Silicon Investor - Windows 10

[rzborusa] The path to delete 'S" diddn't match what was in my system. So, got on HP's web...

rzborusa — 9/3/2022 9:00:07 PM

The path to delete 'S" diddn't match what was in my system. So, got on HP's website and after going through their pages of required baring of my soul got to a support page and went through many attempts to get out of S. Finally in command prompt, "winver" showed I had win 11S. At that point support tried to sell me a recovery thumb drive, which I declined. He ended the session.

After that I followed one of the many directives from the web and it was a slam dunk. Not sure how I got to thinking I had w10, oh well. OOps, says w10 in advert, not so,

The laptop was just $250 including shipping and sales tax. 141935 wm.
I'm thinking good enough for surfing and home office. KB is not backlit. 4g, 128g.

I won't appologize for being a bottom feeder. The LTs coming down the road from AMD are going to be awesome. I may go for one sooner or later.

I bought another for my son, to replace his Celeron LT from over 5 years ago.

[rzborusa] Lots of coercion with W10S. So many claim that Google takes liberties with one'...

rzborusa — 8/30/2022 1:39:00 AM

Lots of coercion with W10S. So many claim that Google takes liberties with one's data. But MS is super monopolistic. I plan to ditch the S asap. I guess I used Google too long and like some of the stuff too much to switch.

[rzborusa] I've been using it as it came out of the box. Really not that bad. There is on...

rzborusa — 8/18/2022 3:06:12 PM

I've been using it as it came out of the box. Really not that bad. There is one thing, the battery seems to be soldered in. Also, there seems to be no way to disable the touch pad, which doesn't like typing.

Model14-dk1032wm

wm seems to mean WalMart

More later ....

[rzborusa] Thanks! Ewery time I hawe to learn something new, I hawe to forget something el...

rzborusa — 8/15/2022 9:07:46 AM

Thanks! Ewery time I hawe to learn something new, I hawe to forget something else, thanks again.

[TimF] Candy Crush is a game. The type of game that's sometimes called a casual game n...

TimF — 8/15/2022 12:19:25 AM

Candy Crush is a game. The type of game that's sometimes called a casual game not a more hardcore gamer type of game.

As for the S -

-----

Switching out of S mode in Windows

Windows 10 Windows 11

Windows 10 in S mode is designed for security and performance, exclusively running apps from the Microsoft Store. If you want to install an app that isn't available in the Microsoft Store, you'll need to switch out of S mode. Switching out of S mode is one-way. If you make the switch, you won't be able to go back to Windows 10 in S mode. There's no charge to switch out of S mode.

On your PC running Windows 10 in S mode, open Settings > Update & Security > Activation.

In the Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro section, select Go to the Store. (If you also see an "Upgrade your edition of Windows" section, be careful not to click the "Go to the Store" link that appears there.)

On the Switch out of S mode (or similar) page that appears in the Microsoft Store, select the Get button. After you see a confirmation message on the page, you'll be able to install apps from outside of the Microsoft Store.

support.microsoft.com

or if you prefer video

youtube.com

[rzborusa] Just got a new LT with W10S. And, all the crapware, which I want to clean up, a...

rzborusa — 8/14/2022 9:07:23 PM

Just got a new LT with W10S. And, all the crapware, which I want to clean up, along with the Start Up menue. I hawe little knowledge. I sure as heck don't know anything about a program from it's name. I suspect "Candy Crush" is something not useful to a man in late 70s. I'd also like to lose the S from W10. Please point me in some direction.

[Don Green] My primary PC is 11 years old and running fine. But I am always looking for an u...

Don Green — 7/9/2021 5:30:26 PM

My primary PC is 11 years old and running fine. But I am always looking for an update. The only weak link or bottle neck is my video card.

[JSB] Yeah, where did you last see your keys. This was first thing Tuesday mornin...

JSB — 7/9/2021 5:26:00 PM

Yeah, where did you last see your keys. This was first thing Tuesday morning
and it was fine on Monday. No clue but it seems fine now and I've got a brand
new back up. Given that my back up was 5 years old it's probably wise to have
a new one. Thanks again.

[Don Green] The question I always is what were you doing just prior to having the problem? ...

Don Green — 7/9/2021 4:34:05 PM

The question I always is what were you doing just prior to having the problem? That will often help you find a solution. Sometimes the problem is just a hic-cup and a reboot can resolve the problem

Don

[JSB] It seems that pulling out the memory stick and re-seating it has corrected the p...

JSB — 7/9/2021 3:39:12 PM

It seems that pulling out the memory stick and re-seating it has corrected
the problem. The box has been up and running all day, of course I've
already bought a new Dell and have two more memory sticks on the way.

Perhaps re-seating the memory stick is the equivalent to smacking it on the
side from back in the day?

Knock on wood.

[Don Green] Good luck I hope it works out for you Don

Don Green — 7/9/2021 11:02:16 AM

[JSB] I'm going to give that a shot. New RAM on the way as well. Thank you.

JSB — 7/9/2021 10:50:08 AM

[Don Green] Try this 8 Powerful Methods to Fix PAGE FAULT IN NONPAGED AREA Error (minitool....

Don Green — 7/8/2021 5:53:31 PM

Try this

8 Powerful Methods to Fix PAGE FAULT IN NONPAGED AREA Error (minitool.com)

[JSB] My 18 month old desktop was just fine on Tuesday but on Wednesday morning I got ...

JSB — 7/8/2021 5:39:35 PM

My 18 month old desktop was just fine on Tuesday but on Wednesday morning I got a blue screen
telling me I had a "page fault in a nonpaged area". As soon as I log in, I get the blue screen and then
it reboots. If I don't log in, it just sits. I've run check disk and memory test but they don't reveal any
errors.

Anyone have a thought what it might be? I've ordered some new RAM and I'll try that when it
arrives in a few days but beyond that, I'm clueless. Thanks guys.

[Eric L] Microsoft’s emergency patch fails to fix critical “PrintNightmare” vulnerability...

Eric L — 7/8/2021 4:41:32 PM

Microsoft’s emergency patch fails to fix critical “PrintNightmare” vulnerability (Ars Technica)

arstechnica.com [courtesy of Don Green]

The final paragraph is below:

>> "Despite Tuesday’s out-of-band patch being incomplete, it still provides meaningful protection against many types of attacks that exploit the print spooler vulnerability. So far, there are no known cases of researchers saying it puts systems at risk. Unless that changes, Windows users should install both the patch from June and Tuesday and await further instructions from Microsoft. Company representatives didn’t immediately have a comment for this post." <<

"Patch Lady' Susan Bradley says:

# # #

- Eric L -

[Don Green] Eric Due to some "technical difficulties" I decided it was time to start my o...

Don Green — 7/7/2021 6:24:01 PM

Eric

Due to some "technical difficulties" I decided it was time to start my own technology thread,

All Things Technology - Media and Know HOW | Stock Discussion Forums (siliconinvestor.com)

I had considered starting a Windows 11 threat upfront but you did such a good job with the Win 10 thread I thought you would do a better job than me.

As I posted a while ago since the Windows 11 release info, it has caused me to seriously consider buying a Mac as my primary machine. Now I will need to wait to make sure it can run Windows 11. I would like to get a M2 chip maybe coming with as MacBook Pro early next year.

It is exciting for me to see Apple and Microsoft again pushing the envelope with some of their technology.

Thanks for your efforts.

Don

[Eric L] PC Computing ... << It is good to see you active again on SI. Keep them coming...

