Microsoft says that all new processors will only be compatible with Windows 10

midian182

Posts: 9,659   +121
Staff member

Everyone knows that Microsoft really wants you to use Windows 10, and it's just introduced another way of 'encouraging' people to upgrade to the OS. The Redmond-based company has announced that - starting with the current 6th generation Skylake processor – future CPUs from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are only going to be fully compatible with its latest operating system.

Microsoft outlined the changes to its support policy in a new blog post. "Going forward, as new silicon generations are introduced, they will require the latest Windows platform at that time for support," Microsoft wrote on Friday. "Windows 10 will be the only supported Windows platform on Intel's upcoming 'Kaby Lake' silicon, Qualcomm's upcoming '8996' silicon, and AMD's upcoming 'Bristol Ridge' silicon."

For Microsoft’s enterprise customers, the company has provided a list of approved Skylake systems that are guaranteed to have Windows 7 and 8.1 support through July 17, 2017. Those systems are: Dell Latitude 12, Dell Latitude 13 7000 Ultrabook, Dell XPS 13, HP EliteBook Folio, HP EliteBook 1040 G3, Lenovo ThinkPad T460s, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, and Lenovo ThinkPad P70.

Anyone still running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on a Skylake-based PC after July 17, 2017, will receive only “the most critical” security fixes – and these will only be released if they don’t "risk the reliability or compatibility" of Windows 7 and 8.1 on other (non-Skylake) systems."

If you're using Windows 7 or 8.1 on an older system and have no intention of buying new hardware, then you’ll continue to receive system updates for a few more years. Microsoft said that it’ll support Windows 7 until January 14, 2020, and Windows 8.1 will be supported until January 10, 2023.

At the same time, we know many of these customers continue to rely on Windows 7 for its well-understood reliability and compatibility. Windows 7 was designed nearly 10 years ago before any x86/x64 SOCs existed. For Windows 7 to run on any modern silicon, device drivers and firmware need to emulate Windows 7's expectations for interrupt processing, bus support, and power states—which is challenging for WiFi, graphics, security, and more. As partners make customizations to legacy device drivers, services, and firmware settings, customers are likely to see regressions with Windows 7 ongoing servicing.

While Microsoft is pushing this policy change as the natural phasing-out of the decade-old Windows 7, which it says was designed for older PC architecture, many consumers and businesses may see the move as the company giving them little choice but to use Windows 10.

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Nice MS...push more and more people to Apple or Linux.
Me thinks, that the push to ONLY allow Win10, is their attempt, that after the
majority of users are on Win10, they will start charging a monthly/yearly fee
for Win10. They have seen their business model, from the 80's change, along
with the ease of piracy of their OS, and seeing other software switch to a monthly
fee, are interesting in generating a steady monthly cash flow, instead of having
no real incoming cash except when there is a new OS.
 
If I understand this correctly, MS is telling these chipmakers to REMOVE code that would otherwise allow earlier windows to work on those systems??
I have no words...
Maybe one...Linux

This is nothing different to what they have always done.

They simply won't add support for NEW instruction sets to their old OS's.
 
If I understand this correctly, MS is telling these chipmakers to REMOVE code that would otherwise allow earlier windows to work on those systems??
I have no words...
Maybe one...Linux

yeah...let me know when that 'Linux' juggernaut/revolution catches fire. :p

It just kills me. Linux is only used by a TINY FRACTION of people, and, there is a reason for that. Arcane, difficult and crappy. No games, no apps, no use outside of servers.

And every last one has to come out to ***** and moan.
 
If I understand this correctly, MS is telling these chipmakers to REMOVE code that would otherwise allow earlier windows to work on those systems??
I have no words...
Maybe one...Linux

I have another word for you... LOL

Nice MS...push more and more people to Apple or Linux.
Me thinks, that the push to ONLY allow Win10, is their attempt, that after the
majority of users are on Win10, they will start charging a monthly/yearly fee
for Win10. They have seen their business model, from the 80's change, along
with the ease of piracy of their OS, and seeing other software switch to a monthly
fee, are interesting in generating a steady monthly cash flow, instead of having
no real incoming cash except when there is a new OS.

Yes because the whole Microsoft Users Universe loves Apple.

I hope this backfires on all of them. I sure as **** won't upgrade to a OS limited CPU.

How have you done it so far then?? It's like they said already and I quote:
This is nothing different to what they have always done.

They simply won't add support for NEW instruction sets to their old OS's.
It's quite simple to understand.

