History of Windows Updates

 

 

Microsoft Windows has been a staple in the PC industry for over 30 years. Who can forget the oldies but goodies (not including server or mobile versions):

 

• Windows 1.0 – 2.0 (1985-1992)
• Windows 3.0 – 3.1 (1990-1994)
• Windows 95 (1995)
• Windows 98 (1998)
• Windows ME (2000)
• Windows NT 3.1 – 4.0 (1993-1996)
• Windows 2000 (2000)
• Windows XP (2001)
• Windows CE (2006)
• Windows 7 (2009)
• Windows Phone (2010)
• Windows 8 (2012)
• Windows 10 (2015)

 

 

Of the more than 2 billion PCs which exist in the world, Microsoft dominates the operating systems running on them (according to NetMarketShare):

 

• Windows 10 – 43.86%
• Windows 7 – 36.47%
• Windows 8.1 – 4.18%
• Windows XP – 2.37%
• Windows 8 – 0.79%
• Windows Vista – 0.17%

 

 

Windows Update

 

 

Microsoft introduced Windows Update with Windows 98. It would check for patches to Windows and its components, as well as other Microsoft products such as Office, Visual Studio and SQL Server.

 

 

Windows Updates had two problems.

1. Less experienced users did not know about it as it had to be installed separately.

2. Corporate users had to update every machine in the company but also had to uninstall patches as they often broke existing functionality.

 

 

Patch Tuesday

 

 

Microsoft introduced Patch Tuesday in October 2003 to reduce the cost of distributing patches. Tuesday was chosen because of the time available before the weekend to correct issues that arise with the patches. This left Monday to take care of any unanticipated issues from the preceding weekend.

 

 

At Ignite 2015, Microsoft announced a change to distributing security patches. Home PCs, tablets, and phones would get the security releases as soon as they were ready. While enterprise customers stayed on the Patch Tuesday monthly cycle – retooled as Windows Update for Business.

 

 

Modern Lifecycle Policy

 

 

Windows 10 saw another change to update distribution. Microsoft released a new version of Windows 10 twice a year.  A “Modern Lifecycle Policy” was created which stated Home and Pro versions of Windows 10 will be provided with security and feature updates for up to 18 months after release, enterprise for 24 months.

 

 

According to Microsoft, “a device needs to install the latest version (feature update) before current version reaches end of service to help keep your device secure and have it remain supported by Microsoft”.

 

 

Through it all, there remained a constant. The potential for an update to cause unintended results, even breaking the machine they intended to fix.

 

 

Last year alone, Windows 10 had at least two serious issues that emerged once the final builds were released. Microsoft had to delay the April 2018 Update because of unexpected “Blue Screen of Death” issues. The October 2018 Update was pulled days after users discovered the upgrade deleted files.

 

 

On April 4, 2019, Microsoft released a new policy to give users greater control of the installing updates in Windows 10.

 

 

Improving the Windows 10 Update Experience

 

 

“We will provide notification that an update is available and recommended based on our data, but it will be largely up to the user to initiate when the update occurs.”

 

 

When Windows 10 devices are at, or will soon reach, end of service, Windows update will continue to automatically initiate a feature update. This keeps machines supported and receiving monthly updates which are critical to device security and ecosystem health.

 

 

New features will empower users with control and transparency around when updates are installed. In fact, all customers will now have the ability to explicitly choose if they want to update their device when they “check for updates” or to pause updates for up to 35 days.”

 

 

Some of the features they are utilizing to provide this control are:

 

 

• Download and install now option – Gives the users the ability to enjoy feature updates as soon as Microsoft makes them available.
• Extended ability to pause updates – Allows a user to pause both feature and monthly updates for up to 35 days (seven days at a time, up to five times). Once reached, users will need to update their device before pausing again.
• Intelligent active hours – Avoid disruptive update restarts. To further enhance active hours, users will now have the option to let Windows Update intelligently adjust active hours based on their device-specific usage patterns.
• Improved update orchestration – Improve system responsiveness by intelligently coordinating Windows updates and Microsoft Store updates, so they occur when users are away from their devices to minimize disruptions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microsoft is expanding its focus on quality by expanding release preview. This allows for more feedback and insights on capabilities and expanding interaction with the ecosystem partners including OEMs and ISVs.

 

 

Microsoft thanks their many millions of users for providing feedback. This allowed for early detection of low-volume, high-severity issues. A new public dashboard was created for increased issue transparency. It provides clear and regular communications with their customers on status and when there are issues.

 

 

Commercial customers will see the updates ready in late May, beginning with the servicing period for version 1903 of Windows 10.  If you are part of the Windows Insider Program, you probably already have the release.

 

 

For more information on what is included with the May 2019, one of the better guides can be found here.

