Microsoft Admits that it's Forcing More Users Onto Windows 10

win 10

Microsoft has stopped Windows 7 and 8 updates on Intel's seventh generation Core i3, i5 and i7 (Kaby Lake), AMD's Ryzen (Bristol Ridge) and Qualcomm's 8996 processors. Devices powered by these processors must update to Windows 10 otherwise they will receive not further update from Microsoft.

You experience this issue when you try to run Windows Update, when you will get an error message: "Windows could not search for new updates" and "Code 80240037 Windows Update encountered an unknown error".

"As new silicon generations are introduced, they will require the latest Windows platform at that time for support. 

This enables us to focus on deep integration between Windows and the silicon while maintaining maximum reliability and compatibility with previous generations of platform and silicon”, a Microsoft spokesperson said in Response to a request to comment on the subject.

win 10 start menu

This does good only to Microsoft, make some sort of sense. It wants to make sure Windows runs as well as possible on new silicon. It can do that on Windows 10 because it's a current product, and it will be installed on most new-build PCs running these processors. It makes less sense to go back and optimise Windows 7 and 8, especially as the former is now officially in "extended support", which will end in 2020. Windows 8 support ends in 2023.

Additionally, the support for the Intel Skylake processors, currently running on Windows 7 and 8 will end come July 2017. So users with those operating systems will also be forced to upgrade in order to keep updates coming. 

Microsoft didn't explain to me how it would charge users now the free Window is closed. That said, I understand you can still use Windows 7 and 8 product keys on fresh Windows 10 installs. But please check that before blindly wiping all your data on my say so.

win 8

But Microsoft doesn't need to pull support for Windows Updates on new processors even though it's certainly true that Microsoft will optimise Windows 10 continually. However Microsoft is trying to get a greater number of people off Windows 7 and 8 and onto Windows 10. I understand the business objective, I'm just not fond of being held hostage over updates. I don’t buy.

What's more, the wording is clear that this will be an ongoing thing. Of course Microsoft pledged that it would put an end big numeric updates to Windows. There will be, it says, no Windows 11. 

But instead users will be updated to new versions of what I expect will become simply "Windows" in the future. But what that does also mean is that if there are additional things added to Windows that you dislike, you won't have any option to use an old version of Windows instead. While there will be user benefits to this strategy, it also means that Microsoft is taking away a measure of control from users.

win 7

Some people have very real problems with Windows 10 too. For example it's currently being accused of switching background updates on for metered connections (in a beta only for now). People have reported adverts in Windows 10's explorer, and even I get constant hassle about OneDrive on Windows. 


There are also some who are bothered by Windows telemetry, which is said to closely monitor some on-PC activity and report back to base.



You may also be interested in Microsoft Stops Win 7/8.1 Updates For Intel Kaby Lake, AMD Ryzen Processors