Windows 7 computer

[Golay]

I have a laptop with Windows 7.
Been a couple years since I used it. It has programming software on it for a radio I picked up at a swap so I want to fire it up again. My question is there any settings I can do to prevent Microsoft from seeing it and upgrading it against my consent.

If I just never let it see the 'net, will I have nothing to worry about? The reason I've asked that is I've seen then time and date upgrade on computers that are not on the net.

I'm perfectly happy leaving the operating system as it. Got plenty of other laptops with the latest and greatest.
Don't need this one getting bogged down with bloatware I don't need.

Thanks.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

What's the title of the programming app(s)? Microsoft shouldn't be updating any third party apps at all. Windows 7 was EOL'ed years ago so it shouldn't even be upgrading itself so long as it were up to date before the January 2020 cutoff

 

[u2brent]

Have 2 win7 laptops, both run fine. If you didn't initially start or download those upgrade procedures, you'll be fine. Check your settings to always ask what update to install, rather than having it run amok in the background.

Those malware updates won't hurt anything to install.

 

[AB4BF]

I have a huge Windows 7 manual titled "Windows 7, the missing manual" by David Pogue and has about 892 pages and weighs about 3 and a half pounds. This manual really helped me. If anyone wants it and wants to pay shipping, I'll send it to you. Everything I have now is windows 10 and 11.

 

[Ubbe]

There's a section under System&Security in the control panel where you'll find the update settings, that can be set to off.
I have my Win7 set to auto update and I haven't received any bloatware or updates that I didn't want.

/Ubbe

 

[JDKelley]

I have a huge Windows 7 manual titled "Windows 7, the missing manual" by David Pogue and has about 892 pages and weighs about 3 and a half pounds. This manual really helped me. If anyone wants it and wants to pay shipping, I'll send it to you. Everything I have now is windows 10 and 11.

How much to ship to 95035? BPM rate would be the least, and I'm in no rush.

 

[AB4BF]

How much to ship to 95035? BPM rate would be the least, and I'm in no rush.

I'll get it at the P. O. tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Ubbe]

It's usually easier to google for a solution. Using printed sources means that no one can comment or criticize the information.

/Ubbe

 

[Golay]

What's the title of the programming app(s)? Microsoft shouldn't be updating any third party apps at all. Windows 7 was EOL'ed years ago so it shouldn't even be upgrading itself so long as it were up to date before the January 2020 cutoff

I wasn't worried about the programming software getting updated against my will. Although that would be nice.
I was referrring to the Windows operating system installing bloatware, etc. You know how Microsoft (and Android) are. They give you upgrades thinking they're doing you a favor. When the computer or phone ran faster and just fine without it.

 

[JDKelley]

I wasn't worried about the programming software getting updated against my will. Although that would be nice.
I was referrring to the Windows operating system installing bloatware, etc. You know how Microsoft (and Android) are. They give you upgrades thinking they're doing you a favor. When the computer or phone ran faster and just fine without it.

Windows development peaked with Wi2k, and has been backsliding since.

With 2k I could lift the hood, enable what I wanted, disable what I didn't want, make it run exactly the way I wanted, and no grief, no bloatware, no nonsense.

The last couple of machines I've had to get I've "upgraded" from Win11 to Win10 (believe me, it is an upgrade!) - especially since that's what was on them in the first place (resellers have a contract with Micro$oft that, after refitting a machine, they have to put the "latest and greatest" nonsense on it.)

The machine I'm using to type this, for instance (ThinkPad Yoga L13) originally shipped with Win10x64Pro, came to me with Win11x64Pro, and I wanted to upgrade the SSD anyhow - so the Win 11 SSD is in a case in my tech drawer in case I need a 256GB drive, and I put a 1TB in the L13 and upgraded to Win10x64Pro - runs better.

I'd experiment with rolling it back farther if I had another blank SSD floating around, I've got Win7x64, and I think I've got Win2Kx64 floating around here.

(I love how they were harping on how the 64-bit bus was so "new and great" when Intel and AMD started doing it - I'd already been putting WinNT on 64-bit DEC Alpha for 10-15 years at that point. . .)