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Report: Windows 7 PCs without antivirus solution can't receive new updates


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A report on Myce suggests that Windows 7 PCs without installed antivirus solutions can't receive new updates via Windows Update anymore unless a change is made to the Windows Registry.

Microsoft identified a compatibility issue with "Windows security updates released in January [2018] and a small number of antivirus products".

Some antivirus products "make unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory" which can lead to blue screen errors on systems these products are installed on. The company states that devices that run incompatible software may not boot properly anymore.

Any antivirus solution for Windows needs to set a key in the Windows Registry to confirm to the operating system that it is compatible and does not use these banned methods anymore.

Windows PCs that don't have the Registry key set won't receive security updates anymore according to Microsoft.

Microsoft security products such as Windows Defender Antivirus, System Center Endpoint Protection and Microsoft Security Essentials are compatible with the new requirements and set the required Registry key if no third-party solution is installed.

Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system is special as it only includes a security tool called Defender which is limited when compared to Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials. Defender won't set the Registry key which means that Windows 7 systems without installed antivirus solution won't have the key in the Registry set.

This means ultimately that affected systems don't receive security updates despite the fact that they are still supported by Microsoft. Support for Windows 7 ends on January 14, 2020.

Microsoft recommends that Microsoft Security Essentials or a compatible third-party antivirus application is installed on affected Windows 7 machines to resolve the issue.

In a default installation of Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, customers will not have an antivirus application installed by default. In these situations, Microsoft recommends installing a compatible and supported antivirus application such as Microsoft Security Essentials or a third-party anti-virus application. The anti-virus software must set a registry key as described below in order to receive the latest Windows security updates.

Set the Registry key to enable updates again

antivirus registry key windows

 

Windows 7 administrators can set the required Registry key manually on the other hand. This should not cause issues on the machine as no incompatible antivirus solution is installed (none is installed).

  1. Tap on the Windows-key and type regedit.exe to launch the built-in Registry Editor.
  2. Confirm the UAC prompt if it is displayed.
  3. Go to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\QualityCompat
  4. Right-click on QualityCompat and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
  5. Name it cadca5fe-87d3-4b96-b7fb-a231484277cc
  6. Give it the value 0

You can download the following Registry file instead and run it on machines to add the Registry key directly. Download it with a click on the following link: SetAntivirusRegistryKeyWindows.zip

 

Ghacks.net

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Very Funny..... MS New Strategy to brainwash Win Users.... Before Windows Defender/Anti-Spyware/Security Essentials, they said AV causing trouble to updates, then after these Windows Security tools released, they blame Other 3rd party AV for most trouble. Recently, they underrated and blamed 3rd party AV for most security issues. Now, they're twisting their tongue again....

 

Brainwash - for the recent and ongoing mega botched updates for all MS product line.....

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18 minutes ago, vissha said:

Very Funny..... MS New Strategy to brainwash Win Users.... Before Windows Defender/Anti-Spyware/Security Essentials, they said AV causing trouble to updates, then after these Windows Security tools released, they blame Other 3rd party AV for most trouble. Recently, they underrated and blamed 3rd party AV for most security issues. Now, they're twisting their tongue again....

They use to didn't care at all  and that was back before malware  when there was  just Viruses and Spyware   . You could not even get any good free protection  the only thing they had was AVG  free  and millions installed and caught viruses anyway .  Most freeware  back in the day was packed full of spyware  . The  software vendors  are out for one thing  thats money , Now  Windows and browsers itself comes full  of spyware  they cant sell nothing anymore so they infect you and sell you're  data . There the ones you need to worry about .

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What happen with these F*CKIN People??? :s !!!! It seems that M$ Directors/CEOs/Employers are the most crazy people in the world.

 

One day they say something (idiot) and the next day they say the opposite :s ... We cannot understand that people, with their "NEW" Windows, with their stupid puppets (Donna Nigg4 Sarkar, Steve BALD Balmer, Jen Blondie Gentleman) and with their crazy way to fooled the User like Us !!