Eric L — 7/7/2021 3:57:46 PM

PC Computing ...

<< It is good to see you active again on SI. Keep them coming. >>

Thanks, Don. I've been reading SI daily on desktop but since the pandemic began posting to it only occasionally. I have read the 'Computer Learning' board daily but otherwise seriously neglected PC computing and am now in catchup mode. I appreciate your contributions to the 'Computer Learning board, this one and the Windows 11 board .

Cheers, - Eric L -

[Don Green] Eric It is good to see you active again on SI. Keep them coming. Best Don ...

Don Green — 7/7/2021 11:25:47 AM

Eric

It is good to see you active again on SI. Keep them coming.

Best

Don

[Eric L] Windows 10 KB5004945 emergency update fixes the PrintNightmare' I unpaused to d...

Eric L — 7/7/2021 11:19:49 AM

Windows 10 KB5004945 emergency update fixes the PrintNightmare'

I unpaused to download KB5004945 last evening and then backed up ...

>> Windows 10 KB5004945 emergency update released to fix PrintNightmare

Mayank Parmar
Windows Latest
July 7, 2021

windowslatest.com

Windows 10 KB5004945 emergency update is rolling out to address a new Windows zero-day vulnerability called “PrintNightmare”. According to reports, PrintNightmare vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers to achieve local privilege and remote code execution on affected machines.

Microsoft has now started rolling out out-of-band Windows updates to remedy a PrintNightmare security bug affecting all supported versions of Windows 10.

KB5004945 is a new mandatory security update for those on v2004 or newer. This patch will download/install automatically on Windows 10 Home, Pro and other editions. For those using Windows 10 version 1909 (November 2019 Update), they’ll be getting KB5004946 and this patch will also install automatically depending on update policies.

For Windows 10 version 1809 and Windows Server 2019, there’s a different patch – KB5004947.

List of PrintNightmare updates released for Windows:

1. Version 21H1, 20H1, 2004 – KB5004945 (Build 19043.1083).
2. Version 1909 – KB5004946 (Build 18363.1646).
3. Version 1809 and Windows Server 2019 – KB5004947 (Build 17763.2029).
4. Version 1803 – KB5004949
5. Version 1507 – KB5004950.
6. Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 – KB5004954 and KB5004958 (security only).
7. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 – KB5004953 and KB5004951 (security only)
8. Windows Server 2008 SP2 – KB5004955 and KB5004959 (security only).

As mentioned, Windows 10 version 2004 and newer will be getting the following Windows Update when they check for updates today:

2021-07 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 21H1 for x64-based Systems (KB5004945)

This update will advance the build number to Build 19043.1083 (19042.1083 or 19041.1083).

How to fix PrintNightmare vulnerability on Windows 10

To fix PrintNightmare vulnerability, follow these steps:

1. Open Windows Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update.
2, Click on “Check for updates“.
3. A new July patch will automatically start downloading on your device.
4. Click on “Restart now” after the patch is downloaded.

Alternatively, you can manually download the offline installers from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

<Big Snip> ... Read more at the link above>
Microsoft is currently not aware of any new issues in the emergency patch.

For remaining supported versions of Windows like version 1903, Microsoft is planning to release the emergency patch in the coming days.

If you skip today’s patch, you’ll receive the same fix in July’s Patch Tuesday updates, which will begin rolling out next week (July 13).

The upcoming July Patch Tuesday update is also expected to include a fix for Windows 10’s blurry taskbar bug and issues with News and interests feed. It will also resolve another bug affecting the performance (FPS and graphics quality) of some games, such as Call of Duty and PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG). <<

# # #

- Eric L -

[TimF] Even with a real patch I'll probably leave incoming remote print spooling disabl...

TimF — 7/6/2021 6:53:04 PM

Even with a real patch I'll probably leave incoming remote print spooling disabled. I really don't see any reason for it on my laptop. Seems more like a server function.

[Eric L] Out of band for Print Nightmare is out ... askwoody.com Posted on July 6th, 2...

Eric L — 7/6/2021 5:54:17 PM

Out of band for Print Nightmare is out ...

askwoody.com

Posted on July 6th, 2021 at 16:22 Susan Bradley Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

See Microsoft's FAQ on the subject : msrc.microsoft.com

Remember the print nightmare post from the other day? Microsoft has released out of band updates to fix the issue.

“CVE updated to announce that Microsoft is releasing an update for several versions of Window to address this vulnerability. Updates are not yet available for Windows 10 version 1607, Windows Server 2016, or Windows Server 2012. Security updates for these versions of Windows will be released soon. Other information has been updated as well. This information will be updated when more information or updates are available”

If you are a home user, I don’t see a need to rush this patch on. If you are a MSP or IT professional, and you haven’t already disabled the print spooler on your domain controllers – look for these updates. ( I don’t think they’ve been fully posted yet) <<

# # #

- Eric L -

[TimF] How to "patch" this vunerability yourself - Several options here askvg.com I ha...

TimF — 7/6/2021 5:34:11 PM

How to "patch" this vunerability yourself - Several options here askvg.com

I have a printer attached to this PC so I didn't want to disable the print spooler. Also its not Windows 10 Pro, and its not on a domain so I can't use group policy editor.

So I used the registry editor method to block inbound remote print spooling.

[Eric L] Surprise? Windows 10 version 21H2 is coming in October ... It will be a goo...

Eric L — 7/6/2021 3:04:47 PM

Surprise? Windows 10 version 21H2 is coming in October ...

It will be a good idea to download and squirrel away an ISO when it becomes available.

windowslatest.com

Back in June, our sources revealed Microsoft wants to split the second-half Windows release into two updates: one for consumers with big changes and another for enterprise customers who want to keep using the current Windows 10 for an additional year.

When we first heard the rumours of two Windows updates, we didn’t even know what the next update for consumers would be called. On June 24, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of Windows is Windows 11. At the same time, Microsoft said it’ll continue to support Windows 10.

In October, Microsoft will be releasing Windows 10 version 21H2, otherwise known as October 2021 Update. This new feature update is for those who can’t download or install Windows 11 due to new hardware requirements, Microsoft’s slow rollout or the radical design changes.

Microsoft will continue to work on Windows 10 until 2025, but the changes coming to Windows 10 with new feature updates wouldn’t be as significant as before. For example, version 21H2 is expected to ship with a few new features, including new controls for Windows Hello.

New features and improvements

With Windows 10 May 2021 Update (version 21H2), Microsoft enabled support for multiple Windows Hello cameras when external and built-in Windows Hello-capable cameras are present on the device.

Starting with version 21H2, you can use an external Windows Hello compatible camera when the laptop is closed or docked, according to the updated support document.

In another document, Microsoft said TPM attestation will be supported on Intel TPM Tiger Lake platforms with Windows 10 21H2 or higher.

For enterprise customers, Microsoft is making it easier to manage Features on Demand (FOD) and language packs when you’re using WSUS or Configuration Manager. In version 21H2, non-admins can also add both a display language and its corresponding language features.

Likewise, Microsoft is also believed to be working on improvements for Universal Print and deployment features like Windows Autopilot.

The future of Windows

In other words, version 21H2 will update your device to Windows 10 Build 19044 (up from Build 19043). This minor update would let enterprise users postpone the new Windows 11 redesign and Microsoft will be supporting the enterprise edition of version 21H2 for a few years.

On the other hand, Windows 11 will be handed out only to select consumers with supported hardware later this year. However, Windows 11 wider rollout is not expected until early 2022. <<

# # #

- Eric L -

[Eric L] Windows 11: A new SI Windows Subject Board ... ... is here and open for reading...

