Insider stuff, WED Blog, Windows 10, Windows OS Musings

21H1 Hits Beta Preview Channel

Leave a comment

The lead-in graphic for this story shows some big news. That is, the Feature update to Windows 10, Version 21H1 is now available. This applies to Windows Insiders in the Beta Insider Preview channel, I hasten to add. And indeed, the foregoing item showed up on my Beta Channel test machine this morning. Hence the proclamation that 21H1 hits Beta Preview channel.

When 21H1 Hits Beta Preview Channel, Then What?

There are two kinds of implications for this occurrence. One is technical, and the other is a matter of historical analysis and implication. On the technical front, this means that the upcoming 21H1 is more or less locked down. That is, what we see in this preview release is also pretty much everything we’ll see in any upcoming public release. On the historical front, public releases typically have followed previews somewhere from 4 to 6 weeks after the preview appears. That puts initial public release of 21H1 somewhere between March 18 and April 1, by my reckoning.

Upon reflection, I kind of like an April 1 date (April Fool’s Day).

The Beta Channel Upgrade Experience

The screencap you see at the head of this story is the one that appeared on my Beta Channel test PC. For up-to-date Beta Channel PCs, this update is undoubtedly an enablement package that simply turns on features already present in the Insider Preview OS.

Why say “enablement package?” I say that because it completed the pre-reboot portion of the install in under two minutes on a Surface Pro 3 (vintage 2014) machine. The “Working on Updates” portion was pretty speedy, too (less than a minute). And the post-reboot drill took about 30 seconds (just a hair slower than a normal rebooot, in other words).  You won’t have to spend much time twiddling your thumbs while waiting for this “feature upgrade” to install!

I’m jazzed to understand that 21H1 is in the offing, and should be making its way into public release somewhat sooner than I’d expected. My congrats and thanks to the #WindowsInsiders team in general. Take a read of Brandon Leblanc’s Announcement post for more Insider info.

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Insider stuff, Recent Activity, Troubleshooting, WED Blog, Windows 10

SetupDiag.exe Unveils Upgrade Gotchas

Leave a comment

If you read this blog, you already know I finally got my Lenovo X380 Yoga upgraded to 21313 earlier this week. I’d been fighting a bugcheck error for the two prior Dev Channel upgrades before that. Along the way, I found myself  looking for diagnositic info about the failed upgrade.  A Microsoft tool SetupDiag.exe unveils upgrade gotchas, so I started using it. With this post, I want to shed more light on this nice little tool, based on recent experience.

How SetupDiag.exe Unveils Upgrade Gotchas

The program is a log analysis tool that focuses on Windows Setup log files. As the MS Docs page for SetupDiag says:

It attempts to parse these log files to determine the root cause of a failure to update or upgrade the computer to Windows 10. SetupDiag can be run on the computer that failed to update, or you can export logs from the computer to another location and run SetupDiag in offline mode.

That latter offline capability is nice, because it means you can boot an otherwise unbootable machine using rescue media. Once booted, you can then suck the files you need from the problem PC and analyze them on a working machine instead.

Note 1: consider bookmarking the already-quoted MS Docs page. It includes an always-current download link to the latest SetupDiag.exe version. (V160 is current as of Feb 17, 2021 only.)

Note 2: SetupDiag.exe requires .NET Framework 4.6 (or newer). See this WindowsCentral story for multiple .NETversion check methods  in PowerShell (3) or Cmd.exe (1).

Working with SetupDiag.exe

Starting with Windows 10 2004, SetupDiag.exe is included with Windows Setup on Windows 10 ISOs and other install images. Paraphrasing the MS Docs item, it says:

During the upgrade process, Windows Setup extracts its sources files to a directory named %SystemDrive%$Windows.~bt\Sources . With Windows 10, version 2004 and later, setupdiag.exe is also installed to this directory. If there is an issue with the upgrade, SetupDiag will automatically run to determine the cause of the failure.

Thus, so long as you don’t clean up after an attempted upgrade, you’ll find SetupDiag.exe in the afore-cited directory. Grab a copy and put it somewhere else, if you’d like.

Simply search your PC for SetupDiag.exe. Once found, you can run the program from Explorer, in PowerShell, at the Command Prompt, or via the run command.

