MS-DEFCON 2: Are you still on Windows 10 21H2?

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ISSUE 20.23.1 • 2023-06-08 By Susan Bradley We’re nearly halfway through the 2023 patching year, almost to the end of the road for Windows 10 21H2. Bu
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 2: Are you still on Windows 10 21H2?]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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abbodi86, DLivesInTexas, lmacri, Alex5723

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I just wish the manufacturers of Home/SMB NAS units, were supporting them via firmware upgrades so that they could support SMB2. Netgear made some beautiful NAS units but the Netgear Pro range cannot be upgraded to support SMB2. Not very “Pro” to me.

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I am pleased to see that my Synology DS214 Play (installed Feb 2015) supports SMB2. Another example of Synology supporting its products

Chris
Win 10 Pro x64 Group A

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OK I think I am mired in the MS MUD. My machine seems to be stuck on update 20H2 after multiple sessions with Microsoft agents trying to help me for hours. Please check the attached screenshot I cannot download the tool you advise Susan, even though it is a MS tool. I do not want to retire this lovely machine. Yes I have a powerful desktop I built with a RIZEN CPU and I will get the heatsink back on it ASAP after fixing a constant rebooting issue, probably overheating (fixed I hope and also hope the CPU is ok) There really are very few comparable machine with this Fujitsu Lifebook T902. If I must go back to Win 7 eventually I do have the install disk with all the updates possible I think. My training as tier two MSN tech support was more than 20 years ago , so maybe I am out of date. I really cannot afford fancy new machines at this time, as I am transitioning from online EFL teacher to full time writing, even though nobody will hire me at 78. I think I can build an audience of teachers (working and retired), students and parents plus others who like my fiction too. It will take time and I need this machine to work. The built in WACOM tablet is wonderful.

So any ideas what to do next? HELP!!!!! Karena Andrusyshyn

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Click on the download arrow in the menubar of the browser.
When it shows the download file, there should be an option to “download anyway.”
wushowhide.disgcab is safe to download.
Put it on your desktop, double click on the icon, click on “Advanced” then uncheck the “Apply fixes automatically.”

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Also an upgrade problem but not the same. I could not get 21H1 to upgrade to 21H2, it failed twice. I did not write the error codes.

But last week it upgraded to 22H2 on the first try. I used the 22H2 ISO although the 21H2 ISO failed twice.

It has been updating its Windows Defender signature definitions. It is not a very usable PC, being an Atom processor maxing out with 2 GB of memory.

My process to get the ISO is, set the user agent on the browser to be a non-Windows Operating system, although it was running Windows 10 21H1.

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FYI: you can check your status with a single command:

PS> Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB1Protocol, EnableSMB2Protocol

EnableSMB1Protocol EnableSMB2Protocol
------------------ ------------------
             False               True

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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TechTango, jburk07, Just another Forum Poster, geekdom

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RetiredGeek wrote:

FYI: you can check your status with a single command:

With a single PowerShell command…

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Would this be sufficient to keep MS from installing and messing with PC BIOS firmware?

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000194492/how-to-stop-windows-updates-from-downloading-and-installing

Would this be enough to keep MS from triggering the forced install of firmware updates with future cumulative updates?

Will it be safe to then install the cumulative update for the other issues the update fixes without it being able to install firmware files?

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not quite or not enough just to follow what is mentioned on the Dell support link, NetJunkie.

still need to follow what is mentioned here as well, including the use of wushowhide.diagcab:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/is-there-a-way-to-stop-updates-in-w10/

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Thanks, Susan.

We succeeded in updating a few of our Windows 10 PCs to 22H2.

Winver says most are now at Build 19045.2965 .

I’m now wondering if MS has added code to DEFEAT third-party programs like WinUpdateStop .

I can DISABLE Windows Update with that software, but in Windows 10 SERVICES I see that it is attempting to re-start.

In Properties > RECOVERY tab, I’ve set all 3 options to “Take No Action”.

Is anyone else using WinUpdateStop on their Windows 10 PC?

There is a newer version that requires a paid license.

I’m currently using a prior version v1.4 .

Thanks in advance of help from any other readers here.

 

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I just now confirmed that Windows 10 22H2 is changing “Startup type” in Services from “Disabled” to “Manual” EVEN THOUGH WinUpdateStop is set to DISABLE Windows Updates.

My BEST GUESS is that MS added code to defeat these third-party programs, to be consistent with their recent policy of FORCING Windows Updates to 22H2.

 

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Windows 10 Home 21H2 on elderly Dell Inspirion 5749 laptop that can’t be upgraded to Win 11.

I have updates set to paused (with metered connection), and extended to July 13 by using the quick on/off of airplane mode trick. Up to date as of April’s recommended patches (installed April CU KB5025221, avoided the secure boot patch KB5012170).

I have used the registry trick to hold the version at Win 10 21H2, but know I need to get to Win 10 22H2.

Since the versions from 2004 to 22H2 are based on the same core, and I haven’t had any issues with drivers or anything else, can I assume that it’s a pretty straightforward matter of upgrading by changing the registry entry to Win 10 22H2 and using the ‘check for updates’ under the Windows Update Settings?

Or, am I at risk of getting the patches (secure boot patch, etc) that Susan says to avoid?

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Seems like MS is already trying to force the firmware updates for the upcoming forced updates for secure boot.  Today when I turned on Windows Updates and ran the wushowhide tool, I was greeted with a firmware update for BIOS.  The last one issued for my machine build which was over three years ago.

This despite me having the driver updates disabled from Windows Update or so I thought.  Upon checking it was not.  I thought BIOS or firmware updates where cumlative in that you have to have the previous version installed before you can install the next.  My firmware is 4 stages below the current or last offered one.  So wouldn’t this up the chance of MS bricking my machine if I had allowed that firmware update to proceed?  Now that I have it blocked with the wushowhide tool Windows update complains about missing important security and quality fixes?  Is this the correct behavior for Windows Update when using MS own blocking tool?

This is all very troubling. Can this be stopped if one is disable the secure boot setting in your BIOS?  Only reason I left it alone is I beleive it was set that way be default.  And the warning that you may have to reinstall Windows if you change the setting.

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SupremeLaW

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NetJunkie wrote:

I was greeted with a firmware update for BIOS

Never install Windows update BIOS.
If you see the need to update BIOS do so by downloading from your PC / motherboard manufacturer.

The secure boot update KB5012170 (on my PC) has been installed back in August with no bad effects.

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SupremeLaW

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