What exactly does KB2952664 do?

Anonymous
2014-04-27T00:12:24+00:00

KB2952664 was published on April 22, 2014 and appears in my Windows Update List (I am running Windows 7 Pro - 64 bit).

The description of this update is vague:  "This update helps Microsoft make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows."

Anyone have more information on what this update actually does? If its sole purpose is to ease the "upgrade" from Windows 7 to Windows 8 (or 8.1 or 8.1 update), then I'll just permanently hide KB2952664 (I have no desire or intention to "upgrade" my Windows 7 system to any flavor of Windows 8).

If its purpose is to ease what would be a true Windows 7 upgrade to a yet-to-be-announced Windows 7 SP2, then I'll keep it (but still would like to have more information about what KB2952664 actually does before installing).

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

412 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-05-06T18:44:20+00:00

    Steve,

    Yes, Microsoft is hot helping its credibility, and and the (already tarnished) reputation of Windows 8.x by obscuring the details of what KB2952664 does.

    Like you, I have no intention of "downgrading" my computer from Windows 7 to Windows 8.x

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2014-05-06T18:30:28+00:00

    Thanks for following this through..I share your concerns and it's only at moments like this that I do any deeper research on updates.

    I will not be downgrading to W8 in any form.

    Wonder what it is about dvd playback that this KB brings to the table .. cinavia? or such..

    Anyway "I guess I'll just quit whining about it and just hide the update."

    ;)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2014-05-05T16:41:01+00:00

    @Nirmal S (and all other Forum Moderators):

    DO NOT mark any reply to this thread as an "Answer". I am actively monitoring this thread. When I feel that an "answer" has been posted, I will mark it as such. Until then, this thread remains unanswered.

    The following questions must be answered before this thread can be marked as "Answered":

    1. Exactly what is wrong with the current upgrade experience that warrants a fix to ease the upgrade experience?
    2. In what ways does KB2952664 improve the process of upgrading to Windows 8.x??
    3. What impact/consequences would one experience by initiating an upgrade to Windows 8.x without previously installing KB2952664?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-04T16:39:35+00:00

    OK, I should have read the rest of the google list (or at least more of it).

    There's an infoworld article, lots of confusion and speculation but no more answers than here (in other words, nothing).

    Interesting point.  After I hid it, it shows as  "recommended", unlike IE10 and IE11 which still show as "important".  People have been reporting too that it shows as merely "recommended" when they install it.  So it's like they're rewriting history.  I DID restore it and do another scan and it does still show as "important" so they still want you to install it, after which they can say they never said it was important.

    Meanwhile, a number of people reported that installing it made their system hang, and uninstalling it fixed the problem.  Understandable that has to be taken with a grain of salt because it may be a coincidence, but there may be some problems with it.

    For me; I have it hidden and that's likely going to be the end of it.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2014-05-04T04:35:20+00:00

    But what exactly is wrong with the upGRADE process now, and how will it be improved?

    Very good question.

    The description Microsoft provided with KB2952664 states this:

    This update helps Microsoft make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows.

    Microsoft:  please answer these questions:

    1. Exactly what is wrong with the current upgrade experience that warrants a fix to ease the upgrade experience?
    2. In what ways does KB2952664 improve the process of upgrading to Windows 8.x??
    3. What impact/consequences would one experience by initiating an upgrade to Windows 8.x without previously installing KB2952664?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments