A couple of questions about Windows 7 in 2024.

[dias_flac_0g]

So it's been made clear that Steam will no longer support Windows 7 after Jan 2024.

But what exactly does this mean?

Does it mean that Steam simply won't get anymore updates? But we can still play our games in the "offline" mode?

Or does it literally mean that once Jan 2024 comes all of a sudden we wont be able to launch Steam at all and get an error message even while being offline? Currently the way Steam works is if we don't have an internet connection it will simply ask us if we want to use "offline" mode to play our games.

I did some googling but can't seem to find an answer to my specific question. All I find are people complaining (about the end of support) or the typical "Just upgrade to windows 10/11) people telling them to upgrade.

and yes before you anyone here tells me to upgrade, my main PC is a modern gaming rig with Windows 11.

I'm simply asking because I am using my old PC (8700k) as a Windows 7 PC for legacy games and just for the fun of it.

I recently formatted it and installed a clean copy of 7 of it with all the updates. So I would like to add some of my old Steam games on it.

Helpful comments will be greatly appreciated.

[Brian9824]

Vitdom původně napsal:

nullable původně napsal:

They're virtually identical to Win7/8.1

Care to share what they are? We are around 400,000 users dying to know which version of Windows 10 etc to upgrade to. :cwat:

For the average user the version of windows 10 doesn't really matter

[NakiBest]

Just don't use Home, especially if owning 2-3 PCs/laptops.
Windows 10 Home lacks MS RDC (Remote Desktop), which I find very useful.

It lacks Group Policy too, with some hacking you can add it, but MS RDC will be missing anyway, so not a good idea. :)

[Ogami]

Vitdom původně napsal:

That is not true. Windows 10 has different and higher system requirements:
At least 32 GigaBytes of secondary storage.
At least a monitor resolution of 800x600 pixels.
A CPU with PAE, NX and SSE2 instruction sets.

32 gigabyte of storage is not a performance requirement and if any WIndows 7 user here is using a PC with less then a 32GB HDD in 2023 they have a whole other bunch of problems.
Also those CPU intructions have been the standard sind the PENTIUM 4 in 2000.
And the 2GB of RAM for 64bit is mentioned in the system requirements i posted.
So YES, the system requirements are basially identical.
Same CPU performance, RAM amount, graphic card requirements.

[bidulless]

NakiBest původně napsal:

Just don't use Home, especially if owning 2-3 PCs/laptops.
Windows 10 Home lacks MS RDC (Remote Desktop), which I find very useful.

It lacks Group Policy too, with some hacking you can add it, but MS RDC will be missing anyway, so not a good idea. :)

Hello

Don't worry there is some nice tools around
https://github.com/Fleex255/PolicyPlus

[Elorian]

My computer says no to windows 10 update from windows 7. I log back and forth to offline/online daily. I leave my computer always on. Unless I lose power or need to reset because of freezing programs/games. You are saying that I will have to stay in offline mode always (until my computer shuts down). Then I will no longer be able to log back into Steam? Yes, financial concerns are a definite!!! After over 10 years with steam and still buying games, you force this on me. I realize some of the newer games require a better system than I have, but I am happy with the ones I do have. And there are enough new games that are still acceptable.

[MonkehMaster]

gilledward1 původně napsal:

My computer says no to windows 10 update from windows 7. I log back and forth to offline/online daily. I leave my computer always on. Unless I lose power or need to reset because of freezing programs/games. You are saying that I will have to stay in offline mode always (until my computer shuts down). Then I will no longer be able to log back into Steam? Yes, financial concerns are a definite!!! After over 10 years with steam and still buying games, you force this on me. I realize some of the newer games require a better system than I have, but I am happy with the ones I do have. And there are enough new games that are still acceptable.

just bypass the requirements, its very simply, but if you want to stay on win 7, more power to ya.

