Announced the release of the October update for Windows 10 during its conference in New York on October 2, 2018. Since then, users who risked installing the update among the first complain to numerous problems that arose after installation. It is worth noting that each update to Windows 10 is accompanied by certain risks, and many users do not dare to upgrade the system for fear of failure. This time was no exception.

One of the most common problems is the sudden loss of personal documents of the computer owner. Some users complain about the loss of several files, others claim that Windows itself deleted hundreds of gigabytes that cannot be recovered.

“Two months of my work were lost due to the update,” writes one of the victims, who lost files totaling 220 GB. — The most important thing is that these documents do not end up in the Trash. They just disappeared."

“Apparently, my computer installed Last update Windows 10 around 3pm and during this process... it unpacked its own installation files, overwriting my documents. I'm so angry at Microsoft!" — said a Twitter user with the nickname @MakatiCub.

As far as I can tell, my computer downloaded the latest Windows 10 update around 3pm today and during that process it unlinked my Documents directory then unpacked its own setup files that overwrote my own files.

I am so angry at Microsoft right now - if this is the case.

— Flabby Cat (@MakatiCub) October 4, 2018

Deletion affects files in the “My Documents” and “Pictures” folders located in the user’s personal directory. However, it is not possible to return the files even after canceling the update and restoring the previous state of Windows.

The missing documents are probably related to the update cloud service Microsoft OneDrive, but there is no direct evidence of this.

Another problem associated with the October update to Windows 10 was that some models of the brand's processors were overloaded, causing the battery on laptops to drain too quickly. This overload is caused by the Intel Display Audio driver, which the system offers to install as part of the update. Microsoft has issued an advisory asking you to ignore the driver installation prompt and close the dialog box.

It is reported that for the general public automatic update it was supposed to start only on October 9, and those who installed it earlier are a small group of advanced users who launched the update manually.

However, Microsoft has already taken the necessary measures to prevent casual users from updating Windows until the existing problems are resolved.

A company official said an investigation into the incident is already underway.

Hole in the system

At the end of September, it became known about a critical zero-day vulnerability in Windows that allows hackers to gain access to the victim’s system. The vulnerability was discovered four months ago, but has not yet been fixed. Some experts expected that a patch fixing the “hole” would be released as part of the ill-fated October update.

The vulnerability was discovered in the JET Database Engine on Windows 7, but it is possible that newer versions of this operating system, including Windows 10, may be at risk.

An attacker who wanted to take advantage of this vulnerability would send the victim a file with the .jet extension, which, when launched, would simultaneously give the hacker access to the victim’s computer and could install malware and viruses.

Despite the fact that such a scenario looks frightening, information security specialists assess the threat from this vulnerability as moderate, emphasizing the fact that infection is impossible without the active participation of the user.

“There is no other attack scenario for this vulnerability that does not involve user interaction. Personally, I would say that the level of risk in this case can be assessed as low or medium,” said Avast security specialist Martin Chron in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

In real conditions, situations arise when errors or factors appear that confuse the operation of the program. In some of these situations, error messages are issued that can be corrected by users. In other cases, the program itself manages to solve the problem that has arisen, and the user does not notice any change in the program’s functions. Even though the problem is solved, in such cases it is important to determine the cause of the problem and find a solution.

Error saving system

If an error occurs, Microinvest software products instantly save engineering information about the event. It is recorded unnoticed by the user in a special diary (the so-called Log file). Using this diary, you can determine what exactly disrupted the product and take an appropriate solution to the problem.

Folder with Log files

Files with system messages are saved when setting up the product, in a folder specially created for this purpose. For different versions of Windows, the folders are as follows:

• Under Windows 10 folder C:\ProgramData\Microinvest\
• Under Windows 8.1 folder C:\ProgramData\Microinvest\
• Under Windows 8 folder C:\ProgramData\Microinvest\
• Under Windows 7 folder C:\ProgramData\Microinvest\
• Under Windows Vista folder C:\ProgramData\Microinvest\
• Under Windows XP, the folder is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microinvest\
• Under Linux the folder \home\$USER\.config\Microinvest

Logs by product

Each product has its own error logging system, which writes data to separate places in the above folder:

