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Whatacrock
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Microsoft Update Catalog to Work in Chrome and Firefox Too

Post by Whatacrock »

Microsoft Update Catalog to Work in Chrome and Firefox Too

The Microsoft Update Catalog is the place to go when you need to manually download a specific update and get more information on it, but until now, this service has been available for Internet Explorer users exclusively because of a single requirement: ActiveX.

Microsoft restricted access to the Update Catalog to Internet Explorer, so unless you were using this browser, you weren’t allowed to connect to it. There were workarounds, of course, such as changing the user agent to make your browser be identified as Internet Explorer, but officially, only Microsoft’s product was allowed.
"ActiveX will no longer be required"

And yet, the software giant has finally understood that it makes no sense to keep the Update Catalog private for IE users, so the company is now working to remove the ActiveX requirement and open this service for any browser out there, including Chrome and Firefox.

“The Microsoft Update Catalog website is being updated to remove the ActiveX requirement so it can work with any browser. Currently, Microsoft Update Catalog still requires that you use Internet Explorer. We are working to remove the ActiveX control requirement, and expect to launch the updated site soon,” the company said in an announcement, without actually providing any specifics on when this is going to happen - Microsoft is making some Windows Update changes on Windows 7 and 8.1 in October, so the ActiveX requirement could be removed by then.

What’s funny is that not even Windows 10 users with Microsoft Edge can access the Microsoft Update Catalog, as the website returns an error telling them that they’re trying to connect to “some vintage web tech” and that “this website runs on older technology and will only work in Internet Explorer.”

So even if they’re on Windows 10, Edge users still need to turn to Internet Explorer, or resort to tricks such as the one mentioned above and change the user agent to be able to access the Update Catalog on their PCs.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 7335.shtml
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Whatacrock
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Microsoft Makes Major Changes to the Way It Updates Windows 7 and 8.1

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Microsoft Makes Major Changes to the Way It Updates Windows 7 and 8.1

Microsoft announced earlier this year that it would ship so-called Convenience Rollup updates (which include non-security improvements) for Windows 7 SP1 every month, thus giving users a quick way to bring their PCs up-to-date, and now the company is making more changes in this regard.

Starting October, Microsoft will release what it calls Monthly Rollups that address both security and reliability issues, so Windows 7 and 8.1 computers will get a single update patching everything (except for the Servicing Stack and Adobe Flash, with updates for these two to be released separately).

All Monthly Rollups will be cumulative and Microsoft is going for an approach that’s very similar to the one in Windows 10, meaning that once you install the latest update, your computer is brought up-to-date and no other patch is needed. Microsoft will use express packages, so only the updates that you need will be downloaded and installed, which makes the patching system faster and reduces the size of the download.

“Over time, Windows will also proactively add patches to the Monthly Rollup that have been released in the past. Our goal is eventually to include all of the patches we have shipped in the past since the last baseline, so that the Monthly Rollup becomes fully cumulative and you need only to install the latest single rollup to be up to date,” Microsoft explains.
"A single monthly security patch"

The Monthly Rollups will be available via Windows Update, WSUS, SCCM, and the Microsoft Update Catalog and will start shipping in October.

Additionally, Microsoft is also introducing a new monthly single security-only update that will include all Patch Tuesday security updates for a specific month packed into a single archive. These updates aren’t cumulative and include only security updates for that month and won’t be available via Windows Update, but only from WSUS, SCCM, and the Microsoft Update Catalog.

The purpose of this security update is to make it easier for enterprises and IT admins to patch their systems, as they’d have to download just a single security update and install it on computers.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 7334.shtml
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LittlBUGer
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Re: Microsoft Makes Major Changes to the Way It Updates Windows 7 and 8.1

Post by LittlBUGer »

Finally, this should have happened ages ago, or at least they should have released a SP2 for Windows 7. I know that the Convenience Roll-up they released in April-May this year as well as the July Windows Update client hotfix greatly reduces the amount of updates needed starting from a clean install (and the time it takes searching for them). But actually doing it monthly and cumulative will make it all the easier for those of us sticking with the great Windows 7. :-)
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DesertJerry
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Re: Microsoft Releases KB3161102 to Kill Off Windows Journal

Post by DesertJerry »

