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Microsoft forces Win10 1709 upgrades on PCs set to restrict telemetry


Karlston

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Howls of pain from Win10 1607 and 1703 users who were forced to upgrade to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update today. No advanced warning. This is the third time some Win10 customers have been pushed onto Win10 1709.

18 re install windows 10
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Just when you thought Win10 Fall Creators Update was finally starting to look stable, Microsoft pulled another tone-deaf move. Reports have been pouring in from people who were forced to upgrade from Win10 1607 (the Anniversary Update) or Win10 1703 (the First Spring Creators Update) to the latest version of the last edition of Windows, Win10 1709.

wu 1703 advanced optionsWoody Leonhard

Poster bobcat5536 puts it this way:

This happened to me last night. In the past I’ve been updated to the next feature update always through Windows Update. This time WU checked like always and it said I was up to date. About 30 minutes later, a box pops on my screen and informs me that there are security updates available and that it needs to update to latest version of Windows 10 to be able to install them and then starts the update.

I have Dell XPS8900 with version 1703 and when the update finished, I had version 1709, but no sound, no colour ( everything black and white ), reinstall software notifications and errors saying certain shortcut keys are not available.

[In the Windows Update Advanced Options pane (screenshot),] I had pause on for 35 days enabled and 365 days set on feature updates. After restoring an image and disabling WU service, the forced update began to update all over again !!! The first time it came on I didn’t catch it until it was 80% done and had to let it finish. The second time it popped up, I killed it before it got started. If all of settings are set to defer and update service is turned off, it would seem that this update was directly downloaded and didn’t update through WU. If this is the case, how do you stop something like that ?

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has forced Win10 1709 upgrades onto machines that were specifically set to prevent the upgrade. Forced upgrades snared Win10 customers previously on two occasions:

  • In mid-November 2017, Microsoft pushed many Win10 1703 customers with “Current Branch for Business” selected onto 1709.
  • In mid-January 2018, Microsoft pushed many Win10 1703 customers onto 1709, even though they had “feature update” deferrals set to 365 days.

Neither of those pushed upgrades were announced in advance.

Last Monday, a new and largely overlooked Knowledge Base article, KB 4023814, warned that:

If you're currently running Windows 10 Version 1507, Version 1511, Version 1607 or Version 1703, you can expect to receive a notification that states that your device has to have the latest security updates installed. Windows Update will then try to update your device…

Windows 10 version 1607 and version 1703 are not yet at "end of service." However, they must be updated to the latest versions of Windows 10 to ensure protection from the latest security threats.

Which seems to imply that Microsoft isn’t going to put much effort into security patches for Win10 1607 or 1703 any more, regardless of their end-of-service dates. As of this moment, Win10 1607 Home and Pro hit end of service next month (1607 Enterprise and Education have been extended to Oct. 9). Win10 1703 Home and Pro reach end of service in October (1703 Enterprise and Education stretch out to April  2019).

 

This latest pushed upgrade seems to involve an obscure setting called the Diagnostic Data level. As best I can tell, Win10 1607 and 1703 machines with the Diagnostic Data level set to zero – the “Security” setting – are getting forced onto Win10 version 1709. Those who send more data to Microsoft – say, the “Basic Health & Quality” level – don’t seem to be getting the forced upgrade.

 

Put another way, if this analysis is correct: if you’ve set your machine to send the minimum amount of telemetry to Microsoft, you’re going to get upgraded.

Moreover, this forced upgrade doesn’t go through Windows Update. It happens even if you’ve turned the Windows Update service off. Per @abbodi86:

The upgrade to the latest Windows 10 version is being delivered in two ways now: The usual one through Windows Update, which I suppose respects deferral settings/policies; and one through Update Assistant, which may not comply with deferral settings/policies.

Both the KB 4077525 (OS Build 14393.2097) Win10 1607 cumulative update article and the KB 4077528 (OS Build 15063.936) Win10 1703 cumulative update article contain this cryptic warning:

Windows Update Improvements

Microsoft has released an update directly to the Windows Update client to improve reliability. Any device running Windows 10 configured to receive updates automatically from Windows Update, including Enterprise and Pro editions, will be offered the latest Windows 10 Feature Update based on device compatibility and Windows Update for Business deferral policy. This does not apply to long-term servicing editions.

