22H2 for Windows 11 is out

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Well it’s official, 22H2 for Windows 11 is out for those who go to “check for updates”. I’m not sure if 22H2 is out for Windows 10 as well? What’s new
[See the full post at: 22H2 for Windows 11 is out]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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abbodi86, wEarwOlf505cole, Cybertooth, Mele20, geekdom, teuhasn2, lmacri

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This is a partly update. More to come (like Explorer tabs..) next month, October.

2 years support (2024). Enterprise 3 years support (2025).

It is called Windows 11 2022. Wonder what will happen to the GPEdit / registry entries of 22H2.

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“I’m not sure if 22H2 is out for Windows 10 as well?”

Maybe they are trying their luck at pushing users to 11? ;-p

“Reminder: All editions of Windows 10, version 21H1 will reach the end of servicing on December 13, 2022. As devices running version 21H1 will no longer receive security updates after December 13, 2022, we recommend that you update to Windows 11 to remain supported.”

Did they do anything to fix the terrible behavior of the task bar and the start menu?

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AlexEiffel wrote:

Did they do anything to fix the terrible behavior of the task bar and the start menu?

They fixed a lot in task bar.

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A quick googling of it brings up https://www.ghacks.net/2022/08/21/windows-11-version-22h2-taskbar-changes/, and according to this link, it is not likely to satisfy critics and certainly not me.

The lack of an ability to use quicklaunch like previous versions of Windows is quite bad. I never liked the Windows 7 launcher who hinders productivity vs the way Vista and before were working. I think Microsoft should simply offer a choice between the old more productive Vista way and the later maybe cute but inefficient Mac like way.

Having taskbar icons displayed as text at the bottom when opened is also very important for me for quick selection and I think it wasn’t possible with Windows 11 when I tried it a few minutes before replacing it with 10 on a new PC.

Also, can taskbar open windows be not combined at the bottom?

The changes seem again gimmicky and an insult to the intelligence of users, like when they pretended they fixed the Start Menu on Windows 8 while not really fixing it.

 

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klang, Cybertooth

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“Microsoft also warns that if a hardware or application compatibility issue is discovered, a device may be put on a safeguard hold and not be offered the update.” ROTFL

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-22h2-is-released-here-are-the-new-features/

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Hardened Windows user here.  I got a notice in my system tray.  I clicked on it and it opened Windows update, which informed me that 22H2 was available.  It’s downloading now.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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bbearren wrote:

It’s downloading now.

Windows 11 Pro Version 22H2 (OS Build 22621.521)

Download and installation complete.  I’m replying to myself to note the time.  Downloading was at ~0 when I first posted.  There were about a half dozen restarts before it got to “Hi.”

I know that it has rearranged my setup, so I’ll have a few things to fix, which is typical after every upgrade, but once again it left StartAllBack intact, so I don’t (and won’t) know anything about changes to the Taskbar and Start Menu.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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So, is it time to change-over to W11. Alternatively, lots of life left in W10, for the foreseeable future ?
Cheers. AK

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Too soon for 22H2 Win11.  If you have the hardware AND you have the licenses AND you are a business there are interesting items, if you are a home user….. eh….

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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With Windows 22H2, Windows introduces Continous Feature Releases. Only Enterprise, Education, and domain joined Pro can stop them

See PC world article and Microsoft support article linked and quoted below.

Windows 11 will add new features whenever Microsoft wants
What were formerly called Windows 11’s “Moments” can take place at any time.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/1069779/windows-11-will-add-new-features-whenever-it-wants.html

John Cable, vice president of program management for Windows Servicing and Delivery, said that the next step will be early adopters; once CFRs are ready for general release, they’ll first be deployed in the optional non-security update you’ll sometimes see in Windows Update. The next step in what Cable called a “phased and measured approach” will be to push the new features as “feature experience packs.” They’ll be pushed to your PC automatically, like patches, and are designed with minimal bandwidth and storage requirements.

In a briefing with reporters, Microsoft executives didn’t say if you’ll be able to halt and manage the new CFR updates like you can currently pause feature updates. (Here’s how to pause Windows updates.) Businesses, however, will: the new CFRs will be off by default. (Typically, however, consumers can pause updates for a week or sometimes more.)

Cable said that this technique has been used previously for feature updates on Windows 10, rolling out updates to the user base at large when everything looks good.

What will be in these CFRs? Cable said Microsoft will use everything from blogs to email inbox notification emails to alert you how these new updates will affect your Windows experience. However, “for most [users], they’ll discover the features through natural discoverability within the OS,” he said.

