Category: Software

Microsoft stopped the distribution of the latest preview update for its Windows 11 operating system a few days ago. Back then the company said that it is pulling the update because of a critical issue it detected.

Tip: you can control optional updates via the Group Policy or Registry in Windows.

Here are the key points again:

• Affected devices might enter a boot loop, which meant that Windows would not start anymore.
• The culprit, according to Microsoft, was virtualization software.
• Windows needed recovery operations.

Microsoft has now enabled the update again for most devices. The company notes on the updated Release Health website:

Availability of this update via Windows Update and Windows Update for Business was paused for a couple of days, but is being resumed today for most devices. This update offering is now paused only for devices affected by the issue. As a result, this update might not be offered to Hyper-V virtual machines running on hosts that utilize certain processor types.

In other words, Microsoft is blocking the update on affected machines to prevent the boot loop issue.

Taskbar woes confirmed

Microsoft has confirmed a second issue that is affecting the preview update. This issue may be rarer even, but it is still noteworthy.

According to Microsoft, the taskbar may not be shown or may not be interacted with on affected devices.

Here is what we known:

• The issue affects so-called Windows-N editions only. N-editions of Windows do not have certain Media Features by default.
• The issue affects non N-edition systems, if Media Features are removed on the devices. This can be done under Control Panel > Programs > Programs and features > Turn Windows features on or off.

Affected users may want to block the update from being installed on their devices. Since these updates do not install automatically, it is usually sufficient to avoid its manual installation.

Closing Words

Microsoft says that it is working on a resolution for both issues. It remains to be seen if it gets a fix out before the July 2024 Patch Day on July 9th.

Users affected by either issue may want to keep an eye on the Release Health dashboard to stay up to date. Unlike optional updates, Patch Day cumulative updates install automatically on most devices.

When do you install updates? Do you install optional updates, or prefer to install stable updates only? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Microsoft has paused the rollout of the June 2024 preview update for Windows 11. The company says that it may cause booting issues on affected devices.

Good to know: preview updates are optional updates. These should be considered beta. All included fixes and features are included in the coming month’s cumulative update for the operating system.

A new entry on the official Windows Health Dashboard website confirms this.

Here are the main points:

• Windows 11 devices with the preview update installed may fail to start.
• The device may restart multiple times.
• Recovery operations may be required to fix the issue and restore booting into Windows.

Microsoft says that the issue is “more likely to affect devices utilizing virtual machines tools and nested virtualization feature”. Engineers analyze and debug the issue to “determine the precise conditions under which this issue can trigger”.

Rollout of the update KB5039302 is paused

Microsoft has paused the update while it is investigating the issue. Pausing means that users who seek for it won’t get it offered on their devices.

Windows Home devices are less likely to be affected according to Microsoft, as virtualization is less commonly used.

While it is still possible to download the preview update from the Microsoft Update Catalog website, it is not recommended because of the issue.

Affected devices may have their functionality restored either through automatic repairs or by manually removing the update from the operating system.

Closing Words

It is usually a good idea to skip any preview updates that Microsoft releases. While it may sometimes be tempting to be “first”, they tend to introduce bugs and issues frequently.

The next cumulative update is just a few weeks away, and all fixes and features are included in those as well.

There are just a few cases where it makes sense to install a preview update:

• If they fix a critical issue that is experienced on a device.
• For testing purposes.

What about you? Do you install optional Windows updates, or do you prefer to skip those?

Your data is getting backed up automatically, if you sign-in to a new Windows 11 PC using a Microsoft account.

Windows setup is taking longer and longer to complete. Microsoft is adding new screens to the setup process on a regular basis. Besides ads, for testing Game PC, setup has other pitfalls that many users may want to avoid.

The upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 makes another change that is going to hit users full in the face once they realize what is happening. Problem is, it may take a while before they realize it.

Here is what has changed: when you sign in using a Microsoft account, your data is automatically synced using OneDrive. That is to be expected, but Microsoft is now also backing up certain folders from the new Windows installation that reside outside the OneDrive folder automatically.

In other words, files may get backed up that you do not want to end up in the cloud. By default, Documents, Pictures, and Desktop folders are getting backed up. If you place the wrong file(s) there, you risk having your account disabled. Even worse, files that you do not want in the cloud may be uploaded to it automatically.

Note: we are still talking pre-release version. There is a chance that Microsoft is changing the behavior before public release.

OneDrive backs up files to the cloud automatically

Neowin was the first to report about it, but they provided no source. I downloaded the latest official Windows 11 version 24H2 to put this to the test.

Fired up a virtual machine using VMWare and started the installation. I kept everything set to the default values, which is probably what most Windows users do. I signed-in using a Microsoft account, as this is the one requirement to get OneDrive up and running.

Tip: you can check out my guide on bypassing the Microsoft account requirement in Windows 11.

It took a while for setup to finish, but the Windows 11 desktop loaded eventually. I noticed that OneDrive was starting to sync files from the cloud storage to the local system. This is also an automated process, which can push device storage to the limit.

