Tuesday, December 31st 2019

Windows 7 ESU Customers to Continue Getting Security Updates

Today Microsoft confirmed that customers from Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will still get security updates, even when the operating system reaches End-of-Life. On an FAQ page, Microsoft answers that "Windows 7 ESU includes security updates for critical and important issues as defined by Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) for a maximum of three years after January 14, 2020. After January 14, 2020, if your PC is running Windows 7 and you have not purchased Extended Security Updates, the computer will no longer receive security updates."

This confirms Microsoft's intentions to support some customers who are unable to switch to more modern OS versions like Windows 10, presumably customers who can afford to pay for extended security on their machines. More info can be found on Microsoft's website for Security Essentials and FAQ about ESU for Windows 7.
Source: Tom's Hardware
Add your own comment

51 Comments on Windows 7 ESU Customers to Continue Getting Security Updates

#26
lexluthermiester
VarioHowever, I will say LTSC is faster, the shutdown is nearly instantaneous. Applications seem to load quickly. Another nice thing is my C:\ LTSC install only occupies about 40GB.
This is my current go-to version of 10.
Posted on Reply
#27
Tomorrow
Yep i can confirm Win10 has slower shutdown compared to Win7. Boot is also slightly slower. Atleast 1903 and 1909. I have 1809 LTSC but i have not tested it really in terms of speed.
Im using the same 850 Pro SATA drive i used with Win7. Im not upgrading to NVME until manufacturers release M.2 or HHHL versions that utilise full PCI-E 4.0 bandwidth on my X570 board.

And i have tweaked my 1909 quite a bit too to make it faster. The reason i initially went with 1903 (now upgraded to 1909) was the supposed improved scheduler compared to 1809. Well that was before i discovered my 3800X can do 4.5Ghz flat across all cores. This makes any scheduler magic meaningless anyway.

So i hope that by the time faster PCI-E 4.0 SSD's become available MS would have released 2020 LTSC too so i can do a clean install. They seem to do it every 2 years or so. 1607 was 2016 and 1809 was 2018.
Posted on Reply
#28
Raiderman
If you do any benchmarking or overclocking, Windows 7 is far superior to 10, which gives you a perfect example of the overhead that cannot be controlled in it. I prefer to control my OS, rather than the other way around.
If you want to drink the crap flavored kool aid MS is peddling, then you probably dont know any better, or are one of those naive sheep that shop best buy.
Posted on Reply
#29
candle_86
micropage7No if you have like hardware from 2014
Better stay in 7, except you have newer hardware
Hogwash, 10 is snappier on my phenom x4 9950, 4gb ddr2 800, 8800gts system than 7 is, and that's a 2007/2008 system.

And forget retail it's pointless what a home user wants, I've switched all of my home users I support to 10 and they love it but they are also irrelevant. Enterprise is what matters and for security 10 is simply better. Bitlocker is more robust, better uefi secure boot support, launching programs with ring 0 permissions is all but impossible, the browser operates inside a virtual machine. In every important way 10 is better for Enterprise users, and home users will upgrade because they got used to it at work.
Posted on Reply
#30
Tomorrow
candle_86Hogwash, 10 is snappier on my phenom x4 9950, 4gb ddr2 800, 8800gts system than 7 is, and that's a 2007/2008 system.

And forget retail it's pointless what a home user wants, I've switched all of my home users I support to 10 and they love it but they are also irrelevant. Enterprise is what matters and for security 10 is simply better. Bitlocker is more robust, better uefi secure boot support, launching programs with ring 0 permissions is all but impossible, the browser operates inside a virtual machine. In every important way 10 is better for Enterprise users, and home users will upgrade because they got used to it at work.
That's likely due to the limited 4GB RAM pool.
Posted on Reply
#31
candle_86
TomorrowThat's likely due to the limited 4GB RAM pool.
It's because 10 was built to run on x86 tablets and has better memory management and thread management than 7 does.
Posted on Reply
#32
Easo
I love all those people with LTSC. I guess you all surely have your own private companies with enterprise agreements :rolleyes:
Posted on Reply
#33
Tomorrow
EasoI love all those people with LTSC. I guess you all surely have your own private companies with enterprise agreements :rolleyes:
Legal keys are available for LTSC: www.goodoffer24.com/software/windows-10-enterprise-2019-ltsc.html?acc=651

And no one is forcing you to activate. Win10 is pretty chill about running not activated. Especially for people who don't do customization such as desktop backround/theme changes etc.
Posted on Reply
#34
lexluthermiester
EasoI guess you all surely have your own private companies with enterprise agreements :rolleyes:
No, but as mentioned above, legal keys are being made available for niche market single users. Microsoft is allowing this rather than make a whole new version of 10 to appease us users who want lean, clean and privacy/security focused implementations of Windows.
Posted on Reply
#35
Rob94hawk
newtekie1People said Windows 7 was unintuitive when it came out too.
Never heard that one. But 10 is where it's at if you want to run the latest hardware. I still have rigs running Vista & 7 just fine.
VarioFor all the praise on here for it being faster, the consumer Win 10 Home I installed 2 years ago was slower than 7. Slower boot, slower shut down. I could not tell a difference on an individual app basis but things seemed to load slower on 10 home.