Can the new CFRs reduce Windows bugs?
As every Windows user knows, however, new code means new bugs. Microsoft, however, believes the new CFRs offer in just the opposite: better reliability.

It’s not clear that the CFRs are themselves responsible for the improvements in reliability. Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella allegedly made an infamous blunder in 2014 when he decided to cut a portion of the company’s quality-assurance team, placing the responsibility of finding and fixing bugs on the developers. Coincidentally (or not) Microsoft launched the Windows Insider program that same year, allowing the company to test its beta software with the public.

John Cable, vice president of program management for Windows Servicing and Delivery, said that the next step will be early adopters; once CFRs are ready for general release, they’ll first be deployed in the optional non-security update you’ll sometimes see in Windows Update. The next step in what Cable called a “phased and measured approach” will be to push the new features as “feature experience packs.” They’ll be pushed to your PC automatically, like patches, and are designed with minimal bandwidth and storage requirements.

In a briefing with reporters, Microsoft executives didn’t say if you’ll be able to halt and manage the new CFR updates like you can currently pause feature updates. (Here’s how to pause Windows updates.) Businesses, however, will: the new CFRs will be off by default. (Typically, however, consumers can pause updates for a week or sometimes more.)

Cable said that this technique has been used previously for feature updates on Windows 10, rolling out updates to the user base at large when everything looks good.

What will be in these CFRs? Cable said Microsoft will use everything from blogs to email inbox notification emails to alert you how these new updates will affect your Windows experience. However, “for most [users], they’ll discover the features through natural discoverability within the OS,” he said.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/delivering-continuous-innovation-in-windows-11-b0aa0a27-ea9a-4365-9224-cb155e517f12

 

Choice and control for enterprise and education customers¹

Windows innovations are designed to deliver value to everyone. We recognize that enterprise and education customers might have different requirements for when they install updates based on planning and process requirements in their organizations. To provide the choice and control, Microsoft will:

• Ship features off by default and create a single policy (GP/MDM) that allows enterprise customers to turn on these features. This will be done as a set, and not for individual features or individual releases.²
• Offer documentation on these features and how to optionally turn them on (via the single policy or their own dedicated GP/MDM policy).
• Deliver features and enhancements ON by default in the next annual feature update. Enterprise and education customers can continue to choose when to deploy new annual feature updates based on their schedule needs.

¹Organization-managed devices using Windows 11 Enterprise and Education editions and domain-joined Pro editions.

²This policy will control features introduced after November 2022.

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GeeBeeDee, Cybertooth

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IMHO this is how we have it now…. the temp in the system tray is a “moment” that came out in a security update and was not tied to feature releases.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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bobolink

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Thanks – I guess this is how it is.

Tried to fix formatting on my original reply.

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Actually the more I think about this, this is actually better.  As I understand it (and we’ll have to see how it works in action) we may be able to control more.  There’s a group policy that may be able to be used as a registry key in Home.  In theory we should be able to block these same “moments” in home with a registry key.  This we will have to test and see what happens.  More on this as we get actual hands on (which appear to be November)

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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Say what? How about just making sure that they are bug free will ya?

Marketers sell positives, not negatives.”Improved that and added this” sells more than. “we fixed a couple of the problems”.

The simple way to be in control of when/if the upgrade happens is GRC’s InControl. At lease, I hope it but me in control for the 3 months minimum community testing I use for upgrades.

Don’t miss reading how it works.

Command line options for those who think they need them. Otherwise, its just a case of click the [Take Control] button to prevent upgrade or [Release Contol] to allow upgrade.

 

 

Group A (but Telemetry disabled Tasks and Registry)
Win 7 64 Pro desktop
Win 10 64 Home portable

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Perq

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bbearren wrote:

I know that it has rearranged my setup, so I’ll have a few things to fix, which is typical after every upgrade

I booted into BootIt UEFI to reclaim the Windows Recovery Environment that the upgrade put at the end of my OS by stealing part of that partition and creating its own.  I deleted and erased it and added its space back to my OS partition.

After booting back into Windows I restored my WindowsRE to its own partition on another SSD, and used Image for Windows v3.55 Utilities to incorporate itself into the Recovery Environment.

Next I uninstalled Edge and Edge Web View—again.  Then I ripped out the Quick Access and other ‘Special Folders’ from the registry—again.  On the other hand, regular folder icons are again showing contents, but a little differently than the earlier version.

