Windows 7 security-only “Group B” patching remains viable

There’s been a lot of confusion on the topic of “Group B” patching – the security-patch-only path that I outlined in October. Group B doesn’t want any more snooping than absolutely necessary, and they don’t care about improvements like daylight saving time zone changes, but want to keep applying security patches.

I did, do, and still recommend that Windows 7 customers who want to keep their systems secure but don’t want the fluff should follow the Group B approach. It’s a path that’s been outlined and endorsed by Microsoft. It’s a patch path that many corporate admins are using to keep their systems going as we limp along to Win7’s patching demise in 2020. I expect Microsoft to continue to support the Group B approach specifically because of their corporate client base – those who still pay for Windows by the month. There’s no altruism or nostalgia involved; it’s a simple business decision.

We’ve seen some bumps along the way (primarily bugs in security patches that are only fixed by non-security patches) but so far the transgressions haven’t been problematic enough, in my opinion, to jump to Group A (accept all Win7 patches) or Group W (don’t ever patch Win7).

I received an email from L, who says:

I’m confused by your November 22nd posting “The Case for Not Updating Windows 7 Ever”, and am wondering if you could please answer some questions.  I read the posting and kind of skimmed through the 206 comments (don’t have time to read them in detail).   My main question is:  are you going to keep providing us Group B people with instructions on what to do?   I’d like to stay in Group B as long as you provide instructions for Group B.

Yes, I’ll continue to provide detailed instructions for Group B, for as long as my fingers keep working, or Microsoft cuts off patches, whichever comes first.

Also I have a question about your November 23rd comment  in which you say “still, I recommend Group B for anyone who can follow the download and installation instructions…”.   Are you talking about the instructions that you provide or the instructions that Microsoft provides?   I can probably follow both,  but the problem lies in being able to find the Microsoft instructions, or even be aware that Microsoft has issued instructions.   I rely on you for interpreting and alerting us to Microsoft instructions.

I’m talking about instructions I provide here on this site (and in my InfoWorld column) that take you step-by-step through the process of downloading and installing Win7 and 8.1 Security-only patches. Watch the MS-DEFCON setting, which I’ve been updating for more than a decade.

Also,  when you say that you still recommend Group B,  it seems to conflict with your November 22nd posting,  in which you seemed to say that us Group B users should give up the plan of being in Group B (unless I’m misinterpreting your Nov 22nd posting).   Could you please comment on that also?   Perhaps you were only referring to non-techie Group B users discussed by Poohsticks in his November 24th comment,  but I’m not sure whether I fall in that category or the more technically-proficient category.

If you only want security patches for Win7 and 8.1, and you feel comfortable following my “For Dummies” style step-by-step instructions, you should stay in Group B (until something gets horribly messed up, anyway – and if that happens, I’ll let you know, loud and clear).