I do NOT want Win 11 on this machine, but MS Update shows that
Win 11 installtion is "pending restart." I found the huge
update file and deleted it, but Update still thinks installation
awaits a restart. Worst case, I presume that should the system
try to install it will ask me what I want to do. Am I naive?
I do NOT want Win 11 on this machine, but MS Update shows that
Win 11 installtion is "pending restart." I found the huge
update file and deleted it, but Update still thinks installation
awaits a restart. Worst case, I presume that should the system
try to install it will ask me what I want to do. Am I naive?
Is MS forcing W11 these days? :(
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a large
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
On 10/30/2023 7:35 PM, Jason wrote:
I do NOT want Win 11 on this machine, but MS Update shows that
Win 11 installtion is "pending restart." I found the huge
update file and deleted it, but Update still thinks installation
awaits a restart. Worst case, I presume that should the system
try to install it will ask me what I want to do. Am I naive?
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a large
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
For example, on my Win11 machine, C:\$WinREAgent has around
3.5GB of material in it, which I would class as "suspicious".
This could be something related to 23H2, dunno.
You should be using this, and setting it to the release you
want things frozen at. I do not know what happens, when you
assert a policy, mid-way through its execution.
https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm
W10 22H2 # Then, push the button and apply the value
# In Windows Update dialog area, it should then
# result in the displayed info changing.
take a backup, without shutting down, just in case.
HTH,
Paul
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
I do NOT want Win 11 on this machine, but MS Update shows that
Win 11 installtion is "pending restart." I found the huge
update file and deleted it, but Update still thinks installation
awaits a restart. Worst case, I presume that should the system
try to install it will ask me what I want to do. Am I naive?
On 10/30/23 18:35, Jason wrote:
I do NOT want Win 11 on this machine, but MS Update shows that
Win 11 installtion is "pending restart." I found the huge
update file and deleted it, but Update still thinks installation
awaits a restart. Worst case, I presume that should the system
try to install it will ask me what I want to do. Am I naive?
If you don't want Win11, how about turning off TPM (or secure boot)?
Then your system won't meet the requirements for Win 11.
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
On 2023-10-31 03:13, Jason wrote:
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
If Win 11 is ready to reboot and install, I suppose it keeps a copy
of the previous system (w 10) somewhere so that you can revert. I
don't know if it is this directory or not.
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:13:12 -0400, Jason <jason_warren@INVALID.ieee.org> wrote:
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
Wow. I checked mine in case I was "wasting" 25G and it has 4 files
totally 7K. I guess from what you say because I started with win10 and
and haven't upgraded from win7??
I also have $WNDOWS.~WS and it's 7 files totalling 366K. Bigger but I
don't know why.
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:13:12 -0400, Jason <jason_warren@INVALID.ieee.org> wrote:
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
Wow. I checked mine in case I was "wasting" 25G and it has 4 files
totally 7K. I guess from what you say because I started with win10 and
and haven't upgraded from win7??
I also have $WNDOWS.~WS and it's 7 files totalling 366K. Bigger but I
don't know why.
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm
W10 22H2 # Then, push the button and apply the value
# In Windows Update dialog area, it should then
# result in the displayed info changing.
take a backup, without shutting down, just in case.
HTH,
Paul
On 10/31/2023 12:39 PM, micky wrote:
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:13:12 -0400, Jason
<jason_warren@INVALID.ieee.org> wrote:
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
Wow. I checked mine in case I was "wasting" 25G and it has 4 files
totally 7K. I guess from what you say because I started with win10 and
and haven't upgraded from win7??
I also have $WNDOWS.~WS and it's 7 files totalling 366K. Bigger but I
don't know why.
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
The materials used to be stored in C:\Windows.old , which is what
you would find after a version upgrade.
The dollar folders would normally be used for staging of install materials. If the dollar folders "got deleted by an adventurous user", they will
be created on demand if such a folder is needed in the future.
It's unclear what happens, when those folders start being used for non-staging activities. If they don't tell the users what they're doing
(such as via the "Windows.old" name which is at least an attempt at a "hint"),
then chaos will ensue.
Why the dollar folders are created like that, without a framework
for the users to understand what they can and cannot do with them,
that's a mystery to me. Where is the discoverability, of leaving
crap all over the place ? At least the Windows.old, properly labels
moribund material. Even if nobody knows how to handle Windows.old
properly (I certainly didn't, until I made a mistake by trying
to delete it manually for fun).
Note that C:\Windows.old should not be thrown in the Recycle Bin.
There have been materials in there, that resist deletion (even from
Linux you can't do it). The "cleanmgr.exe" utility from Microsoft,
knows how to delete C:\Windows.old. The ten day timer knows how to
delete C:\Windows.old. After ten days, it should be cleaned out automatically.
