Windows Enterprise Desktop
Recent Posts
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Rescue Old Windows 10 Applications from Oblivion
22 May 2019 -
Perfect Win10 Relimon Score 10 Days Straight
20 May 2019 -
PowerShell Handles Windows 10 Restore Points
17 May 2019
For those contemplating the possible disappearance of familiar and sometimes beloved built-ins, I explain how to Rescue old Windows 10 applications from oblivion.
Current builds for Windows 10 1809 seem uncommonly stable. In fact, I see a perfect Win10 Relimon score 10 days straight through today, and for 21 of the past 30 days.
As I learn that PowerShell handles Windows 10 Restore Points nicely, I also observe that related cmdlets present their data in more friendly, readable form than does the VSSADMIN command. Good stuff!
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Install KB4494441 CU Twice
15 May 2019 -
Examining Windows 10 ETL files
13 May 2019 -
Nvidia Driver Update Frequency Musings
10 May 2019 -
Windows 10 Workaround Versus Fix
08 May 2019 -
PowerShell Command Line Zip Handling
06 May 2019 -
19H1 Release Preview Bug Bites
03 May 2019 -
MS Valuation Hits Trillion Dollar Mark
01 May 2019
Possibly because a new servicing stack update (SSU) is required to make it work, users must invariably install KB4494441 CU twice to get to Build 17768.503. Very interesting!
When examining Windows 10 ETL files, you'll see a lot of them sometimes. If they take up a lot of (or too much) disk space, it's OK to whack them. Here's how . . .
Checking up on the number released so far in 2019, I find myself musing that Nvidia driver update frequency is too high for those who don't need bleeding/leading-edge game tweaks.
When I can't complete an RDP login on a Skip ahead Insider Preview PC I find myself pondering this dilemma: Windows 10 Workaround versus fix. For me, a workaround will do.
Once you learn the syntax and parameters involved, PowerShell command ine Zip handling is simple and easy, both for bundling files into archives, and unpacking archives' contents.
You'll know when the Windows 10 19H1 Release Preview bug bites, when you see an error message from Windows Update that reads "What needs your attention. . ." Turns out removing the SD card usually ...
On April 30, with a stock value at the market close of $130.60 per share, MS valuation hits trillion dollar mark. Now the question is: can MS stay there?
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Web-based vs Offline DotNET 4.8 Installers
26 Apr 2019 -
Win10 Minimum Hardware Requirements Get Interesting
24 Apr 2019 -
X1 Carbon Extreme 6-Core Really Flies
22 Apr 2019 -
Comet Offers Interesting Disk Cleanup Alternative
19 Apr 2019 -
MFTRCRD64 Shows More NTFS Timestamps
18 Apr 2019 -
MCT1903 Misnomer Not Available
14 Apr 2019 -
Dude, Where Is My SDXC Drive?
12 Apr 2019 -
Samsung Consumer Drivers OEM Friendly
10 Apr 2019 -
Upcoming Insider Preview Changes 2020 Release Access Methods
08 Apr 2019 -
MS Backs Off Forcing Updates
04 Apr 2019 -
Win10 KB4490481 Could Leave 6 Reclaimable Packages Behind
03 Apr 2019 -
Second Reboot Fixes DISM StartComponentCleanup Error 6824
02 Apr 2019 -
WakeMeOnLan Provides Quick Compact Net Survey
30 Mar 2019 -
Win10 1809 Designated for Broad Deployment
29 Mar 2019 -
AdDuplex Tells Interesting 1809 Story
27 Mar 2019 -
Win10 1903 Policy Handles Automatic Updates and Restarts
26 Mar 2019 -
KB4465065 Offers New Microcode Fixes
25 Mar 2019 -
Win10 ComputerName Generation
22 Mar 2019 -
Praising Voidtools Everything
15 Mar 2019 -
Win10 Compact OS for Conventional HDs
14 Mar 2019 -
Say Bye Bye Adobe Shockwave
13 Mar 2019 -
When LinkedIn Posts Fail
13 Mar 2019 -
Reboot Still Solves Simple Win10 Problems
11 Mar 2019 -
Academics Say MS Updates Confuse Win10 Home Users
