TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Windows 10

Wednesday News

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Software Updates
Tails 3.10.1
Tor Browser 8.0.3
Winaero Tweaker 0.12.1

Memo to Microsoft: Windows 10 is broken, and the fixes can’t wait
“Windows 10 is officially a shit show…So three urgent changes are required.
Firstly, reintroduce dedicated testers. Don’t rely on automation and the crowd – that clearly isn’t working. Raise the prestige of testers in the company. Secondly, repurpose the Insider programme – reclassify it as a fan club. Anything, really. It’s not a substitute for professional testers. And thirdly, slow down. The rush to bring immature software to market has clearly deteriorated software quality. Are annual releases such a bad thing? Or even delaying the software until it’s actually ready?”
Hear, Hear!

Apple’s Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”
“Our own information — from the everyday to the deeply personal — is being weaponized against us with military efficiency,” warned Cook. “These scraps of data, each one harmless enough on its own, are carefully assembled, synthesized, traded and sold…We shouldn’t sugarcoat the consequences. This is surveillance.”
Preach!

Making it easier to control your data, directly in Google products
“Before today, if you were searching on Google and wanted to review or manage this data, the best way for you to do that would have been to visit your Google Account. Now, we’re bringing these controls to you – from directly within Search, you can review or delete your Search activity and quickly get back to finding what you were searching for.
We’re also providing quick access to the privacy controls in your Google Account that are most relevant as you use Search. For example, to control the ads you see when you search, we give you access to your Ad Settings. Additionally, you can access your Activity Controls to decide what information Google saves to your account and uses to make Search and other Google services faster, smarter and more useful.”
Do you think they would be doing this if Geeks, Privacy experts, and Academics weren’t screaming about this issue?

Patch Tuesday

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Windows Update

Windows 7 and 8.1 get over a dozen security updates.
Windows 7 – October 9, 2018—KB4462923 (Monthly Rollup)
Windows 8.1 – October 9, 2018—KB4462926 (Monthly Rollup)

Windows 10, “This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update.”
Win10 also has over a dozen security updates.
Win10 1809 – October 9, 2018—KB4464330 (OS Build 17763.55)
Win10 1803 – October 9, 2018—KB4462919 (OS Build 17134.345)
Win10 1709 – October 9, 2018—KB4462918 (OS Build 16299.726)
Win10 1703 – October 9, 2018—KB4462937 (OS Build 15063.1387)
Win10 1607 – September 11, 2018—KB4457131 (OS Build 14393.2485)

Lessons Learned

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This week Microsoft pulled the Windows 10 October 2018 Update because peoples personal files were being deleted. The Windows 10 April Update was delayed by almost 3 weeks due to a “blocking bug”. These are just 2 examples of Win10’s broken update model. With Win10, software quality is as bad as it has ever been. This despite the extensive Insider Program that was supposed to alleviate this problem. I’ve never been bitten by these updates and much of the advice I pass out on this site is designed to help you to not get bitten either. I will try and put that in a convenient list:

– Keep current system image backups.
I use Macrium Reflect Free. Other programs include Clonezilla (free) and Acronis True Image (not free).
I store recent copies on the same computer and older copies on an external hard drive.
You MUST create a boot disc or flash drive.
Use this before EVERY patch Tuesday and Feature Update.

– Keep current personal files backups (docs, pics, etc.).
I either use copy/paste or Microsoft’s free SyncToy.
I store them on an external hard drive, an old laptop hard drive, and burn to DVD.
I also store my music and pics on Google Drive.
I have a copy everything off site too.

– Separate your personal files from your OS (move your pics, docs, etc. folders).
Guides in every Tweak Guide.

– Delay Windows Updates. With Win10, consider skipping release altogether.
If you are using Windows 10 Home consider switching to Windows 10 Pro so that you can control your updates. You can by a legit key very cheap. Contact me if you cannot find one and I will point you in the right direction.
Security Updates for each release are provided for approximately 18 months so there is no rush to update to the latest release.
Win10’s changes and new features have come along at a pitifully slow rate. The only welcome change for me since Win10’s initial release is the Dark Theme.

– Advanced, Make a rescue flash drive.
Multiple tools to save yourself, friends, and family from disaster.

External Hard Drives at Amazon. Prices current as of 07OCT18

WD 4TB Black My Passport Portable External Hard Drive – USB 3.0
List Price: $159.99 – Price: $99.99 – You Save: $60.00 (38%)

Seagate Expansion 8TB Desktop External Hard Drive USB 3.0
Was: $149.99 Price: $139.00 You Save: $10.99 (7%)

Win10 1809 Pulled

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“We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating.

