TL;DR: Go here (www.grc.com), download the app, run it and then make selections in the app to be sure you won’t get Windows 10 installed on your system.
Just a quick couple of notes for all my Windows (7 & 8/8.1) using friends out there in the world; Microsoft dislikes you and your choice of operating system. They REALLY want you to be using Windows 10 and will do almost anything to get you there.
They’ve even gone so far as to try to sneak the upgrade onto your computer without actually telling you. If you don’t know what to look for and Windows has already started telling you about the great, free upgrade to Windows 10 you’re eligible for it’s probably already dropped 4 – 6 Gigabytes of install data on your drive and it’s just waiting for you to agree to the upgrade. Or in some cases, leave your computer on overnight only to return and find you’ve been auto-upgraded.
The application linked here (www.grc.com) is a great little program that will let you know the status of your system and if the files have already been downloaded. It will also allow you to delete those file and completely remove any of the nag-screens that you may already have seen. Gibson Research has been around for a very long time and it’s one of the websites I would always guarantee as being malware free. You should feel confident downloading from GRC.
Some people I’ve talked with don’t mind Windows 10 and it’s probably a decent OS(disclaimer: I’ve not used it all as of now); my real problem is with the guerilla tactics that are being used by Microsoft to get people off of these other OSes and onto the newer, less private OS. It may very well be the second coming of our lord and saviour Zeus, but there’s really no need, right now, for upgrading in my opinion.
If anyone out there needs help with this, I’m making myself available until the end of the month for a wee spot of tech support in regards to this issue. I don’t want anyone getting upgraded who doesn’t specifically want to. Let me know if I can help.