Windows OS and management

IT's essential toolbox for troubleshooting and managing users

End-user computing administrators spend a lot of time considering which products and services to deliver to end users that will make the employees' jobs easier. But what about the IT pros themselves? They need a variety of tools for managing users and the many issues that end users encounter daily. With help desk and remote access tools, plus a good password management system, IT admins are on their way to managing users and troubleshooting problems with all the necessities in hand.

Also in this issue, get a look at Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, learn whether IT departments should really focus only on general-purpose operating systems, and explore the emerging world of mobile analytics. Plus, take a deep dive into mobile thin clients and how these movable -- sometimes pocketable -- devices can be a solid option for VDI.

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Logoff Disconnected Win10 Users Via Command Line

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 ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Getting KB4458469 Installed When Windows Update Offer Absent

Getting KB4458469 installed when Windows Update offer absent requires manual update. A quick download from the Microsoft Update Catalog, and all is well. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Preserving Cleanmgr.exe for Future Use

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Windows 10 updates options to ease the process

Windows 10 update issues are commonplace in the enterprise, but IT isn't helpless to deal with them. Group Policy and other tools can help IT regain control over updates. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

8GadgetPack Remains Viable and Valuable

Despite resting on technology introduced in Vista, and officially deprecated in Windows 7, 8GadgetPack remains viable and valuable today. Check it out! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Bye-Bye Disk Cleanup?

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

What to do if Windows Defender updates don't work

Without the latest Windows Defender updates, your users' desktops won't be completely protected. When update problems occur, there are several actions you can take to solve them. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Reduce update-related downtime after a Windows 10 OS upgrade

Windows 10 updates are a necessary evil, as they add new features and improve security, but also cause downtime for users. IT can downplay the negative effects of updates. Continue Reading

By

• Gary Olsen

Handling Intel Management Engine Exploits . . . or Not!

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 ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

4 tips for handling the upgrade process to Windows 10

To ensure a smooth upgrade to Windows 10, IT should take advantage of helpful tools such as the Microsoft Management Console to test Windows 10 application compatibility. Continue Reading

By

• John Powers, Senior Site Editor

Macrium Patches Skipahead Preview Reflect Win10 Bug

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

A Win10 Post-Upgrade Checklist

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! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Seriously, what is multi-user Windows 10 for? (Another possible clue?)

We know it’s coming, but we still have no clue what Microsoft is thinking. Continue Reading

By

• Jack Madden

GPT vs MBR Disks

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Finding Another Path to Reliability Monitor

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! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

PS Get-HotFix Cmdlet Checks Update Status

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Understand Windows Insider Program for Business options

With its business-friendly Insider Program, Microsoft allows IT and users to test Windows 10 preview builds for compatibility and performance issues. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

KB 4093836 Summarizes August 2018 Spectre Microcode Updates

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. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How to get the Windows 10 upgrade process right

To install Windows 10 correctly, IT pros should alter the disk layout for a fresh installation of the OS to match Microsoft's recommended order rather than its default order. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Windows Defender Blocks PUAs

Windows Defender offers numerous advanced security capabilities. Among them, Windows Defender Blocks PUAs (potentially unwanted applications). Here's how to put it to work! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 Version 1809 Makes Official Debut

A quick screen capture of winver.exe from Build 17741 shows that Win10 Version 1809 makes official debut as the upcoming next version name. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 Registry Includes AllowExperimentation Key

If it comes as a surprise that Win10 Registry includes AllowExperimentation key that's enabled by default, take cheer from an easy fix to disable it explicitly. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How can IT fix Windows Update issues?

Microsoft offers some built-in troubleshooting methods to resolve Windows Update problems. There are also some third-party options IT should be aware of. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Add Recovery Partition to Win10 Boot Menu

When recovery entry fails on my Lenovo T520, I re-learn how to add recovery partition to Win10 Boot Menu. Easily done thanks to EasyBCD and MTPW. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

About Logitech Driver Interface Drivers

As I dig into and learn more about Logitech Driver Interface Drivers, I quickly realize that they're essentially no-ops (not needed, not loaded, and not used). 'Nuff said! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

NoMo Snipping Tool Try Screen Sketch Instead

Starting with a feature upgrade sometime soon, the screencap motto will be "NoMo Snipping Tool Try Screen Sketch Instead!" I take a look at what's what with Skip Ahead Preview Build 18204. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Manual Download Works When WU Finds Nothing

After TenForums news alerts me to a new firmware update for my Surface Pro 3, a manual download works when WU finds nothing. The real secret is knowing where to look. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How to stop Windows 10 updates temporarily

A poorly timed Windows 10 update can cause a major headache for an end user. Fortunately, users can pause updates or IT can take steps to halt updates using Group Policy. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