Eric L — 7/4/2021 6:50:56 PM

Windows 11: A new SI Windows Subject Board ...

... is here and open for reading and posting: Subject 60241

Please mark as a favorite if interested. This board is still open and I will be posting to it on occasion. I'll continue to use a Windows 10 Pro Dell Inspiron with a 4th gen Intel Core i5 CPU and maintain and use it through end of life in October 2005. I'm readying a Windows 10 HP Pavilion desktop with an 8th gen Intel Core i5 CPU for use and will upgrade that system when the upgrade is made available.

There is frequent discussion of Windows 10 and earlier versions of Windows or other personal computer OSs by participants on SI's 'Computer Learning' subject board hosted by 'goldworldnet' (Josh). This board was created as a supplement to that popular SI board and the new Windows 11 board.

Thanks to all who have contributed here.

# # #

- Eric L -

[Don Green] Microsoft warns of Windows ‘PrintNightmare’ vulnerability that’s being actively ...

Don Green — 7/2/2021 1:45:15 PM

Microsoft warns of Windows ‘PrintNightmare’ vulnerability that’s being actively exploited

Microsoft is warning Windows users about an unpatched critical flaw in the Windows Print Spooler service. The vulnerability, dubbed PrintNightmare, was uncovered earlier this week after security researchers accidentally published a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit. While Microsoft hasn’t rated the vulnerability, it allows attackers to remotely execute code with system-level privileges, which is as critical and problematic as you can get in Windows.

Researchers at Sangfor published the PoC, in what appears to have been a mistake, or a miscommunication between the researchers and Microsoft. The test code was quickly deleted, but not before it had already been forked on GitHub.

Sangfor researchers had been planning to detail multiple 0-day vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service at the annual Black Hat security conference later this month. It appears the researchers thought Microsoft had patched this particular vulnerability, after the company published patches for a separate Windows Print Spooler flaw.

The vulnerability is being actively exploited
It has taken Microsoft a couple of days to finally issue an alert about the 0-day, and Bleepingcomputer reports that the company is even warning customers that it’s being actively exploited. The vulnerability allows attackers to use remote code execution, so bad actors could potentially install programs, modify data, and create new accounts with full admin rights.

Microsoft admits “the code that contains the vulnerability is in all versions of Windows,” but it’s not clear if it’s exploitable beyond server versions of Windows. The Print Spooler service runs by default on Windows, including on client versions of the OS, Domain Controllers, and many Windows Server instances, too.

Microsoft is working on a patch, but until it’s available the company recommends disabling the Windows Print Spooler service (if that’s an option for businesses), or disabling inbound remote printing through Group Policy. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has recommended that admins “disable the Windows Print Spooler service in Domain Controllers and systems that do not print.”

Vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service have been a headache for system administrators for years. The most infamous example was the Stuxnet virus. Stuxnet used multiple 0-day exploits, including a Windows Print Spooler flaw, to destroy several Iranian nuclear centrifuges more than a decade ago.

[Don Green] Microsoft will end Windows 10 support in October 2025 K. Holt|06.14.21 @krishol...

Don Green — 6/14/2021 12:04:16 PM

Microsoft will end Windows 10 support in October 2025

K. Holt|06.14.21
@krisholt

Shannon Stapleton / r
Microsoft has revealed when it will put Windows 10 out to pasture. It will stop support for the current operating system on October 14th, 2025. That means Microsoft expects the transition to the next version of Windows, which it will show off on June 24th, to take around four years.

The company quietly announced the news in a support page update, as spotted by Thurrott. Previously, the page noted when Microsoft would end support for certain versions of Windows 10. It now states Microsoft started supporting Windows 10 Home and Pro on July 29th, 2015 and reveals the operating system's "retirement date." The end-of-support timeline puts the Windows 10 lifecycle at a hair over 10 years, similar to previous iterations of the OS.

As for what we're expecting from Windows 11 (or whatever it's called), there will probably be a redesign, including a revamped Windows Store. Microsoft recently canceled Windows 10X, which was initially going to be for dual-screen devices. It said it would bring some features planned for that OS into the standard version of Windows. Perhaps that'll make it easier for manufacturers and developers to support dual-screen devices without having to work with a separate version of Windows.

[TimF] Microsoft Will Unveil New Version of Windows on June 24 extremetech.com Microso...

TimF — 6/13/2021 12:23:06 PM

Microsoft Will Unveil New Version of Windows on June 24
extremetech.com

Microsoft Will Drop Support for Windows 10 by 2025
Microsoft has updated its official documentation to reflect Windows 10’s EOL date. According to the company’s EOL page, Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations will all sunset by October 14, 2025.

When Microsoft launched Windows 10, it declared that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows. I’m not sure if anyone actually believed that, but the company ran with it. Here we are, six years later, with a new version of Windows coming out.

If we assume Microsoft launches Windows 11 by November (an arbitrary date), it will mean Windows 10 lived a few hundred days longer than Windows XP did relative to Vista. It was always obvious that Microsoft would launch a new Windows, just like Google and Apple continue to release new versions of their products with updated code names and numbers. This is how software development has worked for literally decades, and Microsoft wasn’t going to buck that trend.

If it does, it risks being left behind. There’s an assumption that each new version of an OS is better than the last (whether that’s true is a different question). Chaining itself to the Windows 10 brand in perpetuity was never going to happen long-term, even if that genuinely was the plan back in 2015.

...

extremetech.com

[Eric L] Woody Says: Time to Patch ... So I did with fingers crossed after creating a ...

Eric L — 8/2/2020 7:52:35 PM

Woody Says: Time to Patch ...

So I did with fingers crossed after creating a restore point and making a ftll image backup. All seemed to go smoothly and later today I'll pause the August updates.

computerworld.com

The folks at Microsoft have pretty much exterminated the bugs they introduced in July’s patches. The Outlook-killing bug got fixed by an emergency update to Microsoft’s own servers. The Win7 .NET patch was fixed and re-released nine days after paying Win7 Extended Security customers started bellyaching.

The odd problem this month comes in the form of “optional, non-security, C/D Week” preview patches, which install in odd and inconsistent ways. You don’t want the Previews. But avoiding them isn’t as easy as it should be.

Microsoft still hasn’t fixed the reboot race condition that leads to “missing” data (which isn’t really missing at all, just relocated to a completely inscrutable location), but that problem is well understood now. It’s just a pain.

Here’s how to get caught up.

Make a full backup

Make a full system image backup before you install the latest patches.

There’s a non-zero chance that the patches – even the latest, greatest patches of patches of patches — can hose your machine. So it's best to have a backup that you can reinstall even if your machine refuses to boot. This is in addition to the usual need for System Restore points.

There are plenty of full-image backup products, including at least two good free ones: Macrium Reflect Free and EaseUS Todo Backup.

Install the latest Win10 June Cumulative Update

If you haven’t yet moved to Win10 version 1909 (in the Windows search box type winver and hit Enter), I recommend you do so. The bugs in version 1903 are largely replicated in 1909 and vice-versa, so there’s very little reason to hold off on making the switch – although, admittedly, there’s almost nothing worthwhile that’s new in version 1909.

If you’re running Win10 version 2004, bless yer heart and thanks for joining the ranks of the unpaid beta testers. Please keep us apprised of any problems on AskWoody.

To get the latest July Cumulative Update installed, click Start > Settings > Update & Security. If you see a Resume updates box, click on it.

