Got a Windows configuration update?

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Did you receive a Windows configuration update that demanded a reboot? I got it at the office where my patches are normally controlled and I’m not 100
[See the full post at: Got a Windows configuration update?]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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OudjesEric, Peter Prosser, jburk07, LaRuca, schwabel_ronald, kstenbch, Barney Lerten, EspressoWillie, Cybertooth, Endora, jcp46, Skyking, jrp2706, TechTango

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At home I got this configuration update installed on June 15.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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The Windows Configuration Update you refer to was installed on one of our four laptops (which is Win 11 Home, updates paused) but not the other three (one of which is also Win 11 Home, updates paused):

The Windows Configuration Update was installed on a Dell XPS 9710 Win 11 Home 22H2 PC overnight Sept 15-16, 2023.

— Windows Update was paused until Sept 26, 2023.

— Under Update History it shows as an Other Update successfully installed.  Clicking on Learn More brings up “May 24, 2023—Windows configuration update Windows 11 version 22H2, all editions”.

— “Get the latest updates as soon as they are available” is off.

— Now at: OS Build 22621.2134.

— Comment: Last night, just before the Windows Configuration Update was installed, Dell installed a BIOS update.

Windows Configuration Update did not happen on Lenovo L13 Yoga-Gen2 Win 11 Home (where updates are paused).

Windows Configuration Update did not happen on Lenovo L470 Win 10 Pro (where updates are not paused).

Windows Configuration Update did not happen on Lenovo E420 Win10 Home (where updates are paused).

 

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jburk07, kstenbch, Renee

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Actually just got a prompt to reboot on the home Windows 11 22H2.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Skyking, WSDKS01

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Actually just got a prompt to reboot on the home Windows 11 22H2.

That is what greeted me this morning on two Win 11 22H2 (one Pro and one Home) computers.

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kstenbch

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Yeah, I got home from shopping and Windows Update, which I had paused until September 28th wanted me to reboot my computer or schedule a reboot. Yes, I installed Windows 11 and updated to 22H2 back at the end of July, when you gave the all clear. I hate when Microsoft does this crap. It seems like they design everything for engineers and early adopters, which is less than 15% of the PC market. I wasn’t planning on installing any kind of updates until you give the all clear to DEFCon 4 at the end of the month. I hate companies like Microsoft that seem to not care about their customers. I’m tired of having to relearn how to use my computers and how to set it up to what I need or want every few years. Apple sucks too. Their current version of OS is based on OS X, so you don’t have to relearn how to use your computer all the time, but a laptop or desktop PC equivalent to my multimedia computer [not a gaming system] that allows me to stay current and teach EFL online is 4 to 5 times more expensive from Apple, and their crap is made in the cheapest place on earth, China. Idiots keep pointing out the iPad but that’s a tablet, not a laptop or desktop replacement. We’re not allowed to teach using those, just like we can’t teach using Wi-Fi, we have to use Ethernet. . . .

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Renee, Cybertooth

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Yes – two Windows 11 22H2 Pro machines updated overnight despite updates being blocked until 26 September…

🙁

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kstenbch

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Yes, ten days ago.

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Remember this on Windows Update page ?

*We will ask you to download updates, except when updates are required to keep Windows running smoothly. In that case, we’ll automatically download those updates (* and install :-))

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Skyking

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This is a new update. It is a security update. KB5030219 (OS Build 22621.2283). Details below. It was a quick install with no apparent issues.

It also includes a Servicing Stack update. Perhaps preparing for the next version release?

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/september-12-2023-kb5030219-os-build-22621-2283-8b9ba74f-fdde-4c75-b049-77cf214f4a66

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That’s not the update being discussed here.

Servicing stack update is included with cumulative update every month.

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Skyking

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b wrote:

That’s not the update being discussed here.

Servicing stack update is included with cumulative update every month.

The note from Microsoft seems to say the opposite.

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Skyking

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WSDKS01 wrote:

b wrote:

That’s not the update being discussed here.

Servicing stack update is included with cumulative update every month.

The note from Microsoft seems to say the opposite.

Which note? Which opposite? Please explain.

Every monthly cumulative update for Windows 11 version 22H2 over the last 12 months has included the servicing stack note you quoted.

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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I find this in the linked document (my bolding).

If you want to remove the LCU

To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages.

Running Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) with the /uninstall switch on the combined package will not work because the combined package contains the SSU. You cannot remove the SSU from the system after installation.

