Microsoft Threatens to Withhold Windows 11 Updates for Older, Unsupported Systems

[Tsing]

Image: Microsoft



Windows users were relieved to hear yesterday that Microsoft would allow Windows 11 to be installed on older systems, even those that didn’t completely line up with the company’s recommended (and slightly controversial) hardware requirements.



Now there’s another problem.



According to a new report from The Verge, Microsoft still intends to make the lives of Windows 11 users stuck on older hardware more difficult by withholding updates for such systems. This is obviously a huge inconvenience, but it’s especially worrisome when one considers that these updates might even include crucial security patches.



“We’re not sure why the company didn’t mention it in our original briefing, but Microsoft has since told The Verge that unsupported PCs won’t be entitled to receive Windows Updates, and that even security and driver updates may be withheld,” the outlet...

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[Brian_B]

Well I wouldn’t expect Microsoft to support hardware less than their minimum specifications. I am amazed they are even allowing it to be installed (and glad!), but that was always understood by me to be YMMV, at your own risk, etc.

I can’t see why MS would let you install on less than spec hardware and then go out of their way to actively block updates — I think they are just saying they don’t intend to test or target older hardware and if it stops working somewhere along the way, oh well, we didn’t promise anything.

I think the specs may be high, but that’s a totally different issue than the one this article is talking about.

 

[Uvilla]

What is ' support' for the home user? I don't know what businesses look like under the hood, Im sure its a worry to big business... Home and small business are usually without a paddle anyway, so what difference does this verbiage really do? To learn not to upgrade I suppose.

 

[Grimlakin]

Why are we left to guess? I'm already on windows 11 at home. Will be standing up a enterprise version to tinker with in my dev vm cluster here soon. Wondering what the use experience will be like for a vdi and if it's finally time to get hosts with video acceleration. But that's just so.freaking expensive. We're talking like 15k more per server for hardware and no idea what it would be for software.

 

[MadMummy76]

Well I wouldn’t expect Microsoft to support hardware less than their minimum specifications. I am amazed they are even allowing it to be installed (and glad!), but that was always understood by me to be YMMV, at your own risk, etc.

It was always the standard, I don't think either windows 7 or 8 or 10 prevented installation if some specs weren't met, unless it was something necessary like a 800x600 capable display or enough storage space.

But blocking patches seems pointless. If by blocking they mean they won't automatically install and you have to download them manually that would atcually be a good thing. But if it means they are not even possible to install, then that's a big WTF moment. Why would you have users install and run an unpatched w11 over a still supported 10?

And BTW the guy twirling his ring in the image gives me supervillain vibes.