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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 24 - 29 JUNE, 2024
Hello and Welcome,
Meetings This Week
NO MEETINGS
Meetings Next Week
2024/07/02 — 18:00-20:00 — July, Tue — Main Meeting
2024/07/06 — 13:00-14:00 — July, Sat — Penrith Group
Schedule of Current & Upcoming Meetings
First Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Main Meeting
First Saturday 13:00-14:00 — Penrith Group
Second Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Programming
Third Tuesday 10:00-12:00 — Tuesday Group
Third Saturday 14:00-16:00 — Web Design
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Go to the official Sydney PC Calendar for this month's meeting details.
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Penrith meetings are held every 2nd month on the 1st Saturday from 1-2 pm.
The next scheduled meetings are in September and November 2024.
ASCCA News:Tech News:
Windows Update for KB5034441 may fail (and keep failing)
See the Twit.Community article showing the Windows 10 fix.
PHolder January 12
A recent Windows Update fails to install on many of my [virtual] machines. This is related to the Windows Recovery Partition being too small to handle the update's installation.
This is Microsoft's explanation of the KB5034441 error.
IMPORTANT
Some computers might need a recovery partition that is large enough to complete this update. Because of this, the update for WinRE might fail. In this case, you will receive the following error message:
Windows Recovery Environment servicing failed.
CBS_E_INSUFFICIENT_DISK_SPACE)
To help you recover from this failure, please follow the instructions to resize your partition and install the WinRE update manually.
Known issue: Because of an issue in the error code handling routine, you might receive the following error message instead of the expected error message when there is insufficient disk space:
0x80070643 — ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE
The following article outlines the steps for manually resizing your recovery partition. Please note that this can be dangerous to your disk/data if you don't get it right. I tried it on one of my non-virtual machines, and it allowed the update to install rather quickly.
These are Microsoft's instructions for manually Resizing the Recovery Partition.
*** WARNING — DON'T ATTEMPT THIS MANUAL FIX. KEEP READING... ***
It's unknown if Microsoft will release a different version of the update that automatically handles resizing. Other than leaving an annoying failure message, I don't think this update is urgent, so you could probably wait for next month's patch Tuesday to see if they do.
CTech February 4, 14
I have this problem, too. After getting Windows Update on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, I tried getting the KB5034441 update, but it failed again.
I looked at my WinRE partition, and I only have about 80 MB free.
I don't use Bitlocker, so it's not critical for me.
I am going to make my partition 250 MB bigger. It'd be a good idea to image your drive first.
I found a valid .cab file from Microsoft that allows you to show or hide Windows Updates.
This is why Microsoft should allow us to download and install it, especially for Win Pro users. I have seen this in Win 11 but not on 10.
Not everyone may be comfortable using the CMD method.
I found a much faster and simpler way of resizing the WinRE partition.
I now have a 1.0 GB WinRE partition.
Download the FREE Portable MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Scroll Down until you see Download (64 Bit)
[ This download is a .zip file. You must click it in File Explorer to extract all the files and directories.
Then find the executable (partitionwizard.exe) in the directory "\pwfree-64bit-portable\MiniTool Partition Wizard 12" — Ed. ]
Click the program, which shows you a disk layout picture, similar to Microsoft's Disk Management.
Select the WinRE Partition, right-click on it, and select Move/Resize. Enter the size you want, then click Apply. Please reboot your computer, and the program will resize it for you.
[ It's more complex than that. I had to resize the C: partition because the two partitions were adjacent. I took 1 GB from the C: partition, then expanded the WinRE partition to 1 GB. It's all straightforward because you have controls to increment or decrement the partition sizes. After you've done this (they are just REQUESTS to resize), you have to hit the APPLY button. Then you let it Reboot your machine. It takes over during Reboot and does the requested shrinking and enlarging for you — Ed. ]
Partitionwizard showing 1001 MB Recovery Partition
Three months later
PHolder
So, Microsoft is NOT going to provide any fix for this problem.
REPORT from The Register:
Windows users were left to fend for themselves after the BitLocker patch bungle.
Do you need a bigger partition for the update? You'll be manually resizing it, then.
Richard Speed, Friday, May 3, 2024 // 14:30 UTC
Microsoft has decided that there will be no automatic resolution for a problem with some Windows 10 devices as they attempted to install a BitLocker security vulnerability patch.
The issue arose in January 2024 and was related to a patch for a BitLocker bypass vulnerability and the Windows Recovery Environment.
Windows Update would throw an unhelpful error if the user needed more disk space in their recovery partition. Microsoft acknowledged the problem and issued some frankly alarming instructions for manually resizing the partition to address it.
It wasn't for the faint of heart, and one user at the time noted: "This is an issue that Microsoft needs to correct themselves."
