What exactly does KB2952664 do?

I have TWICE replied to their feedback form.  Why twice?  Because I don't like that I keep getting the icon telling me that there is an update I need to do, and I wasn't anxious to hide it without know what it was and why microsoft considered it an important update.

I'm glad I finally got the thought to google "microsoft kb 2952664" and found this.  In fact I had to read the original post a few times because it was so much like what I posted I thought all feedback maybe went to this forum and THIS was MY response!  I didn't save a copy but it really sounded exactly like what I posted.

I'm with Langware.  There's a difference with disclosing confidential info and explaining under what circumstances you need this upgrade, and/or what it does.

1. It makes the user more used to some of the changes, so that they are not as upset as... well let's be generous and say "many"... users are going to windows 8.
2. It fixes some flaw(s) in the upgrade process, is too late to get it into the box for Win8 upgrades, and would be too late to make it automatic once you upgrade Win8.
3. It simply does something that makes the upgrade process smoother, no real harm but still would avoid some problems that may be fixable afterwards... or makes the upgrade go faster, etc.

I guess I can see the purpose of the update, and maybe even making it important.  Why?  Because maybe they feel it's not worth the price to reprint Win8 upgrade boxes or to change the actual process on the disks, and if you figure you won't upgrade for a year or so, you'll likely forget if you hide it now.

Still, there is no excuse for their being evasive... unless maybe it's number 1 above.  They want to get you used to those changes, and figure that this will make more users be willing to make the jump.  Other than total arrogance, that's the only reason I can see for them being so evasive.

That really is the reason I am so unwilling to install this update.  I don't want to be stuck getting changes I might not be happy with (and since there is no clue as to what those are, I have to suspect that I might).

BTW, I suspect that they DO occasionally change the box or the disks for the upgrade.  I think NEW upgrades shipped go to Win 8.1... but I guess it's possible that they don't and do it via Windows Update afterwards.  Also there will always be old disks out there whether it be old stock, or someone who bought a PC just before Win8 came out who got a free upgrade disk or something.

Like langware, I do not upgrade Windows; I typically get the latest when I replace my PC, which is generally 3-4 years.  If it hasn't changed, then I still have the same windows, but I think it's always changed.  If I bought one today I'd likely see if I could still get Win7.

Now if I had to buy one today AND couldn't get Win7, AND they fix things in Win9, that might be the first time I ever upgraded Windows on an existing PC.

In any case, I have read enough here that I will hide this update.  I think it's the first "important" update I have not installed and not hidden.  *** Correction, just checked... I also hid the IE10 andd IE11 "important" upgrade so I still have IE9.  But then again I use Firefox most of the time anyway.

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?

Thanks Gerry .... yes, I did fill in the feedback form for the KB article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2952664/en-us).

Did you make your comment about incomplete information in the space provided in the space provided in the Knowledge Base Article for feedback? Microsoft do make documentation changes based on feedback.

Gerry,

Yes, I did look at the list of additional files ... these seven files are listed for x-64 based versions of Windows 7:

• Amd64_0e06d2ed6f93d560f6a34c100512684b_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_8c92b13960b1699a.manifest
• Amd64_423d04ba87e48f1e56d8e4abd90cb62b_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_692ba3b4a3cfb708.manifest
• Amd64_decd919d90e8825e76adc9988e2245f0_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_a1a3cdcea8866bdb.manifest
• Amd64_microsoft-windows-a..de-compat-telemetry_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_e5b1b7ec100d8e3b.manifest
• Amd64_microsoft-windows-a..ence-telemetry-sdbs_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_66295be460b59c2a.manifest
• Amd64_microsoft-windows-a..rience-program-data_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18444_none_cf6dcf3199c084a3.manifest
• Update.mum

Unfortunately, the file names really do not help one in determining what update KB2952664 really does.

All we have from Microsoft is this description: 

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

... which really does not say very much.

If the sole purpose of KB2952664 is to ease the upgrade of Windows 7 to Windows 8.x, and one has no intention of ever making that upgrade, then I just do not see the need (or importance) of installing KB2952664.

On the other hand, if KB2952664 does more than just ease the upgrade of Windows 7, then I could see the possible need to install it (depending on what else the update does). But Microsoft is not giving us the information necessary to make that decision.

I agree with you that it is important to keep ones version of Windows up to date. However, I do not think that includes installing superfluous updates that are offered by Microsoft but not needed. Microsoft does have a history of offering superfluous updates.

For example, on April 8, 2014, Microsoft released KB2837632, an update for Visio. Unfortunately, when KB2837632 was first released, it was offered to customers who did not even have Visio installed. See this thread (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-visio/kb2837632-huge-visio-2013-update-offered-when-no/f9e80dc0-5cdf-4362-b192-1fb0e00d6c60) for more information. Eventually Microsoft acknowledged and corrected their mistake by stating that KB2837632 has been updated to correct a targeting issue.  Prior to April 11 the update incorrectly targeted Visio 2013 and Office 2013.  The update has now been corrected and will only target Visio 2013 installs.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

For users without Visio, KB2837632 was superfluous ... they did not need to install that update in order to keep their version of Windows up to date. However, due to the way in which that update was initially offered by Windows Update, many users (who did not have Visio) did install KB2837632.

My point is that keeping ones Windows version up to date does not always mean installing every update offered by Microsoft. I feel that is the case with update KB2952664. The only information that Microsoft has provided about KB2952664 indicates its sole purpose is to ease upgrading Windows 7 to Windows 8.x. If one has no intention of ever making that upgrade, then (for those users) KB2952664 would be superfluous (and if KB2952664 is superfluous for those users, then why designate KB2952664 as important resulting users, who do not need the update, actually installing it).

Microsoft could mitigate this confusion by making KB2952664 optional (and letting the user manually install it when needed), or only offering it at the point in time when a user elects to upgrade their version of Windows 7 to Windows 8.x ... but it does not appear that Microsoft will do either of those .... which only raises the question of whether KB2952664 has some purpose in addition to easing the upgrade of Windows 7 to Windows 8.x.