I also went into Services and disabled Bitlocker and Windows Search, and launched O&O Shutup 10 and reverted 26 changes to get telemetry back under control.

A relatively uneventful upgrade, the usual shenanigans but no hiccups.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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geekdom, Alex5723, oldfry

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Windows 11 22H2.22621.521 x64 Beta Test (Guinea Pig)

• Downloaded Windows 11 Installation Assistant from here:
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
• Ran Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe
• which invoked WindowsPCHealthCheckSetup,msi download and execution
• which when passed permitted download and installation of Windows 22H2
• On completion, I cleaned up detritus, cleaned up files, cleaned up some other things,
• and started Windows 11 updates with WUMgr.
• On completion, I cleaned up detritus, cleaned up files, and cleaned up some other things.
• Sometimes I rebooted and sometimes the software rebooted.
• The whole process probably took around two hours and if you think it was complicated or tedious, it was.
• There were no problems with installation or booting and the software seems to run without error.

Carpe Diem {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1778 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox114.0b8 MicrosoftDefender

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TechTango

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bbearren wrote:

informed me that 22H2 was available.

Did Microsoft update displayed 22H2 or 2022 ?

One hand doesn’t know what the other hand does.
On announcing the new Windows 11 feature Microsoft called it 2022. In the catalog it appears as 22H2.

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bbearren wrote:

informed me that 22H2 was available.

Alex5723 wrote:

Did Microsoft update displayed 22H2 or 2022 ?

22H2.  And it displayed 22H2 again today, when I booted into the B side of my dual boot for upgrade there.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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bbearren wrote:

There were about a half dozen restarts before it got to “Hi.”

A friend just called to let me know he has updated his Windows 11 laptop.
It took 10 min. downloading, 15 min. updating and one restart.

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bbearren wrote:

There were about a half dozen restarts before it got to “Hi.”

Alex5723 wrote:

A friend just called to let me know he has updated his Windows 11 laptop. It took 10 min. downloading, 15 min. updating and one restart.

I’m not a betting man, but I’m reasonably sure that your friend is not likely to be on the same Xfinity loop that I’m on here in my neighborhood, so his download times may be different.  I’m also reasonably sure that, since your friend has a laptop, he probably does not have a dual boot setup with the same hardware that I’m using.

The A side yesterday had about a half dozen restarts.  A couple of them were quite short, but the BIOS/UEFI splash screen came up, and it doesn’t do that unless a reboot is involved.  The short reboots did not show update progress, or even the revolving circle, but they were nonetheless reboots.

The B side today had three reboots that showed update progress, and a couple early in the process that were just the BIOS/UEFI splash screen coming on, then going off.  From initiating download until “Hi.” was timed at 50 minutes.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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Alex5723

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At the end of the blog post announcing Windows 11 2022 update, How to get the Windows 11 2022 Update | Windows Experience Blog, the last paragraph announces Windows 10 22H2 will be available in October.

--Joe

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Alex5723, lmacri

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Note that the update is the Windows 11 2022 update which changes the Windows 11 version in your system information to Windows 11 22H2.

 

--Joe

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Does it have the mandatory Microsoft account requirement for 11 Pro as was feared?

Edit: Answered my own question by running it in VMware Workstation. It doesn’t, still works as normal (set up for work or school > sign-in options > domain join instead)

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geekdom, Dave, Cybertooth

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https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-11/269419/tip-set-up-windows-11-22h2-with-a-local-account

If you put in a bogus email account you can STILL get around the mandate for a Microsoft account.

You cannot load it up without an Internet connection on a Home sku

But when you get to the “what’s your Microsoft account” put in no@thankyou.com and ANY password

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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Average-Jane, GeeBeeDee, teuhasn2, Perq, klang, Cybertooth

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joep517 wrote:

At the end of the blog post announcing Windows 11 2022 update, How to get the Windows 11 2022 Update | Windows Experience Blog, the last paragraph announces Windows 10 22H2 will be available in October.

I would not be surprised if Microsoft would call the 22H2 update for Windows 10 the “October 2022 Update”

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EP wrote:

I would not be surprised if Microsoft would call the 22H2 update for Windows 10 the “October 2022 Update”

Predictably mundane Microsoft it is then 🙂

Keeping IT Lean, Clean and Mean!

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bbearren wrote:

I’m not a betting man, but I’m reasonably sure that your friend is not likely to be on the same Xfinity loop that I’m on here in my neighborhood

My friend is on 1Gb/s Fiber connection. No dual boot, no hacking telemetry…settings. No 3rd party “fixing” software…. This is a work-from-home secure laptop.

