Are you ready for Windows 11 24H2?

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PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley If you are like many others, the answer is no. And for good reasons. 24H2 is a big, disruptive update — a complete operat
[See the full post at: Are you ready for Windows 11 24H2?]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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fisher75, rc primak, Microfix, DLivesInTexas, Alex5723, Still Anonymous, rbailin, RetiredGeek, lmacri, opti1

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… But there are issues that have not been addressed in these updates. For example, ever since last month’s cumulative update to Windows 10, and even when News and Interests is turned off, there is a process tree in Task Manager called “News and Interests” that you can’t stop. (See KB5044273.) If you kill the process, it comes back as soon as you open the Start menu. This process tree causes hangs when shutting down the computer.

Hi Susan:

Thanks for the heads up. I checked my Win 10 Task Manager and did find this “News and Interests” process, but the status is Suspended so it’s not consuming CPU (but lots of RAM). According to the 04-Oct-2024 AskVG article Fix: News and Interests Running in Task Manager in Windows 10 that’s because News and Interests is disabled in my Taskbar settings (i.e., I previously right-clicked on an empty area of my Taskbar and ENABLED Turn Off from the News and Interests menu).

I have noticed my system shutdowns taking a bit longer than usual lately, and wonder now if this is the cause. However, I don’t see any mention of this issue in the KB5044273 release notes or the Known Issues section of the Windows 10 Version 2H22 Release Health dashboard at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-22H2.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.11.133-1.0.5048 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783

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Some time ago I hid the “News and Interests” link on the taskbar as the AskVG article suggests. Then I used Group Policy Editor to disable “News and Interests” altogether.

Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>News and interests>Enable news and interests on the taskbar —- set this policy to “Disabled” and click OK.

 If you have Windows 10 Home edition this method should work:

• Open the Registry Editor. You can press the Windows key and type Registry Editor or regedit.
• Navigate to the following location from the left column or copy and paste the address in the address bar. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Feeds
• Right-click on the blank space on the right and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Rename this new value as ShellFeedsTaskbarViewMode and hit Enter.
• Double-click on the newly created value to edit it.
• Enter 0 (Show icon and text) or 1 (Show only icon) or 2 (Hide everything) in the Value data box.
• Click OK to save the changes and close the registry editor.
• Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

My results: No running or suspended services listed at all in Task Manager. KISS principle for the win!

Win10 Pro x64 22H2, Win10 Home 22H2, Linux Mint + a cat with 'tortitude'.

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Unfortunately, I tried the registry method on my Windows 10 Home laptop, to no avail. The process still shows up and consumes between 10 and 50 MB of RAM. Then I tried the group policy method on my Windows 10 Pro laptop, and there is no entry corresponding to News and Interests…

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Andy M wrote:

Then I tried the group policy method on my Windows 10 Pro laptop, and there is no entry corresponding to News and Interests…

Hi Andy M:

If you have a Win 10 Pro v22H2 OS, did you look in your Local Group Policy Editor (LGPE) at Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | News and Interests as described in the 02-Jun-2021 AskVG article [Tip] Completely Disable and Remove “News and Interests” Feature in Windows 10?

Unfortunately, since September 2024 disabling that setting in my LGPE and re-booting doesn’t appear to be any more effective than simply right-clicking on an empty space in my taskbar and turning off News and Interests from my taskbar settings*** (see my image in post # 2710100). On my system either setting will suspend the News and Interests process in Task Manager and prevent it from consuming CPU, but this doesn’t completely reduce the amount of RAM used down to 0.0 MB.

*** NOTE: After you disable News and Interests in your LGPE or registry and re-boot your taskbar settings will no longer display the News and Interests menu item.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.11.139-1.0.5072 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783

 

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Susan,

Of the update routes to 24H2 I’d recommend the Over-the-Top ISO method.

1. It’s faster. In my tests it took just over an Hour to use Windows Update while using an ISO took only 40 minutes.
2. It seems to ignore update restrictions. It totally ignored my GPO to lock at 23H2! (I just forgot to change it).

