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Old Windows Server machines can still fend off hacks. Here’s how

lukasik — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 07:50:38 +0000

Old Windows Server machines can still fend off hacks. Here’s how

Many businesses still use Windows Server 2003, even as Microsoft no longer supports the OS

If you’re running a Windows Server 2003 machine, you have a problem. Your already-vulnerable computer is now at severe risk of being hacked.

That’s due to the internet release earlier this month of a batch of updates that paint a bull’s-eye on computers running Windows Server 2003, according to security researchers.

“I can teach my mom how to use some of these exploits,” said Jake Williams, founder of Rendition Infosec, a security provider. “They are not very complicated at all.”

Experts are urging affected businesses to upgrade to the latest Windows OSes, which offer security patches that can address the threat.

But some, particularly those in manufacturing and healthcare, cannot because they rely on legacy software that won’t run on a modern operating system.

“It’s usually very costly to upgrade,” he said. “And again, the machine is working fine, but control has to be done through Windows Server 2003.”

There may be more than 500,000 Windows Server 2003 machines publicly exposed to the internet, according to Shodan, a search engine for devices. But Williams estimates there are many more vulnerable machines running behind company firewalls.

So, for those that can’t, here are some tips to keep your old Windows Server 2003 machine secure.

The danger

The spying tools include several Windows-based exploits, or hacking programs, that target the Windows Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, which is used for file-sharing purposes. The exploits work by remotely triggering the OS to execute code, which can be used to install other malware.

Network segmentation and monitoring

Companies saddled with older Windows Server machines can still protect themselves. Williams suggests they go beyond putting vulnerable servers behind a firewall, and use a tactic called network segmentation.

This can involve restricting access to your most critical servers, and ensuring only system admins can control them. “So instead of giving 20,000 people in a company access, you can cut that number down to 20,” Williams said.

Thus, if hackers ever do breach the firewall, they’ll have access to a smaller segment of the corporate network.

Network segmentation also doesn’t cost a lot of money. Enterprise internet routers often contain access control features that can limit which computers can talk to what, Williams said.

Businesses should also consider monitoring the vulnerable servers, or at least the ones carrying critical information. Any unusual data traffic moving through them is probably a sign they’ve been hacked, he said.

Weighing the risks

To keep malicious activity out of vulnerable systems, application whitelisting can also be used, said Jason Leitner, president of Below0Day, an IT security provider.

Whitelisting works by allowing only trusted applications to run on a computer. It’s the opposite approach of antivirus products, which essentially blacklists malicious programs based on known indicators.

Businesses can also create backups of any sensitive data stored in these machines. One malicious threat that’s been growing in recent years has been ransomware. It works by infecting a computer, and encrypting all the data inside. To free the machine, victims have to pay a ransom, usually in bitcoin.

However, even with these safeguards, the best solution to protecting a vulnerable Windows Server system is to upgrade, according to security experts.

Although it might be costly in the short term, the investment can help businesses avoid a disastrous data breach. Tiago Henriques, CEO of security firm BinaryEdge, encourages businesses to calculate which is higher: “The cost of buying the upgrade or the damage to their brand and their clients if they get hacked?”

By Michael Kan, source by ComputerWorld

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FAQ: How to skip a Windows 10 upgrade

lukasik — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 07:44:19 +0000

FAQ: How to skip a Windows 10 upgrade

Enterprises can blow by an upgrade … if they’re willing to hotfoot it to the next version

Enterprises that try to slow down Microsoft’s upgrade train by skipping one of the twice-yearly Windows 10 refreshes will have to hustle to stay in support, according to the company’s latest scheduling disclosures.

Corporate users of Windows 10 may have as little as two months to deploy a feature upgrade after passing on the one prior. Only if IT administrators are willing to roll out a consumer-quality version — one that Microsoft has not yet given the approved-for-business green light — will they have up to six months to upgrade employees’ PCs.

Those limitations come from Microsoft’s latest pledge to support any given Windows 10 feature upgrade for 18 months, and the company’s long-standing timeline on how it moves each upgrade from development to release, first to consumers and then to commercial customers.

To illustrate how Microsoft’s scheduling affects businesses — which must, sooner or later, adopt Windows 10 — we’ve illustrated Windows’ software-as-a-service calendar and the options enterprises have.

Feature upgrade timetable. Each feature upgrade goes through a several-step process that, in turn, generates the 18 months that Microsoft has promised to support with security patches and other bug fixes.

Each upgrade is numbered in Microsoft’s yymm format; 1703, for example. Once an upgrade is completed, Microsoft issues it to devices assigned to the Current Branch (CB), the release track adopted by virtually all consumer PCs. Over the next four months (shown in blue in the following figure), Microsoft feeds the upgrade to an increasing number of CB devices, monitors telemetry and feedback, and then quashes the inevitable bugs that users uncover. Think of CB as the upgrade’s shake-down cruise, taken before the real paying customers arrive.

Gregg Keizer/ IDGE

Figure 1

Only after a feature upgrade has run the consumers’ testing gauntlet does Microsoft certify it as business-ready. After four months on the CB, the theoretically-more-stable-and-more-reliable build is released to the Current Branch for Business (CBB), the most popular track for enterprise PCs. Yellow marks the CBB in Figure 1 above.

Microsoft supports just two upgrades on the CBB concurrently. This part of Windows 10’s support is important in understanding how the whole schedule plays out.

If N equals the current upgrade, say, 1703, then Microsoft will support N+1 (this year’s September release, labeled 1709) as well when the two are simultaneously on the CBB. That 12-month span would be February 2018, when 1709 reaches the CBB, through July 2018, when N+2, or next year’s March upgrade (1803) is promoted to the CBB.

Gregg Keizer/ IDGE

Figure 2

But Microsoft does not suddenly drop N, or 1703, from support as soon as N+2 makes the CBB. Instead, the company starts a 60-day-or-so countdown. Only at the end of those 60 days does it scratch N from the support list. N+1 then becomes N and N+2 morphs into N+1.

See Figure 2 for how this works; the 60-day grace period is in green.

That means for the months of August and September 2018, Microsoft will support 1703, 1709 and 1803.

Not surprisingly, the combination of Microsoft’s every-six-month upgrade delivery cadence, the four months an upgrade spends on CB, and the two-month grace period at the end all generate a support lifecycle of 18 months. Yes, Microsoft planned it that way.

Endless upgrading. Because of the timing of Windows 10 feature refreshes, businesses that adopt each will be upgrading every six months, assuming they deploy the builds at the same point in their CBB timelines.

