No Windows Updates in Windows 7 and 8 if CPU not Supported

michael diemer said:

The threat is implicit, not explicit. The coercion is that we can no longer use our preferred hardware, just because Microsoft says so. We have to upgrade or stay with an outdated operating system (that still works fine and is as good as anything MS has ever produced). It's upgrading for the sake of upgrading, not because there is any real need to.

"We have to upgrade or stay with an outdated operating system " < Say what?

You can use any hardware you please. provided you install an OS that supports it. Depending on what that hardware is the following OS's may be excluded. Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP etc.

When mainstream support ends, this is what occurs:

• Microsoft no longer supplies non-security hotfixes unless you have an extended support agreement
• All warranty claims end
• Microsoft no long accepts requests for new features and design changes <<<<<<<<

A lot of people speak as if they "own" their copy of Windows. What that actually buys you is a license to use the OS, under the terms that Microsoft wishes you to use it. It's Microsoft's property. And remember, if Microsoft wants to change the terms of the agreement without notice, then they can.

If Microsoft wanted and the ability to make Windows 7 completely disappear tomorrow, why can't they? You don't own your installation of Windows. You're just licensed to use it.
:)

I haven't tried to install XP or other older OS's lately but as far as I know they haven't turned off the activation servers. You can likely still get what ever updates were released up until their end of life too. IMHO they aren't as evil as some make them out to be. Still room for change with some of what they are doing though. On the subject of updates I'm not a big fan of the current forced updates, especially driver updates.

GEWB said:

Jody -

If MS decided to make any version of Windows "stop working" the corporate and public uprising would be monumental - maybe then congress would breaK up MS.

Just went through the license I signed up for and nothing says MS could go THAT far to screw their customers.

GEWB

That was an extreme example of a company wanting to do whatever they wanted with "their" product. My point is still made. It's their product to do with whatever they deem fit. Your response, although seemingly a logical reaction to such an idea, shows your unwillingness to accept that Windows is not yours to demand expectations of Microsoft upon.

michael diemer said:

This is what monopolies, or near monopolies do, unless forced to do otherwise. Why microsoft has been allowed to get away with it for so long really puzzles me (friends in high places?) Competition would long ago have ended this arrogant behavior. It is absurd that I buy something, but I somehow then don't own it? What nonsense. The whole licensing thing is BS. You buy software, you should own it. Period. If you only rent it, that's different. but buying it, and then being subject to a bunch of restrictions, that's ridiculous. It's just a product, like anything else. The amazing thing is that people have tolerated it so long. Thank God for Linux!

You're revealing how ignorant you are about licensing and copyright (I don't mean to call you ignorant as in being cruel to you - I mean to say it as referring to lack of awareness). Even Linux has terms of license but in the GNU License ownership is shared. Windows is a commercial product created by a company. It's their product. It has nothing to do with monopolies or anything of the like. iOS and Android are no different. They are closed source services. They are updated regularly, and support for past releases are withdrawn swiftly. And again, you don't own those copies of the OS either.

When you buy a DVD-ROM installation disc of Windows 7 Professional. for example, you own the mylar plastic disc with all of the pits that are pressed on to the DVD. But what you are paying for is a license to use the intangible signal or data that is obtained when the disc is put into the DVD-ROM drive. That is their proprietary product, not yours, and you use it under license. It was no different than buying music. The copyrighted sound signal that comes out of your speakers is what you are paying for. In a true sense, the actual digital or analog disc, is immaterial to that license arrangement. That has only become more evident with the streaming services that now dominate the music industry.

When you buy food, it's tangible, and you can consume it. But software is not a tangible thing. Neither is a recording. Copyright and licensing allows companies to generate a healthy revenue against all of the man hours it takes to develop and compile that software, or to track and mix down that song recording. That's not arrogance. It's a system whereby you can monetize labour towards something that isn't tangible, but still very useful.

Microsoft isn't taking away anything from you. You can still use Windows 7 on supported hardware. What they won't do is bend over backwards to make an eight year old OS work with emerging hardware. It is imperative that a company create a market need for a new OS. How else will they be able to make you want to buy a new version of Windows?

Think of it this way. What good are you to Microsoft, if you are going to stick with your beloved Windows 7. What good does the money you spent on Windows in 2009, do towards going towards the current year's bottom line? Microsoft is running a business. They need to create a need for you to spend money now. That's not corrupt or under handed. That's business.
:)

There is some good news in this. If I'm correct, you can manually run the security only update from Microsoft's Update catalog page. Has anyone tried that instead?

Jody Thornton said:

There is some good news in this. If I'm correct, you can manually run the security only update from Microsoft's Update catalog page. Has anyone tried that instead?

It will be interesting to see how many replies you get to that question? Your assuming somebody actually upgraded to one of those unsupported CPU's + a new motherboard and likely new RAM etc, and is still running 7.

A Windows operating system is kind of like leasing a car.

You sign a agreement to use the car. You do not own the car.

Unless one buys Microsoft they will never own Windows operating systems.

Jack