That’s all you need to do. Windows, in its infinite wisdom, will install the July Cumulative Update at its own pace. If you don’t see a Resume updates box, you already have the July Cumulative update and you’re good to go.

If you see an offer to Download and install the “Feature update to Windows 10, version 2004”, ignore it. Studiously.

A little warning: If you’re running Win10 1903 or 1909, had Updates paused and clicked on Resume updates, you’ll also install a Potentially Unwanted Program known as KB 4562900, the July 21, 2020 Cumulative Update Previews for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8. You can see it, after Windows Update is done rebooting, by going into the Update History pane (Start > Settings > Update & Security > View update history).

As of this moment, I haven’t seen any complaints of bugs in that .NET Framework Preview, so it looks like you’ll be OK installing it. Avoiding that particular Preview is more trouble than it's worth.

Susan Bradley bumped into an unexpected situation, where a Win10 version 1903 machine offered the .NET Framework Preview, with a Download button. If you see that Download button, breathe a sigh of relief, and don’t click Download.

Blame it all on Windows Update’s bifurcated mess. Stick to these instructions, though, and your machine should turn out OK, with or without an unwanted .NET Preview.

Win10 problems you may hit, and how to handle them

When your machine comes back up for air, don’t panic if your desktop doesn’t look right, or you can’t log in to your usual account. You've been bit by the “temporary profile” bug, which we’ve known about – and complained about – for months. Try restarting your machine four or five times; the bug may go away. We have three separate threads on AskWoody about solving the problem [1, 2, 3] and if you need additional help, you can always post a question. (Thx @PKCano.)

If you have a USB-attached printer and Windows can’t see it, look at Knowledge Base article 4566779: “If you connect a USB printer to Windows 10 version 1903 or later, then shut down Windows and disconnect or shut off the printer, when you start Windows again the USB printer port will not be available in the list of printer ports.”

The solution? Turn on the printer before you power up Windows.

While you’re mucking about with Windows Update, it wouldn’t hurt to Pause updates, to take you out of the direct line of fire the next time Microsoft releases a buggy bunch of patches. Click Start > Settings > Update & Security. Click “Pause updates for 7 days.” Next, click on the newly revealed link, which says “Pause updates for 7 more days,” four more times. That pauses all updates for 35 days, until early September. With a little luck that’ll be long enough for Microsoft to fix any bugs it introduces in August, so you can skip the drama. <<

# # #

- Eric L. -

[Eric L] July Patch Tuesdays begin tomorrow: Woody says ... [graphic] computerworld.co...

Eric L — 7/13/2020 9:46:57 PM

July Patch Tuesdays begin tomorrow: Woody says ...

computerworld.com

Yes, with Windows you have to get patched sooner or later. No, you don’t have to do it right away.

Every month Microsoft releases buggy Patch Tuesday patches. Every. Single. Month. Every month we’re admonished to get patched right now, lest the bad guys start mining PCs for juicy morsels. Every month we see the same hype, with the same results.

A handful of machines – sometimes a large handful of machines – have problems digesting the patches. And the Chicken Little security skies don’t fall, in spite of the many clickbaity headlines.

We do occasionally get an emergency patch, but they’re exceedingly rare, and always well known, generally within hours of release. We saw that with Eternal Blue, with Sasser, and a small handful of lesser-known security holes. Even in those cases, it took the cretins weeks or months to turn a known vulnerability into a mainstream attack.

You have to get patched, but you don’t have to follow Microsoft’s timetable. Let the unwashed masses act as cannon fodder. Wait until we’ve had a chance to see what problems arise.

Fortunately, starting with Windows 10 version 1903 it’s easy to temporarily pause Windows Update. It’s also easy in Win7 and 8.1 – but not so much for versions in between.

Here’s how to get your updates paused and keep it things intact until the coast is clear.

Blocking automatic update on Windows 10

By now, almost all of you are on Win10 version 1903 or 1909, and some of you are in the unpaid beta testing phase of the painful Win10 version 2004 rollout. Not sure which version of Win10 you’re running? In the Search box, near the Start button, type winver, then click Run command.

The version number appears on the second line.

If you’re using Win10 1803 or 1809, I strongly urge you to move on to Win10 version 1909. If you insist on sticking with Win10 1809 (hard to blame ya!), you can block updates by following the steps in December’s Patch Tuesday warning. Be acutely aware of the fact that Microsoft won’t be handing out any more security patches for 1809 Home or Pro after Nov. 10 -- less than four months from now. The end is near.

In version 1903, 1909 or 2004 (either Home, Pro, Education or Enterprise, unless you’re attached to an update server), using an administrator account, click Start > Settings > Update & Security. If your Updates paused timer is set before Aug. 2 (see screenshot below), I urge you to click Resume Updates and let the automatic updater kick in – that'll reset the Pause limit – and do it now, before noon in Redmond on July 14, when the Patch Tuesday patches get released.

If Pause is set to expire before the end of July, or if you don’t have a Pause in effect, you should set up a patching defense perimeter that keeps patches off your machine for the rest of this month. Using that admin account, click the Pause updates for 7 days button, then click it again and again, if necessary, until you’re paused out into early August. (Note that the next Patch Tuesday falls on Aug. 11.)

If you see a message that says “The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is on its way” for Win10 version 2004, be of good cheer. The message doesn’t signify anything, really, but it means Microsoft won’t try to push you onto version 2004 in the near future. And if you see an invitation to “Download and install” version 2004, resist the urge to click the button. There's nothing in 2004 that you want or need.

Don’t be spooked. Don’t be stampeded. Don’t click “Check for updates.” And don’t install any patches that require you to click “Download and install.”

If there are any immediate widespread problems protected by this month’s Patch Tuesday – a rare occurrence, but it does happen – we’ll let you know here and at AskWoody.com, in very short order. Otherwise, sit back and watch while our usual monthly crowdsourced patch watch proceeds. Let’s see what offal hits the fan.

We’re at MS-DEFCON 2 on <a href="https://www.askwoody.com/2020/ms-defcon-2-patch-tuesdays-tomorrow-make-sure-you-have-automatic-update-paused/ <AskWoody.

# # #

- Eric L -

[Eric L] Woody says: Good Time to Patch ... ... to those that have the June patches pa...

Eric L — 7/9/2020 10:24:43 AM

Woody says: Good Time to Patch ...

... to those that have the June patches paused, I do and patches are scheduled to resume on Sunday the 12th. I'll do a full backup Friday evening then resume updates on Saturday after setting a system restore point then after the system is updated I'll the patches again for anoother month.

Woody's complete article on the subject is available on Computerworld here: computerworld.com

That article reviews the updates and provides details on what to do if one or more the patches causes a problem.

# # #

- Eric L. -

[Eric L] Blocking the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing [Update] ...

Eric L — 6/28/2020 12:23:35 PM

Blocking the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing [Update] ...

My prior post here earlier this month on this subject was accurate when posted here ... or so Woody and I thought. but Microsoft changed OUR game once again. What Microsoft once gave away, Microsoft subsequently tooketh away. Woody explains here:

Woody Leonhard
Woody on Windows
Computerworld | Jun 26, 2020 9:41 am PDT

computerworld.com

The company intentionally removed the “update deferral” options from the Win10 version 2004 Update Advanced options pane, ostensibly “to prevent confusion.” Riiiiight. But there’s good news: a newly documented Pro, Education and Enterprise Registry setting that circumvents the version deferral problems. And it appears to work in version 1803 onward.

