Steam, Windows 7 - 2025

[Master.Constructor]

We're almost finished 2024 and we've had several Steam client updates as well as Windows 7 updates via UpdatePack7. So far Windows 7 seems to be running well and will carry me into 2025 at the very least.

I've been running Windows 7 since transitioning from XP after bypassing (and watching the fallout from) Vista. So far so good aside from DirectX12 and some driver restrictions.

I closely followed the roll-out of Win8, 8.1 and 10 waiting for a good time to transition to a newer OS, testing a few other options while I've been waiting (Linux, Windows Server, Tiny/Lite Windows). So far I haven't found anything that seems to worth the effort or privacy risks / compromise.

Windows 7 SP2/3?

In 2021 I found UpdatePack7 which is a monthly security pack for all editions of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008R2 (seems to be in development since 2013) and have had very good results with it. There is a small ~1MB downloader program (v1.5.0.0) which will download and/or verify the update pack (~800MB). The latest release was three days ago (24.6.12) and no issues to report. It's a significant saving of bandwidth, time and drive space and I am very grateful for it's consistent and diligent development. It is essentially the SP3 that Win7 users were always waiting for.

If you're having issues on Windows 7 SP1, try running the following from CMD (as administrator) and post your results here.
chkdsk
sfc /verifyonly

Hint:
I find starting Steam offline is much faster and smoother. Here's my steps to starting Steam Offline:
1 - edit the file loginusers.vdf
... mine was located here: \Steam\config\loginusers.vdf
2 - change "WantsOfflineMode" from 0 to 1
3 - save and set file [Properties] to [Read-only]
4 - start steam to check

Also, to remove the red banner at the top I added this to my steam.exe shortcut:
-pretendeol-w10


Updates
=======
UpdatePack7 25.5.17 (Windows 6.1.7601.27717)
- Added KB5061196-x64 with disabling telemetry and checking processors (replaces KB5058430-x64)

UpdatePack7 25.4.10 (Windows 6.1.7601.27666)
UpdatePack7 25.3.12 (Windows 6.1.7601.27615)
UpdatePack7 25.2.12 (Windows 6.1.7601.27566)
UpdatePack7 25.1.15 (Windows 6.1.7601.27520)
UpdatePack7 24.12.12 (Windows 6.1.7601.27412)

Steam Version: 1730853000 (Thurs, Nov 7, 2024)
Steam API Version: SteamClient021

Steam Version: 1726604483 (Tue, Sep 17, 2024)

[Master.Constructor]

The exceptional qualities of UpdatePack7 are numerous, including; no telemetry, no ads/pop-ups, compact single file executable, can update a Win7 SP1 ISO, dedicated and extensive user base that gives feedback, responsive updates / corrections, over a decade of user history, ...

I have been using Steam since 2009, Windows 7 since 2009 and UpdatePack7 since 2020.

UpdatePack7 2024.9.10 will update the following 32/64 bit editions of Windows 7 SP1 to the current Security Monthly Quality Rollup:

Enterprise
Enterprise N
Home Basic
Home Premium
Home Premium N
Professional
Professional for Embedded Systems
Professional N
Starter
Starter N
Ultimate
Ultimate for Embedded Systems
Ultimate N

[Master.Constructor]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Verdict:

lol and they think they are making their OS safer. as if using win 7 online in 2024 would ever be. They really showed us about security and privacy installing random .exe OS updates :steamlaughcry:

It's true that I am expecting Microsoft to be somewhat competent at compiling their security updates. That said, I really don't have any complaints with Windows 7 2024.9.10.

But don't take my word for it, try it and see! ;D

For those who don't know / understand Windows 7, that's OK. You certainly don't need to.

