Bryley Basics: How to remove Windows 10 updates

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Anna Darlagiannis and Gavin Livingstone, Bryley Systems Inc.

The Windows 10 update can be removed from a computer with these steps:

  • Go to Control Panel
  • Select Program and Features
  • Select View Installed Updates
  • Right click on each update below and select Uninstall:
    • KB3033583
    • KB2952664
    • KB2990214
    • KB3012973
    • KB3044374
  • Go to Control Panel
  • Select Windows Update
  • Select Check for Updates
  • Select ### important updates are available where ### is the current number of updates available on your computer
  • Right click on each update below and select Hide update:
    • KB3033583
    • KB2952664
    • KB2990214
    • KB3012973
    • KB3044374
  • Restart the computer
  • Go to Control Panel
  • Select Windows Update
  • Select Check for Updates
  • If the following do not appear then you have successfully uninstalled Windows 10 updates:
    • KB3033583
    • KB2952664
    • KB2990214
    • KB3012973
    • KB3044374

If no updates appear except for Install Windows 10, then a group policy needs to be created to remove Windows 10 updates.

Best practices to deploy Windows 10 across your organization

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Microsoft has been bombarding end-users with free-upgrade ads for Windows 10; their goal is to bury older Windows operating systems, which should reduce support requirements while enabling future capabilities. (Click here for specifications on Windows 10.)

The free-upgrade process works reasonably well for individual users, particularly those with compatible applications (Microsoft Office 2016) and modern peripherals (printers, monitors, etc.). However, upgrading in a multi-user environment across many different PCs with older peripherals can be problematic; these upgrades require a planned approach, with significant testing before implementation.

Windows 10 is a major upgrade to the Microsoft Windows franchise, which started back in 1985. It is an operating system (OS) which controls system functions and provides the basic, under-lying glue that unites end-users with their applications, peripherals, and the organization’s computer network. (See “Can Windows 10 revitalize the PC?” from the November issue of Bryley Information and Tips (BITs).)

Because of their complexity and the disruptive impact on the end-user’s desktop environment, we typically delay OS upgrades for at least a few months; we like to see a body of evidence that suggests the upgraded operating system is actually behaving as advertised. This is a two-part concern:

  • We want to ensure that user experiences match the manufacturer’s claims.
  • We need to verify that supporting parties – relevant vendors with installed applications and peripherals – have caught up with the upgrade and have made their products compatible with the new version.

These are the recommended steps:

  • Planning
  • Testing
  • Training
  • Deployment

Planning

Planning should include all of the steps necessary to ensure a successful upgrade throughout the organization; it is particularly important to discuss and review all relevant applications, older peripherals, and the impact on end-users.

Applications are critical: If the upgrade does not work with existing applications, something will need to change. With compatibility issues, typical choices include:

  • Upgrade the application to its latest version – This works if the application vendor has upgraded to work with the new OS.
  • Launch the application from within the OS in compatibility mode – This does not work for all applications, but should be evaluated and tested thoroughly.
  • Delay the OS upgrade – This option does not solve anything, but might provide time for the application vendor to upgrade or to select a new app.
  • Replace the application with a compatible application – A difficult choice, particularly if the application is organization-wide, but might be a welcome change if the existing application is a bit dated and under-performing.

You will need to identify and locate installation media, license keys, and product software for all applications; these applications may need to be verified and/or reloaded during the upgrade.

Peripherals are controlled via device drivers; a driver is a small, software-based application that interfaces the peripheral to the OS, enabling access without requiring detailed knowledge of the peripheral. For compatibility, the driver is typically upgraded. However, if the peripheral is old or the overall need for compatibility is limited, a manufacturer might choose to not upgrade a driver. (Click here for a list of manufacturer support pages.)

If uncertain, end-user peripherals are often cheaper to replace than upgrade, particularly printers, scanners, etc. However, large-scale equipment (high-volume printers, CNC machinery, and the like) will need to be tested and verified.

Don’t forget to check the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade requirements:

  • Do I have enough available disk space and Internet bandwidth to deploy the Windows 10 upgrade? (It is a 3 GB download.)
  • Do my computers qualify for the Windows 10 upgrade? (Upgrade is only available for the latest Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 versions and must be applied within one year of availability, which ends 7/29/2016.)
  • Do my computers meet the minimum hardware requirements of 1 GB RAM, a 16 GB (or greater) disk-drive, and a modern video adapter?
  • If my computers are old, should I consider a wholesale replacement rather than trying to upgrade hardware?