• Microinvest Warehouse Pro: \Microinvest\Warehouse Pro\Microinvest Warehouse.exe.Log
• Microinvest Warehouse Pro Light: \Microinvest\Warehouse Pro Light\Logs\Error.log
• Microinvest Utility Center: \Microinvest\Utility Center\Logs\
• Microinvest Archi Pro: \Microinvest\Archi Pro\Microinvest Archi Pro.exe.Log
• Microinvest Barcode Printer Pro: \Microinvest\Barcode Printer Pro\Error.log
• Microinvest EGAIS Manager: \Microinvest\EGAIS\ErrorLog\Error.log
• Microinvest Pool Manager: \Microinvest\Pool Manager\Logs\Error.log
• Microinvest Order Assistant: \Microinvest\Order Assistant\Logs\Error.log
• Microinvest Nutrition Calculator: \Microinvest\Nutrition Calculator\Logs\Error.log
• Microinvest Smart Printer: \Microinvest\Device Test Tool\Logs\
• Microinvest Fitness: \Microinvest\Fitness\Logs\Error.log

Counteracting bugs

It is very important to have the right countermeasures when errors occur. In order to achieve this result, it is advisable to copy the Log file, open it and analyze the information inside it. By eliminating the causes that led to such errors, significantly more stable operation of products is achieved, eliminating the risk of unexpected failure. At the same time, neglecting such errors can lead to loss of information or bad work products.

Early warning

Done special system for early warning possible problems. Typically, one error takes up a certain amount of memory in the Log file, and you can set a limit on the number of errors that occur in the system. When an individual Log file grows to 500 KB, the program will display the message: “Attention, system maintenance is necessary...”. In this case, the following sequence of actions is recommended:

1. The Log file folder opens;
2. The Log file itself is copied to another medium and, if possible, sent to Microinvest;
3. The Log file is opened and its contents are analyzed. Errors are classified if there is more than one;
4. Steps are being taken to eliminate remaining problems;
5. The log file is saved in the archive and deleted from the folder. This will prevent an error message from appearing when you initially launch the product.

Generalization

The presence of a Log file means unstable operation of the program. This is possible due to software errors, poor system configuration or instability. The entire error tracking system is designed to prevent more serious problems in the operation of the product, and is also an effective diagnostic tool.

Some Helpful Resources

• Documentation for all products;
• Microinvest technical support forum, where you can quickly get an answer to your question;
• Examples of automation of restaurants and trade based on Microinvest in Russia and the CIS countries;
• Schedule of upcoming trainings in Russia and CIS countries;
• Programs for automation of restaurants and cafes free full-featured demo versions of Microinvest products for the restaurant business;

Lists open files and connected via USB devices, browser history, DNS cache - all this helps to find out what the user was doing. We have compiled step by step instructions how to remove traces of your activities in different versions Windows, Office and popular browsers. At the end of the article you will find several scripts that will help you automatically keep your machine clean.

1. Clear lists of recent places and programs

Let's start cleaning with lists of recent places and programs. The list of recent (in Windows 10 - frequently used) programs is in the main menu, and the list of recent places is in Explorer.

How to turn off this disgrace? In Windows 7 - click right click mouse on the “Start” button, select “Properties” and in the window that appears, uncheck both checkboxes in the “Privacy” section.

To clear the list of recent places and documents, you need to delete the contents of the %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent directory. To do this, open command line and run two commands:

Cd %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent echo y | del *.*

It also wouldn't hurt to delete the contents of the %appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations\ directory. It stores latest files, which appear in the jump list:

Cd %appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations\ echo y | del *.*

To ensure that recent files are cleared automatically when you exit, you must enable the "Clear the history of recently opened documents on exit" policy, which is located in the "User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar" section.

Now let's move on to Windows 10. You can disable the list of recently added and frequently used applications through the Settings window. Open it and go to the “Personalization” section, “Start”. Turn off everything that is there.

It seems that the problem has been solved, but this, alas, is not entirely true. If you enable these parameters again, then all lists with the same composition will appear again. Therefore, you will have to disable this feature through Group Policy. Open gpedit.msc and go to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar. Enable the following policies:

• “Clearing the list of recently used programs for new users”;
• “Clear history of recently opened documents on exit”;
• “Clear notification log on tile when exiting”;
• “Remove the list of programs pinned to the Start menu.”