Windows 7 OS Enters Final Year of Free Support

 

Windows 7’s five years of extended support will expire on January 14, 2020.  After this date, security fixes will no longer be freely available for the operating system that’s still widely used.  If you still use Windows 7, it may be time to consider an upgrade.

 

“Changes and upgrades in technology are inevitable,” said Brad Anderson, corporate vice president for Microsoft 365, in a blog. “And there’s never been a better time to start putting in motion the things you need to do to shift your organization to a modern desktop with Microsoft 365.”  Microsoft will continue to provide security updates for Windows 7 to business customers that pay for support, according to ZDNet, but not individual users.

 

Windows 10

 

Windows 7 was released in 2009 and is still one of the most widely used desktop operating systems. Windows 10 finally overtook Windows 7 in the desktop market at the end of last year, according to ZDNet. Data analysis reports for December 2018 showed that 39.2 percent of the machines they collect data from used Windows 10, while 36.9 percent used Windows 7, according to ZDNet.

 

What Does End of Support Mean?

 

The end of free support does not mean the end of support entirely. Microsoft has long offered paid support options for its operating systems beyond their normal lifetime, and Windows 7 is no different. What is different is the way that paid support will be offered. For previous versions of Windows, companies had to enter into a support contract of some kind to continue to receive patches. For Windows 7, however, the extra patches will simply be an optional extra that can be added to an existing volume license subscription. No separate support contract will be needed on a per-device basis.  These Extended Security Updates (ESU) will be available for three years after the 2020 cut-off, with prices escalating each year.

 

Alternative Option

 

According to Microsoft Technologist Peter Bright, as an alternative, Microsoft is offering all three years of ESUs to customers of the new Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) service at no extra cost. This service offers cloud-hosted virtual machines running Windows 7 plus whatever applications are needed, and those virtual machines will continue to be patched into 2023. WVD uses existing Windows Enterprise E3 licenses, and it runs on the full range of Azure virtual machines, with no additional costs incurred. This includes, for example, GPU-equipped VMs, meaning that WVD should be usable for a wide range of workloads.

 

Office 365 will continue to be supported on Windows 7, but only with the ESUs applied.  Similar policies exist for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. These also drop out of free support in one year. For on-premises deployments, customers will be able to buy the Extended Security Updates, but workloads in Azure will receive all three years of fixes for free.

 

Here are a few reasons why Windows 10 is superior to Windows 7:

 

• Multitasking – It is much easier to juggle multiple open windows when you’re working. Features include offering both half-monitor and quarter-monitor sizes when you drag a window to one part of the Desktop.  Other open windows are able to fill any open space automatically. One can view a much clearer thumbnail overview of your open windows and supports multiple Desktops. This makes working with full-screen windows much easier when you don’t have multiple monitors
• Always up to date – It’s no longer possible to forget to run Windows Update. You will be less likely to miss a critical operating system patch that fixes a serious security problem. By forcing all users to stay up to date, everyone’s online safety is improved.  It reduces the risk of a PC being compromised by a hacker and becoming part of a botnet that could be used to attack your PC.
• Security –  The safety of your PC is improved. With alternatives to a simple password, such as using a familiar picture,  it makes it much harder for anyone to sign into your PC without your permission.The new PIN system also means you can protect your Microsoft account with a long, strong and very secure password, but still use a simple PIN code to sign into your PC — and it only works on your PC.
• New Windows Features – Digital assistant Cortana is gradually improving with every update, while the Action Centre is a neat and tidy place to keep all your notifications.
• Faster – Performance tests have shown that this version is faster across the board than earlier versions of Windows. It boots, goes to sleep and wakes from sleep marginally faster than it would on a PC of the same specification. This means less waiting around when you want to do something. Application performance is more of a mixed bag. Tests show it to be faster than Windows 7 with some apps and slower with others. Bear in mind that Microsoft will update Windows 10 regularly. Windows 7 is now essentially frozen in its current state after ‘mainstream’ support ended in January 2015.

 

Contact Zunesis if your organization is interested in moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10.  We can provide support and expertise during the transition.

Windows 7 OS Enters Final Year of Free Support

 
Windows 7’s five years of extended support will expire on January 14, 2020.  After this date, security fixes will no longer be freely available for the operating system that’s still widely used.  If you still use Windows 7, it may be time to consider an upgrade.
 
“Changes and upgrades in technology are inevitable,” said Brad Anderson, corporate vice president for Microsoft 365, in a blog. “And there’s never been a better time to start putting in motion the things you need to do to shift your organization to a modern desktop with Microsoft 365.”  Microsoft will continue to provide security updates for Windows 7 to business customers that pay for support, according to ZDNet, but not individual users.
 