End-users will need to be informed and trained before deployment.

Deployment schedules and dates must be considered:

  • Do we hit everyone at once, or upgrade department-by-department?
  • Can we schedule individual upgrades during the day or must they be performed (at greater expense) after-hours?
  • Can I meet the free-upgrade deadline of 7/29/2016? (Click here for Microsoft’s Windows Lifecycle schedule.)

Testing

The only way to ensure compatibility is to test everything:

  • Test all applications and their modules
  • Test all peripherals and their drivers; be prepared to replace when needed

Unfortunately, thorough testing takes a lot of time. An alternative is to upgrade or replace whenever possible, especially peripherals. However, core applications will need to be thoroughly vetted, either by the manufacturer or internally, to ensure that post-deployment users can operate without restriction or obstruction.

Testing should take two forms:

  • Test the upgrade process directly on an application-equipped computer.
  • Test a clean installation of Windows 10 with a reinstall of all components.

Although Microsoft has taken great pains to provide a clean upgrade, we find that a clean rebuild, although it takes longer, can reduce some deployment issues.

A clean rebuild requires these steps:

  • Document all applications and peripherals for all users on a computer
  • Install Windows 10 as a fresh installation (rather than as an upgrade)
  • Reinstall all applications and peripherals
  • Test thoroughly

Training

Not as well understood, but extremely important, are the changes to the end-user interface and how it will be received within your organization. For example: When Microsoft introduced Windows 8, its Tiled approach was extremely different from the Start Menu in earlier versions of Windows. As such, its adoption was poor, even though its core components improved on Windows 7.

Most end-users see their computers as a tool; they’re not particularly interested in upgrades unless they receive significant benefits. It helps greatly to introduce the differences and train end-users before rolling out a new OS.

End users should be trained not only on the new interface; they also need to know how to perform basic functions that may have changed, like loading applications, printing, retrieving files, accessing the Internet, etc.

Rollout timing should also be considered: I suspect most folk would want to be trained separately and then come to work with the update completed rather than try to work around a computer person in their office.

We find it helpful to have advocates; those internal end-users who are enthusiastic about the new version and willing to assist their co-workers. These advocates should be upgraded first, so they can spread the word.

Deployment

At last, we have done our homework, the users are trained, and everything is ready to go.

Although critical data should never be stored on an end-user’s computer, a backup is always a good first step; a backup provides recourse in case anything is missed.

Disk cloning is an excellent tool; it is a process whereby a computer’s disk image is first replicated and then redeployed on multiple computers, adjusting for differing components (video adapters, etc.) and the input of valid licensing keys. It works well, particularly if your computers are fairly similar and, preferably, are from the same manufacturer. Even though commercial-grade disk-cloning-software licenses cost about $50 per computer, disk cloning can save a lot of time and effort when deploying multiple new computers or upgrading many existing computers. (Click here for a list of disk-cloning software.)

If you are not cloning, create a detailed checklist that documents every step of the upgrade or clean-rebuild process. Ensure that the checklist is followed in its entirety for each computer.

Try to work systematically, but efficiently. If possible, line-up all similar computers and work your way down the line, performing each step at the same time on all computers, but verifying completion before moving on to the next step.

As always, we’d be glad to help or to do it for you. For assistance, please email ITExperts@Bryley.com or call us at 978.562.6077.

OneNote: A hidden gem in Microsoft Office

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Gavin Livingstone, Bryley Systems Inc., January 2016

Microsoft first introduced OneNote with Microsoft Office 2003; since then, it has gone through five iterations and has become a useful utility to record free-form ideas and collaborate with others on any device, from Windows to iOS to Android. (See Wikipedia’s write-up on OneNote.)

Microsoft says that OneNote is “…a digital notebook for your to-do lists, lecture and meeting notes, vacation plans, or anything you want to organize.”

Key benefits:

  • Use anywhere, on any device
  • Work collaboratively with others
  • Keep all your ideas, notes, images, everything together in one place

I have been using OneNote for the past two months to replace my old, spiral-bound notebook. I setup my major groupings by Tabs (Executive, Meetings, Archive, etc.) and I then setup Pages within each Tab for my major task-groupings (Planning, Setup KPIs, ToDo, etc.). Within each Page, I setup a task list with task items.

For example, within my Executive Tab in the Page named “Planning –2016” I have:

  • Five-year plan:
    • 2016
    • 2017
    • 2018
    • 2019
    • 2020
  • Quarterly-plan
    • Q1
    • Q2
    • Q3
    • Q4

Each item within a task-list has a checkbox (called a To Do Tag), so that I can check it off when completed. When all items within all task-lists are completed, I move the Page to my Tab that I named Archive.

