Microsoft tries to fix the sfc /scannow bug introduced by a patch in July, ends up clobbering Defender Malware

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@DrBonzo reports here on AskWoody: I’m running Win 7 Pro, SP1, x64. I just updated (actually about an hour ago by now) the definitions in MS Security
[See the full post at: Microsoft tries to fix the sfc /scannow bug introduced by a patch in July, ends up clobbering Defender Malware]

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abbodi86, SueW, cmptrgy, geekdom, AJNorth, TonyS

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I just checked mine and it scanned 12 files and that was it. I tried to roll the update back per the instructions on Microsoft’s page but it didn’t work.

I assume they will have a fix out soon.

 

Barry
Windows 11 v23H2

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TonyS

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We just ran into an issue just like this on Win 10, 1809 Edu. Stopped after a double digit count.

The machine was acting very weird- couldn’t run procexp, and taskmgr would quit on its own after about 15 seconds.

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Quick and Full scan are broken, but Custom scan (e.g. selecting C:\) seems to work properly.

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rowrbazzle, pHROZEN gHOST, DrBonzo, SueW, AJNorth, HiFlyer, woody, Barry

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[TonyS]

Noticed this, this morning. (W10 1903). Scanned about 29 files then exited. Thought no more about it as I needed to get on with things. Since I’ve got updates disabled I never thought (or had notice of) a silent update.

 

Thanks for the explanation!

Win10 22H2 Pro, MBAM Premium, Firefox, OpenOffice, Sumatra PDF.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by TonyS.

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I have just been running the following commands in a batch file when finishing work on a Windows 10 PC

sfc /scannow
First time this finds corrupt files but is unable to repair all of them

Then I run the next three to check the component store, check if repairable, then do the repair.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Not sure if the first two commands are absolutely necessary but it doesn’t hurt.

sfc /scannow
I run sfc a second time and now it is able to repair the corrupt files. Now we have another bad patch to contend with. It would have been better that they left well-enough alone. Windows Defender is far to important to screw up.

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satrow, Fred

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Its was not the engine update that caused this, as things worked normal after that, its only after the last few definition updates this started happening

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pHROZEN gHOST, woody, DrBonzo, b

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Win 8.1×64.  Same as #1956105  Quick & Full Scans broken.   Custom seem to work o.k.

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Lori, DrBonzo

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Ditto for MSE in Win 7 Pro x64.  Sigh.

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HiFlyer, DrBonzo

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Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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HiFlyer, DrBonzo

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As was suggested, Rt. click C drive and run Defender and it runs a custom scan.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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HiFlyer, DrBonzo

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There is a workaround I’ve outlined within my English article now – it might work for Defender in WIndows 8.1, and it works for Windows 10 – and also for MSE in Windows 7 SP 1. HTH:

Scan issues with MSD/Defender Antimalware version 4.18.1908.7

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

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HiFlyer, Mr. Natural, woody, DrBonzo, dgreen, AJNorth

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FWIW, on my Win 7 Pro x64 machines, the MSE definitions updated to v. 1.301.1645.0 (time-stamped 0519 and installed at 1006, PDT US).

A Quick Scan went from scanning 29 files with the previous definitions to 76 files.

As the MSE real-time protection for these machines does not appear to be compromised and they also run Malwarebytes Premium, I am not overly concerned.

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[Geo]

W7x64 MSE , custom works  on mine but it’s the full scan so I use the quick scan ADWcleaner.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Geo.

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Microsoft Release Definitions Change Update Log
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/definitions/antimalware-definition-release-notes

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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Thanks, but the definition just downloaded for MSE from the linked download page is identical to the one mentioned above (in reply to gborn).

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MSE just updated itself to definition v. 1.301.1668.0 (the version listed at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates); however, Quick Scan still scans just 76 files (in 8 seconds).

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The signatures for MSE have now been updated to v. 1.301.1678.0; however, there has been no change in the behavior of Quick Scan.

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DrBonzo, b

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Microsoft have now updated the signatures for MSE to version 1.301.1684.0, and Quick Scan is once again functioning normally.

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woody, WildBill, geekdom, CADesertRat, b, DrBonzo

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[CADesertRat]

AJNorth wrote:

Microsoft have now updated the signatures for MSE to version 1.301.1684.0, and Quick Scan is once again functioning normally.

Looks like I just got the new update.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by CADesertRat.

