Mysterious re-release of KB3150513 – on Windows 10, no less

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This in from DP: I just rec’d notification of the above update on my Win10 system yesterday. I am running ver. 1511, build 10586.545. I have searched
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Article from MS:

This update provides the latest set of definitions for compatibility diagnostics that are performed on the system. The updated definitions will help enable Microsoft and its partners to ensure compatibility for all customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system. Installing this update also makes sure that the latest Windows operating system version is correctly offered through Windows Update, based on compatibility results.

This update may not be offered concurrently to all platforms. It will be available only to platforms for which there are new definitions available.

Prereq’s for Win7 KB2952664, Win8.12976978
These were updates we were avoiding during the GWX campaign. Compatibility for upgrade. So suspect the same with relation to upgrade in Win10

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… but … why is it being offered to (some) Win10 1511 machines? And what does it really do? “makes sure that the latest Windows operating system version is correctly offered through Windows Update, based on compatibility results” seems flimsy to me. Or maybe I’m just overreacting…

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Had this update show up on my Server 2016 WSUS box. There’s two listings, one for x86 and one for x64. The description is just the generic “Install this update to resolve issues in Windows”. It shows all of my clients as “Not Applicable”, but I’m guessing that’s because I haven’t approved/installed the KB3176493 update yet. The release date is 8/31/2016. Not a whole lot of info there.

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I suspect one check will be for Windows 10 AU (1607)and McAfee products. There are some McAfee products not compatible with Windows 10 AU.

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Perhaps it’s checking to see if feature upgrades are blocked in 1511, so it either continues to offer cumulative updates or an upgrade to Win10 AU through WU.

It is certainly ominous that it is for Win7 and 8.1 as well (it hasn’t been listed yet on Update Services yet). If it’s like it’s predecessors KB2952664 and KB2976978, it is certainly snooping if nothing else – files “appraiser,” “telemetry,” “inventory.data.” Makes you wonder if they are going to start another GWX-like campaign. Wonder if they’ll slip it to us in a rollup?

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Man oh man, I hope not.

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Don’t think MS cares whether third-party applications are compatible or not.

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Scroll down to the following paragraph from McAfee’s site.:

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is NOT compatible with versions of McAfee products.

https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB87536

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The KB article is very clear to me, it’s an update for the system’s compatibility database, which is related the famous schedule task “Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser”
this diagnostics is required to see if the current machine is applicable for RS1 upgrade through WU

yes, it may involves sending “telemetry” feedback
but isn’t whole Windows 10 is already telemetry-connected?

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One would assume that it is offered to those machines upgraded from Windows 7 or 8.1 to bridge the transition between the 2 operating systems. This patch would serve the same purpose with the equivalent on Windows 7 or 8.1 for those who have not had it installed before, either by actively avoiding it or by upgrading in the earlier days before the patch was released to the public.

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It is offered to Windows 7 machines and has been offered for a while but it has as pre-requisite KB2952664. There were 2 releases and I think the current one is from May 2016.
I am currently not avoiding KB2952664 and KB3150513 only for simplicity of administration, but if anyone wants to make their Windows experience more complicated than it should be, those are the 2 patches to block (black) list.

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Woody,

I don’t know if you reply tonew comments to older posts, but this KB3150513 showed up today, 9/6/16 on my Win 10 home version. My Win 10 Home is running the fall update 1511 with all patches applied through August 2016.

Should this be hidden?

Thank you!

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Based on rereading the comments above, I want to clarify the status of my computer.

Due to a fan burnout during a overnight (12-14 hours regularly) Windows 7 update search on a black Tuesday, I had to buy a brand new Win 10 Home. My old 7 was old, no reason to replace the fan I was told.

The new Win 10 HP computer never had a Win 7 or Win 8 on it. I have dutifully followed your advice on the Win 10 updates.

This can’t be related to going from Win 7 to 8, or Win 7 to 10, etc.

They just did it to their own brand new Win 10 that came to me with version 1511 on it purchased in February 2016.

Thanks!

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I read – and approve – all posts, so I definitely saw this one.

I don’t know why KB3150513 suddenly appeared – it isn’t for Win10, as you note – but it’s a rather innocuous patch. I’d go ahead and install it.

