienware laptop. On my gaming pc I mostly use windows 10 pro instead since its more reliable and I wont be installing windows 11 if I can help it. On my mac mini from 2012 its using ubuntu linux since mac os is unsupported on that and ubuntu makes it usable again and its actually much faster too.
I do not care for Windows 11. I'm sure eventually I will get used to it, but for now even navigation irritates me.
You can not use TH-cam or eBay without JavaScript 😂
3 minutes into the video, I already have some issues:
1. while I totally agree that the behavior of the user can reduce the risk to get infected by virusses, windows defender is a pretty solid solution to defend your windows PC.
2. chrome will soon lose the windows 7 support (decision by google). there might be chromium or others that provide updates to chrome-based browsers, I doubt it.
no idea when firefox will drop the windows 7 support.
3. is there even a way to run flash in 2023?
I do know that there are ways to get updates that are only meant for microsoft customers who pay for extended support. and microsoft will nail that down more or less.
my suggestion is, that most virusses, trojans etc are today checking if they are running inside a virtual machine. convert your PC to a VM, install linux and run your old installation in that VM.
unless you are specifically targeted by a hacker, malware will stay silent in a VM because the risk is to high that it ended up in a sandbox of an antivirus company, deciphering the virus and pumping out a signature to detect it.
and don't get me started on the game "but if they have better ways to hide, then a regular VM would be no problem, because that'd be too obvious. that is too easy to monitor. ;-)
Thanks for the detailed comment! That's a great point about Windows Defender. In the video, I focused on user behavior as a first line of defense, but definitely agree security software is important. Would you recommend any specific settings for Windows Defender on Windows 7 to maximize protection?
@@adventuresinnostalgia there are a few settings to make it even stricter, it's funny to then watch microsoft defender complaining about other microsoft products violating their own rules of security.
Windows 10 and 11 already have enough loopholes for security as it is, I can't imagine how many Windows 7 has since it isn't receiving security patches anymore. I would stick to a supported version of Windows if you can. Also, Windows 7 runs just fine out of a virtual machine if you really need to use it.
That's a good point about virtual machines. But for users who can't upgrade right now, are there any steps they can take to minimize the risks of using Windows 7 besides a virtual machine?
i will absolutely correct you here... browsers do usually automatically update and have been doing so for years. why would my browser lie about it being updated on a page when it does after a restart
It depends on the update. Certain versions of chromium will not install without user interaction.
There is no such thing as "safely using Windows 7" these days. You can mitigates SOME (not all) risks with these steps. However they don't patch the security holes that are in the OS itself. The best thing is use an OS that is currently support, if not Windows 10 Linux is an option.
Yet how many holes are there really after decades of patching a stable, unchanging system? It's often new updates that open up cans of worms, and Win 7 doesn't have them. Wouldn't the real Swiss cheese of security holes be WIndows 11, because it's new, and hundreds of millions of non-power users are pushed towards it? Seems like a better option for hackers, surely?
Is there any particular Linux distribution that you recommend for a lifetime Windows user that is looking at switching from Windows 7?
Linux Mint
So where do we get EMET? i dont think they provide it anymore
You DON'T need anti virus software.
But you do need proper network layer security. Which in itself is way beyond the scope of most users.
Also blocking of all advertising servers and never allow scripts to run surreptitiously.
You put all your trust in software that CONSTANTLY scans every aspect of your system and slows everything down everywhere.
I miss Windows 2000 myself. It was the best OS Microsoft released.
XP is the second.
Things went downhill from there.
windows Defender is the worst piece of malware out there. And in the latest build of 11 it's getting difficult to permanently remove from a system.
Including some kind of security software with the operating system is good for novice users. Taking away the users choice of security software is bad. I wonder why Microsoft hadn't been sued for it. They were a couple decades ago over the inclusion of Internet Explorer with Windows.
@@adventuresinnostalgia microsoft isnt taking away the choice, they are only bundling their own in newer versions of windows
I still use Win 7 Pro daily, because it just works, and has worked reliably for 14 years. Of course there's things that can't be updated anymore, like certain browsers, but when it comes to legacy programs like my security cam software, it STILL works better than Windows 10. There's others I use only on Win 7 because they display odd behavior on Windows 10. I can still get AV updates, and of course security updates from 0patch. It does a full disc image backup once a week, so if a drive fails, I can be back online in an hour or so with system restore and the latest Windows backup. I use Win 10 for my everyday driver now, and it has some nice features, but you have to clip it's wings considerably to keep it from 'phoning home' to M$ every time you do something, and that shouldn't HAVE to be an issue!😐
Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you've got a great system set up for keeping Win 7 running smoothly. Out of curiosity, what legacy programs do you use that work better on Win 7 than 10? It would be helpful for viewers who might be in a similar situation.
Yeah I love win7, hate win 10 and win 11. Both are full bloatware. Since steam no longer support windows 7.
If you still hate Windows 10/11, this video is for you
Im still using it the past 6 months, because I took a 12 year break from computers, so I still have my old rig.
To use windows 7 forever
Step 1: Download any free antivirus
Step 2: Dont click on things like "yoU jUsT woN 5 MilLiON doLLaRs"
Stay Safe :)
Step 3: Stay off the net, and only use flash drives that YOU own.
that's a great point about choosing a free antivirus! There are so many options out there. Do you have a favorite free antivirus you'd recommend to viewers? Thanks for commenting!
I always loved Win7 . Good to see this video.
Thanks for watching! Windows 7 definitely holds a special place in a lot of hearts. What are some of your favorite things you miss most about using Win 7?
NEVER USE AVAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What issue do you have with Avast?
Nice tips. Thanks !
Glad it was helpful!