MS has backtracked on Win7 support for Skylake chips

wklee · Sep 16, 2016

It was said that anyone running Skylake CPUs with Win7 will have up to 2017, but later extended to 2018. Now, the support for Skylake is up to 2020 when Win 7 support ends.

http://arstechnica.com/information-...windows-7-and-8-1-given-a-one-year-extension/

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Never buy version 1.0 of anything.

faterikcartman · Sep 16, 2016

Feeling even better about my two new workstations with Win 7 Pro. They came with Win 10 Pro licenses for when I'm forced to switch.

malch · Sep 16, 2016

I thought this might happen.

Seems to be a pattern lately. They make a policy decision that is clearly going to be unpopular, even arrogant. Users (especially corporate users) howl, and then MS is forced to backtrack.

bmoag · Sep 17, 2016

Do most people know what Win 7 support for Skylake means? Not much really. Most of it is noise to get people to move to Win 10. MS is heavy handed about it but not wrong in trying to move people to one platform. Corporations with thousands of Win 7 licenses will pay MS to continue security updates, as they did/do for XP but for individual users it makes no sense to stick with an obsolete OS regardless of what they imagine it to be or not to be.

Win 10 will run on any x86 chipset with vanilla drivers included in the installation media (so will Linux and so will OSX although the latter requires software to translate proprietary Apple BIOS calls). Those are rarely the optimal Windows drivers. If you rely as most do on Microsoft for driver updates your machine is not functioning optimally anyway. If you have a hand built/custom computer you can go to the motherboard maker's website for the best drivers. Dell/HP et al rarely update their branded drivers for the generic components in their machines to avoid support calls. However using a program like Slimdrivers (anyone can use this) you can find the latest and greatest drivers for your particular desktop or laptop.

When you upgrade those drivers you may notice significant performance boosts.

For example I have a Skylake Asus motherboard. The website has drivers for Win 7 32 and 64 bits. Ergo Win 7 will run and did run just fine. In fact when I built the machine I first installed a valid Win 7 license with correct drivers, stress tested then "upgraded" to the free Win 10 and ultimately did a fresh install of Win 10.

I have no idea why anyone would insist on sticking with Win 7 but people seem to imagine an irrational version and relationship to what is just a bunch of inert computer code.

MS will ultimately end "support" for Win 7 as it did for XP and for Win 10 when that is ultimately replaced. When MS says Win 10 is the "last" version of Windows I think they mean they are going to stop innovating on the GUI, as Apple long ago did (Snow Leopard to Sierra looks and works pretty much the same) which is a real dis-service to end users.

Austinian · Sep 17, 2016

bmoag said:
When MS says Win 10 is the "last" version of Windows I think they mean they are going to stop innovating on the GUI, as Apple long ago did (Snow Leopard to Sierra looks and works pretty much the same) which is a real dis-service to end users.

Yes, for those who like myself enjoy newness, but I'm afraid that most users just want the same old stuff they're used to. So from a business POV it probably makes sense. Look at all the XP holdouts; I predict there will be many more long-term Windows 7 users.

Also, if I have driver issues my personal preference is to go directly to the device manufacturer's website for drivers; unfortunately I can't count on the PC/mobo maker to have the latest; as you say, they're very conservative to avoid support calls.

malch · Sep 17, 2016

bmoag said:
MS will ultimately end "support" for Win 7 as it did for XP and for Win 10 when that is ultimately replaced.

But XP support still hasn't really ended. Sure, folks may (or may not) be paying for it.

However, the simple fact is that XP is still running on millions of machines many/most owned by large corporations and even governments.

You can be sure it will be considerably harder to make Windows 7 die.

Bobthearch · Sep 17, 2016

"Ending support" is meaningless marketing hype, an attempt to create "upgrade or die" media hysteria. The software doesn't stop working. How many people really use Microsoft support anyway?

Inevitably though compatibility becomes problematic when attempting to upgrade hardware or software applications. It remains to be seen how long new software and hardware will be backwards compatible with XP and Win7.

For now at least, Windows XP remains a perfectly viable general-use OS. The amount of available software is staggering, and it's even compatible with the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Libre Office.

Austinian · Sep 17, 2016

Bobthearch said:
"Ending support" is meaningless marketing hype, an attempt to create "upgrade or die" media hysteria. The software doesn't stop working. How many people really use Microsoft support anyway?

Inevitably though compatibility becomes problematic when attempting to upgrade hardware or software applications. It remains to be seen how long new software and hardware will be backwards compatible with XP and Win7.

For now at least, Windows XP remains a perfectly viable general-use OS. The amount of available software is staggering, and it's even compatible with the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Libre Office.

What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

faterikcartman · Sep 17, 2016

bmoag said:
Corporations with thousands of Win 7 licenses will pay MS to continue security updates, as they did/do for XP but for individual users it makes no sense to stick with an obsolete OS regardless of what they imagine it to be or not to be.

I have no idea why anyone would insist on sticking with Win 7 but people seem to imagine an irrational version and relationship to what is just a bunch of inert computer code.

