Which Operating Systems are Supported?

Do you regularly update your operating system?

There is constantly new technology superseding what is currently out there.
Along with this, it means that support for older versions become non-existent by their manufacturers.This then leads to having a lack of performance updates and security updates.
But it isn’t all bad news. By upgrading to their latest operating systems, not only does it give you better security, but also enhanced features.

Let’s take a look at what has been happening in this space.

Windows Operating Systems

Windows XP. This operating system has been available for 12 years. Support for this version ended 8th April 2014.
Windows Vista. Support for this has completely ended on 11th April 2017.
Windows 8. This is where it gets tricky, so pay close attention to this one. The ‘Mainstream Support’, which contained security and feature updates ends on 9th January 2018, whilst the ‘Extended Support’, which contain security patches will end on 10th January 2023.

Mac Operating Systems

Although Apple doesn’t announce when support ends for their operating systems, we can instead provide you with information on when the last security update was released.
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Last security updated was released on 13th August 2015.
OS X 10.9 Mavericks. Last security update was released on 18th July 2016.
OS X 10.10 Yosemite. As of 17th October 2017, the last security update was released on 19th July 2017.

What if I still have one of these?

If you do have one of these operating systems, it doesn’t mean the computer will stop working. It simply means that with the lack of security updates, it can’t fix any vulnerabilities that may come through. Essentially, it is considered to not be secure in keeping users and their data safe.

What can I do about it?

If you are unsure of what to do, you can always contact us to find out what the best solution is for you. This will mean reviewing the age of your computer in order to find out which operating system we can upgrade it to. Plus, we can back up your data (if you haven’t already done so), check your current software status and make the necessary changes.

For Mac users, provided you are on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (or later), you can easily upgrade to High Sierra. For more information on upgrading to High Sierra, see this Apple ‘How to’ page.

Just like with any technology these days, you will also need to be wary of compatibility issues with any other software you may have,

For more information on Windows operating system lifecycle, see to Microsoft Support.