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It’s apples and oranges: different configuration, different changes, different software, different connection.

Carpe Diem {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1778 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox114.0b8 MicrosoftDefender

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bbearren

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Alex5723 wrote:

My friend is on 1Gb/s Fiber connection.

I’m on 300Mbps cable.  Quite a difference, don’t you think?

Alex5723 wrote:

No dual boot, no hacking telemetry…settings. No 3rd party “fixing” software

I have a few 3rd party utilities, none marketed as “fixing” software.  For example, “Registry Toolkit” is an enhanced Regedit.exe.  I do my own registry editing, Registry Toolkit just makes it quicker and easier.  O&O Shutup10 is telemetry control software that makes changes in the registry also, but I have to make all the initial choices of what I want to limit.  It does log my selections and will tell me what changes have been made by Windows, so I can just click “Revert changes” and get back to my initial setup.

Alex5723 wrote:

This is a work-from-home secure laptop.

I’m retired, but my PC’s are pretty secure.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We were all once "Average Users". We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do to our systems, we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

Computer Specs

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I upgraded (after backing up) my work workstation to 22H2 Enterprise as I’m usually the guinea pig for a lot of partners and internally as well. No major issues at this point.

While there’s nothing huge on the surface, this is the most interesting change to me so far. Note, it requires Intel Tiger Lake or later (11th or 12th gen-CPU) from Intel, or Zen3 and later architecture from AMD. If you have the hardware, I’d consider upgrading for this reason alone. It’s actually the reason I’m considering going to 11 on my after-hours ThinkPad P1 Gen5 which is Alder Lake (12th-gen) running 10 Pro, possibly with a Start Menu replacement to get 10’s functionality back.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-22h2-adds-kernel-exploit-protection-to-security-baseline/

We are SysAdmins.
We walk in the wiring closets no others will enter.
We stand on the bridge, and no malware may pass.
We engage in support, we do not retreat.
We live for the LAN.
We die for the LAN.

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I have just updated two of my three computers (all non compliant) to windows 22H2 using the Rufus version 3.20 method.

All updated ok except that the Taskbar is now at the bottom of the screen. The registry hack to put the taskbar at the top does not seem to work now. Does anyone know how to remedy this.

Maurice Helwig

mbhelwig

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unfortunately that’s a no in 22H2, mbhelwig

https://www.windowscentral.com/whats-new-taskbar-windows-11-version-22h2

only way to have the taskbar on top in 22H2 is possibly using a 3rd party app like StartAllBack

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Windows 11’s 2022 Update Is Causing Issues for Some NVIDIA Users

Microsoft finally released its 2022 update (otherwise known as 22H2) to the public, but if you have an NVIDIA GPU, you might want to hold off from updating for now. Especially so if you’re a gamer. Users have reported pretty bad issues with the newest version of Windows and their NVIDIA cards.

The issue in question seems to be related to overlays on games. If you’re playing a game and you want to check its performance, and you press Alt + R to make the GeForce Experience performance overlay show up, your game might begin stuttering badly. In games like God of War, users have reported up to an 87.5% reduction in framerates from bringing up the overlay…

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Cybertooth

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Nvidia issued an emergency fix

Issue:
Some users may observe lower performance in games or applications after updating to Microsoft Windows 11 2022 Update

Solution:
Update to the latest NVIDIA GeForce Experience v3.26 BETA by choosing from one of the two methods below:

a) Manually download the NVIDIA GeForce Experience v3.26 installer from the URL below. Once downloaded, proceed with the installation.
https://us.download.nvidia.com/GFE/GFEClient/3.26.0.131/GeForce_Experience_Beta_v3.26.0.131.exe

b) From within the GeForce Experience app, open up “Settings” in GeForce Experience and select “Enable Experimental Features”. Then close GeForce Experience. Wait 30 seconds and then re-open GeForce Experience. The app will automatically update to the latest version.

The non-Beta version of NVIDIA GeForce Experience 3.26 is expected to go live with a new GeForce Game Ready Driver the week of September 26

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Cybertooth

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NVIDIA GeForce Experience 3.26 (none beta) is ready.

What’s new in GeForce Experience 3.26

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Media Creation Tool has been refreshed to download/create 22621.525 ISO, which include the fix for un-localized setup pages

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Cybertooth, geekdom, b, Alex5723

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Evaluation ISO refreshed too
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/download-windows-11-enterprise

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