Thursday, April 20th 2017
User Patch Unlocks Windows 7 and 8.1 Updates for Core "Kaby Lake" and Ryzen
Microsoft, in a bid to ensure users of 7th generation Intel Core "Kaby Lake," AMD A-series "Bristol Ridge," and AMD Ryzen "Summit Ridge" processors stick to Windows 10, ensured that the three platforms don't receive software updates when running older Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 operating systems. A new user-made patch removes this draconian restriction, letting you install Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on your new-generation CPU powered machine, and receive regular software updates through Windows Update.
The patch is open-source, so you can inspect its code, and available on GitHub. The author of the patch, Zeffy, discovered two new functions to system file wuaueng.dll after the March 2017 update for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, labeled "IsCPUSupported(void)" and "IsDeviceServiceable(void)." This library is patched to toggle those two functions "1," telling Windows Update that the CPU is "supported" and that the platform is "serviceable," making it eligible to receive updates.
DOWNLOAD: New-gen CPU Windows Update Unlocking Patch for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 by Zeffy
Source:
Github
The patch is open-source, so you can inspect its code, and available on GitHub. The author of the patch, Zeffy, discovered two new functions to system file wuaueng.dll after the March 2017 update for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, labeled "IsCPUSupported(void)" and "IsDeviceServiceable(void)." This library is patched to toggle those two functions "1," telling Windows Update that the CPU is "supported" and that the platform is "serviceable," making it eligible to receive updates.
DOWNLOAD: New-gen CPU Windows Update Unlocking Patch for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 by Zeffy
18 Comments on User Patch Unlocks Windows 7 and 8.1 Updates for Core "Kaby Lake" and Ryzen
For this reason alone, I'll not be upgrading anytime soon.
On one hand if people have paid for a retail copy of Windows they should be able to install it on a new system and have it work, and they can.
But on the other hand 7/8 are legacy O/S's, support patches are created and then provided (at Microsoft's expense) for the benefit of existing users who are unwilling or unable to upgrade to 10. It's not designed for people doing new system installations long after the end of sales, and I can sort of understand their point there.
If I installed my copies of Windows 98SE, XP or Vista on my Ryzen system I wouldn't get any updates either.
As such, no, i don't see any scenario where 'naughty' .dlls will magically transport themselves to your OS and make you buy Win10.
2. Invaliding the patched DLL via System File Checker.
3. Putting the CPU check into multiple files.
Those are just the obvious ideas.
2. Who runs sfc without reason? And if reason, who stops you from creating an image when your system is healthy, just updated, and then patched with this?
3. What files? How? More dark magic?
Anyway :)
You don't wanna use it, don't. Bit of care and everyone else is fine i'd think.This.
I don't understand why people have this double obsession.. on one hand, they fear the updating process (with good reason, i sure as hell do too, reverts half my hacks), on the other they appear to want it anyway. Why? And considering the level of expertise of some these people.. honestly, just.. why?
If it works, don't fix it. Software 101.
Blocking updates in the manner they're now doing is different. The extended support periods for Windows 7 and 8.1 run until 2020 and 2023 respectively. Hardware manufacturers are still supporting 7 and 8.1 on current products (e.g. Z270 boards).
So it appears to be another dirty tactic to push reluctant users to Windows 10, in this case by artificially and prematurely limiting the hardware options for Windows 7 and 8.1.