How Microsoft built, and is still building, Windows 10

Excellent, detailed story by Emil Protalinski at VentureBeat.

Windows 10 Service Release 3, KB3081438, sent out on Friday evening

Nobody knows what it does, and Microsoft isn’t saying as usual, but initial reports are positive. Some people say this new update fixed the reboot problem seen in SR1 (er, Cumulative Update 1) and SR2. Other people say it fixes the Windows Store problem, where Store purchases and updates wouldn’t download.

I have a feeling KB3081438 did fix the broken Sr1 and SR2 installers, but wonder if the Store fix was done on the Microsoft side, in the Store software. Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet weighs in on the ongoing drama.

I’ll be following up on Monday. Here’s Brad Sams’ quick take at Neowin.

Even when told not to, Windows 10 just can’t stop talking to Microsoft

An important development, courtesy of Peter Bright (@drpizza) at Ars Technica

Make sure you read the whole story, including Microsoft’s explanation at the end.

For those of you who think voice input is no biggie…

This just happened, not far from where I live:

Siri saves Rutherford County teen after truck collapse

Windows 10 patch KB 3081436 triggers endless reboots

Just like last week’s patch, KB 3081424.

InfoWorld Tech Watch

Has AskWoody gone soft?

Fair question from reader JN:

Here’s the rub: for as long as I have been following ASKWOODY.COM, Woody has been firm about the automatic update issue and therefore has gone out of his way to provide the MS-Defcon ratings for the benefit of his readers.

Since Windows 10 does not allow the user to turn off automatic updates, I expected you to take a negative position re. Windows 10. Am I wrong?

And here’s my answer:

So far, Win10 patches have been fairly good. I’m willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt. 

Block forced Windows 10 patches by using a metered connection

The trick is working – at least for now.

InfoWorld

By the way… if any of you participated in the experiment I mentioned a couple of posts ago, and turned on Metered Connection, did it block the patch for you, too? Hit me in the comments.

MS-DEFCON 2: As we approach the known unknown, turn off Auto Updates

Will we get a Patch Tuesday this month? Who knows?

My bet is that the answer is “yes,” and it’ll be a big one. But it’s only a guess. If we’re lucky, it’ll be as innocuous as the past four months. If we aren’t lucky…

As usual, if you’re using Vista, Win7, Win8, or Win8.1, now is the time to turn Automatic Udpate off (see the tab above if you’ve never done it before).

If you’re using Win10, care to participate in a little experiment? If you have Win10 and are using a mobile connection (WiFi or 3/4G), could you set it to Metered Connection? (Start, Settings, Network & internet, Wi-Fi, Advanced Options then slide the Metered Connection slider to On.) In theory, that should have these side-effects:

• Windows Update will only download priority updates.
• Apps downloading from the Windows Store might be paused.
• Start screen tiles might stop updating.
• Offline files might not sync automatically.

(In fact, that’s the description for Win 8.1, but I don’t see anything for Win10 on Microsoft’s site.) When I switched on the Metered Connection setting on one of my mobile machines, Win10 refused to download today’s Windows Defender update, KB 2267602. That’s progress, I think.

(Update: To be clear, I don’t expect a Win10 patch today or tomorrow. I’d just like to get a bunch of people watching, poised for when the next update comes out.)

The big question, for me, is whether any new updates that may come down the pike this week are “priority” updates. Microsoft uses the term “priority” in varying ways.

Anyway, get yourself locked down and let’s see what Tuesday will bring.

Windows 10 patch KB 3081424 can crash, fail to install, status 0x80070020

Because of forced updating, the people who crash get to experience the crash over and over again.

Not good news for Windows 10 patching.

InfoWorld Tech Watch

Six predictions for changes in Windows 10

I bet MS will change all of these….

InfoWorld Tech Watch

Microsoft rolls out first official Windows 10 patches: KB 3081424, KB 3081427

Some people call it “Service Release 1” but Microsoft bristles at that nomenclature.

I have no idea what a “Service Release” is, in this context. Guess we’ll find out.

Interesting note: None of this went through the Fast or Slow ring. I was all dumped out through normal Windows Update channels – the only difference being that you can’t turn off Automatic Update on Win10 Home or Win10 Pro (unless the machine’s connected to an Update Server).

InfoWorld Tech Watch

Privacy and advertising in Windows 10 – both sides of the story

It’s not at all black-and-white, in spite of the dire warnings you may have read.

Here’s the facts.

InfoWorld Tech Watch