Fast Ring Win10 Builds 17728 and 17730 May Require Clean Install

When numerous attempts with Windows Update, WUMT, and even an upgrade install from a mounted ISO all fail, I realize that Fast Ring Win10 Builds 17728 and 17730 may require clean install. To my ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Latest GeForce Driver 398.82 Bluescreens PC

When the latest GeForce Driver 398.82 bluescreens PC this morning, I find myself on an unwanted nostalgia trip. Been here before, not eager to go back. Even so, I'm waiting to see if it happens one ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

7 features for managing Windows 10 updates and upgrades

Managing updates and upgrades in Windows 10 is tough. Fortunately, Microsoft includes seven features in the OS, including SetupDiag, that IT pros can use to simplify both processes. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

Fixing Win10 Upgrade Stuck on Restart Issues

When it comes to fixing Win10 Upgrade stuck on Restart, there are several techniques that can put things back to rights. I usually start with WUMT then move onto a full-blown WU reset maneuver. One ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Prepare for Windows 7 end of life before time runs out

The end-of-extended-support date for Windows 7 is a short 18 months from now: Jan. 14, 2020. Make sure you're ready and have considered Windows 10 as well as other options. Continue Reading

By

• Jo Harder

Clean Install Fixes Long-Standing Win10 Restart Issue

A clean install fixes long-standing Win10 Restart issue and thereby vindicates conventional wisdom that occasional or periodic clean Windows installs serve as a kind of OS maintenance technique or ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

PS Cmdlet Turns Win10 Networks Private

Because GUI access to the control can sometimes be problematic (or MIA), it's a good thing that PS Cmdlet turns Win10 networks Private. That cmdlet is named Set-NetConnectionProfile. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

DISM Export-Image Grabs Selected Image Installer

When I observe that a multi-image ISO file results in an installer for Windows 10 Home, I learn that DISM Export-Image grabs selected image installer for Pro instead. This lets me update my ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Prepare for Windows 7 end of life before time runs out

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Get to know enterprise patch management tools

Unpatched software and OSes can create a huge security hole in any organization. IT should know what tools can fill in the gaps. Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

Surface Pro Boot Requires Minimum Charge

When a tablet connected to A/C power absolutely, positively refuses to boot, I learn that Surface Pro boot requires minimum charge levels to succeed. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 Migration Survey Reveals 2018 Challenges

Jeremy Moskowitz's recent Win10 migration survey reveals 2018 challenges facing organizations of all kinds, based on 500-plus responses from 30 countries (80% US-based). Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Dell Venue Pro 11 7130 Strange Upgrade Issues

When Dell Venue Pro 11 7130 strange upgrade issues manifest for recent Insider Preview builds, my usual troubleshooting ritual sets things right. No clean install this time, as I'd feared might be ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Productivity Hurdles Emphasize Office PC Setup Benefits

Working on the road for just over a week, I realize that productivity hurdles emphasize office PC setup benefits. With a little thought, ingenuity and money, though, most of these hurdles can be ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

MS Smartens Update Downloads

By downloading updates from smallest to largest in size in that order, and downloading updates in pairs, MS smartens Update downloads. Now, if I could only figure out what determines update ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How can IT turn off Windows 10 automatic updates?

In some cases, IT pros should disable Windows 10 updates to gain control over the process. They can use methods such as editing group policies and setting a metered connection. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

The Occasional Resurgence of Windows.old

When it comes to post-upgrade cleanup in Windows 10, an occasional resurgence of Windows.old seems to pop up from time to time. Here's another one found and fixed! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

MS Win7 Cert Exams Expire July 31

When S Win7 Cert Exams expire July 31 they signal that today's reigning Windows version is nearing the end of its lifecycle. With 900-plus million devices still running Win7, lots of change is at hand. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Why would IT manually upgrade to Windows 10?

There are some instances where IT should manually upgrade to Windows 10, including when the desktop runs older software for which IT does not have the installation media. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

DISM Cleans Up After Windows Update

Because DISM cleans up after Windows Update adds new items to Win10, it's a good idea to use its AnalyzeComponentStore and CleanupComponentStore directives from time to time. Here's how! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Strange Display Behavior Gets Workarounds

Strange display behavior gets workarounds in Windows 10: right-click the taskbar entry, Alt+Space to restore the original window, or force-change then restore screen resolution. Very interesting! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How to create a Windows 10 security program

IT can get ahead of Windows 10 security problems by understanding its organizational needs and focusing on a few key areas, including patching and domain password policies. Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Beaver, Principle Logic, LLC

Take the Windows 10 migration tools pop quiz

Microsoft offers a host of tools IT pros can use to make the move to Windows 10 a little easier. See how well you know your options with this quiz. Continue Reading