Within OneNote, I move Tabs left-to-right to arrange by priority. Likewise, within a Tab, I constantly shift higher-priority task-groupings (Pages) upward as their urgency increases.

I can include emails, documents, handwritten notes, and graphics within each Page.

Because it syncs securely and works with different devices, I have OneNote on my Ultrabook and on my Android tablet to allow use anywhere, anytime.

Bryley Basics: Apps that send an “I’m busy” text from an Android phone

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You can’t always be there to respond when you receive a text, but you might want to send an automated “I have received your text” message; much like an “out of office” email response. You can even setup a schedule that provides a response that switches on when your calendar shows a current meeting and switches off after the meeting ends.

Two Android applications, each of them $2.99, accomplish this task:

Both apps are available at GooglePlay.

Please see Sharon Machlis’ How to automatically send an ‘I’m busy!’ text from your Android phone from the 1/6/2016 edition of ComputerWorld.

Data-Backup Guidelines for 2016

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Our Data-Backup Guidelines for 2016 discusses backup technologies (like our Cloud-based Backup/Data Recovery™ service) and includes a helpful Backup-Rotation Calendar and a Backup-Event Log for those with on-premise backup systems.

Bryley Systems selects SOPHOS Reflexion to replace McAfee Endpoint Protection

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After careful consideration and a review of competing products from ProofPoint and others, we have selected Reflexion Network’s Total Control Email Security to replace McAfee Endpoint Protection, which will end-of-life in January 2017.

Reflexion Networks is a SOPHOS Company. SOPHOS is a growing, IT-security-product Company with a rich history in securing and protecting computer networks, servers, and end-users under the slogan: Security made simple. Reflexion offers a wide range of email-security services that match and improve upon the capabilities offered by McAfee Endpoint Protection.

Implementation will begin early 2016 and should conclude by mid-year.

Bryley Basics: Prepare your IT equipment for power-disrupting winter storms

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Winter storms can disable IT equipment, particularly with the possibility of power disruptions and sustained outages. The best way to prepare:

  • Deploy UPS (Uninterruptible Power Source) devices for servers, critical network equipment (routers, firewalls, Wireless Access Points, etc.), and, as needed, high-priority PCs or workstations.
  • If you have on-premise servers, configure them to communicate with their attached UPSs to enable a safe shutdown in the event of a sustained outage. (With communication enabled, the UPS will let a server know it is on stand-by power; the server can then begin an orderly shutdown automatically.)
  • Monitor these UPS devices and test them at least annually.

An in-line generator can also be connected to the data center; if power fails, the generator starts and automatically powers the data-center, feeding UPS devices. (The in-line generator at Bryley Systems runs on natural gas, but diesel, propane, and gasoline versions are also available.)

In addition, a fail-over site and disaster-recovery plan can provide an alternative if your data center becomes unavailable for an extended period of time. (We now offer a Continuity option with our Backup/Data Recovery service that provides fail-over site capability at a very reasonable price.)

Technology in 2016 (and beyond)

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Technology is constantly evolving, introducing new methods that achieve more with less, while securing against negative forces like cybercriminals. So, I suggest looking at information technology in 2016 from these perspectives:

  • What do I absolutely need to do in 2016?
  • What is new and potentially meaningful in 2016?
  • What technologies could become disruptive in 2016?

What do I absolutely need to do in 2016?

From a security perspective, you must address these items (at a minimum):

  • Retire unsupported operating systems – PCs running Windows XP that connect to the Internet should be upgraded promptly since security updates have ended and security flaws can be exposed and exploited. Likewise, the same lack of security updates make Windows Server 2003 vulnerable to attack. (There is a paid service for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 updates that is available from Microsoft, but it is a bit pricey.)
  • Deploy/monitor/manage security solutions1 – Malware predominately attacks end-users and infects their devices (smartphones, PCs, tablets). Anti-malware and anti-spam solutions should be deployed to protect these devices. Plus, all network equipment and end-user devices must be monitored and managed to ensure that they are patched, up-to-date, and functioning properly. In addition, every computer network should have at least one separate, physical device configured specifically as a firewall to restrict external Internet traffic from infiltrating your computer network.
  • Train end-users in data security2 – Security measures can’t do it all; end-users should be trained on what things to avoid and how to avoid them.

What is new and potentially meaningful in 2016?

