When will Microsoft give up on your version of Windows or Office? Options for updating Windows Vista after end of support.

Microsoft has quietly revised its support policy for custom versions of Windows this month. The two most recent versions of operating systems - Vista and Windows 7 - will now receive a full 10 years of free support.

Initially, the consumer versions of Windows had five years of mainstream support, while the business versions had five additional years of extended support. For the first time, Microsoft announced this back in 2008, then repeated in 2009 when it came to Windows 7. It turns out that the main support for Windows Vista should have ended in 1.5 months - on April 10, 2012.

However, as it turned out, Microsoft has revised its support policy for custom versions of Windows, and from now on they are also eligible for extended support. If you go to the product support page, you will see the new extended support end dates for consumer versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.

An official press release from Microsoft headquarters could not be found, but Microsoft Japan posted a message confirming the change:

From now on, extended support will apply to client versions of Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Currently available service packs for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 will be supported for 10 years regardless of the system edition.

End of support dates for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Windows XP - April 8, 2014
Windows Vista - April 11, 2017
Windows 7 - January 14, 2020

The good news for users is that security updates are rolled out to all editions of Windows, so any security updates that are distributed through Windows Update will be available to all users and organizations, even during the Extended Support phase. So your copy of Vista Home Premium will continue to receive security updates for at least another six years.

With this change, Microsoft has definitely made it clear that it is serious about its commitment to 10 years of Windows support. When Windows 8 debuts this year, by April 2014 - the dawn of the Windows XP era - the company will be actively supporting four versions of Windows.

But don't be confused with lifecycle support times and sales deadlines. Now you can no longer buy a licensed copy of Windows XP or Vista, and these operating systems cannot be preinstalled on new computers. The sales dates are tied to the release date of the new version of Windows. This principle works like this:

OEM sales end two years after the next version of Windows is released. Sales of boxed retail copies are discontinued one year early. Assuming Sinofsky's team sticks to the traditional cycle, Windows 8 will hit store shelves exactly three years after Windows 7 debuted in October 2012. And the countdown will begin. Two years later, at the end of 2014, Microsoft will ban manufacturers from selling Windows 7. Customers will be able to buy Windows 8, which will include the ability to downgrade to two previous versions, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. But it will not include the right to downgrade to XP.

Microsoft® has officially announced that it will end its support lifecycle for Windows Vista on April 11, 2017. In the near future, Norton products will continue to support Windows Vista.

Keep in mind that in addition to using the latest security products, it is very important to keep your computer secured with the latest service packs and patches for the operating system.

With Microsoft officially announcing that it will no longer publish Windows Vista fixes, computers running Windows Vista can be targeted by cybercriminals, especially if new vulnerabilities are discovered in the operating system. Computers running Windows Vista can be exposed to some types of viruses and threats that newer versions of Windows products are protected against. Therefore, Symantec strongly recommends that you upgrade your Windows Vista computers as soon as possible.

Has the security level of Windows Vista been downgraded since the end of its lifecycle on April 11, 2017?

Microsoft's answer to this question is: "If you continue to use Windows Vista after support ends, your computer may be vulnerable to viruses and other security threats." 1 Microsoft has ended technical support for Windows Vista users. Updates to the Windows Vista operating system required to address the vulnerabilities are no longer published. Here you can read the text of Microsoft's announcement of the end of support for Windows Vista.

For users continuing to use Windows Vista, Symantec provides the following best practices:

• Make sure your Windows Vista computer has the latest updates from Microsoft.

  Use supported applications for which security updates and hotfixes are available in Windows Vista.

  Make sure the security software you are using is supported and updated by your Windows Vista software vendor.

Will customers using the latest version of Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, Norton 360, Norton Security, or Norton Security Suite receive product updates and the latest virus definitions on Windows Vista?

At the time of this publication, the latest major version of the listed products is version 22.x. Symantec currently provides product updates and virus definitions for all supported versions of Microsoft Windows (including Windows Vista Service Pack 2).

Will customers using an older version of Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, Norton 360, Norton Security Suite, or Norton Security receive product updates and the latest virus definitions for Windows Vista?

Norton products older than 22.x will be supported according to the following guidelines:

• Virus definition updates will be provided for a period of 3 years from the date of each major version of the product.

  All virus definition updates for previous product versions are compatible with all Windows platforms supported by Norton products.

  Customers with a previous version of the product may need to update to the latest version for support.

Does Symantec plan to support Windows Vista in future major releases of Norton security products?

