Query: Fresh install of 8.1 from MS ISO

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Woody, I just did a fresh install of 8.1 from a downloaded MS ISO. I’m running an HP Pavilion P6-2326s with a Pentium G645 & 8gb of ram. I use Firefox & Vivaldi, Avast & Spywareblaster, & have Office 365. I have 11 screenshots worth of updates waiting for download. I tried running this, “WMIC qfe list >UpdateReport.txt”, but didn’t get a result?

I’ve attached a Belarc Advisor Report showing what I have installed. I’ve always downloaded all updates unless told specifically not to. I’ve followed Susan Bradley for the past couple of years. I would appreciate any help you could offer to get as current on the updates as I can.

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(couldn’t see your attachment)
“WMIC qfe list” will get you the list of INSTALLED updates (including a bunch of columns you may not want)
“wmic qfe get HotFixID” gives you just KB#s

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8ISO
A8B5DF0B0816280AE18017BC4B119C77B6C6EB79
This ISO is sometimes known as “update 3” (update 2 was never released as an ISO)

This ISO is the last official one they made for Windows 8.1, it contains a number of pre-installed updates (including a junk one — a bit of effort needed to remove it)

Since your “WMIC qfe list” is showing NO installed updates I’m not sure you used the latest ISO (installing from the latest ISO would save you tons of time, and may still be worth it if your aren’t too far into this install)

You should download the offline installer for KB3173424 and KB3172614, disconnect from the internet (unplug or airplane mode), reboot, and install them in order without an internet connection.

KB3173424
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3172614/july-2016-update-rollup-for-windows-8-1-and-windows-server-2012-r2

KB3172614
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3172614/july-2016-update-rollup-for-windows-8-1-and-windows-server-2012-r2

After you get these installed everything should be smoother for updates.

I would recommend removing / not installing these updates:
KB3035583
KB3123862
KB3173040
KB3163589
KB3022345
KB3068708
KB3080149
KB3075249
KB3090045
KB3150513

KB2976978
KB3072318
KB3064683

KB3184143

4 users thanked author for this post.

co1615, Microfix, HiFlyer, Elly

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Attachment now visible!

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co1615, Elly

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installing KB3184143 update for Win8.1 IS needed if you want to prevent free Win10 upgrade offers along with using Never10. therefore, I disagree with the comments anonymous made about KB3184143 as I consider this one a “good” update to install (and gets rid of the GWX c**p that MS started).

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co1615, Elly, Kirsty, Microfix, HiFlyer

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I’d agree with @EP as the following patch KB 3146449 is not on anons list of patches to remove/ignore.
KB3146449 – Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7
KB3184143 removes this along with others already on anons list.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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co1615, Elly

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I did download the latest ISO from the MS link provided by Anon as far as I know. It was downloaded Last Thursday/Friday. I will use these recommendations everyone provided, however I am confused on what to do with KB3146449?

Edit- I did install KB3173424 but was unable to install KB3172614. How do I find KB’s to remove? Sorry, not the most savvy tweaker!

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I suggest, if you haven’t already, check the information in AKB2000007: Turning off the worst Windows 7 and 8.1 snooping – in addition to the information Woody posted in the top post, check out @MrBrian’s additional information there.

KB3146449 is mentioned in this topic that might be of interest:
Windows Update Client – 8.1 Clean Install
(from January 2018).
If you are wanting to avoid an automatic upgrade to Win10, it looks like it’s to be avoided, as @microfix mentioned above

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co1615, Microfix

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I don’t think KB3146449 is offered anymore, as it has been replaced / integrated in to other updates / eliminated, so I didn’t mention it.

You don’t need KB3184143 if you never installed the updates it removes (which shouldn’t have been offered to a computer with a fresh install)

What happened when you tried to install KB3172614? Doubled checked you tried to install the 64-bit one on a 64-bit computer? Checked that KB3172614 isn’t already installed?

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co1615

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Good call, Anon. I didn’t have the 64 bit version of KB3172614. I downloaded it & it installed. However, When I go to the programs & features & try to remove KB2976978 I don’t get an option to remove. I don’t for any of them?

Another question about driver updates. I attached a pic of my current graphics driver & HP options. I am running an 8.1 update version so according to Intel’s naming structure I should be using a 10.18.XXXX version. When I tried to update to the latest available from HP It wouldn’t let me. I get a “Your system doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for this update” message?

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They have KB2976978 marked as non-removable because it is part of a “service pack” like release (U3), but really it is just an installed update. One must mark it as removable then remove it. Unfortunately this requires changing a registry permission, but you can’t because you need to take ownership of the key first. This is fine for doing manually but the problem is there is no normal scriptable way to take ownership of a registry key.

