there will be no Windows 7 ZEN drivers - AMD confirmed it

[zMeul]

source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3167279/computers/amd-sorry-there-will-be-no-official-ryzen-drivers-for-windows-7.html

via: http://digiworthy.com/2017/02/09/amd-ryzen-drivers-for-windows-7/

 

 

you should not believe rumors and only what comes from the mouths of the actual people involved, in this case AMD

 

Quote

“To achieve the highest confidence in the performance of our AMD Ryzen desktop processors (formerly code-named ‘Summit Ridge’), AMD validated them across two different OS generations, Windows 7 and 10,” AMD said in a statement in response to a question from PCWorld. “However, only support and drivers for Windows 10 will be provided in AMD Ryzen desktop processor production parts.”

 

AMD is maintaining a position that it, along with Intel and Microsoft, has held for the last year. In January 2016, Microsoft said that Intel’s Kaby Lake and AMD’s Ryzen would only be supported under Windows 10, and reiterated that position last August.

 

AMD said it validated if Zen works on Windows 7, but did not say they will actually support it

 

---

 

my guess is that ComputerBase.DE misspoke when originally reported Zen will get W7 drivers - must've been AMD saying they validated W7, and CB.de interpreting it wrong

 

---

 

let's get some things straight because I see a lot of people misrepresenting the issue

the problem is not directly the CPU (RyZen), but the chipset drivers - unless AMD didn't do major augments to the x86 arch, Windows doesn't need specific Zen kernel patches for W7, neither W10 (for that matter)

the issues are the chipset family, and the other integrated devices in the CPU and chipset - integrated graphics, USB, SATA controller (RAID) .. etc

Edited February 9, 2017 by zMeul

[Ekst4zy]

That's a bummer... I was going to get one because of rumored w7 support  

[The Sloth]

doesn't matter to me, just hope the processors are good. 

[Glacius2]

The processors will still work, so it's not like anyone should be bummed.

[Wolther]

3 minutes ago, Glacius2 said:

The processors will still work, so it's not like anyone should be bummed.

It'll still work but there will probably be annoying issues people may struggle with for awhile, especially if they're not tech savvy. 

Although it's expected. Best to grow tall rather than long and thin 

[Glacius2]

1 minute ago, Wolther said:

It'll still work but there will probably be annoying issues people may struggle with for awhile, especially if they're not tech savvy. 

Although it's expected. Best to grow tall rather than long and thin 

Different ladies are into different things...

[Electronics Wizardy]

15 minutes ago, Ekst4zy said:

That's a bummer... I was going to get one because of rumored w7 support  

you could just install something like linux or esxi and run windows 7 in a vm and pass it though a gpu. Why do you want windows 7 anyways, its 9 years old and missing lots of features and much less secure.

[ivan134]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you could just install something like linux or esxi and run windows 7 in a vm and pass it though a gpu. Why do you want windows 7 anyways, its 9 years old and missing lots of features and much less secure.

Muh NSA

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, ivan134 said:

Muh NSA

then use something like freeBSD, OSX, openBSD, Linux, and others. Why do you need windows, if you want to be private, don't use windows at all.

[Ekst4zy]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you could just install something like linux or esxi and run windows 7 in a vm and pass it though a gpu. Why do you want windows 7 anyways, its 9 years old and missing lots of features and much less secure.

Well, IMO w7 is a great OS and I want to run it. I don't like w10 at all. w7 support was huge for me and now I'm not sure if i still want to upgrade... sue me.

[manikyath]

3 minutes ago, Ekst4zy said:

Well, IMO w7 is a great OS and I want to run it. I don't like w10 at all. w7 support was huge for me and now I'm not sure if i still want to upgrade... sue me.

windows 7 is outdated, wether you like it or not.

[Ekst4zy]

6 minutes ago, manikyath said:

windows 7 is outdated, wether you like it or not.

I honestly don't care. All I said is that it's a deal breaker FOR ME.

[leadeater]

Where it likely feel down is Microsoft wouldn't certify the drivers so that's an instant death-nail. This is unlikely by choice of AMD, who likely wanted to officially have Windows 7 support.

[zMeul]

15 minutes ago, leadeater said:

Where it likely feel down is Microsoft wouldn't certify the drivers so that's an instant death-nail. This is unlikely by choice of AMD, who likely wanted to officially have Windows 7 support.

W7 can use uncertified drives

if AMD actually wanted to deliver W7 drivers, they would've

[goodtofufriday]

2 minutes ago, zMeul said:

W7 can use uncertified drives

if AMD actually wanted to deliver W7 drivers, they would've

They still may unofficially. Heck the first build of crimson drivers "unofficially" supports pre-gcn cards. 

They might release drivers and leave it up to the user. 

[DrMikeNZ]

57 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Why do you want windows 7 anyways

Scientific equipment used for regulatory monitoring and food safety. The software is not compatible yet for windows 8 or higher, and may not be for another couple of years. Being able to replace the aging PCs running the critical systems would have been nice, as the motherboards currently being used are failing.