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I think I posted this elsewhere here. It is just a guess, based on what I know about the Windows 7 and the push for upgrade to Windows 10.
KB3150513 seems to try to “fix” those computers upgraded from Windows 7 (possible Windows 8.1) which did not have it installed before the upgrade. It is a compatibility update assessing existing software for compatibility with Windows 10.
If there are arguments against installing it on Windows 7 or 8.1, I think there is no reason not to proceed with installing it on Windows 10. It may block certain existing applications which are considered not compatible to function, but then you have a red flag to either stop using or upgrade that software. And if there is no other way, the update can be uninstalled.

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@K Thanks for clarifying this. It is useful to know that the patch is not related to the upgrade from a previous OS. Either way, it is still a compatibility patch according to the documentation published by Microsoft, but what is its actual purpose is mostly unknown.

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This is the paragraph from McAfee’s site I alluded to previously:

Microsoft has indicated that a Windows Update will be released in September that includes the upgrade and installation checks for incompatible McAfee software. The Windows Update will prevent performance issues and system instability by preventing upgrades to Windows 10 Anniversary Update with already-installed, incompatible McAfee products, as well as the installation of incompatible McAfee product versions on systems with Windows 10 Anniversary Update. However, this Windows Update will not address systems that have already upgraded to, or installed fresh, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update with incompatible McAfee product versions.

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Are there any known problems with KB3150513 on Win10 v1511? Although it may not be related to this KB (AU on Sept. 1), my Samsung LCD monitor has recently taken to randomly and automatically increasing its Brightness to 100%. It is a rather old monitor and Windows says I am using the most up-to-date driver. There is no rollback driver available.

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I haven’t seen that problem reported. Any chance it’s a hardware problem – or does rolling back the patch restore the monitor’s correct behavior?

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Thank you. Haven’t rolled back the patch yet. Will do so after a bit more investigation.

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I was reading various web sites this morning and found some issues a few people said they had. One report was on a new Win 10 computer. Others, in reply had not received the update. I decided to wait a few days to unhide and instsall. I will try a search again tomorrow. Too bad I was using incognito mode today–no history, and fewer cookies.

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It is conjectured by many on different sites that it is to push the AU down throats of ver 1511 users. Conjecture or not this illustrates the distrust of MS that is out there.
On a few sites I read posts typical of the following two. On the WindowsTenforums this is reported “After that update and my PC rebooted I lost the IE 11 icon on my Tackbar. So I put it back and now am having strange problems with IE 11 Toolbar and Norton’s Search and Toolbar.. .” A long time computer user on BleepingComputer.com reports “… while running IE 11 my Norton’s Toolbar went away and now auto fill-ins is inop…”

There is lots of suspicion due to lack of documentation other than the general nothing statement regarding preparing machines for updates, and the fact that it arrived at random, or put another way, arrived on a day other than the first and second Tuesday of the months and in August for some and September for others, and on different days for different people.

One of the pre-reqs for KB3150513 on Win 10 64 bit machines is the August update patch that included the patching for IE and (also caused the print issue). So, as reported it may be affecting the performance of IE.

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I was hoping to keep my Windows 7 machine in service for a while longer, but M$ apparently wants me to install Linux on that box as well.

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Staying on Win7 shouldn’t be too difficult. Mostly, you have to choose between Group A and Group B (and Group W, the “turn off the dern update system” option). Once you’ve chosen, the mechanics should be pretty easy.

Of course, we don’t have any idea what the mechanics will actually look like…

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Has anyone installed this KB3150513 who have Windows 10? I would love to hear reports.

CyGuy did you roll it back? If so how is your monitor behaving.

Ch100 is you try it on one of your computers?

I just found another report on it stating it “broke” Chrome.

I still have it hidden and wonder if that is a mistake considering tomorrow is another Black Tuesday, but will hide all those too. I do suspect it has to do with the AU.

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Yikes and apologies!

I need to stop talking into this phone. What I said and what ended up here are different. I do understand proper usage of verbs!

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I understood you… FWIW….

