Thursday, March 16th 2017
Microsoft Locks System Updates for Windows 7, 8.1 on Ryzen, Kaby Lake Systems
It would seem Microsoft is ever looking for more creative ways of pushing its Windows 10 operating system towards the masses. Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users have apparently encountered one of these: a lock on system updates. The error message, which reads "Your PC uses a processor that isn't supported on this version of Windows", points towards a hardware lock-in in exchange for added security and updates.
A Microsoft Support page sheds some light on this issue: that Windows 10 is the only Microsoft operating system to support particular hardware configurations. Namely, systems based on Intel's "seventh (7th)-generation processors or a later generation" (Kaby Lake); "AMD seventh (7th)-generation ("Bristol Ridge") processor or a later generation"; and "Qualcomm "8996" processor or a later generation". This move on Windows 7 might make some sense; however, Windows 8.1 is still in its lease of life (and Microsoft support) until at least 2018.
Source:
Microsoft Support
A Microsoft Support page sheds some light on this issue: that Windows 10 is the only Microsoft operating system to support particular hardware configurations. Namely, systems based on Intel's "seventh (7th)-generation processors or a later generation" (Kaby Lake); "AMD seventh (7th)-generation ("Bristol Ridge") processor or a later generation"; and "Qualcomm "8996" processor or a later generation". This move on Windows 7 might make some sense; however, Windows 8.1 is still in its lease of life (and Microsoft support) until at least 2018.
116 Comments on Microsoft Locks System Updates for Windows 7, 8.1 on Ryzen, Kaby Lake Systems
Updates on Windows include (are dominated by) fixes for hardware problems and incompatibilities. They are pretty essential.
However, you're right about them causing a lot of issues, but that's difficult to avoid in an open platform. It's much the same with Linux, Android and so on.
Only companies like Apple have the possibility to make full tests of update implications, because they control the hardware.
And even Apple f..ks up from time to time, like with iOS updates that make older phones slow and power-hungry (although most people believe it's done on purpose).
W10 is a huge improvement over 7 in many ways. It has some minor drawbacks too. Just like 7 had a couple, and 8. The funny thing is, this thread is entirely NOT about wanting a better OS, its about staying on the same one that is outdated, even beyond its supported timeframe. Again, I feel MS should definitely be supporting Ryzen and Kaby on 8.1, but to request/demand this for 7 is the exact sentiment you can see with people that were still on XP when it went EOL - its pure and utter laziness and a very conscious attempt to pass the limits of what is deemed common sense, while at the same time pointing the finger at the software builder for being evil. It's hypocrisy.
Y'know I was also someone that held off the upgrade until the last possible moment, because I don't feel like early adopting a new OS at all. But when I did move to 10, it had a few hiccups and took some getting used to, but I was also quick to realize that its an improvement over everything that came before it. It is flexible, intuitive, does things automagically that you had to do manual in 7/8, and even does those things in a way that you would probably also do it yourself. When you let 10 do its thing when it wants, like it is designed, you NEVER, and I mean n-e-v-e-r get harassed by Windows Update at some most inconvenient time anymore, you have a rig that boots faster than it ever did before, secures itself well on all ends, and lets you be productive without clicking twenty tabs and option lists to really get it to what you want it to be. The beauty of 10 is that it has been decluttered in every possible way, and adds functionality in its place, while still being customizable and 'open' like every version that preceded it.
Its also mostly in the smaller things, like when you hook up your phone on USB, you don't get this super annoying dialog box forcing you to 'choose' what to do with your media. It recognizes you plugged the same device as before, and does what you want it to do. You need to actually use 10 for a few months to really feel the improvements under the hood as well, like its improved responsiveness which only happens after 10 has done some serious work on your system disk, something it does while your PC is idling.
Whereas, my Linux machines? That was a process of learning, over months, trying to get them 'Tuned'. Which Distro, I have some older CPU's and some of them couldn't handle newer Distro's!
Point being, I concur with the statement above. Just use it as you normally do, and it gets better!! Tunes itself to you and your uses. MS is not the Ideal, neither is Linux or iOS. But, 10 is without doubt the best MS has done. Hell, I have 8.1 on this laptop I am using and still can't find a fault. It does everything I want it to, not the least of it being a smaller footprint that doesn't hog my mid-sized SSD!
I appreciate the vitriol. But, getting all worked up about it is just a waste of energy. Lawsuit? Good Luck.
Windows 8.1 has mainstream support until the beginning of 2018 so I'm surprised they're not patching that. A lawsuit could be effective there.
