alacran

I never put Downloads in same partition as OS, in fact We have at home several PC's (7) usually they have a dual boot XP and 7, some only 7, when I say usually this means sometimes reducing a logical partition to create another to test 10, or a Linux distro or ReactosOS, etc, then after some time erase everything that did not like me and back to usuall way, backup images are mandatory just in case. HDD's are of 500 GB (5) and also 1 TB (2) So my partition scheme is: First primary active partition NTFS 15 to 25 GB: XP and 7 boot files/folders. Second primary partition NTFS 35 to 50 GB: 7 SP-1 x64 An extended partition with: A large First logical partition NTFS: Documents, Music, Downloads, Games etc. for both OS's (this is the one I reduce and make a new one when trying a new OS not in VHD. Second logical partition NTFS usually at least 50 GB: VHD's bootables from Windows boot manager, WinPE ISO's, bootables from HDD using grub4dos boot manager and Image Backups of XP & 7. A Win 7 x64 installed from and updated DVD is about 20 to 25 GB depending of installed programs, when hibernate and Windows Restore are deactivated. Iin fact yesterday I was runing some test in this PC, it is using at the moment 18.4 GB for 7 install and programs (RAM is 4 GB to give you an idea of pagefile size) and depending on your Backup Software the bachup image is 5.4 GB made in 35 min. using winlib-imagex (*.wim images), 7.35 GB made in 12 min. using Snapshot shareware, 9 GB made in 9 min. using Acronis for Western Digital Build 33 and 11.7 GB made in 35 min. using Macrium Reflect v6.3.1835 Free, Of course time it takes depends on Processor and HDD speed, not applicable for size of image, but as all tests are in same hardware it is very representative of Backup program capavilities. So I decided to keep using wimlib-imagex and it's GUI wimlib_clc This is not the fastest but it makes the smallest image, compatible with Windows tools as Dism and imagex, an image you can open with 7zip, and it is an image of files/folders and it's links.

I found the best way is have more than one partition, installing only the OS and some programs on first primary partition as Office, Antivirus (Avast Free), a Browser (FireFox), 7Zip, etc., turn off Restore, and relocate anything else as My Documents, Downloads, Music, Videos etc. on another partition (as a logical one located on an extended partition) , you may install your games on this partition too or have a dedicated logical partition for this (yes I know sometimes you are forced to install a game on C:\ drive, but this are only some exceptions). This way when you make an image backup of your OS it is going to be very fast and give you a very little size image. I have also found virus almost always go to attack C:\ (the OS partition) and they do not mess with other partitions, so when needed you only make a Recovery from your last good image in a matter of 5 to 10 minutes and everything is back to normal. Additionally it is good to install CCleaner Free and run it at least once a week to get rid of all garbage collected from internet, it is also good idea to install Malwarebytes Free and run it at least every week after CCleaner (to not waste time inspecting all internet garbage and Temp files/folders). By the way I remember maybe 2 years ago I reinstalled XP this way in a friend's PC and after sometime maybe 2 moths he got some Ramsomeware, PC didn't boot, only an screen with the known message asking for your money to let you use your PC again, just booted from a WinPE on DVD, formated C:\ and made a Recovery from Backup image and in less than 10 minutes problem was solved, all info was untouched on the second partition (including the image I used to recover the PC that was located there), I don't know if new versions are more agresive but since this experience and having 2 Backups of all my important info on external USB drives, updated usually once a month, I feel very confident.

Well someting went wrong, I did everything as per my posted plan, almost all updates installed fine, only very few said "Not applicable to this OS" or something with that meaning and aborted before install, I even reboot after every month updates to let them finish install. Finally after all this, and after final reboot (and having no errors in "Event Register"), I ran MS tool to "Free space on this unit", then it started and went as fas as cleanning update files (it was 991 MB) and when it was about 65 % it didn't move anymore, after waiting 2 hours tryed to cancel, but no way, I had to reboot the PC and all in that partition was wrong, not booting to 8 anymore, I had to format the partition. Good thing is I made a Ghost image before this (just in case), Do you have some ideas in order to help me reduce OS size? I want to clean it as much as possible, before doing Sysprep and make a new updated install.wim

