New topic in AskWoody Knowledge Base: Verifying Checksums

In the last few days, we have added another post to the Askwoody Knowledge Base: AKB1000006 is a primer on Checksum Verification, designed to help those new to using checksums for verify downloaded files.

While many of our readers are already doing that routinely, there may be some for whom this is all new and mysterious, even though its practice is sometimes mentioned here on AskWoody.com. With the possibility of installing a corrupted, accidentally altered or deliberately tampered-with file, it makes sense to check first where that is possible. The topic also mentions how to check digital signatures on files.

And like all our Knowledge Base topics, it is included on the Knowledge Base Listing page, for easy reference.

List of problematic SMBv1-only hardware, from NedPyle

No doubt you’ve been following the SMBv1 controversy, where an ancient protocol is exposing lots of machines to WannaCry-class malware. You or your company may well have started disabling it.

Microsoft’s Ned Pyle (@NerdPyle on Twitter) has compiled a lengthy list of hardware that only works with SMBv1. It’s a sobering list.

New Surface Pro 2017 shuts off unexpectedly? Return it while you can

Barb Bowman recommends that you turn in any Surface Pros that die unexpectedly, and take your chances with a new machine.

Computerworld Woody on Windows.

Win10 Creators Update 1703 no longer able to set “Pause Updates” to 35 days

A letter from SC:

I am running Widows 10 Pro Version 1703, Build 15063.413.

Several weeks ago I was able to set “Pause Updates” for up to 35 days.

Now I am only able to “Pause Updates” for up to 7 days.

What has happened? Is there some way to  revert to  35 days?

I don’t know what the problem might be. Do any of you? I see there’s a similar complaint from Gabe1972 on the Microsoft Answers forum.

UPDATE: I seem to recall there was a change from 35 to 7 days when the beta version of 1703 finally hit RTM. Could that be the source of the confusion?

One-Drive now limited to NTFS formatted drives

OneDrive has stopped working on non-NTFS drives

By Peter Bright | July 6, 2017

FAT disks are no longer supported—more surprisingly, nor is the new ReFS file system.

OneDrive users around the world have been upset to discover that with its latest update, Microsoft’s cloud file syncing and storage system no longer works with anything other than disks formatted with the NTFS file system. Both older file systems, such as FAT32 and exFAT, and newer ones, such as ReFS, will now provoke an error message when OneDrive starts up.

Read the full article on ArsTechnica

Mary Jo Foley has more information at All About Microsoft on ZDNet

Microsoft releases 15 Office patches for July, but some June bugs still stink

Embarrassing Office 2010 fix—KB 4011042—doesn’t make the main listing.

See Computerworld Woody on Windows.

Office non-security patches for July 2017 are here

No, you don’t want to install them yet, even if we are on DECFON 3.

Office 2013

Update for Microsoft Word 2013 (KB3213567)
Update for Skype for Business 2015 (KB3213574)

Office 2016

Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB3213547)
Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (KB3203481)
Update for Skype for Business 2016 (KB3213548)
Update for Microsoft Visio 2016 (KB3203473)
Update for Microsoft Project 2016 (KB3203476)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB3213549)
Update for Microsoft Word 2016 (KB3213550)
Update for Microsoft Access 2016 (KB3191926)
Update for Microsoft OneNote 2016 (KB3178665)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB3203471)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB3115145)
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB3191928)

Office 2007 is on extended support. It no longer receives non-security updates. There were no updates listed for Office 2010. Security patches for all current versions of Microsoft Office are released on the second Tuesday of the month (Patch Tuesday)

As Windows fades slowly into the sunset…

… hard to believe that Apple is rolling over the market.

When you compare the number of devices purchased that run Windows, as opposed to macOS or iOS, the worm has turned. Fascinating graphic from Horace Dediu at Asymco

As he puts it:

The consequences are dire for Microsoft. The wiping out of any platform advantage around Windows will render it vulnerable to direct competition. This is not something it had to worry about before. Windows will have to compete not only for users, but for developer talent, investment by enterprises and the implicit goodwill it has had for more than a decade.

I wonder how Android devices look in a similar graph. StatCounter shows usage percentages for each of the major OSs like this:

Last person turn out the lights, OK?