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WSDKS01 wrote:

This is a new update. It is a security update. KB5030219 (OS Build 22621.2283).

The one Susan is talking about doesn’t have a KB number — it has only a date – May 24, 2023.

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Susan,
Yes, this morning, Win 22H2 asked for a reboot for the “Configuration Update”. Like you, I felt it best to reboot. It took less than 1 min.
Looking at “Update History”, this update shows in “Other Updates”, as “Windows Configuration Update 9-16-2023” and in “Definition Updates” as MS Defender update.

It is strange that it doesn’t fall under the “Quality Updates” category.
The “Learn More” link opens the May 24, 2023 Configuration Update info, but there is no mention of yesterday’s update. The May 24 update seemed to be quite extensive. I wonder about this one. We should know soon.

I have a feeling that MS needed to get this out in a hurry for some security reason. Maybe I’m wrong there.
Richard

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kstenbch

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I have a feeling that MS needed to get this out in a hurry for some security reason. Maybe I’m wrong there.

You are right. There is a security update included. See the link I posted.

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Skyking

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You’re talking about the regular monthly cumulative update released on September 12th.

The discussion in this thread is about an irregular Windows configuration update (listed under “Other Updates” in Update history). It is not a security update.

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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In your Windows Update settings, is “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” turned on? According to MS, if one turns this setting off, the configuration update won’t be applied until a later CU.

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The more info link lead me here, looks like the update is to allow AI to access your mic (Live Captions). Not anything I would have installed if I had the choice. Sure some disabled may want it, but that is a poor reason to force it on everyone.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/may-24-2023-windows-configuration-update-cae8524a-4b62-4d38-bb67-f070bd282fff

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Live captions do not access your microphone (unless you switch it on to caption your own speech).

Why are you ignoring the other 18 new features it adds?

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Yes, I got the update last night (Sep 16), and yes, I rebooted. Also, I have “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” turned OFF.

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Thanks for confirming your update setting. I guess that despite their settings guidance, MS will apply an update any time they feel it is required.

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kstenbch

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Got it during the night also, all settings that allow something like this are turned off and I had my system set to pause date 10/3. I’ve paused the restart ahead a few days, because I wanted to come here to find out more. Not at all happy that Microsoft thinks it’s okay to do this in spite of settings in place. And if they HAD to do it, they could have notified people of what it was they were going to do.

Windows 11 Pro
Version 10.0.22621, Build 22621
Dell XPS 8950, 12th Gen Intel i7

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kstenbch, Cybertooth

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I’ll bet that this wasn’t intended to kick a reboot.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Endora, I’ve noticed that when Microsoft wants you to restart your computer [like with a forced update or update that downloads and installs despite my pausing updates back on 09/07 until 09/25] and you don’t or delay it for too long, my system starts use a lot more memory and CPU and even Disk and slows down as if it’s suddenly dragging a very big, heavy weight that it wasn’t carrying before. This has held true when my computer was a desktop, desktop replacement, an HP, Lenovo, Compaq, and now an Acer with 20 GB RAM and i-7 processor. BTW, I don’t think I mentioned that my Windows 11 22H2 is the Home edition, as were my Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available is OFF on my computer. My laptop is for multimedia [teaching ESL online], not gaming. This option is off because I don’t want updates downloading, installing, or especially RESTARTING in the middle of an online class. It’s annoying and expensive because I get fined for suddenly leaving the online classroom.

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Endora, Cybertooth

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Looks like this.

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Got it last night (<span style=”font-family: Arial;”>Windows configuration update September 15, 2023</span>). When hubby turned the monitor on it was in the process of rebooting and he wanted to know if I had done something. Not me, I was outside.

“Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” is turned Off”.

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎10/‎19/‎2022
OS build 22621.2283

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Not sure of the source but this AskVG page indicates that configuration updates are part of prior CUs but are initially disabled until activated at a later time by Microsoft. This implies it is not a new download or update but rather an activation process.

Further down on that page are recent comments about why it occurs where the “soon as available” toggle is OFF.

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First off this is not a security update. In update history it lands as an “other update”.  I’m wondering if it should not have flagged a reboot.  The fact that it blew past my office management policies as well as everyone who had updates paused hints that this is an update that should have been in the background and I’m guessing should not have kicked a reboot.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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It’s actually documented and there is the option to disable if you so wish by navigating to the following:

Start > Settings > Windows Update and, next to Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available, set the toggle to OFF.

