Maybe try ReviOS? It’s a “playbook” file you run on a clean Windows 11 install that strips out all of the telemetry and junk, and mostly “just works”. The only big potential pain point, imho, is not getting automatic driver updates from Windows Update.
I just installed CachyOS with virt-manager running ReviOS in a virtual machine. For my needs, it’s amazing. Arch Linux allows for easy updates to the latest versions of software and CachyOS further improves it with optimized, pre-compiled packages, which is particularly relevant for a smooth gaming experience. (Outdated packages aren’t a good mix with new games, and the optimized packages improve performance.)
The only “big” challenge I’ve had with Windows is getting videoconferencing working smoothly (my webcam is flickery), but that’s not a big deal. Zoom in Linux works great, and Teams/Zoom both work well in browser (in Linux). So, most of my work stuff is in the VM, but I have Zoom and a separate browser (for Teams meetings) installed in Linux.
This setup requires a bit of technical skill; you need to be able to find and follow guides. (Ex. I needed to troubleshoot why I couldn’t change the VM resolution, and the fix was to download a set of VM tools in Windows.) If you have light technical skills to search for and read guides, it shouldn’t be too challenging.
I’ve heard that the last time I said I till use 7, six months ago. Still waiting for that malware. You understand the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?
Thats not remotely true, there’s many ways to inject things through ads or hacked websites onto your computer without you intentionally installing or downloading anything. Much much more rare and on updated systems generally will be better protected from those things, however using an outdated OS intentionally is asking for trouble.
Using an adblocker solves that. Not sure how that is specific to Win 7. Hacked websites? Name an example, source it. Difficulty: not from a movie with a skull and crossbones laughing on my screen.
None of these hacker fantasies happen in real life.
You do have a big hosts file and manage your router, yes?
Give me a link to a “hacked website” (F! U! D! Oh my!) right now that I can click on and will install malware on my Windows 7 PC.
Adversaries may gain access to a system through a user visiting a website over the normal course of browsing. Multiple ways of delivering exploit code to a browser exist (i.e., Drive-by Target), including:
A legitimate website is compromised, allowing adversaries to inject malicious code
Script files served to a legitimate website from a publicly writeable cloud storage bucket are modified by an adversary
Malicious ads are paid for and served through legitimate ad providers (i.e., Malvertising)
Built-in web application interfaces that allow user-controllable content are leveraged for the insertion of malicious scripts or iFrames (e.g., cross-site scripting)
Browser push notifications may also be abused by adversaries and leveraged for malicious code injection via User Execution. By clicking “allow” on browser push notifications, users may be granting a website permission to run JavaScript code on their browser.
It’s not Hollywood fantasy, as you claim. It is a well documented attack vector.
This is a browser security and PEBKAC error, nothing to do with Windows 7. You’ve simply proven my point that all these attacks are installed and run by the user. If they’re tricked by the site, that’s not on Windows 7.
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
" via User Execution. By clicking “allow” on browser push notifications"
Which is what I said: “the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?”
So you agreed with me on all points, why write so much, though? A simple “yes” would suffice next time. Or “HugeNerd, as usual, is correct and his Windows 7 machine has been running 24/7 for months uncompromised through the miracle of using a hosts file, managing his router, and using his tiny old brain.”
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
I used no AI. Had you actually paid attention you’d see that I cited my source in the first link. The summary I posted it a direct quote from that source. Just because you don’t like what you read that doesn’t automatically make it AI slop.
I don’t feel like refuting any of your other, unsourced assumptions. Good luck with your beloved Windows 7.
Why don’t you provide evidence to your claim that the only way to get malware on an outdated os is by downloading and installing something lmfao.
A majority of users still using 7 are not technically savvy and wouldn’t likely know to harden their devices to that extent, trust me I deal with them Irl for my work at a financial company.
I agree, all I ask is you show me one in Windows 7. Send me a URL that when I click it my bank account is emptied immediately.
All these threats people see are always something you actively install or are involved in, or some sort of social engineering scam. Even Windows 17 can’t help you with that.
I don’t know specific vulnarabilities but they either exist already or can be discovered at any moment without being patched. Not installing stuff yourself doesn’t make you safe, just less unsafe.
Well, it’s still a question that needs answering. I’ve been running Windows 7 non-stop for years. The only reason it crashes is because the hardware is failing. Computing isn’t as complex as biology, for example, a program running on my laptop doesn’t reproduce and evolve and then send out floppy discs into the atmosphere where other computers breathe it in.
It’s still relatively simple and deterministic. So, show me a URL that I can click on that will demonstrate all these threats I keep hearing about. Show me a link explaining these “vulnerabilities” that doesn’t end in “the user needs to install and run the malware in the browser.”
You guys are so certain it’s everywhere, should be easy. Which part of TCP/IP is sending me code that Windows 7 will then execute?
Waiting! Or maybe you’ve made this your entire identity and feel threatened by a simple question? You should be happy to hack my poor old Windows 7 with a simple URL?
Can I run Windows 7 in a VM if I am forced to use 10 or 11 somehow?
You can
Hm, I’ll see what I can do about that. I have a Value Village rescue PC that will soon be set up.
Maybe try ReviOS? It’s a “playbook” file you run on a clean Windows 11 install that strips out all of the telemetry and junk, and mostly “just works”. The only big potential pain point, imho, is not getting automatic driver updates from Windows Update.
I just installed CachyOS with virt-manager running ReviOS in a virtual machine. For my needs, it’s amazing. Arch Linux allows for easy updates to the latest versions of software and CachyOS further improves it with optimized, pre-compiled packages, which is particularly relevant for a smooth gaming experience. (Outdated packages aren’t a good mix with new games, and the optimized packages improve performance.)
