KB2952664 Strikes Again!

Le_Kirk

I keep a list of hassle updates. Despite hiding the above update on several occasions, I note it has appeared again this morning. I've hidden it again. Anybody else received it, installed it and been offered upgrades/updates to Windows 8/8.1/10 OR installed it with no further issues?

esuhl

Ha! Is that the pointless telemetry update? KB295... also popped up on my Windows 7 installation a few days ago. I just hid it... for the umpteenth time.

VoucherMan

I keep getting a Silverlight update in recommended updates. I've no idea what I'm missing out on, but I've managed okay all these years. Every month I hide it, every month it's showing again. Sometimes MS just can't accept no for an answer.

GunJack

VoucherMan wrote: »

I keep getting a Silverlight update in recommended updates. I've no idea what I'm missing out on, but I've managed okay all these years. Every month I hide it, every month it's showing again. Sometimes MS just can't accept no for an answer.

I came across a website recently that wouldn't load properly without Silverlight.....first time for everything s'pose

I just left the site and went elsewhere

[Deleted User]

VoucherMan wrote: »

I keep getting a Silverlight update in recommended updates. I've no idea what I'm missing out on, but I've managed okay all these years. Every month I hide it, every month it's showing again. Sometimes MS just can't accept no for an answer.

GunJack wrote: »

I came across a website recently that wouldn't load properly without Silverlight.....first time for everything s'pose

I just left the site and went elsewhere

Sky Go still uses Silverlight (no idea why though...)

@Voucherman if you don't use Silverlight just uninstall it, it'll stop trying to update then.

Robisere

KB2952664 has been "decaffeinated" by Microsoft:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/2952664/compatibility-update-for-keeping-windows-up-to-date-in-windows-7

EXCERPT:
" This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update. "

I have installed it on my desktop and OH's laptop, no problem. The Boldened section means that this KB cannot install anything other than Windows 7 and Server 2008 components. Nothing at all to worry about.

esuhl

Robisere wrote: »

KB2952664 has been "decaffeinated" by Microsoft:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/2952664/compatibility-update-for-keeping-windows-up-to-date-in-windows-7

EXCERPT:
" This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update. "

I have installed it on my desktop and OH's laptop, no problem. The Boldened section means that this KB cannot install anything other than Windows 7 and Server 2008 components. Nothing at all to worry about.

What does "decaffeinated" mean?

That page was last updated several months ago. Has anything actually changed, or are MS just pushing an old update again?

It looks like the same old update to their telemetry programme.

Robisere

esuhl wrote: »

What does "decaffeinated" mean?

That page was last updated several months ago. Has anything actually changed, or are MS just pushing an old update again?

It looks like the same old update to their telemetry programme.

If you read the link you would understand that "decaffeinated" means that it no longer works to update Windows 7 to any of the following: 8, 8.1, 10.

The ability to do that has been stripped from the KB by Microsoft, after so much antipathy towards Windows 10. Realising their mistake, MS. has updated and reissued the KB several times since.
This describes what it does:

" This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update. "

"GWX & upgrade functionality" refers to the capability to update a PC Operating System from Windows 7 to Windows 10, without the user's permission. As this capability is no longer contained within the KB, the main reason for not downloading and installing it is gone. However, if the user does not take part in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program, that is now the main reason for not downloading it, as it performs telemetry diagnostics upon that function.

If everyone checked their Windows upgrades and updates by setting Windows Updates to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them" there would be less doubt. I do this, and I also take a look at each KB by highlighting with the mouse and clicking "More Information" to the left. This brings up a browser window with all the information about the KB, in order to make a decision whether to update it or not.

People see "Telemetry" as snooping by Microsoft. It is simply a method to see what users are doing with Microsoft software, and what problems may arise, in order to carry out any improvements. People get paranoid about this, for no perceptible reason..

esuhl

Robisere wrote: »

If you read the link you would understand that "decaffeinated" means that it no longer works to update Windows 7 to any of the following: 8, 8.1, 10.

The ability to do that has been stripped from the KB by Microsoft, after so much antipathy towards Windows 10. Realising their mistake, MS. has updated and reissued the KB several times since.
This describes what it does:

" This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update. "

"GWX & upgrade functionality" refers to the capability to update a PC Operating System from Windows 7 to Windows 10, without the user's permission. As this capability is no longer contained within the KB, the main reason for not downloading and installing it is gone. However, if the user does not take part in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program, that is now the main reason for not downloading it, as it performs telemetry diagnostics upon that function.

If everyone checked their Windows upgrades and updates by setting Windows Updates to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them" there would be less doubt. I do this, and I also take a look at each KB by highlighting with the mouse and clicking "More Information" to the left. This brings up a browser window with all the information about the KB, in order to make a decision whether to update it or not.

People see "Telemetry" as snooping by Microsoft. It is simply a method to see what users are doing with Microsoft software, and what problems may arise, in order to carry out any improvements. People get paranoid about this, for no perceptible reason..

Nothing in that link suggests that this update had GWX functionality that has been "stripped" or "decaffeinated" as you suggest.

Do you have another source you're not telling us about?

esuhl

This was written in 2014:

This update for Windows 7 has been continually pushed out by Microsoft almost every month since April 2014

https://myonlinesecurity.co.uk/microsoft-update-kb2952664-problems/

Over a year ago, the official description of this KB said this:

There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3168397/microsoft-windows/microsoft-re-releases-snooping-patches-kb-2952664-kb-2976978.html

So... why has MS re-re-re-released this patch? What has actually changed?

VoucherMan

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

@Voucherman if you don't use Silverlight just uninstall it, it'll stop trying to update then.

The update is to install Silverlight, not update it.