gpedit (and other controls?) blocked Windows 10
I have at least a couple of computers that are displaying a message a login:
Now, the message by itself isn't so concerning (because nothing seems to happen a month after the stated date) but what it may mean indirectly could be more of a problem. Somewhere I read that this is associated with the Windows Insider Program. So I've found this seems to be the case and am trying to get the computer out of this state.
Initially I would expect to use local gpedit on these workstations to set this up in the first place.
In a couple of cases, I went to open gpedit and get this:
And, in fact, this message seems to appear for a lot of things I need to access. (In most cases I'm logged in to a local account in the administrators group).
If I follow the instructions at https://insider.windows.com/en-us/how-to-pc/#not-receiving-updates, I end up at Settings / Update and Security / Windows Insider Program and find everything there is grayed out:
So I'd like to understand how this came about and how to fix it.
The tech who set up these computers appears to have ENABLED "Manage preview builds in the Windows Update for Business section of Windows Update in
Local Group Policy Editor / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components. by mistake - which started all this.
On one computer we were able to set "Manage preview builds" to "Not Configured" but the expiration notice continues.
Then I change it to "Disabled" and it appears that nothing changed with that either.
Nonetheless, the 2nd message above is the most disruptive as I'm not able to set up workstations with this happening in order to accommodate instrumentation, etc.
So, this condition is the most urgent to figure out how to fix.
Now, the message by itself isn't so concerning (because nothing seems to happen a month after the stated date) but what it may mean indirectly could be more of a problem. Somewhere I read that this is associated with the Windows Insider Program. So I've found this seems to be the case and am trying to get the computer out of this state.Initially I would expect to use local gpedit on these workstations to set this up in the first place.
In a couple of cases, I went to open gpedit and get this:
And, in fact, this message seems to appear for a lot of things I need to access. (In most cases I'm logged in to a local account in the administrators group).If I follow the instructions at https://insider.windows.com/en-us/how-to-pc/#not-receiving-updates, I end up at Settings / Update and Security / Windows Insider Program and find everything there is grayed out:
So I'd like to understand how this came about and how to fix it.The tech who set up these computers appears to have ENABLED "Manage preview builds in the Windows Update for Business section of Windows Update in
Local Group Policy Editor / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components. by mistake - which started all this.
On one computer we were able to set "Manage preview builds" to "Not Configured" but the expiration notice continues.
Then I change it to "Disabled" and it appears that nothing changed with that either.
Nonetheless, the 2nd message above is the most disruptive as I'm not able to set up workstations with this happening in order to accommodate instrumentation, etc.
So, this condition is the most urgent to figure out how to fix.
I am strongly suspicious that the computers are running illegal copies of windows. When "the tech who set up these computers" locked it down so it wouldn't be caught (insider builds don't check for genuine activation) they clearly attenpted to lock out the ability to change this as well.
Why cant you reach out to this tech to address the issue?
Why cant you reach out to this tech to address the issue?
That could be as well. Good point.
ASKER
The tech and I work together very closely. Reaching out is really out of context here. But an interesting perspective!
There is no question about the Windows licenses being valid - they are.
The one gpedit entry was an honest mistake that we have discussed and I am confident it's corrected moving forward. It was a matter of enabling just one too many things in that section.
I don't want to "work around" this issue. I want to end it.
I've since found:
https://insider.windows.com/en-us/how-to-pc/#not-receiving-updates
Here it suggests how to get out of this mode - obviously getting *in* is easier than getting *out*. Not terrible but just a bit harder.
We have found 3 workstations with this condition.
The Edition of Windows is a Preview Build in each case.
In one of the computers, the blocking issue isn't apparent. In the other two it's there. And that's the first thing I need to get rid of.
It appears we can install 1809 without trouble from the Media website. But how about fixing the blocking issue more directly ahead of time?
There is no question about the Windows licenses being valid - they are.
The one gpedit entry was an honest mistake that we have discussed and I am confident it's corrected moving forward. It was a matter of enabling just one too many things in that section.
I don't want to "work around" this issue. I want to end it.
I've since found:
https://insider.windows.com/en-us/how-to-pc/#not-receiving-updates
Here it suggests how to get out of this mode - obviously getting *in* is easier than getting *out*. Not terrible but just a bit harder.
We have found 3 workstations with this condition.
The Edition of Windows is a Preview Build in each case.
In one of the computers, the blocking issue isn't apparent. In the other two it's there. And that's the first thing I need to get rid of.
It appears we can install 1809 without trouble from the Media website. But how about fixing the blocking issue more directly ahead of time?
Thanks for the update.
You know from reading the Insider agreement that these are not production machines and may need to be reimaged at any time.
It appears we can install 1809 without trouble from the Media website
First: update to the current insider version and see if that fixes the issue.
Try running SFC and DISM from an admin command prompt.
SFC /SCANNOW
dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Then if that does not work, try reimaging one of the machines to see if that works.
You know from reading the Insider agreement that these are not production machines and may need to be reimaged at any time.
It appears we can install 1809 without trouble from the Media website
First: update to the current insider version and see if that fixes the issue.
Try running SFC and DISM from an admin command prompt.
SFC /SCANNOW
dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Then if that does not work, try reimaging one of the machines to see if that works.
ASKER
You know from reading the Insider agreement that these are not production machines and may need to be reimaged at any time.Be that as it may, there was no intent to enter into an insider agreement. So this seems a bit tangential to the task at hand.
Whatever you might have done, you / staff should have read that agreement (information) because they are abundantly clear that errors may happen requiring reimaging.
You can enter feedback, but there is no support, and if the corrective measures above do not work (I hope they do), then your only recourse is to return the machines to a production build or reimage with an insider build to see if that works.
You can enter feedback, but there is no support, and if the corrective measures above do not work (I hope they do), then your only recourse is to return the machines to a production build or reimage with an insider build to see if that works.
ASKER
Yes. I've said I would return them to a production build.
Whatever you might have done, you / staff should have read that agreement (information)As before, the setting was made by mistake and not by intent.
ASKER
I've still not heard how to fix gpedit more or less directly in this case.
this condition is the most urgent to figure out how to fix.
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ASKER
To get past this issue, I intend to install Windows, retaining files and applications, from:
https://www.microsoft.com/
In the bigger picture, this is probably the better approach.
https://www.microsoft.com/
In the bigger picture, this is probably the better approach.
Thanks for the update.
(b) Is this Windows Home? Gpedit has never been blocked on my insider (or any Pro) build.
Note: The point of (a) was to update your machine and see if the new build fixes your issue.