Update KB5001716 trashed my computer

[Andrew]

Has anyone else installed this and had problems ?.

KB5031356 went in ok and I think an update for Edge went in too
but that never gives any warning or ask permission.

Then KB5001716 took ages, rebooted a couple of times before it
got to 100% installed and then I started getting automatic disk
error corrections from Windows when it attempted rebooting and it
took ages doing some corrections to disk errors while showing Stage1,
Stage 2 etc and some numbers, and finally it decided that it couldn't
finish the update so it backed it out !.

Took about 3 hours all in.

Now I can log in, disk management claims that all four partitions
are healthy but I no longer have a start menu.

When I click on Start the taskbar at the bottom of the screen just
slides down out of view. Wierd.

I can still right click on start and get to the same options that
way though.

I was considering swapping the 500Gb WD blue hard drive for a
WD blue SSD but M$soft have withdrawn the media creation tool
(although I previously downloaded it an saved on a USB drive
and used that to put a clean Win10 Home/64 on my HP AIO PC).

I also see that Macrium reflect and another free cloning tool
are no longer 'free' and I don't know what damage KB5001716 has
done in addition to switching off the start menu. I would prefer
to start with a clean Win10 Pro/32 install on this PC.

Failing that I will have to move all my data across to the HP AIO
and pension off this Win 10 Pro/32 m/C. Because of the way the
HP AIO is made, I need to do this without physically removing the
SSD from the HP AIO.

Andrew

[alan_m]

On 14/10/2023 21:06, Andrew wrote:
> Has anyone else installed this and had problems ?.



>

> When I click on Start the taskbar at the bottom of the screen just
> slides down out of view. Wierd.

Right click on the bottom task bar, select taskbar settings. deselect
the Automatically hide the taskbar.



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[Andrew]

On 14/10/2023 21:34, alan_m wrote:
> On 14/10/2023 21:06, Andrew wrote:
>> Has anyone else installed this and had problems ?.
>
>
>
>>
>> When I click on Start the taskbar at the bottom of the screen just
>> slides down out of view. Wierd.
>
> Right click on the bottom task bar, select taskbar settings. deselect
> the Automatically hide the taskbar.
>
>
>

I have set the taskbar to hide when the cursor is near it !.

The issue is the lack of a pretty start menu.

The event log is logging these under Application :-

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 14/10/2023 20:02:28
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Skyd
Description:
Faulting application name: StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, version:
0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x61fd822f
Faulting module name: combase.dll, version: 10.0.19041.3570, time stamp:
0x7db683b9
Exception code: 0xc000027b
Fault offset: 0x00204c41
Faulting process id: 0x1c30
Faulting application start time: 0x01d9fed0f99bf35e
Faulting application path:
C:\WINDOWS\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartMenuExperienceHost.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\combase.dll
Report Id: caf91f09-0f1b-4b96-b57b-14adfe70f005
Faulting package full name:
Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_10.0.19041.3570_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Faulting package-relative application ID: App
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2023-10-14T19:02:28.1672609Z" />
<EventRecordID>80169</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>Skyd</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>StartMenuExperienceHost.exe</Data>
<Data>0.0.0.0</Data>
<Data>61fd822f</Data>
<Data>combase.dll</Data>
<Data>10.0.19041.3570</Data>
<Data>7db683b9</Data>
<Data>c000027b</Data>
<Data>00204c41</Data>
<Data>1c30</Data>
<Data>01d9fed0f99bf35e</Data>

<Data>C:\WINDOWS\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartMenuExperienceHost.exe</Data>
<Data>C:\WINDOWS\System32\combase.dll</Data>
<Data>caf91f09-0f1b-4b96-b57b-14adfe70f005</Data>

<Data>Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_10.0.19041.3570_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy</Data>
<Data>App</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

[Bob Eager]

On Sat, 14 Oct 2023 21:06:16 +0100, Andrew wrote:

> When I click on Start the taskbar at the bottom of the screen just
> slides down out of view. Wierd.
>
> I can still right click on start and get to the same options that way
> though.

I had that this week. I simply went back to the last restore point and all
was well. The next update was fine too.



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[Andrew]

IGNORE the subject line, it is package KB5031356 that is
the problem update. KB5001716 seems to have gone in ok, though
the Event Log seems to think it has a different number ??.

Log Name: Setup
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Servicing
Date: 14/10/2023 19:46:46
Event ID: 3
Task Category: (1)
Level: Information
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: Skyd
Description:
Package KB5031356 failed to be changed to the Installed state. Status:
0x80073712.