When things settled down, I checked OneDrive > Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup to find out if OneDrive was configured to back up certain folders automatically.

The next screen confirmed this. OneDrive was backing up Desktop, Documents, and Pictures automatically. It never asked whether it could do that.

While it is somewhat okay to get data that is in the cloud synced to the local PC, backing up files automatically without getting consent is a whole new dimension.

What you can do about it

• Skip signing in to a Microsoft account during setup. If you have troubles, try using Rufus to prepare the Windows ISO image.
• If you sign in with a Microsoft account, consider creating a new account.
• Once setup completes, go the OneDrive settings and turn the backup option off.
• Another option is to create a local account after setup completes and use it from that moment on. You can delete the Microsoft account.

Closing Words

With Microsoft making it difficult to set up Windows without a Microsoft account, it appears that many Windows 11 users will have data copied to the cloud once Windows 11 version 24H2 hits.

What is your take on this? Do you use OneDrive or other file syncing services?

Last week, Microsoft unintentionally explained why offline accounts are better in Windows. It does not seem to have taken long for Microsoft to realize that listing instructions to switch to local accounts was not the best strategy for a company that is doing everything in its might to make the creation of local accounts as awkward and irritating as possible.

What you need to know: local accounts are device-specific. They are not known to Microsoft and no data gets synced. Microsoft has a vetted interest in getting customers to use Microsoft accounts. This binds them to Microsoft and gives Microsoft more data.

Microsoft updated the support page recently. While it still lists the benefits of local accounts as well as Microsoft accounts, it no longer reveals to users how to create one or switch to using a local account.

Now, that support page is focused almost entirely on Microsoft accounts. (via Neowin)

Here is an overview of the page’s content after the update:

• Explains the differences between local and Microsoft accounts.
• Lists the benefits of Microsoft accounts.
• Lists the benefits of local accounts.
• Explains how to switch from a local account to a Microsoft account.
• Links to another support page entitled “What is a Microsoft account”.

The instructions to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account were removed.

How to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account in Windows 11

Thankfully, the Internet rarely forgets. Here they are again:

1. In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Accounts > Your info, or use the following shortcut: Your info
2. Select Sign in with a local account instead. You’ll see this link only if you’re using a Microsoft account
3. Type the username, password, and password hint. The username must be different than any others on the device
4. Select Next, then select Sign out and finish. Sign back in with your new local account

Closing Words

Here is a funny idea: maybe it is time to give customers what they want. Restore the option to create a local account during Windows setup and let customers decide. It is fine to make the Microsoft account the default.

This alone would make lots of Windows users happy who want to use a local account. It means that they won’t have to go to Settings to switch the Microsoft account to a local account, cursing Microsoft all the way of the process for being anti-consumer in this regard. The vast majority of users would still select a Microsoft account, giving Microsoft what it wants.

What about you? Do you prefer using a Microsoft account or a local account?

The last couple of years have been a difficult ride for the majority of Windows users. It all began with the release of Windows 11. Microsoft released the new version of Windows back in October 2021 to the public.

Several months before that release, it made it abundantly clear that Windows 11 would ship with new hardware requirements.

These requirements, particularly the need for a TPM chip and a relatively modern processor, blocked part of the userbase from upgrading to Windows 11 officially.

Granted, enthusiasts found ways to bypass the requirements and upgrade devices to Windows 11, but the majority of users does not know about Rufus or ways to bypass the requirements.

This divided the Windows userbase for the first time ever since Windows came to be. Hundreds of million of devices with Windows 10 cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 according to estimates. Microsoft, at least, gives customers an option to extend support by up to three years, but this comes at a price.

The second divide: Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft is dividing the Windows userbase again, less than three years after the official launch of Windows 11. Now, it is affecting the Windows 11 userbase.

The new Copilot+ PC type has different hardware requirements again. This time, requirements include a neural processing unit for AI processing on the device among other things.

While Microsoft won’t prevent regular Windows 11 systems from upgrading to Windows 11 version 24H2, it will block certain features on these devices.

In other words, if you do not have a Copilot+ PC, you won’t get all the features of Windows 11 anymore. While that is been the case for smaller features, including Auto DRM or DirectStorage, Microsoft is introducing a new dimension here.

Major features, including the controversial Recall feature, but also smaller features, such as features of the default image editor Paint, are Copilot+ PC exclusives. If you do not have one, you won’t be able to use these features, even if you wanted to.

Closing Words

Arguably, the second divide isn’t as major as the first. Windows 11 customers can continue to use their devices at least. Still, with a large number of Windows 10 customers left without any official options from Microsoft, and most current Windows 11 customers without access to many of the upcoming AI features, one has to wonder whether that is the best course of action.

If Microsoft would have known about the rise of AI in 2021, it could have waited with the release of Windows 11 until 2024. Or, it could have allowed Windows 10 devices to upgrade to Windows 11. All of these options were not really practicable from Microsoft’s point of view. It could have done that, but it wanted Windows 11 devices to be on modern hardware only. The rise of AI in 2023 came out of nowhere, practically.

