I’ve been running a very reliable Plex server for a few years now. It’s running on an older Dell Optiplex PC, and it’s running Windows 7 pro. Given Windows 7 is about to lose update support, i’ve been thinking i need to setup a new server with Windows 10/Linux. I have been thinking, however, that i could keep using Windows 7 even after support for updates end. What is the general consensus on this? i’d never consider doing this if i was browsing the internet with this PC, or if it was a type of regular use PC… but it’s just a Plex server in a dark basement.
I highly doubt Plex will stop working or fail to install anytime in the foreseeable future. It’s really a matter of security with the windows 7 PC.
If it’s just Plex you should be fairly safe. As long as a hacker doesn’t get access to your local network via WiFi or direct connect it should not be an issue.
I would look to get it replaced with Linux or windows 10 but you should not be scrambling right now.
This might seem a convenient option… but it’s not actually worth it if you run in trouble further down the road.
From what I remember you should even be able to use your Windows 7 activation key Wehen installing Windows 10 (better double check that… I’m not a Windows user myself)
Yeah, security was my only concern. As you stated I feel like the attack would need to come locally for this to be an issue. I’m leaning towards the idea of holding off on upgrading for about a year… I’m sure eventually Windows 7 will stop being support by PMS as well, but not for awhile.
@mattknoll - I really would not recommend it. You are simply asking for trouble!
Yes, the OS will continue to run, but the hacking community are gonna go hell for leather finding new vulnerabilities that will not be patched. Ultimately, you are holding an open invitation for someone to have a go at your network.
Let it run on for a few weeks or so maybe, but beyond that is a far too much of a risk for my liking.
I’ve been in IT since 1998, and I saw a number of customers get hacked because they chose to keep running XP beyond its sell by date.
Given the history of Windows security breaches in the past, I reckon it is only a matter of months before an un-patchable vulnerability is discovered in Windows 7, which can also be exploited from the internet.
Remember: if you run Plex server in Windows, it is communicating over the internet the whole time.
If you don’t want your Windows 7 machine to become an outpost of crackers, DDoS’ers and others scoundrels, don’t connect it to the internet in any way.
But in doing so, you cannot use Plex anymore. Ergo…