Symantec's goal is to provide the strongest protection for the broadest range of client operating systems. Due to security and design requirements, future versions of Norton security products may no longer support legacy operating systems. The system requirements, as always, are clearly outlined in the documentation for each product update.

04/30/2010, Fri, 16:04, Moscow time

During 2010, Microsoft planned to end support for several versions of its operating system at once. Despite the fact that this decision was made a long time ago, many companies turned out to be unprepared for such news. What are the business implications of the end of Windows support, and how can we find a way out of this situation?

First of all, it is necessary to indicate what exactly is the technical support of Microsoft for its products. In the most general terms, it is help in solving problems that arise when using products. Home users rarely need to contact Microsoft. In turn, when administering technically complex corporate products, in particular, various servers, the need for consultation may arise much more often.

However, help in solving problems is only part of the technical support. In addition, it assumes that users receive various updates and fixes. They are all subdivided into two groups. The first includes security updates that address system vulnerabilities. The rest of the updates are not related to protection against information threats. They are designed to expand the functionality of the system, improve its interface, update drivers, etc. We can say that these fixes increase the stability of the OS, improve its usability, simplify compatibility with various hardware, etc.

Finally, the last piece of technical support is the ability to contact Microsoft with suggestions for product design and feature changes. It is clear that the corporation cannot fulfill all requests, but when a sufficient number of users contact with similar proposals, they are implemented and released in the form of updates.

Let's consider what opportunities the company is deprived of when using products that have expired technical support. The most important thing, as we have already said, is that it will not receive updates, first of all, security. If you do not fix the "holes", then the OS becomes vulnerable to intruders. Neither an antivirus with a firewall nor an intrusion detection system will protect against this. In other words, using a corporate IS if it contains computers with unpatched vulnerabilities is risky from a security point of view. In addition, the lack of all other updates is an unpleasant fact. It can affect compatibility with new hardware and software, as well as the stability of the entire information system as a whole. In addition, the company's IT department will no longer be able to contact Microsoft support if there is any problem with these products.

Microsoft policy

In October 2002, Microsoft published a Lifetime Support Policy that applies to most of its products. So, for all business products and development tools, the total support period is 10 years (the service period is counted from the moment the new product starts selling.). However, it is divided into two parts. The main support phase lasts for the first five years. It includes all of the above. Next comes the extended support phase. It includes only a security update. It is also possible to receive other fixes, but this requires the purchase of a special agreement.

Support components

Source: Microsoft, 2010

The situation is somewhat different with Service Packs. They have their own terms of service. So, for example, every service pack for any Microsoft operating system has a 2-year lifespan. However, in practice this rule has exceptions. Whenever each update is released, Microsoft determines its lifespan separately. In addition, in various situations, the company may reschedule the end of service for a product, as was the case, for example, with Windows XP.

All of the above is fully applicable to the two most widespread older versions of the Microsoft operating system today: Windows XP and Windows Vista, including their server versions.

End of support for Microsoft XP and Microsoft Vista

* - support will end either 2 years after the release of the service pack, or when support for the product itself ends.
Note: Service packs do not have support phases, and therefore the corresponding table cells are empty.

Source: Microsoft, 2010

Thus, we can see that some service packs have already expired or will be suspended soon.

The recent Windows support amendment allows companies to reach out to technicians, but for a fee. So, one request sent by email or chat will cost $ 49, and a phone call - $ 59.

This means that users will have to make certain decisions about how to use the products. It's fair to say that Microsoft has slightly changed its policy regarding service packs that have ended their service life. Consequently, some users can still count on fixes to solve the most serious problems.

Drawing conclusions

Today, most companies use Windows XP and Windows Vista, which Microsoft will no longer support very soon. If the company does not refuse to use these solutions, then it has only one way out - to migrate to newer versions of Windows. However, it is clear that it is best to choose the latest operating system with the longest support period. Today it is Windows 7. According to Microsoft plans, the main support for this OS will be provided until January 13, 2015, and extended - until January 14, 2020.

Russian companies polled by CNews seriously note the need for companies to move from outdated versions of Windows to newer ones, in particular, to Windows 7. As he said Alexey Alekseev, marketing director of the production company R-Style Computers, during the release of XP (October 25, 2001) several generations of computer and peripheral equipment have changed, that is, in order for the software to match the hardware, thousands of patches have been written for Windows XP, and not always well compatible. This is the case, for example, with support for multi-core processors in this system. The expert notes that Windows 7 is indeed faster than Windows XP and Vista, even on older hardware.