Gregg Keizer/ IDGE

Figure 3

If the organization rolls out each upgrade at the beginning of the CBB, the tick-tock is a regular tempo. The company would deploy 1703 in August 2017, 1709 in February 2018, and 1803 in August 2018.

Figure 3 illustrates the cadence, with the red arrows showing the jumps from one build to the next.

There is some flexibility. Enterprises can increase the interval between upgrades, providing some flexibility; but there’s a limit to how far things will stretch and how long a refresh can be put off. In many ways, it’s a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul deal.

For example, an organization that adopted 1703 as soon as it landed on the CBB (August) could stay on that version for 10 months by delaying the move to 1709 until early June 2018. But because of 1709’s hard support stop (coming in March 2019), the enterprise would be on 1709 for just seven months if it wanted to give itself, say, three months to upgrade to 1803.

Check out Figure 4 for how this would work.

Gregg Keizer/ IDGE

Figure 4

The maximum amount of time between upgrades — without skipping one — would be 14 months, but only by migrating at the last minute, as the grace period expires. However, that would leave just 6 months on the next version before another upgrade.

Rule of thumb: Assuming no version is skipped, the total length of support for two consecutive builds can be no more than 20 months. Extend support for the first, and support for the second shrinks.

Hustle-bustle to skip an upgrade. Organizations can skip a Windows 10 feature upgrade, but the price will be steep.

Microsoft’s schedule will give companies just two months — the grace period of the version upgrading from — to migrate. Figure 5 shows the small window, no pun intended, if the version being upgraded to, in this case 1803, has been certified as business-ready and thus planted on the CBB.

Gregg Keizer/ IDGE

Figure 5

The only way to expand that window would be to begin upgrading while 1803 was still being tested by consumer guinea pigs, still on the CB. Backing the migration into the half-way point of the CB, for instance, would give the organization about four months to finish the upgrade from 1703 to 1803.

Depending on when the company starts an upgrade, its PCs will remain on a version for 12 to 14 months.

By Gregg Keizer, source by ComputerWorld

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Windows Embedded’s future looks rocky

lukasik — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:01:30 +0000

Windows Embedded’s future looks rocky

Microsoft’s Embedded family of operating systems, tools and services seems to be on its way out; its replacements have limitations.

Ah, Windows Embedded. The Microsoft operating system that millions of devices and machines are running, typically with a custom application or skin running on top of it so that users don’t automatically notice the OS. The operating system that underpins hundreds of thousands of medical devices, automatic teller machines, kiosks at airports and other crowded public places, industrial machinery and control planes, set top boxes, game consoles.

Windows Embedded is a relatively unheralded version of Windows whose existence might surprise you. But it seems like Windows Embedded’s existence might also surprise a lot of folks up in Redmond. Here, at the Microsoft campus, despite all of the hullabaloo about Windows 10 and device updates — and the new Creators Update and Redstone versions that will be coming down the pike at an almost breakneck speed — Windows Embedded suffers from an opposite problem. It appears unfortunately stuck in a place where no future has clearly been laid out for it.

One indication that Windows Embedded may be on its way out is the introduction of Windows 10 IoT, which Microsoft has started pushing as a replacement. However, first, a bit of background of Windows Embedded.

A brief history of Windows Embedded to date

How has Windows Embedded worked in the past? Most vendors chose Windows Embedded because, unlike the traditional desktop operating system, it was modular: You could choose which features to install or not install, both to reduce the supportability burden on the vendor (you don’t need Solitaire on an ATM, for example) and to reduce the potential attack surface, since laser cutting machines do not generally need IIS web serving capabilities, for instance.

The modularity also included the ability to customize some parts of the OS that were not open to modification in the full version, like splash screens and filters, so you could insert your own branding or the branding of the machine directly into the OS. Essentially, you wanted a stripped-down operating system so you can fully customize both the hardware and the software in a system, as well as save space on often limited storage media in devices.

These were the most recent Windows Embedded versions:

Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES7): Windows Embedded Standard 7 was essentially Windows 7 with different parts ripped out and different levels of customization ability. There were three “notches,” called, C, E, and P, each of which denoted different additions of features to the base image of Windows Embedded and had correspondingly different prices. P was the most expensive and was essentially identical to Windows 7 from a features perspective.
Windows Embedded 8 Standard (WE8S): This took Microsoft’s embedded operating system but pulled it up to Windows 8. It also got rid of all of the C, E, and P versioning so if you bought WE8S, then you received authorization to run all of WE8S — and you paid for all of it, too. You did not have to use all of the features and you could still carve out parts and do any required customization, but you could not opt out of some of the features and pay a cheaper price, either.

There were also versions that came with a full pre-built image of Windows Embedded and were mainly for use in otherwise full computers that were deployed in appliance-like settings, such as point-of-sale devices and cash registers, digital signage, or thin clients that booted only to connect to a full user session running on some other machine.

Embedded into the internet of things

Now Microsoft has decided that if you want to build devices and large machines out of discrete components, what you’re really building is a Thing. The naming is a nod to the internet of things (IoT) phenomenon, where the reflectors in the roadway and sensors in your refrigerator are all connected to the internet and possess “smart” capabilities.

The fact of the matter is that the IoT versions of Windows 10 are replacements for the line of Windows Embedded SKUs that have existed before now. There are now three editions of the IoT version of Windows 10, and they are each designed for different device form factors, as follows:

Windows 10 IoT Core, for small devices: This version of Windows 10 has no shell and essentially supports only universal apps — those coded to run in the managed environment of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and not traditional x86 or x64 apps. This OS version has a maximum of 256MB of RAM and 2GB of device storage, and can run on the x86 chip platform or the ARM platform for low-power devices. Currently, this is the only edition of Windows 10 IoT that can be obtained directly by end users.
Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise, for mobile devices: This version of Windows 10 adds the “tablet” shell — the skin that you run apps from the Windows Store in — and also supports universal apps and drivers. Storage and memory support are doubled, but you can run this version of Windows 10 only on ARM-based devices; there is no x86 chip support. Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise is specifically intended for use with mobile point-of-sale and handheld systems with display sizes less than eight inches. Think bar-code scanners, automotive testers, control pads, and the like. This edition of Windows 10 IoT is available to OEMs and system builders only.
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, for industry devices: This version of Windows 10 brings the traditional desktop shell back to the fray, doubles the memory and quadruples the RAM supported by the OS. It also adds x86 chip platform support, but it removes ARM support. This edition of Windows 10 IoT is available to OEMs and system builders only.