Cleanmgr.exe will NOT remove a C:\Windows.old that contains a few undelete-able remnants. Cleanmgr.exe only wades in there, if it
recognizes the folder as a complete and robust Windows image.
If you create a Windows.old in C: right now, and manually store
"test.txt" in it, cleanmgr.exe will not remove the folder for you.
This is why you should not partially delete it, as cleanmgr refuses
to touch it then.
The same cannot be said for the dollar folders. They are a mystery meat.
$WINDOWS.~BT
$Windows.~WS
$WinREAgent On my Win11 Home, this has 3.25GB of files suited to making an installer DVD
https://www.howtogeek.com/268667/what-is-the-windows.bt-folder-and-can-you-delete-it/
"the $WINDOWS.~BT folder contains your previous Windows installation."
"similar to ... Windows.old folder, which contains files from your previous Windows installation."
I can say I've seen the wad of Windows.old on many occasions. Maybe the two folders are hardlinked ??? No, that doesn't make sense. I can't say I've seen 40GB of excess files, only 20GB or so.
"$WINDOWS.~WS folder that contains most of the Windows setup files."
Paul
On 11/1/2023 12:24 AM, Paul wrote:
On 10/31/2023 12:39 PM, micky wrote:I thought you could delete the C:\windows\softwaredistribution folder to kill a pending update?
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:13:12 -0400, Jason
<jason_warren@INVALID.ieee.org> wrote:
Check the dollar-sign directories in the root of C: for a largeI checked. Only one of the $* directories is of significant size.
mass of material. The attack might come from there.
$WNDOWS.~BT is 25+ GB!
Wow. I checked mine in case I was "wasting" 25G and it has 4 files
totally 7K. I guess from what you say because I started with win10 and >>> and haven't upgraded from win7??
I also have $WNDOWS.~WS and it's 7 files totalling 366K. Bigger but I
don't know why.
It seems it exists to permit one to back up the OS version but is
otherwise superfluous. I haven't deleted it, but it occupies more
than 10% of precious SSD space, so I'll happily toss it if that's
safe. Web searches suggest that it is.
Thanks :)
The materials used to be stored in C:\Windows.old , which is what
you would find after a version upgrade.
The dollar folders would normally be used for staging of install materials. >> If the dollar folders "got deleted by an adventurous user", they will
be created on demand if such a folder is needed in the future.
It's unclear what happens, when those folders start being used for
non-staging activities. If they don't tell the users what they're doing
(such as via the "Windows.old" name which is at least an attempt at a "hint"),
then chaos will ensue.
Why the dollar folders are created like that, without a framework
for the users to understand what they can and cannot do with them,
that's a mystery to me. Where is the discoverability, of leaving
crap all over the place ? At least the Windows.old, properly labels
moribund material. Even if nobody knows how to handle Windows.old
properly (I certainly didn't, until I made a mistake by trying
to delete it manually for fun).
Note that C:\Windows.old should not be thrown in the Recycle Bin.
There have been materials in there, that resist deletion (even from
Linux you can't do it). The "cleanmgr.exe" utility from Microsoft,
knows how to delete C:\Windows.old. The ten day timer knows how to
delete C:\Windows.old. After ten days, it should be cleaned out
automatically.
Cleanmgr.exe will NOT remove a C:\Windows.old that contains a few
undelete-able remnants. Cleanmgr.exe only wades in there, if it
recognizes the folder as a complete and robust Windows image.
If you create a Windows.old in C: right now, and manually store
"test.txt" in it, cleanmgr.exe will not remove the folder for you.
This is why you should not partially delete it, as cleanmgr refuses
to touch it then.
The same cannot be said for the dollar folders. They are a mystery meat.
$WINDOWS.~BT
$Windows.~WS
$WinREAgent On my Win11 Home, this has 3.25GB of files suited to making an installer DVD
https://www.howtogeek.com/268667/what-is-the-windows.bt-folder-and-can-you-delete-it/
"the $WINDOWS.~BT folder contains your previous Windows installation." >> "similar to ... Windows.old folder, which contains files from your previous Windows installation."
I can say I've seen the wad of Windows.old on many occasions. Maybe the two >> folders are hardlinked ??? No, that doesn't make sense. I can't say I've >> seen 40GB of excess files, only 20GB or so.
"$WINDOWS.~WS folder that contains most of the Windows setup files." >>
Paul
In article <uhpj9v$mti0$1@dont-email.me>, nospam@needed.invalid says...
https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm
W10 22H2 # Then, push the button and apply the value
# In Windows Update dialog area, it should then
# result in the displayed info changing.
take a backup, without shutting down, just in case.
HTH,
Paul
Definitely helped! Just yesterday, Update asked me when
to install Win 11. "Don't do it" was not one of the choices!
incontrol appears to have dissuaded it :-)
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