04 Mar 2019 -
Knocking Out Norton Promo Pop-ups
27 Feb 2019 -
Nvidia LiveKernelEvent 141 Error Returns
25 Feb 2019 -
Win10 Hibernation Situation
22 Feb 2019 -
New MyOffice App Makes Office Ubiquitous
20 Feb 2019 -
Snipping Tool Snip & Sketch Printing
18 Feb 2019 -
Another Free Win7 Life Extension
17 Feb 2019 -
Win10 Alternate Update History Sources
12 Feb 2019 -
Meet PowerShell Core 6.0
11 Feb 2019 -
So Long Venue Pro 11
04 Feb 2019 -
MS Store Offers Windows File Manager
01 Feb 2019 -
Prioritize Win10 NICs Using PowerShell
29 Jan 2019 -
Retiring Older PC Upon Long Service
27 Jan 2019 -
Win10 Safemode Trap Defeated
25 Jan 2019 -
Win10 1809 Update Unknown Device Works
24 Jan 2019 -
Driver Setting Explains Venue Pro Restart Fail
23 Jan 2019 -
Kari Script Builds Win10 Bootable Install UFD
22 Jan 2019 -
Windows 10 1809 versus 1901
18 Jan 2019 -
Windows 7 Inside Last Extended Support Year
16 Jan 2019 -
CU KB4480116 Hiccup Offers Easy Fix
15 Jan 2019 -
Potential 1809 Admin Lockout Discovered
07 Jan 2019 -
Win10 1809 Publicly Available
19 Dec 2018 -
OSUninstallWindow DISM Difficulties
17 Dec 2018 -
Late-Month WU Items Equal Update Previews
14 Dec 2018 -
Intel Win10 UWP Configuration Utility
12 Dec 2018 -
Out Darned Win10 Dollar Files!
10 Dec 2018 -
Win10 Servicing Stack Updates Support CUs
07 Dec 2018 -
Cumulative Update KB4469342 Weaves Tortuous Win10 Track
05 Dec 2018 -
Intel Windows 10 Modern Drivers
03 Dec 2018 -
iCloud Issue Hampers 1809 User Proffer
28 Nov 2018 -
Tablets and Laptops Supplant Desktop PCs
26 Nov 2018 -
False Bug ID Causes 1809 Re-Release
23 Nov 2018 -
Command-line Sequence Kills Resistant Windows.old Files
21 Nov 2018 -
Default Screen Res Kills Event Viewer Log Filtering
19 Nov 2018 -
RDP Win10 Black Screen Fixes
16 Nov 2018 -
Win10 1809 Is Re-released
14 Nov 2018 -
1809 Users Missing Critical Fixes
12 Nov 2018 -
MS Activation Server Issues Temporarily Negate Win10 Licenses
09 Nov 2018 -
New Win10 Zoom Controls Are Coming
07 Nov 2018 -
Handy Win10 USB Eject Tool
05 Nov 2018 -
Win10 Registry Backup Task Broken
02 Nov 2018 -
MS Posts New Win10 1809 Group Policy Reference
29 Oct 2018 -
Operator Error Makes Insider Preview Reflect Bug Persist
26 Oct 2018 -
Second Data Loss Bug in 1809 Raises Serious Concerns About Win10
24 Oct 2018 -
Can WUMgr Replace WUMT?
22 Oct 2018 -
Build 17763.55 Fixes USB Issues
19 Oct 2018 -
Print Scan Drivers Move to Windows Update
15 Oct 2018 -
RunAsTool Elevates Privileges Per Application
12 Oct 2018 -
SpiceWorld 2018 Confirms Win10 Migration Intelligence
10 Oct 2018 -
Alternate Win10 1809 Source During Hold Period
08 Oct 2018 -
Check Those Win10 Installer UFDs
05 Oct 2018 -
Interesting 1809 Disk Layout Changes
03 Oct 2018 -
Marginal Power Mars Win10 USB Flash Drive Access
01 Oct 2018 -
Win10 WSUS Gets Smaller Downloads
28 Sep 2018 -
Hard Disk Warning Prompts Win10 Tool Search
26 Sep 2018 -
Logoff Disconnected Win10 Users Via Command Line
24 Sep 2018 -
Getting KB4458469 Installed When Windows Update Offer Absent
21 Sep 2018 -
Preserving Cleanmgr.exe for Future Use
20 Sep 2018 -
8GadgetPack Remains Viable and Valuable
17 Sep 2018 -
Bye-Bye Disk Cleanup?
14 Sep 2018 -
Handling Intel Management Engine Exploits . . . or Not!
12 Sep 2018 -
Macrium Patches Skipahead Preview Reflect Win10 Bug
10 Sep 2018 -
A Win10 Post-Upgrade Checklist
07 Sep 2018 -
GPT vs MBR Disks
05 Sep 2018 -
Finding Another Path to Reliability Monitor
04 Sep 2018 -
PS Get-HotFix Cmdlet Checks Update Status
27 Aug 2018 -
KB 4093836 Summarizes August 2018 Spectre Microcode Updates
24 Aug 2018
The tradeoff in using web-based vs offline DotNET 4.8 installers is time. Web-based installers are quicker to download but take longer to work through installation. Vice-versa for offline installers.