The lifecycle of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise is: Give five years of regular production support plus another five years after that of extended, security update only-style support. For those familiar with the branches of Windows 10, this is the Long Term Servicing Branch, or LTSB, choice. This edition also includes deferred online activation, the Unified Write Filter, Embedded Boot Experience and Logon (the customizable splash screens and boot sequence), and the Windows Shell Launcher.

One interesting note: according to Direct Insight, Microsoft has created three levels of license pricing for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise: (a) Entry, which targets lower performance processors like the Atom and Celeron, and provides a 75% reduction in cost; (b) Value, which targets the Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core M processors, with a 50% reduction in cost; and (c) High End, targeting the Core i7 and Xeon, with no cost reduction.

The consequences of these divides between editions of Windows 10 IoT are pretty clear.

If you want to use Windows on an ARM-based device, you can only use the “small devices” or “mobile devices” editions, since the full edition is not yet ready to run on the ARM platform.
If you want to build mobile devices with more than 256MB of RAM, they had better support the ARM platform, because there is no x86 chip support in an edition that supports more RAM than that.
If you want more than 4GB of storage, you are dealing with x86 chips, insofar as embedded Windows goes.
If you are looking to provide an operating system for single-board solutions or very small embedded devices, then the Windows 10 IoT Core edition could be suitable. The most frequent target for this type of development seems to be hobbyists working with the Raspberry Pi and other single-board devices — these “makers” are really whom Core is aimed at, although there is little preventing its use in other applications and scenarios.

It also appears that users have lost the option of purchasing a “license-only” version of Windows 10 IoT, something that was possible for Windows 7 Professional for Embedded Systems and Windows Embedded 8.1 Pro. This was essentially a feature that allowed you to license a full installation of Windows on a system that was part of a larger device. The operating system itself could be standard, an identical copy of Windows 7 or 8, but since it was a component of a larger system or machine, you could assign a less expensive license to it.

No such option appears to exist for Windows 10 IoT, although nothing is preventing Microsoft from putting this old practice back into availability at any time.

What changes? The implications

For applications that currently run on Windows Embedded that are not Universal Windows applications, but that are instead standard x86 apps, it’s difficult to see any advantage for the IoT editions of Windows 10, save maybe the Enterprise version. The other editions are essentially just stub operating systems that can run limited applications that understand how to make Windows API calls and interpret the results.

While developers can target each of the IoT editions of Windows 10 easily within Visual Studio, porting existing x86 apps to the Universal Windows platform is another project entirely. And recreating existing apps from scratch just to meld to Microsoft’s new vision of what embedded operating systems should look like is an entirely different question — one that would require some justification, and some return on the time and money invested in the porting effort.

The best that could be said about these IoT editions of Windows 10 is that they are additions, augmentations, and extensions of the Windows Embedded platform, and that they make new applications possible. It seems unlikely that Chase Bank or American Airlines is going to rewrite their ATM or kiosk software to target Universal Windows Platform-capable operating systems, especially when, at this point, UWP apps have capabilities that are a subset of full x86 apps (which is likely what these companies are currently running). These apps also will not generally run on the ARM platform, so these companies will most likely stay with what they know and what works well, at least for their existing applications.

For that reason, it is unlikely that Windows 10 IoT is going to replace Windows Embedded 7 and 8. Instead, we might see Chase Bank developing a new payment machine using Windows 10 APIs or American Airlines deploying new RFID bag tags that run Windows 10 IoT.

The question then becomes: Is this more than an IoT play? Is Windows 10 IoT a play to get Windows back on ARM? Shades of the ill-fated Windows RT operating system and Surface RT immediately come into mind, but it’s hard not to draw the comparison. Windows has been for decades exclusively x86. Linux, on the other hand, has a vibrant community around the ARM chipset and has pretty much a complete repository of software and packages available to run on ARM.

Microsoft is just getting started in ARM and its single entry into ARM did not end well (can you say billion-dollar writedown?). Is this another trip to nowhere?

Another question: What is the roadmap for those currently running Windows Embedded? Confusingly, this statement from Microsoft seems to hint at an end of support coming: “Through July 17, 2017, Skylake devices running Windows Embedded 7, 8 and 8.1 will be supported according to the lifecycle support policy for those products. During the 18-month support period, these systems should be upgraded to Windows 10 to continue receiving support after the period ends. After July 2017, the most critical security updates will be addressed for these configurations, and will be released if the update does not risk the reliability or compatibility of the Windows Embedded 7/8/8.1 platform on other devices.”

Much is still unclear. But there are tons of devices and systems bigger than a Raspberry Pi but different than a full desktop that a typical knowledge worker would use, and these Windows 10 IoT editions do not seem to be full replacements for the Windows Embedded versions you would have chosen for these applications until now. Buyer beware.

By Jonathan Hassell, source by ComputerWorld

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Is Windows 10 the most secure Windows ever?

lukasik — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 09:05:40 +0000

Is Windows 10 the most secure Windows ever?

It’s easy to poke fun at “12345” passwords and phish-y emails, but PC security is tough for the average user to manage. And if you’re a network admin, it’s even tougher to deal with security slipups that infect the whole network.

That’s where the new Windows Defender Security Center will come in handy. Debuting spring 2017 as part of the Creators Update, it’s an efficient suite of security features that’ll help users avoid hacking, malware, and other threats. You can view and control your security protections—the applications running in the background that most users don’t often think about—all in one place.

It’s simple, really: The Defender Security Center is a dashboard where users can get a full security overview of their system. And if a problem is discovered, the security center makes it easy to solve it. The Center is also a place to customize security across what Microsoft has deemed “the five pillars of protection”:

Virus and threat protection allows you to view your anti-malware app, whether you’ve chosen to use the Windows Defender Antivirus app that comes with Windows 10 or a third-party app. If you’ve chosen the Windows Defender Antivirus app for your network, you can scan results directly on the screen. (A third party app will just appear on your screen and you can launch it from there.)

Device performance and health displays your latest Windows updates, battery life, storage capacity, and drivers. This is also where you can access the “Refresh Windows” feature, which helps you do a clean install while saving your files and settings.

Firewall and network protection gives you information on network connections and firewall settings, helping you find network issues and troubleshoot them.

App and browser control lets you adjust your SmartScreen settings and tips you off to possible malicious sites and downloads, as well as unrecognized internet apps and files.

