Patch Watch: Recent updates to the Master Patch List; Win10 1809 still not ready; MS Security Intelligence Report

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It’s a busy week for Patch Lady Susan Bradley: Win10 version 1809 still isn’t “ready for business” — but it’s hard to define the term Cleanup changes
[See the full post at: Patch Watch: Recent updates to the Master Patch List; Win10 1809 still not ready; MS Security Intelligence Report]

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Elly, abbodi86

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Windows 10 1809 cleanup changes By Susan Bradley

With Win10 1809, when you right-click your C: drive and run the app, note that the option for clearing downloaded files is now checked by default, as shown in Figure 1. It almost tripped me up, and it might do the same to you, too.

Figure 1. The option to remove downloaded files is now pre-checked in the Windows Disk Cleanup tool.

So be aware: When running the “disk cleanup” tool, ensure you don’t lose something you intended to keep. From now on, don’t consider your downloads folder as a permanent place to save files.

Downloaded Program Files has been checked by default in Disk Cleanup of all Windows versions for more than 20 years (since Windows 95/98), but it’s not your Downloads folder:
Teach users to keep their hard drives clean with Disk Cleanup (Windows XP screenshot)

The description of Downloaded Program Files is right there in your screenshot (same as for XP): “Downloaded Program Files are ActiveX controls and Java applets downloaded automatically from the Internet when you view certain pages. They are temporarily stored in the Downloaded Program Files folder on your hard disk.” That folder is located at C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files.

Your Downloads folder does now appear in Disk Cleanup on 1809, but it is not checked by default. It also appears at Settings, System, Storage, Free up space now, but is unchecked by default there too.

You can set your Downloads folder to automatically delete files older than 1, 14, 30 or 60 days at Settings, System, Storage, Change how we free up space automatically; that is also disabled by default:

If you’d like to clear even more space on your device, you can enable the removal of old content in the Downloads folder. Downloads folder cleanup is not turned on by default.
Windows 10 and Storage Sense: What’s new in Storage Sense?

The bottom line is, unless you take some positive action, your Downloads are not deleted.

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rc primak, Elly

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Thanks, b!

I have a longstanding Pet Peeve that most Windows users do not know what the Downloaded Program Files folder really is, or why it’s there. Definitely different from the user’s own Downloads folder. Unfortunate similarity of names, eh?

And yes, the personal Downloads folder is not checked by default in the new Storage Sense version of Disk Cleanup.  But users must be made aware that if they do check off everything, their personal Downloads folder will also be completely cleared.

I would be careful not to check off the Downloads folder, but to include the Downloaded Programs Files folder in Disk Cleanup. I curate my own Downloads folder for each user myself.

 

-- rc primak

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Making it a bit harder to determine ‘business-ready’ By Susan Bradley

For business applications, Semi-Annual (Targeted) will simply go away.

For Windows, but not Office:

Updated February 28, 2019:
This change does not affect SAC-T for Office 365 ProPlus customers.
The SAC-T channel will continue to be an option for Office 365 ProPlus customers.
Windows Update for Business and the retirement of SAC-T

Which is an ironic departure from the intentions of a couple of years ago:

In July 2017, we announced a newly simplified and aligned servicing model for Windows 10 and Office that would begin with Windows 10, version 1709. As part of this announcement, we aligned Office and Windows with common terminology via the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) — the replacement for CB and CBB
Windows 10 and the “disappearing” SAC-T

 

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