Reading the Results

SetupDiag.exe writes its results in a file named SetupDiagResults.log. By default, it appeared in my download folder
(C:\Users\<uname>\Downloads).
I found it easily, because I use Voidtools Everything to locate files on my behalf. It’s how I got the details on my bugcheck error code. It reads 0X0000000A therein, but may appear as 0XA in discussions online. When I got the GSOD the error identified itself in the report window as IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL…

The lead-in graphic for this story shows the log file. The area of interest starts mid-way down in a line that reads: “Found crash information in rollback log.” That’s where the bugcheck code appears. Also, “nt” appears as the responsible driver. This, alas, is a built-in OS driver. Mere users cannot uninstall or update it. (That’s a Microsoft internal thing dontcha know?) It’s what convinced me that waiting for an upgrade from MS was the ultimate (and only) fix avaialble.

 

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Recent Activity, Tips, Tricks and Tweaks, Troubleshooting, WED Blog, Windows 10

DISM Trumps SFC To Fix Hung Execution

Leave a comment

Here’s an interesting observation straight from TenForums. Occasionally, the System File Checker (SFC) will hang when run. That is, it will grind forward to some percentage of completion, and then sit there indefinitely, making no further progress. If that happens to you on a Windows 10 PC, it’s OK to terminate the process (enter Ctrl-C at the command line or in PowerShell). In such cases, DISM trumps SFC to fix hung execution. Let me explain…

How DISM Trumps SFC to Fix Hung Execution

To unpack my assertion, please understand that when SFC finds an error it cannot fix, it more or less stops where it is. The Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool, aka DISM, can replace the files in Winodws 10’s cross-linked code repository WinSxS. By doing so, it will often fix the errors that SFC cannot surmount successfully.

The syntax for the specific DISM incantation is most often:

DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Other variations for offline images, or that use something other than local files already known to Windows 10 are documented at MS Docs. There you’ll find a helpful article entitled “Repair a Windows Image” that take you through various elaborations that may sometimes prove necessary. Using the Source: attribute can get particularly interesting, especially if you’re working from a WIM or ESD file that is home to two or more Windows images.

If SFC Hangs, DISM /RestoreHealth Often Sets Things Right

As it did for the person who posted about SFC difficulties at TenForums, this approach will often (but not always) make things right. You can’t know until you try. But the thing to remember is that if SFC hangs or fails, your next step should be to try this specific DISM command.

In my personal experience, this has fixed half or more of such issues when they’ve come up. If the odds come up as they should, this approach will also work for you. Try it, and see!

[Note Added Feb 16 afternoon]:
Go Ahead: Skip SFC, Run DISM First

Members of the Insider Team responding to this post informed me that “On Win10 it’s recommended to run DISM first.” This is explained in an MS Support Note entitled “Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files.” And sure enough, in reading over that article it informs readers “If you are running Windows 10 … first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool prior to running the System File Checker.” I’m not sure what “inbox” means in this context, but the order is clear and unmistakable: DISM first, SFC second.

I’ve been following typical advice from TenForums and conventional wisdom for so long, I neglected to read up on SFC in putting this story together. Live and learn: now I know to reverse the order and run DISM first. Hope this helps others, too!

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Insider stuff, WED Blog, Windows 10

Dev Channel Build 21313 Fixes Bugcheck Error

Leave a comment

On February 2, I posted a tale of woe here. It explained that I wasn’t able to update my Lenovo X380 Yoga past 21296. Each attempt to upgrade to 21301 failed at around 50% complete after the first reboot. And although error messsages did vary once or twice most of the time it threw an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bugcheck error. None of my usual troubleshooting techniques afforded any relief, either. Then I got the word from a contact on the Insider Team: this was a known bug, and a fix should be coming “soon.” That’s why I’m pleased to report that Dev Channel Build 21313 fixes bugcheck error just described. It appears number one in the list of fixes shown in lead-in graphic, in fact.

Proof That Dev Channel Build 21313 Fixes Bugcheck Error

I tackled the upgrade on Friday afternoon, February 12. I could only hope for the best. But soon enough, my hopes were rewarded with a complete and successful installation. I always fret when I have to hang back from the leading edge of releases on any of my PCs. That’s because, as a Windows Insider, I take my commitment to keep up with new releases seriously. So again, I’m happy to be back in the high life again (with apologies to Stevie Winwood).

Proof Positive That Feedback Hub Is Working

When the Insider Team contacted me, they made it clear that (a) I was not alone in reporting this problem, and (b) that ongoing repair efforts were underway with a fix in their sights. My benefactor was very clear about asserting that a fix was coming, but might or might not make its way into the next Dev Channel update.

In fact, the Insider Team skipped its usual Wednesday Dev Channel flight on February 3. Then, it didn’t get a flight out last week until Friday, February 12. This is reportedly in the interests of quality and providing needed fixes. All I can say is that, as far as I’m concerned, those reports are on the money. They fixed what ailed my X380 and I’m glad to say “Thanks, Insider Team! Good work.”