Family options is a consumer feature. According to Microsoft, you can also view the health and safety of your personal devices from this centralized location,¹ which helps make all your PCs running Windows 10 more secure and manageable.

How can Defender Security Center help your business?

It’s a security tool that can be especially handy for remote workers who have to troubleshoot their devices without hands-on support. And by making it easier for the average user to secure their devices on a day-to-day basis, you’re saving your IT staff time and money—not to mention catching small problems before they become big ones.

Excited about checking out the Defender Security Center (and the entire Creators Update)? This spring you can give it a try on the HP EliteBook x360, the world’s thinnest and most secure business convertible², and the HP Elite x3, the world’s first built for business 3-in-1 device.³The HP Elite series—enhanced with HP Sure Start Gen3⁴ and HP WorkWise⁵ protection—also supports other Windows 10 security features, such as Windows Hello and the monthly Windows Update, that work together to make sure your device security is up-to-date.

Learn more ways to stay one step ahead of hackers, thieves, and unauthorized users

^{[1] Windows, Introducing Windows Defender Security Center

[2] Most secure based on HP’s unique and comprehensive security capabilities at no additional cost among vendors with >1M annual sales as of December 1, 2016 on HP Elite PCs with Intel 7th Gen Intel® Core processors, Intel® integrated graphics, and Intel® WLAN. Thinnest Based on competitors with >1m units annually of convertible, non-detachables having a Windows Pro OS and 6th or 7th generation U series Intel® Core vPro processors.

[3] Based on HP’s internal analysis as of May 11, 2016 of mobile devices delivering phablet, laptop, and desktop business productivity, preinstalled with Windows 10 Mobile, MIL-STD 810G and IP67 testing, the ability to run virtualized corporate apps on a big screen using an optional dock, and a biometric solution for security.

[4] Available on HP Elite products equipped with Intel® 7th generation processors.

[5] HP WorkWise smartphone app is available as a free download on the Apple Store and Google Play.}

Source by HP

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Get ready for the Windows 10 Creators Update

lukasik — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:20:31 +0000

Microsoft is about to release a major update to Windows 10. We have a preview of what you can expect.

Sometime this spring, probably in April, Microsoft will release the Creators Update, one of the two major updates to Microsoft Windows 10 that will roll out this year.

What can you expect to see? For a start, ignore the name “Creators Update,” because the release has very little to do with creating things — with the exception of some virtual reality features and a minor app for creating 3D content.

However, there will be some real changes to the operating system. You’ll get more control over Windows updates, some improvements to the Edge browser, some nice interface tweaks — including to the Start menu — and more.

Microsoft has been releasing preview builds of the Creators Update since August; they’ve become less buggy and more feature-rich as the operating system gets closer to the final release date. Here’s a preview of what to expect, based on the latest builds and information made public by Microsoft.

More control over Windows updates

To begin with, when the Creators Update hits, you’ll no longer be unexpectedly interrupted when Windows decides to do an update.

When an update is available, a notification will appear, and you’ll be given the option of whether to install it immediately, schedule it for a specific time, or put it off by clicking “Snooze.” Snooze means the update won’t install for three days. After that, you’ll get another notification about the update, and you can click the Snooze button again. In this way, you’ll be able to indefinitely put off the update.

IDG / Preston Gralla

The Creators Update will include a feature that alerts you when you have an update, and give you the choice of installing immediately, choosing a specific time, or putting it off by clicking “Snooze.”

This feature isn’t yet included in any of the public preview updates, but is described by Microsoft in its blog.

Users with Windows Pro, Windows Enterprise or Windows Education editions get even more options. In those editions, cumulative monthly updates can be automatically delayed for up to 30 days. And “feature” updates, which add new features to Windows, can be delayed by up to 365 days. (Currently, for Windows Pro, Windows Enterprise or Windows Education users, these updates can be deferred for 180 days.)

Start Menu improvements and interface changes

The Creators Update will make some useful changes to the overall Windows interface, including to the Start menu. Don’t expect anything drastic. In fact, in the normal course of your day, you may never notice the difference.

People who use the Start menu a good deal will welcome one of the changes, which lets you place tiles for multiple apps into folders. Those folders also look like tiles and show small icons of every tile inside them. Click any folder to open it, with all the apps appearing as individual tiles. Click the folder again, and all the tiles slide back into it. It’s a great way to clean up your Start menu.

IDG / Preston Gralla

Click a folder to show all the tiles it contains, then click any tile to run the app.

Other interface changes are more minor, such as a change to how the Apps category appears in Settings. In the current version of Windows 10, you get to the Apps settings via Settings > System > Apps & Features. In the Creators Update, Apps will get its own top-level setting. The new Apps setting also consolidates apps-related settings that were scattered in other locations, such as Default apps, Offline maps and Apps for websites.

IDG / Preston Gralla

The Apps category now gets its own top-level setting, and contains apps-related settings that were previously in multiple locations.

Changes to Edge

Some of the most important changes in the Creators Update are to the Edge browser, as Microsoft struggles to build a browser that can compete with Chrome.

Those who hate Flash will get a nice present from the Creators Update: Flash content will be disabled in Edge by default — you will have the option of whether you want to run it or not. (In the current version of Edge, only non-essential Flash content, like ads, is blocked.) That should improve security and performance, as well as extend battery life. In instances where a website also uses HTML5 to deliver multimedia content, Edge will use HTML5 rather than Flash. In addition, you can tell Edge to remember your Flash preferences for individual sites.

IDG / Preston Galla

Microsoft Edge now blocks Flash content by default.

Another new feature: Edge will let you read content in ePub and PDF formats. It will have the ability to read text aloud. And Microsoft has given the browser a whole host of under-the-hood security improvements.

Edge will also introduce some very nice tab-handling features. Click a down arrow to the right of the add tab button at the top of the screen, and you’ll see thumbnails of every open tab. Click the thumbnail of the tab you want to switch to and you’re sent there. If you no longer want to use the open tabs, but want to revisit them later, click a button to their right and put them aside as a group. When you want to open the group up again, click a button to the left of that one, and they all open.

IDG / Preston Gralla

Microsoft Edge will include some useful new tab-handling features, including the ability to see thumbnails of all open tabs.

It’s not clear whether one of Edge’s biggest drawbacks — a serious lack of extensions — will be fixed by the Creators Update. As I write this, there are fewer than two dozen extensions available. A Microsoft blog post claims that the company has released more extension APIs for developers and that the company is working to get more extensions built. But given how few extensions there are currently, it’s not likely there will be a boatload of new extensions available by the time the Creators Update arrives.