Some new and upcoming items from major players:

  • Microsoft:
    • Windows 103 – A 2015 launch, but expect 2016 to be the year it gains traction and begins to dominate Windows-based devices.
    • Office 20164 – Not terribly different; just another revision with new features used by some, but not all.
    • Server 20165 – Many new features improving key areas of security, organization, storage, networking, and more.
  • Google:
    • Android for Work6 – Also not new, but Google’s foray into mobility management for large organizations could see greater interest.
    • Android SmartPhones7&8 – Look for the Samsung Galaxy 7 in February, which will be challenged by the feature-packed HTC One X9 and the Nexus 6p from Huawei.
  • Apple9:
    • Apple Watch 2 – Primarily a refinement of the original Apple Watch.
    • iPhone7?? – Newer models with cutting-edge features likely by fall.
    • Enterprise expansion – IBM noted that only 5% of its MacBook-wielding employees use the IBM Help Desk compared to 40% of PC users; a savings of about $270 per MacBook. Expect these savings to increase MacBook adoption at IBM and other large organizations.

What technologies could become disruptive in 2016?

Because the basic components of IT keep getting smaller, more-powerful, faster, and, eventually, less expensive, the possible deployment options grow significantly, making change a common occurrence. Andy Kessler in the 12/29/2015 Wall Street Journal suggests: “The smaller technology shrinks, the bigger the world can grow.” Many of these changes disrupt our current ways, but almost always for the better.

Here are some potentially disruptive technologies:

  • Internet of Things (IoT)10 – Prepare for an explosion in smart devices connecting to the Internet that permit control and analysis from anywhere.
  • Big Data – The ability to crunch an extraordinary amount of data and provide meaningful results at a moment’s notice is priceless to those who live and die in an online world of transactions and changes.
  • Digital assistants (via artificial intelligence) – 2016 might be a bit early for this one to gain widespread use, but manufacturers are actively developing these applications (Siri by Apple and Cortana by Microsoft) to simplify the human-to-machine interface and make machines anticipate our wishes rather than react to them.

Although not as new, these evolving technologies continue to disrupt:

  • Cloud – Certain information technologies (email, storage, backup, etc.) lend themselves well to Cloud-based deployment; typically, these technologies provide access anywhere at any time, often with less overall investment than doing it yourself.
  • 3D printing – Who wouldn’t want to get a custom item in real time? 3D printers can produce everything from plastic parts to metal components using photographs or 3D modeling software.
  • Mobility11 – Smartphones are the key technology; their use continues to grow, fueling fundamental changes in how people interact with the Internet and with one another.

References:

1Recommended Practices: IT security cheat-sheet in the June 2015 edition of Bryley Information and Tips (BITs).

2Recommended Practices: Basic training for IT end-users in the May 2015 edition of BITs.

3Can Windows 10 revitalize the PC? in the November 2015 edition of BITs.

4Introducing Office 2016 in the August 2015 edition of BITs.

5Paul Ferrill’s The best new features in Windows Server 2016 (so far) in the 10/29/2015 edition of InfoWorld.

6What is Android for Work at Google.

7Wade Byrd’s Upcoming Smartphones news: HTC One X9 Teaser being Revealed, Samsung Galaxy S7 Expected to be Revealed in the Mobile World Congress 2016 at Smartphone 2016.

8Cam Bunton’s 5 Android Smartphone Makers to watch in 2016 at 9to5google.

9Ryan Faas’ Here’s what Apple is planning for 2016 in the 12/30/2015 edition of ComputerWorld.

10The Internet of Things (IoT) – Something old, something new? in the October 2015 edition of BITs.

11Rowland Manthrope’s 2016 will herald the end of Google (sort of) in the 12/29/2015 edition of Wired.

IT Roundtable on January 21st

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Please join our panel of local IT experts for Examining the Cloud, Mobility, and Data Security, an information-technology roundtable on the evening of January 21st at the Marlboro Country Club. NOTE: Reservations are required.

Information technology is a strategic concern of business owners and managers. Our panel will address timely issues, such as the future of cloud computing, how to empower a mobile workforce, and how to protect your data.

The panel includes:

Call 978.562.6077 to register. Or, watch our previous IT Roundtable from the Central Massachusetts Business Expo at http://www.Bryley.com/Resources/Videos/.

Winner of our monthly Service-Ticket Survey drawing

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Monthly, we select a winner from all respondents to our service-ticket surveys. Congratulations to SA of LPH, our survey-response winner from last month.

Our winner received a $10 gift certificate, compliments of Bryley Systems.