Everyone BEWARE this is truly an OS replacement! It will wipe out all most all those nice tweaks you had installed to increase your productivity or just make the UI the way you like it. It will also play havoc with your apps (even MS ones like Outlook 365) so be ready to download updates, reapply settings and/or just un/reinstall apps.

I think I’ve just about got it tamed but then again I’m sure some issues will pop up as I use less often accessed tools.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Fred, Will Fastie, Steve S., Cybertooth, Mark

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One variant in the process of upgrades/updates that doesn’t get mentioned frequently — if you have a downloaded .ISO, you don’t have to use Rufus to create external media, unless you need the capacity of having a bootable device.

If you have a .ISO, all that is necessary is to use the Explorer — find the downloaded .ISO and click “mount”, and then you have full access to the .ISO’s content as a virtual drive.  For the purposes of upgrading, simply find SETUP.EXE and run.

Virtual drives date back to Windows 8, and over the years, I’ve upgraded numerous machines this way, whether full upgrades (e.g., Windows 7 to Windows 10) or applying Microsoft’s semi-annual updates (e.g., Win 10 1903 to 1910), and not had any problems with that.  When Microsoft was supporting 3 releases of Win 10 (but only making the most recent version available through Windows update, my habit was to get the newest Win 10 .ISO and save it until it became the oldest supported version, and then use the .ISO to install the version I wanted at the time I wanted to do so.  Although I haven’t really interacted with Win 11, I think I’ve upgrade one or two Win 11 machines from 22H2 to 23H2 this way.

I think the only time I’ve resorted to using Rufus is if I’m needing bootable media, typically for installation on a new computer.

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I’ve made a number of attempts at both an in-place upgrade as well as a clean install, and all have failed.  I resonably certain that it has more to do with my Asus motherboard than 24H2.  I’m currently downloading a fresh ISO via the Installation Assistant.

I’ll make one more attempt, and if that fails, I’ll go off the reservation and start over with my own methods.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I just tried upgrading online from Microsoft using the Installation Assistant.  I downloaded the Assistant, launched it, and it began downloading.  I don’t know if it downloaded an ISO, because I couldn’t find one, but it was showing a percent complete.

When it completed, it launched Windows 11 Installation.  After a good little while, I got this instead of the announced upcoming reboot:

I clicked OK, and began preparing for a off-the-reservation attempts, when I got a popup from Windows 11 Installation Assistant.  This is the second one; I didn’t think to get a screen capture of the first one, but it was “2 of 3”.  This one was “3 of 3”:

I tried again, got “Installation has failed” again, so now I’m trying again with 3 of 3.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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For example, ever since last month’s cumulative update to Windows 10, and even when News and Interests is turned off, there is a process tree in Task Manager called “News and Interests” that you can’t stop. (See KB5044273.) If you kill the process, it comes back as soon as you open the Start menu. This process tree causes hangs when shutting down the computer.

I had to shut down my PC today. No hang when shutting down.

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Reality check:  What’s the hurry?  Seriously.

23H2 will be supported for a while to come.  I won’t update to 24H2 unless my back is against the wall, with no way out and then I have to.  Which means until the very end.

I’ll let other people be MS’s guinea pigs and beta-test.  They don’t pay me to do that, nor do I want the hassle.

Life is good doing it that way. 

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Still Anonymous, Will Fastie, Mark, PL1

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gwt10 wrote:

23H2 will be supported for a while to come.  I won’t update to 24H2 unless my back is against the wall, with no way out and then I have to.  Which means until the very end.

I usually update what is offered. Since MSFT is not offering the update to my two 23H2 machines, I take that to mean it is not ready yet. So, I intend on waiting until it is pushed.

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gwt10

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PL1 wrote:

gwt10 wrote:

23H2 will be supported for a while to come.  I won’t update to 24H2 unless my back is against the wall, with no way out and then I have to.  Which means until the very end.

I usually update what is offered. Since MSFT is not offering the update to my two 23H2 machines, I take that to mean it is not ready yet. So, I intend on waiting until it is pushed.

Oh I’ll probably block it for awhile, afterwards. But that’s just me and maybe a few others.

I came to 23H2 and others previously pretty late (using InControl), but once I saw the complaints dramatically die down, then I knew it was pretty safe to upgrade.

