14 DAY TRIAL // Believe it or not, one of the updates that made it possible for Microsoft to bring the Get Windows 10 nagware app on so many Windows 7 computers is back, this time without a clear reason.
KB2952664 landed on Windows 7 PCs on October 4, and Microsoft hasn’t yet provided us with information on why exactly it re-released this patch given the fact that it doesn’t seem to bring any notable changes.
According to the official KB page, this update is only supposed to improve the upgrade experience to Windows 10, but given the fact that free upgrades are no longer available, it’s hard to believe that this makes sense for anyone.
Telemetry update
On the other hand, it’s important to note that this is a telemetry update, so it helps Microsoft collect information on compatibility issues that might be experienced during the upgrade to Windows 10.
“This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. These diagnostics help determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed. This update will help Microsoft and its partners ensure compatibility for customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system,” the official KB page reads.
And, of course, users have already started asking questions about this new update, with some believing that Microsoft is actually using the patch to collect more information from their computers.
“What is going on? Why is Microsoft update offering this update ‘to prepare Windows 7 PCs to more easily update to the latest operating system’ when the free offer for Windows 10 is over? […] This is obviously just a way for Microsoft to find out more data about everyone’s PC to further their opportunities to make more money,” one user said on Microsoft’s Community forums.
There is no word from Microsoft regarding this new update, but for the moment, if you just want to stick with Windows 7, it’s better to avoid installing KB2952664.
UPDATE, October 6: Microsoft says this patch has nothing to do with Windows 10 upgrades, and it's only supposed to improve the updating experience on Windows 7.
Thank you for the tip, Bobo!