[Andrew]

[Mark]

Andrew wrote:

> Has anyone else installed this and had problems ?.

> Then KB5001716 took ages, rebooted a couple of times before it
> got to 100% installed and then I started getting automatic disk
> error corrections from Windows when it attempted rebooting and it
> took ages doing some corrections to disk errors while showing Stage1,
> Stage 2 etc and some numbers, and finally it decided that it couldn't
> finish the update so it backed it out !.
> Took about 3 hours all in.

33 years and mickysoft still serving up updates that trash its operating system ;(
lol


--

[Paul]

Exception code: 0xc000027b <=== could be a wall clock time problem

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-store-crashes-with-exception-code/11cc9422-165f-4cf7-9525-2153d7e54de9

"Correctly setting the time zone and manually setting
the clock to the correct time fixed the problem."

Start : Run : control.exe # Control Panel view, pin to taskbar

Date and Time control panel
Date and Time tab -- "Change time zone" if it is incorrect
[Windows installation NEVER sets this correctly!]

Internet Time tab -- Change settings
Configure internet time settings
Server: time.windows.com "Update Now"

Sometimes, the time server is mis-behaving, and read the error message
carefully after clicking "Update Now".

If you dual boot Windows and Linux, they use different time keeping
methods. Either you "fix" the time, after switching OSes, or, you
change a registry setting to make Windows follow Linux practice,
but this has side effects (not all of Windows tolerates this in the code).

Turning off AC power at night to PC, causes the RTC to run off the tiny
CR2032 CMOS battery, and if that goes flat, the time can be wrong each day.
Keep standby power present, to maintain time while in Soft Off state, until
you can buy another CR2032 cell. It's a round disc cell. The socket is tricky.
I tried to help someone once, and they pulled the damn battery socket right
off the motherboard :-) Don't be that guy, OK.

*******

There are at least three kinds of updates in motion.

1) SSU Servicing Stack Update - this "authorizes" the incoming updates in a sense

2) Windows Cumulative for October - this packages hundreds of minor changes and CVE fixes

3) .NET baloney slicer - this patches yet more bugs in .NET libraries.
- You will see ngen.exe or mscoree in Task Manager, as
part of this update, consists of JIT recompiling .NET
assemblies for the installed programs. The recompiling
of assemblies, can last longer than the .NET code patching.

That's a sample of what is installed. There is a malware scanner
thing, that has the same KB number each month. Windows Defender update,
some of them, Defender fetches them, and you can manually install them too.
Windows Store applications automatically update, and this is not
part of Windows Update. If Windows Store disappears or if Metro applications
have problems, the build-in "wsreset.exe" can be used to Reset the Store.

*******

The Macrium Reflect product, Free version, can Clone and can do Full Backups.

While the Free offer will be removed at some point, you can check for
an older version. They will eventually remove these. The tool is complicated,
and if I tell you to customize and select to download a WADK kit, that'll
take a whole nother post to explain. This much executable, is at least a
start. Macrium has a manual, if you can find it, and it will explain some of
this.

https://download.macrium.com/reflect/v7/v7.3.6391/reflect_setup_free_x64.exe

https://download.macrium.com/reflect/v7/v7.3.6391/reflect_setup_free_x86.exe

http://updates.macrium.com/reflect/v7/user_guide/macrium_reflect_v7_user_guide.pdf?src=sidebar

I have four or five Macrium Reflect Rescue CDs. These are for "bare metal restore",
where you buy a new hard drive, and you restore from one of the .MRIMG backups.
The WADK kit, is what Macrium uses selectively, to make boot media. The Macrium
download process (inside the installed tool), downloads specific tools needed
for making media. These are compressed into a ball and stored for later. What
they grab, is NOT a full WADK kit. It's just pieces of it.

I also have a Macrium Reflect Rescue USB stick, and that is a high runner
for usage in the room. The CDs hardly get used now.

OK, located my film strip. Making rescue media. While never up to date,
these will jog some memories.

[Picture] "Download original" for best resolution.
If frame is blank, right-click and select "Reload"

https://i.postimg.cc/054trNDv/make-rescue-cd-via-win-vm.gif

*******

There is a tendency in Windows, to resort to "incantations". The
marked items, used by themselves, from an Administrative window,
might clean up WinSxS (side by side servicing folder) and
the System32 important stuff (sfc scannow). This is actually
a "reset Windows Update" script, with the error handling
stripped out, plus a little WinSxS servicing tossed in for "flavour".