If using software or peripherals that run reliably on Win 7 for business purposes, Win 7 is not an obsolete OS. Especially if they experience compatibility issues with Win 10. Or if they cannot afford to, or have no desire to, risk any issues going forward with an ever-evolving Win 10. Even if a work-around or solution to make them run is possible, dealing with that is an expense of time and possibly technical support. Why incur such an expense or down-time just to have what someone claims is the latest and greatest?

And yes, many, many, individuals use their PCs for business purposes.

If you truly have no idea why some people would insist on sticking with Win 7 for as long as possible, I believe you. But that's a function of you not being well informed. The internet is at your fingertips. A few searches and some reading can help educate you. Because you, individually, with your particular software suite, may have had no problems with Win 10, is wholly irrelevant to this argument. You're a sample size of one.

You've made your post as if to suggest people sticking with Win 7 are irrational. Not only are you rude, but the fact that you are so ignorant when the internet is filled with endless stories of people struggling to make their software and peripherals work with Win 10 also makes you look bad. Of course we all make regrettable posts from time to time.

wklee · Sep 17, 2016

Austinian said:
Bobthearch said:

"Ending support" is meaningless marketing hype, an attempt to create "upgrade or die" media hysteria. The software doesn't stop working. How many people really use Microsoft support anyway?

Inevitably though compatibility becomes problematic when attempting to upgrade hardware or software applications. It remains to be seen how long new software and hardware will be backwards compatible with XP and Win7.

For now at least, Windows XP remains a perfectly viable general-use OS. The amount of available software is staggering, and it's even compatible with the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Libre Office.

Click to expand...

What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

There were some posts here about getting XP past its due date by using its embedded version. I don't have XP anymore so I can't tell how well that worked out,

Austinian · Sep 17, 2016

wklee said:
Austinian said:

Bobthearch said:

"Ending support" is meaningless marketing hype, an attempt to create "upgrade or die" media hysteria. The software doesn't stop working. How many people really use Microsoft support anyway?

Inevitably though compatibility becomes problematic when attempting to upgrade hardware or software applications. It remains to be seen how long new software and hardware will be backwards compatible with XP and Win7.

For now at least, Windows XP remains a perfectly viable general-use OS. The amount of available software is staggering, and it's even compatible with the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Libre Office.

Click to expand...

What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

Click to expand...

There were some posts here about getting XP past its due date by using its embedded version. I don't have XP anymore so I can't tell how well that worked out,

I've seen those hacks described, but I'd not gamble on that when XP is so old. A good case can be made for some users continuing to run Windows 7, but I think it's time to put XP to rest. It was great in its day, and I used it for years, but I don't understand the "pry it from my cold, dead hands" emotion some have for it.

Member said:
Never buy version 1.0 of anything.

Aw, that's no fun. Somebody has to be the guinea pig. :-D

Bobthearch · Sep 17, 2016

wklee said:
Austinian said:

Bobthearch said:

"Ending support" is meaningless marketing hype, an attempt to create "upgrade or die" media hysteria. The software doesn't stop working. How many people really use Microsoft support anyway?

Inevitably though compatibility becomes problematic when attempting to upgrade hardware or software applications. It remains to be seen how long new software and hardware will be backwards compatible with XP and Win7.

For now at least, Windows XP remains a perfectly viable general-use OS. The amount of available software is staggering, and it's even compatible with the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Libre Office.

Click to expand...

What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

Click to expand...

There were some posts here about getting XP past its due date by using its embedded version. I don't have XP anymore so I can't tell how well that worked out,

malch · Sep 17, 2016

Austinian said:
What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

One might not need to worry much depending on your setup and usage.

If XP is running behind a decent firewall, that will reduce the risks. And if you avoid web surfing entirely (esp. the dodgy sites) the risks are going to be very small indeed.

Of course, most consumers want to access the web. But many of the corporate systems still running XP are not used in that way at all.

I have to agree the "end of support" thing is largely marketing inspired FUD.

Austinian · Sep 17, 2016

malch said:
Austinian said:

What I'd be worried about with XP as a personal-use OS isn't software compatibility but security; unless the individual user can access corporate XP's security information and updates, will they even be aware of post-support vulns?

Click to expand...

One might not need to worry much depending on your setup and usage.

If XP is running behind a decent firewall, that will reduce the risks. And if you avoid web surfing entirely (esp. the dodgy sites) the risks are going to be very small indeed.

Well, of course. And a completely isolated system should have virtually no risks.

Member said:
Of course, most consumers want to access the web. But many of the corporate systems still running XP are not used in that way at all.

Then they're not much at risk.

Member said:
I have to agree the "end of support" thing is largely marketing inspired FUD.

If this is true, then the security updates issued by all the major OS providers I'm aware of are simply expensive "window(s) dressing", and most of the security issues I read about on El Reg, Ars, etc. are empty "phantom menaces."

Heh, heh. ;-)

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MS has backtracked on Win7 support for Skylake chips

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