Newsletter Archives

• Microsoft unexpectedly declares Win10 1809 ready for business

  Posted on March 28, 2019 at 13:13 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  This with a list of acknowledged bugs almost as long as my arm.

  Details in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  Yeah, I think somebody read Susan’s Hey 1809, we need to talk.

  Windows News Current Branch for Business, Semi-Annual Channel, Win10 1809, Win10 1809 RTM

• Will Win10 1809 ever be declared “suitable for business”?

  Posted on March 14, 2019 at 14:35 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  It’s been a raging question for months. Win10 version 1809, released in October, has not been declared “Semi-Annual Channel” (the previous “Current Branch for Business”) worthy as yet, although it’s been out for … count ’em … five months.

  A month ago, Microsoft dismantled its whole update framework and threw away the names that we’ve known for so long — names, such as “Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted),” that are baked into the fabric of Windows Update in versions 1803 and 1809.

  @1EarEngineer just pointed me to a post from ‘Softie John Wilcox which, in response to a question about the updating mess, says:

  1809 has been released, there is no second, separate broad release.   For self managed customers, they control and decided when they have reached their deploy decision, and our guidance is they should have started the deployment process now with 1809, following our recommend framework.  This would be in the target phase, which we are in as well for WU.

  For devices we manage, that are connected to WU, we are in targeted phase, which means we are only publishing the update to targeted devices, not all devices.  This is our normal process, and as we get more data and confidence, we add more devise to the target list, until we reach our decision that its good for all, at which time we publish to everyone. That is when it becomes “broad”. That just signals that it is now broadly available ( same release ).

  Its not a time driven thing, but a data driven thing. 1803, it took 2 months, the historical norm was 3-4 months.  1809 will not be 2 months , but more to the norm.

  1809 is already on VLSC, we are now posting at the same time we start on WU, and will continue that going forward

  Which, to my mind anyway, reaches a new low in obfuscation. First of all, Win10 version 1809 is five months old. Second, if MS doesn’t declare it “Semi-Annual Channel” one of these days, all of those Windows Update advanced settings in Win10 version 1803 and 1809 are just so much mealy-mouth mush.

  Am I missing something here?

  Windows Patches/Security Current Branch for Business, Semi-Annual Channel, Win10 1809

• Patch Lady – Is 1803 really Semi-Annual?

  Posted on July 5, 2018 at 14:44 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  So back on June 14, Microsoft said that 1803 was available to all and others (ZDnet/Mary Jo Foley for one) said that 1803 moved to the semi-annual channel.  Yet this page (which to be fair hasn’t been the most up to date and accurate about the release info) still says 1803 is Semi-annual targeted and has this cryptic footnote:

  (1) Windows 10, version 1803 designation has been updated to reflect the servicing option available in the operating system and to reflect existing deferral policies. We recommend organizations broadly deploy the latest version of Windows 10 when they are ready, and not wait until the “Targeted” designation has been removed.

  Several folks on the patchmanagement.org list have indicated that they too haven’t seen 1803 come down on a computer that has (remember it still has the old wording) Current branch for Business(*) and 0 day deferral.

  Historically the declaration of CB/the new Semi Annual would mean that it could be offered up not that it suddenly got shoved out to all machines.  Also in the past I’ve often been told that Microsoft still “throttles” updates during this period and dials it up more as the success rate goes up.  Often you’ll see a feature release suddenly get offered up right after a compat/dynamic update got released as they fixed some blocking “thing” in the background.  Which would be nice to know ahead of time that your system was or was not ready for the upgrade.

  In this day and age where my Doctor, my Dentist, and even Comcast texts me ahead of time when an appointment is coming up, it would be nice if there was some more positive process that let you know how well your machine was ready for feature releases.  It still feels too arbitrary and not intelligent enough.  My last 1709 experience, I had a small hard drive machine say to me that it would have no problem upgrading and then it barfed EVERY time until I attached an external USB hard drive.  Which reminds me I need to do that again as it’s still on 1709 and hasn’t gotten it’s 1803 update.

  So are you seeing 1803 on a Current Branch for Business(*) deferral machine?

  (*) I did it again, I called Current Branch for Business, Current Branch, sorry about that!

  Windows Patches/Security Patch Lady Posts, Semi-Annual Channel, Win10 1803

• Microsoft says it’s time to install Win10 Creators Update

  Posted on July 27, 2017 at 16:35 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  At the same time, they changed the terminology — which was last changed in May. Tell me again, is it Semi-annual Clearance Sale (Broad)?

  What we used to know as “Service Pack 1” and then “Current Branch for Business” and then “Semi-Annual Channel (Broad)” has now been re-christened “Semi-Annual Channel” with a discrete “Microsoft recommends” bullet on the versions chart.

  Bottom line: Microsoft says the Creators Update has just passed its unpaid beta testing phase, and is now ready for businesses.

  Personally, I’m going to hold off until next Patch Tuesday. I’ve heard rumors there are many bug fixes waiting in the wings. Besides, the #1 new feature in Creators Update is the ability for Pro users to relatively easily delay patches – a skill you’ve no doubt learned by now.

  UPDATE: Gregg Keizer just posted his analysis on Computerworld.

  Windows News 1703 ready for prime time, Current Branch for Business, Semi-Annual Channel