And the Configure Windows Update for Business site says:

For Windows Update for Business policies to be honored, the Diagnostic Data level of the device must be set to 1 (Basic) or higher. If it is set to 0 (Security), Windows Update for Business policies will have no effect.

How “Windows Update for Business policies” override Windows settings escapes me.

 

How can you tell if your machine has its Diagnostic Data level set to zero? The easiest way I’ve found is to go into the Settings Feedback & diagnostics pane (Start > Settings > Privacy > Feedback & diagnostics; see screenshot); if either Basic or Full is checked, you’re fine.

feedback diag 1703Woody Leonhard

If those options are grayed out, it’s possible your Diagnostic Data level has been set to zero through a Group Policy (or maybe a registry?) setting. The Diagnostic Data level can be set through the Group Policy editor (GPedit.msc) at Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Allow Telemetry.

 

I’ve seen reports that running the O&O Shutup10 tool can, in some circumstances at least, set the Diagnostic Data level to zero.

 

It looks like you can roll back from 1709 to your previous version, as long as you haven’t run a disk cleanup in the interim. Click Start > Settings > Update & security > Recovery. Under Go back to the previous version of Windows 10, click Get started. And pray.

Windows 10 is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

Thx to @juzuo, @abbodi86, @EP, @bobcat5536, @EyesOnWindows, and many others on the AskWoody Lounge.

 

Source: Microsoft forces Win10 1709 upgrades on PCs set to restrict telemetry (Computerworld - Woody Leonhard)

 

EDIT: Some more technical info courtesy of Martin at ghacks... Report: Forced Windows 10 version 1709 upgrades that bypass Windows Update

 

EDIT 2: Thread discussing how to stop this forced upgrade... So how DO you block the upgrade to Win10 1709

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Quote

Windows 10 is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

:lmao:    :frusty:    :whistle:

 

Really the best comment I can think of is @WALLONN7 's recent RSU ...

 

picdump_1350_2__800.jpg

 

 BTW

 @WALLONN7 , unlike your original pic, this one above got heavily scaled down.

Could you enlighten me why did it happen ? 

 

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1 hour ago, mona said:

 

BTW

 @WALLONN7 , unlike your original pic, this one above got heavily scaled down.

Could you enlighten me why did it happen ? 

 

 

Well, I can not say for sure... But here's how I usually add images to my posts:

 

After finding or uploading the image, right click and select display image; I hold it by moving it up to the post editing window and I drop it there... I make the adjustments that I believe are convenient and I save the post...

 

Hope that helps!!!

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19 minutes ago, WALLONN7 said:

 

Well, I can not say for sure... But here's how I usually add images to my posts:

 

After finding or uploading the image, right click and select display image; I hold it by moving it up to the post editing window and I drop it there... I make the adjustments that I believe are convenient and I save the post...

 

 

Pity I'm not able to try replicating your method since I'm on Android right now, so no right click and such.

BTW  Have you ever posted pics using ’‘Insert other media’’  --->  “Insert image from url‘' option ? 

Is that method any different from just placing a bare pic's link directly in an edition window ?

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11 minutes ago, mona said:

 

Pity I'm not able to try replicating your method since I'm on Android right now, so no right click and such.

 

It's sad you can't do it... Hope you are going back to your desktop soon...

 

Quote

BTW  Have you ever posted pics using ’‘Insert other media’’  --->  “Insert image from url‘' option ? 

 

Nope, I never did...

 

Quote

Is that method any different from just placing a bare pic's link directly in an edition window ?

 

I don't think so... That button is just a esthetic way to do the same thing...

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I just used my usual modus operandi — first, uploaded the image to imgur and then used the img tag:—

 

ps:—

Allowed my Android Fox net access for the very first time — didn't enjoy the experience at all :P

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@dcs18

WALLON7 hotlinked the pic,  you used Imgur as a source.  I did the task with the help of Postimage.org....