Your conclusions are without merit.
This is exactly the kind of "bend me over and do what you like" mentality that is so dangerous to digital security on a personal level. Microsoft is NOT trustworthy. They prove that with every move like this that they make. Is it any wonder that the most dominant OS in use on the planet is Android? Microsoft is killing the PC market, and people like you are helping them. GET a CLUE!
See how I finished your sentance? That's the actual limit of what they are liable for. Period.
Did you read what you wrote before you hit "post reply"?
FYI, perhaps your reading comprehension needs slight improvement.. Just throwing it out there...
- As long as the hardware makers provide working drivers for its product(s), then yes, feel free to build a machine that uses said hardware. Microsoft is not to be held responsible to ensure that every single piece of hardware works in tandem with its software.
- Microsoft is not obliged to provide said drivers for its software that is beyond its mainstream support lifecycle.
Microsoft never claimed to add support for the Zen Architecture. AMD did. If you still insist on blaming someone for not supporting software that is on extended support, than it's AMD that is to blame.Quote from www.pcmag.com/news/351565/amd-ryzen-processors-will-support-windows-7:
"As Microsoft will not add support for new processor architectures to Windows 7, it's up to AMD to produce all of the necessary drivers itself for both the processor and the AM4 socket chipset. It's unclear exactly why AMD would go to the trouble of doing this beyond making Ryzen accessible to the widest possible market. Even so, surely consumers upgrading to a Ryzen-based desktop PC would also opt for a move to Windows 10."
Instead of being outrospective and looking for who to blame, maybe you ought to try introspection instead: why would you buy an 8 year old operating system and installing on hardware that is less than a year old? Hell, it makes more sense to install Windows 10 on 8 year old hardware than it does to install Windows 7 on new hardware. I've done it, repeatedly, and it works great.
Stop arguing at points that have no sensible logic. This decision is one in a LONG series of blunders and pathetic choices Microsoft has made. Quit defending them.
I have to disagree on the whole never get hassled by Windows updates as if you want to do a quick restart or turn the computer off u have no choice but to apply the updates that are sitting there, so annoying!! and since W10 (unless your on a SSD) is such a slow OS it can take some serious time to update. At least with 7 I can tell the OS to restart without doing the updates, anyone should know that Windows loves been rebooted after installing or uninstalling a program, but to then have to wait for the updates to install because I cant get around it with W10, fuck me.
Again i totally disagree I think W10 is a cluster fuck, it is in no ways a simple OS, it is even harder to use out of the box then 7. All you have to do is sit down with customers and clients to realise this, just been able to do basic tasks now is made harder as you have to go find them as there hidden away, the entire lay out is a disaster, nothing is grouped together in sections to find what your looking for its spread between two different panels and which one is hidden, it just makes it confusing for the every day user WHICH the OS is intender for, not us tech savvy people who can find these things and then set it up so the end user can now get to this and that without pulling there hair out trying to find it.
Try changing the folder structure in windows 10 (Documents/Music/Photos etc) and tell the OS to save (automatically) into that folder structure to a different location, ever since the Anniversary update it is now impossible to do so, again its telling me what i can do when I should be telling it what to do. Also there might be some update that W10 wants you to install and every time the OS boots its coming up on screen to say hey update here do it!, I dont want to W10 hence why I have ignored it so stop telling me very friggin time I boot. At least W7 wont annoy the shit out of you for that, if there is an update you go have a look and then decided if you want to apply it or not, its not going to stick its head out every time you turn on your PC. Yes I know i can tell it to stop but the point is I shouldnt have to in the first place!
Yes W0 has got some features that are better then 7 thats a no brainer but they could of simply implemented that into an older OS that has already proven its self time and time again to be a stable, simple, non confusing OS for the every day users. Will I have to use W10 in the future? yes of course I will, why? because im forced to do so. Does W10 run like a beast on new hardware? yes it does ive built a Intel 6700 system on an SSD and it was very fast and smooth, does it run as good on older hardware? no it doesnt, which then inturns forces me to upgrade my allready powerful Hardware to use with an OS that has made even 3yr old Software obsolete.
I had really high hopes for W10 I really did, I was hopeing this was going to be the OS that knocks W7 out of the park and be the most user friendly and most compatible OS to date and have within a yr and a half been the most used OS on the planet like 7 was, but sadly it hasnt lived up to my expectations at all and many other people around the world also hence the 48% of people still on W7, numbers win!