14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has quietly re-released two updates to Windows systems, though there’s a good chance that only a few users would end up installing them because they’re not enabled by default.
The two updates are KB2952664 and KB2976978 and are aimed at Windows 7 and 8.1, respectively, with Microsoft explaining in the rather vague description posted on the official KB pages that they’re only supposed to be installed on systems enrolled in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program.
In other words, they’re telemetry updates that help Microsoft collect data from systems participating in this program, and installation only takes place with users’ consent. All versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are getting the two patches in Windows Update.
To launch on Patch Tuesday?
This is the reason they aren’t enabled by default in Windows Update, but only offered as optional, which means that users need to manually check and install them. But as InfoWorld puts it, the switch from Optional to Recommended can be done at any point, and with Patch Tuesday taking place this week, this seems to be the best moment to do it.
“This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem, and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update,” Microsoft explains.
Surprisingly, the company hasn’t also updated the revision data, so the last review is listed on March 7, though this is clearly old information.
For the moment, it’s not clear what these updates bring new, but users who don’t know what they’re doing shouldn’t enable them in Windows Update. If Microsoft pushes them to the Recommended channel, everyone should receive them on Patch Tuesday, though it remains to be seen if this happens.