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Thank you for everything, Woody. May your soul rest in peace.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

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Tiernan

Looks like there’s a typo in the latest Master Patch List under Office 2016. KB5002112 shows up twice; KB5002226 isn’t there at all. I’m not sure whether it’s recommended to install or defer either or both of these at this point.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

I have also long relied on his observations whenever iOS updates arrive.

It would be disappointing if his judgment is failing him when it comes to Windows security vulnerabilities. Fortunately we’ve got the AskWoody community to provide solid info about that.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

I’m an amateur with limited time on my hands, so I’ve long since given up on the idea that I could keep a motivated and skilled bad actor at bay through my own efforts.

At the risk of repeating some of the things Susan and others have been pointing out in this thread, here’s the general strategy I’ve adopted to improve my odds while saving my sanity:

1. Try not to be the slowest gazelle in the herd, or even in the slowest two-thirds of the herd. (Usually the latter is not very hard.)
2. Take comfort in the fact that I’m an inherently boring target with not much to offer. (And don’t do anything unnecessary that might change that.)
3. Don’t do anything seriously stupid. (Anyone who hangs out on this site ought to have a good feel for what sorts of things those might be.)
4. Relax. Computers are more awesome than ever and still pretty darned fun; take advantage and enjoy!

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

My work machine is also offering me the Intel – System – 2102.100.0.1044 update.

What’s odd is that this is not a Surface tablet, but a bog-standard Dell desktop.

There’s also other cruft that’s pretty puzzling:

• HP – Printer – 4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM (my printer–which is much newer than 2009–has been installed for a while now)
• Cypress Semiconductor Corporation – UCMCLIENT – 4/19/2017 12:00:00 AM – 1.1.0.33: (2017? why would this have started turning up in 2020, and does it even correspond to anything on my machine)
• Dell Inc. – Monitor – 1/27/2016 12:00:00 AM – 1.0.0.0: (2016? really? and my monitor setup hasn’t changed lately))

I suppose if I let Windows Update try to install some of these, it would just abort the ones that weren’t actually relevant to my system, or were out of date compared to what I already have…

…or would it?

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

Thanks for the reply. The Flash bit is indeed out of date…but the article has seen some updating lately. (There is a heads-up about the need to disconnect from the Internet to create a local account, for instance.)

I wasn’t sure which settings tool I wanted to use–have used Spydish before, which is now Privatezilla, but ShutUp10 looks good and may suit me better.

I will try to restrain my instinct to min-max and customize hardware and OS and software past the point of insanity.

(I suppose such behavior flows in part from being old enough to have cut my teeth working with 1980s machines, where it was possible to know exactly what was running and not running, and within what parameters, at all times…and even to be familiar with what every single file on a disk drive was for.)

The new build does have an M2 SSD–just one of the reasons that speed improvements should be striking over my decade-old Phenom II X4 build. (Just last year, I put a SATA SSD in there–first significant upgrade since 2011–and even that was enough for a lovely boost.)

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

(Weird things started happening when I tried editing this post…am putting up a fresh one. Sorry for any unintentional spamming.)

I’ve finished physical assembly of a new PC we’re building.

(It’s probably just a teensy bit past time for us to be replacing the Windows 7 machine that I built in 2010.)

At some point over the next couple days I should finish exploring the BIOS, and get around to installing Windows 10 (version 1909 is on a USB stick and ready to go). One of the articles I’ve looked at regarding clean install is this one: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/clean-install-windows-10/1c426bdf-79b1-4d42-be93-17378d93e587. It recommends the following:

One of the best things you can do to improve performance is to right click Start Button, choose Task Manager, on Startup tab Disable everything except Flash updater, Sync program, on-demand scanner, or a messenger you need running at all times.  None others are needed and only write themselves there to spy on you. Then type msconfig in Start Search, open System Config, on Services tab tick the box to Hide all MS Services, disable everything else there too.  Check back periodically to keep these lists as clean as possible.  If you have any questions about a listing, Google it to learn what it does or ask us.  For example, no wireless manager or extra software except Windows’ needs to be in between your PC and router.

Is that advice just another way of doing what’s being discussed here with AUTORUNS? Also, does “disable everything else” seem too sweeping?

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

Thanks for being helpful as always.

It took a minute to get to it, but I’ve now got both work machines upgraded to 1909. It went smoothly (and in the laptop’s case, even a bit less ponderously than last time).

There’s the odd gremlin in the system still…but no more than there were beforehand. (Just need to clean up a couple of less-welcome changes and tweaks that the upgrade seems to have pulled behind the scenes…)

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

Glad to see the 2020 versions are getting to be less and less…well, 2020.

