Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 4: Microsoft begins a strong push for 24H2

  Posted on January 28, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.04.1 • 2025-01-28

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Last week, Microsoft announced that Windows 11 24H2 is now “broadly available.”

  This notice was contained in the Microsoft Learn post Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications.

  Except for my continuing recommendation not to install 24H2, I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4. There are some problems, but they are manageable. Go ahead and patch.

  Microsoft’s language in the Learn post was more direct than usual and included Windows 10 in the mix.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (22.04.1, 2025-01-28).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Fortinet, KB5049235, KB5049981, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Networking, Patch Lady Posts, SQL Server, SQL Server 2019, Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Clean installs for 24H2?

  Posted on January 23, 2025 at 03:00 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums
  

  Microsoft’s notice regarding 24H2

  On Tuesday, Microsoft announced that eligible devices on both Windows 10 and 11 will be offered the 24H2 release. As you know, I’m still not recommending 24H2 and do not expect to do so until after April. Just another reminder: you can use InControl to keep your computer on Windows 11 23H2 or Windows 10 22H2.

  I chatted with my local computer firm, which says it is getting the best results when doing a clean install of 24H2. Ick. I’m not willing to do that, especially not going into busy season.

  Remember that the 24H2 release is a full install — not an incremental one — so it’s back to creating a Windows.old  folder and swapping out the operating system. 24H2 is not ready for prime time.

  Windows 11 Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 2: Kicking off the new year

  Posted on January 9, 2025 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.01.1 • 2025-01-09

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re less than a week away from the first round of updates for 2025, not just for Windows but for all our devices.

  Although things have been relatively quiet at the end of the year, especially because many of Microsoft’s developers take extended time off over the holidays, we’ll soon be in the thick of patching. That’s why I strongly recommend deferring updates until we have time to study and test them. Therefore, I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (22.01.1, 2025-01-09).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Center Stage, InControl, KB5014754, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, SMB Signing, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• The state of Windows 11

  Posted on December 23, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.52 • 2024-12-23

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  With Windows 11 now three years old, where does it stand today?

  I’ve been running Windows 11 almost since its debut in 2021. At first, I limited it to just test environments. Slowly, I expanded its reach to my two main laptops and a couple of virtual machines. Only my desktop PC is still on Windows 10, mostly so that I can still easily access and use it. But when I replace my desktop next year, the new PC will be running Windows 11.

  Here’s my take, based on my own experiences with it — and how I think Microsoft has handled it.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.52.0, 2024-12-23).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Windows 11 Microsoft, Newsletters, Windows 10, Windows 10 End of Support, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2, Windows Updates

• Closing the books on a buggy year

  Posted on December 16, 2024 at 02:41 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We’re closing the patching year with an AI-related bug that — fortunately — is not related to Copilot, Recall, or any other AI-related product released by Microsoft in the last few months.

  In fact, you may not have heard of it at all. Called Microsoft Muzic, it’s a research project in understanding music via deep learning and artificial intelligence. It also introduced a vulnerability into your computer if you installed it.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.51.0, 2024-12-16).

  Patch Watch CVE-2024-49063, CVE-2024-49112, CVE-2024-49117, CVE-2024-49138, Exchange, Google Workspace, Hyper-V, KB5002652, Newsletters, Outlook, Patch Lady Posts, TPM, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 2: Closing out the year

  Posted on December 5, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.49.1 • 2024-12-05

  

  By Susan Bradley

  As we close the year of patching, I’m surprised to see that our vendors are facing many of the same issues they faced years ago — governments looking over their actions.

  But this time, instead of scrutinizing monopolies for on-premises software, they are looking at how Microsoft is making monopolizing cloud services as well as coercing governments to use more of their services. Recently, a ProPublica investigation questioned how much Microsoft’s free government outreach to enhance the security of its products was designed to lock government customers into these subscription services.

  Then the Department of Justice asked a judge to break up Google and force it to sell off the Chrome browser and restrict their use of artificial intelligence and the Android mobile operating system. I still remember the lengthy monopoly trials against Microsoft. It seems like the more things change, the more things in technology stay the same. We constantly have a push-pull relationship with our vendors.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.49.1, 2024-12-05).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON AI, AirPods Pro 2, Alerts, Antitrust, Apple, Google, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, Scanners, Windows 11 23H2, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 2: ESU plans announced for Windows 10

  Posted on November 7, 2024 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.45.1 • 2024-11-07

  

  By Susan Bradley

  In the midst of Microsoft’s pushing Windows 11 24H2 and updates for Windows 10, caution is in order.