At AskWoody, we’ve been lamenting the sporadic lack of update deferral settings in Win10 version 2004 for some months. At times, the disappearance of the “feature” (version) deferral and “quality: (cumulative update) deferral settings in Advanced Updates appeared to be a beta/Insider build glitch, a changing design tick, a regurgitated A/B test, or a remnant of an upgrade gone bad.

Now, we have official confirmation that the options in Windows Update’s Advanced Settings applet are gone for good. It’s easy to see, when you compare the Advanced Settings screens side-by-side. ...

< Snip rest and read the important full text of this article at the link above. >>

# # #

Bottom line (evidently) is Windows 10 Pro users can do a registry hack with the Group Policy Editor to defer v2004 but Home users aren't so fortunate.

Woody's 'Ask Woody' sidekick Patch Lady Susan Bradley rants about it and other Win10 idiosyncrasies and burps here | askwoody.com .

Such is Life in Win10 City. Just Saint Nadella's business as usual.

- Eric L. -

[M. Murray] Thanks for the help!! I downloaded it, it took less than a minute on SDD. Everyt...

M. Murray — 6/12/2020 1:43:27 PM

Thanks for the help!! I downloaded it, it took less than a minute on SDD. Everything is running fine!

[Eric L] Windows 1903/1909 | KB4497165 Update (Intel microcode updates) support.microsof...

Eric L — 6/12/2020 10:51:23 AM

Windows 1903/1909 | KB4497165 Update (Intel microcode updates)

support.microsoft.com

<< I thought I was running version 1909 on my new laptop but after reading this post I checked again and this what it says, do I need to download KB4497165 or is my system okay? >>

Tim gave a very good and proper response to your question. As 'Windows Latest' noted (and what was confusing to many of us)

KB4497165 "was originally released in January and it appears to be rolling out again, and there’s no detailed information on why the update has been re-released. It’s possible that Microsoft hasn’t yet rewritten its documentation to cover up the new fixes or improvements included in this KB."

Evidently that's the case ... i.e. updated by Intel but while updated not documented and I'd installed it way back when and don't think I'd uninstalled it. I previously had all May updates for v1909 paused through June 7 but all prior updates to 1909 were installed. I then updated them but neglected to pause them again for June patch updates so I downloaded KB4497165 last night and installed this morning. The morning install took less than 5 minutes on a HDD. All went smoothly. I have now paused all remaining June v1909 updates through July 5. Assuming 'AskWoody' gives an all clear I'll update all then pause August's. I have no intention of installing 2004 till at least August and possibly September.

Let us know how you made out with the update.

Cheers, - Eric L. -

[M. Murray] Thank you!! It was there, I am on version 1909. I'm going to wait to download 20...

M. Murray — 6/11/2020 11:04:04 PM

Thank you!! It was there, I am on version 1909. I'm going to wait to download 2004 in case there are any kinks in it.

[TimF] I thought I was running version 1909 Click on the Start button, select settings,...

TimF — 6/11/2020 10:30:50 PM

I thought I was running version 1909

Click on the Start button, select settings, select system, on the left side at the bottom click on about, look at version under "Windows specifications", you can see if it says 1909 or something else.

I looked up KB449715 and found

Earlier today, Microsoft pushed out KB4497165 for Windows 10 version 1909 and version 1903. Since security updates are mandatory in Windows 10, it’s likely that the update is already listed in your Windows Update page or you already have it installed.

So what does it do? According to Microsoft, KB4497165 is an Intel Microcode update for Windows 10 version 1909 or version 1903.

windowslatest.com

Also look at your own image. It doesn't say "update to Window 10 Version 1909..." It says "Update for Windows 10 Version 1909" In other words its very likely that you have 1909 already, this update is a security update for that version, for Intel systems

A bit more about the update here
support.microsoft.com

[M. Murray] I thought I was running version 1909 on my new laptop but after reading this pos...

M. Murray — 6/11/2020 9:19:03 PM

I thought I was running version 1909 on my new laptop but after reading this post I checked again and this what it says, do I need to download KB4497165 or is my system okay? TIA

[TimF] Some Win10 PCs are apparently being upgraded to version 2004 without consent I’...

TimF — 6/11/2020 9:04:09 PM

Some Win10 PCs are apparently being upgraded to version 2004 without consent

I’m seeing an increase in the number of people who claim that their Windows 10 version 1903 or 1909 computers were upgraded to version 2004, without warning. The behavior might be due to a bug in the way Win10 handles “Pause updates.”

Every time Microsoft rolls out a new version of Windows 10, a certain percentage of Win10 customers claim their machines have been upgraded without their consent. Most of the time, some digging shows that the person who was upgraded had, in fact, clicked on something they shouldn’t have.

On the other hand, almost every version upgrade has been accompanied by odd (mis-) behaviors that result in some PCs getting upgraded, without the advice or consent of the clobbered.

At this point, it appears we’re seeing a considerable number of no-consent upgrades from version 1903 and 1909 to version 2004. Some are convinced the forced upgrade is intentional. Others – including me – think these particular forced upgrades occur because of a bug.
How the upgrade’s supposed to work

The ground rules for version 2004 upgrades are pretty straightforward, and they’ve been set in stone for some time. As I explained last month, Win10 Pro and Home users who are deemed ready for the upgrade (using some arcane “AI” magic from Microsoft), and venture to the Update & Security pane, see an offer to upgrade to Win10 version 2004 (see screenshot).
download and install 2004
Microsoft

If you click Download and install, Windows Update downloads and installs 2004. If you don’t click, your machine stays on the version it’s currently using. (Machines attached to update servers follow the network admin’s rules, of course.)

That’s a very genteel approach, much appreciated by many of us. Sure, the rules will change as older versions of Win10 fall out of favor. But for the majority of Win10 customers, on 1903 and 1909, it’s a very straightforward and restrained rollout method. Customers have a chance to decide for themselves when they're ready to upgrade.

Bravo.
What changed

Yesterday, we saw two big changes to Microsoft’s 2004 rollout.

First, it removed the block on Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3 PCs, which prohibited the upgrade from being offered to at least two of Microsoft’s flagship products.
Second, the official Release Status Information page was updated with this tangled announcement:

Windows 10, version 2004 is available for users with devices running Windows 10, versions 1903 and 1909 who manually seek to “Check for updates” via Windows Update. We are continuing our measured approach on initial availability, as we listen, learn, and adjust. Today we are increasing the number of devices that will be offered the May Update.

Based on that wording, it isn’t at all clear whether clicking “Check for updates” will automatically upgrade you to version 2004 without notification, or offer a chance to hold back. If Microsoft is signaling a reversion to that old, darker interpretation of seeking, we’re all in a world of hurt.
How the upgrade appears to be working

Right now, all reports I’ve seen say that we’re supposed to be at the stage where you have to click “Download and install” in order to get moved to version 2004. In light of yesterday’s muddled announcement, I don’t know if that’s going to change.

The fly in the ointment: Many people report that - even before the change yesterday - they were pushed onto version 2004 without being asked for permission. The reports I’ve seen point to a combination of factors:

The Win10 1903 or 1909 PC must be “ready to upgrade” according to Microsoft’s magic “AI;”
You have “Pause updates” turned on;
Either the “Pause” expires, or you manually turn it off (possibly by altering a Registry setting, possibly by clicking “Resume updates”).

It appears as if that set of events triggers an update to 2004, even if you’ve set Win10 Pro’s “defer feature updates” setting to extend feature updates - which is to say, version upgrades - beyond today.