SC config trustedinstaller start=auto
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop msiserver
net stop cryptsvc
net stop appidsvc
Ren %Systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren %Systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
netsh winsock reset
netsh winsock reset proxy
rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
dism /Online /Cleanup-image /ScanHealth \
dism /Online /Cleanup-image /CheckHealth \
dism /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth \___ Sick OS
dism /Online /Cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup / incantation
Sfc /ScanNow / Five lines.
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start msiserver
net start cryptsvc
net start appidsvc

This is why, rather than mess with this, I'd rather do a
Repair Install and walk away.

1) Do your full backup first. Store on an external drive.
Make sure external drive has enough space. This is in case
you don't like the mess when you walk into the room later.

2) Start : Run : Winver
Select a Windows Installer DVD of matching version.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_10_version_history

For example, if your PC is "stuck at" 21H2, there could be
a reason it is stuck there. If you have GMA x4500 graphics
(my Optiplex 780), it will try to install 22H2, bad graphics,
rolls back. Waste of time.

3) Consequently, if Repair Installing, I select my 21H2 disc
(a match of my current version), and while Win10 is running,
execute Setup.exe off that DVD disc.

If a person is confident their hardware is ultra-modern
(sticking an HD6450 GPU in the Optiplex provided the modernity),
then you can simply use the latest Win10 download (22H2 is the last
one) for your Repair/Upgrade Install.

Doing the Repair Install, is slow, but once you've convinced it
you are happy with your choices, it can reboot on its own.

And it can change your settings. Most of the settings will be
preserved, but, you know how Microsoft is...

Repair installs do not remove Malware. The Malware writers are
familiar with Repair Install, and they will just laugh at you.
Repair Install is mostly for naive structural problems created
by Microsoft.

*******

Disk drives ? Yes, check them.

WDC Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows

Pointing you here, is in case the WDC one is no longer supported. Ver. 1.37.

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/western_digital_data_lifeguard_tools.html#google_vignette

The preview images nearer the bottom of the page, shows the interface.
You can do a "Smart Short" for a quick check of a WDC Blue HDD, for example.
I do not know whether 1.37 is current enpugh, to handle SMART tables
on a WDC SSD drive.

This is why you are using MajorGeeks copy.

https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/31835/~/end-of-support-for-wd-data-lifguard-diagnostics-on-windows

How can a company abandon a tool like that ? dunno.

Paul

[Paul]

They really must stop the staff from playing WinXP Solitaire all day long.

I had a close call. The power went off. The next time I started
the machine, that update was half-installed :-/ Prepare barf bucket.
But, it survived. One of these days, I'm not going to be so lucky.

Paul

[jim.gm4dhj]

what do you expect from computers

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[Brian Gaff]

After an update, do you not get the facility back to take the computer back
even more? If that fixes it then you need to make a decision.
To be honest, despite what so called experts say, Operating systems which
are out of support have a golden age just after support ends before
applications stop supporting it, when you get really reliable computer
usage, which makes me wonder if all of these basic security fixes might be
inadvertently creating bugs that nobody had thought of.
Brian

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[Brian Gaff]

I used to have on windows 7, a program that backed up the registry hives
every single day for a month cyclically, however in Windows 10, it won't
work complaining of it cannot access the files etc. This program which can
restore a copy of the registries has saved me may times in Windows 7. I also
do weekly backups to an external drive. So far, there has not been an error
which can put me out of business in Windows 7, but still looking for similar
in windows 10 that is accessible for blind people.

Brian

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"Paul" <nos...@needed.invalid> wrote in message
news:ugf7j3$3r0m$2...@dont-email.me...

[AnthonyL]

ERUNT? Used it for years and saved my bacon more than once. m$oft
system restores seemed to do more damage than they ever solved.

[Paul]

On 10/15/2023 6:13 AM, Brian Gaff wrote:
> I used to have on windows 7, a program that backed up the registry hives
> every single day for a month cyclically, however in Windows 10, it won't
> work complaining of it cannot access the files etc. This program which can
> restore a copy of the registries has saved me may times in Windows 7. I also
> do weekly backups to an external drive. So far, there has not been an error
> which can put me out of business in Windows 7, but still looking for similar
> in windows 10 that is accessible for blind people.
> Brian
>

You can do backup operations while the OS is running.