But 24H2 sounds a lot more extensive than that, so I will wait even longer, maybe even until the last minute.

Jeez, I didn’t even upgrade my Windows 8.1 machine until it was end-of-life and I had to.  Since I had already used Win10 at work, it was not a new experience for me.  I just wasn’t in any big rush to get to it, that’s all.  But again, that’s just me.

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Mark, PL1

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Home-users, remember with W11 23H2, you are in control of YOUR configured OS in your COMFORT ZONE that is still in-support for a good while yet.

Let MSFT iron out the cumulating bugs reports for now.
Heck, some are even reporting their activation key has vanished during the ‘upgrade process’ from W11 23H2 to 24H2…
As to whether these reports are from supported/ un-supported hardware is anyone’s GUESS or ASSUMPTION.

Had to laugh at the irony of smaller MSFT Cumulative Updates for W11 are leading to an extraneous OS footprint on W11 24H2 by circa EIGHT GIGABYTES and that Disk Clean does not remove/clean the crud by default. Pah!

FWIW: Don’t lose sleep thinking about moving to 24H2 yet..
Let the redmondactive nuclear unclear dust settle for now.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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PL1

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Microfix wrote:

Had to laugh at the irony of smaller MSFT Cumulative Updates for W11 are leading to an extraneous OS footprint on W11 24H2 by circa EIGHT GIGABYTES and that Disk Clean does not remove/clean the crud by default. Pah!

It’s pure conjecture that there’s any connection between smaller cumulative updates and the inability to remove the stubborn 8.63GB:

However, this is simply speculation, and it is possible that the issue is indeed a bug that needs to be fixed.

Microsoft seemingly makes deleting 8.63GB impossible after Windows 11 24H2 update

My excess 8.63GB disappeared after Settings, System, Recovery, Fix problems using Windows Update, Reinstall now.

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Microfix wrote:

Had to laugh at the irony of smaller MSFT Cumulative Updates for W11 are leading to an extraneous OS footprint on W11 24H2 by circa EIGHT GIGABYTES and that Disk Clean does not remove/clean the crud by default. Pah!

Hi Microfix:

The 15-Oct-2024 Neowin article Microsoft confirms Windows 11 24H2 8.63 GB bug, explains what’s actually going on now reports that when Windows Disk Cleaner is run for the first time it is able to remove the old Windows Update files but will incorrectly report the amount of disk space cleaned.

This bug is documented on the Win 11 v24H2 health dashboard as known issue Disk Cleanup might incorrectly report space available for cleanup.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.11.133-1.0.5048 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783

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b

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Microfix wrote:

Had to laugh at the irony of smaller MSFT Cumulative Updates for W11 are leading to an extraneous OS footprint on W11 24H2 by circa EIGHT GIGABYTES and that Disk Clean does not remove/clean the crud by default. Pah!

According to this article, the left over space currently can’t be deleted, increasing the size of backups pretty significantly!
Windows 11’s big 2024 update leaves behind ~9GB of undeletable files

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Slightly off topic here:

I upgraded to 24H2 today and didn’t have any problems except for one with Microsoft Word. The ribbon interferes with editing. After fooling around with it, I came up with a solution.

SOLUTION to 24H2 interfering with Word editing

Far right down arrow on ribbon  ->  Show tabs only  ->  Pick any Menu item  -> Far right down arrow  ->    Always show ribbon

Hope some people find this useful…

• Jack

 

 

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24H2 is one of the buggiest updates I have seen to Windows 11 – which I didn’t think could get any buggier.

At least once per day, the main pane of an Explorer window will stop responding to mouse clicks. Meaning, I can’t click on any files or folders. Also can’t right click – simply nothing happens. However, the ribbon works and I can do things like go back/forward and create a new folder (which I can’t rename because I can’t click on it). The only solution is to close the window and open a new one.

Windows 11 is a complete embarrassment.

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Cybertooth

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If you have any third-party programs which add extensions to File Explorer or change how it works, it/they may need updating.

Have you run SFC and DISM to see if that helps?