By

• Eddie Lockhart, Site Editor

New types of authentication take root across the enterprise

At Identiverse 2018, speakers and attendees expect a rise in two-factor authentication, as the single sign-on user password authentication falls out of favor. Continue Reading

By

• John Powers, Senior Site Editor

WUMT Resolves Update Woes Yet Again

When one of my laptops balks at completing the update check for a current cumulative update, WUMT resolves update woes yet again for Windows 10. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Windows 10 Update Assistant

Windows 10 Update Assistant is a native update management tool designed to help individual users keep up with OS updates as Microsoft publishes them. Continue Reading

By

• John Powers, Senior Site Editor

MS Answers Offers 1803 Networking Resolution

MS Answers offers 1803 networking resolution for those seeking to make nodes or network resources visible or available using File Explorer and other tools. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 Hyper-V VMs Benefit from More VRAM

Depending on the workload and applications in use Win10 Hyper-V VMs benefit from more VRAM (virtual RAM), easily allocated using the Hyper-V manager. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

What can you do if a Windows 10 keyboard or mouse is not working?

If users encounter problems with a Windows 10 mouse or keyboard, IT pros can follow these steps to troubleshoot the connectivity issue quickly and easily. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

UWP Win10 Sticky Notes Backup

Making a UWP Win10 Sticky Notes backup translates into finding and copying the file named plum.sqlite to a safe place. Easy-peasy! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Grab New DriverStore Explorer from GitHub

Whether you're a first-time user or are running an older version, please take the time to grab new DriverStore Explorer from GitHub. It's worth using! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

AI Drives Win10 Update Access

AI drives Win10 Update access, and uses telemetry and feedback data to target updates PCs likely to have a positive experience. Over time, MS extends updates to more PCs as the likelihood of ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Sysprep Audit Mode Alternate Key Sequence

When the default Ctrl+Shift+F3 won't do it, try the Sysprep Audit Mode alternate key sequence instead: Ctrl+Fn+Shift+F3. Works for me! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Fixing Win10 Restart PC to Finish Installing Drivers Issue

Evidence I compiled helped me with fixing Win10 Restart PC to Finish Installing Drivers issue by leading me to the device involved, and possible fixes. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Ctrl+Winkey+C Toggles Win10 Display to Grayscale Mode

For some people, learning that Ctrl+Winkey+C toggles Win10 display to grayscale mode comes as an unpleasant surprise. Fortunately, it's easy to reverse. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How well do you know your Windows 10 update options?

Microsoft offers three Windows 10 servicing channels, a host of tools for managing updates and different update types. See if you can sort it all out with this Windows 10 update quiz. Continue Reading

By

• Eddie Lockhart, Site Editor

How do the Windows 10 servicing channels work?

IT can use the servicing channels for Windows 10 to assign different deployment cadences to different devices and defer updates where necessary. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

NirSoft NetBScanner Offers Win10 LAN Insights

After the 1803 upgrade monkey with LAN visibility for some nodes, NirSoft NetBScanner offers Win10 LAN insights to help get things running again. Good stuff! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Set Win10 RS5 Rollback Retention Interval

I don't normally write much about the Insider Preview builds for this blog post. Practicing Enterprise admins have enough on their hands keeping up with current branch versions of the OS. But when ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

AdDuplex-based Win10 Uptake Projections Mostly Bogus

When I first saw the news, I was stunned. But on further analysis, AdDuplex-based Win10 uptake projections mostly bogus, reflecting an incomplete and off-kilter subset of the user base. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Two Win10 Setup.exes Offer Differing Capabilities

If you build conventional Win10 installation media, you'll find two Win10 Setup.exes offer differing capabilities. One is good to upgrades or repair an existing Win10 install, the other for ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Use Windows Analytics to better support Windows 10 desktops

With the help of Windows Analytics, IT can improve its Windows 10 desktop support with tools such as Device Health, which monitors desktop performance and identifies underperforming devices. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

HID Woes Cause Overkill Win10 Repair

When HID woes cause overkill Win10 repair, it's because I try a software fix for what turns out to be a purely hardware problem. Sigh. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How can you change Windows 10 update settings?