However, I will say LTSC is faster, the shutdown is nearly instantaneous. Applications seem to load quickly. Another nice thing is my C:\ LTSC install only occupies about 40GB.

There was a trend of installing an inexpensive SSD into an older machine, and simultaneously replacing the old 7 or Vista OS with 10, maybe that was why 10 was perceived as being greatly faster than 7, the difference could be attributable to the SSD.

I was running 7 on a 970 Pro and now running LTSC on the same 970 Pro.
Can you run LTSC on older systems? Where to buy?

Going to look this up now.
Posted on Reply
#37
R-T-B
EasoI love all those people with LTSC. I guess you all surely have your own private companies with enterprise agreements :rolleyes:
Ironically, I do. We don't use the LTSC keys at present though (and no, I don't hand them out or sell them).
Posted on Reply
#38
Easo
TomorrowLegal keys are available for LTSC: www.goodoffer24.com/software/windows-10-enterprise-2019-ltsc.html?acc=651

And no one is forcing you to activate. Win10 is pretty chill about running not activated. Especially for people who don't do customization such as desktop backround/theme changes etc.
Windows 10 for 17 EUR? Windows Server for 23 EUR!!?? Do you really think that any of those keys have been obtained legally?
And not activating is the same as using pirated software. It is not legal (of course, chance that someone will check your home is almost zero).
Posted on Reply
#39
Tomorrow
EasoWindows 10 for 17 EUR? Windows Server for 23 EUR!!?? Do you really think that any of those keys have been obtained legally?
And not activating is the same as using pirated software. It is not legal (of course, chance that someone will check your home is almost zero).
If it activates and is not deactivated by MS later then yes - i consider it legal. If you're so worried about "gray" keys being sold at online marketplaces then please - join MS and push for tigher regulations. As it currently stands MS themselves are not really enforcing legality very much. So why should users? MS is problably happy to have another user regardless.

When it comes to running unactivated then it's the same. MS themselves has made running unactivated very easy and i doubt it's by accident.
It's always funny to see people like you pushing people like us to shell out extra hundreds of dollars for the sake of your argument when the company themselves are not really intrested in pursuing these keys.
Posted on Reply
#40
Easo
TomorrowIf it activates and is not deactivated by MS later then yes - i consider it legal. If you're so worried about "gray" keys being sold at online marketplaces then please - join MS and push for tigher regulations. As it currently stands MS themselves are not really enforcing legality very much. So why should users? MS is problably happy to have another user regardless.

When it comes to running unactivated then it's the same. MS themselves has made running unactivated very easy and i doubt it's by accident.
It's always funny to see people like you pushing people like us to shell out extra hundreds of dollars for the sake of your argument when the company themselves are not really intrested in pursuing these keys.
That is not how the law works, but keep thinking that and keep supporting piracy, which, AFAIK, is not allowed on this forum.
And companies, in this case Microsft, get the most out of enterprises, where someone like Accenture alone has almost half a million workers.
Posted on Reply
#41
lexluthermiester
EasoDo you really think that any of those keys have been obtained legally?
Microsoft has verified many of the ones I've purchased as fully legit. Granted, I haven't bought Server yet, but I have several LTSC keys and each one are legit. Microsoft is allowing the sale of these types of keys because they making money from them. A lot of money. They look at it this way; If they didn't sell them this cheap, people would just pirate anyway(because Windows Activation is a joke and they know it). In this manner Microsoft gets to make some profit where they might otherwise not see a dime and they are converting pirates into paying customers. Win/Win.
EasoAnd not activating is the same as using pirated software. It is not legal (of course, chance that someone will check your home is almost zero).
That is completely wrong on both parts. As this point has been debated at length elsewhere in these forums I won't bother with it any further.
TomorrowIt's always funny to see people like you pushing people like us to shell out extra hundreds of dollars for the sake of your argument when the company themselves are not really interested in pursuing these keys.
Heck they actively gave it away for several years and technically still are. Presently, any 7/8/8.1 Key will properly activate a Windows 10 installation. That's not theft, that is Microsoft's choice to allow. They don't have to at all.
EasoThat is not how the law works, but keep thinking that and keep supporting piracy, which, AFAIK, is not allowed on this forum.
Actually, technically, yes it is. And quit with the accusations and drama please.
EasoAnd companies, in this case Microsft, get the most out of enterprises, where someone like Accenture alone has almost half a million workers.
Perhaps you should look over the breakdown of one of their most recent earnings reports. You would be surprised how much money they make from the general public.
Posted on Reply
#42
candle_86
For a private person they don't care enough, if however a shop was using these keys and selling thousands of computers a year Microsoft would take an interest
Posted on Reply
#43
lexluthermiester
candle_86For a private person they don't care enough, if however a shop was using these keys and selling thousands of computers a year Microsoft would take an interest
Wrong again! You're making a lot of assumptions. I own a shop and specifically called Microsoft directly to verify whether such keys are legit. They are, and yes I can include them with systems I sell. I can not however resell them.
Posted on Reply
#44
candle_86
lexluthermiesterWrong again! You're making a lot of assumptions. I own a shop and specifically called Microsoft directly to verify whether such keys are legit. They are, and yes I can include them with systems I sell. I can not however resell them.
Well that's nice but if Microsoft audited your shop you'd be in trouble plain and simple. Shop I used to work for got shut down for selling computers with forigen keys on them, they where a Microsoft partner and Microsoft got them for all 100 keys in the shop email because it's not a valid coa. If you read the license it spells it out, a photocopy, a print out, nor a receipt are valid COAs, you must have the original COA with hologram according to the terms of oem licensing. Microsoft just hasn't taken an interest in you.

