Curtains Down on Free Support for Windows 7

In its bid to get users move on beyond Windows 7, Microsoft is ending mainstream support for its six-year old operating system.

According to Mashable, Windows 7 was launched in January 2009 and currently operates on 56 percent desktops, while its predecessor Windows XP runs on 18 percent of PCs. Windows 8, the latest version available, has not fared well give its paltry 9 percent share of the OS market. While Windows 7 has been highly successful, Microsoft is prepping users to move on.

CNET reported that Windows 7 users will no longer be able to avail free help and support. This comes after Microsoft stopped Windows 7 sales last November though computers pre-installed are still available. Instead extended support, where Microsoft will charge for the service it provides, will be available till 2020. That said, Microsoft will continue providing security patches to protect computers against threats.

Microsoft usually offers mainstream support for an operating system for five years after release or for two years after a new version's launch.

Last year, it pulled the plug on Windows XP by ending extended support. This had raised security concerns as close to 30 percent of the computers worldwide including hospitals and ATMs were then using the operating system which was launched 14 years earlier, PC Magazine reported .

Meanwhile, the failure of Windows 8's is often attributed to its design. Among the most notable changes was absence of classic Start menu and introduction of tiles, besides uniformity across computers and smartphones.