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[WildBill]

At the moment on Win8.1, my Security Intelligence Update AKA definition version is 1.301.1538.0, updated yesterday (09/17/19). Ran a Quick Scan; took 5 minutes & scanned 23,711 files. A quick scan just before that yielded 21,993 files, scanned in 9 minutes. I’ll update my definition to 1.301.1684.0 & reveal that scan’s results shortly.

Bought a refurbished Windows 10 64-bit, currently updated to 22H2. Have broke the AC adapter cord going to the 8.1 machine, but before that, coaxed it into charging. Need to buy new adapter if wish to continue using it.
Wild Bill Rides Again...

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by WildBill.

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Add me to the list. Quick Scan did 8 files in 9 seconds. Full stop. I have Win 10 1809 with up-to-date “forced” updates on an unexceptional but very functional HP desktop.

Surely Microsoft ought to be able to do better than that. I thought that MS had programmers and system analysts who are supposed to be the experts in those well-paid positions.

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This discussion is about the failed function of scanning, which is important. But the first function of Defender for Win8/10 and MSE for Win7 is the real time protection of new files received. I think it is a good indication that the Custom Scan operates correctly. And so I hope the bug has not affected the handling of incoming data. Reaching definite conclusions is difficult. But I would be interested to read anyone’s best guess.

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Also broken on Windows 8.1

Microsoft has released another definition update (1.301.1668.0) but doesn’t seem to solve the issue.

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[dgreen]

gborn wrote:

There is a workaround I’ve outlined within my English article now – it might work for Defender in WIndows 8.1, and it works for Windows 10 – and also for MSE in Windows 7 SP 1. HTH:

Scan issues with MSD/Defender Antimalware version 4.18.1908.7

After downloading todays latest MSE (or whatever it’s called now) definitions, scanning issue was present.
Did the work around (checking custom scan) and it worked.
Full scan of C drive successful.
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP 1

Thanks gborn!

Edit to add: current MSE info

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by dgreen.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by dgreen.

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DrBonzo

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Catalin Cimpanu, writing on ZDNet, says that MS has written to him:

In an email to ZDNet, Microsoft confirmed the bug and said the company was working on a fix. The company said that only manual or scheduled scans were impacted, and that Windows Defender’s real-time scanning protection was not impacted, and should detect malware once it reaches a system.

I still don’t see a public acknowledgment.

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HiFlyer, WildBill, geekdom, DrBonzo, CADesertRat, AJNorth

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[gborn]

The e-mail reflects what MS Answers Forum moderators from MS wrote on entries related to this issue. I’m glad, that MS noticed the bug – I’m annoyed that this incident happened again – and I’m [annoyed] that they failed again to document that antimalware engine update in a proper way. It seems now, that blogs and forums are becoming the first source for information about issues with Microsoft products.

GBorn – Microsoft Answers community moderator since many years

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by gborn.

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wavy, HiFlyer, WildBill, OscarCP, Bluetrix, AJNorth

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gborn wrote:

I’m annoyed that this incident happened again – and I’m [annoyed] that they failed again to document that antimalware engine update in a proper way.

If we knew it was coming six weeks in advance, and KB4052623 was published as it happened, what was the problem?

gborn wrote:

It seems now, that blogs and forums are becoming the first source for information about issues with Microsoft products.

Isn’t that the way it’s always been? What did you expect?

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Bluetrix

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Well, as a community moderator and contributor to MS Answers since 2009 (raw about) I still remember the days, where I got the details either from MS staff or MS Answers and community moderators first ;-).

Anyway, the issue is partly fixed with Antivirus definition version 1.301.1684.0 – details are added to my blog post Scan issues with MSD/Defender Antimalware version 4.18.1908.7

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

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geekdom, HiFlyer, David F, WildBill, Bluetrix

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Why “partly”? Quick scans are now fast.

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gborn wrote:

It seems now, that blogs and forums are becoming the first source for information about issues with Microsoft products.

I agree. Microsoft dismantled the Q/C department instead of keeping it. It appears (to me) that Microsoft relies on AI derived from telemetry to gain their first knowledge of a bug/issue. But users know about buggy updates well before Microsoft, and it’s from blogs and forums where they find information they trust, and to report these issues. That trust isn’t given, it’s earned.

All hail blogs and forums!