[RiO]

MonkehMaster původně napsal:

gilledward1 původně napsal:

My computer says no to windows 10 update from windows 7. I log back and forth to offline/online daily. I leave my computer always on. Unless I lose power or need to reset because of freezing programs/games. You are saying that I will have to stay in offline mode always (until my computer shuts down). Then I will no longer be able to log back into Steam? Yes, financial concerns are a definite!!! After over 10 years with steam and still buying games, you force this on me. I realize some of the newer games require a better system than I have, but I am happy with the ones I do have. And there are enough new games that are still acceptable.

just bypass the requirements, its very simply, but if you want to stay on win 7, more power to ya.

Can't do that anymore. Microsoft recently stopped the ability to upgrade a Windows 7 or 8 key to a Windows 10/11 one via a digital grant.

Formally they didn't allow you to do that anymore when the policy expired in Jul-Aug 2016. Doing so afterwards, while technically still possible, was strictly a license violation - albeit one that was not acted upon. Now they've also shut down the actual implementation of the upgrade track on their servers.

It's gone.

Want Windows 10 or 11?
Pay for it.

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade


Ironically; this now also does mean that Valve pushing an update to the Steam Client that requires Windows 10 or 11 and drops support for 7 and 8, may put them in the legal danger-zone of violating Article 19 of the EU's Digital Content Directive, which states modifications to digital content may only be made if they are at no additional cost to consumers.

One may start musing about the time-window of Microsoft killing the ability to upgrade Win 7/8 licenses and whether this is some clever 4D game of chess they're playing with Valve, considering they're competitors in the PC gaming space.

Esp. given that solving the very dangerous WEBP vulnerabilities that are under exploit in the wild, would require Valve to update their embedded Chromium to a version that no longer supports Windows 7 and 8.

[Crazy Tiger]

RiO původně napsal:

MonkehMaster původně napsal:

just bypass the requirements, its very simply, but if you want to stay on win 7, more power to ya.

Can't do that anymore. Microsoft recently stopped the ability to upgrade a Windows 7 or 8 key to a Windows 10/11 one via a digital grant.

Formally they didn't allow you to do that ended in Jul-Aug 2016. Doing so afterwards, while technically still possible, was strictly a license violation - albeit one that was not acted upon. Now they've also shut down the actual implementation of the upgrade track on their servers.

It's gone.

Want Windows 10 or 11?
Pay for it.

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade

Seems they didn't do it right as we've upgraded a few computers and laptops from 7/8 to 10 in the past few days via the usual way.

[MonkehMaster]

RiO původně napsal:

MonkehMaster původně napsal:

just bypass the requirements, its very simply, but if you want to stay on win 7, more power to ya.

Can't do that anymore. Microsoft recently stopped the ability to upgrade a Windows 7 or 8 key to a Windows 10/11 one via a digital grant.

Formally they didn't allow you to do that ended in Jul-Aug 2016. Doing so afterwards, while technically still possible, was strictly a license violation - albeit one that was not acted upon. Now they've also shut down the actual implementation of the upgrade track on their servers.

It's gone.

Want Windows 10 or 11?
Pay for it.

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade


Ironically; this now also does mean that Valve pushing an update to the Steam Client that requires Windows 10 or 11 and drops support for 7 and 8, may put them in the legal danger-zone of violating Article 19 of the EU's Digital Content Directive, which states modifications to digital content may only be made if they are at no additional cost to consumers.

One may start musing about the time-window of Microsoft killing the ability to upgrade Win 7/8 licenses and whether this is some clever 4D game of chess they're playing with Valve, considering they're competitors in the PC gaming space.

Esp. given that solving the very dangerous WEBP vulnerabilities that are under exploit in the wild, would require Valve to update their embedded Chromium to a version that no longer supports Windows 7 and 8.

guess i should have added "hardware" in that comment.. what i meant was, they can just bypass the hardware requirements, a key really isnt a requirement.

that being said, i already upgraded a win 7 key months ago, so i got my free win 10 and 11.

anything else i can just install it without a key, mostly testing older desktops/laptops.

and if i happen to for some reason have to switch my motherboard/ect.. im sure phone activation or something can get the key working as i have done it in the past.