I can unpack a Macrium backup, and look inside.

Name: W10ProX79-before-Win11Pro-upgrade-ERASEME-00-00.mrimg.7z
Size: 10,287,261,217 bytes (9810 MiB)

SAM - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM
SECURITY - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Security
software - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
system - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System & HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
default - HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT

Since I did that backup a few days ago, only the SOFTWARE registry file has grown

k:\Windows\System32\config

65536 Oct 14 04:10 SAM
32768 Oct 14 04:10 SECURITY
79167488 Oct 14 04:10 SOFTWARE 79,329,632
14417920 Oct 14 04:10 SYSTEM
524288 Oct 14 04:10 DEFAULT

The structure in "config" folder is more complex than a WinXP folder.
While replacing those five files would be a start, there are more
Registry files in there than that. There is one for DRIVERS for example.
And, there are Registry files in your local account (Home directory).
But these are things you don't see in Regedit either.

And yes, permissions and ACLs on files are horribly complex.
That's why I have to use devious means to do forensics on stuff.

The drive letter k: in the example, is supposed to have all restrictions removed :-)

I can also examine the actual media, using a Linux Live USB stick.
That is how I checked whether the file sizes had changed or not.

*******

Microsoft has a kind of built-in Registry ERUNT. It's called RegBack and
they have switched it off.

Microsoft REGBACK

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/system-registry-no-backed-up-regback-folder

To switch on RegBack (Registry Edit) -- this key is not present, so you have to do a New

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager\
EnablePeriodicBackup REG_DWORD 1

Output folder is named RegBack:

C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
DEFAULT
SAM
SECURITY
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM

Currently, the RegBack folder is not used in Windows 10, but
once you correct the Registry setting, it should work again.
The Task named "RegIdleBackup" does not run on a regular basis
and does not have a trigger defined.

taskschd.msc # GUI Task Scheduler -- I checked in here, RegIdleBackup has no trigger, must run manually!
schtasks.exe /? # Command line Task Scheduler

This command will run the RegBack backup, and collects a sample when the system is quiet.

schtasks /run /i /tn "\Microsoft\Windows\Registry\RegIdleBackup"

Examining the output is fun, because there are fifteen files, five are visible,
ten are hidden and need "dir /ah" to see them in Command Prompt. The journal files
if that is what they are, happen to be empty. There is no reason the five files
are not perfectly valid. You could copy all fifteen files over, which might
be easier than erasing the .log files in the destination (one folder up).

C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack> dir

10/16/2023 08:43 AM 421,888 DEFAULT
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 49,152 SAM
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 32,768 SECURITY
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 79,347,712 SOFTWARE
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 13,611,008 SYSTEM

C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack> dir /ah

10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 DEFAULT.LOG1
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 DEFAULT.LOG2
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SAM.LOG1
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SAM.LOG2
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SECURITY.LOG1
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SECURITY.LOG2
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SOFTWARE.LOG1
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SOFTWARE.LOG2
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SYSTEM.LOG1
10/16/2023 08:43 AM 0 SYSTEM.LOG2

This activity is fine for Level 39 Wizards, right ?
It's a good thing they have recipes sprinkled all over the place
like toad stools.

*******

This is a backup program, but I don't see how this is any
different than running the Free version of Macrium Reflect.
This is not the registry-specific thing like ERUNT I was expecting.

Rollback RX Home (last free edition, 2019)

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/rollback_rx.html

*******

Paul

[Paul]

On 10/15/2023 6:03 AM, Brian Gaff wrote:
> After an update, do you not get the facility back to take the computer back
> even more? If that fixes it then you need to make a decision.
> To be honest, despite what so called experts say, Operating systems which
> are out of support have a golden age just after support ends before
> applications stop supporting it, when you get really reliable computer
> usage, which makes me wonder if all of these basic security fixes might be
> inadvertently creating bugs that nobody had thought of.
> Brian
>

When it comes to CVE Security issues, it's true that 90% of the bugs,
require the Black Hat to be in the room with you, typing on your keyboard.

However, the remaining bugs can be serious. For example, just visiting
a website owned by Mallory, with a specially crafted WEBP file, can
tip over your computer, and Mallory then owns the computer. These
are the kind of bugs that can have consequences.