They may have killed it off but downloads are available, see the following: Windows Journal Application: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=53002 and https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=53003
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Whatacrock
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Re: Microsoft Releases KB3161102 to Kill Off Windows Journal

Post by Whatacrock »

Reading the download page and checking the system requirements only shows support for Windows 10, there is no mention of any other Operating Systems.
Appears to be odd in deed..
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Whatacrock
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Microsoft Goes After Windows Pirate for the Third Time Since 2000

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Microsoft Goes After Windows Pirate for the Third Time Since 2000

Software piracy continues to be a critical problem for Microsoft and the company is trying to deal with one very special case in Wisconsin where it’s suing a software pirate for the third time since 2000 simply because he keeps selling Windows and Office activation keys despite the court order.

Specifically, Microsoft claims that Anthony Boldin of Brookfield, Wisconsin, is a repeated software pirate who has already been sued two times before, in 2000 and in 2006, but despite the fact that the judge ruled in the favor of the company, the activation key seller continues to distribute illegal product keys for Microsoft software.

Furthermore, Microsoft says that Boldin hasn’t yet paid the $1.2 million in damages as a result of the first two cases he lost, so the firm is now seeking a temporary restraining order to make sure that illegal sales of its software no longer occur.

“Microsoft sued Boldin in this Court on two prior occasions for violating its intellectual property rights (in March 2000 and again in December 2006). Notably, this Court entered two separate orders permanently enjoining Boldin from any infringing use or distribution of Microsoft software,” the complaint reads according to CW.
"Pirated keys sourced from China"

According to court documents, Boldin was using several sources in China to get illegal product keys, which were then sold online on a total of four websites that he owned. Two of the websites were already down when Microsoft filed the lawsuit, but company investigators still managed to purchase keys from the remaining sites, the firm explains.

It appears that two of the keys it purchased were registered for academic programs in China, while another one was supposed to be used internally by Microsoft. Other four were issued for OEMs that install Windows and Office on the systems they sell.

"Boldin has taken steps to conceal his involvement with the Infringing Websites and, based on his current and past activities, is highly likely to dissipate his assets and conceal or destroy relevant evidence should he be provided with prior notice," Microsoft said.

Given the fact that Boldin is a repeated software pirate, the judge ruling is very likely to be harsher this time, as there’s absolutely no doubt that Microsoft’s going to win this case as well.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 8460.shtml
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Whatacrock
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Re: Microsoft Goes After Windows Pirate for the Third Time Since 2000

Post by Whatacrock »

Another story .....
Microsoft Goes After Windows 10 Pirate, Tracks Him Down and Sues

Microsoft continues its fight against software piracy, this time with a lawsuit against an unnamed party that has allegedly activated more than 1,000 copies of Windows and Office, including the latest Windows 10 operating system.

This is the company’s fifth lawsuit since February aimed at software pirates, after it discovered a growing number of activation attempts from IPs belonging to what could be retailers selling computers with stolen product keys.

Microsoft hasn’t disclosed the pirate’s name in the document papers but has called them “John Doe” - a name used to refer to an undisclosed or unnamed person or party.

Plenty of copies of Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 2010, and Windows Server 2008 were activated using pirated keys, Microsoft says in the court documents, according to CW, so the company is now suing in order to identify the culprits.
"Microsoft trying to find out the identity of pirates"

In most of the cases, once Microsoft obtains the IP address of the defendant, the judge can subpoena ISPs to provide the identity of the customers.

“Microsoft’s cyberforensics have identified over one thousand activations of Microsoft software originating from IP address 69.92.99.109 ('the IP Address'), which is presently assigned to Cable One, Inc.,” Microsoft explains in court documents.

This is what Microsoft is trying to do this time as well, and the company explains that it wants the same judge involved in the other four similar lawsuits to be in charge of this new case because they’re all similar and are linked to illegal activities of its software.

Windows and Office have always been two of the solutions most often impacted by piracy, and Microsoft is losing millions of dollars every year because of activations with pirated keys or alternative illegal ways of activation. Windows 10 seems to be hit with the same piracy problems, but even though Microsoft is offering it as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8.1 users, the company is no longer willing to tolerate pirates.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 6456.shtml
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Whatacrock
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Windows 7 and 8.1 Cumulative Updates Won’t Include Internet Explorer Patches

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Windows 7 and 8.1 Cumulative Updates Won’t Include Internet Explorer Patches

Microsoft will start rolling out Windows 7 and 8.1 cumulative updates next month, but fixes for Internet Explorer won’t be included, and they will continue to be released separately.