[MonkehMaster]

Crazy Tiger původně napsal:

RiO původně napsal:

Can't do that anymore. Microsoft recently stopped the ability to upgrade a Windows 7 or 8 key to a Windows 10/11 one via a digital grant.

Formally they didn't allow you to do that ended in Jul-Aug 2016. Doing so afterwards, while technically still possible, was strictly a license violation - albeit one that was not acted upon. Now they've also shut down the actual implementation of the upgrade track on their servers.

It's gone.

Want Windows 10 or 11?
Pay for it.

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade

Seems they didn't do it right as we've upgraded a few computers and laptops from 7/8 to 10 in the past few days via the usual way.

good ole microsoft for ya

[RiO]

Crazy Tiger původně napsal:

RiO původně napsal:

Can't do that anymore. Microsoft recently stopped the ability to upgrade a Windows 7 or 8 key to a Windows 10/11 one via a digital grant.

Formally they didn't allow you to do that ended in Jul-Aug 2016. Doing so afterwards, while technically still possible, was strictly a license violation - albeit one that was not acted upon. Now they've also shut down the actual implementation of the upgrade track on their servers.

It's gone.

Want Windows 10 or 11?
Pay for it.

https://devicepartner.microsoft.com/en-us/communications/comm-windows-ends-installation-path-for-free-windows-7-8-upgrade

Seems they didn't do it right as we've upgraded a few computers and laptops from 7/8 to 10 in the past few days via the usual way.

Odds are it's a phased roll-out and is still rolling out and propagating to all regions of the world.
So you may have gotten lucky.

[Muppet among Puppets]

RiO původně napsal:

Crazy Tiger původně napsal:

Seems they didn't do it right as we've upgraded a few computers and laptops from 7/8 to 10 in the past few days via the usual way.

Odds are it's a phased roll-out and is still rolling out and propagating to all regions of the world.
So you may have gotten lucky.

Does it not say, win 10 install with 7 key?
Thats something else than upgrade 7 to 10.

[RiO]

Muppet among Puppets původně napsal:

RiO původně napsal:

Odds are it's a phased roll-out and is still rolling out and propagating to all regions of the world.
So you may have gotten lucky.

Does it not say, win 10 install with 7 key?
Thats something else than upgrade 7 to 10.

It specifically says that: "The installation path to obtain the Windows 7 / 8 free upgrade is now removed as well." And juxtaposes that with the fact that: "Upgrades to Windows 11 from Windows 10 are still free."

So I would assume it's now all closed off.
Or in the process of being closed off.

[lsdninja]

Muppet among Puppets původně napsal:

RiO původně napsal:

Odds are it's a phased roll-out and is still rolling out and propagating to all regions of the world.
So you may have gotten lucky.

Does it not say, win 10 install with 7 key?
Thats something else than upgrade 7 to 10.

Without actually testing it personally, I imagine the "installation path" they're talking about is using a Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 from scratch. Saying the upgrade offer ended is a little more confusing though since even though the guided method you got from the little tray app did indeed end, you were still able to launch setup.exe for an installation medium and upgrade that way afaik, which I imagine is ending now too.

You can still use Windows 10 keys to install Windows 10 (obviously) and 11, but you have to work harder to acquire those now since COAs went bye bye.

[Minuit]

lsdninja původně napsal:

Muppet among Puppets původně napsal:

Does it not say, win 10 install with 7 key?
Thats something else than upgrade 7 to 10.

Without actually testing it personally, I imagine the "installation path" they're talking about is using a Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 from scratch. Saying the upgrade offer ended is a little more confusing though since even though the guided method you got from the little tray app did indeed end, you were still able to launch setup.exe for an installation medium and upgrade that way afaik, which I imagine is ending now too.

You can still use Windows 10 keys to install Windows 10 (obviously) and 11, but you have to work harder to acquire those now since COAs went bye bye.

Or, maybe, you guys were all wrong, all time long, since march 2023, when you started writing Win7 users were holdouts?