If all three of those events come to pass – your PC's eligible, you pause, and the pause expires – it looks like you may get upgraded to Win10 version 2004 without being asked. No, you don’t have to click “Download and install.” Indeed, you’re never offered the opportunity.

Some people believe that Microsoft has changed the upgrade rules. I prefer to think of this as a specific bug. Hard to say, since, like so many important Windows update policies, it’s completely undocumented.

Do you know someone who’s been upgraded without their permission? I’d sure like to know the details on AskWoody.com.

computerworld.com

[Eric L] Blocking the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing ... In ...

Eric L — 6/4/2020 10:40:03 AM

Blocking the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing ...

In my prior post here I inadvertently neglected to provde the URL for an article by By Woody Leonhard I recommended reading. It is provided below:

>> How to block the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing

I get it. You’re bored and want to try something shiny and new. And look! Here comes Windows 10 2004. But think twice before marching your PC to the front lines. Wait while we see what problems lurk. Here’s how to sit on the sidelines for now.

computerworld.com

For users running v1903 or v1909 (and every Windows Home user should be to take advantage of defering updates for up to 35 days) this is the closing advice from Woody ...

>> If you’re on version 1903 or 1909, don’t click that link.

If you’re running Windows 10 version 1903 or 1909, sooner or later you’ll see a Windows Update notice (Start > Settings > Update & Security) like the one in the screenshot below.

The notice will appear in Windows 10 1903 and 1909 Home and Windows 10 1903 and 1909 Pro. (Yay!)

If you want to avoid installing Windows 10 version 2004, don’t click the Download and install link. It’s that simple. If you avoid clicking the Download and install link, you’ll continue on 1909 (or 1903) forever — or until MS decides it needs to push you off, whichever comes first. <<

- Eric L. -

[Eric L] The Windows 10 2004 Feature Update and 'Windows Secrets' Comments ... Last wee...

Eric L — 6/4/2020 9:40:41 AM

The Windows 10 2004 Feature Update and 'Windows Secrets' Comments ...

Last week Microsoft began a gradual release of the Spring 2020 feature upgrade for Windows 10, dubbed the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, a.k.a. version 2004.

I'm in no rush to install it and won't do so till I'm confident it is reasonably debugged and stable. There is no compelling reason to upgrade to 2004 today so far as I am concerned and I'll stay at 1909 for at least 2 months pushing out updates to it up to 30 days at a time. My May Windows 10 patches to 1909 are pushed out till Sunday but I'kk create a full backup by then and then cross my fingers and install them.

Woody Leonhard and most of the original 'Windows Secrets' team (sans Brian Livingston) have successfully resurrected the Windows Secrets newsletter and archived the complete volumes of the original newsletter database, folding it into ' Ask Woody.' It's name your own price donationware and I have a years subscription to the Plus Membership for $15 (as well as a free 'Insider' membership to Computerworld and other IDG pubs). I take my lead from Woody and also follow him on Computerworld. It is not my intent to promote AskWoody! Plus membership here or elswhwere but I do not hesitate to recommend it to individuals reliant on the Windowa operating environment. A modest investmnt with substantial ROI. Virtually every weekly installment has at least one very informative article.

askwoody.com

Two of Woody's 3 most recent articles on Computerworld offer sage advice on the subhect at hand and deserve a read ...

• How to block the Windows 10 May 2020 update, version 2004, from installing

I get it. You’re bored and want to try something shiny and new. And look! Here comes Windows 10 2004. But think twice before marching your PC to the front lines. Wait while we see what problems lurk. Here’s how to sit on the sidelines for now.

• Get your May 2020 Windows and Office patches installed

It was quite a month, with an undocumented drive-by patch, five (six?) zero-days, and voluminous reports of bugs that, with two exceptions, don’t appear to have any common cause. Now’s a good time to get Windows and Office patched.

computerworld.com

# # #

One of these days I'll document the disappearing 'Windows Secrets Saga' ...

- Eric L -

[Eric L] Sensible Action Today: Save an ISO of Windows 10 version 1909 (Jan. 14 | build 1...

Eric L — 5/21/2020 12:31:34 PM

Sensible Action Today: Save an ISO of Windows 10 version 1909 (Jan. 14 | build 18363.5)

[With version 2004 on the near horizon wise to have a clean setup ISO of the latest stable Win10 version]

Downloading a clean Win10 version 1909 is remarkably easy, doesn’t take very long (if you have a fast internet connection anyway), and may well save your keister at some point. You can even download it from your phone or iPad.

Don’t worry, it’s 100% legal and, at worst, will occupy about 8GB on a USB drive for a while. Nothin’ to it

Step 1. If you’re running Win10, use the Media Creation Tool

If you have a license for Windows 10, the easiest way to get version 1909 involves Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool. Go to the Download Windows 10 site and, under "Create Windows 10 installation media," click the link marked " Download tool now."

You'll see a notice that you’re opening MediaCreationTool1909.exe (screenshot).

It may take a second, but when the Save File button goes live, click on it. Give approval for the Media Creation Tool to make changes to your PC, and you'll see the Windows 10 Setup dialog. Click to accept Microsoft’s multi-page Software License Terms.

The Windows 10 Setup routine asks if you want to upgrade this PC now, or if you want to create installation media (screenshot).

Choose "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC." Yes, you should choose that even if you never intend to use the clean copy of Win10 1909 on any other PC. Click Next. Choose the language, architecture and edition — all of which should match what you’re currently running.

When you’re asked to "Choose which media to use," choose "ISO file." Ignore the part about “You’ll need to burn the ISO file to a DVD later” — old advice, rarely necessary these days. Click Next.

Hit Save, wait a few minutes, and you’ll have a brand-new, clean copy of Win10 version 1909 downloaded and ready for the inevitable disaster.

When you’re told to burn the ISO file to a DVD, just ignore it and click "Finish." OK, boomer.

Step 2. (Alternatively) If you aren’t running Windows 10, grab a different machine

[See this step at end of this post]

Step 3. Make like a squirrel

No matter which path you choose, you’ll end up with a copy of the official Win10 version 1909 ISO file, which can be easily used to install 1909. At least, “easily” in a Windows kind of way. If you download right now, you’ll get the Jan. 14 flavor, known as build 18363.592.

Stow it away someplace handy. You may need it someday. <<

Best to do that right now!

# # #

Here's the Step 2 Alternative:

Step 2. If you aren’t running Windows 10, grab a different machine

If you go to the Windows 10 Download site using anything other than a fully ordained Windows machine, you’ll see something like the screenshot, which was taken on my Android phone.

That’s good news. Really. Downloading Win10 is as simple as choosing an edition (“Windows 10 November 2019 Update” is version 1909) and clicking Confirm. You’ll need about 8GB of free space — which may or may not present a problem on your device. Moving the file from your phone, tablet, Mac, Linux machine, or Raspberry Pi is almost always a simple task. <<

# # #

- Eric L -

[Eric L] Setting up a new Win 10 system with a Local Administrative Account ... ... rath...

Eric L — 5/15/2020 2:07:55 PM

Setting up a new Win 10 system with a Local Administrative Account ...

... rather than being forced to sign in with a Microsoft Account.

Back in February I noted that "Microsoft is making it harder to use Windows 10 local accounts" and in that post I noted:

"You can set up a local account without turning off your router or turning off the WiFi. For the initial setup, do not connect an ethernet cable. When the computer asks you to connect to a network, click in the lower left corner where it says "I don't have internet" and then on the next page confirm that you want to "continue with limited function". Set up the local account. THEN you can connect the ethernet cable or connect to your WiFi."

