Will I lose my games?

[draifetee]

So I was watching Wan Show when Luke said that Microsoft was planing on ending windows 7 support and I want to get ahead of myself and install windows 8.1 since my machine isn't that powerful and I don't want all the crap that comes with windows 10.
Story aside my question is Will I Lose My Games by doing a fresh install of windows 8.1 even though they are on my secondary drive?
I know my saved games will be lost but I already backed them up! But what about the games themselves?

[Sauron]

You won't lose data on a separate drive.

 

By the way, don't think 8.1 end of life is that far off.

[desertcomputer]

Steam? GOG Library? Origin? DRM Free Downloads from developers websites/humble bundle?

 

Edit: try window 10? I mean support life will end with 8.1 and window 10 was able to run on my 12 year old laptop, seem to have better battery life than linux.

[draifetee]

4 hours ago, EMC said:

Steam? GOG Library? Origin? DRM Free Downloads from developers websites/humble bundle?

Steam and free downloads!

Well I know but I don't want to migrate to windows 10...

I want to be in the least demanding version until I can!

[Cereal5]

I have a laptop that still runs vista. Just cause it isn't supported doesn't mean it's bad! (and just cause it was supported doesn't mean it was good LOL)

[Cereal5]

8 minutes ago, draifetee said:

Well I know but I don't want to migrate to windows 10...

I want to be in the least demanding version until I can!

Yeah but no one liked 8... and at some point or another you'll have to upgrade to 10 or 10's successor. which will undoubtedly be more demanding

[draifetee]

14 minutes ago, Cereal5 said:

I have a laptop that still runs vista. Just cause it isn't supported doesn't mean it's bad! (and just cause it was supported doesn't mean it was good LOL)

I know that but I want to have security updates and all that

11 minutes ago, Cereal5 said:

Yeah but no one liked 8... and at some point or another you'll have to upgrade to 10 or 10's successor. which will undoubtedly be more demanding

Just because no one liked it doesn't mean I will not like it (luke likes 8.1 for example) and I also know that I will have to upgrade inevitably I just want to do it later when I can maybe also upgrade my PC!

[desertcomputer]

4 minutes ago, draifetee said:

I know that but I want to have security updates and all that

Just because no one liked it doesn't mean I will not like it (luke likes 8.1 for example) and I also know that I will have to upgrade inevitably I just want to do it later when I can maybe also upgrade my PC!

Security update are useless if you not doing whole drive encryption on your drives, especially with windows any version. I can gain access to any un-encrypted within minutes just via USB with livelinux.

 

Most of security updates won't matter much to mass population (ie home users) as hackers are targeting business instead of individual unless you're like famous or rich.

 

 

[redteam4ever]

You can still update to Windows 10 for free and you won't lose any program that are also compatible with Windows 10. If you have properly activated Windows 7, just run Media Creation Tool and use Update this machine. If you have a Windows 10 installation media, you can just insert it, double-click setup and it will update your Windows and keep all the settings, apps and files. (I updated a machine from Windows 7 just yesterday, so yes, it still works, even without activating assistive technologies)

 

I don't know about the Windows 8 update wizard, but technically you should be able to at least keep your files. Steam library can be "imported" back to Steam, but I wouldn't do it, because you won't have all the registry modifications on your new Windows install.

[draifetee]

1 minute ago, redteam4ever said:

You can still update to Windows 10 for free and you won't lose any program that are also compatible with Windows 10. If you have properly activated Windows 7, just run Media Creation Tool and use Update this machine. If you have a Windows 10 installation media, you can just insert it, double-click setup and it will update your Windows and keep all the settings, apps and files. (I updated a machine from Windows 7 just yesterday, so yes, it still works, even without activating assistive technologies)

 

I don't know about the Windows 8 update wizard, but technically you should be able to at least keep your files. Steam library can be "imported" back to Steam, but I wouldn't do it, because you won't have all the registry modifications on your new Windows install.

So windows 10 upgrades are still free?
Won't I have problems with like drivers and stuff?