--Joe

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KS wrote:

At least once per day, the main pane of an Explorer window will stop responding to mouse clicks.

That’s happening in 23H2 as well. It’s not Windows per se – it’s Explorer.

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It is not clear to me if you are recommending to the average home user like myself whether to go to 24H2, or to hold off. (I’m using INCONTROL).

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If you go to the master patch page you’ll see my take — bottom line I’m not recommending 24H2 to home users.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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gwt10, Fred, PL1

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Thank you for your reply

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Are you ready for Windows 11 24H2?

looks like a NO for certain systems as there are a bunch of new issues for 24H2 in late October 2024:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3424msgdesc
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3423msgdesc
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3412msgdesc

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gwt10 wrote:

I’ll let other people be MS’s guinea pigs and beta-test.

I like being a guinea pig…Did you know if you pick a guinea pig up by its tail its eyes will fall out!

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Is that how they evolved to not have tails?

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RetiredGeek wrote:

gwt10 wrote:

I’ll let other people be MS’s guinea pigs and beta-test.

I like being a guinea pig…Did you know if you pick a guinea pig up by its tail its eyes will fall out!

Good luck and thank you for beta testing for me.  You are saving me an awful lot of trouble.

Better you than me.  -lol…

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From Newsletter (21.42.0, 2024-10-14) We are once again getting new versions of KB5046400 and KB5044615 that impact the Windows Recovery Environment update. Neither will be offered if you have a small recovery-partition size. I continue to recommend skipping this update. My bold

KB5034441 installed on my Dell Inspiron 5482 on March 9, 2024. As a result of the installation, Partition 4 went from 204 MG free to 177 MG free. WinRE.wim went from version 10.0.19041.3562 to 10.0.19041.3920. Notice that the recovery-partition size was small, both before and after KB5034441.

Then, on Oct 8, WU delivered KB5046400, even though Partition 4 is less than 250 MB. The patch is currently hidden from WU, as is all of the other October Tuesday patches it delivered for my Win10/Pro 22H2 machine: KB5044273 (CU), KB5044091 (Framework), KB5045998 (Net 6.0.35), and KB890830 (MSRT).

Since KB5034441 installed earlier in March, is it OK to install this new update (KB5046400)? I am thinking that since Partition 4 got updated in March with KB5034441, it should be updated again in October with KB5046400. I don’t use BitLocker now (nor have used it in the past), but I might in the future.

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WCHS wrote:

KB50234441 installed on my Dell Inspiron 5482…

WCHS wrote:

Notice that the recovery-partition size was small, both before and after KB50234441.

WCHS wrote:

Since KB50234441 installed earlier in March,…

WCHS wrote:

…since Partition 4 got updated in March with KB50234441,…

@WCHS –

KB50234441 doesn’t yet exist within Microsoft’s KB numbering system. Tired fingers while typing, perhaps?? 

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Bob99 wrote:

@WCHS –

KB50234441 doesn’t yet exist within Microsoft’s KB numbering system. Tired fingers while typing, perhaps??

Thanks for catching that typo. I had a chance to edit it before the “edit” option expired. You will see the correction now in the post. It’s supposed to be KB5034441.

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… But there are issues that have not been addressed in these updates. For example, ever since last month’s cumulative update to Windows 10, and even when News and Interests is turned off, there is a process tree in Task Manager called “News and Interests” that you can’t stop. (See KB5044273.) If you kill the process, it comes back as soon as you open the Start menu. This process tree causes hangs when shutting down the computer.

Hi Susan:

See EricB’s 29-Oct-2024 post # 2713239 in your topic October Updates Are Out about an apparent bug fix. After users update to the latest MS Edge WebView2 Runtime v130.0.2849.56 (msedgewebview2.exe) the News and Interests process no longer appears in Task Manager.

From Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features on my Win 10 Pro v22H2 machine:

———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.0.140-1.0.5073 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v130.0.2849.56

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gwt10

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I’ve been back and forth to my B side of my dual boot daily driver, still trying to finagle a 24H2 upgrade over 23H2.  I can get a clean install that’s a two-step abnormal installation, but it does eventually become an activated 24H2.