I had planned to go that route in setting up a new Win 10 System I purchased on Black Friday which is still in the box ... but this seems to be even easier: On May 5th, 2020 'Patch Lady' Susan Bradley dealt with the issue in a post to the 'AskWoody' site:

>> Patch Lady – can you set up a local – no Microsoft account on 2004?

askwoody.com

# # #

- Eric L. -

[TimF] Change Drag & Drop Sensitivity to Avoid Accidental Move of Files winhelponline.c...

TimF — 5/12/2020 10:51:45 AM

Change Drag & Drop Sensitivity to Avoid Accidental Move of Files
winhelponline.com

[Eric L] Woody says: Be upto date BUT Pause Updates before Patch Tuesday [graphic] com...

Eric L — 5/11/2020 10:56:23 PM

Woody says: Be upto date BUT Pause Updates before Patch Tuesday

computerworld.com

With everything else you have on your work-from-home plate, the last thing you need is a surprise patch that doesn’t … quite … work … right. Spare yourself the drama, and sit on the sidelines while we all crowdsource patch beta testing.

We haven’t seen one, single emergency patch in well over a year. Contrariwise, every month, we see odd reports of problems — some of them quite obscure, some of the head-whackingly simple. You might get bit. You might not. But why take the risk?

In spite of the glittery headlines and frantic cries of impending doom, you don’t need to patch right away. Make Windows hold off for a bit, and wait to see what mayhem ensues.
[ Related: How to replace Edge as the default browser in Windows 10 — and why you shouldn't ]

General, if unofficial, consensus says that Microsoft won’t release its next version of Windows, Win10 version 2004 (or 20H1 or May 2020 Update) until later in the month. We’ll stumble across that bridge when we come to it. In the interim, get updates locked down and go back to whatever counts as “normal” in your life.

Tell your friends to batten down the hatches, too.

Blocking automatic update on Windows 10

By now, almost all of you are on Win10 version 1903 or 1909. Not sure which version of Win10 you’re running? Down in the Search box, near the Start button, type "winver," then click the Run command. The version number appears on the second line.

If you’re using Win10 1803 or 1809, I strongly urge you to move on to Win10 version 1909.

In version 1903 or 1909 (either Home, Pro, Education or Enterprise, unless you’re attached to an update server), using an administrator account, click Start > Settings > Update & Security. If your Updates paused timer is set before June 8, I urge you to click Resume Updates and let the automatic updater kick in — and do it now, before noon in Redmond on Tuesday, when the Patch Tuesday patches get released.

If Pause is set to expire before the end of May, or if you don’t have a Pause in effect, you should set up a patching defense perimeter that keeps patches off your machine for the rest of this month. Using that administrators account, click the "Pause updates for 7 days" button, then click it again and again, if necessary, until you’re paused out into early June. (Note that the next Patch Tuesday falls on June 9.)

If you see an Optional update available, DON’T click Download and install. You’ll be bit by those bugs soon enough. Fortunately, this should be the last time you ever seen one of those "optional, non-security, C/D Week" disasters-waiting-to-happen.

Don’t be spooked. Don’t be stampeded. And don’t install any patches that require you to click “Download and install.”

If there are any immediate widespread problems protected by this month’s Patch Tuesday — a rare occurrence, but it does happen — we’ll let you know here, and at AskWoody.com, in very short order. Otherwise, sit back and watch while our usual monthly crowdsourced patch watch proceeds. Let’s see what problems arise.

We’re at MS-DEFCON 2 on AskWoody. [Make sure Windows has been set to pause updating]. <<

###

Done! Up tp date including Cum Update KB4550945 on 1909-OS Build 18363.815. Updates Paused till Sunday June 07, 2020

- Eric L. -

[Eric L] Windows 10 turns five soon. Did it go as planned? (Ed Bott) ... [graphic] Ed ...

Eric L — 4/21/2020 10:41:43 PM

Windows 10 turns five soon. Did it go as planned? (Ed Bott) ...

Ed Bott
The Ed Bott Report | Enterprise Software
April 20, 2020

zdnet.com

[Video available at link above]

Last week, Microsoft made a Release Preview of Windows 10 version 2004 available through the Windows Insider Program, marking what should be a very brief stopover on the way to releasing the latest Windows 10 feature update to the general public. This version will be in the market just in time for the fifth anniversary of Windows 10, which was released in mid-2015.

As is traditional, I celebrated the occasion by upgrading a small data center's worth of Windows 10 devices to the new build and monitoring for glitches. This year, the process was refreshingly uneventful and almost shockingly fast. On newer PCs, almost everything happened in the background, and the wait after the final reboot was typically five minutes or less.

Still, the exercise provided me plenty of time to think back five years to 2015, when Windows 10 went from an interesting idea to a ... work in progress.

After three decades, we got so used to the idea of Microsoft Windows as a shrink-wrapped box of software that the era of Windows as a service was almost literally inconceivable. And yet Microsoft appears to have pulled it off, transforming Windows from its big-bang-release-every-three-years model to something more, well, modern.

For each of the previous four anniversaries I've given Windows 10 a report card. But Windows 10 is no longer an experiment; it's a fully realized product. So instead of a report card, let's think back five years, to some ideas that didn't work out exactly as planned.

Today's Windows 10 is more humble than the original vision

Back in 2015, Microsoft's vision for Windows 10 was expansive. It would run on a dizzying assortment of devices: smartphones running Windows Mobile, small tablets like the 8-inch Dell Venue 8 Pro 5000 series, PCs in traditional and shape-shifting configurations, Xbox consoles, the gargantuan conference-room-sized Surface Hub, and the HoloLens virtual reality headset.

In 2020, that vision has been scaled back. Windows 10 Mobile is officially defunct, and small Windows 10 tablets have completely disappeared from the market. Of all those chips scattered across the craps table, only the 2-in-1 Windows device category appears to have paid off.

And then there was the app landscape, which changed dramatically over five years. With no mobile devices and no small tablets, there's no real need for a Universal Windows Platform (UWP). What happened instead is that Microsoft started encouraging developers to add UWP features to their legacy desktop programs and then package them for distribution through the Microsoft Store.

That initiative helped fill the Store, but it also blurred the lines between Windows apps and legacy desktop programs. Perhaps the best example is the Windows 3.1 File Manager, which despite its advanced age (nearly 30 years old!) is now available as an open source app through the Microsoft Store. Who could have seen that one coming back in 2015?

"Windows as a service" turned out to be more evolutionary than expected

For two decades after the much-hyped release of Windows 95, we became accustomed to thinking of Windows as a shrink-wrapped product, fixed and immutable except for occasional security updates and very rare service packs.

So it was only natural that some of us projected that immutability to the "Windows as a service" model that Microsoft announced with great fanfare as part of the launch of Windows 10. But it turned out that none of those rules were engraved in stone, and Microsoft's engineers tinkered with them over the first few years.

They started with separate release channels for businesses and consumers and then decided to go with just one. They adjusted the schedule for releasing feature updates, and eventually they bowed to pressure and made those feature updates optional. They tweaked the Enterprise/Education support lifecycle (see the chart below) in response to feedback from exhausted enterprise admins. They added detailed documentation for each monthly quality update and changed the way security updates are documented.

Arguably, most of those changes have been for the better, and the most difficult adjustment is the most fundamental one: Don't get too comfortable, because the rules can and will change again.

