Microsoft Delivers the Final Windows 7 Updates

 

As promised, Microsoft delivered the final set of updates to individuals using Windows 7 today and tomorrow it will begin displaying a full-screen warning that support is over.

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“Today marks the end of support for Windows 7,” Microsoft corporate vice president Jared Spataro writes in a post to the Microsoft 365 Blog. “Ten years ago, when we first announced Windows 7 and Office 2010, we focused on delivering the best productivity experience of the time. But since then, thanks to breakthrough advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), we’ve been able to build tools to help you take advantage of new forms of productivity. And as the cybersecurity landscape continues to dramatically evolve every day, ten-year-old tech just can’t keep up.”

Starting tomorrow, January 15, 2020, Microsoft will begin displaying a full-screen warning in Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, and Professional that it says will “describe the risk of continuing to use Windows 7 Service Pack 1 after it reaches end of support.” The notification will remain on the screen until you interact with it with in some way. Employees of companies that have purchased the Extended Security Update (ESU) will not see this warning, of course.

Today’s updates will require a reboot, of course, and I found a separate update, which does not require a reboot, to be available after that.

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Conversation 28 comments

  • reefer

    14 January, 2020 - 5:41 pm

    <p>Will the warning screen also appear on the Ultimate and Enterprise versions? </p>

    • dftf

      14 January, 2020 - 6:48 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513039">In reply to reefer:</a></em></blockquote><p>Enterprise no, Ultimate yes.</p><p><br></p><p>It won't appear on Pro if you have done an extended subscription and already re-activated it using the new MAK key. Otherwise it will.</p>

      • train_wreck

        14 January, 2020 - 11:10 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#513059">In reply to dftf:</a></em></blockquote><p>What about domain-joined Pro? I remember they were excluded from naggings at one point.</p>

        • bluvg

          15 January, 2020 - 12:22 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#513116">In reply to train_wreck:</a></em></blockquote><p>I read that domain-joined Win7 machines will not receive the notification.</p>

        • wright_is

          Premium Member
          15 January, 2020 - 7:41 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#513116">In reply to train_wreck:</a></em></blockquote><p>Domain joined PCs get the warning, unless as @dftf says, you have installed the extended support MAK key.</p><p>We've a couple of our remaining users calling up in a panic this morning about it. Luckily, we are about 98% migrated. Those that are left are the ones connected to machinery that does not have any Windows 10 compatible software.</p>

          • bluvg

            15 January, 2020 - 11:29 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#513206">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's good to know. I think I misread MJF's article (https ://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-to-start-nagging-windows-7-pro-users-about-january-2020-end-of-support-deadline/) saying that it will not notify domain-joined PCs. That was regarding the warnings prior to the EOL date, not now.</p>

    • epguy40

      14 February, 2020 - 8:47 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513039">In reply to reefer:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>win7 extended support update subscription licenses are also valid for Win7 ultimate edition as Microsoft said so here on this support article:</p><p><br></p><p>support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4527878/faq-about-extended-security-updates-for-windows-7</p><p><br></p><p>"Can Windows 7 ESU be used with Windows 7 Ultimate? </p><p>We recognize there are commercial customers who have deployed Windows 7 Ultimate. For commercial customers who have Windows 7 Ultimate, you can purchase Windows 7 ESU to use with those devices."</p><p><br></p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    14 January, 2020 - 5:42 pm

    <p>How long will the warning persist? Every time it connects to the internet in perpetuity? Or will there be some point that it stops showing up?</p>

    • reformedctrlz

      Premium Member
      14 January, 2020 - 6:04 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513040">In reply to jimchamplin:</a></em></blockquote><p>It reads as a one-time warning</p>

  • lidek

    14 January, 2020 - 6:20 pm

    <p>I upgraded to Win7 on day 1 and it was very much the best OS I’ve ever used. It was clean, functional, and reliable. I loved it so much that I’m still using it on a most of my PCs now. </p><p><br></p><p>But the way Microsoft has betrayed its users here is disgusting. They released two horrible and inferior versions of Windows after 7, ruining and destroying the product that people like me loved. Now, they are trying to force Win10 on us by yanking security updates for no good reason, not considering that none of us want Win10 and its spyware, ads, and crippling updates. I will NEVER use Win10, 8, or any Microsoft product until they change their ways. When Win7 becomes unusable, I’ll switch to Linux for good. </p>

    • cayo

      14 January, 2020 - 7:51 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513046">In reply to lidek:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>If you are in love with a 10-year operating system, how about switching to a 10-year old Linux? Is it any good, does it get all security updates? </p><p> </p><p><br></p>

      • Winner

        15 January, 2020 - 12:59 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#513075">In reply to cayo:</a></em></blockquote><p>Linux is a much better architected OS than Windows and the new versions don't reboot spontaneously or have advertising IDs. So apples and oranges.</p>

        • bluvg

          15 January, 2020 - 11:24 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#513182">In reply to Winner:</a></em></blockquote><p>"Linux is a much better architected OS than Windows"</p><p><br></p><p>According to what or whom? Dave Cutler (father of VMS, which is essentially is the predecessor of NT, and NT itself) certainly wouldn't agree, at least from a core OS standpoint: "UNIX is a junk OS designed by a committee of Ph.D.s." </p>