The only “big” challenge I’ve had with Windows is getting videoconferencing working smoothly (my webcam is flickery), but that’s not a big deal. Zoom in Linux works great, and Teams/Zoom both work well in browser (in Linux). So, most of my work stuff is in the VM, but I have Zoom and a separate browser (for Teams meetings) installed in Linux.
This setup requires a bit of technical skill; you need to be able to find and follow guides. (Ex. I needed to troubleshoot why I couldn’t change the VM resolution, and the fix was to download a set of VM tools in Windows.) If you have light technical skills to search for and read guides, it shouldn’t be too challenging.
(I use Arch, by the way.)
Don’t use 7, you’re just asking for malware
It’s actually fine if it doesn’t have internet connection.
That’s true of any OS.
Who uses an OS without internet though lol
For old software that don’t work on modern OSes.
You must know that’s not a majority of the people refusing to update to 11 lol
Sure, but they’re asking for Windows 7 specifically which is already not supported for a while.
I’ve heard that the last time I said I till use 7, six months ago. Still waiting for that malware. You understand the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?
Thats not remotely true, there’s many ways to inject things through ads or hacked websites onto your computer without you intentionally installing or downloading anything. Much much more rare and on updated systems generally will be better protected from those things, however using an outdated OS intentionally is asking for trouble.
Using an adblocker solves that. Not sure how that is specific to Win 7. Hacked websites? Name an example, source it. Difficulty: not from a movie with a skull and crossbones laughing on my screen. None of these hacker fantasies happen in real life. You do have a big hosts file and manage your router, yes? Give me a link to a “hacked website” (F! U! D! Oh my!) right now that I can click on and will install malware on my Windows 7 PC.
Simply untrue. Hollywood fantasies.
It’s called a Drive-by Compromise:
A legitimate website is compromised, allowing adversaries to inject malicious code
Script files served to a legitimate website from a publicly writeable cloud storage bucket are modified by an adversary
Malicious ads are paid for and served through legitimate ad providers (i.e., Malvertising)
Built-in web application interfaces that allow user-controllable content are leveraged for the insertion of malicious scripts or iFrames (e.g., cross-site scripting)
It’s not Hollywood fantasy, as you claim. It is a well documented attack vector.
This is a browser security and PEBKAC error, nothing to do with Windows 7. You’ve simply proven my point that all these attacks are installed and run by the user. If they’re tricked by the site, that’s not on Windows 7.
Your AI generated summary, again, lacks evidence. I asked for a site, or a source where what you claim credibly happened, not just repeating the same myths in a circular series of arguments.
" via User Execution. By clicking “allow” on browser push notifications"
Which is what I said: “the only way to get this malware is to actively download it and install it, yes?”
So you agreed with me on all points, why write so much, though? A simple “yes” would suffice next time. Or “HugeNerd, as usual, is correct and his Windows 7 machine has been running 24/7 for months uncompromised through the miracle of using a hosts file, managing his router, and using his tiny old brain.”
I used no AI. Had you actually paid attention you’d see that I cited my source in the first link. The summary I posted it a direct quote from that source. Just because you don’t like what you read that doesn’t automatically make it AI slop.
I don’t feel like refuting any of your other, unsourced assumptions. Good luck with your beloved Windows 7.
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Its not even the same person who replied lmfao
Why don’t you provide evidence to your claim that the only way to get malware on an outdated os is by downloading and installing something lmfao.
A majority of users still using 7 are not technically savvy and wouldn’t likely know to harden their devices to that extent, trust me I deal with them Irl for my work at a financial company.
Why the hell would you want to?
In case I want to use a OS that still works, as opposed to the user-hostile resource-depleting exhausting visual messes like Windows 11?
there is a security risk so no
Please describe the nature of this risk, and explain why I don’t have any of them?
No OS is safe, because within millions of lines of code, it is bound to have some vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
But what is absolutely unsafe, is an unsupported OS, where the vulnerabilities that are found are not solved/patched
I agree, all I ask is you show me one in Windows 7. Send me a URL that when I click it my bank account is emptied immediately.
All these threats people see are always something you actively install or are involved in, or some sort of social engineering scam. Even Windows 17 can’t help you with that.
I don’t know specific vulnarabilities but they either exist already or can be discovered at any moment without being patched. Not installing stuff yourself doesn’t make you safe, just less unsafe.
Classic anti vaxer logic
Impressive. That much stupid in such a compact and misspelled sentence.
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Well, it’s still a question that needs answering. I’ve been running Windows 7 non-stop for years. The only reason it crashes is because the hardware is failing. Computing isn’t as complex as biology, for example, a program running on my laptop doesn’t reproduce and evolve and then send out floppy discs into the atmosphere where other computers breathe it in.
It’s still relatively simple and deterministic. So, show me a URL that I can click on that will demonstrate all these threats I keep hearing about. Show me a link explaining these “vulnerabilities” that doesn’t end in “the user needs to install and run the malware in the browser.”
You guys are so certain it’s everywhere, should be easy. Which part of TCP/IP is sending me code that Windows 7 will then execute?
Waiting! Or maybe you’ve made this your entire identity and feel threatened by a simple question? You should be happy to hack my poor old Windows 7 with a simple URL?
Yeah, it’s called the Mint version.
/j
Seriously this!
Win7 in a VM work great in Linux. But what you SHOULD do is just install Linux Mint and use it for a week.