For digital delivery you must have the keys tied to a valid Microsoft account or for older XP/Vista/7 keys you must be able to provide the email and receipt from digital river. I don't make the rules, Microsoft does, and they decide what a valid license is and how it must be presented or stored. Unless of course your not in the Microsoft partner program but you loose to many perks by not joining it.
Posted on Reply
#45
lexluthermiester
candle_86Well that's nice but if Microsoft audited your shop you'd be in trouble plain and simple.
No, I wouldn't. Took very careful efforts to verify there would be no problems. You are incorrect. Let it go.
Posted on Reply
#46
Easo
He should let go what, exactly? That you are basically promoting piracy and that Microsoft actually does audits and do punish companies which do not fix found issues?
No, Windows Server 2019 Standard DOES NOT cost 30 bucks. I truly wonder what fantastic number you called where you were told that.
Posted on Reply
#47
lexluthermiester
EasoHe should let go what, exactly? That you are basically promoting piracy and that Microsoft actually does audits and do punish companies which do not fix found issues?
You are deliberately sidestepping the context of the discussion to make a veiled attack.
EasoNo, Windows Server 2019 Standard DOES NOT cost 30 bucks. I truly wonder what fantastic number you called where you were told that.
We are not talking about Windows Server. We were talking about Windows Home/Pro for end users being sold with prebuilt systems(which is itself slightly off-topic). You brought up Windows Server earlier which no one was talking about.

You are trolling. Please stop or you will be reported.
Posted on Reply
#48
Easo
lexluthermiesterYou are deliberately sidestepping the context of the discussion to make a veiled attack.

We are not talking about Windows Server. We were talking about Windows Home/Pro for end users being sold with prebuilt systems(which is itself slightly off-topic). You brought up Windows Server earlier which no one was talking about.

You are trolling. Please stop or you will be reported.
Veiled attack? AFAIK, again, this forum does not support piracy. If that has changed, I am sure mods will point that out to me. Talking about sidestepping Microsoft is piracy support, using obviously non-legit keys also is. What is so hard to understand about that?

Maybe open that same link from goodoffer24.com and take a look at what they "offer"? That is why I mentioned the unbelievable prices for Windows 10 and Server. It is basically the same as G2A Gaming, exactly the same operating moto and shady sources.
And now we suddenly are talking about pre-built systems. That is something entirely else - OEM licences have to be bought together with PC. Just because the OEM key from goodoffer will activate (because it is almost guaranteed to be OEM key) does not make it legal in any way or shape, as they sell just the key, not PC.
Posted on Reply
#50
hat
Enthusiast
EasoVeiled attack? AFAIK, again, this forum does not support piracy. If that has changed, I am sure mods will point that out to me. Talking about sidestepping Microsoft is piracy support, using obviously non-legit keys also is. What is so hard to understand about that?
Your definition of what constitutes piracy may require an update. I'm with lex on this one, mainly because it was from this very forum that I learned of the existence of sites like goodoffer24 (personally, I use urcdkey). No, not from lex, or some other user, it was from the TPU forum staff itself advertising such sites in a News post. As such, I have a total of four machines running legitimate Windows 10 Pro, which, to be honest, would otherwise likely be cracked.
Posted on Reply
Add your own comment
Apr 24th, 2024 22:27 EDT change timezone

New Forum Posts

Popular Reviews

Controversial News Posts