14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 7 is already out of support, but Microsoft keeps rolling out security updates for devices that are enrolled in the ESU program.
In other words, unless your company is paying for security updates, your Windows 7 devices wouldn’t be getting any patches.
This month’s rollup is KB5014012, and it is available for Windows 7 devices right now through the typical update distribution channels – again, only as long as the device is registered to receive updates in the ESU program.
The focus in this update has obviously been on resolving the latest security vulnerabilities, but Microsoft says KB5014012 also comes with three non-security fixes, as it follows:
“The Key Distribution Center (KDC) code incorrectly returns error message KDC_ERR_TGT_REVOKED during Domain Controller shutdown,” the company says.
“After installing the January 2022 Windows update or a later Windows update on the Primary Domain Controller emulator (PDCe), listing or modifying name suffixes routing by using Netdom.exe or "Active Directory Domains and Trusts" snap-in may fail and you receive the following error message: "Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service." The Primary Domain Controller (PDC) for the root domain incorrectly logs warning and error events in the System log when trying to scan outbound-only trusts.”
The end of Windows 7
The market share of Windows 7 has obviously declined substantially since January 2020 when it reached the end of support, with the operating system now in its third and final year of the ESU program. In other words, starting with 2023, not even paid updates would be shipped, with customers therefore having no other option than to upgrade to a newer version of Windows.
In theory, a device running Windows 7 should also be able to run Windows 8.1, but on the other hand, hardware upgrades might be recommended for a smooth experience from one end to another.