Careful examination of changes to CPU details show that with version 1903, Win10 minimum hardware requirements get interesting. Simply put, newer CPUs deliver more advanced features and functions.
If you're looking for a serious, capable road/travel laptop, be aware that the Lenovo X1 Carbon Extreme 6-Core really flies. For $2.5-3.0K you can get performance on par with a reasonably capable ...
A free, open source program named Comet offers interesting Disk Cleanup alternative for Windows 10. If MS should now decide to retire the original (which they may do), looks like we've got a usable ...
MFTRCRD64 Shows More NTFS Timestamps
Though some enterprising Windows-head found a file named MediaCreationTool1903.exe, it's a MCT1903 Misnomer not available to the public just yet, as a bit of DISM inspection shows. It will be ready ...
When I lose a device after a Release Preview upgrade, I raise the question "Dude, Where is my SDXC Drive?" A quick rollback leads me to suspect a driver issue, and a follow-up report to the MS ...
Because my new Lenovo loaner laptops include OEM model NVMe drives, I find myself asking are Samsung consumer drivers OEM friendly? In my case, at least, the answer turns out to be "Yes!"
For the next little while, upcoming Insider Preview changes 2020 release access methods: to check the Release Preview and prep for the next 19H2 Fast Ring, go "Slow;" to get the 20H1 bits, pick ...
In a surprising but welcome move, MS Corporate VP for Windows Mike Fortin announces that, starting with the next feature upgrade, MS backs off forcing updates on users. All I can say is: "Hooray!"
The latest Cumulative Update Win10 KB4490481 leaves 6 reclaimable packages behind. That's 3 or 4 more than usual, and amounts to over 9 GB of obsolete material. Definitely worth cleaning up.
Second reboot fixes DISM StartComponentCleanup error 6824, so if you see this you can make it work that way, too.
Because NirSoft's WakeMeOnLan provides quick compact net survey, it's worth using as a survey tool, as well as to remotely start up or shut down PCs on your LAN(s).
About one month before the next feature upgrade would typically appear, MS finally proclaims Win10 1809 designated for broad deployment. 'Bout time!
In publishing its latest release distribution numbers, Latvian software company AdDuplex tells interesting 1809 story -- namely, that for every 1809 user, there are 2.5+ users running 1803 or some ...
A new Win10 1903 policy handles Automatic Updates and Restarts. Here's how to find, enable, and manipulate its settings.
KB4465065 offers new microcode fixes for intel CPUs. The operative question is always "What's the performance hit?" For me, it's negligible across a broad range of CPUs.
When one of my PCs disappears from the network I realize I've fallen victim to Win10 ComputerName generation during a recent clean install. So, I research the rules whereby such names are made.
Praising Voidtools Everything is easy because it's the fastest, most capable and most convenient Windows search tool around. In troubleshooting an install issue yesterday, it really showed itself ...
If you, or any of your users, boot from a conventional (spinning) hard disk, look into Win10 Compact OS capabilities. This can deliver space and performance gains on such PCs.
With EOL coming on April 9, 2019, it's time to say bye bye Adobe Shockwave Player for Windows.
When LinkedIn posts fail I turn to Twitter for help and find someone to communicate with immediately. Nothing seems to work, but I log in this morning and it's all fixed.
As I observe that a reboot still solves simple Win10 problems, I'm reminded that trying easy and obvious fixes early in the troubleshooting process remains a good idea.
Based on a recent study, academics say MS Updates confuse Win10 Home users. Most of their observations apply to those who manage updates for other Windows 10 versions, too.
When the darn things won't close and start blocking the view of my workspace, I find myself knocking out Norton promo pop-ups. Here's how. . .
When Nvidia LiveKernelEvent 141 error returns to Reliability Monitor, I start troubleshooting my Nvidia drivers. I eliminate GeForce and the driver installer as the cause, but not the error.
For some users, the Win10 hibernation situation is such that normal defaults work just fine. For others -- especially those with restart or wake from sleep issues -- turning off hibernation can be ...
Starting 2/20/2019, a new MyOffice app makes Office ubiquitous. Works with local and remote executables, across multiple platforms and OSes.
