Requesting Clarification on Windows Vista Consumer Editions' Support Coverage

• Friday, February 10, 2012 4:43 PM

   

   
  

  0
  Hello,
  
  -As we know, mainstream support phase for Windows Vista (with SP2) will ends on this upcoming 10th April 2012, and Microsoft stated that the succeeding 5-year extended support phase will only covers Business and Enterprise (commercial) editions. This means after that date, Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista (consumer editions) - be it retail or OEM - will no longer receive any new patches/updates.
  
  -Here I'm asking a few related questions at Microsoft, and I hope you would give a proper answers:
  
  1. Will the consumer editions of Windows Vista be definitely cut-off from any NEW patches/updates?
  
  2. Will the consumer editions be offered of updates for "common components" (that share the same codebase with the commercial editions/exist across all Vista editions - such as Windows kernel, Windows Explorer, networking stack, etc.) in Windows Update, whether automatically or have to be manually selected? Or they wouldn't be listed (not appeared in available updates list)?
  
  3. Will the users be able to find & download the updates for those common components from Microsoft Download Centre? Or will the updates must be personally requested from Microsoft Support?
  
  4. Will the update packages (*.EXE and *.MSU), released after that date, specifically check for Business or Enterprise editions before allowing itself to be installed, even for common components? Or will they would be allow to proceed as normal?
  
  -I personally think it's unfair for those who bought the Ultimate edition but having lesser support period than the lower Business edition. Aside from that, any consumer who bought Vista in early/mid-2009 (because Windows 7 hasn't been released) wouldn't be able to enjoy the "5 years mainstream support phase", despite paying for the same price.
  
  -Microsoft should allow Automatic Update to list those updates, even if have to be manually selected; Microsoft may put a message like this: "This update hasn't been tested (unsupported) on your edition of Windows Vista, and Microsoft would not provide any support for it." when the user is attempting to select the check box(es). Or at the very least, put them all on a location on Microsoft Support, e.g. "Extended Support Hotfixes - Use at Your Own Risk".
  
  -I'll be waiting for the answers, and I hope we could discuss a viable solution before the date passes, thank you.
  
  
  Regards,
  -Musafir_86.
  
  P/S: I personally use Vista Business x64 so I wouldn't be affected. But, several of my relatives and colleagues do use the consumer editions, and that's why I care about this issue.
  
  

  • Edited by Musafir_86 Friday, February 10, 2012 4:49 PM Spelling, grammar, and emphasis.
  • Moved by Carey FrischMVP, Moderator Friday, February 10, 2012 9:07 PM Moved to more appropriate forum category (From:Windows Vista Announcements)
  •  
  • Reply
  • Quote