Windows 8.1 strange/strainy lately

Alyosha2001

Has anyone noticed that windows 8.1 became strainy lately? On the same used setup for many years with no updated drivers.

Donux

Alyosha2001 It would be hard to say, since windows 8 is kind of old. Would you be able to share the last windows updates that where installed in your system?

Deepdeep

I seem to be having a problem with chrome lately, so it might be worth a try to go back a few versions of chrome to see if it that makes a difference.

AGI

Deepdeep I too have had issues with Chrome recently. I accidentally updated it and haven't been able to return to the older version I was comfortable with. In fact, after uninstalling, Google Update was gone so I couldn't disable updates in Services. Installed the old version, as soon as I connected to the internet the old version upgraded to the most recent one.

Garman I am testing Opera now, but I'd like to try this Firefox product you mentioned!

By the way, do you mean that security patches and browser version are somehow independent, so one can use an older browser and still be up to date in terms of security? Does this hold true for the OS as well, e.g., I can use Windows 10 version 21H2 and still have all the security patches of version 22H2? Because then I may put a request to my IT admin…

Alyosha2001

Seems the latest updates are from July the 12th. I use Firefox, so maybe that could be the culprit…

Garman

Just in case you don't know already, Firefox offers an ESR version (Extended Support Release), so it's easy to go back to version 102, but still get all the important security patches. It's actually possible to have both the normal version and ESR installed side by side which is great if you want to troubleshoot if the browser is indeed the cause of problems.

Garman

AGI

Yes, in case of Firefox ESR you understood that correctly. I think the ESR version allows you to stay at a feature version for up to one year, yet still receive regular security updates during that time:

"Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) is an official version of Firefox developed for large organizations like universities and businesses that need to set up and maintain Firefox on a large scale. Firefox ESR does not come with the latest features but it has the latest security and stability fixes."*

I am not sure if other browsers like Opera offer a similar version, you would have to check that.

And indeed there is something similar for Windows, it's called the LTSC Enterprise channel, and the 2021 version correspondends to 21H2 if I am not mistaken:

"It is a stripped-down enterprise operating system based on a specific version of Windows 10. Windows 10 LTSC don't have pre-installed apps such as Microsoft Edge, Cortana assistant, News, etc. Using the LTSC service model, you can delay receiving feature updates and only receive monthly device quality updates."

You would have to see if this version meets your requirements, but I think theoretically you could stay at a Windows LTSC version for up to 5 years and only receive security patches during that time. This could be an option if you suspect a recent large Windows feature update made a working system unusable for you and you would like to return to an earlier version.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/ltsc/

Staycalmsyndrome

AGI
Steps to install older chrome:

turn off your network connection
install an offline version of chrome
disable chrome update services
turn on your network connection

Firefox ESR is only updated once a year(only receives monthly security patches).

Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2 is supported untill June 11, 2024 then you'll be forced to update.
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 (21H2) is supported untill Jan 12, 2027.
Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 (21H2) is supported untill Jan 13, 2032.
Maybe ask your IT admin to change your OS to LTSC.

Deepdeep

AGI hope you managed to downgrade chrome. I haven't gotten round to trying to do it yet - I'm using another device on which chrome hasn't been updated.

Alyosha2001

Garman Many thanks, I didn't know about ESR! Seems to be much better!! Very very usefull

AGI

Staycalmsyndrome disable chrome update services

Thanks but Google Update has disappeared after uninstalling Chrome.

As soon as I get online, the old version of Chrome upgrades to the most recent version.

Garman Firefox ESR does not come with the latest features but it has the latest security and stability fixes.

Thanks. My eyes are really in a bad shape. I have had Windows 10 updates forced thru and I have been exposed for hours to horrible LED lighting these last days so it is hard to tell what is what, but Opera does not look viable. I am keen on trying Firefox ESR.

Garman Using the LTSC service model, you can delay receiving feature updates and only receive monthly device quality updates.

Thanks for this tip as well. Are you sure though, that quality updates do not affect image rendering? KB5015684 changes my Windows 10 version to 22H2 making the system unusable. This update seems to belong to the category of Quality Updates.

Staycalmsyndrome

AGI Open task scheduler. Try disabling Google update tasks before opening the browser.

Garman

AGI Thanks for this tip as well. Are you sure though, that quality updates do not affect image rendering? KB5015684 changes my Windows 10 version to 22H2 making the system unusable. This update seems to belong to the category of Quality Updates.