If I understand this correctly, MS is telling these chipmakers to REMOVE code that would otherwise allow earlier windows to work on those systems??
I have no words...
Maybe one...Linux

yeah...let me know when that 'Linux' juggernaut/revolution catches fire. :p

It just kills me. Linux is only used by a TINY FRACTION of people, and, there is a reason for that. Arcane, difficult and crappy. No games, no apps, no use outside of servers.

And every last one has to come out to ***** and moan.

Linux users are like vegans... they can't keep quiet about it for a freaking whole minute.
 
Is this clickbait? Seriously.

The title makes this into something I may not fully understand.

Will new CPUs support linux systems? If it really only supports Windows 10, then that would just be silly. What enthusiast will buy a CPU they can only install Windows 10 on? Unless the title is incorrect, and you can still run the system on the CPU, but they limit your OS updates? Common, if this is really anything different than **** going out of date, then whats the kick?

Lets say I only read the title, because lets face it... thats more than some people actually read.
 
Quote:"This is nothing different to what they have always done.
They simply won't add support for NEW instruction sets to their old OS's"

Very true, Even some of the earlier pentiums lack the PAE/NX/SSE2 support that windows 8 and 10 require to run.

Nothing new here.
 
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This is nothing different to what they have always done.

They simply won't add support for NEW instruction sets to their old OS's.

Try thinking the situation through next time, because you're dead wrong. Its *exactly* like the guy said - no, actually its WORSE. Right now Windows 10 runs fine on nearly any x86 chip released in the last six years. The only two ways they can make newer chips ONLY work properly with Windows 10 is to either (A) add DRM to Windows 10 that simply makes it MALFUNCTION with older chips or (B) add DRM to the hardware that makes it run at its full capacity, without intentional bugs, only on the latest Windows version. Of course the hackers will remedy this situation if it actually comes, but the insanity of this scheme cannot be overstated. Do they think this will go unchallenged by the federal government? This staggering attempt at forced obsolescence, creation of e-waste and screwing of consumers makes Microsoft's previous sins look almost quaint.

What we're seeing here, IF this unfolds as Microsoft describes, is a suicide pact between the chipmakers and Microsoft. Their effectively telling the consumer, "F**k you, you'll either run this third-rate OS *and* buy new hardware to run it on or you can just use Windows 7 till the end of time." And somewhere at Google HQ the laughter must be ringing from the rafters as their universal x86 OS steadily matures in secret. I don't think the industry realizes how quickly people will dump Microsoft if an equally functional and affordable alternative comes along, esp. since the company's new motto seems to be, "Be Evil." What we can hope, however, is that all this will really amount to (if it amounts to anything) is lack of support for a few more needless bells and whistles. However, if this is really the second coming of the "Winboard" then Microsoft, Intel and anyone else stupid enough to join in the collusion will suffer for it.
 
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I've already encountered a scenario where I couldn't load Windows 8 on an older Xeon workstation, got an error mentioning the CPU didn't support the latest security standards. Windows 7 is apparently the last OS supported on that platform. Guess what? Went with OpenSUSE. Yeah, Linux isn't for everyone, but it's a lot better than it used to be. I'm impressed to see support from Steam for games.
 
Why do so many people think this is Microsoft's doing. Did everyone read the article carefully. Sounds to me Microsoft is only repeating what the chipmakers said and plan to do - I.e. make newer, faster, better CPUs based on the latest hardware and software. It amazes me to hear some of the "I hate M$ rant".
 
Some users seem to not understand what's is going on. Windows 10 currently supports and will support old and new CPUs, but the newest CPUs will only be fully supported by Windows 10 if you want to use a Windows OS. Obviously these new processors will work on Linux, Mac and so on...
 
So is this title clickbait or what? I'm not implying, I'm literally just asking if this can be considered that.
 
If I understand this correctly, MS is telling these chipmakers to REMOVE code that would otherwise allow earlier windows to work on those systems??
I have no words...
Maybe one...Linux

yeah...let me know when that 'Linux' juggernaut/revolution catches fire. :p

I used Linux years ago as a test OS and while I liked it, there was no real use for it for me. That would probably go for 99% of consumers as well. If Linux was ever going to be a major competitor, it would have happened already.
 
Is this clickbait? Seriously.

The title makes this into something I may not fully understand.

Will new CPUs support linux systems? If it really only supports Windows 10, then that would just be silly. What enthusiast will buy a CPU they can only install Windows 10 on? Unless the title is incorrect, and you can still run the system on the CPU, but they limit your OS updates? Common, if this is really anything different than **** going out of date, then whats the kick?

