What the end of Windows 7 Mainstream Support means
Mainstream support for the Windows 7 operating system ends today.
Windows 7 is the operating system with the largest market share currently as it is used on more than 50% of all desktop systems according to several independent usage share tracking companies.
Mainstream support is the first of three support phases of any Microsoft operating system. It is followed by an extended support phase and a final phase in which a product is not officially supported by Microsoft anymore but help and information about it is still available online.
Today's end of mainstream support for Windows 7 marks the end of the first phase and the beginning of the extended support phase.
But what does it mean for existing Windows 7 users and companies?
Microsoft will produce security updates for the system during the extended support phase just like before. The second phase ends January 14, 2020 which means that devices running Windows 7 will receive important security patches until that time.
Since features are not added anymore to the system, it may mean that new technologies won't be supported by it. Some features landing in Microsoft's upcoming operating system Windows 10, DirectX 12 for instance and the Edge browser, won't be made available for Windows 7.
It is still possible that some tools and programs will be released individually by Microsoft that support Windows 7 though.
Microsoft plans to release Windows 10 in the fourth quarter of 2015. It is likely that it will run upgrade promotions during that time as well and it is even rumored that some users may receive updates to Windows 10 for free.
Nothing is set into stone yet but what seems certain is that Windows 8 is out of the picture.
| Products Released | Lifecycle Start Date | Mainstream Support End Date | Extended Support End Date | Service Pack Support End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 7 Enterprise | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Enterprise N | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Home Basic | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Home Premium | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Professional | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
| Windows 7 Professional N | 10/22/2009 | 1/13/2015 | 1/14/2020 | 4/9/2013 |
Considering that new versions of Windows are released every three years right now, it is theoretically possible to wait until the version after Windows 10 gets released (Windows 11 or whatever Microsoft may call it). It would be available in the fourth quarter of 2018 if things remain as they are right now.
With all that said, rumors suggest that Microsoft may change Windows development cycles and how the system is distributed (subscription based service) as well. Maybe additional information about all that will be made available later this month when a new version of Windows 10 will be released by the company.
Regardless of that, Windows 7 users can use the system safely for another five years before they need to make a decision on what to use afterwards.
Now You: Which operating system will you be using after Windows 7?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help