There has been some concern and even repudiation about Microsoft’s decision to not provide updates to Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 when run on hardware using a newer processor, such as the Intel Kaby Lake processors. This has been claimed by some as a marketing move to try to “force” users to use Windows 10.

Now, I’m not the greatest fan of some of the things introduced with Windows 10. At the same time, I have no modern systems- other than Virtual Machines- not running either Linux or Windows 10. So it’s more an annoyance at how much one has to do to appropriately assert one’s desired options with Windows 10.

Windows 7 and 8/8.1 have continued to be supported as per the Windows lifecycle; the change is for hardware that was literally introduced after the end of mainstream support for both operating systems. Extended support only applies to Security updates; however, supporting security updates on Windows 7 and 8/8.1 with those Processors would mean supporting the processor. The issue there is that while the newer chips likely run the same way as older chips did with the same code, there is no guarantee of that, and it would still require the software to be tested and bugfixed specifically for those newer chips, which means effectively, supporting the new processors.

The Updates cannot go out on an “as is” basis to systems with the new processors because hten any problems will incur support costs and bugfixes to those updates that will also effectively mean supporting the new processors on the older software.

Worth noting is that this doesn’t lock out enterprising users who are willing to take the risk that their entire Win7/Win8/8.1 system will stop functioning due to said updates. One can still workaround this, it just requires you to step off the beaten path even further, making it much more clear and far “safer” for Microsoft to tell you to basically piss off if you try to get support.

It’s likely this approach may have been adopted to try to prevent another repeat of the Windows XP diehards. Mind you, it hasn’t worked so far; Many people are now Windows 7 diehards to much the same capacity. But at least- from Microsoft’s perspective- they won’t be financing it.