Windows 10 downloads

[Keith Nuttle]

I have reserved Windows 10.

I am also having problems with short terms lock ups of all of the
programs I use on my computer. Until recently I have never had this
problem before.

In looking at the problem there are two possible causes.

1) The new HP OfficeJet 5740 software and drivers that I recently
installed.

2) Background downloads of the Windows 10 install software.

I have been monitoring the download activity in the Windows task
manager, but have not seen any unusual activity.

I am I right to assume that in this situation the Widows install
software would show up in the task manager when it downloads?

OR

Does the Windows 10 software not show in the task manager, as it is
downloading in pieces prior to notifying the computer owner that that
Windows 10 is ready for installation?

[Paul]

Keith Nuttle wrote:
> I have reserved Windows 10.
>
> I am also having problems with short terms lock ups of all of the
> programs I use on my computer. Until recently I have never had this
> problem before.
>
> In looking at the problem there are two possible causes.
>
> 1) The new HP OfficeJet 5740 software and drivers that I recently
> installed.
>
> 2) Background downloads of the Windows 10 install software.
>
> I have been monitoring the download activity in the Windows task
> manager, but have not seen any unusual activity.
>
> I am I right to assume that in this situation the Widows install
> software would show up in the task manager when it downloads?
>
> OR
>
> Does the Windows 10 software not show in the task manager, as it is
> downloading in pieces prior to notifying the computer owner that that
> Windows 10 is ready for installation?

Your machine has SVCHOST. In there can hide the BITS downloader.
Don't know the exact name of the executable.

It will download into a SoftwareDistribution folder. When GWX
first starts, it does silly stuff like hunt for the video card
driver first. Or try to do "updates" to the source OS before
starting the Win10 download. As a result, you will see a variety
of BITS activity.

But, it won't be labeled as such. Since at least BITS hides in
a SVCHOST.

Now, what I do, is use Process Monitor from sysinternals.com,
to watch for writefile operations. And I will see bitsxxx
files being written. That means something Windows Update
related is at work. But exactly what, you can't be sure of.

After some amount of stuff is in SoftwareDistribution, GWX ends
up transferred to C:\$Windows.~BT. And you will see around 5-6GB
of stuff in there. You might have both an install.esd (downloaded)
and an install.wim (after decryption).

In addition, there might be half a dozen randomly named driver
folders.

My experience was from 10240 arrival via Windows Updates, as
a result of the Insider program. Very similar to RTM delivered
to GWX recipients.

I was out of the house while the C:\$Windows.~BT preparation
stage happened, so I missed that. I could see the BITS file
coming in before I left, and the download was smaller
than I expected. I was expecting 3.5GB and it was
smaller than that.

Since mine was orchestrated by Windows Update, it's not a
problem for it to execute stuff once the download is
officially finished. Mine didn't wait for me, but
yours might.

No idea what may be causing the freezing, but I'd
sooner believe Microsoft is doing it, than HP :-)
You could uninstall the HP stuff for a short time,
and check for freezing.

Actually, I would not "pork up" the OS before
transition day. Keep a minimal amount of hardware
present or connected. Remove the drivers. The reason
I recommend that, is what happened to my Insider machine
one day. It was doing an OS update, and it happened
to notice I had a webcam driver loaded. I had used
the webcam about a week earlier to snap a photo.
The webcam was immediately unplugged, but I
neglected to do anything with the driver. Well,
the clever OS update, noticed the webcam driver
and "tried to install a fresh one". Hilarity
ensued, since webcam drivers include interaction
with the user, such as "plug your webcam in now".
I was standing in front of the machine, but of
course the webcam is put away in the box. And the
stupid installer is pestering me and holding up
the OS upgrade. I think I was able to "dismiss"
it with Task Manager :-) And the OS install could
then finish (since the step in question doesn't
gate the basic driver installation part).

Keep it lean and mean, and then update it.
Think of something creative to do with your
AV for example. Many AV vendors stock "removal"
utilities. For that lean and mean look.

Note that in addition to C:\$WINDOWS.~BT, if you
use the MediaCreationTool, it makes C:\$WINDOWS.~WS
or similar. But, if you use MediaCreationTool, it
empties out ~BT. There is also a webpage with a more
conventional ISO downloading, so perhaps that
won't impact anything in that end of the disk.

If your C:\$Windows.~BT is around 6GB and has
both a 2.7GB install.esd and a 2.7GB install.wim,
you might be ready to go. But the install could
still be halted, if the logic thinks the NVidia
driver they downloaded, happens to suck. There are
other reasons for gating delivery, but I don't know
how easy it is to figure out the issue involved.

The installer has rollback capability, but you
should be doing an image of CL now, just in case.

There can be a logfile, something like setupact
in the ~BT folder for you. If there is a failure,
there is also a rollback folder. Mine had nothing
of interest in it, since the 10240 installed
without issue. (Just the need to hammer the
Logitech interactive driver.)

