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Microsoft to Windows 7, Windows 8 users: We're about to end forum tech support

If you have a Windows 7 or 8, Office 2013, or Surface Pro problem, you'll have to rely on the community for answers.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer

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From July, Microsoft will no longer provide solutions or answers to queries that users post on its product support forums about older software and hardware.

Software products that Microsoft staff will no longer provide technical support for include Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 RT, Microsoft Security Essentials, Internet Explorer 10, Office 2010, and Office 2013.

The company is locking the topic covering Zune, which will now only be available for browsing. It's also locking the discontinued fitness tracker Microsoft Band, but users are being invited to participate in the Microsoft Band 2 topic.

On the hardware side, it will no longer provide forum support for the Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2, Surface RT, and Surface 2.

See: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (free PDF)

Microsoft is also abandoning the 'Mobile devices forum' topic, though it will continue to provide support in 'Other Windows mobile devices' topic.

"There will be no proactive reviews, monitoring, answering or answer marking of questions. The forums will still be moderated by Microsoft agents to ensure participants can engage in a safe and positive environment," Microsoft said in a post on its community forum.

"Microsoft Community participants are welcome and encouraged to continue to use the forum to ask questions and post answers with each other."

The move isn't particularly surprising since all the products are beyond mainstream support.

A Microsoft agent noted in a separate post about ending community support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 that the move applied to products that have reached end of support.

However, both products still receive security updates under Microsoft's extended support period.

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