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I would go with abbodi’s explanation as definitive.
I said in previous posts that I guessed that it verifies compatibility for machines upgraded from Windows 7/8.1.
In this case it appears to be in fact compatibility checking for update/upgrade from the current version of Windows 10 to a newer Windows 10.

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KB3150513 was not offered the first time I checked, but appreared some 6 hours later after a recheck; weird

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Fred, Do you have Windows 10? Did you hide it or install it? If you installed it, what was the outcome? Thanks!

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Dear Woody,

Normally I follow all your advice to a T. For some reason I was remaining leery of the KB3150513 update for Win 10, ver. 1511. So I hid it until I could find the time to deal with any problem that might occur similar to those reported.

I hid it on 9/6/16 and it remained hidden. When I did the search to hide last Tuesdays updates it was not in the list of available updates. It was still in the hidden updates list.

Today I found I had an update waiting that could not complete downloading. I use the metered connection method and Noel C’s handy program for preventing downloads for Home Win 10 users.

The update that was waiting to be downloaded was KB3150513! I went back into my list of hidden updates and it was no longer there. So, I re-hid it. This is indeed strange behavior.

I had my computer on for a very short time this morning. Otherwise, I had turned off the wireless connection since yesterday afternoon. I don’t know when the KB arrived in that small window of opportunity of being connected to the internet this morning. Can MS now connect us even if wireless is off?

As always, thank you for your insight!

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No, Microsoft can’t connect you to the internet if your Wi-Fi connection is turned off (and you don’t have a hard-wired connection). Something else must’ve entered into the equation.

As for KB 3150513 showing up again… yep, that happens. MS frequently re-releases old patches, making them “new” via some mechanism I don’t understand. When Windows Update sees a “new” KB 3150513, it ignores the old, hidden setting.

FWIW, I see two versions of 3150513 – May 4 and May 11.

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Darn! 4 days after hiding KB3150513 for the 2nd time it has returned for a 3rd appearance on 9/23/16 on my Win 10 Home!

Except this time, when I checked for the updates I had hidden with the WUshowhide tool it shows up as hidden. How can this be? The notification says it cannot finish my download, and when I go to updates, it says it is waiting for download.

When I search for updates to hide, it isn’t there.

MS is certainly persistent!

I can only surmise MS knows I am avoiding the Anniversary Update.

One guy on tenforums said that after installing this update, the computer started to download a Feature . . . in otherwords the AU. He turned off his computer and had issues, but that is something else.

Is this thing really pushing the AU?

Is anyone else experiencing this?

Thanks!

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I don’t show any new version since May 11.

I don’t venture onto tenforums, having been unceremoniously tossed out of sevenforums, but I think it’s unlikely that installing this patch immediately leads to an installation of the Anniversary Update. There’s an intermediate step – and an opportunity, then, to use wushowhide to hide the AU update itself – “Feature update to Windows 10, version 1607”. Or you can just flip over to a metered connection.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3105827/microsoft-windows/how-to-temporarily-block-the-upgrade-win10-anniversary-update-version-1607.html

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The weird this is that I am on metered so it sits there, and have Noel C’s program installed and I have hidden it.

It showed up originally in a wushowhide search at the end of August

I hid it, and it remained hidden until . .

It showed up again on 9/19 as ready to download.

It was no longer hidden. Hid it again.

Now it is ready to download and has been for about 5 days— “can’t finish installing your update. . . “message

I checked and it doesn’t show up in updates to hide.

It still is in the hide list, so it should not be ready to download. . .

The issue will be that when I go to install the hidden September updates next week, it will download with them.

It’s just odd and makes no sense. I’ll have to install it then.

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No need to respond to above. I will need to install it next time no matter what.

It just seems nothing with regard to updates for 7, 8 or 10, and maybe Vista (I don’t follow) make sense. But, that seems to be the norm these days!

Thank you Woody!

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A new KB3150513 has been released March 15th, 2017. If you’ve removed modern apps, Cortana, OneDrive, possibly if you’ve just installed Classic Shell – beware!

That update got pushed to my system on the 16th and the regular Start menu, Edge browser, reveal desktop, all the modern apps I didn’t remove, right clicking the taskbar and who knows what else no longer work.

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See https://www.askwoody.com/2017/what-we-know-about-kb-3150513/

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