Windows 10

 
Windows 7 was released in 2009 and is still one of the most widely used desktop operating systems. Windows 10 finally overtook Windows 7 in the desktop market at the end of last year, according to ZDNet. Data analysis reports for December 2018 showed that 39.2 percent of the machines they collect data from used Windows 10, while 36.9 percent used Windows 7, according to ZDNet.
 

What Does End of Support Mean?

 
The end of free support does not mean the end of support entirely. Microsoft has long offered paid support options for its operating systems beyond their normal lifetime, and Windows 7 is no different. What is different is the way that paid support will be offered. For previous versions of Windows, companies had to enter into a support contract of some kind to continue to receive patches. For Windows 7, however, the extra patches will simply be an optional extra that can be added to an existing volume license subscription. No separate support contract will be needed on a per-device basis.  These Extended Security Updates (ESU) will be available for three years after the 2020 cut-off, with prices escalating each year.
 

Alternative Option

 
According to Microsoft Technologist Peter Bright, as an alternative, Microsoft is offering all three years of ESUs to customers of the new Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) service at no extra cost. This service offers cloud-hosted virtual machines running Windows 7 plus whatever applications are needed, and those virtual machines will continue to be patched into 2023. WVD uses existing Windows Enterprise E3 licenses, and it runs on the full range of Azure virtual machines, with no additional costs incurred. This includes, for example, GPU-equipped VMs, meaning that WVD should be usable for a wide range of workloads.
 
Office 365 will continue to be supported on Windows 7, but only with the ESUs applied.  Similar policies exist for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. These also drop out of free support in one year. For on-premises deployments, customers will be able to buy the Extended Security Updates, but workloads in Azure will receive all three years of fixes for free.
 

Here are a few reasons why Windows 10 is superior to Windows 7:

 

• Multitasking – It is much easier to juggle multiple open windows when you’re working. Features include offering both half-monitor and quarter-monitor sizes when you drag a window to one part of the Desktop.  Other open windows are able to fill any open space automatically. One can view a much clearer thumbnail overview of your open windows and supports multiple Desktops. This makes working with full-screen windows much easier when you don’t have multiple monitors
• Always up to date – It’s no longer possible to forget to run Windows Update. You will be less likely to miss a critical operating system patch that fixes a serious security problem. By forcing all users to stay up to date, everyone’s online safety is improved.  It reduces the risk of a PC being compromised by a hacker and becoming part of a botnet that could be used to attack your PC.
• Security –  The safety of your PC is improved. With alternatives to a simple password, such as using a familiar picture,  it makes it much harder for anyone to sign into your PC without your permission.The new PIN system also means you can protect your Microsoft account with a long, strong and very secure password, but still use a simple PIN code to sign into your PC — and it only works on your PC.
• New Windows Features – Digital assistant Cortana is gradually improving with every update, while the Action Centre is a neat and tidy place to keep all your notifications.
• Faster – Performance tests have shown that this version is faster across the board than earlier versions of Windows. It boots, goes to sleep and wakes from sleep marginally faster than it would on a PC of the same specification. This means less waiting around when you want to do something. Application performance is more of a mixed bag. Tests show it to be faster than Windows 7 with some apps and slower with others. Bear in mind that Microsoft will update Windows 10 regularly. Windows 7 is now essentially frozen in its current state after ‘mainstream’ support ended in January 2015.

 
Contact Zunesis if your organization is interested in moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10.  We can provide support and expertise during the transition.

Last month, Microsoft unveiled details on its latest feature update to the Windows 10 Operating System.  Microsoft is calling the release the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.  According to Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Windows and Device Group, “With Windows 10, we’ve focused on delivering the most modern and most secure operating system. Since its initial launch, we delivered two updates with features designed to enable the creator in each of us. With our latest major release – the Windows 10 April 2018 Update – we want to give you back some of your greatest currency, your time. Our hope is that you’ll have more time to do what matters most to you –  create, play, work or simply do what you love.”

 

Timeline

 

One major feature on the “make the most of your time” theme is called Timeline. The feature is focused on helping users deal with the problem of having files and web activities spread across numerous devices — and spending time searching for documents they were working on, or restarting web searches when changing devices. The proliferation of devices, combined with the explosion of information, has led to an influx of screen time. In fact, today, practically all free time goes toward screens. Your information is spread across multiple devices – making it increasingly harder to find your stuff. We’ve all had the experience of digging through your email or file folders for the document you know you wrote, but can’t find. Or looking for photos and videos that you know you’ve seen and love, but can no longer locate. Timeline can help you get back this wasted time.