But I want the upgrade to work.  Everything I’ve tried has resulted in a “failed” dialog box when it’s supposed to do the first reboot; it falls back to 23H2 instead.

Today I restored a drive image from February, got it fully updated, went to the Asus website and got the latest available drivers (all 2024) for NIC, SATA (Intel SerialIO), Intel RST, Realtek Audio, tried Windows update again, and was offered five more updates, including 24H2.

They all installed except for 24H2, which stopped the installation before 20%.  I got an interesting error message, but didn’t have the presence of mind to get a screen snip before I closed Windows Update.  It said, “24H2 is not ready for your PC”.

So, not yet ready for prime time, still.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

2 users thanked author for this post.

RetiredGeek, PL1

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lmacri wrote:

See EricB’s 29-Oct-2024 post # 2713239 in your topic October Updates Are Out about an apparent bug fix. After users update to the latest MS Edge WebView2 Runtime v130.0.2849.56 (msedgewebview2.exe) the News and Interests process no longer appears in Task Manager.

The MS Edge browser on my Win 10 v22H2 machine just upgraded to MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 today and this seems to have removed the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features. The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime does not reappear there (or in Settings | Apps | Apps and Features) after I restart my system.  Have any Win 10 users following this topic seen this as well?

I just happened to check Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features early this morning and confirmed that my Microsoft Edge browser and Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime were both at v130.0.2849.80 before the browser upgrade.  I’m not 100% certain, but I believe it was the MS Edge upgrade, and not the installation of my Nov 2024 Patch Tuesday updates today, that removed the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.1.144-1.0.5088 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v131.0.2903.48

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I had removed WebView2 from all my Win10 computers when I removed Edge. However, my Tax s/w wouldn’t run for the 2023 taxes without Webview2 Runtime. So I reinstalled it on that one installation.
Today I have WebView2 Runtime v.130.0.2849.80 in Programs & Features dated 11/12 (no Edge there), so it was updated two days ago. Just updated that installation with Nov. updates. (More on the Win10 updates tomorrow when I finish all of them).

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lmacri

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@lmacri –

I upgraded my copy of Edge via the built-in updater at Help and feedback>About Microsoft Edge from the same previous version you had to the same new version you have and am currently NOT “missing” the entry for WebView, it’s still there with the same version number that Edge used to have, 130.0.2849.80.

I also haven’t rebooted since getting the update to Edge, either, so things may change tomorrow after I shut down tonight and restart tomorrow. Windows 10 22H2 Pro x64 build 19045.5011, so no November updates yet.

AHA!! I just “got rid of” WebView by clicking on it in the Control Panel listing and selecting “Change” above the listing, and then selecting “Repair” in the next small window that popped up. That window proceeded to begin downloading WebView, as if it were downloading a newer version. When the download was complete, it then proceeded to “install” the newer version of WebView. After several moments, the “installation” routine finished, as usual. When I then clicked the “Refresh” icon on the right side of the Control Panel location bar, WebView’s listing disappeared from Control Panel!

 

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Bob99 wrote:

When I then clicked the “Refresh” icon on the right side of the Control Panel location bar, WebView’s listing disappeared from Control Panel!

Hi Bob99:

Thanks for that confirmation.  Now we just have to figure out if this is a bug in MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 or a deliberate change by Microsoft.  I can’t see any mention of Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime in the MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 release notes <here> so I’m worried it’s a bug, given that other programs like PKCano’s tax software need this Runtime.

I rarely use MS Edge (Firefox is my default browser) but as far as I can tell my MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 still seems to be functioning normally without the MS Edge WebView2 Runtime.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.1.144-1.0.5088 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v131.0.2903.48

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@lmacri –

I’m not worried whether or not it’s a bug, I just like that the program is gone, at least for now. MS may have removed it from our machines to replace it in the not too distant future with another program of that type, or perhaps its capabilities have been silently integrated into Edge so a separate runtime is no longer needed. That could explain why you didn’t see any mention of it in the latest release notes for Edge

It also may have been removed from our machines because MS’s scanner within the update routine for WebView didn’t find any programs that required its presence on our machines.

As with everything Windows 10 and 11 related coming from or made by MS, time will tell just what happens!