A new, more comprehensive Windows Defender interface

Windows Defender, Windows’ anti-malware protection, has always seemed an afterthought, a set-and-forget piece of software you simply let do its job. In the Windows 10 Creators Update, that will change.

Windows Defender and related security applications will get a new all-in-one security dashboard called Windows Defender Security Center, available from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender > Open Windows Center Security Center.

IDG / Preston Gralla

Windows Defender Security Center is Windows 10’s new security dashboard.

It’s more than just a dashboard for Windows Defender; it’s command central for your device’s security and overall health. It lets you see at a glance any potential issues, and lets you delve into customizable settings. A check next to any icon on the dashboard means everything is safe and secure. A red circle with a white X in it means you need to take action to protect yourself.

The dashboard has five sections:

Virus & threat protection. This shows the state of your anti-malware. It works not just with Windows Defender but with third-party anti-malware programs as well. If you use Windows Defender, you can click the icon to see the results of scans and to customize your anti-malware protection. If you use a different anti-malware package, clicking the icon will launch the application.
Device performance & health. Click it to see the latest Windows updates, and whether you have problems with your storage, device drivers or battery.
Firewall & network protection. This shows your firewall settings and lets you change them. It also gives information about your network connections and a link to a network troubleshooter.
App & browser control. This controls the SmartScreen Filter, which blocks against potentially dangerous apps and files on the web, and against malicious websites when using the Microsoft Edge browser.
Family options. This links you to parental controls.

3D and gaming features

The Creators Update will offer new 3D and gaming features. Xbox users will be able to stream gaming sessions live to their console. There will also be a Game Mode that maximizes system performance for when you play games. In addition, there’s a Game bar that lets you record your gameplay and take screenshots of it. And there will be an entire section devoted to gaming in Settings that lets you do things such as control the Game bar and Game Mode, and stream your games.

As for 3D, there will be a Paint 3D app for creating 3D content. There will also be support for virtual reality and augmented reality apps. At launch, expect hardware makers to release Windows 10 virtual reality headsets.

A few Cortana updates

Expect some modest Cortana additions. You’ll be able to schedule monthly reminders. Cortana will integrate with Windows 10 setup, so you can ask the digital assistant for help setting up devices. Cortana is expected to recognize new voice commands, including restarting your PC, turning it off, and raising or lowering the system volume. You’ll also be able to use it in full-screen mode.

Other additions

There are plenty of other minor changes as well.

If you’ve ever been confused about where to find the screens for adding new devices to Windows — whether they be Bluetooth, wireless or wired — you’ll be pleased to know that there’s now a Devices heading in the Settings app that provides a unified interface for adding any device. (Choose Settings > Device > Add a device.)

IDG / Preston Gralla

Finally — a single location for adding all your devices.

Also new is a “Night Light” feature, which removes blue light from your computer’s display. There’s some evidence that blue light can disrupt the normal sleep cycle, so this feature might help night owls who like to compute at night, but still want to sleep when they’re done.

You’ll also be able to block the installation of desktop applications, only allowing Windows apps (the touch-friendly apps that are installed from the Microsoft Store). At first glance, this seems an odd feature — why ban an entire category of applications? But it could be useful if you don’t want bloatware to be installed on your machine, because those programs are typically written as desktop apps.

In addition, during the installation of the Creators Update, you’ll be prompted to select various privacy settings, including whether Microsoft should collect content so it can display relevant ads to you, whether the Location setting should be turned on, and similar options. You can always change these later in the Privacy section of Settings.

The upshot of all this? Creators Update will be a comparatively modest update with modest changes, many of which are worthwhile. Don’t expect anything revolutionary — largely, for Microsoft, it looks like it will be steady as she goes.

By Preston Gralla, source by ComputerWorld

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Mobile World Congress 2017: HP debuts 2-in-1 device with Windows 10

lukasik — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 10:22:09 +0000

HP’s new Pro x2 with Windows 10 and Elite x3 accessories offer versatility and security for productivity in the mobile workforce

Today at Mobile World Congress 2017, HP Inc. unveiled a new 2-in-1 device powered by Windows 10, along with a range of accessories for the company’s x2 and x3 portfolio. Let’s take a closer look at what they announced.

The HP Pro x2 512 G2 with Windows 10

The new Pro x2 612 G2 is designed to inspire the way mobile professionals across a range of industries work – merging individuality and productivity with industrial design in a sleek and secure device.

The Pro x2 is a versatile 2-in-1 detachable with a touchscreen perfect for drawing with Windows Ink or marking up webpages in Microsoft Edge. It’s built with multiple modes for commercial workflows including presentation mode, inking mode and notebook mode for productivity. The HP Pro x2 Collaboration Keyboard snaps easily into place on the device with magnetic connections, turning the Pro x2 into a notebook with backlit hot keys for conference calls. Tablet Mode in Windows 10 will allow your apps to scale smoothly and onscreen features to adapt for easy navigation. The Pro x2 also has a removable back cover and removable SSD, allowing customers to keep secure data on premises and make basic repairs and upgrades to their device on-site.

Other features include:

The Pro x2 can also be configured with a choice of the latest 7th generation Intel processors, providing reliable performance to meet a variety of mobile end user’s needs.
For drawing and taking notes, the HP Active Wacom Pen with App Launch combined with the extended 165-degree kickstand make it easy to use Windows Ink to draw, annotate, and create presentations or documents.
With both USB-C and USB-A connections, you can quickly charge your device, connect to external monitors or transfer data quickly.
The Pro x2 offers up to 11 hours of battery life and can be charged up to 50 percent in 30 minutes.
Built-in smart card reader and anoptional fingerprint reader that allows you to login quickly and securely with Windows Hello.
Superior in-field serviceability enabling end users to do minor repairs on the SSD, kickstand and A/C adapter, and IT on WLAN/WWAN, storage, system board, battery or the LCD/touch module, the chassis and some other components.

Pricing and Availability: The HP Pro x2 612 G2 is available now at http://www.hp.com/go/prox2, starting at $979.

New accessories for the x2 and Elite x3 portfolio

HP’s x2 and x3 devices are designed with versatility in mind. Today, HP announced a new range of accessories for those devices, built to address a variety of commercial workflows.