  As a result, I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 2. Keep 24H2 at bay, and give me a few weeks to understand and fully vet next week’s updates.

  We’ve known for some time that Extended Security Update (ESU) plans would be offered for Windows 10 in October 2025, when regular support ends. What we did not know until recently was the cost for consumers. Last week, on Halloween, Microsoft gave us a treat by announcing a price of $30 for one year. Exact details about obtaining these ESU plans will be disclosed later next year.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.45.1, 2024-11-07).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, CVE-2024-38094, iOS 18, KB5002606, KB5002615, KB5002618, macOS Sequoia, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 10, Windows 10 ESU, Windows 11 24H2, Windows Server 2025

• What isn’t coming to your computer or phone

  Posted on November 4, 2024 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley • Comment about this article

  Just because features such as Microsoft Recall and Apple Intelligence are available does not mean you’ll be forced to use them.

  If you remember, Microsoft Recall is a technology that allows users to go back to a point in time and review what they were doing and which webpages they were viewing. Originally planning to release it in June, Microsoft pulled the plug and went back to the drawing board because of strong customer pushback with respect to security.

  Microsoft won’t be rolling out Recall to test on the insider versions of Windows until December. Originally it was supposed to roll out with Windows 11 24H2.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.45.0, 2024-11-04).

  Patch Watch Apple Intelligence, Copilot+ PCs, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Recall, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• MS-DEFCON 4: 24H2 is a work in progress

  Posted on October 22, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.43.1 • 2024-10-22

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Every month, I look back at the issues and oddities I’ve been tracking to see whether they are merely corner cases or something more widespread.

  One thing is certain: I am not recommending the installation of Windows 11 24H2 now, especially for consumers and small businesses. I am testing and evaluating the release, and I will continue to keep you informed about bugs and problems. For everything else, I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (21.43.1, 2024-10-22).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Always On VPN, KB5043950, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, Outlook (classic), Outlook (new), Patch Lady Posts, SSDs, Windows 11 24H2

• A year and counting

  Posted on October 21, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 10

  

  By Susan Bradley • Comment about this article

  We are a year away from the official end of the road for Windows 10.

  It’s pretty clear that you and I, and a lot of other individuals and companies, will be using Windows 10 after its end of life in October 2025. I want to assure you that I will continue to provide the best information available about how to keep Windows 10 PCs safe and secure.

  I have business systems that will need to stay on Windows 10 for compatibility reasons. I also have PCs that I will keep on Windows 10 because there is no reason to change — they work well and do their intended jobs. But we all must eventually decide when and how to take the next step, no matter what that may be.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.43.0, 2024-10-21).

  Windows 10 0patch, Copilot, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, uBlock Origin, Web Browsers, Windows 10, Windows 11 24H2

• Are you ready for Windows 11 24H2?

  Posted on October 14, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  If you are like many others, the answer is no. And for good reasons.

  24H2 is a big, disruptive update — a complete operating system swap. That’s both good and bad. For the good, if a PC is throwing off any Windows Update errors, allowing 24H2 to install should clear those up by fixing any corrupted files.

  But for the bad — aside from the disruption — installing 24H2 is a long process, taking at least 30 to 60 minutes, perhaps longer. It’s not quick, like running the 23H2 enablement package.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.42.0, 2024-10-14).

  Patch Watch Copilot, CVE 2024-38124, CVE 2024-43468, CVE 2024-43533, DirectAccess, KB5044273, KB5044277, KB5044281, KB5044285, KB5044293, KB5044615, KB5046400, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, SQL, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Preparing for 24H2

  Posted on October 7, 2024 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Don’t roll out Windows 11 24H2 yet. Defer. Delay. Wait.

  Most importantly, I always say wait, even if it’s just about monthly patches. But this is about what even Microsoft says is a major release, a complete OS overwrite. That makes 24H2 even more dangerous. Let other, more venturesome, souls take the slings and arrows, and use the lessons learned.

  Those lessons may be coming fast. Within the AskWoody community, forum posts associated with last week’s MS-DEFCON 2 Alert demonstrated that some brave testers ran into problems. Other sources have reported glitches, including BSODs. I’m still collecting data and beginning my own testing.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.41.0, 2024-10-07).

  Patch Watch CUPS, CVE-2024-47076, CVE-2024-47175, CVE-2024-47176, CVE-2024-47177, iOS 18, Linux Printing, Microsoft Surface, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Port 631, Recall, Snapdragon X Elite, Windows 11 24H2, Windows Hello
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