Devices need enough processing power, using NPU chips, to compute certain AI tasks on the device. While it would still be possible to allow devices without AI chips to make use of these features, it would probably be unbearable slow.

In closing, Microsoft seems to have moved itself into a corner with the release of Windows 11 and the enforcement of new system requirements. The sudden rise of AI services and features require another round of adjustments to the system requirements.

Still, this is going to be a problem for Microsoft in the short run. What will all the Windows 10 customers do who cannot upgrade their devices to Windows 11?

The release of Windows 10 saw a fundamental shift towards Microsoft accounts. While users got to choose between local and Microsoft accounts in Windows 10, it was clear that Microsoft’s intention was to get customers to use online accounts.

It integrated new features into Windows that required an online account. From OneDrive over the synchronization of settings to the ability to restore an account password.

Microsoft shifted into a higher gear with the release of Windows 11. It enforces the creation of a Microsoft account on first setup now for Home and Pro systems.

Many workarounds do not work anymore, but there may still be options to deal with the user-unfriendly behavior. Still, most users may not know about these and that forces them to create the Microsoft account.

It is possible to create local accounts after the initial setup phase and delete the Microsoft account, but Microsoft has scattered warnings across the system in that case.

Microsoft highlights the advantages of local accounts

The support page “Change from a local account to a Microsoft account” on Microsoft’s official support website lists the advantages of both local and Microsoft accounts.

Here is what Microsoft has to say about local accounts (via WinFuture)

A local account is created on the device and doesn’t require Internet connectivity to sign in. It’s independent of other services, and it’s not connected to the cloud. Your settings, files, and applications are limited to that single device

While that is meant to be discouraging, may of the users who prefer local accounts may beg to differ.

The key here is that local accounts are not known to Microsoft. They work offline and files stay on the local system by default. Users may still sync files using first or third-party tools, but this is completely optional.

Wonder about the advantages of using a Microsoft account? Here are the key features of using a Microsoft account, according to Microsoft:

When you sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account, you’re connected to a Microsoft cloud service, and your settings and files can sync across various devices. You can also use it to access other Microsoft services

So, some settings and files sync when a Microsoft account is used. Using a Microsoft account may also give users access to services that require it.

Closing Words

To break it down: if you prefer privacy, you may want to consider using local accounts. If you prioritize convenience, or use multiple Windows devices, you may find that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

What about you? Do you prefer local or Microsoft accounts on Windows devices?

DoNotspy11 is a long-standing privacy and tweaking application for Windows. The first update of 2024 introduces new features and compatibility with recent Windows releases.

It is a small tool that you may use to modify Windows settings with ease. It addresses one of the main issues that privacy-conscious users have with Windows: the scattering of privacy-related preferences and policies.

Instead of having to use the Control Panel, Settings app, Registry, Group Policy Editor, and some other tools to improve privacy, it delivers everything in a single easy-to-use interface.

Word of Advice: Windows may throw a SmartScreen error when you try to run the program on your device. This is not because it is malicious or faulty. SmartScreen displays also when a program is new.

Another great privacy tool is O&O ShutUp10++, which I reviewed some time ago.

A short DoNotspy11 Intro

DoNotSpy11 displays all applicable privacy tweaks in the interface. It uses color codes to highlight the safety of tweaks. The following colors are used:

• Blue — These are safe settings that should not have any ill-effects.
• Orange — It is necessary to read the description, as they may impact other features among other things.
• Red — Usually not recommended to change.
• Gray — These settings have not changed since the last use of the application.

The program suggests to create a System Restore point whenever changes are made. This allows you to go back to the previous state in case something does not work anymore. I never ran into this problem while using the app, but a backup option is always welcome.

Just check or uncheck the available options and hit the apply button in the end to make the change. It is easy to undo changes manually or through System Restore points.

DoNotSpy11 1.2.1.0 Changelog

The update introduces ten new tweaks, including a new Windows AI category. It also adds general compatibility with Windows 11 version 23H2 Moment 5 and Windows 11 version 24H2, which will be released later this year.

The final change adds high DPI support, which should improve visuals on high DPI displays.

As for the tweaks, here is what is new:

1. AI: Disable Recall (Snapshots) (from build 26100)
2. Apps: Disable Access to Cellular Data
3. Apps: Disable Access to Eye Tracking
4. Apps: Disable Access to Motion / Activity
5. Edge: Disable Control Copilot Access to Browser Context
6. Edge: Disable Spell Checking Provided by Microsoft Editor
7. Edge: Disable Website Typo Protection
8. Edge: Hide App Launcher on Microsoft Edge New Tab Page
9. Start: Disable Recommended Section
10. Start: Disable Website Recommendations in Recommended Section

Three tweaks have been updated. The first two add options to disable Copilot and the Copilot taskbar button on Windows 10 devices. The third changes the disable background applications recommendation from blue (safe) to yellow (read comment).

You can check out the full changelog here.

Do you use tweaking tools to improve privacy or other features of Windows devices?