TweakHound

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Windows

The Future Of Windows. Are You In?

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At Microsoft, this transformation is currently happening in a few different areas, with agents like Cortana, applications like SwiftKey and Office 365, and developer tools and platforms like the Cortana Intelligence Suite and the Azure cloud computing platform.
As for agents, Nadella noted that the ambition here is to create an intelligent assistant that “can take text input, can take speech input, that knows your deeply. It knows your context, your family, your work. It knows about the world.” He also stressed that this agent will have to be unbounded and available on every platform and in every application — even those not controlled by Microsoft.

TC – Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on how AI will transform his company
No thanks.

Work Has Begun

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I’ve started work on the AnniUpdate edition of the Win1o tweak Guide. The first step is to figure out what is new (aside from the usual fixes and improvements).
This sites focus was, is, and will continue to be on desktop / laptop users. When it comes to Windows 10 I do not use, nor do I care about “mobile” be it a phone or tablet.
So with that in mind, let’s look at AnniUpdates new features.
Sticky notes – Seriously? You understand that Windows Vista and 7 had that as a Windows Gadget right?
Microsoft Edge extensions – I would have to actually use Edge to care (I don’t even use IE.) But OK.
Improvenents to XYZ… – Congrats on trying to make your product work as it should, or heaven forbid make it marginally useful (Defender/Hello/Edge)
Cortana improvements – There isn’t a single feature in the history of Windows I despise more. Go away already.
Cortana integration with Cortana phone app – Almost no one uses Windows phone (market share below 1%). Why in the name of all that is Geeky would you use cortana on Android or iPhone?
Bash shell – Why?
Dark Theme – We Geeks already had it although official support has brought some needed tweaks.
Start menu changed – There are countless useful start menu replacements. My favs are Start10 and Classic Start.
Action Center changes – Oh you mean it is finally becoming marginally useful and I don’t have to use both the Action Center and Control Panel to adjust settings? Like maybe UAC or Network and Sharing??? (Not!)
Notification badges – Well at least it isn’t a popup, and you can turn it off.
Wi-Fi Sense gone – Good riddance. Moronic idea anyway.
Network Status – Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status. Great stuff here!

OK everyone help me out. What am I missing?

The Things I Do For This Site

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Like many others, my main rig STILL had freezing issues after AnniUpdate. Obviously, Microsoft wasn’t going to fix it. I tried every workaround, every fix, everything I could think of. Tinker around, doesn’t work, restore image, update again, try more stuff, restore image, update again, on and on…
I know many of you are waiting for an update to the Win10 Tweak Guide and I figured I put off enough.
So…
This morning I did a full reset and reinstalled everything. *edit* – I should have been clear. This “fixed” my problem.
When it comes to Win10 I don’t “need” to use it. From a personal standpoint I don’t care if I use it. I use it because I support lots of Windows users. I’m perfectly happy with Windows 7 and my Linux Virtual Machines. In truth I can probably do everything I do in Linux. Come Windows 7’s EOL that will most likely be the case (if not sooner).
Anywho, I’ll be working on the tweak guide this week.

Oh Good Grief

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MSPU – Scary Microsoft patent would have Windows watch everything you do, send it to Bing, for better search results

The patent, “QUERY FORMULATION VIA TASK CONTINUUM”, published yesterday (22/9/2016)…
In short, Clippy on steroids.
The main concern with such a system is of course personal data leaking despite Microsoft’s supposed privacy safeguards or reading the user’s context wrong leading to more frustration (another Clippy problem).

Remove software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer

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Microsoft has a new Windows update that removes most GWX stuff from Windows 7 and 8.1.
“This update removes the Get Windows 10 app and other software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer that expired on July 29, 2016. ”
KB3184143 – Remove software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer

This update replaces the following previously-released software:
KB 3035583 — Update installs Get Windows 10 app in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1
KB 3064683 — Windows 8.1 OOBE modifications to reserve Windows 10
KB 3072318 — Update for Windows 8.1 OOBE to upgrade to Windows 10
KB 3090045 — Windows Update for reserved devices in Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 SP1
KB 3123862 — Updated capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7
KB 3173040 — Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1 end of free upgrade offer notification
KB 3146449 — Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7

Like everything else Microsoft does these days this is incomplete. Geeks have done their own research and come up with there own list to uninstall.
I did this via a Batch file, Remove And Block GWX In Windows 7. I included the updates I thought were important to remove. I’m going to revise it one more time this evening.
See this MDL forum thread for a bigger list: MDL – Remove Telemetry and Windows 10 Related Updates from Windows 7

Nope

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Liar, liar, pants on fire…

Windows 10 may freeze after installing the Anniversary Update – Updated 8-31-16
“The Windows Update released on August 31st for Windows 10 includes a fix for this issue.”
NOPE. All updates applied. Still freezing.

Neowin – Microsoft has finally fixed the freezing issue in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update
“Microsoft stated that this occurred due to the apps and operating system being installed on separate drives.”
NOPE. Apps in default location.

Paul Thurrott – Microsoft Fixes the Windows 10 Freezing Issues
“And if for some reason you’re still experiencing freezing problems after all this, Microsoft recommends creating a second administrator account on your PC, and signing in to that account. Once you do so, your regular account should work fine again. Why? Because Windows 10, that’s why.”
NOPE. Didn’t work. All workarounds attempted.

PC World – Microsoft fixes Windows 10’s Anniversary Update freezing
“Once that’s done, reboot your PC and you should be able to login to your original account with no problems. If it doesn’t, you can roll back your PC to vanilla Windows 10 and reinstall the Anniversary Update once again.”
NOPE. See: Infinite Loop or HCF or “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Win10 still unusable…

Win10 Updated

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Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1607: August 31, 2016

August 31, 2016 — KB3176938 (OS Build 14393.105)
This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update. Key changes include:
-Improved reliability of Windows Ink Workspace, Microsoft Edge, File Server, Windows kernel, Microsoft Component Object Model (COM), Cluster Health Service, Hyper-V, multi-factor authentication (MFA), NTFS file system, PowerShell, Internet Explorer 11, facial recognition, graphics, Windows Store, and Windows Shell.
-Improved performance related to purchasing Windows Store apps.
-Improved battery life of wearable devices (such as the Microsoft Band) while Bluetooth is connected and idle.
-Improved compatibility of using Xbox One controllers with various games.
-Addressed issue with incorrect character mapping between Japanese and Unicode for the question mark.
-Addressed issue that prevents the download and initialization of .NET objects in Internet Explorer 11.
-Improved support of new near-field communication (NFC) chips for Windows 10 Mobile.
-Addressed issue with game or app audio not resuming after ending a call on Windows 10 Mobile.
-Addressed additional issues with compatibility, remote desktop, BitLocker, PowerShell, Direct3D, networking policies, Dynamic Access Control (DAC) rules, Microsoft Edge, Connected Standby, mobile device management (MDM), printing, Fingerprint logon, and Cortana.

This did not fix my freezing issue. Win10 AnniUpdate is still unusable on my main rig. Ridiculous.
Are you guys at Microsoft trying to drive me to go to Linux full time?