    • benstat

      15 January, 2020 - 5:07 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513046">In reply to lidek:</a></em></blockquote><p>"<em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245);">Now, they are trying to force Win10 on us by yanking security updates for no good reason</em>"?</p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Really? </span>Windows 7 is 10 years old! How long do you expect MS to keep updating an ancient OS? I'm shocked that you think MS has "<em>betrayed its users</em>" by abandoning a clearly obsolete product. Take your tin foil hat off for a moment – Windows 10 really isn't that bad! It's much better than Windows 7 in my view, and I've used both every day for years.</p><p><br></p><p>Edit: The ads are annoying yes, but really not that in your face. I barely see any at all during my working week.</p><p><br></p><p>Edit 2: Your choice is simple – (1) keep using Windows 7 without security updates, (2) get Windows 10, or (3) move to another OS. Microsoft doesn't owe you anything – you've long since had your money's worth out of Windows 7. I'm glad they're dumping it – I'd rather they concentrated on improving Windows 10.</p>

    • Patrick Yore

      15 January, 2020 - 5:54 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513046">In reply to lidek:</a></em></blockquote><p>Back into your cave with you now!</p>

    • ghostrider

      18 January, 2020 - 4:28 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513046">In reply to lidek:</a></em></blockquote><p>Your points are valid, but it won't make a blind bit of difference. MS will drag everyone kicking and screaming into their cloud &amp; subscription based, telemetry collecting, ad injecting world eventually. They want you right where they can monetise you best!</p><p><br></p><p>If you can get hold of a copy, Enterprise LTSC is the 'best' version to go for, but actually finding a copy is another matter.</p>

  • txag

    14 January, 2020 - 6:34 pm

    <p>I updated my last physical Win 7 machine, just for fun. (It’s going to get a build of 8.1 tomorrow.). It took four or five iterations to find and install all the updates until it stopped offering new ones. More or less the same thing on my VirtualBox Win 7 that I’m keeping just in case.</p><p><br></p><p>Great operating system; horrible update system. (Paul, I share your suspicion that the Win 7 updates were not optimized in part as an incentive to go to Win 10.) </p><p><br></p><p>EDIT: I never saw any of the Win 7 warnings during all my updating activities.</p>

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    14 January, 2020 - 7:50 pm

    <p>Hypothetical discussion: What if you don’t upgrade? What trade offs you making? </p><p><br></p><p>I still see Windows XP in use.. things like embedded windows applications where the PC is controlling a custom piece of hardware in an appliance type function. Example test equipment. </p><p><br></p><p>what if I chose to keep running Windows 7.</p><p><br></p><p>Lets take security off the table … that will decay into a philosophical discussion about personal tolerance to risk and fear of the boogie man. How long can I run Windows 7 and be productive? </p>

    • train_wreck

      14 January, 2020 - 11:09 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513074">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>For as long as your software keeps working, the hardware it’s running on keeps working, and the whole setup continues to fill your needs.</p><p><br></p><p>But the rest of the world will move on, and it’s highly likely that you will eventually have to move on with them at some point.</p>

    • luis3007

      14 January, 2020 - 11:11 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513074">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>As long as your PC hardware keeps running and you shoulder the lag and slow down of continuous use while hoping no exploits are deployed on your PC.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      15 January, 2020 - 7:27 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513074">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>We still have some XP machines to run plant and lab equipment. As long as they are isolated from the network, they can keep running until the hardware fails.</p><p>The same goes for the Windows 7 machines we have on newer lab equipment, they will be isolated and left running until the equipment is replaced. </p><p>That is the problem when you have hardware with a 20 year life cycle being controlled by software that has, at best, a 10 year life cycle. The manufacturers usually aren't interested in supplying updated software.</p><p>"You want updated software that runs on Windows 10? Fine, we can do that, you'll just need to replace this $500,000 dongle, erm, I mean scientific equipment."</p>

      • reefer

        15 January, 2020 - 10:06 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#513203">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p>If you have hardware with 20 years life cycle you buy solutions from companies that are a little more serious with it than putting a general purpose desktop OS on it despite that they know only have 5 + 5 years of support.</p><p>There are several very nice professional solutions for your niche from UNIX manufacturers and solutions providers. </p>

        • red.radar

          Premium Member
          15 January, 2020 - 10:22 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#513245">In reply to reefer:</a></em></blockquote><p>your making the assumption that test equipment is a commodity item and you can prioritize the software stack over the mission critical hardware capability you are procuring. </p><p><br></p><p>secondly, when some of this equipment was purchased 10+ years ago… Microsoft was telegraphing different life cycles. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • thetsart

    15 January, 2020 - 12:02 am

    <p>So does the final update actually deliver anything useful like security patches or is it just the code for the self-destruct… er, I mean, the full-screen warning?</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      15 January, 2020 - 8:01 am

      It has security patches, too. It’s a normal cumulative update.

  • aztony

    15 January, 2020 - 5:39 pm

    <p>I have an older laptop running Win7. It had Win10, from being on the slow ring of Windows Insider, lost the OS when I replaced the HDD with an SDD and it wouldn't let me reinstall 10 or any other Windows OS. I brought it into the Microsoft store to see if they could do something. They weren't able to get 10, 8, or XP to run on it but they were able to get 7 to work. Is there a way for me to get 10 installed without having to pay for it? </p>

    • Winner

      15 January, 2020 - 5:56 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513431">In reply to aztony:</a></em></blockquote><p>You can install 10 with the Media Creation tool. You could even install it fresh and not activate it and it still works, just has an annoying message on the desktop.</p>

  • javial

    Premium Member
    15 January, 2020 - 6:42 pm

    <p>With this new updates Microsoft broke streching desktop background images. Simply not run. Only shows a black background. </p>

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