 

Ah.. Don't forge the creeping, despicable and unworthy guy named WZor (https://twitter.com/wzornet) that everyday he kisses the feet of that Sh*tty People of M$ ... He releases Windows Insider ISOs with the Edited Photo of Donna Sarkar :s

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWvlzoxWAAUU5De.jpg:large

 

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SacredCultivator

No wonder I didn't get any updates... thanks for the tip and I grabbed the Registry file and worked got the updates.

But that's a shame as to how they sort of "force" you to either get anti-virus/ protection, or how they try to get you to switch over to Win10.

As for now happy with Win7 and sticking with it till I either format/forced to have to switch to 10.

But sort of blows that they had to do this.

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I never go to Ghacks  anymore because  Martin Brinkmann is brain washed into thinking  that using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is going to protect you're privacy, when there back porting Windows 10 telemetry into all Windows OS  if you do updates.. I told  this in the comments  there and he deleted my post . The only way to block most of it out  is run a ip sniffer and block  all there call outs  with a  good firewall. they install stuff in updates that turning off updates want  stop . Just because you have updates off it don't mean it don't call home . I  only have Windows for testing  now . I stay in Linux 95% of the time.  When it all boils down to it  these blogs just cater to a certain group of  people . Martin Brinkmann is is going to tell Windows 7 users and  Firefox users what they want to  hear if it's true or not , hes just a fanboy  of a different kind as well  . WZor just caters to Windows  10 fanboys i  can't say nothing bad about him he been helping us get OS  iso and SP every since I switched  off  of XP  hes been posting Windows  for years and years . I can go to OMG Ubuntu and say Linux is crap and Joey want delete  my post  but the  members there will attack me in the comments .:P

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I think it'll soon be replaced to "Report: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 PCs without Windows Defender turned on with latest database can't receive new updates!"

 

After creating tensions & controversy among all, they'll roll back..... which happens with MS in the last few years!

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Some antivirus products "make unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory"

 

That's one of the reasons I don't run AV anymore.

 

Still getting updates on XP, so this registry mess must apply to Win Vista/7 +

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It's ok that Microsoft release another Insider Build for Fast Ring, the Redstone 4 is coming

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2018/03/02/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-17112-fast/

 

But ... What happen with this idiot??

https://twitter.com/WZorNET/status/969691926281760769

I mean, It's so nice to build an ISO of the latest Insider Build and publish for testing... But Why to post a photo with Donna Sarkar (wearing Buttlerfly dress), Steve Ballmer and a Geek/Socially Resentful Guy in the back???? :why:

 

Hours Later, he posted a tweet of a Cat saying "I went to bed" jajajaja Such a Crazy Guy :tooth:

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  • 1 month later...

Microsoft Removes Antivirus Registry Key Check for All Windows Versions

Windows 7

 

Microsoft has decided to remove a mandatory "registry key requirement" it introduced in the aftermath of the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerability disclosure.

 

Microsoft used this registry key to prevent Windows updates from being installed on computers running antivirus software incompatible with the Meltdown and Spectre patches.

 

Antivirus vendors were supposed to create this registry key on users' computers to signal that they've updated their product and will not interfere with Microsoft's patches. This was a big issue because incompatible antivirus products would crash and BSOD Windows systems.

Registry key requirement removed in Windows 10 last month

Microsoft said in January that Windows computers that use a custom antivirus product that does not add the registry key (hence is compatible with the Meltdown and Spectre patches) would not receive any Windows security updates.

 

But as antivirus vendors updated products and Microsoft's Meltdown and Spectre patches received more refinements, Microsoft decided to remove the mandatory registry key requirement.

 

The OS maker removed the registry key check for Windows 10 computers last month, in March, and has announced yesterday that the key is no longer necessary for the other Windows operating system versions —7, 8, 8.1, Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.

Registry key removed in KB4093114 and KB4093118

"Windows Update and WSUS will offer this update to applicable Windows client and server operating systems regardless of the existence or value of the "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\QualityCompat\cadca5fe-87d3-4b96-b7fb-a231484277cc" registry setting. This change has been made to protect user data," said Microsoft in two updates —KB4093114 and KB4093118.

 

This new development means that users —mostly systems on large enterprise networks— that use custom antivirus products and who've stayed their hand in regards to the Meltdown and Spectre patches can now update without any fear of having their PCs enter a blue screen of death out of the blue.

 

Bleepingcomputer.com

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