If you are looking to upgrade the processor on your PC any time soon to an eighth generation Intel Kaby Lake or AMD Ryzen, be prepared to get shut out on updates to Windows 7 and 8.1.

Apparently, Microsoft is halting upgrade support for those operating systems when combined with the newer hardware. If you try to use either OS with the newer processors, you will get the following message (via Overclock 3D):

"Unsupported Hardware

"Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows  and you won’t receive updates.

 

"Because of how this support policy is implemented, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 devices that have a seventh generation or a later generation processor may no longer be able to scan or download updates through Windows Update or Microsoft Update."

Of course, you can still use either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, but you will not get any updates - critical or otherwise - if you go with the newer generation of processors. This is a Microsoft decision, and one that AMD and Intel have no control over, despite what their customers may want. Microsoft is obviously pushing newer PCs touting the more powerful chips to use only Windows 10 if any type of update is expected. Unfortunately, that will be a blow to people who prefer the older OSs, but want the luxury of a faster PC.