Paul

[knuttle]

On 8/4/2015 12:29 PM, Paul wrote:
> Keith Nuttle wrote:
>> I have reserved Windows 10.
>>
>> I am also having problems with short terms lock ups of all of the
>> programs I use on my computer. Until recently I have never had this
>> problem before.
>>
>> In looking at the problem there are two possible causes.
>>
>> 1) The new HP OfficeJet 5740 software and drivers that I recently
>> installed.
>>
>> 2) Background downloads of the Windows 10 install software.
>>
>> I have been monitoring the download activity in the Windows task
>> manager, but have not seen any unusual activity.
>>
>> I am I right to assume that in this situation the Widows install
>> software would show up in the task manager when it downloads?
>>
>> OR
>>
>> Does the Windows 10 software not show in the task manager, as it is
>> downloading in pieces prior to notifying the computer owner that that
>> Windows 10 is ready for installation?
>
> Your machine has SVCHOST. In there can hide the BITS downloader.
> Don't know the exact name of the executable.
>
> It will download into a SoftwareDistribution folder. When GWX
> first starts, it does silly stuff like hunt for the video card
> driver first. Or try to do "updates" to the source OS before
> starting the Win10 download. As a result, you will see a variety
> of BITS activity.
>
> But, it won't be labeled as such. Since at least BITS hides in
> a SVCHOST.
>
> Now, what I do, is use Process Monitor from sysinternals.com,
> to watch for writefile operations. And I will see bitsxxx
> files being written. That means something Windows Update
> related is at work. But exactly what, you can't be sure of.
>
> After some amount of stuff is in SoftwareDistribution, GWX ends
> up transferred to C:\$Windows.~BT. And you will see around 5-6GB
> of stuff in there. You might have both an install.esd (downloaded)
> and an install.wim (after decryption).
>
> In addition, there might be half a dozen randomly named driver
> folders.
>
> My experience was from 10240 arrival via Windows Updates, as
> a result of the Insider program. Very similar to RTM delivered
> to GWX recipients.
>
> I was out of the house while the C:\$Windows.~BT preparation
> stage happened, so I missed that. I could see the BITS file
> coming in before I left, and the download was smaller
> than I expected. I was expecting 3.5GB and it was
> smaller than that.
>
> Since mine was orchestrated by Windows Update, it's not a
> problem for it to execute stuff once the download is
> officially finished. Mine didn't wait for me, but
> yours might.
>
> No idea what may be causing the freezing, but I'd
> sooner believe Microsoft is doing it, than HP :-)
> You could uninstall the HP stuff for a short time,
> and check for freezing.
>
> Actually, I would not "pork up" the OS before
> transition day. Keep a minimal amount of hardware
> present or connected. Remove the drivers. The reason
> I recommend that, is what happened to my Insider machine
> one day. It was doing an OS update, and it happened
> to notice I had a webcam driver loaded. I had used
> the webcam about a week earlier to snap a photo.
> The webcam was immediately unplugged, but I
> neglected to do anything with the driver. Well,
> the clever OS update, noticed the webcam driver
> and "tried to install a fresh one". Hilarity
> ensued, since webcam drivers include interaction
> with the user, such as "plug your webcam in now".
> I was standing in front of the machine, but of
> course the webcam is put away in the box. And the
> stupid installer is pestering me and holding up
> the OS upgrade. I think I was able to "dismiss"
> it with Task Manager :-) And the OS install could
> then finish (since the step in question doesn't
> gate the basic driver installation part).
>
> Keep it lean and mean, and then update it.
> Think of something creative to do with your
> AV for example. Many AV vendors stock "removal"
> utilities. For that lean and mean look.
>
> Note that in addition to C:\$WINDOWS.~BT, if you
> use the MediaCreationTool, it makes C:\$WINDOWS.~WS
> or similar. But, if you use MediaCreationTool, it
> empties out ~BT. There is also a webpage with a more
> conventional ISO downloading, so perhaps that
> won't impact anything in that end of the disk.
>
> If your C:\$Windows.~BT is around 6GB and has
> both a 2.7GB install.esd and a 2.7GB install.wim,
> you might be ready to go. But the install could
> still be halted, if the logic thinks the NVidia
> driver they downloaded, happens to suck. There are
> other reasons for gating delivery, but I don't know
> how easy it is to figure out the issue involved.
>
> The installer has rollback capability, but you
> should be doing an image of CL now, just in case.
>
> There can be a logfile, something like setupact
> in the ~BT folder for you. If there is a failure,
> there is also a rollback folder. Mine had nothing
> of interest in it, since the 10240 installed
> without issue. (Just the need to hammer the
> Logitech interactive driver.)
>
> Paul
Thanks. I checked my hard drive today and found the C:\$Windows.~BT.

Do you have any idea of how long after the creation (appearance) of
C:\$Windows.~BT until Windows 10 will installed?

While I have checked in the past when it was not there, but I see that
C:\$Windows.~BT was created on 07/10/15 and was last modified on
08/04/15 (Windows 8.1)

My concern is that my laptop travels. There are time it would be
significantly inconvenient to stop what I am doing to allow Windows to
take an hour or more to install.

[Paul]

knuttle wrote:

> Thanks. I checked my hard drive today and found the C:\$Windows.~BT.
>
> Do you have any idea of how long after the creation (appearance) of
> C:\$Windows.~BT until Windows 10 will installed?
>
> While I have checked in the past when it was not there, but I see that
> C:\$Windows.~BT was created on 07/10/15 and was last modified on
> 08/04/15 (Windows 8.1)
>
> My concern is that my laptop travels. There are time it would be
> significantly inconvenient to stop what I am doing to allow Windows to
> take an hour or more to install.

"Check your Upgrade Status" from the icon in the
lower-right of the screen (GWX icon)"

https://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/14.png?w=640

Status report from GWX.

https://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/22.png?w=640&h=420

You can also check Windows Update, as the status might be
plastered in the dialog there.

And do a backup before you start. That gives you more options,
depending on time constraints or what happens along the way.

I would really be surprised if it "held back". Chances are,
it'll be telling you that something "gates" the install. For
a while, this was the NVidia driver issue.

Paul