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    Get Microsoft’s October patches installed — and seriously consider Win10 2004

    It was yet one more patch curler coaster experience this month with the standard crop of one-off bugs, a  Malwarebytes-associated assault on networking, a promised Flash killer that doesn’t — and that introduced Dynamics 365 Commerce patch, CVE-2020-16943, nonetheless isn’t out. As finest I can inform, although, the mainstream Windows cumulative updates and Office updates are behaving themselves.Are you prepared for Windows 10 model 2004?For of us who’re cautious about patching, the massive query this month is whether or not Win10 2004 is prepared for prime time in your machine. It appears to be like like about half of all Win10 customers are on 2004, so it is getting a very good exercise. Patch Lady Susan Bradley has made the leap to 2004. Call me a Luddite, however I’m nonetheless sitting on a fence.In a nutshell, model 2004 provides me precisely nothing that I would like, in comparison with model 1909. Preston Gralla’s evaluation of the brand new options “Windows 10 May 2020 Update delivers little tweaks that add up to… well, not a lot” tells the whole story.On the downside, we’re still getting sporadic reports of problems — from installation bugs to networking problems — none of which seem to be replicated to a great extent. Many of the problems appear to be related to the third-party driver scan ‘Windows can’t verify the publisher of this driver software’ blocks. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, that’s a feature, not a bug (honest!), but it may feel like you’ve been bit.2004 or not? You get to decide.Here’s how to get caught up.Make a full backupMake 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 — will hose your machine. 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 October Cumulative UpdateThese instructions should work for Win10 version 1909 (still my personal poison), version 2004 (which Susan Bradley recommends), or version 20H2 (which is great for folks who like to beta test — I salute you!).To get the latest October Cumulative Update installed, click Start > Settings > Update & Security. If you see a Resume updates box (screenshot), click on it.MicrosoftThat’s all you need to do. Windows, in its infinite wisdom, will install the October Cumulative Update at its own pace. If you don’t see a Resume updates box, you already have the September Cumulative update and you’re good to go.If you see an offer to Download and install the “Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2,” which you’ll see within the previous screenshot, ignore it. Let’s give model 20H2 no less than one other six months to stew. If you see a hyperlink to View elective updates or Download and set up elective updates, ignore it, too. There are not any elective updates obtainable at this level that you simply need to wrangle with.If you’re nonetheless on Win10 model 1909 and need to transfer to model 2004, there are two straightforward methods to get to 2004 and keep away from 20H2. First, for those who saved a clear copy of 2004 utilizing the directions I printed in September, observe the directions on the Windows Installation Tool web site to both improve your system in-place, or carry out a contemporary set up from scratch. If you didn’t squirrel away a duplicate, observe Susan Bradley’s step-by-step directions — My new favourite Windows replace setting — to get to 2004.  Win10 issues you could hit, and how you can deal with themWhen your machine comes again up for air, don’t panic in case your desktop doesn’t look proper, or you possibly can’t log in to your common account. That’s simply the “temporary profile” bug we’ve recognized about — and complained about — for months. Try restarting your machine 4 or 5 occasions; it might go away. We have three separate threads on AskWoody about fixing the issue [1, 2, 3] and for those who want extra assist, you possibly can at all times put up a query. (Thx @PKCano.)You could get hit with a stealthy set up of KB 4023057, the “blast a way to the next version” patch. If that patch goes in (test the Installed Updates record), don’t trouble attempting to uninstall it — simply return and test that your entire “feature update” (i.e., model change) blocks are nonetheless in impact.While you’re mucking about with Windows Update, it wouldn’t harm to Pause updates, to take you out of the direct line of fireplace the following time Microsoft releases a buggy bunch of patches. Click Start > Settings > Update & Security. Click “Pause updates for 7 days.” Next, click on on the newly revealed hyperlink, which says “Pause updates for 7 more days,” 4 extra occasions. That pauses all updates for 35 days, till early December. With a bit of luck that’ll be lengthy sufficient for Microsoft to repair any bugs it introduces in November, so you possibly can skip the angst. Patch Win7, Win8.1, or related ServersIf you’ve paid for Win7 Extended Security Updates and also you’re having hassle getting them put in, Microsoft has an article referred to as Troubleshoot points in Extended Security Updates that could be of assist. We’re additionally fielding questions on AskWoody. If you’ve paid Microsoft for Extended Security Updates and might’t get them to put in, be sure to observe all the steps on the backside of KB 4580345, the October Monthly Rollup Knowledge Base article. In specific, it’s essential to set up all excellent updates, then get the Servicing Stack Update put in (anticipate a brand new Servicing Stack each month), earlier than the October patch will seem. Windows 8.1 continues to be essentially the most steady model of Windows round. To get this month’s Monthly Rollup put in, observe AKB 2000004: How to use the Win7 and 8.1 Monthly Rollups. You ought to have one Windows patch, dated Oct. 13 (the Patch Tuesday patch). After you’ve put in the newest Monthly Rollup, for those who’re intent on minimizing Microsoft’s snooping, run by way of the steps in AKB 2000007: Turning off the worst Win7 and 8.1 snooping. If you need to totally minimize out the telemetry, see @abbodi86’s detailed directions in AKB 2000012: How To Neutralize Telemetry and Sustain Windows 7 and 8.1 Monthly Rollup Model.Thanks to the handfuls of volunteers on AskWoody who contribute mightily, particularly @sb, @PKCano, @abbodi86 and lots of others.We’ve moved to MS-DEFCON 3 on the AskWoody Lounge.

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