How to receive Windows 7 updates

Preamble: extended security updates (ESU)

Windows 7 extended support ends on January 14, 2020. After this date, no further security updates will be distributed by Microsoft to Windows 7 users via Windows Update.

However, to satisfy companies that still have many Windows 7 computers and have not yet migrated to Windows 10, Microsoft is offering an Extended Security Updates (ESU) program lasting up to three years from the end of Windows 7 extended support.

This ESU program enables you to receive critical and/or important security updates after the end of Windows 7 Extended Support. The program is available to customers with a volume license of Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Enterprise. Prices are exorbitant:

Here are the start and end dates of the extended security updates for all affected Windows versions and editions:

In short, Microsoft will be releasing extended security updates for Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Professional until January 10, 2023 to customers who have subscribed to the ESU paid program.

Receive extended security updates on Windows 7

BypassESU : presentation

Think you can’t take advantage of these extended security updates for your Windows 7? You’re wrong!☝

A MyDigitalLife member has developed a hack called “BypassESU” to bypass ESU eligibility and allow you to receive extended security updates even though you haven’t subscribed to the program!

How does it work?

Officially, to receive extended security updates, users must install an ESU product key issued by Microsoft on each of their Windows 7 devices.

Once the ESU product key has been installed and activated, the Windows 7 device gains access to future extended security updates deployed by Microsoft.

BypassESU bypasses the verification system that checks whether or not a device can benefit from extended security updates, allowing the device to receive security updates from the ESU program.

To achieve this, BypassESU :

• patches the Windows Update engine to enable the device to receive ESU updates;
• removes the ESU eligibility check for operating system updates (including .NET 3.5.1);
• bypasses ESU validation for .NET 4 updates (from 4.5.2 to 4.8).

What’s more, BypassESU enables all editions of Windows 7 to benefit from these extended security updates: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise, in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

To test whether the BypassESU hack works, simply install update KB4528069, which tests whether the device is correctly configured to receive extended security updates. After several tests, it turns out that BypassESU does indeed work!

You thought you’d have to give up Windows 7? Good news: you’ll be able to use it with peace of mind for another 3 years… 😉

Install BypassESU on Windows 7

1. Install the following updates before using BypassESU :
   • Windows 7 64 bits :
     • Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4490628)Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4474419)Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4555449)Extended Security Updates (ESU) Licensing Preparation Package for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4538483)Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3138612)
     Windows 7 32 bits :
     • Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 for x86-based Systems (KB4490628)Security Update for Windows 7 for x86-based Systems (KB4474419)Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 for x86-based Systems (KB4555449)Extended Security Updates (ESU) Licensing Preparation Package for Windows 7 for x86-based Systems (KB4538483)Update for Windows 7 (KB3138612)
    Info: to check whether an update is installed, click on the Installed updates link in Windows Update.

2. Restart your computer.
3. Download and unzip the following 7z archive:

BypassESU.7z (password : HXEl!6fk7k).

2. To install the BypassESU hack, right-click on LiveOS-Setup.cmd > Run as administrator.
   

5. From the menu, press 1 to select the “Full Installation {ESU Suppressor + WU ESU Patcher + .NET 4 ESU Bypass}” option.

6. Wait for BypassESU to install, then press any key to exit.

7. To uninstall the BypassESU hack, run LiveOS-Setup.cmd again as administrator, then select options 3, 4 and 5 to remove WU ESU Patcher, ESU Suppressor and .NET 4 ESU Bypass.