[MonkehMaster]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

they can use and do w/e they want, can't you find something better to do than create nonsense arguments?

you have all of the steam forums, game hubs and games to use, yet you spend ALL of it in win 7 threads hassling and insulting them, kindly move on.

have a nice day

[Meatflaps]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von MonkehMaster:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

they can use and do w/e they want, can't you find something better to do than create nonsense arguments?

you have all of the steam forums, game hubs and games to use, yet you spend ALL of it in win 7 threads hassling and insulting them, kindly move on.

have a nice day :gk_smile:

I don't even know what happened. I went to bed and woke up and My comment was stealth-deleted and I didn't get a warning so I guess I need to re-write it. No people can not do whatever they want. Trying to write in the steam forums that these updates are for Windows 7 is EXTREMELY DECEPTIVE! This may actually lead someone to think that there's actually updates for Windows 7 out there! Someone else who finds this thread and doesn't understand technology may actually try to download those updates for Server and POS windows and try to install them on Win7 unless I say something. Someone has to say something. This is possibly the single worst thing that anyone has ever written into the steam forums regarding technology. I don't know how the moderators can allow this to continue. :(

There is not any updates for Windows 7. You know that. I know that. I don't understand why people are trying to mislead others like this.

[Master.Constructor]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

... Trying to write in the steam forums that these updates are for Windows 7 is EXTREMELY DECEPTIVE!

This is very much incorrect.

I've been keeping my five, daily use, Windows 7 PC's updated using UpdatePack7 since 2020. I download the monthly update, check the feedback, install & test, and I have been doing this every month. I have asked many times for feedback regarding this update and I continue to do so.

I've used UpdatePack7 on at least 20 PC's in the last few years and have had great results (in fact, better than Windows Update ever did). I know Microsoft won't continue to provide monthly security roll-ups forever but I'm sure glad they have continued to support NT 6.1.7601 (Windows 7) for as long as they have.

Long live Win7! :)

[Master.Constructor]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

So you're saying I'm a spammer, you called me a moron, you called me stupid, and you claim I'm ranting. That's multiple targeted insults. :/

As long as other people are trying to mislead the public by claiming there are new updates for windows 7 then I definitely have a need to keep repeating it. I will make sure to continue to do so as long as necessary.

I know this was not directed at me, but I would say that Meatflaps is not being helpful or constructive in this thread.

[bidulless]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Master.Constructor:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

So you're saying I'm a spammer, you called me a moron, you called me stupid, and you claim I'm ranting. That's multiple targeted insults. :/

As long as other people are trying to mislead the public by claiming there are new updates for windows 7 then I definitely have a need to keep repeating it. I will make sure to continue to do so as long as necessary.

I know this was not directed at me, but I would say that Meatflaps is not being helpful or constructive in this thread.

hello

Unfortunately he's never been constructive anyway in this thread as he just circling the same stuff over and over ...
We all know that mikeysoft stopped providing support for w7 esu last year but gladly some smart people understoud that all kb for the same os ( pro/server/home/embedded/etc) are sharing the same update.
The people behind updatepack just made it more convenient for any user than using a script to install these update after you downloaded them from the catalog ..
Well the only problem is not that it does not work, but it use a grey area for that because technically esu are sold despite they can be downloaded from the mikeysoft catalog ...
Honestly i won't be surprise if we'll see someone doing the same for the windows 10 update as next year , windows 10 will start it esu period.
I guess it will become a bit harder as mikeysoft recently changed some wsus and may be soon be we will see some change in the catalogue itself , who's know because , well, it was a bit too easy to use esu update from the catalogue

[Metalhead97]

I don't know how I've ended up here, but this is surely a meme thread, nobody, I mean nobody is running Windows 7? They can't be

[MonkehMaster]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Metalhead97:

I don't know how I've ended up here, but this is surely a meme thread, nobody, I mean nobody is running Windows 7? They can't be

yes, and I mean yes, they are and they can be, running win 7, steam stats shows how many are on steam alone, not including checking usage stats world wide on the internet, of win 7 usage would show a bigger picture.

also to note, many businesses and their machines run win 7, heck many still running win xp and other "outdated" OS's.

with that said, I would say your comment is the meme, not this thread.

have a nice day

[Meatflaps]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Master.Constructor:

This is very much incorrect.

I've been keeping my five, daily use, Windows 7 PC's updated using UpdatePack7 since 2020. I download the monthly update, check the feedback, install & test, and I have been doing this every month. I have asked many times for feedback regarding this update and I continue to do so.

I've used UpdatePack7 on at least 20 PC's in the last few years and have had great results (in fact, better than Windows Update ever did). I know Microsoft won't continue to provide monthly security roll-ups forever but I'm sure glad they have continued to support NT 6.1.7601 (Windows 7) for as long as they have.