HP Pro x2 612 G2 Rugged Case: Ideal for customers in extreme work environments, this case features a 360-degree rotating hand strap, shoulder strap, stylus holder, optional port plugs and is compatible with the Pro x2’s keyboard. Pricing and Availability: The HP Pro x2 612 G2 Rugged Case is available now, starting at $49.

HP Elite USB-C Dock: Turning your device into a virtual desktop, this new dock is enterprise IT ready, and is compatible with devices like the Pro x2 that have a multi-function Type-C USB port or devices with a Thunderbolt port. Pricing and Availability: The HP Elite USB-C Dock is expected to be available in March, starting at $129.

HP USB-C Travel Hub: Ideal for mobile professionals who need access to additional peripheral ports while on-the-go, this solution delivers pass-through connectivity for displays and USB devices and charging for the Pro x2 or Elite x3 while the device is being used – with one USB-C cable. Pricing and Availability:The HP USB-C Travel Hub is available now, starting at $49.

HP Elite x3 Mobile Scanning Solution: Designed to mobilize vertical workflows for retail, healthcare and field workers, the integrated barcode scanner can be used to check prices, access inventory and CRM information on-the-go and then seamlessly transition to the back-office with the ability to dock and connect to a large display, mouse, and keyboard for a full PC experience. Pricing and Availability: The HP Elite x3 Mobile Scanning Solution is available now, starting at $999 (this price includes the HP Elite x3).

It’s great to see partners including HP creating new devices broadening the Windows ecosystem to offer customers more choice and versatility.

By Mollie Ruiz-Hopper, source by Microsoft

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Windows 10 install problems — and how to solve them

lukasik — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:43:12 +0000

Having trouble installing and setting up Win10? You aren’t alone. Here are many of the most common problems, along with a few solutions

Windows 10 has been out for 18 months and many of you – some grudgingly, perhaps – have decided to upgrade. Often that goes smoothly. Sometimes, not so much, which is why we’re flagging the most common problems and how to deal with them.

This guide targets two separate but intertwined groups: Those who have recently upgraded from Win7 (or, less likely, Win8.1) and those who have upgraded from an earlier version of Win10 (likely the November Update, Version 1511) to a recent version (as of this writing, probably the Anniversary Update, Version 1607).

Both groups often face similar obstacles and challenges, identical error codes, and a common “what the heck are we doing here?” sense of bewilderment.

Here’s our attempt to guide you through the upgrading process – what you need to accomplish and what to avoid. I’ve listed the fixes in the order they should be pursued.

Before all else

If your upgrade failed on the first try, take these three simple steps before you try again:

Disable antivirus and firewall – even Microsoft’s antivirus and firewall
Disconnect unnecessary USB-connected items: drives, modems, dongles, toasters, and so on
Reboot

You’d be surprised how often an install will go through the second time, once your machine sheds its odd peripherals.

Run a troubleshooter

If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with your machine – that is, why an update doesn’t take – you should start with Microsoft’s downloadable troubleshooters. In my experience, they don’t work all that frequently, but they’re easy to use and if you’re lucky can save you a lot of headache.

Go to the Windows Update Troubleshooter page and download the Troubleshooter for your version of Windows. The downloaded file is called latestwu.diagcab. Double-click on it and you’ll see the Troubleshooter (see screenshot below).

InfoWorld

Click on the Advanced link, then click Run as Administrator. Click Next. The Troubleshooter will take a minute or two to scan your update files and settings. If it encounters any problems, it will fix them automatically. To see the results of the scan, click the link to View detailed information. Click Close, and the Troubleshooter disappears. Try running the upgrade again.

Blast away temporary files

If the Troubleshooter doesn’t catch the problem, there’s one more general trick you should try. Sometimes the hidden folder used to store upgrades (both Win7-to-Win10 and Win10 version-to-version) can get corrupted. Corruption is bad in any form. Regardless of which version of Windows you’re using, try this:

Step 1. Navigate to C: Look under This PC if you can’t find it immediately.

Step 2. Show hidden files: I generally recommend that you show hidden files all the time, but if you haven’t yet taken off the training wheels, now’s the time. In Win10, click View, then check the box marked Hidden Items. In Win7, click Folder Options, View, and under Advanced Settings check Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives.

Step 3. Rename the folder called $WINDOWS.~BT: That’s an odd name for a folder, but then again Windows Update is pretty weird anyway. Rename it to $WINDOWS.WoodySaidZapIt or something similar.

Step 4. Run the update again: If the update works, simply delete the renamed $WINDOWS.WoodySaidZapIt folder.

I’ve also seen situations where cleaning out the SoftwareDistribution folder does the trick. AskWoody Lounger jmwoods has detailed instructions for stopping the Windows Update service, renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder, then restarting Windows Update.

You probably don’t need a product key

If you encounter a dialog like this one, insisting that you type in a product key, simply click Skip and don’t worry about it. Yes, the “free” upgrade to Windows 10 officially ended on July 29, 2016. No, the installer doesn’t enforce it: Win10 upgrades from genuine Win7 and 8.1 are still free as a breeze. Microsoft knows all about the nod-nod-wink-wink free upgrade lapse and hasn’t taken any steps to change it.

If you’re upgrading from a “genuine” Windows 7 or 8.1 machine, click Skip, Do This Later, or Next (depending on the dialog box). Don’t bother trying to find a Windows 10 key. Chances are very good that Windows will recognize the error of its ways and not bother you again, although it may take a couple of days for the activation routine to figure it out.

If you’re installing Win10 fresh – a clean install – you can type in any valid Win7 or 8.1 key and the Win10 installer will accept it. After all, it’s in Microsoft’s best interests to get everybody on Win10.

If all else fails, and you’ve waited a few days (rebooting occasionally), try an automatic phone activation. Grab a pencil and a piece of paper. Press Windows key-R. Type:

slui.exe 4

(Note the space.) Hit Enter. Choose your country. You’ll receive a toll-free number and a horrendously long list of numbers known as the “installation ID.” Call the toll-free number and type in the installation ID. You will hear an automated voice give you an installation key. Write it down. Click Next on the slui dialog box and type in the numbers; you should be home free.

If that doesn’t work, get on the phone and talk to a human. I’ve been working with phone activation for many years, and although there are a few notable exceptions, in almost every case, if you have a good story you’ll get a Windows 10 key. Tell the folks on the other end of the phone that you had a genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8.1, but you used the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to create a boot USB, then perform a clean install. A good attitude and profuse thanks are called for.

