I know support is discontinued, I’m wondering if all updates are still available through Windows Update up until the date of support discontinuation which has already passed.
basically - if you’re not paying then it’s the end of the road
amazing that you’re still running an OS that was released 11 years ago - zero reason not to update to windows 10 (cue lots of people who can’t get it working properly…those people need to buy a mac IMO)
I’m wondering if I reformat, if I will be able to download old updates
yes - but if you are reformatting then install windows 10. You can even get it for free.
Why do you want to install windows 7 ?
Why should that be any of your concern? I still have an XP partition on an old computer.
It’s not my concern - it was a question. Was trying to ‘help’ the OP - personally I don’t give a flying f*ck what OS is on your or anybody else’s computer
And well done for having a XP partition and thanks for sharing that information
Windows 10 requires certain CPU/Mobo architectures
I’d suggest if your system can run win7 then it will run win10
http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-specifications
what cpu/mb are you using ? Anything that is currently capable of running a modern DAW will be fine.
If you are reformatting then it costs nothing to give it a go - either way I’d definitely recommend a clean install rather than an update from win7
This is not the case according to Steinberg
and
I’m doing a clean install
I don’t know what Steinberg are saying about MB/CPU and windows 10 ? There was the well known issue with multicore and cubase pre v10
lots of threads and info about that
Currently SB do say this about their own software:
and they also say this:
theverge article you linked also doesn’t contradict what I wrote ? In fact it suggests you MUST run win10 on some modern hardware
you didn’t say what CPU/mobo you were using but if it’s capable of running a modern DAW then it’s capable of running windows 10
you asked a question I answered - and gave you good advice IMO - that’s me done
no problem (for me!) if you don’t believe me 
Wrong.
I was speaking by PM directly to a Steinberg support/issues tech regarding my system and spoke about upgrading my current Windows 7 system to Windows 10 and my specs are not modern enough.
’ you MUST run win10 on some modern hardware’
Yes, you must. My hardware is not modern. I’m running a Intel X5690 in an ASUS P6T WS mobo, I’m not even sure Windows 8 existed yet lol, let alone 10.
yeah - that’s old 
Was a decent CPU in it’s day.
westmere chips aren’'t on the “supported” list by microsoft but will be fine. MS have even been releasing microcode patches
will need to be the win10pro for xeon
costs nothing to try - and first rule of steinberg “support” is they generally don’t really know that much.
I’ll be building a new machine for WIndows 10, Will be keeping this one WIndows 7.