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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
Microsoft blocked the delivery of Windows Updates recently to Windows 7 and 8.1 devices powered by a next-generation processor.
The company announced the support change in January 2017. Broken down to the essentials, it means that Intel Kaby Lake and AMD Bristol Ridge processors are only support by Windows 10, and not older versions of Windows.
To hammer that home, Microsoft made the decision to block Windows Update on Windows 7 or 8.1 PCs with those next generation processors.
The company introduced patches, KB4012218 and KB4012219 for instance, which introduced process generation and hardware support detection on Windows 7 and 8.1 systems.
Windows users who run Windows Update get the unsupported hardware error prompt when they try to scan for and download the latest patches for their -- still supported -- operating system.
GitHub user zeffy made the decision to take a closer look at how the actual blocking is done on the operating system level.
Details on exactly what was done are available in the article.
Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2017/04/18/bypass-for-windows-update-lock-for-modern-processors-found/
This will be especially handy for those whose machines were entitled to updates but were mistakenly blocked from receiving them.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday April 21 2017, @04:28PM (5 children)
At what point will there be more Linux running on Intel processors than there are Windows on Intel processors?
Don't laugh. Serious question.
Consider.
Linux is all around you. (Like the matrix.) Every time you turn on your TV. Use your router. Use your DVR. A GPS navigator. Use your smart phone (if you are among the 4/5 of Linux powered smartphone users). Digital camera. Digital picture frame. Tablets. Smart watches. Chromebooks have outsold Windows Laptops on Amazon for years now. Linux in home security systems. Home automation hubs. And on and on.
Now many of the Linux instances I named run on ARM processors. However Linux is king of the hill when it comes to internet servers. PC sales have been declining year over year, but I think recently flattened out, maybe. So at what point are Intel processors running more Linux instances than Windows instances? Just wondering.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @04:45PM (3 children)
Why do you think there is such an effort to subvert linux? Because it is becoming more popular!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday April 21 2017, @05:17PM (2 children)
Microsoft has been trying to destroy Linux for 15 years now. And has failed. The only place where Microsoft dominates over Linux is on personal computers. And Chromebook and Android tablets are making inroads. PC sales have declined for several years now.
In most anything else with a microprocessor that requires a GUI, or internet access, file system access, bluetooth, WiFi, etc. Linux dominates. Even a basic printer today has Linux with a simple GUI interface.
Microsoft is definitely not doing very well at destroying Linux.
As for Microsoft's patent extortion? Those patents eventually do run out. Microsoft's best days are behind it. They won't go away anytime soon. Like IBM. But their best days are in the past, IMO.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 3, Funny) by butthurt on Friday April 21 2017, @10:15PM (1 child)
> Microsoft has been trying to destroy Linux for 15 years now.
Ostensibly, they love Linux now.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-microsoft-loves-linux/ [zdnet.com]
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsserver/2015/05/06/microsoft-loves-linux/ [microsoft.com]
Now it seems to be Windows that they're trying to destroy.
/article.pl?sid=17/04/16/188252 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday April 24 2017, @01:27PM
Microsoft Loves Linux.
In other news . . .
Sharks Love Fish
Foxes Love Chickens
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday April 21 2017, @05:46PM
There are more processors or cores running linux than Windows.
There are more linux kernels than Windows kernels.
Most people either don't know, don't care, or don't realize what an achievement (and progress) that is, because those ARM-based systems don't advertise Linux every single time you look at them.
Google docs is actually the other biggest threat Microsoft has ever faced, because the overwhelming majority of those Linux instances didn't displace Win licenses (except in very lucrative enterprise servers, but many still have to run licensed VMs), while Google docs replaces Office directly.