What is newest motherboard/CPU combo that can run Windows 7?

[NatalieEGH]

I am not interested in using Windows 10.

I make extensive use of Windows Media Center. As the old advertisements from Microsoft suggested, I made my computer the center of my entire entertainment system. I play BluRays on my computer. It is my DVR. It is my DVD player. It is my radio. I read books on KIndle. I watch television using a Hauppauge 4 channel or Ceton InfinitTV 6 (only used in Christmas season as that is the only time I have cable, I like the movies) tuner. Everything except my Playstations run through my computer. Most running through Windows Media Center.

I am not interested in Microsoft controlling what patches I install and when. I have discovered installing about a month late is often a good idea as Microsoft does not always test well or with every hardware combination.

I understand Microsoft Windows 10 will not install except of approved motherboard/cpu combinations. Fine, I do not care.

I understand Microsoft Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 will no longer install on the new motherboard/cpu combinations. That is bad.

What is the highest generation equipment I can use for Windows 7 now (I have licensed copies of both 64 Ultimate and Professional)? I would gladly continue with my current hardware except my motherboard is failing, so time to build a replacement.

 

[alexoiu]

You can use the Ryzen but there's a trick: https://www.anandtech.com/show/11182/how-to-get-ryzen-working-on-windows-7-x64

 

[Calvin7]

You can use Intel 200 Series Chipset motherboard along with Intel 6th Generation CPU.
For example:
ASUS PRIME B250M-A
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132947&Tpk=N82E16813132947

Intel Core i5-6600
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117562

CPU Support List
https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/PRIME-B250M-A/HelpDesk_CPU/

That is a B250 Chipset. Windows 8.1 64-bit and Windows 7 32 / 64-bit are only supported when using 6th Generation Intel Processors. So Kaby Lake and 7th Gen CPUs need Windows 10.

 

[NatalieEGH]

Calvin7, I will try your solution first. I had actually purchased the i7-7700k cpu and ASUS Strix B250F a while back but then read a bunch of information suggesting it was a turkey processor. I then was thinking of building an AMD Threadripper system but was told about the about the problems using Windows 7 and when "BLANK". It looks like the turkey may be my solution after all. I have all that I need except DDR memory.

Thank you. I am tentatively picking you as the solution.

After I build the i7-7700k system, I will try what alexoiu suggested too. It looks like I am at the end of my time with Microsoft so a second system even just sitting waiting to be a backup will not hurt.

 

[Calvin7]

If you want to try that with an i7-7700k, that is an Intel seventh (7th)-generation processor.

Windows 10 is the only Windows version that is supported on the following processor generations:
•Intel seventh (7th)-generation processors
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4012982/the-processor-is-not-supported-together-with-the-windows-version-that

 

[NatalieEGH]

You suggested the ASUS B250M-A motherboard. I looked and it uses the i7-7700K CPU (I gave up trying to keep track of generations, possibly dumb but for me it just got two confusing, Haswell, Broadwell, Katy Lake, ... and whitch -- deliberately misspelled to combine the two words and meanings to display how they confuse and annoy me -- go with what).

Does it use multiple generations of CPU? I thought the generations starting somewhere around the Pentium II only supported specific CPUs from specific generations. I know the last computer that I built that could use 2 generations supported the Pentium and Pentium Pro. Now it is getting really hard to go more than one or two generations and still be able to even re-use memory.

So what i7 is the 6th generation. I admit 90% of my computer use is reading (Kindle, fanfiction, wikipedia) and gaming with a i5 would be plenty powerful for but I still occasionally, it is becoming rarer, do fairly heavy production stuff too, especially when writing utilities for my use. They are either ones I cannot find, are too expensive, or just do not quite do what I want to do. And I do like to keep my MASM skills for going completely rusty and the work keeps my mind active (must now remember the great enemy is dementia).