Right after [Windows 7 reached end of life] in regards to non-pos esu updates i asked myself: “How can i improve security of ageing operating system?” Replacement of basic internal firewall comes back to mind in the very first place. After some comprehensive research i ended up with [Outpost Firewall Pro] , developed by [Agnitum] a small Russian company, which was acquired by crappy yandex later on. Software was dismissed after purchase immediately.

UPDATED ON: 2026-02-04 Section is constantly updated! For vintage web surfers most important things are here: [plain txt file] [may be a bit out of date and not contain all information, so web version is a way to go!] Power of vintage 2009 operating system by microsoft can’t be underestimated. [Windows 7 x64] supports up to 256 threads and up to 192Gb [or even 256Gb] of RAM. How cool is that, huh?

UPDATED ON: 2023-02-07

Some really important dates, for those of you who are using Windows 7 as a daily driver machine.
As for me, i’m using Windows 7 not only with oldschool hardware, like [Xeon E5] , but with modern multicore platforms like [Ryzen] & [Threadripper] .

UPDATED ON: 2025-11-19 Visual C++ for Windows 7 has reached EOL. Final version 0.102! AIO Repack of latest [Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes] by well-known abbodi1406. High quality package without original payload bloat. VISUAL C++ REDISTRIBUTABLES [x86/x64] 2005 2008 2010 2012 2013 2022 Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime [x86/x64] Legacy Runtimes [x86] Visual C++ 2002 Visual C++ 2003 Visual Basic Runtimes Universal CRT a complementary part of VC++ 2022 redist delivered as an update for Windows Vista/7/8/8.

Most of you already know how AMD substitute in terms of cores/threads count intel’s pathetic’n’degenerative CPU evolution into revolution. Drastic changes were brought by [Ryzen] CPUs in consumer market in late 2017. [Threadripper] and [Epyc] lines were introduced later on [for workstation and server market respectively]. ► [128 core / 256 thread Epyc Bergamo CPU] It would be nice to see 256 threads in Windows 7 task manager, but i don’t think that it is possible due to lack of drivers.

OK. THIS IS IT. NO TURNING BACK. Yesterday we’ve got [last security update for Windows 7] . There will be no more security patches for Windows 7. At least on generic non-point-of-sales machines. Total of 40 vulnerabilities were fixed. Nice one! Compare it with 64 vulnerabilities on newest windows 11 telemetry gathering platform. Numbers clearly show benefits of mature platform. Easy and [fast update] using Simplix patcher. Oh and yeah, neat news regarding [official support of Secure Boot] .

UPDATED ON: 2023-08-13 I don’t see any limitations in Windows 7. Operating system is a rock solid formation patched up with latest ESU updates. I think that Windows 7 become another Windows XP of the time. Choice of veteran users. OS for people who understand how computer is working. NO CREATIVE BOUNDARIES ARE VISIBLE: Raster editor: Affinity Photo 1.10.6 [2022] Raw converter: Phase One Capture One 14.4 [2021] Vector editor: Affinity Designer 1.

UPDATED ON: 2065-01-04 I will surely return to post to bring update on FINAL version of driver [Canonkong] brings [ANOTHER BIG UPDATE] to the marvellous modern USB3 driver for [Windows 7] . Latest version: 2025-12-28 SUPPORTED CHIPSETS X370, X399, B450, X470, TRX40, TRX50, A520, B550, PRO565, X570, B560, X670, X870, WRX80(90?) Recommended motherboards: MSI, Gigabyte Not recommended: Asus [works, but with some restrictions] Not working at all: Asrock CURRENT VERSION

¶ PREFACE NOTE You obviously thinking something like: Man, this is universally stupid, because Xeon E5 platform is based around PCIe 3.0 [15.75Gb/s] and 3090Ti is PCIe 4.0 [31.5 Gb/s] card But i need to check this out no matter the cost. Why? Coz i’m a weirdo, remember? █ COMPUTER CONFIGURATIONS [1] ► Intel Xeon E5-2696v4 / Asrock X99 Extreme 4 / 64Gb DDR4 2400Mhz / Geforce 3090Ti 24Gb Stock [2] ► Ryzen 9 5950X PBO OC / Gigabyte Aorus Ultra X570 / 64Gb DDR4 3600@3800Mhz / Radeon 6900XT 16Gb OC

Just for your information: new versions of KeepassXC can be installed on Windows 7 via legacy installer. You can download it [HERE] . Look for Legacy section (64-bit, Windows 7/8/8.1) and you are good to go. PS On Android i’m using [KeepassDX] .

[Very last update] for my favourite raster editor Affinity Photo 1.x branch. You can acquire it [HERE] .

UPDATED ON: 2023-08-01 Latest compatible Blender version 3.6.1 Just a super quick note to refresh previous Blender topic. As you may already know that [Blender 2.93 can work on Windows 7] even despite the fact that it is not officially supported. [Alexandru Naiman] went even deeper and it looks like he made the impossible. Now you can run even the most modern versions of Blender. We are speaking about 3.

Well known Chinese driver modder [Canonkong] confirmed that [64-cores/128-threads Threadripper 3995WX] based upon sWRX8 chipset works flawlessly in Windows 7 environment. Considering the news it looks like that more recent [5995WX] will also work without any issues. So, we have plenty of headroom in terms of system performance. As for me, i have no need to switch to “recent operating systems” like Windows 10/11. Here is brief [confirmation] from the WinRaid forum:

If [rumoured] additional three years of Windows 7 support won’t happen than we have an alternative solution. Usually i don’t advertise non-free services, but this one is an exception. [0patch] is micro-patching service, which fix problems of Windows 7 in computer RAM on-the-fly rather than changing system files on drive storage. I recommend this one, because i’m going to use it by myself right after ESU updates will come to EOL.