Nathan Mercer, Microsoft senior product marketing manager, confirmed in the comment section of the original announcement that the firm is currently working on including Internet Explorer patches in cumulative updates for Windows 7 and 8.1, but no specifics are available for the time being.

The so-called monthly rollups will bring computers up-to-date when the latest version is installed in a similar way to the one offered to Windows 10 users with cumulative updates. The bigger difference is that Microsoft is leaving Internet Explorer behind, with the browser to receive individual patches that will also be delivered via Windows Update, but not included in the rollups.

“We are working to get IE included in the monthly rollup and security-only update but do not have a confirmed schedule yet,” Mercer explained. “IE version upgrades will not happen with Monthly rollup, but we plan to eventually include patches for which ever version of IE you currently have installed in the Monthly rollup, similar to the .NET rollup.”
"No cumulative updates for Windows Vista"

Furthermore, Mercer confirmed that Windows Vista won’t get any cumulative updates as part of this new strategy, with individual patches to continue to be released after the October 11 rollout.

“Although Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are also already in Extended Support mode, we continue to consider changes to Vista/2008 but technically there are complications that will make any changes on those platforms more challenging we don’t currently have plans to extend the Rollup servicing model to Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. We continue to consider changes to Vista/2008 but technically there are complications that will make any changes on those platforms more challenging,” the Microsoft engineer explained.

The advantages of cumulative updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 users are more than obvious, as installing the latest version will always bring a computer up to date, while also making it possible to get or remove all fixes at once from the Settings screen.

The bigger problem, however, is represented by the botched updates, as it’s no secret that Microsoft had a hard time getting Windows 10 cumulative updates right for users across the world.

These CUs often experienced issues during or after installation, with users complaining every single month of problems that either prevented them from installing the update or impacted certain features of the OS after actually installing it.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows- ... 8459.shtml
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Microsoft Finally Kills Off the Infamous “Get Windows 10” App

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Microsoft Finally Kills Off the Infamous “Get Windows 10” App


Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 7 and 8.1 computers that finally removes the highly-criticized Get Windows 10 app supposed to help users on these two OS versions migrate to Windows 10.

Also known as GWX, this tool was released by Microsoft in the summer of 2015 and its role was as simple as it could be: prepare Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs for the upgrade to Windows 10 by checking for compatibility issues that might be experienced during the process and download the necessary files to initiate the installer.

But it’s no secret that GWX has often been involved in what Microsoft described as “accidental upgrades,” with a number of users complaining that their computers got upgraded to Windows 10 even though they didn’t specifically ask for it.
"KB3184143 to the rescue"

With the free upgrade period ending on July 29, 2016, the app no longer made sense on Windows 7 and 8.1 computers, so Microsoft shipped update KB3184143 to remove it altogether for these PCs.

There’s no need to do it manually, and if you’ve previously used software designed to block GWX or the upgrade to Windows 10, you can safely disable it and install this patch. GWX should then be gone entirely from your computer, Microsoft guarantees.

“The Get Windows 10 (GWX) application was designed to make the Windows 10 upgrade process easy for existing Windows 7 and 8.1 customers for the one year free upgrade offer which ended July 29th. Beginning on September 20th, the Get Windows 10 app and all other updates related to the Windows 10 free upgrade offer will be removed from Windows 7 and 8.1 customer's devices,” the firm said in a statement.

The upgrade to Windows 10 is no longer available free of charge and users who want to perform it on a computer running Windows 7 or 8.1 need to purchase a license whose pricing starts at $119.99 for the Home version.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 8489.shtml
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DesertJerry
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Re: Microsoft Finally Kills Off the Infamous “Get Windows 10” App

Post by DesertJerry »

On my Win7 w/SP1 system I still have the $WINDOWS.~BT and the $Windows.~WS folders - I'm assuming I could still use them to upgrade my Win7 to Win10 or is that no longer valid thinking? Just a question - I am also running Win10 Insider Preview and Win10 upgraded from 8.1 so dropping Win7 is not really in the plans.
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