Can I for example upgrade to windows 10 and then do a fresh install since the activation key is linked to my hardware?

[desertcomputer]

2 minutes ago, redteam4ever said:

You can still update to Windows 10 for free and you won't lose any program that are also compatible with Windows 10. If you have properly activated Windows 7, just run Media Creation Tool and use Update this machine. If you have a Windows 10 installation media, you can just insert it, double-click setup and it will update your Windows and keep all the settings, apps and files. (I updated a machine from Windows 7 just yesterday, so yes, it still works, even without activating assistive technologies)

 

I don't know about the Windows 8 update wizard, but technically you should be able to at least keep your files. Steam library can be "imported" back to Steam, but I wouldn't do it, because you won't have all the registry modifications on your new Windows install.

^

 

Also OP you don't need to worry much about performance, what is your specs anyways?

 

@draifetee

 

[draifetee]

2 minutes ago, EMC said:

^

 

Also OP you don't need to worry much about performance, what is your specs anyways?

 

@draifetee

 

core 2 duo e8400
gtx 750 

[redteam4ever]

11 minutes ago, draifetee said:

So windows 10 upgrades are still free?
Won't I have problems with like drivers and stuff?

Can I for example upgrade to windows 10 and then do a fresh install since the activation key is linked to my hardware?

Yes, they still are.

 

Drivers will be updated by Windows Update on your first startup.

 

Windows 10 licensing is done digitally - they generate an ID for your HW configuration and then you should be able to do whatever you want unless you change any critical part of your PC  - like a CPU or motherboard. If you use a Microsoft account, the it's even easier, the license will be bound to your account and upon sign in, Windows should activate. You can also choose to do a fresh install when you're updating your PC. You should be able to do a fresh install anytime, but I can't tell you if it works - I've never tried it. Technically, Microsoft would want you to use Reset or Refresh functions introduced in Windows 8 instead of a fresh install, but I think that it should work.

Edited September 9, 2018 by redteam4ever
Provided an article about free updates to Windows 10

[Sauron]

7 minutes ago, EMC said:

Security update are useless if you not doing whole drive encryption on your drives, especially with windows any version. I can gain access to any un-encrypted within minutes just via USB with livelinux.

That's only true if you're afraid of malicious people getting physical access to your computer. If your pc is in your home at all times it doesn't really matter... and if you don't have important data on it but don't want it to become part of a botnet either, the same applies to a laptop.

9 minutes ago, EMC said:

Most of security updates won't matter much to mass population (ie home users) as hackers are targeting business instead of individual unless you're like famous or rich.

Again that's not true - "hackers" may not care about your data specifically but they will happily harvest your computer for a botnet or encrypt it for a ransom. It's not like they need to individually target your pc... if you don't have the latest security updates you could be pawned just by visiting a website and sometimes that's not even required (see wanacry).

[draifetee]

1 minute ago, Sauron said:

That's only true if you're afraid of malicious people getting physical access to your computer. If your pc is in your home at all times it doesn't really matter... and if you don't have important data on it but don't want it to become part of a botnet either, the same applies to a laptop.

Again that's not true - "hackers" may not care about your data specifically but they will happily harvest your computer for a botnet or encrypt it for a ransom. It's not like they need to individually target your pc... if you don't have the latest security updates you could be pawned just by visiting a website and sometimes that's not even required (see wanacry).

2 minutes ago, redteam4ever said:

Yes, they are.

 

Drivers will be updated by Windows Update on your first startup.

 

Windows 10 licensing is done digitally - they generate an ID for your HW configuration and then you should be able to do whatever you want unless you change any critical part of your PC  - like a CPU or motherboard. If you use a Microsoft account, the it's even easier, the license will be bound to your account and upon sign in, Windows should activate. You can also choose to do a fresh install when you're updating your PC. You should be able to do a fresh install anytime, but I can't tell you if it works - I've never tried it. Technically, Microsoft would want you to use Reset or Refresh functions introduced in Windows 8 instead of a fresh install, but I think that it should work.

That's my fear! 

I will try updating to windows 10 then!

Thanks!