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 10, Windows OS Musings

Windows Release Health Gets MS Makeover

Leave a comment

Thanks to the always-vigilant Mary Jo Foley, I learned yesterday that a key Windows dashboard has a new look. When I say Windows Release Health gets MS makeover, I mean the web page that reports on Windows 10 issues and conditions is snazzed up. It not only covers releases back to 1607. It also provides pointers galore. You’ll find links to information about releases, updates, OS deployment and the Windows lifecycle. You can see  this in the lead-in graphic for this story, in fact.

So What If Windows Release Health Gets MS Makeover?

MJF tweeted that this “new and improved” layout “looks nice” and brings “lots of Win 10 resources in one place.” I concur. This reworked page makes it easy to keep up with all mainained releases  from one dashboard. This one’s definitely worth bookmarking, and visiting regularly.

Here’s a summary of what’s in the page header shown in the graphic. I also list releases for which known issues, release notes, “What’s New” info, and so forth, are available:

Versions of Windows on this page include 20H2, 2004, 1909, 1809, 1803 and 1607.  That final item comes courtesy of LTSC, which uses this version as a still-current base.

MS did a nice job on this effort. Hats off for consolidating lots of useful info, and making it easy to find. Once again: bookmark this one!

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Recent Activity, Software Reviews, Tips, Tricks and Tweaks, WED Blog, Windows 10

Voidtools Everything Finds Files Fast

Leave a comment

I know plenty of purists who won’t use third-party Windows tools if a Microsoft-supplied tool or facility will do the job. I am not such a person, and I’m happy to use third-party tools that either do things that Microsoft doesn’t do, or do as well as they do. Because Voidtools Everything finds files fast, it’s part of my standard Windows 10 desktop runtime. Oh, and it’s free, imposes little overhead, and — in my experience — runs faster and works better than Microsoft search. I usually get what I’m after before I’ve finished typing my input string.

Because Voidtools Everything Finds Files Fast, Use It!

The Everything FAQ provides a peachy overview of the tool, and explains its speed, behavior and workings. That said, Everything is primarily a name search tool for files and folders. It provides only limited visibility into file contents (that’s a search tool of a different stripe). The developers say that Everything takes about 1 second to index a fresh Windows install (about 120K files) and a minute to index 1M files. It really is fast, based on personal experience. It can also access files on FAT volumes, network storage, and flash devices (but minor configuration wiggles in Tools → Options → Folders are required, shown below).

FAT-derived volumes (like those on SD cards and UFDs) don’t show up by default in Everything. But they are easy to add.
[Click image for full-sized view.]

Working Search for Everything It’s Worth

OK, bad pun, I know. But you can use boolean operators and wildcards in Everything much like you do at the Windows command line. Everything also supports advanced search for more complex search strings that also include the program’s content search functions (warning: these are slow because Everything does not index content in advance). For me the Advanced Search window provides the complex functions I need. Check it out:

Advanced search offers a variety of pattern definition and matching functions. Works like a champ, too!

If, like me, you have lots of storage and millions of files at your fingertips (right now, Everything says it’s indexed 1.4+M objects for me), Everything is handy and useful. If you try it out, you’ll probably end up keeping it around and using it regularly. I use it dozens of times a day, every day myself.

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Uncategorized

Patch Tuesday Updates Include 3 Critical TCP/IP Fixes

Leave a comment

Although I think MS calls it Update Tuesday now, Patch Tuesday is the second Tuesday of each month. It’s the usual time when MS releases monthly updates, including security patches and fixes. This latest batch, released yesterday, includes some important stuff. These Patch Tuesday Updates include 3 critical TCP/IP fixes, according to BleepingComputer among other sources. They join MS In urging organizations to update them sooner rather than later.

Patch Tuesday Updates Include 3 Critical TCP/IP Fixes: Relevant CVEs

These vulnerabilities affect all Windows client and server versions starting at Windows 7/Server 2008 and up to present-day, current versions. The relevant CVEs are: CVE-2021-24074, CVE-2021-24094, and CVE-2021-24086. Each one may be exploited remotely. Two of them could lead to remote code execution (RCE) attacks. The third offers a means to crash an exposed Windows PC, offering a potential denial-of-service attack vector.

All three show February 9 release dates, which also makes them zero-day exploits as well. They also pose low attack complexity, which makes them easy for malefactors to foist. All require no privileges to launch which only increases their danger levels.

