So recently it looks like Discourse (the underlying software of SAS) has updated some things and made lives of Windows 8, 7 and below users more, difficult.
Please note, this was not a choice I made, and was not listed in the release notes at the times of the updates. Also note, it isn’t just Discourse. It is a function of older web browsers. For browsers that MAY pass mustard, try Firefox ESR or Supermium (Uses recent Chromium code)
Fact of life. We have several old systems that run machines. They can not be upgraded. We have some with SCSI interfaces. Even have these monster size switches (hardware) to use them on two different devices.
Then today, “you need to buy a new computer to upgrade to the next Windows OS” so this is a scam to sell more hardware? 
I’ve worked on systems like that, Customer CNC’s and PoS systems, I even have a few VM’s that run older OS’s for specialized programs.
I am not pushing anyone to upgrade hardware, trust me
My ancient O/S machines like @Image 's are used to host equipment that I do not want to deal with upgrading or replacing.
Sorry but SAS will not get rid of me by raising the required O/S, these antiques are effectively special purpose black boxes. (And yes they have SCSI interfaces).
It is going to take a major obstacle to get me to upgrade to Win 11. And that is based on sheer orneriness.
Of course there are many alternatives to Windows, including Linux, which has come a long way in the last 5 years, is free (as in beer and freedom) does not require new hardware, runs on ancient machines, and does not spy on you either. Here we run 2 MacBook Pros, 3 Linux boxes and just 1 Windows NUC that will most likely be Linux soon, running Windows in a VM for the only software that requires that OS.
Since the announcement of the end of Windows 10, Linux has gained another 2% market share, and is now at 6% of the computer market. Of course, in most large enterprise corporate server rooms you won’t find many Windows servers, but almost all will be Linux/Unix/AIX. There is a reason for that.
For those that haven’t heard, Windows recently rolled out an update recently that kills SSDs:
Windows 11 24H2 Security Updates: KB5063878 & KB5062660
These two updates—released in mid-August 2025—have been cited in online reports suggesting they might be causing SSD failures, especially on drives with Phison NAND controllers, most notably DRAM-less models.
Reported symptoms include:
Micro$oft refuses to acknowledge they are responsible despite huge numbers of users reporting the issue.
If you are affected or think you might be, uninstall the above updates and temporarily turn off Windows updates until there is a clear answer to this issue.
Hope this helps someone. (yes I confess I’m a Linux evangelist)
-Ana
In a NSFE discussion from yesterday, 090225, our friend @bookwormapril mentioned that she can no longer sign into SAS w/ her W7 machine(s):
Our friend @Lost_My_Marbles responded with a possible workaround, using dual-boot OS choices:
Ultimately, the real solution should of course be using a fully-updated OS - but as our friend @Best_Handmade_Soaps mentions upthread, even that can be problematic when 1Soft deploys one of its periodic brick-makers…
There is a reason i still store backups of important files on a spinning 10TB drive.
The thing about the recent issue is it is widespread and several credible people who bought the devices many moons ago from reputabe suppliers such as MicroCenter have had this issue and it is reproducible.
-Ana
I have been following the reports of this problem.
Although it has appeared to be reproducible, I have seen no credible theory of the underlying cause.
Since this is a problem down in the plumbing, I am skeptical that any “computer scientist” will offer a credible theory. And those of us who are old and have pursued such issues in the past, are late adopters and perhaps a bit out of it.
So true. I am 64, and I have my updates on manual even on my Linux boxes, but especially on my one Windows box. I selectively do update when I want to.
-Ana
Today’s discovery which may be related, is that the major SSD makers have firmware which can or must be updated on their drives.
Add an extra layer to the potential sources of this problem.
The thing I find interesting after thinking about this is that no other OS has this problem, ONLY Windows. I’m not hearing any reports from Mac or Linux users about this. Sounds suspect to me. I don’t trust Microsoft. I don’t trust Apple too much either but the fact is they are not affected. Very strange.
-Ana
The big thing about Windows 11 is that it is 64 bit “ONLY”. Scrapping years (basically “forever”) of 32 bit processing.
32 bit programs initially work because there is no way that Windows could be completely rewritten. The big thing was the motherboard/processor had to be 64 bit to start.
I would not be surprised however, that as things progress, less 32 bit things will work.
I also will not be surprised if things are accidentally broken in the process of changing the code, because all code is built on other code.
Perhaps some of those SSD harddrives were using 32 bit drivers instead of 64 and the update deprecated something they needed?
The Microsoft response to the SSD problem sounds credible.
I have noted performance issues with large flash drives and SSDs when they get past 50% of their capacity.
Sucks I can no longer login at work for my Windows 7 pc.
Firefox doesn’t work with sas at all.
Edge I can see the posts, but can’t login. 
…I thought some other users use Firefox? Is it a version issue? 
Or some other easily fixable issue?
Use a compatible browser with an updated Chromium core
Some open-source projects create browsers that are forked from newer codebases to function on older operating systems.
Supermium: This browser backports a modern version of Chromium to older operating systems like Windows 7. Be aware that running modern browsers on an unsupported OS still carries a security risk.
Thorium: Similar to Supermium, this is another Chromium fork that is maintained for Windows 7.
Ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled in Windows
If you have an up-to-date version of Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, you can enable the TLS 1.2 protocol to help older browsers function better on modern sites.
Download and install the Microsoft Update 3140245.
Open Internet Options from the Control Panel.
Click the Advanced tab.
Scroll down to the bottom and ensure the boxes for Use TLS 1.1 and Use TLS 1.2 are checked.
I will work on options this week for everyone
Typo? Autocorrect?
Or a joke I’m not getting (always possible)… 
I believe he meant “pass muster.” But sillier.