Solved Windows 8.0 goes out of support in 1 month (12 Jan 2016)

[DavidY]

I thought it might be a helpful time to remind any remaining users of Windows 8 (as opposed to 8.1) that it goes out of support in a month's time, on 12th January 2016.

From here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/gp/lifecycle-windows81-faq

With the General Availability of Windows 8.1, customers on Windows 8 have 2 years, until January 12, 2016, to move to Windows 8.1 in order to remain supported.

I know that there were some changes in the hardware requirements between 8 and 8.1 which affected some hardware - I think some of those folks may have to switch to 32-bit to stay supported, although I'm not sure that addresses all the issues.

But for everyone else on Windows 8, it's time to consider moving to Windows 8.1 (or download the Windows 10 ISO and upgrade straight to that in one go).

 

[broe23]

Your year is off. It stops being sold on Jan. 9, 2018. Security updates until Jan. 10, 2023. Windows lifecycle fact sheet - Windows Help All of this info is in the Tutorials that Brink has on his sites.

 

[derekimo]

I think you are talking about something different than DavidY,

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/search/default.aspx?alpha=Windows 8&wa=wsignin1.0

 

[Cliff S]

I started a thread on this back in June(6 months ago) so forum members have had enough time: http://www.eightforums.com/windows-8-news/67535-move-windows-8-8-1-now.html

The problem for some is, Windows 8.1 and higher is not compatible on some weaker spec. devices.

 

[broe23]

Cliff 8 never played well with Netbooks, etc.. I made the mistake of giving my Netbook to my daughter. Loved it for portability when going somewhere. Also ran Ubuntu really well.

 

[broe23]

derekimo, no I am going by the info that Microsoft has had out there since Feb. 5th. The OP is mixed up on the Service Pack, which is what 8.1 was.

Windows 8 was stopped being sold on the first date & year. Windows 8.1 will continue to be sold until the date that is listed on the link I posted and the one that you posted. In 2018, no one can sell 8.1 and has to destroy any remaining copies.

Microsoft is the one that has made this a royal mess, because sales does not see the forest for the trees.

 

[DavidY]

derekimo, no I am going by the info that Microsoft has had out there since Feb. 5th. The OP is mixed up on the Service Pack, which is what 8.1 was.

I stand by my original post.

Although I agree the support policy on 8.1 is very similar to Service Packs for Windows 7, the upgrade from 8 to 8.1 was a much bigger upgrade than most recent service packs, and some folks will have put off doing the upgrade. (Also there are problems with changes to hardware requirements between 8 and 8.1.)

But they may not know that they will stop getting patches and updates after 12th Jan. And of course IE 10 will go out of support (but I seem to remember you can't install IE11, or indeed any other version of IE, in Windows 8).

With many folks coming up to the holiday season, I think it's an opportunity for users of Windows 8 (as opposed to 8.1) to use any spare time they have to make a backup and do the upgrade. Or upgrade straight to 10 and miss out 8.1 altogether.

Microsoft is the one that has made this a royal mess, because sales does not see the forest for the trees.

Agreed.

 

[Jody Thornton]

So just a serious question here:

If I were to install Windows 8 Classic, install Classic Shell for a Start Menu, conceal all Metro stuff, and run as Administrator (so in other words, I'm only going to use explorer based stuff; no metro apps), would there be anything I'd be missing from Windows 8.1? I know there's only IE 10, but I would be using Pale Moon anyway.

I only ask because my xw8200 workstation could support the x64 version of Windows 8, but not 8.1

 

[broe23]

Just the ease of having Desktop first vs Metro screen.

 

[broe23]

DavidY it is the wording in how they have made it hard to understand their Verizon math.

You have one table that states one thing. Then you have the other table calling 8.1 a Service Pack.

 

[Jody Thornton]

Just the ease of having Desktop first vs Metro screen.

Of course Classic Shell would get me out of that jam eh?

 

[broe23]

That or Someone slips you their Start10 key that they no longer need, since they now run Linux.

