Fix Unsupported hardware message in Windows

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Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Some users have been a little baffled by anUnsupported hardwarepopup that appears inWindows 7and 8.1. The popup window states,Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version ofWindowsand you won’t receive updates.

That popup window appears when users click theCheck for updatesbutton. It can also pop up more randomly after users boot up seventh genIntel (Kaby Lake)and AMD (Bristol Ridge) laptops or desktops.

TheUnsupported hardwarepopup window makes it clear that users won’t receive anyWindows 7and 8.1 patch updates. This is because users are utilizing Intel and AMD PCs thatWindows 8.1and 7 do not support.Microsoft confirmeda while back that Win 10 is the only platform that supports seventh generation Intel, AMD Bristol Ridge, and Qualcomm 8996 processors.

Users can still installWin 7and 8.1 on systems with those processors, but Microsoft does not provide any update support for those platforms when they’re installed on seventh gen Intel, AMD Bristol Ridge, or Qualcomm 8996 PCs.

How can I remove the Unsupported Hardware popup?

1. Disable Windows Update

Users can disable theUnsupported hardwarepopup window to ensure that it doesn’t keep popping up after theWindowsstartup. To that, users will need to turn offWindows Update.

There isn’t really much point keeping that service on when it isn’t providing any updates. This is how users can turn offWindows UpdateinWin 8.1and 7.

2. Select the Never Check for Updates Option in Win 7

3. Add Wufuc to Windows

However, users can still get updates forWindows 8.1and 7 on seventh gen Intel and AMD Bristol Ridge PCs with Wufuc. Wufuc is a program that enables updates forWindows 7and 8.1 on unsupported seventh gen Intel and AMD Bristol Ridge systems.

That program scans for kill switches that trigger theUnsupported hardwarepopupwindowso thatWin 8.1and 7 users can get updates. Thus, Wufuc might be a more preferable resolution than deletingWindows Updatefor some users.

4. Remove and skip the problematic updates

If the previous methods didn’t help with Unsupported hardware message, perhaps you can fix the issue by removing and blocking the problematic updates. Users reported that removing one of the following updates fixed the problem for them:

To remove an update, do the following:

Bear in mind that these updates might get installed again, so it’s advised to change your Windows Update settings. To do that, follow these steps:

After doing that, you’ll have to choose which update you want to install, so be sure not to install the one that caused the issue in the first place.

Thereafter, theUnsupported hardwarewindowwill not pop up. Note, however, that Microsoft will stop supportingWindows 7from January 2020. So,Windows 7users might as well upgrade to 10 at the beginning of next year (or delete the update service as outlined above).

Fix Unsupported hardware message in Windows#

How can I remove the Unsupported Hardware popup?#

1. Disable Windows Update#

2. Select the Never Check for Updates Option in Win 7#

3. Add Wufuc to Windows#

4. Remove and skip the problematic updates#