Thanks, I apreciate a lot the help from you and greenhillmaniac. The info is complete now, i already downloaded all KB with "WSUS Offline from January 2016" (made an Iso) and all in "greenhillmaniac repository", just started downloading now Update Rollups (excluding KB2975331 according to previous post). I start thinking it is going to be better an online update, this is my current plan: - Make an 8x64 install on HDD second partition. - Apply updates from WSUS Iso. - Apply Update Rollups (by date, older first). - Apply Updates from repository (by date, older first). - Apply Net Updates from repository (by date, older first). - Sysprep and make *.wim image with Imagex or winlib-imagex. I will apreciate your comments to my current plan, any suggestions are wellcome. Best Regards alacran

Can you tell me what KB is this one? alacran

Link: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/wana-decrypt0r-ransomware-outbreak-temporarily-stopped-by-accidental-hero-/ A security researcher that goes online by the nickname of MalwareTech is the hero of the day, albeit an accidental one, after having saved countless of computers worldwide from a virulent form of ransomware called Wana Decrypt0r (also referenced as WCry, WannaCry, WannaCrypt, and WanaCrypt0r). What MalwareTech did was spend around £10 to register a domain he found in the ransomware's source code. Security researcher finds ransomware kill switch The researcher discovered that the virulent and self-spreading Wana Decrypt0r ransomware was making a pre-infection check to a domain located at iuqerfsodp9ifjaposdfjhgosurijfaewrwergwea.com. If the domain was unregistered, the ransomware would start encrypting files. But if the domain was registered, the ransomware would stop its infection process. By registering this domain, MalwareTech had accidentally triggered a worldwide kill-switch for the ransomware's self-spreading feature. Everyone needs to update their computers! "It's very important everyone understands that all they [Wana Decrypt0r gang] need to do is change some code and start again," MalwareTech explained last night. "Patch your systems now!" The Wana Decrypt0r ransomware used a self-spreading mechanism derived from an NSA exploit leaked by the Shadow Brokers. That exploit can be mitigated by installing the patches included with Microsoft security bulletin MS17-010. Additionally, Microsoft has released an update for older operating systems that are no longer officially supported, such as Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003. The update can be downloaded from here. People already infected with this ransomware will not get their files back just because that domain was registered. It means that no new infections will occur with yesterday's strain. Currently, there's no known method of breaking the ransomware's encryption. The only viable method of getting files back at the moment is from previous operating system backups, and by paying the ransom note, as a last resort. During yesterday's ransomware outbreak, MalwareTech also created a tracker for Wana Decrypt0r victims, and a live map, showing infections in real time, which is now terribly silent. For those affected, you can discuss this ransomware and receive support in the dedicated WanaCrypt0r & Wana Decrypt0r Help & Support Topic. Bleeping Computer also published a technical analysis of the Wana Decrypt0r ransomware. That exploit can be mitigated by installing the patches included with Microsoft security bulletin MS17-010 : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/ms17-010.aspx Additionally, Microsoft has released an update for older operating systems that are no longer officially supported, such as Windows XP, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2003. The update can be downloaded from here: http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4012598 alacran

Simplix Pack to update Live Win7 System/ Integrate updates into Win7 or Server 2008 Link (use google translate): http://forum.oszone.net/thread-257198.html Google translate: https://translate.google.com/ I use it to offline update my 7 SP-1, also it can be used on online system. alacran

I want to install Win8 as a second boot OS on a PC that already has XP-SP3 used mainly for old games. Once I have it installed for the first time, How can I update it? AFAIK WU is not working anymore for this OS. So please give me a guidance where in this thread should I start in order to have all updates available before install to maybe offline update the install.wim, if I can't do this I will update it online and make an image of OS using winlib-imagex to have it as backup. Thanks in advance alacran

You may also try ExecTI - Run as TrustedInstaller from Winaero: http://winaero.com/download.php?view.1991 Or NSudo from M2Team: https://github.com/M2Team/NSudo This last one has more options, run as TrustedInstaller, System, Administrator, etc and you can have several at the same time, also I think it runs in PowerShell, sounds like the tool you need. I haven't use it. But I read good comments about it in MDL: https://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/m2-team-nsudo-new-version-4-0.59268/ alacran

Maybe this can be of some help: http://www.sordum.org/9416/powerrun-v1-1-run-with-highest-privileges/ alacran

I read there is an issue with some machines and MS stop updates untill they fix it. I seams it is a problem with equipment having Broadcome Bluetoot. So unless you already have an ISO you have to wait. alacran