Might an image hosting site be a culprit ?  Let me try again with Imgur.

 

(BTW  It's important for me to find the real cause since it's not the first time my posts suffer from this image downscaling.)

 

 

 

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You might've surely configured your imgur account — would be worth though, to just recheck whether their recent update changed your choice of quality:—

 

tcbG7LF.png

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2 minutes ago, dcs18 said:

You might've surely configured your imgur account — would be worth though, to just recheck whether their recent update changed your choice of quality:—

 

In my case, such a change has influenced anything... But maybe this is due to the fact that I do not have an account... Let's see what @mona has to tell us...

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Karlston, our apologies for the off-topic posts — would hopefully serve as value-additions, for the future. ;)

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I see bad things for mans :

 

  • Windows Update force them to install updates on their devices...
  • Wives forced them to update their wallet ( with money less ) for purses & shoes....:P
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It's a bit challenging to block internet connectivity for Windows Update on a selective basis — however, have deployed a policy on all client machines towards this end (regardless of the OS.) :evil:

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I don't know exactly how it bypassed their firewall. They seem competent enough to handle a firewall. :think:

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Israeli_Eagle

Simply NEVER install this spyware OS!!! :smoke:

And it's dead-ugly anyway, only created for extreme weak hardware.

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6 minutes ago, Israeli_Eagle said:

Simply NEVER install this spyware OS!!! :smoke:

 

Do not forget : You can run, but you cannot hide yourself :tooth:

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Israeli_Eagle
1 minute ago, Recruit said:

 

Do not forget : You can run, but you cannot hide yourself :tooth:

 

I can hide perfectly because that's my job. :coolwink:

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1 hour ago, dcs18 said:

Karlston, our apologies for the off-topic posts — would hopefully serve as value-additions, for the future. ;)

 

@Karlston  I'm very sorry for off-topic posts. 

Please, let us finish what we started here (never believed the innocent off-topic question will grow to a serious problem) though. Then I could ask staff to remove all those posts and create a separate thread out of them. 

 

@dcs18

I tried Imgur (simple Imgur upploading app just for now) and .... the result is still the same : the pic got down-scaled.  So looks like the culprit must have been on my end.   :(

 

If it happens that you have any suggestions where to look for it - please let me know.

Anyhow - thanks a lot for your help. (my thanks go to @WALLONN7 too).

 

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42 minutes ago, gingerbread80 said:

I read the post too late. So, how does one go back to 1703?

 

Commiserations. Are you having problems with it?

 

I Googled for "roll back 1709", here's a few...

 

https://betanews.com/2017/10/20/how-to-rollback-and-uninstall-windows-10-fall-creators-update/

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/rollback-uninstall-windows-10-creators-update

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/windows-10-1709-update-rollback/28a34f15-2877-4dd9-b50e-1aba81c8f42f

 

They all agree on the same method, that's a good thing.

 

IMPORTANT...

 

Backup your stuff first, either image your W10 boot drive or at the very least backup your important files.

 

I also suggest this thread on AskWoody... https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/so-how-do-you-block-the-upgrade-to-win10-1709/

otherwise it may just happen all over again. Bookmark his site, I'm a fan, can you tell? :)

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gingerbread80
4 minutes ago, Karlston said:

 

Commiserations. Are you having problems with it?

 

I Googled for "roll back 1709", here's a few...

 

https://betanews.com/2017/10/20/how-to-rollback-and-uninstall-windows-10-fall-creators-update/

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/rollback-uninstall-windows-10-creators-update

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/windows-10-1709-update-rollback/28a34f15-2877-4dd9-b50e-1aba81c8f42f

 

They all agree on the same method, that's a good thing.

 

IMPORTANT...

 

Backup your stuff first, either image your W10 boot drive or at the very least backup your important files.

 

I also suggest this thread on AskWoody... https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/so-how-do-you-block-the-upgrade-to-win10-1709/

otherwise it may just happen all over again. Bookmark his site, I'm a fan, can you tell? :)

I dont have any issues that I know of, but I am always playing catchup with the updates. It is my kids' laptop. My laptop is still on Windows 7.

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