End of Support for Microsoft Products in January 2020

Windows Update[German]In a few days Windows 7 SP1 receives security updates for the last time (at least for the broad mass of users). Then the support for this operating system will end. But in January 2020, support for a number of other Microsoft products will end.


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A complete overview of all products that reach the end of support in 2020 can be found on this Microsoft website. Here is some selected information what to know about products that reach the support end in January 2020.

January 14, 2020: Windows 7 SP1

On January 14, 2020, Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will reach the end of support, which means that security updates will be the last time.

For Windows 7 SP1 (except Basic and Home Premium versions), you can purchase Extended Security Update Support (ESU) for a fee. These Extended Security Updates are also available as single licenses for the respective clients, an option for small businesses or freelancers without a software maintenance contract. Then there are security updates for January 2023. I have published some information on this topic in the following blog posts.

Wow! Windows 7 get extended support until January 2023
Windows 7 Extended Security Updates buyable from April 2019
Microsoft offers Windows 7 Extended Update Support to SMBs
Prices for Windows 7 Extended Security Updates till 2023
Windows 7: Free Extended Update Support and usage
Windows 7: Office 365 ProPlus Updates till 2023
Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) requirements
Windows 7 Extended Security Update (ESU) program available
Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, price and source for SMEs
Windows 7: Buy and manage ESU licenses – Part 1
Windows 7: Preparing for ESU and license activation – Part 2

For organizations that virtualize it all, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop (available on Azure) offers the ability to provide free advanced security updates to a Windows 7 installation through January 2023.

January 14, 2020: Windows Server 2008 / R2

The two server variants will also be discontinued from support on January 14, 2020 and will no longer receive regular updates. There is also an Extended Security Updates program for these server operating systems. However, it will be difficult for Windows Server 2008 / R2 when it is a single system and there is no volume license contract including software assurance. From what I know, Microsoft will not offer ESU single licenses for Server 2008/R2 through CSP partners.


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Microsoft advises companies that still need to stay on Windows Server 2008 / R2 to migrate to Azure. By running Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 in the cloud, organizations will continue to receive free security updates for Windows Server 2008 / 2008 R2 for at least three more years after January 14, 2020. If you want to upgrade from Windows Server 2008 / R2 to a successor version, you will find information about migration paths in the article Windows Server 2008/R2: In-place upgrade description updated (01/06/2020). Information on migrating from Windows Server 2008 to Azure is available here.

Also Hyper-V Server 2008 and Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 are reaching end of life on January 14, 2020.

January 14, 2020: WSUS 3.0

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 SP2 will also be dropped from support on January 14, 2020. Actually, the end of support would have been on July 11, 2017. But this end date for extended support for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 SP2 has been moved from July 11, 2017, to January 14, 2020, bringing it into line with the support expiration dates for Windows Server 2008 SP2 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Microsoft WSUS 4.0 will be available for subsequent Windows Server versions (Windows Server 2012/ R2 and later). Instructions for migrating from WSUS 3.0 to WSUS 4.0 can be found in this Microsoft article.  

January 14, 2020: Watch the Office365-Support

Via the patch management list I became aware of an information from blog reader Karl about the support of Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft Office 365 Pro Plus will be dropped from support as of January 14, 2020 for the following operating systems:

  • Alle Windows 10 LTSC/LTSB Versions
  • Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2

However, Microsoft will continue to support Office 365 ProPlus on Windows 8.1 until the end of the support date in January 2023 and on Windows Server 2016 until October 2025. This can be read in this Microsoft document.  

Several System Center products will expire on January 24, 2020 (see). And on January 31, 2020, updates for Internet Explorer 10 will end. 


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