I found troubles during activation, and it was because just after install ran O&O ShutUp10 v1.5.1389 (2017.04.11) and selected all items to apply, before activation, you need to have at least the last two Windows Update not selected in order to activate properly, you also may run this litlle batch as administrator to fix Activation and also Store problems (do not remember where I found it): Just copy it and save as *.cmd, don't forget to run as administrator (and reboot just in case). Now my Win 10 Pro 1703 build 15063 without Apps (only config) is activated through Windows Activation Servers. Let me tell you, it do not look so bad once you remove all (CR)Apps it seams now as a serious OS not as a Smarphone anymore. Of course, almost all telemetry is also blocked now including forced updates. alacran

@ Noel Maybe this may help you: http://www.errorlive.com/error-code-0x80070426 Here I thing it is more clear it is Software Licensing Servive related and you need to Change “Startup type:” to Automatic see: https://www.quora.com/What-causes-Windows-error-code-0x80070426-and-how-can-you-fix-it alacran

Could we run this in an automatic way making it OOBE.cmd and put it in sources\$oem$\$$\Setup\Scripts\OOBE.cmd ? Or Is there another way? alacran

@ R4D3 Swiftsearch: https://sourceforge.net/projects/swiftsearch/ It is a single .exe file, you can use it in WinPE too. Hope you enjoy it. alacran

Nice effort Wonko but MS explanation in plain words do not say anything clear, so as this is the actual style for subjects involving Telemetry and privacy violation, I will assume this is something related to privacy violation. It looks it was written by Cantinflas, in my country we have a verb for this cantinflear (basically say a lot of words and no neaning). alacran

Have any of you detected this? Source: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/strange-win-10-behavior.387503/ EDIT: This is from a post made in Jul 30, 2016. But it is the first time I read about this. alacran

This tool is a batch file and some *.inf files, you can open and read all of them using notepad, I did that and didn't see any evidece of malware (not a single link to a page to download something). About explorer and search, no problem don't miss them, I use ClassicShell and also swiftsearch, fastest seach tool in earth, and do not need an index as MS search, only down side is it is only good for NTFS, do not work in FAT 12/16/32, exFAT. alacran

Windows 10 Lite (Better Privacy): https://sourceforge.net/projects/windows-10-lite/ Download v7.2: https://sourceforge.net/projects/windows-10-lite/files/WinLite10V7.2.zip/download Just tested and removed all Apps, Cortana, One Drive and Edge, also applied Black Viper's Windows 10 Service Configuration 'Safe' during install and manually deselected all MS Telemetry options, booted fine, no problem, latter ran O&O ShutUp10 v1.5.1389 (2017.04.11): https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 From v7.2 Readme file: To easily find WinLite10 folder I put it in \sources\$oem$\$1\WinLite10 on my USB, and when pressing shift+F10 during install just found it on C:\WinLite10 alacran

Same here, but mine was x64 Pro fresh install and I removed almost all Apps and applyed O&O ShutUp10 v1.5.1389 Builded on 2017.04.11 alacran

I'm going to make a new install, try againg your batch and let you know. alacran

http://winaero.com/blog/kb4012218-kb4012219-patches-cpu-detection/ Both updates will prevent your operating system from downloading and installing updates if you have one of the following CPUs: Intel seventh (7th)-generation processors (Kaby Lake) or later AMD "Bristol Ridge" (Seventh generation) or newer Qualcomm "8996" alacran

ttp://winaero.com/blog/kb4012218-kb4012219-patches-cpu-detection/ Both updates will prevent your operating system from downloading and installing updates if you have one of the following CPUs: Intel seventh (7th)-generation processors (Kaby Lake) or later AMD "Bristol Ridge" (Seventh generation) or newer Qualcomm "8996" alacran

Yes i did.

@ NoelC Reporting back: No antivirus, Windows Defender and UAC disabled, I expanded the dowload on a folder on C:\, added SQLite3.exe and SetACL.exe (x64) to same folder, then selected Windows10ReTweaker.bat and ran it as admin (even having UAC disabled), selecting all options: Services and task were disabled, But no App, Cortana or Edge were uninstalled. Ran it a second time after a reboot, same result. There were some things I noticed: SetACL.exe is not a known command, and also path to Apps was not found. My installed OS is Win 10 x64 Pro es-MX 1703 Build 15063, the very last Creators update RTM or equivalent, just downloaded and fresh installed from ISO (not updating a previous OS). alacran