MS-DEFCON 2: Here comes 21H2

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ISSUE 18.42.1 • 2021-11-04 By Susan Bradley Microsoft is beginning to push 21H2, Microsoft’s least interesting feature release in the Windows 10 era.
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 2: Here comes 21H2]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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firstmerk, mpw, Wayne, abbodi86, E Pericoloso Sporgersi

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Thank you.

The registry hack to tweak the pause period up to 70 , or whatever number I want, is very handy.

Next thing I’ll try, is pulling the pause time down again. I’ll let you know if it works.

1 Desktop W11
1 Laptop W10
Both tweaked to look, behave and feel like Windows 95

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It might, you’d have to run it out for 90 days to see. If you mean changing the end dates to 2030 or something.  After doing that Advanced Settings in Update will show a huge scroll to the end dates, you can choose one and it will show in “pause until.”

But, installing updates online or hitting 90 days from the initial set date has made our Windows 10 Pro machines demand updates and the registry changes disappear (clock restarts.)  You can start it again by downloading/installing an update from the catalog.

Bottom line, I’m not certain updates can be delayed more than 90 days in Pro.  Home’s banned here, no idea what it will do.  We have three Enterprise licenses that block all updates seemingly forever.

Confusing and I’m sure others have experienced someting different.

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“That’s because the simple way to pause updates is to click the Pause update for 7 days button under Windows Update. That button always works in seven-day increments and is controlled by the Registry key above or by Windows’ default of 35 days (five weeks). I don’t like this method . . .”

Why not? I’ve used this method forever, all five click for five weeks with no problems.

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Because I’m lazy and like to pick the ultimate date I want to defer to from the get go.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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Wayne, mpw

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Yep.  Me too.

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-0050 – 64 bit
Windows 10 Home Version 22H2
OS build 19045.2486
Windows Defender and Windows Firewall
Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019
-Version 2211(Build 15831.20208 C2R)

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A couple quick questions since I haven’t seen anything on these:

Will Microsoft try to push Win11 if you don’t have TPM/PTT?  I want to stick with Win10 until I buy a new computer.

Can I still get Windows 10 updates without worrying about MS trying to install Win11?

Thanks

blueboy714

Custom Build - Intel i5 9400 5 Core CPU & ASUS TUF Z390 Plus Motherboard
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 22H2 (OS build 19045.2251)

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IT Manager Geek

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No you get a section in the middle that says your computer can’t get 11. And you’ll still get 10 updates.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

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blueboy714

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that’s the same message I got on my father’s Toshiba Satellite 2013 laptop where it was not worthy of receiving Win11 because it has an AMD A6-5200 APU/CPU which is unsupported for W11 and no TPM (but has UEFI & secure boot)

btw, only certain Portege, Tecra & Satellite Pro series of Dynabook/Toshiba laptops are eligible for Win11 – my dad’s old Toshiba laptop isn’t one of them

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Can you get Mars Hotel on CD?  Haven’t looked in a while; it used to not be available.

🙂

(Very OT)

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Deferred W11. Wonder if I’ll get W10 21H2 ?

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Thank you for this post. You must have been watching my screen since I was reading up on if I should update from 21H1.

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Hi Susan,
I see it was mentioned in your post that it also has to deal with WPA3. My netgear router has a firmware update and i’m assuming it has to do with that as well. My question is do I update the router firmware or what to see if others have issues? My other main concern is if older PC’s like mine that have older NIC Cards with they crash when if the OK is given to install 21h2?
Thanks

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I think the suggestion:

[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

Scroll down to find the following key:

FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays]

is simply brilliant. Appears to work great. Pushed out to 70 days on a Windows Home 21H1 PC.
Is this a newly found tweak, or one I’ve simply missed?

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Since there seems to be  negative correlation between the number of new features in a version and reliability, 21H2 should be the most reliable ever!

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Noel Carboni

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Seconded. I think “least interesting” is probably one of the nicest things Microsoft could have ever done to Windows 10, given how the past few years have largely been tacking on new features without adequate QA, and in general having an unpolished, unfinished operating system with rough edges.

Mind you, I don’t mind getting new features, but there should be a period where no new features are added and attention is focused on polishing and refining what you already have. Software companies that spend too much time developing new features and too little time focusing on their existing offerings come across as being too reckless and immature to me.

I hope that, with Windows 11 now in the limelight (and who knows? maybe Microsoft will do a Windows 12 next year and copy Apple and Google), Windows 10 will go into a sort of “extended support” phase where Microsoft focuses on polishing the operating system, rather than introduce some weird new niche feature that I have no use for and can’t uninstall.

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Noel Carboni

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hi Susan

in case for those Win10 users who are using less than the 21H1 version, 21H1 has been recently “designated for broad deployment” as noted here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-21h1

Current status as of November 3, 2021
Windows 10, version 21H1 is designated for broad deployment. As always, we recommend that you update your devices to the latest version of Windows 10 as soon as possible to ensure that you can take advantage of the latest features and advanced protections from the latest security threats.

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A release that moves the rate of change needle a bit below “breakneck” is quite welcome indeed!

I do like rounded corners on windows, but given the overall levels of complexities of the product AND the computing world, it seems to me Windows 11 simply can’t quite be ready to power business just yet. Let’s give it a little time to settle.