The pace of development is nowhere near as frantic today

When Windows 10 debuted in mid-2015, Microsoft's marketing and promotion were aggressive and insistent. The free upgrade offer was only good for one year, they said, so hurry before it's too late. The first major feature update appeared a mere four months later, and three more feature updates in the next two years brought some major changes.

That pedal-to-the-metal pace turned out to be too fast, as the disastrous version 1809 update proved. That buggy release was the first ever to be pulled from Microsoft's servers just days after its release, and it took six weeks to investigate the underlying issues and resume the rollout. Following that embarrassing incident, the company downshifted its Windows development efforts dramatically.

The rollout of version 1903 was slow, measured, and cautious, and version 1909 was essentially a service pack, delivering what Microsoft called "select performance improvements, enterprise features and quality enhancements."

Version 2004, which is now available as a Release Preview, has gone through the same long, deliberately slow preview cycle, and the H2 release due at the end of 2020 will probably follow the same virtually-a-service-pack model as version 1909. Anyone running Windows 10 version 1809 will have six extra months before security updates stop, too.

Now more than ever, slower and more cautious is better.

The conspiracy theorists struck out

And then there were the dark scenarios that Microsoft skeptics spun out around the time of Windows 10's debut.

The free upgrade offer was a trap, they insisted. After Microsoft had lured in a few hundred million suckers with that offer, they were going to start charging for subscriptions. Five years later, that still hasn't happened. If Microsoft is running some sort of hustle here, it's a very long con.

Another popular round of speculation back in the months before Windows 10's debut revolved around a phrase then-Windows boss Terry Myerson used to describe how long Microsoft would support its new OS. I read thousands and thousands of words about what Myerson really meant when he said Windows 10 support would be free for "the supported lifetime of the device." Most of them proposed yet another trap that Microsoft would spring on unwary Windows 10 upgraders.

The reality? As long as you install a feature update every 18 months or so, you're supported. So far, only one category of PCs has been incompatible with a Windows 10 upgrade: Some early 2-in-1 PCs from the Windows 8 era (2012-2014), equipped with an Intel Clover Trail CPU, were unable to install any feature updates after the July 2016 Anniversary Update.

In a decidedly non-evil move, Microsoft acknowledged the issue and agreed to continue delivering security updates until 2023, roughly 10 years after the devices were sold.

And then there were the most determined conspiracy theorists of all, who were convinced that Microsoft designed the Windows 10 telemetry subsystem to Hoover all your personal information into the Azure cloud for ... some nefarious purpose. Over the past five years, Microsoft has published extensive documentation of exactly what data it collects, and even rolled out a Diagnostic Data Viewer utility that lets you inspect the data for yourself.

There have been some privacy issues with Windows and Office over the past few years, most of them centered on data handling requirements related to the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But on this topic, I'll simply repeat what I said last year:

As any Sherlock Holmes fan will appreciate, the most persuasive piece of evidence here is the dog that didn't bark. Privacy researchers have had four [make that five now - Ed] years to dig into telemetry transmissions from Windows 10, using their own tools as well as the official data viewer. So far, no privacy advocates or government agencies have come forward with any discoveries that contradict Microsoft's insistence that telemetry data is used only for product improvement.

Still, Windows 10 accomplished its two biggest jobs

Despite the occasional twists and turns that Windows 10 has taken in the past five years, it has accomplished its two overarching goals.

First, it erased the memory of Windows 8 and its confusing interface. For the overwhelming majority of Microsoft's customers who decided to skip Windows 8 and stick with Windows 7, the transition was reasonably smooth. Even the naming decision, to skip Windows 9 and go straight to 10 was, in hindsight, pretty smart.

Second, it offered an upgrade path to customers who were still deploying Windows 7 in businesses. That alternative became extremely important when we zoomed past the official end-of-support date for Windows 7 in January 2020.

In mid-2019, when I checked usage data from the U.S. Government's Data Analytics Program, the migration to Windows 10 appeared to be stalled. As of July 31, 2019, Windows 7 still accounted for 26% of all visits to U.S. government websites from Windows PCs.

Nine months later, that number has been cut in half. For the six weeks ending April 15, that same metric shows the number of visits from Windows 7 PCs is down to 12.7% and continuing to slide. Visits from devices running Windows 8.x are down to about 4%.

Meanwhile, on a conference call the other day, a co-worker asked me when Microsoft would release Windows 11. Never say never, I said, but I'd be surprised to see a successor to Windows 10 any time soon. Ask me again in another five years. <<

# # #

- Eric L. -

[Eric L] Heroes and Gurus (Not Totally Off Topic, just slightly) ... In my adult 'person...

Eric L — 4/21/2020 12:14:09 PM

Heroes and Gurus (Not Totally Off Topic, just slightly) ...

In my adult 'personal computing' life my 'Heroes' (not Cowboys) have always been Tech Gurus, Writers and Columnists (not Cowboys) and for the last month I've been trying to track down my favorite Gurus of theMS Windows variety but while doing so the lyrics of these twos songs accompanied by music and images have been dancing through my head ...

... and no, C&W is hardly my favorite musical genre. I prefer Jazz, Big Band, Folk Blues and R&B although I do enjoy C&W Outlaws and Highwaymen: Waylon & Willie, Jessie, Johnny, Merle, Chris, Hank Jr, and several of their non-Nahville friends ...

More on the tracked-down Windows Tech Gurus in a future post here soon.

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Cheers to all, - Eric L. -

[SI Ron (Crazy Music Man)] These guys can't get anything right. Only problem I had was my Dell lost Intern...

SI Ron (Crazy Music Man) — 4/20/2020 2:03:08 PM

These guys can't get anything right. Only problem I had was my Dell lost Internet and had to uninstall the driver and reboot, it solved the problem.

[Eric L] Windows 10 KB4549951 Update: Issues for some says Windows Latest ... [graphic]...

Eric L — 4/20/2020 1:21:15 PM

Windows 10 KB4549951 Update: Issues for some says Windows Latest ...

windowslatest.com

... < Big Snip | Full text at link above > ...

Microsoft says it isn’t aware of any issues despite several online complaints on its own forums and Feedback Hub. If you already downloaded the patch and it broke something for you, your best bet is to revert to a more stable version of Windows 10.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Go to Settings.
• Click “Update and Security” and choose “Windows Update”.
• From there, open “View update history”.
• Click “Uninstall updates.”
• Find the particular KB package in Control and uninstall it.
• Reboot your device. (Reset your PC if you’re still experiencing issues). <<

I haven't installed. I have updates paused.

Cheers, - Eric L. -

[Eric L] Windows 10 Version History & Support Status by color (Wikipedia) ... [graphic]...

Eric L — 4/15/2020 12:43:17 PM

Windows 10 Version History & Support Status by color (Wikipedia) ...

en.wikipedia.org

The Wikipedia article linked above reviews the contents of each of the Windows 10 Versions listed in the table.

The table shown is up to date as of yesterday when Microsoft extended the support status of version 1809 from May 2020 to mid-November 2020.

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- Eric L.

[M. Murray] New version of Windows 10 installed before my movie ended. No issues, everything...

M. Murray — 4/14/2020 9:23:31 PM

New version of Windows 10 installed before my movie ended. No issues, everything working okay.

[M. Murray] Okay, will do. I've got a movie queued up that is one hour and fifty two minute...

M. Murray — 4/14/2020 8:26:42 PM

Okay, will do.

I've got a movie queued up that is one hour and fifty two minutes.