No, of course not, there is no way for me to know what Microsoft considers a quality upgrade for LTSC versions in the future and how/if different OS changes will affect people's eyestrain.
However, in my understanding the whole point of an LTSC is that your Windows version number stays the same, so if you are on Windows 10 21H1 LTSC, you should not get any updates that will change your Windows version to 22H2.

In general, I am just pointing out possible options - if they might be viable in your situation is something only you can decide. I feel possible software alternatives are the easiest options to try though. It's probably a lot more feasible for many users to download an LTSC Windows version, install it on an old hard drive and see if it helps with the eyestrain, as opposed to a larger investment like ordering new hardware such as a Sun Vision display.

AGI

Staycalmsyndrome Thanks. I did not know about the scheduler. Neither here I can find signs of Google Update, though. But I got why Adobe Acrobat Reader and Office among other software keep updating. It looks like Firefox ESR, which I just installed, will look for updates too every day. Is it something that you recommend doing or would you disable the task? If I understood, only security patches will be installed on the ESR version. Thanks.

Garman In general, I am just pointing out possible options - if they might be viable in your situation is something only you can decide.

No worries, I understand. Thanks for the tip in any case! I will evaluate what to do (it is a business laptop so I have limited room for action).

Staycalmsyndrome

AGI Hmm.. Have you tried renaming the update folder? It's located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Google. Try uninstalling Chrome completely before installing the old version(have to manually delete some folders).

Security patches for Firefox ESR won't affect rendering untill it jumps to the next iteration(september). In Windows, i find feature updates(ex: 22H2) to change rendering and also .NET framework updates.

AGI

Staycalmsyndrome Thanks. That's what I did, fully uninstalled Chrome and deleted some folders manually as per a protocol I had found online. One doubt is that, afterwards, I may have installed the old Chrome version using the incorrect executable, like, I read somewhere that I needed the full installer and not the downloader, but I wasn't sure about the difference. Maybe I did a sorta partial (re-)install?
One thing that I'm considering is reversing all recent updates on my laptop - from Chrome to OS - using a restore point I had created. Have you ever done it? This would be without authorization by my IT admin, and I have some concerns I may fuxk up my laptop... What a stress!

Staycalmsyndrome

AGI I see. An online installer(1-2 MB in size) always downloads and installs the latest setup package. Offline installers can be found here(70-100MB in size). Download the version that you had but disable internet connection before you install and disable update services/tasks because it opens the browser automatically after it's done and triggers autoupdate. If update services don't appear, the installation got corrupted somehow and you just have to rename the update folder.

Using a restore point returns software, registry, and driver configuration at a specific point. If you made one before uninstalling chrome, it should return it to normal. I use it to revert drivers and never had problems with it.

AGI

Staycalmsyndrome You can find older offline installers here.

I will check this out, many thanks!
EDIT: That is what I had used, ca. 100 MB size...

I did a system restore. It was not fully successful. I am still checking what the damages are (as of now, Skype is not booting). A "Google" folder has shown up in Program Files (x86), but there are still no Google Update folder and Google-related services. Chrome is not installed so I must have created the restore point after its uninstall?

Unfortunately, although I had expanded the space allocated for system restore points to 10% of the HDD (95 GB), I could not load older restore points than the one I used. Not sure why they got deleted as there is plenty of space.
I will keep investigating. Thanks for now!

AGI

@Staycalmsyndrome Sorry for the soap opera - I had to undo the system restore because a few things got screwed up. I still got an error that the undo did not complete successfully, but at least Skype and OneDrive work now. Meanwhile I found a Google folder in C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Google. Inside there is an empty GoogleUpdater folder. There is also a Chrome\User Data folder with heaps of sub-folders. I reckon it is there that Firefox and Opera imported all the Chrome bookmarks and passwords from, when Chrome was already uninstalled.
Do I have to eliminate all this stuff in AppData as well before reinstalling Chrome? Thanks!

Staycalmsyndrome

AGI The problem might lie in the registry settings. Use Revo uninstaller pro in trial mode which will delete all of Chrome's registry entries and directories. Or use a registry cleaner like Ccleaner.

AGI

Deepdeep No, sorry, I have been busy reversing Windows updates and the BIOS. I am testing Opera and Firefox ESR for the moment. I don't know anymore what causes what, but my laptop screen hurts like hell.