Microsoft stops third-party drivers for Windows 7 via Windows Update

Microsoft has stopped publishing drivers to Windows Update for Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2. Extended Support organizations can continue to distribute drivers through Windows Server Update Services.

Microsoft will stop publishing SHA-2 signed drivers to Windows Update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 due to compatibility issues. The company had already discontinued SHA-1 driver signing certificates. The SHA-1 Trusted Root Certificate Authority expired on May 9 this year for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2.

Companies could still publish SHA-2 signed drivers for the legacy Windows versions through the Microsoft Trusted Root Program. In 2019, Microsoft brought SHA-2 support to the Windows versions to make that possible. However, these drivers can exhibit compatibility issues, with systems not booting or exhibiting other issues due to code integrity failures. Microsoft should update the Windows versions to fix the issues, but the software is no longer supported.

It will remain possible for companies to provide drivers for the affected operating systems as part of the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program until January 2023. Support for the Windows versions ended on January 14, 2020, but organizations such as governments can purchase paid Extended Security Update support through Microsoft if they still have systems running with Windows 7, for example. Those organizations can make driver updates through Windows Server Update Services, or WSUS.