Who’s Covered By Patch Tuesday Updates?

Only older versions of Windows client and server OSes need to download and install their corresponding  Monthly Security Rollups (Server 2008, Server 2012, Server 2012 R2, Windows 7 SP1). Check the afore-linked Security Bulletins (shown above as CVE links) for Microsoft Catalog download links. Other client and server versions can get their updates through normal channels, including Windows Update.

Don’t delay, dear readers. These updates are better installed than not, especially for any Windows PCs directly exposed to the Internet.

 

 

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 10, Windows OS Musings

Likely Windows 10 LTSC Usage Scenarios

Leave a comment

In yesterday’s post, I explained the role of the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC). Indeed, it’s the most apt Windows 10 release for everyday use in most cases. In that discussion, the Long-Term Servicing Channel, aka, LTSC also came in for mention. I’ve just participated in an interesting TenForums thread on this topic. It raises the question of how to get an ISO for this channel, for which I helped find an answer. It also raised a broader question: LTSC, What is it, and when should it be used? This leads in turn to likely Windows 10 LTSC usage scenarios.

What Are Likely Windows 10 LTSC Usage Scenarios?

The preceding link is a 2018 Windows IT Pro Blog post from John Wilcox, He’s a “Windows-as-a-Service” evangelist at Microsoft. In that post he explains (and illustrates) one major LTSC use class:

devices purchased with Windows 10 IoT Enterprise pre-installed. Examples … include kiosks, medical equipment, and digital signs, i.e. use cases where devices are commonly treated as a whole system and are, therefore, “upgraded” by building and validating a new system, turning off the old device, and replacing it with a new, certified device.

He also goes on to explain for such systems that Microsoft

 designed the LTSC with these types of use cases in mind, offering the promise that we will support each LTSC release for 10 years–and that features, and functionality will not change over the course of that 10-year lifecycle.

Understanding the LTSC Release Cadence

MS deliberately slow-walks LTSC releases to the delivery stage. Wilcox explains that a new release is created on a three-year cycle. In fact, “each release contains all the new capabilities and support included in the Windows 10 features updates … released since the previous LTSC…” Thus, LTSC releases use a year to identify themselves. Recent examples include Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016 and 2019.

Changing Times vs. No Change

Wilcox is pretty adamant that only those scenarios where no change is anticipated over a system’s useful life are truly suitable for LTSC. That means: no new peripherals, no new applications, no new devices and capabilities. Anything different is a strong argument to use the SAC instead. Embedded or dedicated systems often qualify, but little else fits that bill. End of story.

[Note Added February 10:] 2022 LTSC Preview

Good timing. Just saw a notice at TenForums that a new Preview Build 20292 for LTSC 2022 is out: get all the details at the Announcing item. Glad to see MS is still at work on what’s next for LTSC. Be sure to check it out, if this is in your wheelhouse.

 

 

 

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Uncategorized

Understanding What 2004 Broad Deployment Means

Leave a comment

On February 3, an interesting note appeared in the latest Windows 10 Status bulletin. To truly make sense of its import requires understanding what 2004 broad deployment means. Here’s a key snippet:

Current status as of February 3, 2021
Windows 10, version 2004 is designated for broad deployment. The recommended servicing status is Semi-Annual Channel.

Again: Understanding What 2004 Broad Deployment Means

The phrase “broad deployment” is addressed in code in the phrase “servicing status is Semi-Annual Channel.” I’d translate it as “ready for nearly everybody and anybody .” Microsoft displays a more specific view of this in a DOCs article. It’s entitled Assign devices to servicing channels for Windows 10 update. In fact, that article supplies the table shown as the lead-in graphic above.

Another quote that heads the foregoing table is pretty explicit about who should get which release channel:

The Semi-Annual Channel is the default servicing channel for all Windows 10 devices except those with the LTSB edition installed

What does this mean? It means anybody who depends on Windows 10 should run the Semi-Annual Channel release.  To be more specific, that means users at work, at home and at school. Thus,  if you’re not an insider or using an LTSB license, you should be running Windows 10 2004 . That’s the May 2020 release, currently at build 19041.xxx.

2 Releases Back Reflects Conventional Wisdom

For the longest time, businesses have long followed a pattern of hanging one or two releases back from the leading edge. This goes as far back as I can remember taking Windows seriously. More explicitly, I’d call it “the Windows 3.1/Windows for Workgroups era” (1992-1993).