The good news is if you have Windows 11, version 22H2 or later, you can choose to get the latest non-security and feature updates as soon as they become available for your device (now and in the future). Here’s how:

My emphasis bolding

Ref: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-windows-updates-as-soon-as-they-re-available-for-your-device-cad7b32b-001e-435b-9110-f18309b54168

Might be worth reading if you don’t appreciate the unexpected..

So what did everyone get then, a non-security update? crfeature update? or an unlucky charm?

Me, I’d disable this setting given how it operates.

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created IT- AE

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Mine was “Other Update” (Update History group following Quality, Driver, and Definition updates).

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It is disabled.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Summary if you’re not interested in the technical detective work: Perhaps, this latest “Windows configuration update” was a change to some system configuration settings that apply to the ‘Microsoft GameInput’ application.

My computer also showed this update pending today. I don’t like allowing things to install without knowing what they’re for first, so I poked around a bit before eventually letting it reboot to install. I still can’t say definitively what it is, but I did find some clues and other info.

1. Configuration updates apparently use “Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR)”, which means not all machines will get them at the same time. It’ll depend on your system hardware/software and maybe a bit of random delay.
2. This is very likely NOT the May 24, 2023 update. I looked in my Window Update History, and back in June 2023 I had an identical update description, under “Other Updates” whose “learn more” link pointed to that same May update page. So it looks like MS has not updated that page to include info about this ~Sept 2023 configuration update yet.
3. I used the windows “Reliability Monitor” tool after the reboot to see what was installed.  The most likely item installed at that time was “Microsoft GameInput – Successful application reconfiguration”. I’m not 100% sure that this is the “Windows configuration update”, but it’s the only unaccounted for thing I see listed at the right time. (Note you should be able to run the Reliability app by going to the windows start menu and typing “reliability monitor”)
4. I discovered that some windows update information is stored in an Sqlite database file in C:\ProgramData\USOPrivate\UpdateStore\store.db. Having some database programming experience, I knew how to read through that and found an entry for the installed update. The record for that entry was: PROVIDERID: ConfigProvider, UPDATEID: ConfigUpdate:0, TITLE: OneSettingsUpdate. So what is OneSettings? The very little about it that I was able to find on the web indicates its a microsoft service that allows your computer to retrieve system configuration updates from MS.

So, perhaps, this latest “Windows configuration update” was a change to some system configuration settings that applies to the ‘Microsoft GameInput’ application? Possibly to prevent crashes or mitigate a security vulnerability.

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It’s not a security update. It would be labeled differently and handled differently.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Anyone care to check if they have : System > Recovery > fix problem using Windows Update after updating Windows configuration update ?

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-11-repair-windows-update

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I checked and I don’t have that option.

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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Alex5723

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I don’t have it either.

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎10/‎19/‎2022
OS build 22621.2283

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Cited article indicates that feature is being tested in Canary build 25905. Anyway, not sure what that feature would do with respect to the configuration update issue discussed here.

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I have a Win11 Pro on ARM Parallels VM on an M1 MacMini and on an M2Max MacBook Pro. Neither of these had the Windows configuration update in the list when I updated them with the Sept. updates early yesterday. On both, there is a Windows configuration update listed in “Update History” on 7/11/23, but no other as of Sept updates. (No I haven’t gone through the logs looking for it). Windows Update seemed to progress normally.

However, I have an HP desktop (AMD Ryzen CPU) with Win11 Pro and the story was different when I finally got to it. The 2023-09 CU, .NET CU, Defender def, and MSRT were in the WU queue, no configuration update listed. They downloaded, installed, and I clicked “Restart.” And on the screen, instead of the usual count to 30% and request for restart, there was “installing Windows configuration update.” What the heck????

Unknown WHAT! I forced the computer down, stuck in the Macrium Rescue USB, and restored the previous image from Tuesday. That was last night. Reading the reports about the update this morning it appeared inevitable so I went ahead and ran Windows Update again on the restored image. It still wasn’t in the WU queue, but the updating sequence, although it was successful, didn’t go through the usual progression. I guess the configuration update has been installed, but it didn’t show on the black installation screen like before and it doesn’t show up in the Update History under other updates. (No, I haven’t gone looking for it either. When you don’t have a choice, what difference does it make).

BTW, I have “2” set in Group Policy, no Pause ever, no Previews, whshowhide run before all updates, and the switch to get updates ASAP in OFF.
Microsoft is an enigma.

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Yesterday, I found that my computer did a reboot during the night. I checked and saw that It was because of the update. It completely bypassed my group policy.

