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How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

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engrssc

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How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 10:51 am

Found the following to be relevant to some current discussions:

What’s the Difference Between Mainstream Support and Extended Support?
There are two main levels of support: Mainstream support and extended support. When a Windows operating system is first released, Microsoft provides mainstream support for five years. The operating system will receive security updates, free support via telephone or web chat, and bug fixes that aren’t security related.

After leaving mainstream support, the operating system transitions to extended support for another five years. The operating system will still receive security updates, but you’ll have to pay if you want telephone or web chat support from Microsoft. Businesses can pay for “Extended Hotfix Support” to request fixes for bugs that aren’t related to security.

Both mainstream support and extended support include free security updates. So, while Windows 7 is currently in its extended support period, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of security—it will continue receiving free security updates until the support period ends. You just need to make sure you enable updates, or you won’t get the security fixes you need, and may be vulnerable to new attacks like WannaCry.

You Must Have the Latest Service Pack (or Update)
While security updates are provided through the mainstream and extended support periods that last for a total of ten years, you have to be running the latest service pack or version of the operating system to stay eligible. But you don’t have to rush to update.

Microsoft gives you 24 months to install a service pack or free update, during which time it continues updating both the old version and new version. So, when Windows 7’s Service Pack 1 came out, Microsoft updated both the original release and Service Pack 1 versions of Windows 7 with security updates for two years. After that point, the original release of Windows 7 stopped receiving security updates. Windows 7 is still receiving security updates today, but only if you install Service Pack 1.



To continue receiving security updates for Windows 10, you must install major updates like the Creators Update. Microsoft won’t continue updating every release of Windows 10 forever. Each individual update—like the November Update, Anniversary Update, and Creators Update—will keep receiving security updates for two years. That way, businesses that are holding back should have plenty of time to upgrade.

Microsoft has announced that the original release of Windows 10—that’s version 1507—will no longer receive security update starting in May, 2017.

What Happens After Mainstream and Extended Support?
For most people, after the ten year period of mainstream and extended support ends, that’s it. You won’t receive any security updates for your version of Windows.

RELATED ARTICLE
Microsoft is Still Making Security Updates for Windows XP, But You Can’t Have Them
However, there are some ways around this. Microsoft offers “custom support relationships” to organizations that are still running outdated versions of Windows, and it creates and releases security updates for them. There are still organizations paying for Windows XP security patches, and Microsoft is still creating them. However, you can’t get them as a normal Windows user. You can only get them if you’re an organization prepared to shell out a large amount of money. Microsoft’s long-term goal is to encourage these organizations to upgrade and leave Windows XP behind.

Microsoft will also sometimes release security updates to the general public for particularly bad security holes. This happens very rarely, isn’t guaranteed, and the security updates may only be released after the brunt of the attack. For example, Microsoft released security updates that patch the hole abused by the WannaCry malware for Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003, which are no longer officially supported.



This isn’t something to count on. Microsoft only released these patches after the malware ran wild and exploited the bug. People who were running a supported version of Windows and installing the latest security updates—a security patch was released to fix the hole in March, nearly two months before the attack—were protected when the attack occurred, not afterwards.

When Will Microsoft End Support for Windows 7, 8, and 10?
Microsoft always lays out the exact dates when it will end support for a version of Windows in the Windows lifecycle fact sheet, available on Microsoft’s website. Here’s what it says:

Windows 7 is supported with security updates until the end of extended support on January 14, 2020. You must have Service Pack 1 installed to get updates.
Windows 8.1 is supported with security updates until the end of extended support on January 10, 2023. You must have updated to Windows 8.1 to get updates—the original version of Windows 8 isn’t supported with updates anymore.
Windows 10 is supported with security updates until October 14, 2025. You must have the latest update to Windows 10 installed to keep receiving updates until 2025. (That’s the Creators Update, right now.)
Microsoft could extend these dates if they want—and they sometimes do—but these are the dates they’re officially committed to at the moment. Microsoft won’t end support before these dates.

RELATED ARTICLE
Microsoft is Ending Support for Windows XP in 2014: What You Need to Know
Older versions of Windows are no longer in extended support. and no longer receive security updates. Windows Vista’s extended support period ended on April 11, 2017, more than ten years after it was first released. Windows XP’s extended support period ended on April 8, 2014, twelve and a half years after it was first released. While Microsoft may occasionally toss these outdated operating systems a security patch, they’re no longer safe to use.

Rgds,
Ed
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johnh

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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 11:12 am

Good summary of Microsoft's policies but I take exception to this statement:

engrssc wrote: While Microsoft may occasionally toss these outdated operating systems a security patch, they’re no longer safe to use.


Perhaps it should have stated 'safe to use on-line'.

---john.
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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 7:37 pm

Hi Ed,

This makes for interesting reading.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows ... indows-iot

and the data sheet says 10 year product availability and 10 years support. This indicates that they will support Win 10 Enterprise IoT for 10 years after you buy it.

http://wincom.blob.core.windows.net/doc ... asheet.pdf

Looking around the web for Win 10 IoT information I found that Win 10 will be supported as a service in three branches Current Branch, Current Business Branch and Long Term Service Branch. Current Branch is the consumer version, Current Business Branch is the business version and Long Term Service Branch is the version which includes IoT. There are supposedly some complex medical devices (like MRI machines) running Win 10 IoT and perhaps not connected to the internet.

I am scheduled to be in a seminar tomorrow discussing Win10 Enterprise x64 to make a desk top client. That should be interesting. Maybe I will get a chance to ask about audio over ethernet audio workstations :)

More in our next daring episode,

Thomas
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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 7:42 pm

"Daring" is an interesting choice of words.

Rgds,
Ed
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organtechnology

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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 8:00 pm

engrssc wrote:"Daring" is an interesting choice of words.

Rgds,
Ed


It is a quote from an old radio serial. I do not remember the exact one but probably the Lone Ranger or Sky King. :)

Tjg
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engrssc

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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostTue May 23, 2017 8:13 pm

And of course M/S wouldn't support something that old.. I always rooted for Tonto myself, as well Trigger going back to R Rogers..(That's Rogers without the d.) . Sky King was cool as well. I believe all that would have been before Hauptwerk. :wink:

Rgds,
Ed
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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostWed May 24, 2017 9:04 am

johnh wrote:Good summary of Microsoft's policies but I take exception to this statement:

engrssc wrote: While Microsoft may occasionally toss these outdated operating systems a security patch, they’re no longer safe to use.


Perhaps it should have stated 'safe to use on-line'.

---john.

It's safe to say that being a malware victim is less likely if the machine is never connected to a network, but it is not correct to say that a machine with an unpatched OS is safe. Malware can be spread by infected files on media such as thumb drives and disks, no network connection required.

A common ploy by hackers is to drop an infected thumb drive in a parking lot with the expectation that someone will pick it up and plug it in. The Stuxnet virus that brought down Iran's centrifuges was likely introduced to their system via a thumb drive.
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Re: How long will M/S support Operating Systems w/ updates

PostThu May 25, 2017 5:02 pm

Don't know if what I do is a given good procedure, but I have a (spare) computer that I use to load or download and "test" files for malware etc before introducing the software into my "working" computers. And I have found some "bad stuff" on even manufacturers discs or thumb drives. Sabotage, maybe? Dunno. But in one case, I ordered another disc and it was clean. :oops:

Rgds,
Ed

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