Snipping Tool Snip & Sketch printing presents problems when you want to print a screencap on a single piece of paper. Other programs include a"Fit to page" option. You should, too!
In announcing a preview of its Microsoft Virtual Desktop Azure-based technology, MS sneakily offers another free Win7 life extension. Very interesting!
When an attempt to recover update history turns up zilch, I find two good Win10 alternate update history sources. They may come in handy if Win10 does you like it did me.
Meet PowerShell Core 6.0, it's got your scripting needs covered on Windows, modern macOS versions, and many important Linux distros, too. Check it out!
When it fails all attempts to install 1809 or newer Insider Previews, I realize it's time to say so long Dell Venue Pro. Fortunately my even older ThinkPad X200T takes over without a hitch.
Those looking for a Windows nostalgia trip need not look too far. Right now, the MS Store offers Windows File Manager a la Windows 3.1.
It's quick and easy to prioritize Win10 NICs using PowerShell. In fact, you can favor wired over wireless, or vice-versa, as you see fit.
When I hit a constant series of snags with upgrading to the latest Win10 Insider Preview version, I consider retiring older PC upon long service. Frankly, I'm torn up about this.
If you only use an MS account to log in to Windows 10, you might get caught in a trap. Here, I show the Win10 Safemode trap defeated and disarmed.
To my surprise and delight, I find that Win10 1809 update Unknown Device works in Device Manager. At least it did for a couple of UART system devices yesterday. Cool!
After a clean install shows the problem is software -- not BIOS -- related, changing an Intel Management Engine driver setting explains Venue Pro Restart fail.
When repeated attempts to upgrade to recent Insider Preview releases fail, I use Kari's script to build myself a Win10 bootable install UFD. A clean install does the trick!
When it comes to version naming, Windows 10 1809 versus 1901 refers to putative release in September (October) 2018 that's now turned into January 2019. Go figure!
With Windows 7 inside last extended support year, lots of businesses and organizations need to plan to migrate to Windows 10 sooner rather than later. Here's why...
CU KB4480116 Hiccup Offers Easy Fix: if you apply the update and lose the Start Menu and/or UWP apps, a quick restart/reboot may set things right.
Zounds. Japanese researchers find another 1809 upgrade gotcha. With a potential 1809 admin lockout discovered, workarounds or deferrals are necessary.
With Win10 1809 publicly available through Windows Update, admins should formulate a workable recovery strategy in case one or more such upgrades go sideways. Here's how.
Current versions of Windows 10 suffer from OSUninstallWindow DISM difficulties. Check yours to see if this affects your users (or you).
It's good to know that late-month WU items equal update previews. Those unwilling to deal with possibly shaky code should wait for Patch Tuesday and push updates instead.
When I try out a new Intel Win10 UWP Configuration Utility, I learn that it brings lots of useful, informative capability into a single app. Good stuff!
When an inspection of my C: drives reveals a bunch of hidden system folders, I figure out how to chase out darned Win10 dollar files!
Win10 Servicing Stack Updates Support CUs (Cumulative Updates) by pre-emptively addressing possible issues and problems with a CU's content and changes. That's why an SSU normally accompanies each ...
After four releases, each new one to unsnarl problems from its predecessors, Cumulative Update KB4469342 weaves tortuous Win10 track for the 1809 release.
As of November 2018, Intel Windows 10 Modern Drivers and an Intel Control Panel app represent the current and future direction for built-in Intel graphics chipsets.
Because of synchronization problems in the latest Windows 10 release, an iCloud issue hampers 1809 user proffer. Once a PC is updated to the latest iCloud, it's safe to upgrade to 1809.
According to the UK Government's Office of Communications (Ofcom), tablet and laptops supplant desktop PCs in the vast majority of end-user homes. Desktops won't disappear, but they're no longer ...
When Windows Central reports that a false bug ID causes 1809 re-release, it turns out that the real data losses for 1809 looked enough like illusory ones in earlier releases to fool MS engineers.
When a specific set of folders defies normal clean-up techniques I learn a command-line sequence kills resistant Windows.old files and folders.
Although default Screen Res kills Event Viewer log filtering in Win10 versions 1803, 1809, and Insider Preview, it's easily worked around by temporarily resetting Scale and Layout to 100%.
After a recent Insider Preview upgrade I lose the ability to see the desktop in inbound RDP sessions. Along the way, I uncover some RDP Win10 Black Screen fixes.
After a 40-day hiatus, Win10 1809 is re-released. You can get the latest version through Windows Update, or use the Windows 10 Download page to force the upgrade or build installation media.