Undeterred I pieced together a powershell script that pulls from advapi32.dll to enable SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege on the powershell process then calls another function to take ownership of the key. This is all cleaned up afterwards because uninstalling the update removes the target key. Then I escaped this to a one line powershell script, then I escaped that to run as a one line batch command. (that “one” line is almost 3KB)

This script does a whole lot of other things. It removes all the updates I consider junk (most are well agreed on, two or three might inspire very minor debate and could be commented out), sets the right keys to prevent a windows 10 install/upgrade, disables CEIP/telemetry (including DiagTrack service), resets the machines tracking ID (user, machine, also ConnectedSearch for windows 8.x), disables tracking tasks (which have no purpose when opted out of CEIP/telemetry). It is optimized to try to uninstall only updates that are installed (rather than trying to remove EVERY undesired update EVERY run), and handles cases where a junk update must be uninstalled multiple times (I’ve seem 27 repeats in one case). It handles known and unknown return codes from uninstalling update and suggests rebooting when it would be a wise next step before further uninstalls. It has a scheduled task that hides junk updates on a regular basis (same process runs during normal run). It has a way to automate an operating system integrity check (7, 8.1), specifically “SFC.exe /scannow”, KB947821(must run manually), and “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth”. It also has a suggested addition to the hosts file at the end of the script (have to do that by hand). It also keeps a log of what has been done (you would need to check it to see the integrity check results).

It’s had a few hundred adjustments since it was created shortly after the “we upgraded you to windows 10, by accident on purpose, good luck!” problem.

For a clean install of Windows 8.1 U3 I would strongly suggest running an integrity check after installing Windows/microsoft updates, as about 2 in 5 installs have a minor corruption that in the past have caused update failures (more so before U3 existed), running the check while connected to the internet always fixes that one issue.

I would post this script for your use except for two things, it needs one minor adjustment (will do when I get time in the next few days), and I’m not sure where to post it / if it would be ok to post it here. I would suggest understanding every line of any script you run (unless you completely trust the author). Let me know if you want it.

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co1615

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anonymous wrote:

I’m not sure where to post it / if it would be ok to post it here

Using pastebin.com, and pasting the link here, would be the way.

However, it should not be used by anyone who doesn’t understand it (i.e. not for “non-techies”), as you quite rightly point out. And taking a system image before using it would be a very wise precaution too.

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Elly, co1615

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That sounds pretty involved, Anon. I appreciate the effort of it though! I would need clear step by step instructions to do it.

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Doing it by hand yes, could be complex, with the script — not hard at all (mostly run the script several times and press a few keys).

(still needs a minor adjustment before I have someone else use it)
Doing it with my script:

Optional Step A1, make sure your hard drive is sound, run full hard drive self test with GSmartControl.
Optional Step A2, make sure your filesystem is good, run “chkdsk /f /x /v c:” (needs a reboot)
or “chkdsk /v /scan /perf c:” (doesn’t need a reboot if nothing needs fixed Windows 8.1 only).

If both are good, you are ready to start (having KB3173424 & KB3172614 installed is wise)

When starts you will have several options:
“A” is for the old mode (obsolete)
“Q” is for “quick skip” mode is what you’d usually use
“B” exits without doing much (other than creating one log line) — do this if you want to abort
“T” sets the scheduled task (you’d be prompted anyway — you should set the task on the final run)
“I” runs the integrity checks, you should also do this when you are done with updates, there’s about a 2 in 5 chance there will be a corrupt file to fix.

You should expect to see two “special action required” prompts on a clean install of 8.1 x64 U3, you should answer yes. (one is for KB2976978)

You should run the script (ideally) before your first check for updates, after your first check for updates (check for updates again and run the script again if the script hides any updates). You should run the script again after you have the last update are installed (to double check, to set the scheduled junk update hider task, and to run the integrity check).

If anything asks for a reboot do so right away before starting anything else.

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Dear Anonymous #211587,
Please be aware that the risks of trusting a script from an unregistered, untraceable site visitor are so extreme as to be foolhardy…
I have no idea if you are credible, and I’m around here a lot more than many others – how is the casual visitor going to judge if this should be trusted?!

woody wrote:

… anonymous posters have to realize that (a) it’s almost impossible to keep track of individual anonymous voices …

It’s also risky for others to rely on them at face value – caveat emptor… in a sense.

6 users thanked author for this post.

Noel Carboni, Elly, co1615, woody, BobbyB, OscarCP

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