-Noel

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Ms. Bradley:

I have Windows 10 Pro 21H1 installed on two computers. A month or so ago I followed your great suggestions, and set a deferral period of 35 days (to Nov. 9). Today when I tried it, my only choices are Nov. 7, 8, 9 & 10.  There is also a note just above ‘Pause until” which says: “Temporarily pause updates from being installed on this device for up to 35 days. When you reach the pause limit, your device will need to get the new updates before you can pause again.” Delaying again to just before Thanksgiving, as you suggested is well past 35 days.

I assume that I don’t have an Insiders build, and even if I did, I am only given 4 days (thru Nov. 10).

I understand that I can change the Registry, but I would prefer not to do that, since that is just another item that I have to keep track of.

How can I get around this problem?

 

Harry

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First, to be sure you are not on an Insider Build, check here:
Settings\Update & Security\Windows\Insider Program.

Next, in the taskbar search box, type winver and hit Enter. Let us know your Version and Build number.

Once you Pause Updates, you have to install any pending updates before you can Pause again. If you have not done so since you set the Nov 9 date you will not be able to choose a later date. But, there are some things you can do to avoid updating.

+ In the taskbar search box type gpedit and hid Enter to edit Group Policy. It opens in a tree like File Explorer. Navigate to:
Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update
+ Highlight Windows Update on the left
+ On the right, double click on “Configure Automatic Updates”
+ In the box that opens, click “Enabled” and below in the first box, set the value = 2.
+ Click “Apply” then “OK”
+ Close Group Policy
This will keep the updates from downloading until you click the “Download” button. (DO NOT “Check for updates)

Disconnect from the network.
Click “Resume updates.” This will fail b/c you are not connected to the Internet.
Restart the computer and wait for Windows Update to check for updates on its own. (DO NOT “Check for updates).

Run wushowhide.diagcab and  HIDE any updates you do not want.
After you do that, there are several ways to proceed.

AKB2000016 Guide to Windows Update Settings for Win10.
Sections 1 and 2 will give you information. If you want to use Registry settings to control the version, the scripts are downloadable there or in AKB6000003 Registry keys and group policy settings to select specific feature.
Section 4 and 5 have information on Group Policy Settings.

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Fred

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PKCano:

As always, thanks for your very prompt reply.

Windows Insider Program. Both computers ask if I want to join, so I assume that I am not on Insider Build. But on the Windows Update screen, at the top, both show in red this text: “Some settings are managed by your organization.”

Version and Number:
E430 (updated from Win 7 Pro to Win 10 Pro). Version 21H1. Build 19043.1237
T14 (came with Win 10 Pro) The same. Version 21H1. Build 19043.1237

Before I go any farther with your suggestion to avoid updating, there are two things I don’t understand.

First, I thought I updated to 21H1 when Susan Bradley said to, and after that I set the 35 day window. So IF that is true, then I don’t understand why everyone who followed her suggestions are not having the same problem that I do.

Second, assuming I follow the steps you proposed, and can delay for another few weeks. Somehow I got the impression that updating put me on a quick path to Windows 11. Did I misunderstand? I am just now beginning to understand Windows 10!

Harry

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Fred

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Build 19043.1237 is the September update for 21H1.
If you set Pause till Nov 9th, which is Patch Tuesday, you won’t see Oct. updates until Nov 9th. That’s what Pause does. Prevents updates until it ends.

To get the October updates before Patch Tuesday (and thus Nov updates), you need to end the Pause. The way to do that is in post #2400182 above. Follow the instructions up to disconnecting from the Internet. Once disconnected, end Pause by setting the Pause date back to the current date or clicking “Resume updates” (whichever works). Once Windows Update rescans on its own (DO NOT click “check for updates”), you will be offered Oct updates. This must be done before MS releases the Nov updates at 10:00am PST on Patch Tuesday. After that time, only Nov updates will be available.

Reading through AKB2000016 may help you understand how Windows Update works in Win10 and how to control it.

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PKCano:

Thanks for the more detailed information, and the link. Because I was not 100% clear how to proceed with post #2400182 , I had not yet followed those instructions. So I was able to change the date I had selected under “Pause Updates’ to today. Then Windows proceeded to download and install the update. I did that on both my Win 10 computers.

I checked winver, and they are both now Version 21H1, Build 19043.1288.

I wasn’t sure it was going to work, because it seemed like it took forever to install, and since the process took essentially 100% of my memory, I was not able to see if there were any error messages on another screen. I used my 35mm camera to take some screen shot during the process.

One of the things I learned from this was that I should set the date of Pause update to the Saturday or Sunday before Patch Tuesday. By then Susan Bradley should have posted her recommendations.

Thanks as always for your help and insight.

 

Harry

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This message mean that you have altered some Windows update settings via GPEdit/registry hack, paused, deferred..
Under the message there is a link to check list of changes.

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Alex5723:

Thanks for the clarification and the info that I will be able to lock on Windows 10 until I find it fit for Windows 11. The real question will be if I am fit for Windows 11!

 

Harry

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hmw3 wrote:

Somehow I got the impression that updating put me on a quick path to Windows 11. Did I misunderstand?

Updating doesn’t put you in a path to Windows 11. You will get Windows 11 when Microsoft will decide so (never click ‘check for update’.
You can lock your system on Windows 10 until you find it fit for Windows 11.
Look at Knowledge Base forum.

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hmw3 wrote:

Alex5723:

Thanks for the clarification and the info that I will be able to lock on Windows 10 until I find it fit for Windows 11. The real question will be if I am fit for Windows 11!

 

Harry

You can check your PC’s compatibility using the free portable WhyNotW11.
You can lock your system to Windows 10 using GPEdit / registry hack TVR settings.

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