🙂

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HiFlyer, WildBill, OscarCP, AJNorth

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And therein is the rub of that! And we all are now MS’s QA/QC department.

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Not all of us, anon. IMO, the cannon fodder who immediately update because M$ sez so, & the users/businesses that have test machines available to immediately update are their QA/QC department. The testers that warn & the cannon fodder that screams when a problem is found pass notifications on to AskWoody & other sources. In the case of Windows Defender/MSE, it was a deadly combination that M$ created. “Secretly” updating the Antimalware engine, plus sending broken virus definitions caused the Defender problem. My engine was probably updated, but I was on virus definition 1.301.1538.0 when I scanned & it ran normal. After virus definition 1.301.1684.0 was shipped & I updated with it, that scan ran normal too. It was Gunter Born, Woody & others that echoed the screams of super-quick failed scans that informed me of a problem.

Bought a refurbished Windows 10 64-bit, currently updated to 22H2. Have broke the AC adapter cord going to the 8.1 machine, but before that, coaxed it into charging. Need to buy new adapter if wish to continue using it.
Wild Bill Rides Again...

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b wrote:

Quick and Full scan are broken, but Custom scan (e.g. selecting C:\) seems to work properly.

I see the same thing

Will Microsoft ever do anything right?

Byte me!

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anonymous wrote:

Its was not the engine update that caused this, as things worked normal after that, its only after the last few definition updates this started happening

I agree. The scan worked after the update to 4.18.1908.7.

Byte me!

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[Seff]

After having a Quick Scan checking only 28 files earlier, I’ve just run an update and scan with MSE on one of my Windows 7 x64 machines, and it updated to 1.301.1684.0 then did a proper Quick Scan as usual, 16,478 files.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Seff.

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[geekdom]

Could there be some clarification?

Were definition files causing this error or associated software within the definition files causing the error?

Things looked bundled to me and where’s the silent update?

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by geekdom.

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It could be that in conjunction with the Antimalware engine “silent” update, definitions after 1.301.1538.0 & before 1.301.1684.0 were failing. I just updated my virus/spyware definition to 1.301.1684.0; Quick Scan yielded 23,681 files scanned in about 9 minutes. Back to normal…

Bought a refurbished Windows 10 64-bit, currently updated to 22H2. Have broke the AC adapter cord going to the 8.1 machine, but before that, coaxed it into charging. Need to buy new adapter if wish to continue using it.
Wild Bill Rides Again...

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The latest definitions (v1.301.1684.0, signed Sep 18, 2019 22:38 [UTC]) seem, indeed, to have fixed the bug (Quick and Full scan appear to be working fine again), which was not introduced solely by the latest 4.18.1908.7 engine: scans were OK right after the engine upgrade, but they got broken afterwards, somewhere along by subsequently released definitions. Trying to roll the engine back to the previous 4.18.1907.4 version only made no difference.

Additional help (KB) for future reference (in case anyone’s interested):

1. Rolling back to a previous engine
   On Windows 10, Defender usually keeps a copy of the previous engine(s) at the

   %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform

   folder. That means you may roll back Defender’s engine to the previous 4.18.1907.4 version by typing, from an administrative prompt, the following command:

   "%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\4.18.1907.4-0\MpCmdRun.exe" -revertplatform

   (as described in Microsoft’s KB4052623 support article)

   If successful, the command will output the following message:

   MpUpdatePlatform returned successfully.

   Besides rolling back Defender’s engine to the previous 4.18.1907.4 version, the current engine’s ‘4.18.1908.7-0’ sub-folder will also be removed from

   %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform

   However, the related scheduled tasks (under the Task Scheduler’s ‘Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender’ library folder) are not removed: because they will continue to (wrongly) refer to the newer 4.18.1908.7 engine, the first time you check for updates you may get an error and be prompted to restart the anti-malware protection. Once you do that, however, subsequent updates will bring back the newer 4.18.1908.7 engine (along with the latest available definitions).