[leadeater]

14 minutes ago, zMeul said:

W7 can use uncertified drives

if AMD actually wanted to deliver W7 drivers, they would've

True but kernel mode drivers can be a little bit of a different story than your typical drivers, if Microsoft themselves have to distribute them. Or this could just be an official support thing and nothing at all to do with drivers. Certainly is a lot of uproar over a now rather old OS that is already out of mainstream support and extended support that ends in 2020.

[zMeul]

1 minute ago, leadeater said:

True but kernel mode drivers can be a little bit of a different story than your typical drivers, if Microsoft themselves have to distribute them. Or this could just be an official support thing and nothing at all to do with drivers. Certainly is a lot of uproar over a now rather old OS that is already out of mainstream support and extended support that ends in 2020.

you mean microcode?

 

well, if AMD didn't go too far from the x86 arch there shouldn't be an issue

[leadeater]

Just now, zMeul said:

you mean microcode?

 

well, if AMD didn't go too far from the x86 arch there shouldn't be an issue

No Windows actually has Kernel Mode drivers and User Mode drivers.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/drivers/gettingstarted/user-mode-and-kernel-mode

 

Fewer things are Kernel Mode now days as that is Microsoft's accepted practice and what they try and enforce. GPU drivers are no longer Kernel Mode which is how they can crash and recover without causing a BSOD. The move to User Mode drivers is one of the big reasons BSOD don't happen as much anymore.

[AlTech]

3 hours ago, Ekst4zy said:

That's a bummer... I was going to get one because of rumored w7 support  

Windows 7 is dead. Get over yourself use Windows 10 or go to Linux.

 

1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

The entity that certifies for W7 wants W7 dead. 

You released uncertified drivers for W7 but then realize the same entity you pissed off also certifies for W10.

 

Like the one china policy thing. 

They actually have almost removed that in mainland China.

 

1 hour ago, leadeater said:

No.  Windows actually has Kernel Mode drivers and User Mode drivers.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/drivers/gettingstarted/user-mode-and-kernel-mode

 

Fewer things are Kernel Mode now days as that is Microsoft's accepted practice and what they try and enforce. GPU drivers are no longer Kernel Mode which is how they can crash and recover without causing a BSOD. The move to User Mode drivers is one of the big reasons BSOD don't happen as much anymore.

*Grammar needs fixing*

 

1 hour ago, goodtofufriday said:

They still may unofficially. Heck the first build of crimson drivers "unofficially" supports pre-gcn cards. 

They might release drivers and leave it up to the user. 

Nah. They won't do it unofficially.

 

1 hour ago, zMeul said:

W7 can use uncertified drives

if AMD actually wanted to deliver W7 drivers, they would've

I don't understand what all the fuss is about.

 

Windows 7 is no longer supported by Microsoft outside of Day 0 Security patches and critical bug fixes.

 

It makes perfect sense not to officially support Windows 7.

[AlTech]

2 hours ago, Glacius2 said:

The processors will still work, so it's not like anyone should be bummed.

Yes but if there are any micro code issue then anybody using Windows 7 won't have the critical fix needed for the CPU to work properly.

 

2 hours ago, leadeater said:

Where it likely feel down is Microsoft wouldn't certify the drivers so that's an instant death-nail. This is unlikely by choice of AMD, who likely wanted to officially have Windows 7 support.

I'm not so sure. A lot of recent programs like the new Origin Client supports Windows 7 and above. So clearly AMD is really in a tight position or they just don't want to take a risk.

[leadeater]

2 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

*Grammar needs fixing*

No' My, Grammer" iS totally. Fine

[Trik'Stari]

3 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you could just install something like linux or esxi and run windows 7 in a vm and pass it though a gpu. Why do you want windows 7 anyways, its 9 years old and missing lots of features and much less secure.

Some of us have very limited bandwidth that we don't want taken up by telemetry, not to mention the lack of reliability caused by forced automatic updates.

 

Sure, you can block those things on a networking level, but I really don't want to have to fight with my OS almost constantly.

[SCHISCHKA]

1 hour ago, DrMikeNZ said:

Scientific equipment used for regulatory monitoring and food safety. The software is not compatible yet for windows 8 or higher, and may not be for another couple of years. Being able to replace the aging PCs running the critical systems would have been nice, as the motherboards currently being used are failing.

a really good reason to move away from vendor locked proprietary systems. its the same in industrial applications, very expensive machines are still running win 2000/win xp

[SCHISCHKA]

1 minute ago, Trik'Stari said:

Some of us have very limited bandwidth that we don't want taken up by telemetry, not to mention the lack of reliability caused by forced automatic updates.

 

Sure, you can block those things on a networking level, but I really don't want to have to fight with my OS almost constantly.

i dont have these problems running linux. with an open source system you get choice