However, I AM now curious to see what happens in the next several days to PK’s machine(s?) that hold(s) the tax prep software…will WebView be removed from that machine/those machines, or will it be left alone? Per PK’s post above, it’s still there, but holding fast to version 130.0.2849.80.

EDIT to add: Please see @Alex5723 ‘s post down here for further input on a new development! It’s baaaack, or at least it’s changed places for him from Control Panel to Settings>Apps>Apps & features.

 

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Bob99 wrote:

EDIT to add: Please see @Alex5723 ‘s post down here for further input on a new development! It’s baaaack, or at least it’s changed places for him from Control Panel to Settings>Apps>Apps & features.

lmacri wrote:

The MS Edge browser on my Win 10 v22H2 machine just upgraded to MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 today and this seems to have removed the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features. The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime does not reappear there (or in Settings | Apps | Apps and Features) after I restart my system.

Hi Bob99:

I checked before posting yesterday, and after multiple restarts (with Fast Startup disabled on my system to ensure a clean restart) I still see that Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime has disappeared in both Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features and Settings | Apps | Apps and Features on my Win 10 v22H2 machine.

I happened to run the following command in an elevated command prompt two weeks ago on 29-Oct-2024 and it detected Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime v130.0.2849.56 …

winget list --name WebView2

… but today that same command returns “No installed package found matching criteria.”

———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.1.144-1.0.5088 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v131.0.2903.48

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lmacri wrote:

… but today that same command returns “No installed package found matching criteria.”

I forgot to mention that DISM and System File Checker (SFC) scans do not detect any problems with my component store or system files (see attached image).
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.1.144-1.0.5088 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v131.0.2903.48

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lmacri wrote:

Have any Win 10 users following this topic seen this as well?

FWIW:
On my Inspiron 5482 Win10/Pro 22H2, when on Edge Version 130.0.2849.80, I see this in Programs and Features:

After updating to Version 131.0.2903.48, I see the same thing, i.e., WebView2 is present before and after. There was no change after refreshing. I rebooted and there was no change. I refreshed again. There was still no change.

On my Inspiron 7569 Win10/Pro 22H2, when on Edge Version 130.0.2849.80, I see this in Programs and Features:

After updating to Version 131.0.2903.48, I see the same thing; i.e., no WebView2 Runtime either before or after. There was no change after refreshing. I rebooted. There was no change. I refreshed again. There was still no change.

I have not installed the November patches yet.

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WCHS wrote:

On my Inspiron 5482 Win10/Pro 22H2,…

WCHS wrote:

…After updating to Version 131.0.2903.48, I see the same thing, i.e., WebView2 is present before and after. There was no change after refreshing. I rebooted and there was no change. I refreshed again. There was still no change.

@WCHS –

To “fix” your Inspiron 5482, read and perform the same steps I did, which are quoted directly by @gwt10 in the post below this one. Start with the steps right after the word “AHA!!”. Start by just clicking on the entry for WebView in order to highlight it, and proceed from there using the steps I describe in the quoted post below. 

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Bob99 wrote:

To “fix” your Inspiron 5482, read and perform the same steps I did, which are quoted directly by @gwt10 in the post below this one.

This didn’t work. The ‘Downloading Microsoft Edge Webview’ dialog box kept cycling through downloading time,starting at 2 hours and working down to some minutes and then working up to some minutes and then working down to some minutes, ad infinitum. It’s in a loop and never stops. I clicked on the ‘x’ in the upper-right hand corner and canceled to get out of the loop. So, Webview2 Runtime is still in the Control Panel>Programs and Features.

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Bob99

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Then perhaps you have a program that does indeed need WebView2, and the update/uninstall routine doesn’t “know” what to do about it, so it gets stuck in an endless loop of some sort.

Thanks for the input so others might be able to expect this kind of behavior.

Knowing about the removal routine helps explain the fact that the update to the .80 release took a while to get pushed out after Edge got to the .80 release level.

Time will tell just what MS decides to do about WebView2.

 

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WCHS

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Bob99 wrote:

Then perhaps you have a program that does indeed need WebView2, and the update/uninstall routine doesn’t “know” what to do about it, so it gets stuck in an endless loop of some sort.