Still rocking 1809 on my two machines though. (They’re on Enterprise, which gives me the luxury of doing so.) I get more fervently “if it ain’t broke…” all the time.

Probably getting about time to make a move though, even so. There were a few issues with 1909 that I’m not sure ever got resolved…but that’s what I have penciled in as the most likely destination. Unless it would be wiser to jump farther ahead.

(Any remarks from the peanut gallery would be thoughtfully considered.)

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

Thank you, Woody.

I could write so many more words…but will just leave it at that: Thank you, from the heart of this grateful Plus member.

(And thank you, Susan, for taking up the reins. Grateful for you too!)

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

1 user thanked author for this post.

woody

[KevinTMC]

It’s worth having a version of Windows 10 that allows you to set Group Policy settings. Ever since I adopted that method, I’ve had all the control over updates that I could need.

(Don’t recall offhand which precise set of instructions I wound up following. PKCano’s concise set here might be all you need: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/configuring-update-on-win10-pro/#post-1662297 .)

Update still offered me 1903 when the 365 days were up, but all I had to do was hide it using wushowhide; a couple of days later the feature update was no longer being offered, and it was safe to install other updates again.

Between the still-unfixed “temporary profile” bug and continued uncertainty over how much 1903/1909 will respect various update settings, I’m definitely in no hurry to move on from 1809.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by KevinTMC.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by KevinTMC.

I come to bury Flash, not to praise it.

The evil that apps do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their code;
So let it be with Flash.

The noble Woody
Hath told you Flash was abominable:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously shall Flash fin’lly answer it.

Here, under leave of Woody and the rest–
For Woody is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men–
Come I to speak in Flash’s funeral.

It was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Woody says it was abominable;
And Woody is an honourable man.

It hath brought much multimedia to the Web
Which content plugins could readily block:
Did this in Flash seem abominable?

I speak not to disprove what Woody spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did use it once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for it?
Does the course of blocking HTML5 run so smooth?

O judgment! thou art fled to upgrading beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with content
Unconverted from Flash, that Time shall take away,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

15 users thanked author for this post.

wavy, Myst, AmbularD, jburk07, jaman57, Elrod, David F, ScotchJohn, Cybertooth, LH, lanceboil, Elly, SueW, woody

Thank you for the helpful replies. They’ve helped me zero in on the points where I’m a little stuck.

1: In patching the rest of the way to EOL, is there any point to remaining in Group B if I’m going to need to run abbodi86’s script to deactivate the likes of KB2952664 and KB4493132 anyway? (I went to a lot of trouble to ride Group B all the way to July 2019…but I don’t want to fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy here.)

2: If the answer to that is yes, is there still a point to Group B if I then secure access to beyond-EOL patches and start installing them? (All those solutions require installing at least one monthly rollup, yes? Or would it be different if I try the standalone installer?)

3: Would the free version of 0patch do anything for me, post-EOL?

I’m glad PKCano mentioned the hardening angle. I do have careful and well-worn Internet habits, run regular backups and scans, and use settings and browser plug-ins to operate in what I call “semi-paranoid mode” online. (Including on my Windows 10 machines, as far as I am able.) But even if I’ve done a decent job of minimizing my risk as an effectively “Group W” user these past 10 months, that can’t go on forever, hence this thread.

Ultimately, I aim to find the time and money to buy or build a solid new computer, setting up a Win 7 virtual machine on it for running programs that won’t work as well on 10. (Mostly games…some of which are old enough that an additional virtual install of Win 98 wouldn’t go amiss either!) The more time I can buy until then, the better.

The question of how expensive is too expensive, and how dangerous is too dangerous, when it comes to buying that time for my Win 7 machines, I suppose I can only answer for myself, after seeking the best input I can.

In gathering that info, I’m ever so grateful for the AskWoody website and community. From the earliest days of the “patchocalypse” until now, it has been indispensable in keeping me sane, and my computers running more or less as I’d like them to. Thanks again to those graciously taking the time to read and reply here.

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)

I’m being offered KB4494452 for my machine running Windows 10 1709. This is one of the patches listed at the bottom of the Master Patch List under “MDS”; I’m not sure whether it’s being recommended that we install this now or wait.

Also, for 1803 and 1809, this section says “KB Microcode not yet available”; should we be actively on the lookout for the release of similar patches for machines running 1803 and 1809?

(I never did install the microcode patches from last year, as the sense around here was that the risk was illusory and the patches problematic. Not sure to what degree this is a continuation of that same story or something new.)

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Home machines: Windows 10 Pro (21H2), Windows 7 Home (Group B)
Work machines: Windows 10 Enterprise (21H2)