A few days later, a Microsoft spokesperson told The Register: "We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release."
Except it appears that the Windows giant isn't.
Hidden away in the Windows Release Health dashboard — and noted by Windows Report — is news that Microsoft will NOT sort this out. You'll work through those manual steps and be grateful!
And finally:
The partitionwizard.exe worked perfectly, allowing my Windows Update at home to run correctly.
Whew!
Unfortunately, the same didn't happen with the Club's computer. During the June Tuesday Group meeting, we saw that Windows Update was also stuck on the KB5034441 problem. We successfully downloaded Partitionwizard and ran it, increasing the Recovery Partition from 550 to 990 MB. However, Windows Update still refused to work, even after we rebooted several times.
So, the Update file will continue to block updates unless a Windows-Expert Club member can think of some way to clear the problem.
Here's an interesting YouTube video from Chris Titus Tech about the Recovery Partition having to be at the end of the drive that it's on. Our Club's RE Partition has a small unallocated space BEFORE and AFTER it, so that might be the problem.
Just delete it and make a new one to fill the spaces (carefully) — Ed.
Recovery Partition at the end of the drive?
Microsoft Reinstates Test Program For Windows 10
See the InfoPackets article by John Lister on June 17, 2024, at 01:06 pm EDT.
Microsoft is inviting Windows 10 users to join a test program for new features. This is somewhat of a surprise, given that the system theoretically reaches its "end of life" next year.
The program is part of Windows Insider, where Microsoft lets people sign up to test new Windows features. The idea is to get an audience big enough to pick up problems in real-world testing but small enough that any problems aren't a major issue.
Microsoft is reopening the Windows 10 Beta Channel. That's one of four Windows Insider channels: Canary, Dev, Beta, and Release Preview. The first two are very early stages of testing suitable only for the most technically confident users. Beta is the last major stage of testing, while Release Preview is the point where Microsoft doesn't plan on making any more changes before a full public release unless something goes very wrong.
New Features Coming
It's been three years since the last update to the Beta Channel for Windows 10. Microsoft now says, "To bring new features and more improvements to Windows 10 as needed, we need a place to do active feature development with Windows Insiders." (Source: bleepingcomputer.com)
The company has yet to announce the new features being tested, but it recently added the Copilot AI chatbot to Windows 10.
Users who want to join the Beta channel can do so through the Windows 10 settings under "Update & Security" and then "Windows Insider Program."
Microsoft added a couple of clarifications. First, it reassured users that joining the program would mean something other than getting an automatic update to Windows 11, even if their computer is compatible. That suggests some users are still sceptical about the benefits or need for Windows 11.
Windows 10 Still Near End Of Life
Second, it confirmed there's no change to the planned October 14, 2025, end-of-life date for Windows 10. That's when Microsoft will stop issuing updates, including security patches, and no longer recommend people use the system.
That's controversial as many users have computers that don't meet Windows 11's minimum hardware specifications (such as the trusted platform module or TPM) but are still working well. To add to the controversy, Microsoft plans to offer paid security updates and fixes to anyone who does choose to continue using the system. (Source: theverge.com)
It remains to be seen if Microsoft will really pursue the plans or will conclude that the sheer number of people still using Windows 10 makes it too risky to leave the system unprotected.
What's Your Opinion?
Have you ever joined the Microsoft Insider Program? Are you surprised to see new features coming to Windows 10? Do you plan to stick with Windows 10 even after it stops getting security patches?
Comments
Window 10 — Submitted by olds97_lss on Mon, 17/06/2024 — 15:12.
I have five computers in my life that will need replacing once I'm forced to go to Windows 11, as none of them are capable of having Windows 11 on them directly without forcing it. Even if I can, I haven't looked into it that hard.
All of them are computers that work just fine, so it's frustrating to know I'll have to spend thousands of dollars to get security updates unless I pay for those outright, not to mention the time wasted setting everything up again on all of them.
Too Risky — Submitted by Focused100 on Mon, 17/06/2024 — 15:22.
It's too risky for the vast installed base of Win 10 for MS not to support it.
They should, at least for security updates.
Bill Gates is releasing a memoir next year
See The Verge article by Emma Roth | on Jun 5, 2024, 7:17 am GMT+10.
But it doesn't include all of the juicy details about what goes on at Microsoft.
Bill Gates has written a memoir covering his childhood and the years until he formed Microsoft in 1975. The book Source Code: My Beginnings will be available for preorder on Feb 4th, 2025 but it's available for preorder now.
In a heartfelt post on his blog, Gates shares, "My memoir, Source Code, delves into the challenging chapters of my early life. It's a narrative of a misfit kid, a rebellious teen, a young man grappling with the sudden loss and a college student on the brink of expulsion. It's also the story of a pivotal decision — the co-founding of Microsoft with the late Paul Allen.