PKCano mentioned that he had some tax software that needed it. I have Turbo Tax (from 2008-2024) on both devices. Maybe, that’s the program that’s standing in the way of repair/deletion on the 5482. {The WebView2 Runtime app Version 130.0.2849.80 is listed in the Control Panel AND Apps and features.}

However, on the 7569, where I also have Turbo Tax (same set of years) , WebView2 Runtime is listed neither in the Control Panel or Apps and Features.

So, it appears that the device is also a factor in determining whether a program needs the app or not.

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Checked again this morning. WebView2 Runtime is still in that one installation, neither version nor install date 11/12/24 have changed. It shows the same in both Programs & Features and in Settings\Apps.

I doubt seriously MS gives a flip what third-party programs I am running that need it. I would be completely shocked if they even check. I would suspect that it has more to do with the fact that I installed as an individual App, not associated with Edge.

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lmacri

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Bob99 wrote:

@lmacri –

I upgraded my copy of Edge via the built-in updater at Help and feedback>About Microsoft Edge from the same previous version you had to the same new version you have and am currently NOT “missing” the entry for WebView, it’s still there with the same version number that Edge used to have, 130.0.2849.80.

I also haven’t rebooted since getting the update to Edge, either, so things may change tomorrow after I shut down tonight and restart tomorrow. Windows 10 22H2 Pro x64 build 19045.5011, so no November updates yet.

AHA!! I just “got rid of” WebView by clicking on it in the Control Panel listing and selecting “Change” above the listing, and then selecting “Repair” in the next small window that popped up. That window proceeded to begin downloading WebView, as if it were downloading a newer version. When the download was complete, it then proceeded to “install” the newer version of WebView. After several moments, the “installation” routine finished, as usual. When I then clicked the “Refresh” icon on the right side of the Control Panel location bar, WebView’s listing disappeared from Control Panel!

 

I did the exact same thing and WebView also disappeared as well, and I didn’t even have to reboot.

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lmacri wrote:

Now we just have to figure out if this is a bug in MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 or a deliberate change by Microsoft

Windows 10 Pro 22H2 Nov updates.
Edge 131.0.2903.48. WebView2 Runtime in Apps & Features.

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It is missing from both my WIN 11 Pro 23H2 & 24H2 installations.
I just checked my Win 10 Pro 22H2 installation and it’s still there. I just went into Win Update and it found 3 including 2024-11 Cumulative Update…I’m loading them now as I just finished by bi-weekly imaging so no worries.

Update: Well it’s gone now! KB5046613.
Edition: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Version: 2009 22H2
Build: 19045.5131

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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lmacri wrote:

The MS Edge browser on my Win 10 v22H2 machine just upgraded to MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 today and this seems to have removed the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime from Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features. The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime does not reappear there (or in Settings | Apps | Apps and Features) after I restart my system….

Apparently not a bug, but a deliberate feature change. The following statement at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-relnote-stable-channel#announcement was just appended to the release notes for MS Edge v131.0.2903.48 (rel. 14-Nov-2024):

Announcement

Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime will no longer appear in the Installed Apps list in Windows Settings because it is a persistent system component.

Kudos to TommyRato for posting about this announcement on page 5 of  DonT’s News and Interests Showing Up and Running In Task Manager in the MS Answers forum (where  a few users are now reporting that they are once again seeing the News and Interests process in their Task Manager, even when News and Interests is disabled in their taskbar settings).
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5131 * Firefox v132.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.1.144-1.0.5088 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Edge v131.0.2903.51

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Bob99, Alex5723

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Just started up the Win10 installation that I reinstalled WebView2 Runtime as a single App on  (but not Edge).

WebView2 Runtime still appears in Control Panel “Programs & Features” and in Settings\Apps with the same install dates (11/12/24) as before. News & Interests is turned off in Settings\Taskbar, including the hover slide. But I still have the News & Interest process with a Search process below in Task Manager – both are suspended.

Will leave the installation running for a while to see if MS messes with it behind the scene. Will report if anything changes.

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WCHS

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