 

[1300ny]

Quote

 

Security update are useless if you not doing whole drive encryption on your drives, especially with windows any version. I can gain access to any un-encrypted within minutes just via USB with livelinux.

 

Most of security updates won't matter much to mass population (ie home users) as hackers are targeting business instead of individual unless you're like famous or rich.

 

DON'T EVER use an old unsupported version of windows! They have known security flaws that won't ever be fixed and it is way to easy to get control over them! The only valid way to use a not supported windows version is to not ever connect it to the Internet. And yes hackers primarily target big firms, but many viruses (for example Cryptoviruses) target anyone. And no security updates are not useless. Of course you can gain access to the files with a livelinux but you can't normally gain control over the running system via the network. But if you don't install security patches you will have known open backdoors to your system. Virus creators often create their code with those known backdors in mind!

 

@draifetee: Win 10 isn't going to goble up much more of your resources than win7. In fact some things might even be faster with win 10. As for drivers a freshly installed Win 10 works way better than win 7 or 8 ever did.

Finally don't use win8. if you compare it to win 7 it is worse and same goes in comparision to win 10

 

[Master Disaster]

I seriously dont understand where Luke was coming from.

 

It's been demonstrated multiple times that Windows 10 is a better gaming platform than any other version of Windows. It has the best support and is straight up faster (albeit by a small margin).

 

When you combine that with the fact all the telemetry from Windows 10 has been backported to 8 I genuinely dont see any reason why running 8 over 10 would be beneficial.

 

I think it's just a case of "I'm running 8 because I think it makes me look smart" rather than any real benefit.

 

Also Luke was incredibly condescending too. All that nonsense about people not running 8 for long enough to understand the benefits? Yeah, no. I've had every new version of Windows running on my PC on release day since XP (actually before release day in the case of Vista and 7) and once I'm upgraded I stick with it no matter what. I'm FULLY aware of the benefits and pitfalls of every version of Windows and my conclusion still stands. There is ZERO benefit to running 8 over 10.

[desertcomputer]

On 9/9/2018 at 10:28 AM, Sauron said:

That's only true if you're afraid of malicious people getting physical access to your computer. If your pc is in your home at all times it doesn't really matter... and if you don't have important data on it but don't want it to become part of a botnet either, the same applies to a laptop.

Again that's not true - "hackers" may not care about your data specifically but they will happily harvest your computer for a botnet or encrypt it for a ransom. It's not like they need to individually target your pc... if you don't have the latest security updates you could be pawned just by visiting a website and sometimes that's not even required (see wanacry).

 

Again, was wanacry a script embed inside a website or something that require a user to download to click on?

 

For me a up to date browser and UOrigin(Adblocker) which block majority of malware. It has been grandma proof for more than 2 years, after you lock down system and off site backup for important files. For example not giving your Grandma full administration access to computer, it might be pain if she want to install a application but this hardly happens and I usually can remote desktop and check file and help her setup.

 

Common sense comes a long way, even if it latest security update if you click on zero day exploit nothing will help you.

 

 

 

 

[Sauron]

2 hours ago, EMC said:

 

Again, was wanacry a script embed inside a website or something that require a user to download to click on?

 

For me a up to date browser and UOrigin(Adblocker) which block majority of malware. It has been grandma proof for more than 2 years, after you lock down system and off site backup for important files. For example not giving your Grandma full administration access to computer, it might be pain if she want to install a application but this hardly happens and I usually can remote desktop and check file and help her setup.

 

Common sense comes a long way, even if it latest security update if you click on zero day exploit nothing will help you.

 

 

 

 

Wanacry spread itself through an smb vulnerability. The only requirement was for someone on your network to have been attacked, either through a malicious download or through another network. You could be affected without doing anything.

 

Other things like meltdown could infect you if you so much as visited a web page without you ever noticing.

[Ashleyyyy]

On 9/9/2018 at 11:57 AM, Cereal5 said:

Yeah but no one liked 8... 

i loved Windows 8 and 8.1... 

[jpenguin]

https://m.slashdot.org/story/345648