 

[DavidY]

So just a serious question here:

If I were to install Windows 8 Classic, install Classic Shell for a Start Menu, conceal all Metro stuff, and run as Administrator (so in other words, I'm only going to use explorer based stuff; no metro apps), would there be anything I'd be missing from Windows 8.1? I know there's only IE 10, but I would be using Pale Moon anyway.

You'll be joining all those Windows XP users in running a system which gets no security updates to Windows and IE10 from Microsoft. Even if you don't use IE, other applications might use it so you might have a risk there. (Admittedly Windows 8 is probably a bit more robust security-wise than XP.)

And if you are running an unpatched system, running as Administrator is an extra security risk - safer is to run with lower privileges and only use Administrator to install software etc.

I think you have 3 options:

1. Take the risk of running with a system that gets no security updates
2. Go to 32-bit Windows 8.1 or 10 (which is a pain if you have 4GB+ of RAM, or applications which require 64-bit)
3. Go to Windows 7 which is in support for a while longer, although you may need to buy a licence.

I only ask because my xw8200 workstation could support the x64 version of Windows 8, but not 8.1

It's not great that Microsoft changed the hardware requirements and put you out of support.

 

[Jody Thornton]

Well I am aware of a person on the MSFN forum who is running his Windows 8.1 system in a frozen state as of a couple months ago, so that he can avoid all of the telemetry updates. So far so good. I would think that Windows 8 would at least leave me in that good of a state. And it's true, I do run XP at work with NO issues at all. So Windows 8 would be able to better that I'm sure.

I'll give it some thought.

 

[Jody Thornton]

I got Windows 8 installed on my older machine. This way I can run the x64 build on my xw8200. UXStyle, Pale Moon, Classic Shell and plenty of on the goodies already on the system. Now just to run Windows Update, and also disable the ribbon in Explorer, and I'm all good.

 

[DavidY]

I got Windows 8 installed on my older machine. This way I can run the x64 build on my xw8200. UXStyle, Pale Moon, Classic Shell and plenty of on the goodies already on the system. Now just to run Windows Update, and also disable the ribbon in Explorer, and I'm all good.

Ah so you're going for that option. Do you have a strategy for how to keep it safe when the updates stop?

 

[Jody Thornton]

Well, no differently than if I were on XP, I always ensure that I never go to bad sites, or lazily click on stuff. Hopefully, Windows Defender definitions continue to update, and if not I'll choose something like Avira AntiVir. I also install Malwarebytes for regular manual scans. I think I'll be OK. If I were to have successfully installed Windows 8.1, all that would be different would be newer updates. So I'm not too concerned.

What greatly alleviates the worry is that I have lots of redundant backups, and my data is not terribly sensitive.

 

[brooksndun]

What exactly is the threat when updates stop?? Isn't it something all the Virtual Machine programs couldn't just deal with??

Sandboxie
VirtualBox
etc...

Wouldn't the threat only be if you get stuff and click on links that aren't Legit??

What could be the worst thing to happen if IE isn't updated and you have a firewall on it told to always block IE??

I'm just trying to get the worst scenario here since the "scare" of no updates and no more support is ever so growing..

so Whats the deal?

thanks.

 

[DavidY]

What exactly is the threat when updates stop??
...
What could be the worst thing to happen if IE isn't updated and you have a firewall on it told to always block IE??

They're fair questions and to be honest I don't know the answers. Of course the malware writers are looking for new ways to attack and there may be other ways they could attack in addition to websites (and of course even legitimate websites can be hacked so clicking somewhere that was safe last week is still a small risk).

But I seem to remember the original XP (without Service Packs or patches) could get malware on it simply by plugging in the internet and switching it on with no user interaction, no clicking, nothing.

However Windows 8 is several versions later so you'd think it would be more robust to that kind of thing.

Having Windows updated does give "strength in depth" though - if something did get through the other defences, having patched windows may still stop something that would otherwise cause damage.

One thing I would say is that many users (and I include myself in this) wouldn't know how to use Sandboxie or configure a firewall to block IE. Also, I know other applications use IE to render pages etc., and I wouldn't know enough about how IE works to know if blocking at firewall level would catch such applications.

So for many users (a) they need to know there's an issue with sticking to Windows 8 and (b) in many cases updating to 8.1 will be a simple way to add one more layer of security.