If they suggest you reinstall Win7 or 8.1 and upgrade again, tell them it would be a pain in the neck because you’ve been using the system for several days. Sometimes a gentle request for a supervisor works.

If the installer hangs for hours or reboots continuously

First, make sure you’ve disconnected any nonessential hardware: Unplug all hard drives other than the C: drive. Yank that external hard drive and disconnect peripherals that aren’t absolutely necessary, including extra monitors, smart card readers, weird keyboards, whatever. If possible, turn off Wi-Fi and plug into a router with a LAN cable (that worked for me).

Second, make sure you have the right upgrade: 32-bit for 32-bit machines, 64-bit for most. If you started with Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic or Home Premium, or Windows 8.1 (standard, usually called Home), you should install Windows 10 Home. If you started with Win7 Pro or Ultimate, or Win8.1 Pro or Pro for Students, you should install Windows 10 Pro. If you’re working with any enterprise version of Windows 7 or 8.1, the upgrade isn’t free — it’s dependent on your Software Assurance license terms.

Then try running the upgrade again. Doesn’t work? Try the steps in the preceding section to rename $WINDOWS.~BT and try again.

If you continue to have the same problem, Microsoft’s best advice is to use the Windows 10 media creation tool to create a USB drive (or DVD). See the Download Windows 10 page for details. Be sure you follow the steps on that page, in order.

Or you could always consider buying a Chromebook.

Error: “Something Happened 0x80070005-0x90002”

The Windows 10 installer has such descriptive error codes, doesn’t it? This one’s a classic. The 80070005 error has been around for ages. It generally means the installer can’t work with a file it needs. Possible causes are many, but if you’re upgrading from Win7 or 8.1, you should first make sure you have the latest “Servicing stack update.” Microsoft continues to tweak its updating software to make the transition to Win10 easier.

If you’re upgrading from Win7 to Win10, follow these instructions from AskWoody Lounge luminary ch100 to get KB3177467 installed. It’s not easy. If you’re moving from Win8.1 to Win10, make sure you have KB3173424 installed. It isn’t as finicky as the Win7 Servicing stack update. With the latest Servicing stack in place, try running the upgrade again.

Error 0xC1900101

That’s a driver error. Microsoft has hit so many of them that it came up with a standalone support article to walk you through replacing the drivers. Pro tip: It’s complicated.

Errors 0x8019001, 0x80070002, 0x87E105DC

If you still can’t get the upgrade installed or you hit that 0x80070005 error when upgrading Windows 10 versions, the general solution goes like this:

Disable all antivirus and firewalls. Yes, even Microsoft’s.
Check the Windows update guided walk-through. Microsoft says it will fix problems with error codes 0x80073712, 0x800705B4, 0x80004005, 0x8024402F, 0x80070002, 0x80070643, 0x80070003, 0x8024200B, 0x80070422, and 0x80070020.
Run the Windows 10 installer again (presumably through Windows Update).
If that doesn’t work, turn your AV and firewall back on, then follow the instructions at KB 947821 to run DISM or the System Update Readiness Tool.
Turn off your AV and firewall, then try installing Win10 again.

If that doesn’t work, try any or all of the suggestions listed here.

If those don’t work, download the Win10 installation files using the Media Creation Tool, then perform a manual install. That will blast away anything you have on your PC – the nuclear option – but it usually works. If it doesn’t …

When the wheels fall off

Sometimes stuff happens. If you perform an in-place upgrade (not a clean install) to a new version of Windows 10 and act quickly enough, you can roll back to your previous version of Windows. If you went from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, you have 30 days to change your mind. If you went from Win10 November Update (Version 1511) to Win10 Anniversary Update (Version 1607), you have only 10 days.

In either case, the method for rolling back is the same, but there are lots of possible gotchas. My February 2016 article on rollbacks covers many of them.

Sometimes an upgrade goes positively shiny side up: black screens, blue screens, missing Start menu, a desktop that looks like a cow pie, nonfunctional apps, nonsensical error messages, and all sorts of variations thereof. That’s when you need to hunker down in the Windows Recovery Environment.

Try booting into Safe Mode with Networking:

Step 1a: If you can get to your Start menu, hold the Shift key down while you click Start, Power, Restart.

Step 1b: If you can’t get to your Start menu, press Ctrl-Alt-Del, click Sign Out and, at the sign-in screen hold down the Shift key while you click the power button, then Restart.

Step 2: Once you are in the Windows Recovery Environment, select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Startup Settings, and Restart.

InfoWorld

Step 3. When it restarts, you should see a number of options (see above screenshot). Press 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

Step 4. Once you sign into your account in Safe Mode, you may be home free. Restart your PC normally and see if that knocked Win10 upside the head.

Step 5. If you’re still having problems, repeat Steps 1 to 4, and see if you can find the source of the problem. Drivers, in particular, can cause all sorts of calamitous events. If you are running antivirus software, uninstall it. You can always reinstall it when your machine is feeling better.

As a last resort, add a new local administrator account (Start > Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC) and reboot.

Have a lingering problem? The discussion continues in the AskWoody Lounge.

By Woody Leonhard, source by InfoWorld

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Intel now supports Vulkan on Windows 10 PCs

lukasik — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 09:39:22 +0000

Intel has added new Apollo Lake and Kaby Lake to the list of chips supporting Vulkan

Intel is bringing more options to improve gaming and virtual reality experiences on Windows PCs with official support for Vulkan APIs (application programming interfaces).

Vulkan is similar to DirectX 12 and can be used for many applications, but it is most relevant to visual applications like games.

Games and VR applications written in Vulkan will work with GPUs integrated into Intel’s 7th Generation chips code-named Kaby Lake and 6th Generation chips code-named Skylake. It will also support the Intel HD Graphics 505 GPU in Pentium chips code-named Apollo Lake.

The support could open the door for Vulkan applications to work on Windows-based virtual reality headsets.

Later this year, PC makers like Lenovo, Dell and HP are expected to release headsets that attach to Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft will launch VR development kits with tethered headsets at the Game Developers Conference, which starts on Feb. 27 in San Francisco.

Intel has ramped up graphics capabilities of its integrated Kaby Lake GPUs, making it capable of 4K graphics. Vulkan will exploit the new features for a better gaming experience.

It’s already possible to run Vulkan games on Windows PCs via drivers provided by Nvidia and AMD, which sell discrete GPUs. But Intel’s support for Vulkan is now official, and the previous beta drivers were considered highly unstable.

