So, does this mean, in order to maintain my CPU sanity, I need to do the following: a) buy a new computer and start all over? b) upgrade my present (e.g., MS Word) programs to hopefully run on the new operating system? c) Keep my 8.1 and deal with the consequences? Anyone have any suggestions?

I'd just upgrade you MSOS to Windows 10 or Windows 11. Microsoft can do that online for you without you losing your 'stuff'! They did it for me. :)

There are free word processing programs - like 'OpenOffice Writer'
It will convert MS docs & has much the same feel

In case you hadn't noticed MS has been destroying old docs for years now
They will but out a security note saying a particular function is a threat

Then, any doc using that feature becomes trash
So if you don't have backup, the doc will become junk if you open it

But a back-up of what?? I can't lose all my MS365 docs! I have Open Office installed but the minute I try to use it, it automatically defaults to MS365. When "The Change" takes effect, will my MS365 docs convert to Open Office? How will this work?

I really don't like feeling forced to do much of anything, especially when that anything stinks. I have Windows 10 on my newer laptop since that's all I could get (and of course I hate it) but my desktop still runs on good old fashioned, God bless America, apple pie and non mind bending Windows 7. Just saying Windows 7 makes me feel like I sent my brain for a spa day. So what am I missing here? I use Malwarebytes and have never had a problem.

I have upgraded many Windows 8 computers to Windows 10 over the last few years. Nine times out of ten you still get a free upgrade to Windows 10. I always upgrade the hard drive to a SSD and either do a fresh install of Windows 10 or clone the original disk to the SSD and then do an in-place upgrade to Windows 10. My customers are always happy with the performance of their 'new' computer and it's certainly a lot cheaper than buying a brand new one! Finally, given how rubbish Windows 11 is I think sticking with Windows 10 for as long as possible is the better option.

I agree with you RobertN Having upgraded my Windows 10 to Windows 11 about a year ago, I found the Windows 11 did not support much of my applications. I recently reinstalled Windows 10 and will wait for a better version.

Great information, but what do we do about it. I am one of the white haired techo-weenies and have been out of my element for the past 10 years. I could understand and navigate around windows 7 but I have not installed anything myself since windows 10 screwed up my system completely and cost me a good slice of money to have put right. Any advice would be welcomed, not only by me but I suspect many more of my fellow weenies.

I'm in the exactly same position!

Just upgraded to win 10 from win 8.1. I liked 8.1 better. Unfortunately, my desktop is not compatible with win 11. Hopefully, my desktop will last to the end of support for win 10.

Have Windows 10 and my computer is not compatible with the current upgrades, does this mean when support for Windows 10 ends, I be forced to buy a new computer?

Exactly. That is precisely why forced obsolescence -- the practise of invalidating purchases without customer consent to coerce the customer into buying new -- is such a problem. It serves no purpose other than corporate greed, as Linux has been proving since its inception.

you're wasting my time!

Wa does that mean? Please elaborate. Thanks

Surely you are responsible for what you do with your own time........

It's all about the Benjamins. Operating systems are not purchased--merely rented until the expiration with updates no longer provided. That is a policy decision made with only one thing in mind: the bottom line.

That is a corporate lie. The SYSTEM is yours for life. It is the UPDATES that are a service, and as long as you have people like me in the world, there will always be places to download updates without interference from the entitled gamblers fascetiously labelled 'shareholders'

Totally not true.
I'm still using essentially my windows 7 licence and have been able to freely upgrade all the way to Windows 10 on my current system... if my CPU was a bit newer, I could have continued on to Windows 11 via upgrade/update for free! ...
Seriously, good riddance to Windows 8.

Microsoft isn't a charity. The "bottom line" is why it exists.

I had a very good experience this past year.

So is the complete gamut of Office 365 going to go away, or just the version they use with Windows 8.1? I subscribe to Office 365 on my Windows 10 version, and they tell us to just delete the auto pay option if we want to unsubscribe before the next re-subscription date.

I updated this computer to Windows 10 several years ago.

Forced obsolescence should be illegal. If I bought it, I use it, when I want and how I want. I decide whether I want an airgapped computer, I decide whether I want a live account. You don't confiscate someone's car after X months just because you'd like to get more money off them; that is theft. Longhorn was the last Windows client I actually liked (although admittedly 98SE was always my favourite), and ever since this "tool-functionality-as-a-service" crap spread out from the hive of avarice and suicide-netting that is apple, Microsoft is morphing ever less subtly into apple 2.0
Come to Linux, guys. It's nowhere near as intimidating as it used to be, and honestly it works better in virtually every use case at this point. Everything works like you're used to from when windows had frames, but even if you like the Mondriaan-from-Wish,com look of metro, you can customise almost literally everything about your system.

Is there any way to get Malwarebytes to work on Win7 ? It stopped working for me a couple of years ago.

It should work on Windows 7 SP1. It that is not working for you, feel free to reach out to our Support team: https://support.malwarebyte...

