Drivers & Software

[legendarion]

I have a Radeon HD 7000 series graphic card and the latest Driver for Windows 8.1 is Crimson ReLive Edition 17.4.4 (WHQL) (x64). Is the Windows 8.1 abandoned? Because it's seems a bit strange when Windows 7 get an update, but not Windows 8.1. What's up with that?

[hardcoregames_]

AMD is now only generally supporting Windows 10 x64 given windows 7 is now out of support

Legacy cards may have a 32-bit version of a given driver but the current drivers require Windows 10 x64.

Steam says Windows 10 is now the most popular OS for gaming.

[legendarion]

If that's the case, why is AMD still releasing new Drivers for Windows 7?
This one is just got out for Win.7: Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.2.2 Recommended (WHQL). While Windows 8.1 is still on the same Driver.

[hardcoregames_]

I do not understand why people do not want to move to Windows 10. Windows 7 is fine but Redmond will not support it perpetually.

Microsoft wants to standardize on Windows 10 which is fully supported.

[legendarion]

For me it's a shame. Because I like Win.8.1 for different reasons and it's still useful.

[hardcoregames_]

Windows 10 can be setup like Windows 8 with the full screen of apps, the default is more or less like the older Start menu

there are lots of choices in windows 10

[elstaci]

AMD stopped supporting Windows 8/8.1 a few years ago. There will no longer be any more Windows 8/8.1 driver updates. The Drivers you see now for Windows 8/8.1 are the last drivers for the AMD hardware listed in the download page.

[legendarion]

But... uhm... any particular reason for it? I suspect lack of users of the OS. Right?

[hardcoregames_]

legendarion wrote:

But... uhm... any particular reason for it? I suspect lack of users of the OS. Right?

when windows 8 launched, my page on it hit over 30,000 pageviews a day for weeks on end

my site had the only page for windows 8 form a gaming perspective and google sent everyone to me, I was using my old and now dead IBM desktop as a web server 

[elstaci]

Not really sure why AMD stopped supporting Windows 8/8.1 but probably for the reason you gave. The percentage of Users were low for that Windows OS. just guessing.

If you are able to upgrade to Windows 10 then I would suggest you do that. That way your will have AMD support again and other manufacturer's support also.

Since your computer is compatible with Windows 8/8.1 than it should be compatible for Windows 10.

You might still be able to upgrade for free even though Microsoft said it stopped that along time ago. All you need is a legitimate Windows 8/8.1 Key. Google how to upgrade Windows 10 for free and you will find several websites showing you the steps on how to do it. 

If for some reason you can't upgrade for free, I believe you have 10 days to revert back to Windows 8/8.1 while using Windows 10. Otherwise make a System Backup to another internal HDD/SSD or external HDD/SSD drive as an emergency backup.

[hardcoregames_]

WIndows 10 is still available on windows update for 7 and 8 users

run windows update