Solved Does Microsoft still provide old updates and activation for reinstall?

[Clairvaux]

I may need to reinstall W7. Does Microsoft still provide online the old updates needed to fill up the changes up to where support stopped ? Does it provide activation ?

My copy of W7 is what was sold at the time as "OEM" for people who built their own computer (my case). Installation tied to one's specific hardware (at least motherboard). I have the licence number, or whatever it is called.

I use Office 2003, too. Family and student edition, or something like that. Would updates and activation still be available for that, too ?

 

[Alejandro85]

Yes, both updates and activation still works as they should.

You can download updates though Microsoft website or install it though the Windows Update control panel applet as always, and it'll get all ones available, including until now (a few ones are still being released up to this day). Be aware that, like when Win7 was fully supported, this also includes malicious "updates", like spyware (aka "telemetry"), Win10 downgrade nags and update blocking for newer CPUs, for example.

Activation should also work as it did before, Microsoft didn't took their activation servers offline up to now, your serial should be accepted provided you're running on the same motherboard.

 

[Megahertz07]

I suggest you do a disk image backup and store on a external drive before you begin.

For the updates, use Simplix

 

[Clairvaux]

Yes, both updates and activation still works as they should.

You can download updates though Microsoft website or install it though the Windows Update control panel applet as always, and it'll get all ones available, including until now (a few ones are still being released up to this day). Be aware that, like when Win7 was fully supported, this also includes malicious "updates", like spyware (aka "telemetry"), Win10 downgrade nags and update blocking for newer CPUs, for example.

Activation should also work as it did before, Microsoft didn't took their activation servers offline up to now, your serial should be accepted provided you're running on the same motherboard.

Thank you. Great news ! I would have bet Microsoft pulled the plug long ago.

Is that also true for Microsoft Office 2003, which I'm still using ? Or should I ask the question on another sub-forum here ?

I suppose at some point, Microsoft will stop providing that service. Is there a particular thread, sub-forum or tutorial I should follow on 7 Forums in order to be kept up to date ?

I suggest you do a disk image backup and store on a external drive before you begin.

For the updates, use Simplix

No problem about images, I make a new one everyday.

That Simplix thing is incredible. Do I understand correctly that I only have to click on that Update Pack link in your post, if I need it one day, and the Ukrainian guy putting this together keeps it updated if need be ?

 

[SIW2]

Update your Win 7 installation media


If you want to install virgin win7 you would then need to manually install one update first before windows update works. KB3138612
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...ut-the-latest-windows-update-client-installed

 

[Megahertz07]

That Simplix thing is incredible. Do I understand correctly that I only have to click on that Update Pack link in your post, (if I need it one day,) and the Ukrainian guy putting this together keeps it updated if need be ?

Use Simplix as soon you finish installing, before you run WU.
Run WU after Simplix for other updates like office

 

[Clairvaux]

My user folders are on my D disk. I installed W7 according to Kari's rules. Is that compatible with the advice given here ?

 

[Megahertz07]

My user folders are on my D disk. I installed W7 according to Kari's rules.

My Users folder is also on D: (HDD)

Is that compatible with the advice given here ?

What advice? If related to Simplix, yes.

 

[Clairvaux]

Very good news throughout. Thank you to all.

 

[BamaInArk]

Update your Win 7 installation media
If you want to install virgin win7 you would then need to manually install one update first before windows update works. KB3138612
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...ut-the-latest-windows-update-client-installed

That Dell link shows as unavailable for me. ???

 

[Megahertz07]

That Dell link shows as unavailable for me. ???

One of those hundreds updates had a bug and it bricked WU.
Microsoft Update Catalog

 

[SIW2]

If you want to install virgin win7 you would then need to manually install one update first before windows update works. KB3138612


Download Windows6.1-KB3138612-x64.msu

Download Windows6.1-KB3138612-x86.msu

Some drivers and things like mse virus definitions are sha2 signed and require the sha2 update to have been installed.

The original filerepository included in virgin win7 installation media does not have usb3 or nvme and some of the net drivers are well out of date.

In addition, the bootable wim files ( boot.wim and winre.wim ) also do not include those.

Even if you understand how to manually integrate the appropriate updates and drivers into all the wim images, it is much easier to use the link I posted earlier Update your Win 7 installation media

 

[Volume Z]

One of those hundreds updates had a bug and it bricked WU.

This DELL article used to address an issue that has been fixed years ago. It worked for fixing a later, ongoing issue as well by suggesting an Update Client released 2014 or newer.