Windows 10 updates can disrupt your workflow and cause frustration. With the right settings, however, you can minimize the risk of an update getting in the way of productivity. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

Win10 NetBIOS Names Get Weirder

When I say Win10 NetBIOS names get weirder I mean two things: they are indeed case sensitive, and sometimes the actual defined case-correct name string won't resolve properly. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Desktop and mobile malware detection takes on high priority

 Continue Reading

Bring Back PING in Win10 1803

As I troubleshoot an inexplicable inability to remote into one of my office PCs, I figure out how to bring back PING in Win10 1803. In short, my recent spate of networking issues continue! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Why Windows Machine Names Are Case-Sensitive in RDP

When the certificate warning shows up, I finally figure out why Windows machine names are case-sensitive in RDP. The machine name isn't case-sensitive, but the certificate name most certainly is! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 1803 Gets New Bluetooth Version

Amidst a raft of other changes, enhancements and additons, Win10 1803 gets new Bluetooth version that leaves some users in the lurch, functionality-wise. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Windows Command Line Reference Observations

By checking which commands work in PowerShell and which have PowerShell aliases, I compile an interesting set of Windows Command Line Reference observations. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Win10 DCOM 10016 Errors Are Mostly Benign

Finally! A Microsoft Support note explicitly confirms what I've long suspected: Win10 DCOM 10016 errors are mostly benign. They occur by deliberate design, in fact. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Bring Back Basic Win10 1803 Networking

The demise of HomeGroup makes it necessary to bring back basic Win10 1803 networking for Workgroup based Windows networks. Here's how! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

MS Publishes Big Free Command Line Reference

Last Friday, my partner in crime at Win10.Guru, Kari Finn, sent me a link to a very interesting document. It comes from the Microsoft Download Center and shows up with very little descriptive ... Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

1803 May Drop Spectre Patches on Some PCs

According to some usually reliable observers and experts, Windows 10 Version 1803 may drop Spectre Patches on some PCs. Here's how to check if any of your PCs are affected. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Top Windows 10 April 2018 Update features you need to know

Microsoft's latest update to Windows 10 helps IT pros and users alike. On the user front, Focus Assist can help employees silence notifications while they work. Continue Reading

By

• Eddie Lockhart, Site Editor

How can IT convince users of the benefits of Windows 10?

Users may not see the Windows 10 improvements as an upgrade from their current OS. As a result, IT must highlight relevant new features to gain user support. Continue Reading

By

• Brien Posey

Win10 1803 Sometimes Creates Phantom Recovery Drive

Thanks to a minor but annoying error, Win10 1803 sometimes creates phantom Recovery Drive during the upgrade process. Here are two easy fixes to make it go away. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Four Windows 10 migration tools to consider

With the right tools -- such as the Windows ADK or MAP -- at their disposal, IT pros can take some of the headaches out of a move to Windows 10. Continue Reading

By

• Eddie Lockhart, Site Editor

Tune Into PortableApps.com

If you tune into PortableApps.com and use their platform, you'll find a great way to take tools, utilities and applications with you onto any PC. Great stuff! Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Finding Windows Defender Security About Info

It turns out that finding Windows Defender Security About info is a little convoluted, but checking its Settings will point you in the right direction. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Are you prepared for a Windows 10 transition?

When IT executes a transition to Windows 10, it must understand all the potential pitfalls inherent in an OS migration. Quiz yourself to see if you are ready for this challenge. Continue Reading

By

• John Powers, Senior Site Editor

Skippy Shows Off Lean Win10 Edition

The Windows Insider Skip Ahead Preview, aka Skippy Shows Off Lean Win10 Edition as a new SKU pops up in Build 17650. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Manage Windows 10 desktops, mobile devices with EMM software

Windows 10 supports crucial functions that enable enterprise mobility management. IT must follow a few important steps to prepare desktops for management through EMM. Continue Reading

By

• Robert Sheldon

Microsoft says RDSH is coming to a Server 2019 preview soon. (Update: It's back!)

There’s still speculation about multi-user Windows 10, though. Continue Reading

By

• Jack Madden

Build 1803 Equals April Update

Based on the content of the Edge Welcome screen in Build 17134, it seems pretty safe to proclaim that Build 1803 Equals April Update. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities show haste makes waste

When the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities came to light, everyone scrambled to find a fix. As a result, the patching process has been anything but smooth. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

God Mode Causes Win10 Office URL Insert Fail

If God Mode Causes Win10 Office URL Insert Fail and pasting URLs causes Word, Excel and so forth to crash, delete the God Mode parent folder to fix this problem. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

How to create a custom Windows 10 image for deployment

IT pros can build a Windows 10 image with custom apps, Start menu tools and more that they can easily deliver throughout the organization. Continue Reading

By

• Eddie Lockhart, Site Editor

Windows Server 2019 RDSH is a go

After some confusing messaging about whether Remote Desktop Session Host would be in Windows Server 2019, Microsoft said the role will in fact be coming to the preview and official release. Continue Reading

By

• Alyssa Provazza, Editorial Director

Fixing Recovery Drive Creation Problems

Fixing recovery drive creation problems in Win10 turns out to involve running the utility twice: once with system files out, again with system files in. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel

Updating BIOS UEFI When Windows App Fails

A questionable January firmware update for an older hybrid tablet has me seeking ways of updating BIOS UEFI when Windows app fails to run to completion. Dell Forums provide my answers. Continue Reading

By

• Ed Tittel