Serious Discussion Microsoft is going to anger a lot of people if they indeed do this!

Marko :)

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I don't think Microsoft is actively trying to disable those apps. It's just they aren't updated by their developers to support changes in the new version of Windows 11. Once they update their apps, there shouldn't be any issues with them.
 

Morro

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I don't think Microsoft is actively trying to disable those apps. It's just they aren't updated by their developers to support changes in the new version of Windows 11. Once they update their apps, there shouldn't be any issues with them.

Although I do not use most programs that alter windows somehow any more, I certainly hope that will be the case. But I would not put it past them either, they do not like people messing with their OS.
 

Marko :)

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Same was with the some antivirus programs back when Windows 10 was released. Users reported BSODs and Microsoft blocked update for users that had specific AV programs installed. Developers then updated their software and Microsoft let users update Windows.

Microsoft doesn't care what you modify in your installation. This is just preventive measure because if Windows starts to randomly throw errors, users won't blame the 3rd party software they use. They'll just blame Microsoft and this is their way to protect themselves.
 

Morro

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Same was with the some antivirus programs back when Windows 10 was released. Users reported BSODs and Microsoft blocked update for users that had specific AV programs installed. Developers then updated their software and Microsoft let users update Windows.

Microsoft doesn't care what you modify in your installation. This is just preventive measure because if Windows starts to randomly throw errors, users won't blame the 3rd party software they use. They'll just blame Microsoft and this is their way to protect themselves.

Hm, I had not looked at it like that, never too old to learn something. :) (y)
 
Mar 10, 2024
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How deeply does a customization application have to tie into the operating system to effect BSOD with updates? Is this really a smart choice of application and interaction with the operating system security wise? Complaints that MS does not do enough to remedy security issues are met with users complaining when it enforces these like above with no update issued as long as you have the means to create file corruption installed on the system, adding to expanding attack surface.

At some point captain obvious is going to swoop down with his cape flapping.
 

Morro

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Well, I have never used Explorer Patcher, so I have absolutely no idea how deep it changes things to cause BSOD.
 
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mlnevese

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Anything that is patching a specific memory offset risks doing something wrong if whatever it is patching has been updated. A single byte difference may do something that will break Windows or some other software. It may also make delta updating fail or cause a delta update to undo the patch to whatever system component was patched and then in the next boot you get a crash if the software doing the patch does not detect this and reapply the patch or reapply the patch in what is now the wrong place.

I'm as happy as anyone else to blame Microsoft for Windows and other of their product's bad decisions or bad implementation of something but in this case, they are innocent and do the right thing disabling an update until the conflicting software is removed. Better than answering hundreds of calls about software failures not caused by them.
 
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Marko :)

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How deeply does a customization application have to tie into the operating system to effect BSOD with updates? Is this really a smart choice of application and interaction with the operating system security wise? Complaints that MS does not do enough to remedy security issues are met with users complaining when it enforces these like above with no update issued as long as you have the means to create file corruption installed on the system, adding to expanding attack surface.

At some point captain obvious is going to swoop down with his cape flapping.
App doesn't need to go deep into the OS to crash it... to show the BSOD or any other error. I had both, Chrome and Firefox multiple times cause BSOD before. Even VLC once crashed my Windows installation. But that was like in the era of Windows XP/Vista/7.

I remember clearly how antivirus programs caused mess with Windows 10. Everyone accused Microsoft of trying to block competitors. 🙂
 
Mar 10, 2024
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App doesn't need to go deep into the OS to crash it... to show the BSOD or any other error. I had both, Chrome and Firefox multiple times cause BSOD before. Even VLC once crashed my Windows installation. But that was like in the era of Windows XP/Vista/7.

I remember clearly how antivirus programs caused mess with Windows 10. Everyone accused Microsoft of trying to block competitors. 🙂
These are not browser apps but operating system modification apps, there is a big difference.
 

Trident

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BSOD usually occurs when something working in kernel mode has crashed. What’s in kernel mode?
Drivers. Any third-party software that adds drivers can cause BSOD when there are errors in it.
Because kernel mode memory is not segregated per app, but one common pool for all.
Microsoft native drivers could be the culprit too.

TuneUPs frequently add drivers to control CPU priotity/memory operations, clean the disk, or for various other reasons.

An app using solely in User Mode, upon crashing, won’t cause BSOD.
 

Gangelo

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Nope.
No sensible user will get angry because no sensible user is using this kind of crapware that hooks on the system in such a deep level just for the looks of your desktop.
If you don't like how Windows looks, either suck it up or use something else.
 
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Morro

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They are certainly able to do so, it is just a bit weird that for instance software they own also gets blocked. Legitimate software like those could maybe be placed on some kind of Whitelist or something, it would make sense in my opinion. Then again, Microsoft does not always care I guess. I guess we have to wait and see what happens after that patch officially comes out worldwide.
 

Jonny Quest

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They are certainly able to do so, it is just a bit weird that for instance software they own also gets blocked. Legitimate software like those could maybe be placed on some kind of Whitelist or something, it would make sense in my opinion. Then again, Microsoft does not always care I guess. I guess we have to wait and see what happens after that patch officially comes out worldwide.
That was a good follow-up video, and I do like and consider Britec (Subscriber) to be an insightful and trustworthy channel.
 
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