Microsoft locks Ryzen and Kaby Lake users out of updates on Windows 7

FuturDreamz · 22 Mar 2017

Here's the thing: Microsoft does not WANT to be supporting so many versions of the OS. You can say it's a business decision, but really it's common sense.

Let's re-imagine this scenario without the use of technical terms or money.

You invent a gizmo that makes your life better. You let your friends and family borrow your gizmo. But this gizmo requires constant maintenance otherwise it becomes unusable or dangerous.

You invent a doodad that does nearly all of the things the gizmo did, and does quite a few things that the gizmo cannot do. However, this doodad also needs maintenance otherwise it becomes unuseable or dangerous. Plus many of your friends and family still use the gizmo instead.

Right now you are still maintaining both the gizmo and the doodad, which takes a lot of time out of your day.

Now you invent the Thing, which is a little different from both the gizmo and the doodad, but is far easier to maintain and can go longer without maintenance. Now you want all your friends and family to stop using the gizmo and the doodad and instead use the Thing, because you're bloody sick of spending all your time maintaining the gizmo and the doodad.

DeclanT · 23 Mar 2017

alphanumeric said:

When were hardware partners ever on the hook to develop software updates for past versions of Windows? As far as I know they aren't obligated to develop drivers for any particular OS. Its all voluntary on their part. And from what I can see, as soon as a new OS is released most move their resources on to it.

Of course, it's voluntary, however, why would a partner miss out on such a large audience. If Microsoft force mainstream users to use Windows 10 then Intel and AMD will not see much of a change if they restrict the updates.

CountMike · 23 Mar 2017

DeclanT said:

Of course, it's voluntary, however, why would a partner miss out on such a large audience. If Microsoft force mainstream users to use Windows 10 then Intel and AMD will not see much of a change if they restrict the updates.

"Windows 10 then Intel and AMD will not see much of a change if they restrict the updates" doesn't stand at all., Both of those companies will see more profit but maybe not immediately. There still must be millions of their processor on the shelves and they may see them sold out to hard nosed users that do not want to switch to W10. Buy the time they sell them out, whole upheaval will be over and we'll be starting all of this all over again like every time there was a generation change. All of us old enough will remember this happening many times.
For MS, W7 and other older OSs are just a hindrance, something to spend money on without a chance of making a cent/penny on it any more. HW manufacturers do not care much either, they would rather we buy new stuff than also having to spend on developing drivers and ensure compatibility. Those are the stories older than PC itself.

sygnus21 · 23 Mar 2017

FuturDreamz said:

Here's the thing: Microsoft does not WANT to be supporting so many versions of the OS. You can say it's a business decision, but really it's common sense.

Now you invent the Thing, which is a little different from both the gizmo and the doodad, but is far easier to maintain and can go longer without maintenance. Now you want all your friends and family to stop using the gizmo and the doodad and instead use the Thing, because you're bloody sick of spending all your time maintaining the gizmo and the doodad.

The thing is MS only has to support the previous OS versions to their EOL (End of Life) cycle, not till the end of time.

EOL for Windows 7 is Jan 2020 (less than 3 years from now). Windows 8.1 EOL is 2018 (next year). Support the processors to the EOL and be done. Period!

And let me say this again.... It's not like these processors don't currently work under Win 7 & 8.1 at this moment. They do. It's just that MS would rather have you on Windows 10 now rather than later thus all this "we won't support Kaby and Ryzen on old OS's" talk. It has noting to do with compatibility, and everything to do with moving more users to Windows 10.

Jody Thornton · 23 Mar 2017

sygnus21 said:

The thing is MS only has to support the previous OS versions to their EOL (End of Life) cycle, not till the end of time.

EOL for Windows 7 is Jan 2020 (less than 3 years from now). Windows 8.1 EOL is 2018 (next year). Support the processors to the EOL and be done. Period!

And let me say this again.... It's not like these processors don't currently work under Win 7 & 8.1 at this moment. They do. It's just that MS would rather have you on Windows 10 now rather than later thus all this "we won't support Kaby and Ryzen on old OS's" talk. It has noting to do with compatibility, and everything to do with moving more users to Windows 10.

But why can't Microsoft exercise their "subject to change without notice" clause and say "Look guys. We're in a different business climate now. We need to streamline support testing and maximize profit. In doing so, we need to accelerate the deprecation of older systems, so that we have one corporate vision."

Besides, since it's their product, can't they do with it as they wish, even by providing limited support based on certain new conditions?

I guess, the only reason I'm not so worked up on this, is that I can run Windows 8 on older but still suitable hardware.

sygnus21 · 23 Mar 2017

At the end of the day no matter how it's "justified", it's still MS trying desperately to get people off of 7 and onto 10. This latest episode just speaks to the obviousness of it.

And I'm not worked up either as I'm already on 10. I just think crippling an OS to force people on a new one is silly.

FuturDreamz · 25 Mar 2017

sygnus21 said:

At the end of the day no matter how it's "justified", it's still MS trying desperately to get people off of 7 and onto 10. This latest episode just speaks to the obviousness of it.

And I'm not worked up either as I'm already on 10. I just think crippling an OS to force people on a new one is silly.

Windows 7 is EOL in only 3 years, and my analogy already explained why they are EOLing it.
They HAVE to encourage as many people as possible to move over in the next three years, otherwise they will be in the same position as Windows XP where they are forced to extend their support of it because too many people still use it and society would shut down if Microsoft suddenly stopped supporting it - letting all the virus makers have free reign with all the exploits they have been sitting on.

Microsoft has consistently said that Windows 10 is their attempt at a "final" OS that you will NEVER have to buy and upgrade to. We'll have to see how that holds up, but if they can even get a solid decade in without having to make a new OS to foster on us that would be awesome. Either way, I firmly believe that Windows 10 may very well be the last computer OS that many of us will use for the rest of our lives.

CountMike · 25 Mar 2017

MS retains the data base for all updates which can be downloaded and most probably can be updated like that.

alphanumeric · 25 Mar 2017

I don't know about the "you will NEVER have to buy and upgrade to" part? If you buy new hardware your going to pay for a licence for Windows 10, if its preinstalled. Build your own desktop and your also going to have to pay for it, if that's the OS you want to use on it. Once you have a license though, there will be no fees for upgrades to new builds which is essentially the next new OS. No paying to go from Windows 10 to Windows 11, to Windows 12. < Just an analogy. I fully expect the 10 to be dropped off at some point and it to just be called Windows something or other. Windows Creators Edition maybe? And there will likely be some that hold out until the free upgrade really gets terminated, then cry because they have to pay to upgrade to Windows 10 after 7 EOL.

Cliff S · 25 Mar 2017

alphanumeric said:

I don't know about the "you will NEVER have to buy and upgrade to" part? If you buy new hardware your going to pay for a licence for Windows 10, if its preinstalled. Build your own desktop and your also going to have to pay for it, if that's the OS you want to use on it. Once you have a license though, there will be no fees for upgrades to new builds which is essentially the next new OS. No paying to go from Windows 10 to Windows 11, to Windows 12. < Just an analogy. I fully expect the 10 to be dropped off at some point and it to just be called Windows something or other. Windows Creators Edition maybe? And there will likely be some that hold out until the free upgrade really gets terminated, then cry because they have to pay to upgrade to Windows 10 after 7 EOL.

And I will have NO MERCY for them when they come asking

and I will tell them.