 

 

With Timeline, your Windows 10 PC lets you go back in time up to 30 days to find your stuff, whether you were working on it earlier today, last week, or a few weeks ago. Because much of our activity is on the go, you can even pick up what you were doing if signed into your Microsoft account while using Microsoft Edge or Office 365 on your iOS or Android device when you return to your Windows 10 PC. Imagine looking at bathroom vanity options for that home remodel when you’re out and about on your phone, and then finishing that purchase when you’re back at your PC. Or working on a document on the bus during your commute and seamlessly picking it back up when you’re at your desk.

 

Focus Assist

 

Today, most of us spend between 3-6 hours – each day – on screens. Much of this time is spent on social media, where the constant stream of distractions across our myriad of devices makes it hard to focus. In many ways, our attention is being hacked, pulling us into continuous scrolls of information, but distracting us from what matters most. This war on attention is real – in the workplace, the average amount of time people spend on any single event before being interrupted or switching tasks is about three minutes (outside of meetings). Since the average person needs about 23 minutes to regroup after being interrupted, we see our productivity and creativity diminished.

 

With the April 2018 Update, Microsoft introduces Focus Assist to help you stay in the zone. Turn on Focus Assist whenever you want to get things done without distractions, like social media or other notifications. Or set it to turn on automatically at certain times during the day when you want focused time. When you finish, you receive a summary of what came through, whether notifications, emails or updates, while you were heads down. If you’re waiting on a specific call or email, choose people who you want to break through.

 

 

Edge Updates

 

Microsoft is also helping you focus while on the web with updates to Microsoft Edge. You can now click the audio icon to mute and unmute a tab that is playing sound. Books, PDFs and Reading View pages can go full-screen for a distraction-free reading experience. Shopping gets easier as your address, payment and other information can be securely saved with the option to autofill on web payment forms. You can now clear out clutter from your printouts by printing web pages in a cleaner format with the new clutter-free printing option. Finally, anyone needing a little help with reading can use the new Grammar Tools button to enable comprehension aids. Grammar Tools can break the words on the page into syllables, as well as highlight different parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

 

 

Dictation

 

Natural computing experiences enable us to speak directly to our devices to accomplish tasks, without typing. Microsoft sees potential for voice input to dramatically change how people interact with their devices, far beyond novelty experiences or entertainment.

 

One-way Microsoft has done this in the April 2018 Update is with Dictation. It is now easier than ever to take a note or write a paper, with just your voice. With your cursor in any text field either in Windows 10 or in an app, simply press Win+H and start talking. The improved Dictation feature in Windows 10 will capture your thoughts quickly and accurately.

 

 

Voice

 

With the April 2018 Update and Cortana enabled on your Windows 10 PC, you can manage your smart home right from your PC using just your voice. For example, want to come home to a warm house from a long day at work?  With the April 2018 Update and Cortana, you can control your thermostat and other IoT devices such as a Honeywell or Nest Learning thermostat and more.

 

There are many great new features in the April 2018 Update including simplified IT management tools for enterprise customers, new ways to create with Photos, 3D and Windows Mixed Reality, new ways to keep you safer online and enhancements to your PC gaming experience.

 

The April 2018 Update is currently available as a free download as of April 30, 2018.

 

By now, we have all heard that Microsoft is rolling out another new and improved version of its popular Windows operating system. The new version of Windows, named Windows 10, is set to be released on July 29, 2015. So what does the next generation of Windows offer enterprise and small-to-medium businesses, and is it worth it?
Windows 10 for Business
Win 10 offers protection from modern security treats and includes features like Windows Hello and Microsoft Passport, which, according to Microsoft, make it easier to adopt biometrics and multi-factor authentication using your face, fingerprint, or iris to unlock your device. These features provide a user-friendly way to move away from passwords.
Windows 10 also has built-in defenses to help protect your critical business information from leaks or theft, while separating corporate from personal files. Technologies like Secure Boot and Device Guard ensure you’re protected from power-on to power-off.
Microsoft claims that Windows 10 is familiar and better than ever. It has similarities to Windows 7, including the Start menu, as well as new features like Continuum and Microsoft Edge, which provide new, innovative productivity experiences. Windows Continuum functionality for mobile phones tailors the app experience across devices to transform a phone into a full-powered PC, TV, or even a Smart TV. Microsoft Edge is the all-new Windows 10 browser built to give you a better web experience. Edge allows you to write directly on webpages and share your mark-ups with others. Edge also allows you to read online articles free of distraction or use the reading list feature for saving your favorite reads for later access.

 

Windows 10 is also expected to drive the next wave of device innovation, powering devices that hang on the wall, team collaboration, and holographic interfaces that open up revolutionary new ways to create, learn, and visualize.
Clearly Microsoft has included some unique and interesting features into Windows 10. Discovering if the new operating system will be embraced by business users will not be known for some time; all we can do is wait for the release and hope for the best. If Windows 10 is not what we expect, be on the lookout for Microsoft to roll out Windows 11 sooner than later.