If you’re still using Microsoft Vista, then you may have trouble fixing your computer problems in the future. This week, Microsoft announced that it is ending its support for Windows Vista in order to persuade users to upgrade to Windows 7. While Vista users will continue to receive critical security updates, Microsoft will no longer honor warranty claims or give away free tech support.
This might seem like bad news, but there are a few silver linings that Vista users should be aware of. First, Windows 7 is a far superior operating system to Windows Vista, and upgrading isn’t nearly as expensive as you may think. Windows 7 has a better interface, better security features, and smoother performance than its predecessor.
To make the transition easier, basically any computer that can run Vista can also run Windows 7. In fact, some users have seen a performance boost when switching between the two operating systems, particularly in PC games.
How do I fix PC problems in Windows Vista now?
The second silver lining is that Microsoft isn’t completely ending Vista tech support. Yes, users still get free security updates and other critical patches, but they can also pay for ‘extended’ tech support up until April 11, 2017. Personally, I don’t think too many people will still have Windows Vista installed by that date, but it’s important to note that Microsoft isn’t completely abandoning its Vista user base.
Microsoft will also continue to provide thousands of pages of Vista support documents online. While these don’t have the personal touch of in-person tech support, they still help fix common computer problems in Windows Vista.
If you can’t find the solution you need in the Vista tech support documents, you can always crowdsource your problem. There are plenty of free tech support forums on the internet where users will be happy to walk you through your computer problems. There are forums built specifically for the Windows operating system for example, but a general PC tech support forum should do the trick.
Upgrading your operating system to Windows 7
If you want to upgrade to Windows 7, you may be surprised at how low the performance requirements are. You need only a 1GHz processor, 16GB of hard drive space, and a measly 1GB of RAM. Even a 6 year old computer that came preinstalled with Windows 7 should have those components, making the transition as straightforward as possible.
Ultimately, Microsoft’s cancellation of Vista tech support shouldn’t come as a surprise. With Windows 8 coming out later this year and Windows 7 continuing to keep users happy, Microsoft wants its customers to focus on the positives in their new operating systems as opposed to the negatives in their old operating systems.