Ivan Batov, Head of Infrastructure Solutions Department at Asteros, is sure that companies should seriously think about moving to Windows 7. "The end of support for outdated versions of Windows is a serious barrier to further development of the IT infrastructure, since Microsoft will no longer release expansion updates the functionality of this software. Corporate information will also be directly threatened, as the release of OS security updates will cease, "he explains. According to him, the Windows XP operating system has proven itself very well for both corporate and home users, but this version no longer meets modern requirements for the functionality and security of the operating system. Upgrading the OS to Windows 7, from the point of view of the Asteros specialist, will radically increase the level of manageability of the corporate IT infrastructure and the security of corporate data, and more flexibly solve administration problems due to the integrated support of innovative technologies. As an example, he cites the fact that in Windows 7 the technology for the deployment of virtual environments (VDI) has been improved, new opportunities have been implemented for simple and secure connection of remote employees to corporate resources, and so on. "The advantages of using Windows 7 are obvious. At the same time, companies should not switch to this version of the OS in an emergency mode, since Windows 7 differs significantly from Windows XP in terms of technical capabilities and interface. The migration project should be carefully planned. should be given to preparing end users to work with the new OS, "notes Mr. Batov.

Starting April 11, Microsoft will completely end support for the Windows Vista operating system. This is stated on the official website of the company.

Basic support for the Vista operating system ended in 2012 and included free customer support, warranty and patches, and design changes. Extended support was limited to security updates and ended today.

“Microsoft has been supporting Windows Vista users for the past 10 years, but it's time for us and our hardware and software partners to invest in more advanced technology so we can continue to delight you with new opportunities.” - Microsoft.

Windows Vista PCs will work, but will become more vulnerable to malware, Microsoft warned. Some programs may stop working as most manufacturers optimize their products for the latest editions of Windows.

Windows Vista debuted in January 2007 and is considered Microsoft's worst operating system. Almost six years have passed since the release of Windows XP, and Redmond realized that they were delaying the release of the next OS. Thus, the company had to quickly release Vista, sacrificing some of the features previously unveiled. In the load, users received bloat, brakes, software and hardware incompatibilities and other absurdities.

The list of Windows Vista problems does not end there. The OS did not support some software that runs successfully on Windows XP. There are problems with USB support. In addition, the performance of the system left much to be desired, even in comparison with the previous version of the OS.

Vista sales ended in October 2010, and Vista users now account for less than 1% of all computers connected to the Internet. For comparison: the share of Windows XP is approximately 7%, the share of Windows 7 - almost 50%.

Previously, the creators of the Hacking Jules project installed the operating system.

On April 11, 2017 Microsoft Corporation is going to end support for Windows Vista. As far as I remember, Microsoft already announced the end of support in August 2012, but has released several updates since then. I want to note that Windows Vista is not very popular among users. According to some reports, less than 1.5% use this operating system on their PCs. And in my opinion, this figure is even overestimated.

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in an interview that his biggest mistake and disappointment in 13 years as Microsoft CEO was Windows Vista. Indeed, this operating system did not take root among users, and if it was installed, it was immediately demolished and installed Windows XP. The company, as always, found a loophole for itself ... It was at this time that computers and laptops with a pre-installed Windows Vista operating system appeared on the market, where users had to change the system to XP. Do you think Microsoft is involved in such a marketing strategy? It's gotten much worse now. Manufacturers try to make sure that users are not able to install a different operating system on their device than the one that they themselves proposed. What for?

Advanced users might have noticed that Windows 10, 8, 7 is the very same Windows Vista. The appearance is changing, a number of settings and pre-installed programs, and the core, it seems, is still the same - Vista. It turns out that Microsoft Corporation has not done anything really new since the release of Windows Vista? Creativity develops in only one direction: create the illusion of something new and take money for it. Is this a world we live in now? And it's all over the place. For example, now, if I buy a smartphone, then once I download a firmware update, I will no longer be able to return to the previous version of the software. Although a couple of years ago it was elementary. The situation is similar with game consoles and any other devices. Moreover, now many devices work no longer than the warranty period, why? Since childhood, I thought that you can communicate with God in church, but now the main god is money.

Wow, carried me into philosophizing today! It happens :) Probably, I ate something wrong or magnetic storms. But seriously, I think it would be wise for Microsoft to pay more attention to creating something truly new. Let's work together to wish Microsoft creative growth. And who knows, maybe we will see a new operating system, and not all the same Vista with a different name and appearance.