Posted on 06/11/2019 10:04:43 AM PDT by deoetdoctrinae
I've used a computer running Windows 7 to file our federal taxes for several years. Microsoft will stop support and security updates on January 14, 2020. We always file as soon as we get all tax forms (usually early February).
Wondering if we would be safe doing the same one more time. Thoughts?
Your feedback is appreciated. Oh, and please donate today to help JimRob close out this FReepathon.
If next year’s (or subsequent) version of Turbo Tax or whatever software you use says it will work on Win7, there is no problem.
Try it. If it does not work, upgrade -or- switch to Linux and go with Open Tax Solver (http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/)
It’s not like as soon as January 15th rolls around that all of Windows7’s security features suddenly stop working. It’s only that Microsoft devs and security people are no longer officially working on any security fixes, malware software or definitions, or improvements.
It doesn’t really matter anyway. Even if your turbotax info got intercepted or hacked due to a flaw in Windows before the EOL, it’s not like you actually would have legitimately been able to sue Microsoft for damages.
in before someone says linux.
You should read the posts before declaring ...
call the cops.
And I’m thinking about upgrading to W7.
I upgraded to 10. So much easier to use and boots up quick.
Windows 7 is not safe. Its a petri dish for every virus. But the fact that Microsoft is lowering (stop in their words) their support for the product means nothing. You should move to ten anyhow. And that means you need a new computer. But Windows 7 will work. Buy a new computer, you will be happy. And throw your other computer on a thumb drive or a cloud drive. Or just let it sit on the side.
I have 6 “extra” laptops (3 are WIN 7) and 2 of them use XP.
I used the Win XP for an employee who dropped his Mac a week ago AND another had his laptop spilled with coffee 3 days ago.
I tried them both and they are fine. Heck, I even upgraded the free Avast virus and Malwarebytes and they did it perfectly.
Just because MS says they wont support Your fave OS doesnt mean it’s gonna explode after 2020. I love windows 7 that I use it right now...
IN ADDITION: we installed Photoshop CS6 and Quickbooks, it worked fine on the XP laptops and did the jobs..
I’d rather have Windows 7 than that privacy OUTLIER/NSA alternative called WINDOWS 10.
I’ve still got one machine running XP. Works fine, except that I can’t update to newer versions of IE or Firefox so some webpages I can only view in Chrome. Of course I have to be very careful not to do anything on it that could result in a virus infection.
lol I managed to get Windows 7 and AMD Ryzen to work together. Granted, someone else figured out what to do, but I’m a guy with no computer background.
30 years experience in IT. Please do not listen to technophobes. XP and Windows 7 are more primitive and less secure than Windows 10. Windows 10 will run faster than Windows 7 on “any” computer as it was designed to run on desktops, laptops and Windows tables which typically will have less ram.
The “only” valid reason not to run Windows 10 is if you are financially burdened and simply cannot afford a more modern computer.
On my desktop PC, for years after MS stopped their support for Win 97, I kept using it with no issues, not even security issues. As long as my updates of my antivirus application accepted Win 97 I was fine.
I only finally switched to a new Desktop with Win 7 when I could no longer get antivirus software that would load to Win 97 and the Win 7 OS came with the new PC. I am still running Win 7 on my desktop and plan no change.
I only bought a Win 8 laptop a few years ago because I could not at the time get a new one with Win 7. Had I known about the 30 day time limit to recover it back to Win 8, I never would have allowed Win 10 to get a permanent hold on my laptop.
Microsoft has always sold a lot of vaporware - marketing smoke and mirrors.
Get Norton 365 and MalwareBytes, and use CCleaner, and you won’t have any worries. Screw Win-10.
To late!
I use my sad old computer to do my taxes. I use the free version of TaxAct.
But I do not file electronically. I would never, ever do that. I let TaxAct do all the calculations, then I enter those numbers onto a paper form.
Oh, and when TaxAct asks for personal info like name and SSN number, I just leave it blank.
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