On the ground, most businesses I visit run 1909 or 2004 these days. With 1909 not coming up on EOL until May 2022, this info from Microsoft is interesting.  Between the lines, read it as a gentle nudge to businesses to start thinking about an upgrade. For sure, that’s sooner than they’d upgrade, if impending EOL were the driving force.

For ordinary users I also read this as sage advice for those who don’t work at Windows leading or bleeding edge. For leading edge, think current release (20H2). That makes the bleeding edge Insider Previews (21H1 and beyond).

Could It Be a Wake-Up for True Laggards?

The true laggards, of course, are those running 1904 or some earlier Windows release. This includes my optometrist, who  I noticed is still on Windows 7 when I had my eyes checked two weeks back. Thus, if you’re not close to the Semi-Annual Channel level on your Windows desktops, it’s time to start planning that transition. I think MS has just given fair warning!

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin
Networking, Recent Activity, Troubleshooting

Untangling Cascading Troubles Gets Frustrating

Leave a comment

I’ve been trying to untangle a weird mix of networking and telephony issues going on three days now. As I write this item, in fact, I’m texting with a Verizon tech support person. He’s trying to unsnarl a mix-up around a new 5G MiFi hotspot  I purchased recently. When the device was set up, it was mistakenly tied to my son’s cellphone number. Then, the tech support people tried to switch things around. Alas, they exceeded the allowable number of reset attempts. This requires a 24 hour wait before a retry is allowed. The 24 hours are up, and I’m trying again. Does this explain why untangling cascading troubles gets frustrating?

How Untangling Cascading Troubles Gets Frustrating

Let me count the ways.

  1. Verizon Tech Coaches can’t call my cellphone. It doesn’t ring because of a setting that’s available only in iOS 13 or higher. My iPhone is running 12.5. So I had to work through amazing contortions to get them to call my landline.
  2. The MiFi device hadn’t been working properly. Thus, I wasn’t able to activate it myself. First I learned how to pop the back off the device. Then, I did the old “paper clip in the recessed reset switch” routine to return it to factory settings. After that the UI worked just fine.
  3. As an iOS guy I found myself messing with Gregory’s Android OnePlus 7 Pro. This had me remembering and relearning all kinds of interesting stuff. I’m now more familiar with its UI, device settings and config data . I also now remember what’s up with ICCID and IMEI identifiers.
  4. When my tech support person tried to reset the accounts properly, the provisioning software let him make the changes, then came back and told him “transaction disallowed.” He’s now roping higher level support team members in to reset database rules to make this happen.
  5. The way I got into this snafu to begin with is that my Spectrum Internet connection won’t pass Remote Desktop Protocol through its firewall. When I attempted the necessary port forwarding operations, the device proved unable or unwilling to read the external (WAN or rather cable side) IP address, even though I can see it just fine (and Ping it) from my LAN PC. That led me to say “I can use my MiFi 5G hotspot instead” and started me down the rabbit hole.

So here we are solving problems we didn’t know we had, and dealing with mixups based on pure human frailty.

Tech Support Needs Unified Communications, Badly!

The most amazing thing I’ve learned is that at least two separate tech support operations at Verizon are inappropriately silo’ed. Their Tech Coach operation cannot place voice calls. They are restricted to online chat only. I made the mistake of initiating contact with them on my cellphone, and they couldn’t easily switch over to a PC session, either. I did figure out how to make that happen later on, though so online via cell and via PC do have some integration.

But their app is limited to calling only registered Verizon devices. So when I tried to have them call my cell early on for a voice session, I found myself in a Catch-22. I wanted them to call me, they called me, but my only acceptable target device wouldn’t allow that call to ring in (that’s the iOS setting for version 13 and up, which is turned on and immutable for 12 and under versions and so can’t be accessed or changed on my aging iPhone 6).

At this point it’s taken me over 7 hours to solve a set of problems that are only tangential to the real problem I want to solve with accessing a public IP using Remote Desktop. I’ll get to that and another series of tech support calls with Spectrum next week.

Take a Deep Breath, and Keep Waiting

But I’m learning how to keep calm and carry on in the face of massive frustration. I suppose I should be glad that I’m not the human responsible for the error that triggered this cascade. Lord knows I have been the guilty party often enough myself to write about it regularly in this very blog!

But Wait: There’s More

Yesterday when I wanted to blog about this situation, my ISP’s behind-the-scenes MySQL WordPress server went down. Thus, I was unable to access or post anything until that got fixed. The error cascade is apparently catching, so perhaps you shouldn’t have read this far. Brace yourself!

Facebooklinkedin
Facebooklinkedin

Author, Editor, Expert Witness