Most Windows games today run on closed-source DirectX 12 technology. The open-source Vulkan has many similar features — it takes full advantage of the latest GPUs and CPUs for better graphics. It also uses fewer system resources and can generate images faster.

It’s also easier to port games from DX12 to Vulkan, which succeeds the older OpenGL set of APIs. Porting games from DirectX to OpenGL was considered time-consuming.

Some premium smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S7 also support Vulkan. Games running Vulkan use fewer system resources and preserve battery life in laptops and mobile devices. Vulkan is already seen as a future for gaming on Linux PCs and Steam Machines.

By Agam Shah, source by Computer World

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Analysts peer into Microsoft’s rumored Windows 10 Cloud

lukasik — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 09:33:00 +0000

They agree that Cloud is most likely meant to take on Chromebooks

Talk of a new version of Windows 10, dubbed “Cloud,” surfaced last week as eagle-eyed bloggers uncovered clues in a recent beta and preliminary code leaked to the Internet.

It was unclear what purpose another edition would serve, but because it will apparently run only Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps obtained from Microsoft’s store, many assumed that Windows 10 Cloud would play rival to Google’s Chrome OS, the browser-based operating system for Chromebook personal computers.

Chromebooks have gained ground in education, where their low cost — both in device price and in managing those devices — has been irresistible to many schools. In response, Microsoft joined forces with chip maker Qualcomm to announce that the former’s partners would market Windows PCs powered by ARM-based silicon later this year. For its part, Microsoft will craft a version of Windows 10 for ARM chips.

The leaked build of Windows 10 Cloud, however, runs on Intel processors.

“I see this as an effort to offer a simpler experience and in the process, better battle Chromebooks,” said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at More Insights & Strategy, via email.

“My take is that [Microsoft is] trying to address the low-end Chromebook market,” concurred Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research, when asked about Windows 10 Cloud. Microsoft, he contended, sees Chromebooks and Chrome OS as “a real threat and concern” to its Windows business, if not overall then within the education segment.

But O’Donnell also wondered how Microsoft could successfully compete with Chrome OS and Chromebooks, even if it wielded weapons like Windows 10 Cloud and/or Windows 10 on ARM. “The thing that’s confusing and hard to figure out why Microsoft keeps [going after Chromebooks] is that part of the reason why Chromebooks have done well is that they’re so much easier for the back end and admin side. And Microsoft doesn’t have an answer to that,” O’Donnell said.

“They’re trying to address a problem, but from the wrong perspective,” he added.

Because the details of Windows 10 Cloud were so sketchy, it was impossible for the analysts to offer an opinion on its technical merits. But O’Donnell hoped Microsoft would not repeat the mistake that laid low a predecessor, 2012’s Windows RT.

“Windows 10 on ARM will run x86 apps,” O’Donnell observed, referring to the traditional Windows applications designed for Intel processors. (Windows 10 on ARM will execute x86 programs using a hardware-based emulator.) “If they are limiting [Windows 10 Cloud] to just [UWP] Windows Store apps, it will be a challenge. The lack of x86 is what killed Windows RT more than anything else.”

Moorhead was more optimistic, even if Windows 10 Cloud is limited to UWP apps.

“I don’t see this as a repeat of Windows RT, but … it does share the notion of a very controlled and tighter ecosystem,” Moorhead said. “The Windows 10 app store is much larger than that of Windows 8 so, even if the rumors are true, [Microsoft is] in a much better position.”

By Gregg Keizer, source Computer World

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Microsoft hasn’t moved the Windows 10 needle in months

lukasik — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 11:11:39 +0000

The company’s stuck on 400M — even after the CEO promised to regularly report — but outside data sources show slow, steady gains

Microsoft has been stuck on the 400 million mark for Windows 10 for more than four months, as the head of the company’s operating systems group yesterday repeated the milestone when he spoke to developers.

“We now have over 400 million users all around the world. This is consumers, people in schools, people in the enterprise,” Terry Meyerson, who leads all Windows efforts, said at a developer’s day Wednesday that was also webcast by the company.

Yesterday’s number was first announced by Microsoft in September 2016.

The lack of change in Microsoft’s claim about Windows 10 illustrated the slower adoption pace since the company ended a free upgrade program, and in hindsight, demonstrated the firm’s foresight in retreating from a self-professed goal of having it on one billion devices by next year.

In July, Microsoft acknowledged that it would not get Windows 10 on one billion devices by mid-2018. The company put most of the blame on its flailing smartphone business.

“We’re pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer than FY18 for us to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices,” a Microsoft spokesman said at the time.

Within weeks of the admission, Microsoft halted a year-long free upgrade to Windows 10 it had offered to consumers and many businesses. That, in turn, put a damper on uptake. Starting in September, Windows 10’s adoption tempo slowed sharply.

In the five months since, Windows 10’s user share grew by an average of 2% each month, a fifth of the 10% monthly average for the five months before September (April through August), and a sixth of the 12% of the first five months of 2016 (January through May).

User share is an estimate of the percentage of all personal computers running an operating system; Computerworld uses data from metrics vendor Net Applications to calculate the portion of all Windows PCs powered by Windows 10.

But even as the data highlighted a slowdown, it also called into question Microsoft’s unchanging claim for Windows 10. According to Computerworld‘s calculations — using Net Applications’ user share numbers and Microsoft’s own contention that approximately 1.5 billion personal computers run Windows, the latest edition has added millions of users since Microsoft first asserted that the OS was on 400 million devices.

From the end of September 2016 to the end of January 2017, Windows 10 added almost 42 million to its rolls, climbing from 373 million to 415 million. The gain represented an increase of just over 11%.

Other data sources portrayed Windows 10 in similar terms. Ireland’s StatCounter, for example, said 10’s usage share — a measure of activity, since it was based on webpage views from devices running a specific operating system — had climbed more than 9% from September to January.

StatCounter pegged Windows 10 usage share — of all the personal computers running a flavor of Windows — at 33% for January; meanwhile, Net Applications’ user share for the same month was around 28%.

It’s unclear why the company has not updated the 400 million number for nearly half a year, when from the available evidence, the OS has gained users. Microsoft had told Wall Street that the number of Windows 10 “active users” — those who had run the operating system at least once in the past 30 days — would be one of the core metrics it would regularly tout.

“Going forward, we will track progress by regularly reporting the growth of Windows 10 monthly active devices,” said CEO Satya Nadella during a July 2016 earnings call with financial analysts.

By Gregg Keizer, source by Computer World

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