If you have checked for updates and believe you have an issue, please contact us directly at +1-800-MICROSOFT or find a local number in your area https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4051701/global-customer-service-phone-numbers.

If you have access to a different PC, please contact us at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus/ (link will vary according to country of origin).

If you have manually downloaded the Windows 10 October 2018 Update installation media, please don’t install it and wait until new media is available.

We will provide an update when we resume rolling out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to customers.”

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4464619/windows-10-update-history
Thanks sr downs!

Thursday Random Stuff…

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Reports everywhere about Win10 1809 issues. That is why I advise to wait before updating and backup before you do.
AskWoody is keeping a running tally of all the issues.
Win10 version 1809 buglog – including troubling tales of lost user data

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready 416.16 WHQL Drivers
“Provides the optimal gaming experience with support for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update including the public release of DirectX Raytracing (DXR)”
Download | Release Notes

The Big Hack: How China Used a Tiny Chip to Infiltrate U.S. Companies
“The attack by Chinese spies reached almost 30 U.S. companies, including Amazon and Apple, by compromising America’s technology supply chain, according to extensive interviews with government and corporate sources.”
Another reason we need to manufacture this tech stuff here.

Wednesday Random Stuff…

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I’ve got Win10 1809 running on 3 machines. Although I have a few minor errors in the logs I’ve no issues yet.

Firefox 62.0.3
Download (all) | Download 32-bit EN-US | Download 64-bit EN-US
Release Notes
Thanks Scott!

Winaero Tweaker for Windows 10 version 1809
A few fixes and several new features
Download & Info

Intel Graphics Driver for Windows 10
Version: 25.20.100.6323 Date: 10/1/2018
Highlights
Windows 10 October 2018 Update Launch Driver
HDR for embedded laptop panels Launch Driver
Download

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Negative Buzz Amplified by Russian Trolls, Study Finds
“finds evidence of deliberate, organized political influence measures disguised as fan arguments…Overall, 50.9% of those tweeting negatively [about the movie] was likely politically motivated or not even human”

How Likely Are You To Have a Deer Collision?
“West Virginia continues to top the list of states where an individual driver is most likely to run into a deer. Some good news for West Virginian’s though, this year while West Virginia continues to be No. 1 on the top 10 list, the likelihood of having an insurance claim involving a deer was 1 in 46 — down three points from last year.
Montana (one in 57 chance of a crash), Pennsylvania (one in 63 chance of a crash), and Wisconsin also remain at the top of list. Rounding out the top 10 states where drivers are most likely to collide with large animals like deer, elk, moose or caribou are Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wyoming, and Mississippi. The months drivers are most likely to collide with a large animal in the U.S. are (in order) November, October, and December.”
Interactive map there too.

1-in-3 pass ‘US Citizenship test,’ just 19% for Americans 45 and younger
“Among the embarrassing errors uncovered in the survey of questions taken from the U.S. Citizenship Test and conducted by Lincoln Park Stragtegies:
72 percent of respondents either incorrectly identified or were unsure of which states were part of the 13 original states.
24 percent could correctly identify one thing Benjamin Franklin was famous for, with 37 percent believing he invented the lightbulb.
12 percent incorrectly thought WWII General Dwight Eisenhower led troops in the Civil War.
2 percent said the Cold War was caused by climate change.”
Perhaps it is time to require you pass this test before being allowed to vote?
Try for yourself. Took me less than 2 minutes.
USCIS – Civics Practice Test
Washington Times – US Citizenship Test – Could You Pass?
CNN – Can YOU pass the U.S. citizenship test? Take this quiz

Windows 10 1809 Is Out

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It took half a dozen “Check for updates” but it is showing up on Windows Update for me.
Windows 10 update history updated.
1809 Media Creation Tool is live.
Find out what’s new in Windows and Office in October

This post will be updated as news comes out.

Official Download Page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO

ISOs:
Links may change at any time.
EN-US, x64:
https://software-download.microsoft.com/sg/Win10_1809_English_x64.iso?t=817bbaae-0315-460c-9626-43568e7f8e70&e=1538574542&h=021093a58665ad333c036bd14185d24a
EN-US, INTERNATIONAL, x64
https://software-download.microsoft.com/pr/Win10_1809_EnglishInternational_x64.iso?t=7c769231-a5d3-4460-9791-5b84446e9399&e=1538575517&h=102cd82c393e07d2ddaf95dde30665b1

Other builds here: https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php