# Unexpected Windows 7 security updates
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 29, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173 "2020-01-29T17:42:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/1 "2020-01-29T17:42:22Z")
Using Windows 7 on an older laptop, I clicked the Start/menu icon, clicked Microsoft Security Essentials, in the resulting dialog box clicked Updates tab, which shows:
Definitions created on: 1/27/2020
Definitions lasts updated: 1/28/2020
From the Microsoft site:
As of January 14, 2020, your computer running Windows 7 will still function but Microsoft will no longer provide the following:
Technical support for any issues
Software updates
Security updates or fixes
I’m not clear what’s going on here–any tips/info?
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/2 "2020-01-29T17:46:47Z")
Microsoft borked their last update (prior to their official end of support) and trashed a bunch of wallpapers. They were originally only going to fix it for people who paid for support, but then changed their mind and decided to push out an update to fix their mistake.
They pushed out the same update to everyone so that they wouldn’t have to create a separate update just for the borked wallpapers.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/3 "2020-01-29T17:47:06Z")
Microsoft will no longer make updates to the operating system, which is Windows 7.
Microsoft Security Essentials, which is an anti-virus software, will continue to update itself with new virus definitions (as in, patterns to look for to identify threats) as it is not tied to any one operating system.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/4 "2020-01-29T18:00:20Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#):
>
> Microsoft Security Essentials, which is an anti-virus software, will continue to update itself with new virus definitions (as in, patterns to look for to identify threats) as it is not tied to any one operating system.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think this is true.
Windows Defender is the current Microsoft antivirus. I believe MSE will stop updating if you have Windows 7. I have read that it might still update if you are using Windows 8, but Windows Defender is the default antivirus for Windows 8 and beyond.
I also believe that even if you have paid Microsoft’s “bend over and squeal like a piggy” price and purchased extended support for Windows 7 that MSE is not included in that and you still need to find an alternative for your antivirus.
Someone please let me know if I’m wrong (with an actual cite please if possible).
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/5 "2020-01-29T19:09:06Z")
[This article is hella confusing](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17150/windows-7-what-is-microsoft-security-essentials) but it does state that they will continue to provide definition updates through 2023.
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### Author:  [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/6 "2020-01-29T19:34:24Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> I could be wrong, but I don’t think this is true.
ISTR your recollection being announced initially, but that does not seem to have been the final answer.
[From Microsoft support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17150/windows-7-what-is-microsoft-security-essentials) instead of the confusing article ZipperJJ posted.
> [@](#):
>
> Microsoft Security Essentials reached end of service on January 14, 2020 and is no longer available as a download. Microsoft will continue to release signature updates (including engine) to service systems currently running Microsoft Security Essentials untill 2023.
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### Author:  [@Yakamaniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yakamaniac)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unexpected-windows-7-security-updates/847173/7 "2020-01-30T13:18:04Z")
Windows 7 is arguably the best operating system that Microsoft has created, It works well on most computers, as long as they are not touch screen. Something which works well should be conserved, so that resources are not wasted replacing it. Perhaps I don’t have the money to spend to buy a new computer and a new operating system. Making my system obsolete intentionally is not a business practice, it is greed, pure and simple. There are enough new computers being sold to support Microsoft, but not enough to provide excessive profits. Those excessive profits are desired so strongly that businesses are being corrupted, destroyed, and convicted because of the pursuit of them.