Long live Win7! :)

What you are writing is completely incorrect. There are no updates for Windows 7. There are updates for Windows server and Windows Embedded Standard 7, but NOT for normal versions of Windows 7. Anyone trying to claim that there are updates for windows 7 is completely lying.

[Meatflaps]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von bidulless:

We all know that mikeysoft stopped providing support for w7 esu last year but gladly some smart people understoud that all kb for the same os ( pro/server/home/embedded/etc) are sharing the same update.

The entire reason I am writing my comments is people like you continue to spread lies and misinformation about Windows 7. You're actually trying to mislead people into thinking that they can continue using Windows 7 longer by "updating" it with the wrong updates for the wrong version of Windows. This is leading people into a false sense of security thinking their OS is updated and safe when it is not any more safe than it was in 2023. There are no new updates for Windows 7. You trying to tell people that there are updates for Windows 7 is very bad. I don't understand why you are trying to intentionally mislead people with false information like that but it's a pretty damn bad thing to do.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von bidulless:

The people behind updatepack just made it more convenient for any user than using a script to install these update after you downloaded them from the catalog ..

You can at least get this right: There are not "people" behind UpdatePack7. It's 1 random person that is creating it somewhere on the internet.

[NakiBest]

@Meatflaps, I need to repeat myself - Windows is clearly not your strong point. :)
Go discuss something else, something you have at least a basic grasp of.

Also, such projects are very rarely a 1-man show.
Very likely at least 2-3 separate persons involved here.

[Meatflaps]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von NakiBest:

@Meatflaps, I need to repeat myself - Windows is clearly not your strong point. :)
Go discuss something else, something you have at least a basic grasp of.

In this instance it's very easy to understand and does not take much of any intelligence to read words that are written on a website. It doesn't require extensive technical knowledge and everyone can grasp it even if they aren't technically inclined.

Microsoft labeled the updates for us to tell us which operating system the updates are supposed to be installed in so even the simplest minds will know how to install them.

Unfortunately there are some not-so-smart people around that are grabbing the wrong updates for the wrong OS and trying to install them in an OS the updates were never designed to be installed into. Then they parade around the internet trying to tell other people to install them too. It's quite sad actually because it's giving people a false sense of security thinking they are updating their operating system when they aren't actually updating anything. :(

[bidulless]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von NakiBest:

@Meatflaps, I need to repeat myself - Windows is clearly not your strong point. :)
Go discuss something else, something you have at least a basic grasp of.

Also, such projects are very rarely a 1-man show.
Very likely at least 2-3 separate persons involved here.

hello

Sadly true and he can't even understand why 2008r2 kb are the same file as windows 7 embedded despite been labelled with a different name ...
poor little thing without nowledge..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Earth_to_the_Moon ( 1870 )
it was a fiction, a dream for humanity
then in 1969
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11
...
what's funny with this exemple, is that humanity know more it moon than it deep ocean ....more easy to do

[MonkehMaster]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Meatflaps:

they have both clearly stated where and what the updates are and are from, they haven't said any lies.

also as you have been told hundreds of times by now since you sit in every win 7 thread in the steam forums, these are NT 6.1 updates, of which server, embedded (posready 7) and all versions of win 7 are all NT 6.1, thus said security updates work on all of them and there is zero difference between them when comparing each stated version(s).

if you even bothered yourself to look at them, coding wise/etc..., instead of staring at "words" (ie.. the names of them), then you would learn how this stuff works (ie... the NT 6.1 kernel base).

now kindly move on and please stop harassing win 7 users with your arguing, demands, insults and misinformation, because you have some type of grudge against them, or w/e agenda you have here.

fyi, microsoft says all types of stuff can't be done, or is required, etc... sad fact is they lie constantly, just like their win 11 requirements that excluded certain cpu's from older generations, yet the OS runs them all (down to dual cores/core 2 duos, from before win 7 release date), my current cpu (5th Gen i7 6950x) was excluded, yet I'm running win 11 on it (and 2 very old laptops, way older than my desktop cpu), not to mention the recent popcnt requirement that happens to support my cpu and basically all cpu's from 2008 and up.

that all said, everyone can do as they please with their own property, use w/e old hardware they want, etc.. etc...

BYE and have a nice day