Lets say I only read the title, because lets face it... thats more than some people actually read.

No, because if that were the case, Apple wouldn't be able to run anything Intel based either. All it's saying as far as Windows goes, it will only support the most recent version of the OS that is available at the time their new chips are released. That's all. So lets say they build a new chip tomorrow. The only Windows version it can support is Windows 10 since it is the most recent version available.
 
Why do so many people think this is Microsoft's doing. Did everyone read the article carefully. Sounds to me Microsoft is only repeating what the chipmakers said and plan to do - I.e. make newer, faster, better CPUs based on the latest hardware and software. It amazes me to hear some of the "I hate M$ rant".

That scenario doesn't make much sense for Intel. Not only does it make them look even more like a monopoly but it reduces the appeal of what is already an apathetic response towards skylake processors.

This policy change is a pretty big negative for Intel and indeed makes them look bad. Just another chipmaker/OEM microsoft has burned.
 
As much as I despise certain elements of Windows 10, I don't have an issue with this. Windows 10 has been out long enough, anyone buying a new system should put a new OS on it. And after all these years it is time we start fresh, a clean break from backward compatibility. Only supporting Windows 10 on new Hardware will allow for dropping old code. Much the same way MS did with IE moving to Edge. Hell the creators of OpenOffice found a need in doing the same, when they decided to branch out with LibreOffice.
 
Try thinking the situation through next time, because you're dead wrong. Its *exactly* like the guy said - no, actually its WORSE. Right now Windows 10 runs fine on nearly any x86 chip released in the last six years. The only two ways they can make newer chips ONLY work properly with Windows 10 is to either (A) add DRM to Windows 10 that simply makes it MALFUNCTION with older chips or (B) add DRM to the hardware that makes it run at its full capacity, without intentional bugs, only on the latest Windows version. Of course the hackers will remedy this situation if it actually comes, but the insanity of this scheme cannot be overstated. Do they think this will go unchallenged by the federal government? This staggering attempt at forced obsolescence, creation of e-waste and screwing of consumers makes Microsoft's previous sins look almost quaint.

What we're seeing here, IF this unfolds as Microsoft describes, is a suicide pact between the chipmakers and Microsoft. Their effectively telling the consumer, "F**k you, you'll either run this third-rate OS *and* buy new hardware to run it on or you can just use Windows 7 till the end of time." And somewhere at Google HQ the laughter must be ringing from the rafters as their universal x86 OS steadily matures in secret. I don't think the industry realizes how quickly people will dump Microsoft if an equally functional and affordable alternative comes along, esp. since the company's new motto seems to be, "Be Evil." What we can hope, however, is that all this will really amount to (if it amounts to anything) is lack of support for a few more needless bells and whistles. However, if this is really the second coming of the "Winboard" then Microsoft, Intel and anyone else stupid enough to join in the collusion will suffer for it.

You can get drugs for that these days!
 
In the dark, dank dungeons of the Big Brother dystopian future, the revolutionaries, outcasts and misfits all will be running Windows 2000, XP or 7. Big Brother will hunt them, search for them and seek them out, but the rabble-rousers will remain safe behind their walls of obscurity, untrackable and anonymous.
 
Windows 10? I still have 2 partitions of windows xp (that I don't regularly run.)
why?
As powerful as computers are getting and will be in the future.. Just make a vm of the OS you want [xpmode]. How many of you would build a computer with the newest hardware in 2019 with windows 7? Apparently many, considering all the scoffing.

As far as businesses go and their proprietary software... It's the cost of doing business to upgrade your software when needed. You can limp with vms, but ultimately you'll need to upgrade.
 
When Microsoft lost their last lawsuit for trying to create a Monopoly like this it cost them more than a few bucks. There is nothing illegal about have chip sets customized to support a single system, but if all other chip sets disappear or are no longer developed and supported, it makes a very strong case towards an intended monopoly. Should the Federal courts take into account past judgements against Microsoft for this, the Judge could order Microsoft broken up into smaller elements with no single or major investor being a part of all of them. It happened with Standard Oil & AT&T to name a few, but as we have seen with AT&T, they have recovered the majority of their stronghold so the effectiveness is questionable.

With this kind of money on the table ... it certainly would be encouraging for some other software maker to create a competing OS that could support many, if not all, existing products on the market and I think software makers just might be temped to jump ship for somebody that does not display such a heavy hand in the market place.

Linux certainly would have been a great option if it had caught on and had much greater support from the software community. Given the new state of affairs, it might have another shot at it!
 
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