2. Getting the latest engine
   The latest engine (described as “AntiMalware Platform Update”) may also be manually installed and downloaded from Microsoft Catalog: search for KB4052623 and download the three files. You then need to check their properties to determine the right one you actually need (depending on your architecture): ‘x86fre’ (32-bit), ‘amd64fre’ (64-bit) or ‘arm64fre’ (ARM).
3. Getting the latest definitions
   The Security Intelligence Updates webpage provides direct links for the latest “stable” definitions. However, sometimes these links aren’t necessarily offering the latest available definitions: occasionally, these are slightly “behind”.If that is the case and you absolutely need to get more recent definitions you should head straight to the Release Notes and take a note of the latest definitions version (the first entry from the drop-down list). Then, you may use the direct link to the versioned signature file (32-bit, 64-bit or ARM architecture):
   • hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<VERSION>/x86/mpam-fe.exe
   • hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<VERSION>/amd64/mpam-fe.exe
   • hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<VERSION>/arm64/mpam-fe.exe

   For e.g. the direct link to the current 1.301.1684.0 64-bit definitions is:
   https://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/1.301.1684.0/amd64/mpam-fe.exe

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wavy, geekdom, abbodi86, woody, WildBill

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[geekdom]

Speccy:

Thank you for the details and clarification. The information that you provided is very interesting and quite necessary.

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by geekdom.

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Speccy

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[Speccy]

Minor update to point 3 in the above, previous post… meanwhile, the direct links were updated to also include the engine version:

hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<DEFS_VERSION>/<ENGINE_VERSION>/x86/mpam-fe.exe
hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<DEFS_VERSION>/<ENGINE_VERSION>/amd64/mpam-fe.exe
hxxps://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/<DEFS_VERSION>/<ENGINE_VERSION>/arm64/mpam-fe.exe

For e.g. the direct link to the current 1.353.736.0 64-bit definitions (and the current 1.1.18700.4 engine) is:
https://definitionupdates.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/VersionedSignatures/AM/1.353.736.0/1.1.18700.4/amd64/mpam-fe.exe

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Speccy. Reason: Fixed bold tags

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? says:

feelings are hurt because Microsoft tips off Catalin Cimpanu and not Woody. anyway it wasn’t my run-a-way imagination when the MSE quick scan failed last Sunday. glad protection is back to “normal.”

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Not to worry. The day Microsoft officially tips me I’ll probably have a heart attack. 🙂

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CADesertRat, WildBill, AJNorth

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Woody,  I just spoke with my next-door neighbor, who is a kindly old-style physician (and even makes house calls).  He suggested that you have a wee tad of bourbon, a nice hot shower and a good night’s sleep.

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NetDef

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Maybe best to have first the shower, then that tad of bourbon? Or even two tads? Or maybe three…? (Showers can be a little slippery, afterwards.)

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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AJNorth

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Excellent point!  (I’ll mention that to Doc when I see him tomorrow.)

Which sort of reminds me of a skit from an old-time radio comedy program from the 1940s, “The Bickersons”.  The husband tells his wife that his doctor told him to take two aspirin and a shot of bourbon before bed to get a good night’s sleep, to which she replies, “Well, you’re five months behind on the aspirin and six years ahead on the bourbon.”

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HiFlyer, WildBill

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Oh great. If Woody DOES have a heart attack, we’ll not know if it was legitimate, or … [let the conspiracy rumors start]. (With Po-210, it narrows the suspects list.)

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F A Kramer wrote:

Add me to the list. Quick Scan did 8 files in 9 seconds. Full stop. I have Win 10 1809 with up-to-date “forced” updates on an unexceptional but very functional HP desktop.

Surely Microsoft ought to be able to do better than that. I thought that MS had programmers and system analysts who are supposed to be the experts in those well-paid positions.

Microsoft doesn’t have a QA department anymore and relies on insiders / home users for tests, but defender updates are not tested by insiders.

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HiFlyer, WildBill

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I could reply with thoughts about Windows Defender, yet doing so would turn into a rant. I will simply say that I gave up on Windows Defender long ago. Looking at some of the posts in this thread, it would appear that Windows Defender has been completely broken. I anticipate that hackers will figure out how Microsoft themselves broke Windows Defender. I consider this to be a security breach which was created by Microsoft, since the files needed to recreate this scenario are within Windows Updates. Say what you will in response, yet I will not reply.

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HiFlyer

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GoneToPlaid wrote:

Looking at some of the posts in this thread, it would appear that Windows Defender has been completely broken. I anticipate that hackers will figure out how Microsoft themselves broke Windows Defender. I consider this to be a security breach which was created by Microsoft, since the files needed to recreate this scenario are within Windows Updates. Say what you will in response, yet I will not reply.

