Block A Patch

https://blockapatch.com/

It talks about WU ShowHide, Windows Update MiniTool (WUMT) and WU Mgr. There is also a YouTube video too.

source: https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/ms-defcon-3-issues-with-bootloader-patches/

.Net Items

A forum post: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/net-family-information/

Some topics discussed
.Net
.Net Framework
.Net Core
.Net 3
.Net 4
.Net 5
.Net 6

.NET and .NET Framework
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/net-family-information/#post-2440751

source: https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/ms-defcon-4-protect-yourself-with-patches/

Get System File Checker (SFC) to work

First use Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

If Windows Update is broken use the following command with a Windows side-by-side folder
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess

The SFC command is
sfc /scannow

Article with the above details:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e

Section on finding the corrupted Windows file:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e#bkmk_cbs_log

Section on manually replacing the corrupted Windows system file:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e#bkmk_manually_repair

source: https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/free-edition-win11-home-never-completely-lets-go/

Added reference to 2023 Post: https://kpon.wordpress.com/2023/03/30/using-dism-and-sfc-to-fix-windows/

Downgrading Windows 10

If may be possible to downgrade Windows 10, here are four ideas for trying. See the section titled “Downgrade Windows 10 to Windows 7 or 8 after 30 days”: https://www.easeus.com/computer-instruction/roll-back-to-windows-7-8-after-30-days.html

source: https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/special-free-edition-onedrive/#onedrive-5

Where to setup Windows Program Shortcuts

There are two places:
“C:\ProgramData”
C:\Users\%USERNAME%”

See the details at the post.

source: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/what-a-hideous-os-this-is/#post-2260316

Installing Windows 7 ESU Updates

This is working for the July 2020 Windows 7 Updates.

Use W7ESUI.cmd from W7ESUI_0.2.zip to install the Monthly Cumulative Update.
Copy the cmd file and bin folder from dotNetFx4_ESU_Installer_r.zip to install the .Net Framework Updates. Download all the .Net Updates that apply for the month. The ones that do not apply, will not install and say they are not applicable to the installed version of Windows.

List of the .Net Updates can be found via here:
https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/
Example: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/dotnet/net-framework-august-2020-security-and-quality-rollup-updates/

 

General Instructions:

Download the Microsoft update into an unique folder. Copy the appropriate cmd into the unique folder. Run as Administrator to execute the cmd command.

Unsure how long this method will allow for the installation of ESU Updates.

 

sources: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/standalone-installer-script-for-windows-7-esu-regardless-the-license/#post-2283523

Standalone installer script for Windows 7 ESU, regardless the license

Making a USB or DVD from an ISO file, then the opposite, Making an ISO from Files

This is a 2017 article.
Have a look at “Step Two: Create Your Installation USB Drive with the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool” of the article. It points to a Microsoft tool “Windows USB/DVD Download Tool”. It is here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool.

Terminology: Burn: uncompress an ISO file and put its files on an USB / DVD.

Taking files and putting them into an image file using ImgBurn:
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11003/how-to-create-a-windows-iso-from-a-disc-using-imgburn/

Rant: Windows Guest Account

Guest accounts work best on Windows 7. Windows 8.1 only allows the Guest account to logoff or restart into the Guest account. In Windows 10, you can put the Guest account in the Guest Group but things don’t seem to work right.

Mount ISO on Windows 7

Doing a search for “windows 7 mount program”, WinCDEmu came up. It is open source. “WinCDEmu is an open-source CD/DVD/BD emulator.” “If you have downloaded an ISO image and want to use it without burning it to a blank disc, WinCDEmu is the easiest way to do it.”

https://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/

Found two mentions of it here:

Old game being played on Windows 7 – can you help?

Just installed Win 7 then upgraded to Win 10

Telemetry in Win7/8.1

I found this grouping of Microsoft Windows Updates to skip (/ avoid) or uninstall . It only applies to Windows 7 (EoL) and Windows 8.1. On the AskWoody Forum it is labelled  AKB2952664.

2952664: Telemetry in Win7/8.1 – KB2952664, KB2977759, KB2976978, & KB3150513