"My upcoming memoir Source Code is all about the lessons and experiences that laid the foundation for everything in my life that followed."
"My memoir Source Code comes out next year. You can preorder it now."
While the memoir, Source Code, may not delve into the intricate workings of Microsoft or Gates' other business ventures, it offers something more profound. It's a human, personal narrative that unveils the journey of a man who shaped the world of technology. It's about Bill Gates, the person, not just the entrepreneur.
Fun Facts:
A Brief History of Windows Desktop Backgrounds
See the How-To Geek article by Tony Phillips | Published June 14, 2024.
The photographer of the famous Windows XP desktop background landscape picture didn't anticipate it becoming one of the most iconic Windows images ever. This realization inspired me to look back through time at some of the designs that have adorned our screens.
Windows 95
Windows 95 Background
Anytime I see this teal colour — with the hexadecimal code #00807F — it reminds me of the Windows 95 desktop background. While this choice of colour might seem unpleasant and unimaginative by today's standards, it offers a certain nostalgic vintage appeal that takes me back to the early days of the Windows desktop setup with those clunky PC units and monitors that were deeper than they were wide. Also used in earlier Windows NT versions in 1992 in pre-release builds, the teal colur was pretty much the unofficial colour of the 1990s. Not much is known about why this shade was chosen, but given that electric pink would have been a little more eye-searing, it seemed a wise choice and made its unforgettable mark on Windows history.
Windows XP
Windows XP Background
The Windows design we saw in XP marked the start of significant user-interface advancements that we've continued to visit. With the increased use of drop shadows, the first two-column Start menu layout, and the choice of blue, olive-green, and silver visual styles, Windows XP was an overhauled desktop experience. The "Bliss" desktop background was another part of this dramatic upgrade, as Microsoft moved from its graphically produced designs to an unedited photograph of Sonoma County's green hills.
Previously known as "Bucolic Green Hills," photographer Charles O'Rear snapped this idyllic picture when travelling to visit his girlfriend. Driving past the scene, he noticed that the field was greener than usual, a characteristic widely attributed to the heavy rainstorm that had just emptied itself onto the never-ending hills. The fact that this field was previously a vineyard but was wiped out due to a phylloxera infection probably added to its strikingly green appearance. Despite being an incidental addition to the Windows desktop gallery, you can still notice the well-known blue-sky-white-cloud backdrop that had formed the basis of the previous designs, so it's no wonder the hierarchy at Microsoft decided it was the ideal next stop on its visual journey.
Windows 8
Windows 8 Background
Not much is known about the Windows 8 background, including why daisies were chosen as the centrepiece. However, the focused flower on the left and the unfocused flower on the right coincides with the launch of the Windows Photos app in the same year, and the repeated emphasis towards nature continues the theme in the previous desktop background. Interestingly, this was the last time we saw the blue sky and white clouds that had filled our screens on and off for the past 12 years.
Windows 10
Windows 10 Background
"Hero," designed by GMUNK, saw the return of a live photograph as the desktop background image — albeit heavily layered. The designers began by cutting four squares into black cardboard before cutting the same design into some acrylic and matching them together. Then, light was directed through the design from an off-angle to capture the glints of the acrylic, resulting in the glistening effect we see in the image. In total, over 3,000 pictures were taken and combined at 9k resolution. According to GMUNK, the aim was "not to just tell the story of Windows, but to tell the story of everything behind and travelling through it, of the advances and techniques that keep the brand moving forward into the future" — and that's clear to see in this striking design.
Windows 11
Windows 11 Background
Windows 11 brought a more centrally aligned theme to its customers, with the taskbar more closely mirroring the MacOS design. Designed by Six N. Five, "Bloom" returns to the subtle environmental hints we've seen over the years in some Windows desktop backgrounds, no less than in its name. The "bold and abstract" design, which depicts a delicately layered rose-type image, points towards Microsoft's modern-day growth, aligning closely with its aim for an "effortless, calm, personal, familiar, complete, and coherent" design principle.
The Future
As of June 2023, Microsoft hasn't yet officially announced Windows 12. However, Microsoft did leak a new interface that the company could be testing for Windows 12. In the Microsoft Ignite keynote on October 12, 2022, Microsoft briefly showed us an image of Microsoft Teams running on a Windows 11 desktop. However, it did have a floating taskbar, a floating search box, system icons displayed in the top-right corner, and the weather in the top-left corner. So, even though we aren't sure what the new desktop background image will be, we can confidently say that there will be many changes to the interface, meaning we could also expect significant changes to the wallpaper design.
Meeting Location & Disclaimer
Bob Backstrom
~ Newsletter Editor ~
Information for Members and Visitors:
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All Meetings, unless explicitly stated above, are held on the
1st Floor, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney.
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