Just plain numbers if somebody care about. WINDOWS MARKETSHARE [STATCOUNTER] Windows 7 dropped below 10% barrier. ANDROID MARKETSHARE [APPBRAIN] Android 8 holds up around 8% of the market. Btw, Android 6 is fully usable till today [2022/11/23]. FIREFOX DISTRIBUTION [FIREFOX]

This is so cool. You definitely need to check this out. ► CLICK LOAD WINDOWS 93 [CLICK TO LOAD WINDOWS `93]

Stop using mainstream operating systems like Windows 11/10/8.1, modern Linux, like Ubuntu or modern MacOS versions. On mobile Android 14/13/12/11/10/9/8.1 are prohibited because they use neural networks to profile your device and dial back to “home” to dump your personal data and preferences. iOS from very beginning was very phony platform. My personal choices are Windows 7 for desktop and Android 8.0 for mobile. These two cover my digital needs fully, no restrictions whatsoever.

UPDATED ON: 2022-08-13 ▒ PREFACE WORDS As you remember, my [previous daily driver was Ryzen 9590x 16c/32t] . After some fun with it I’ve decided to drop it in favor to retro stuff. Intel Xeon CPU based around Broadwell tech: [E5-2696v4 22c/44t] became the chip of the choice. It is OEM version of top of the line [Xeon E5-2699v4] . It is a bit slower, around marginal 3-4%, but costs significantly less than 2699v4.

Since i’ve switched to [fanless GPU] from Nvidia and began to monitor Windows 7 driver related news. So, here is a [link to the latest] to date Windows 7 driver . It’s really neat to hear that Nvidia is not dropping driver support for Windows Classics . Red team from AMD can’t demonstrate such coolness in this category. Lastest GPU drivers for Windows 7 will be available [here] .

Recently [Ghacks.net] reported about almost unreal rumour regarding [another 3 years of extended support for Windows 7] . If news are true, consider this as a gift from above, because i can’t stand windows 10/11 abominations and Linux is just not ready for serious multimedia workstation workloads.

I’m very satisfied that I covered such a large topic and pretty sure that it is the most complete Windows 7 tweaking guide ever. But due to the lack of spare time it is still in unfinished state, so consider it as a stack of knowledge. Document contain all information [posted here] plus loads of more detailed stuff. [DOWNLOAD DOCX VERSION] Maybe, if i have more free time, i’ll return back to the topic to clean things up someday.

UPDATED ON: 2023.02.17 Version 27.2.4 is the very last to work on Windows 7. 28.x builds require sytem dlls which can’t be found in Windows 7. [How to run version 29.x on Windows 7] . OBS is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Just want to let you know that latest version [27.2.4] runs on Windows 7. Works without any hickups. Using it on daily basis to capture the desktop screen with audio.

With declining support of Windows 7 it looks like that game hacking scene is disappearing also. Saying so because of disbandment of famous cracking group CODEX. [SOURCE]

Lightning fast text two-panel orthodox file manager with loads of functionality. These blue panels take very special place in my heart. Maybe because i’m using software right from the mid 90s. Still under active development. 64-bit version is preffered. [DOWNLOAD FAR MANAGER]

UPDATED ON: 2022-04-03 Modern version of classic Diablo II with fully revamped graphics. [Official system requirements] doesn’t mention mighty Windows 7. To my surprise I was able to run game on Windows 7 x64 ESU without any problems. If some of you experiencing difficulties in launching game just grab hacked DirectX 12 libs and place them into the root of game folder. [DOWNLOAD DIRECTX 12 FILE PACK] GAMEPLAY SAMPLE SECRET #1: TO UNDO ANNOYING LOBBY MUSIC JUST DO ONE-TIME CTRL+M HIT

¶ PREFACE NOTE Finally i have won the battle with my laziness and forced myself to complete this so looooooooongish project. Enjoy! PS: 3DMark 03, 3DMark 05, 3DMark 06, 3DMark Vantage [2007], 3DMark 2011 and 3DMark 2021 are not marked by ▒ sign, showing the fact that these programs lost the soul of demoscene and just providing comparison numbers, nothing else. █ COMPUTER CONFIGURATIONS CPUs: Threadripper 1 1950X / Ryzen 9 5950X / Ryzen 3 3100 GPUs: Radeon VII 16Gb / Radeon 6900XT 16Gb GFX SETTINGS: 2560x1600 32Bit color [where possible], ULTRA+ settings, Anti-aliasing is turned OFF COMPUTER TESTBEDS: [1] ► Threadripper 1950X / Asrock Taichi X399M / 64Gb DDR4 2667@2800Mhz / Radeon VII 16Gb [2] ► Threadripper 1950X / Asrock Taichi X399M / 64Gb DDR4 2667@2800Mhz / Radeon 6900XT 16Gb [3] ► Ryzen 3 3100 @3.

UPDATED ON: 2022-03-06 Corel Draw 2022 confirmed to work on Windows 7, but w/o GPU acceleration. 2020 version also don’t provide GPU extensions, but you can ignore this if you have fast 8-16 multicore CPU. Just run into difficulties during Corel Painter 2020 installation process. Right after the first screen i can’t press [Next »] button. Problem was solved by dropping down security level in Internet Explorer 11 [!]