Look’s like Microsoft is ignoring GPO with certain update…

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I got it last night too, a puzzler. You’d hope they explain things rather than sending folks off to Woody-land or Reddit to go ‘wha?’ – but as long as it doesn’t break anything…

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Got this today 3pm GMT Saturday. Updates set to paused, ‘Get the latest updates’ already swicthed to OFF. It also put my PC to sleep after installation but before reboot – it’s a PC I have on during the day to run my business and is never put to sleep during the day. Utterly bizarre.

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My Windows 11 pro desktop shows the following under other updates —

24th May 2023 Windows configuration update — successfully installed on 14th June 2023

I do not remember it but I have had no problems with it.

Happened on the same day on my windows 11 Home desktop too.

mbhelwig

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Logged in remotely to a client’s machine Win11 22H2 and it was waiting for a reboot to install. Get the latest updates is OFF and updates were paused. Quick reboot, then installed this month’s updates. Sat at 70-71% installing for quite some time, then Updating Windows at 0% “Don’t turn of your computer” for a good bit of time. Ended up at about 1hr to install latest updates. Something is weird this month!

Never Say Never

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I just told Microsoft this:

“How do I know this is not a hack? I have English selected, why in the hell do I need all of these other languages? This makes Microsoft seem like a cheap non-professional scam. No wonder I prefer Apple.”

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Where did you see other languages?

Windows 11 Pro version 22H2 build 22621.2361 + Microsoft 365 + Edge

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It was mentioned in  the article that appeared in Susan’s original post; Microsoft was extolling all the benefits and multiple languages was one of them.

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It doesn’t add all of those languages. it will just enable additional features if you HAVE those languages installed.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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In simplified words, configuration update is enablement packages over the air

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Betcha it wasn’t supposed to kick a reboot.  Or if it was it was supposed to wait until other patches were installed.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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TechTango, Endora

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It depend on what FeatureIDs it configure

it’s mostly “Windows Notification Facility (WNF)” related stuff

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anonymous wrote:

Further down on that page are recent comments about why it occurs where the “soon as available” toggle is OFF.

Windows Configuration Update is a signal for Windows Update to enable new features and changes present inside a cumulative update on a Windows 11 device earlier than general public. The signal is given by the new “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle option present on Windows Update Settings page. If the toggle option is ON, Windows Configuration Update tells Windows Update to activate and enable new features on user’s device right now. If the toggle option is OFF, new features and changes are enabled later at GA (general availability) time.

* September CU maybe GA of new features as Microsoft may release 23H2 next month

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I received this on one laptop.  The only reason I knew it was installed was the new ‘Windows Backup’ app had been installed and when I investigated it took me to the fact this configuration update was installed.

Win11 Pro… GPO controlled updates.

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This happened to me in the last couple of hours.  ASUS simple PC running Win 11 Home 22H2.  Updates were paused until 28 Sept. ‘Get updates as soon as’ was OFF.

I’m not a computer expert.  I don’t like things happening without warning and I trust Susan’s DEFCON warnings.  This update is like an authoritarian regime kicking down your door.

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Cybertooth

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I was really concerned when I saw that Windows had rebooted overnight.  I had left a duplicate file finder program running the night before and thought that it might have done something that had triggered a blue screen.  When I couldn’t find any dump files, I was ever more concerned.

Thanks for letting me know that it was just Microsoft being it’s normal bullying self.

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Cybertooth

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This configuration addition (added 9/16) explains the weirdness that happens when I mash PRT SCN. At least I can kill it in settings.

 

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Configuration update downloaded last night for my HP laptop. No update yet for my Dell desktop

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I had a quite unexpected automatic restart yesterday – no warning whatsoever.  But I cannot see what caused it – Windows Update History is missing, and the update button in Settings | System does nothing at all.   (Control Panel no longer has anything relevant.)

I am using Xanatos’ update manager (UM), ‘Disable automatic … ” is set.

Following https://pureinfotech.com/view-update-history-windows-11/, the Powershell list is the same as that in UM (the CMD request gets three items! – all for August 30) – which is reassuringly easier.  But, there is no indication of anything corresponding to the Config update, unless it predates this set up (by someone else) of the machine (August 30 …) and was thus already in.

(BTW: asking for 200 entries caused Powershell to hang!)

I guess the reboot was due to some other cause, but it was weird all the same – a system crash (?) when I was doing nothing other than innocuous in email.

 

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I have not  received that update.

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