This is beyond me, I will certainly need help with this.
I'm not een sure which windows that I have already, I think it's 10, but how can I find out??

To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK. That should show you a prompt that has the Windows version in it.

What is the Windows logo Key?

It's the key on your keyboard that looks like 4 rectangles. Usually to be found in the lower left hand coner of your keyboard between the Ctrl and Alt keys. Alternatively you can find it like thiks: Select the Start button > Settings > System > About .
https://support.microsoft.c...

"Skills that make him a nightmare for threats like you." to start what makes you think that I would be a threat?
-saying that is a good way to get my back up.

With 44 Years in IT under my belt and still have Windows for Workgroups 3.1 running and everything up from there I think your scare mongering sounds like a puppet doing its masters bidding.

So Microsoft won’t support Win 8.1 anymore, like they stopped supporting Windows 1, 2 and 3 Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11 / Win 95 / Win ME / Win 2000 SP4 / Win 98 / Win XP / Win Vista / Win 7 / Win 8 / Win 8.1 / and next year Win 10 then Win 11, and all the others they will come up with will eventually have no MS support. All predicated to sell newer hardware and software in particular OS to keep the hungry dogs at bay and keep the whole industry going to continue making more money in year to come.

MS is now making profit in the Billion Dollar bracket and they want to try for the Trillion Dollar range next, Million is now petty cash.

So I support my own Workstations with whatever Operating System they ae running and I have my own custom security in place to protect them from Parasites.

Anyhow, smoke a pipe and keep your shirt on Christopher Boyd. (Lead Malware Intelligence Analyst)
☺☺☺

Any tips on what protection to use for Win7 ?

You can use Malwarebytes https://support.malwarebyte...

I'm not a threat:) Mr Boyd says he is a nightmare "for threats like you" Hmmm

how do you check if this computer is not correct?

Windows 8 and the arrogance behind it is was the final push I needed to go MacOS. Talk about the tale wagging the dog! Never looked back since. I use continue to use Malwarebytes on all MacOS and iOS products I own. Apple support prefers Malwarebytes and i've never, ever had a computer problem since.

How about not sending Windows warnings to Mac users. It is disrespectful and unnecessary.

Even though I have had your Malware protection on my computer now, I was hacked -- so what can you offer that will REALLY STOP HACKERS?????
Give me proof of protection and I wild will sign on. BUT, that means TOTAL PROTECTION.

You. You the end user are only truly the one capable of stopping said hackers from doing damage.... you know the truth as to what you use your system for. You know the ways to protect yourself from scam phone calls or emails... ie don't just trust every poorly written email that comes into your inbox, clicking on every link, believing every phone call that say they from Microsoft or "insert-big-business-name-here" and then going along with everything they tell you to do... the end user is the only thing that can stop the hackers these days.... people need to learn to take some responsibility for the things that happen to them in the world... and not just try and find ways of blaming some other entity. Never put all of your faith into one thing!! Don't be naive in life! ... and listen to other people's stories and try to learn from them. Help each other out. Try to understand how you got hacked and then talk about it with your friends and help the world grow smarter every day!

Hi, Malwarebytes is an anti-malware solution and not a complete anti-hacking solution. Compare installing Malwarebytes with locking your doors and installing surveillance camera's. That doesn't stop anyone from entering the house through the chimney. So when you say, you have been hacked, can you reach out to me or our Support team at https://support.malwarebyte... so we can investigate and see if there is anything we could have done to prevent it?

In case you are one of those who likes to explore the "deep web" via Torr etc, you will need a PHD to protect yourself from what lurks in the sludge ponds that fill that place. It is where the world's worst hackers, exploiters, criminals and crooks hang out and they unfortunately are experts in finding the unaware innocents that dabble there. That, and the adult content sites, are hooked with malware and all sorts of viruses etc. to nab those who dawdle there. If you don't believe that, check what comes into your email that gets shunted over to the "spam" file. Everywhere you go they track you back and put you on the lists of interests from where you travel on the web, which is gathered by big data and sold to everyone anywhere indescriminately, whether honest or criminal, that has the money to pay for them. Then the crooks pass your name and particulars around to their hacker buddies.

I am fed up with Windows planned obsolescence. Our blessed government pays millions to MS, or subcontractors, to continue supporting old MS software because they "can't afford to" upgrade their PCs. The impact on the rest of us is also enormous.

Microsoft don't care about their customers who are not rich to put for a new computer...sad... I've had friends who can't afford to upgrade their computers and keep using the older versions... I think they should take into consideration those who can't afford to buy a new computer...

Exactly, if I have to upgrade our computer, I'll throw it out, and do without it.

WINDOWS 7 WAS GREAT! Windows 8 stunk and windows 10 is not all that much better. I ran windows 7 until a few months ago and then 'upgraded' to windows 10. All kind of performance issues now and my system far exceeds the minimum requirements for 10. I have 32 GB memory. I still needed to set the performance settings to my selections. Win 10 screwed up my whole performance with the 'let windows set the settings'. Not good!