The odd part about the recent exploits, is after the JPG and
TIFF library had issues years ago, I thought that special
emphasis would be placed on reviewing crap like WEBP. I was wrong!
The lesson learned years ago is "don't trust FOSS libraries,
without bloody well reviewing the source for hardening issues".
Some companies had just accepted FOSS libraries, without
even looking inside, which is a definite no-no as a developer.
In the C language, there are a few routines that even throw
compiler warnings, to not be using the routines because
of data sanitizing issues (easy to tip over). This is also
why developers may switch to the Rust language, so they won't
have to look at C compiler warnings and look at Rust warnings instead :-)

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Defense in depth is the key. One of the browsers has its own
stack smashing detection code. You can also run a third-party
AV program (for as long as that is supported on an old OS).

Paul

[Andrew]

When I shut down my PC last night it went through the usual
rigmarole of saying "Do not switch off your PC while we
apply updates", which took about 15 minutes.

Then today when I switched it on I got a couple of beeps,
the screen stayed black with the rolling rolls and a
white text message saying "Updating your system (NN%)"

I have never seen this before and it got stuck on 18% then
gave up and said it was backing out the update, more wasted
time.

The event log again shows that it was failing with KB5031356
with this information event in SYSTEM -

Log Name: Setup
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Servicing

Date: 16/10/2023 18:52:42

Event ID: 3
Task Category: (1)
Level: Information
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: Skyd
Description:

Package KB5031356 failed to be changed to the Absent state. Status:
0x80070057.

Why can't it just GIVE UP !. KB5031356 clearly has problems and I
dont want it. KB5001716 went in OK and that was a Win10 "quality
update".

I can just wait until the next cumulative update.

Is there something in the registry that I can change to knock
this update into long grass ?.

I suspect tonight and the next time I switch it on it will go
through the same nonsense all over again. I don't really want
to leave it on 24/7 in order to avoid this hassle.

[GB]

On 16/10/2023 19:55, Andrew wrote:

> I can just wait until the next cumulative update.

Why not join the Windows Insider programme and get the next cumulative
update much sooner? It is a setting right at the bottom of the updates
tab of settings.




Also, I guess you have checked this:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/october-10-2023-kb5031356-os-builds-19044-3570-and-19045-3570-951fac64-5bf8-4eba-ba18-a9448920df1a




And, it's worth googling the update number + fails to install

For example, this comes up:

https://www.neowin.net/news/if-the-windows-10-patch-tuesday-update-kb5031356-fails-to-install-heres-what-to-do

Some Windows 10 users have been getting an error when trying to install
the latest Windows 10 Patch Tuesday update (KB5031356). Microsoft said
that some users have encountered Error 8007000D (ERROR_INVALID_DATA);
the error can be found in Windows Update under System settings by going
to Update History.

Microsoft said that the issue has been resolved with Known Issue
Rollback (KIR) and that the fix could take 48 hours from 18:14 P.T. 13
October to propagate automatically to consumer devices and non-managed
business devices. If you’re impatient, however, you can take some manual
steps to resolve the issue right now.


So it sounds like it should resolve itself if you leave your PC on for
the next couple of nights.

Otherwise, the same page explains the manual fix.

[Paul]

I would do a Repair Install, to the same release identified by "winver.exe".
A Repair Install, done by executing Setup.exe on the Win10 DVD,
keeps your user data and your installed programs. Make sure you have
a recent backup, just in case. These things do not normally turn into
furballs -- I've done probably a half dozen of these by now (the
Optiplex 780 refurb used up a lot of my time).

*******

If you want to do battle...

https://www.minitool.com/news/how-to-block-specific-updates-on-windows-10-11.html

https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/2/2/f22d5fdb-59cd-4275-8c95-1be17bf70b21/wushowhide.diagcab

You can hide updates.

https://www.minitool.com/images/uploads/news/2022/07/how-to-block-specific-updates-on-windows-10-11/how-to-block-specific-updates-on-windows-10-11-5.png

There are two problems with this:

1) Microsoft has a poor track record on the maintenance of utilities of this sort.
I'm lookin at you, "setupdiag.exe", which is a diagnostic tool which is supposed
to summarize why your Repair Install didn't work and has rolled back. Running that today,
it does not do a damn thing. wushowhide is pretty old now, so who knows
what shape it is in.

2) Updates have versions

KB5031356 version 1 arrives <=== User hides it

KB5031356 version 2 arrives <=== SURPRISE!

The tool does not know how to hide versions, and if they issue a new version,
it is not hidden and can attempt to install.