I was surprised to learn that 1809 users missing critical fixes must join the Insider Preview program to receive them. Fortunately, it's an easy fix.
When MS Activation Server issues temporarily negate Win10 licenses, consternation reigns for a few hours. A couple of simple fixes will set affected PCs straight, though. No biggie!
For the 19H1 release, new Win10 zoom controls are coming. They'll make it much easier to resize command windows (PowerShell, cmd.exe and WSL) and the text they contain.
When Windows 10 won't properly handle or report on ejecting USB devices, this handy Win10 USB Eject tool does the job quite nicely.
A Win10 Registry Backup task broken: it's named RegIdleBackup and it reports successful completion in Task Manager even though it writes no backup files.
When MS posts new Win10 1809 Group Policy Reference in Excel spreadsheet format it provides a rare (and fairly complete) snapshot of state-of-the-art management stuff. Grab your copy soon!
When operator error makes Insider Preview Reflect bug persist, my colleagues at TenForums guide me back to the solution I'd already tried, using the proper patch this time instead.
As users report that unzipping files into folders with existing copies may cause earlier versions to be overwritten, a second Data Loss bug in 1809 raises serious concerns About Win10.
As I get to know David Xanatos Windows Update Manager tool, I find myself asking: Can WUMgr replace WUMT. At present, I'm leaning toward "Yes!" But only time will tell.
After the initial release of Windows 10 1809 demoted USB 3.0 devices to 2.1, Build 17763.55 fixes USB 3.0 issues. All drivers back to current levels.
Reducing the overall Win10 image size, print scan drivers move to Windows Update starting with Version 1809. Thus, WU must be available when adding new printers.
Because the RunAsTool elevates privileges per application, admins don't need to promote accounts to admin level unnecessarily. This reduces overall security risks.
SpiceWorld 2018 confirms Win10 migration intelligence, as I interact with attendees, and learn about their migration progress, plans, and challenges.
Right now MS has withdrawn the October 2018 release from circulation. For those in (dire) need, I provide an alternate Win10 1809 source during hold period.
To be absolutely, positively sure what you're about to install, here's how to check those Win10 installer UFDs for version info.
After I perform the 1809 upgrade on numerous PCs, I observe interesting 1809 disk layout changes on some machines, because WinRE partition size increases for this release.
When using 500 GB and 1 TB mSATA SSDs, I discover that marginal power mars Win10 USB flash drive access, with drives dropping out or completely inaccessible. Easy fix, though.
Thanks to limiting update downloads to 64-bit only for commercial users of WSUS and SCCM, Win10 WSUS gets smaller downloads (as much as 40% smaller).
Casual use of a freebie tool means hard disk warning prompts Win10 tool search. Net net: new hard disk arriving next week by mail.
Saw an interesting question raised on TenForums.com this morning. The thread was entitled “Log off all but current user.” On a PC where multiple users share the same machine, but don’t always log ...
Getting KB4458469 installed when Windows Update offer absent requires manual update. A quick download from the Microsoft Update Catalog, and all is well.
Preserving Cleanmgr.exe for future use in Win10 is easy, as long as you know which files to grab and how to arrange them. Here are those details.
Despite resting on technology introduced in Vista, and officially deprecated in Windows 7, 8GadgetPack remains viable and valuable today. Check it out!
When MS says the program is being deprecated, does that mean bye-bye Disk Cleanup? Storage Sense is upping capabilities in Version 1809, but it's too soon to say if Disk Cleanup will disappear.
Handling Intel Management Engine exploits can throw up some interesting and challenging obstacles, as I learn in attempting to deal with Intel advisory Intel-SA-00141. I may have a fix, but I'm ...
Macrium patches Skipahead Preview Reflect Win10 bug in under 24 hours (on a weekend, no less). This is first-rate customer service that goes way beyond the ordinary call of duty.
With a well-crafted Win10 Post-Upgrade checklist, you can streamline the process of cleaning up and tweaking a new Windows 10 desktop once the upgrade is complete. Here's a good start!
The distinction between GPT vs MBR disks in Windows 10 can be important for boot-up, and also determine the maximum number of partitions and disk sizes allowed.
When Start10 throws an unexpected launch error at me, I'm off, finding another path to Reliability Monitor. Turns out that "perfmon /rel" does the trick!
For those who want to know if a Windows update or upgrade is present or absent, the PS Get-HotFix Cmdlet checks update status. Here's how to use it.
KB 4093836 summarizes August 2018 Spectre Microcode Updates, and points to patches for Windows 10 1803, 1709, 1703, 1607 and the long-term servicing versions.