It was never completely broken (custom scans and active protection always worked), and other scan methods were fixed within about 16 hours. I don’t see how this could help hackers to break Windows Defender:

Microsoft confirmed the bug and said the company was working on a fix. The company said that only manual or scheduled scans were impacted, and that Windows Defender’s real-time scanning protection was not impacted, and should detect malware once it reaches a system.

Windows Defender “Quick” and “Full” scans stop after a few files and a few seconds.

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GoneToPlaid, woody

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[TweakHound]

Works on Win7-10

System File Checker (SFC) incorrectly flags Windows Defender PowerShell module files as corrupted (Last Updated: Aug 16, 2019)

To repair the Windows image files on computers that have been affected by this issue, use the DISM tool. To do this, open a Command Prompt window on the affected computer, and run the following commands:

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
sfc /scannow

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by TweakHound.

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satrow

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Just checked and is fixed now.

Barry
Windows 11 v23H2

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Just updated to 18th Sept signatures and quick scan ok again.

Win10 22H2 Pro, MBAM Premium, Firefox, OpenOffice, Sumatra PDF.

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FWIW, I usually have Defender on manual or disabled until I want to run it on occasion. I haven’t in awhile, but decided to now just to see what happened. Updated definitions to v1.301.1727.0 for 2019-09-19 and ran a quick scan.

Although it has been awhile, I always loved how fast the scans were which took almost no time at all to scan tens of thousands of files. I ran it just now and it took 5:19 to scan 52,017 files which seems a lot longer than it used to take before. It still ran smoothly and found nothing as usual, but does seem to be slower than it used to be.

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I have MSE installed on 3 out of 4 of my Windows 7 laptops but those 3 laptops only get pulled out once a month to get only the Windows 7 Security Only updates with the 4th/newest laptop(Daily Use) that I own running Norton Security Suite(My ISP provider’s variant of Norton).

So I’m relatively unscathed from any July 2019 Security Only patches/issues because they have Telemetry and I skipped July on all my laptops. I did install August’s Security Only updates to all 4 of my laptops as there was no telemetry but because the 3 laptops running MSE are only taken out to be updated once per month they only get the MSE Virus Signature/Other update for the one day each month when they are taken out of the closet to get the monthly patching.

Now that SFC /scannow, on one of my laptops only and longer than a year ago, it was not able to fix some detected errors on one my older laptops but the SFC /scannow issue  what date was that first discovered? I do know the month in which MS intended to patch the SFC /scannow issue because that patch is what caused the Defender/MSE virus scans issue.

I will not be installing September’s “Security Only” Patches for obvious reasons so hopefully MSE will not have any virus scan issues by the time October’s MSE virus/other definition update is out/available. One other question remains with regards to MSE’s/Defender’s scanning engine updates that are pushed out with the virus definition updates is are they cumulative for any MSE scanning engine functionality?

With Windows 7 so close to going EOL I’m more than likely going to be Installing a Linux OS distro on the 2 oldest laptops and maybe 8.1 on the two laptops that are newest that are both running Quad Core Intel i7 mobile CPUs(One Sandy Bridge and one Ivy Bridge generation Quad Core i7 mobile CPUs). So that means all the laptops are getting re-imaged anyways with the Ivy Bridge laptop actually shipping with a Windows 8/8.1 Pro license but shipped by the OEM pre-downgraded to Windows 7 Pro via Pro OS version downgrade rights.

I’m also getting ready to Purchase some SATA based SSDs to replace the spinning Rust on 2 out of 4 of the laptops with the SSD getting Windows 8/8.1 installed from a fresh image.  So all 4 of my laptops are getting moved from Windows 7 over the next 6 months and I’m really not wanting to bother fixing any issues for Windows 7 when it’s so close to being EOL and the laptops getting re-imaged anyways with the Linux or Windows 8/8.1 fresh installs.

I sure hope that Microsoft does a final convenience roll-up for Windows 7 for folks that want to do a fresh install with all the KBs included and folks maybe only using those PCs/Laptops offline anyways after 2020. I  also be looking at purchasing a Windows 8.1 license key for the one laptop that’s getting 8.1 that did not ship from the OEM  with an 8/8.1 license. There are millions of folks running Windows 7 Pro Business Laptops, via Pro OS version Downgrade Rights, with those Laptops actually Licensed for 8/8.1 Pro.

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