Paul

[Andrew]

Err, problem.

THis was a M/B+processor+memory upgrade in 2011 and
with an OEM dvd of Win7 Pro (32 + 64). I Installed
the 32 bit image, and Win Xp got the heave-ho.

Current Win10 Pro/32 was the freebie using the media
creation tool, which I believe MSoft have recently
withdrawn.

If I had to do a Repair Install, how would I do it
without a Win10 dvd or usb drive ?. I still have the
media creation tool on a USB drive but is that all I
need ?.

Luckily today it booted up without problems so I
will just wait for the next cumulative patch so see
what happens.

[Paul]

Look for "setup.exe" on the top level of the partition
containing the goods.

Can you view the stick in File Explorer ?

Directory: D:\temp

Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
d----- 9/8/2022 4:08 AM boot
d----- 9/8/2022 4:08 AM efi
d----- 10/22/2022 8:44 AM sources <=== 4,735,242,773 bytes in sources
d----- 9/8/2022 4:08 AM support
-a---- 9/8/2022 4:07 AM 128 autorun.inf
-a---- 9/8/2022 4:07 AM 413738 bootmgr
-a---- 9/8/2022 4:07 AM 1541648 bootmgr.efi
-a---- 9/8/2022 4:07 AM 74184 setup.exe <=== run this, to start Repair Install

Inside sources\install.esd are seven folders (for a MediaCreationTool version),
plus a [1].xml file. Examining the XML file gives as an example...

10.0.19041.1682 # release stamp (forensics via 7ZIP "open inside")

You would hope it would say 19045 for 22H2, but apparently
that's not how they have stamped it. ( winver.exe shows
your current installed OS details. } The files used:

Name: Windows10-x64-22H2.iso en-us version, I am in Canada
Size: 4,783,996,928 bytes (4562 MiB) Rather large for a seven-folder version disc
SHA1: A516A7BF07AF9C762A9D9F46E0D2C40CEACB4F4C

Name: sources\install.esd biggest file inside the ISO9660 image
Size: 4,057,847,146 bytes (3869 MiB)
SHA1: 067A73EE4154BA3D564BD9607BD1D2826DF0EB0B

The Win10 21H2 disc is labeled as

10.0.19041.1202 # release stamp

I have more of those, just not on this machine.

Paul

[Andrew]

I haven't checked the contents of the usb drive but since
the freebie Win10 upgrade from Win 7 Pro/32 I have allowed
all the patches to update to 22H2, so presumably doing a
repair install would put me back to pre-22H2 and trigger off
a flood of additional patches from m$soft ?.

[Paul]

I would run "winver.exe" and get it to tell you what release you are at.

I think it best, to work with a newer ISO than an older one.

If winver.exe said it was 19045, then you could use MediaCreationTool to download
the current W10 one which is 19045.

A problem only occurs, if your graphics are too old,
as mine were on the Optiplex 780. Putting a graphics
card from the junk room in the machine, fixed that, and the
installation I was attempting, then finished.

Without the good graphics card, it would only install up to W10 21H2.
With a good enough graphics card in place, it upgraded to W10 22H2.

The "old" graphics were GMA x4500 inside a Q45 Northbridge.
That's a chipset from the year 2008 or fifteen years old.
And Win10 still works on that. Just with a different graphics card.

Paul

[Paul]

> On 10/22/2023 5:46 PM, Andrew wrote:
>> I haven't checked the contents of the usb drive but since
>> the freebie Win10 upgrade from Win 7 Pro/32 I have allowed
>> all the patches to update to 22H2, so presumably doing a
>> repair install would put me back to pre-22H2 and trigger off
>> a flood of additional patches from m$soft ?.

It occurs to me, I should make a comment on streams.

19041 \
19042 \___ Older releases would stop updating.
19043 /
19044 \___ Only the last two streams, continue to receive updates
19045 / A 19044 will try to upgrade to 19045 (this will fail on GMA x4500)

If you installed a 15063, it will just stay there.

Windows Defender updates can continue to be fetched from here.
This site can be a bit slow to respond. Presumably it will
auto-change the link to point to the GB version.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

To attempt to "lock" the version on a computer, for example,
stop Windows 11 prompts (that could never work), you can use this.

https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm

You type numbers in there, like

W10 21H2

to stop the machine from trying to Upgrade to 22H2, when
you have GMA x4500 graphics. The W10 field, stops it from
going to W11.

Paul