Clearing recent places in Windows 10 is easier than in Windows 7. Open File Explorer, go to the View tab and click the Options button. In the window that appears, disable the “Show recently used files in the panel” options quick access" and "Show frequently used folders in the Quick Access Toolbar." Don't forget to click the "Clear" button.

As you can see, such a simple task as cleaning up the last objects has a rather complicated solution. No editing group policies- nowhere.

2. Clear the list of USB drives

At some sensitive facilities, only flash drives registered in the log are allowed to be connected to the computer. Moreover, as usual, the magazine is the most ordinary one - paper. That is, the computer itself does not in any way restrict the connection of unregistered drives. It doesn’t limit, but it records! And if during the check it is discovered that the user connected unregistered drives, he will have problems.

We under no circumstances advise you to try to steal military secrets, but the ability to clear the list of recently connected drives can be useful in other life situations. To do this, look at the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USBSTOR\ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\

Here they are - all the drives that you connected to your computer.

It would seem that you just need to take it and clean everything. But it was not there! Firstly, the permissions for these registry branches are set in such a way that you cannot delete anything even in “seven”, not to mention “ten”.

Secondly, assigning rights and permissions manually takes a long time, especially if there are many drives. Thirdly, administrator rights will not help. The screenshot above was created when I performed the delete operation with admin rights. Fourthly, in addition to these two sections, you need to clean a long list of sections. Moreover, they need not just to be deleted, but to be edited correctly.

If for some reason you need to do everything manually, then look for keywords MountPoints, MountedDevices DeviceClasses and RemovableMedia. But it’s much easier to use a ready-made program that will do everything for you. Some forums recommend USBDeview for this. However, I tested it and declare that it does not clear information from all required sections. USBSTOR And USB continue to contain information about connected media.

I can recommend the program. Run it, check the “Perform real cleaning” checkbox. You can turn on the “Save .reg cancel file” option or not, but if the goal is not to test the program, but to prepare for an upcoming computer inspection, then it’s better to turn it off.

The program not only cleans the registry, but also displays a detailed log of its actions (see below). When it finishes, there will be no mention of connecting drives to the computer.

3. Clear cache and browser history

The third point in our tutu is clearing the cache and browser history. There are no difficulties here - each browser allows you to reset the list of recently visited sites.

Continuation is available only to members

Option 1. Join the “site” community to read all materials on the site

Membership in the community within the specified period will give you access to ALL Hacker materials, increase your personal cumulative discount and allow you to accumulate a professional Xakep Score rating!

Many are faced with the problem of shortage free space on your hard drive. The disk on which the operating system itself is installed becomes especially clogged. This is due to the fact that there are a lot of folders on it, which the system itself fills with the information it needs. This problem is also relevant for Windows 7. You can clean system folders of unnecessary garbage either manually or using special programs.

Windows 7 system folders: the need for cleaning and possible consequences

Each of the system folders has its own purpose and stores information of a certain kind. Before cleaning the disk, carefully read what function a particular folder is responsible for, otherwise you may lose important data or cause serious damage operating system, which will lead to its breakdown:

Video: what files can be deleted on the system disk

What not to do when cleaning system folders

Please read the features of the above folders carefully. Before you empty one of them, consider whether you might need its contents in the future. Some folders, such as Windows or System32, should not be touched at all. And don't try to empty folders by simply deleting their contents. This will lead to the fact that remnants of them are stored in the computer’s memory, which in the future will begin to clutter and overload the system. There are only a few folders that can be cleaned manually:

Do not delete the folders themselves under any circumstances, this will lead to critical errors during system operation, you only need to erase their contents.

Also, before clearing system folders, make sure you can free up memory using other methods, for example, by uninstalling third-party applications and games.

Methods for cleaning up Windows 7 system folders If you still decide to clear HDD from accumulated third party files , then the easiest way is to use the built-in Windows functions

. There are two initial options - standard and advanced cleaning.

Standard cleaning

system restore points. To carry out standard cleaning hard drive

Advanced Cleaning

With the advanced cleaning option, you will delete the following folders and files:

To perform an advanced disk cleanup, follow these steps:

Select the files you want to erase and click OK. Selecting the files to be deleted

Video: disk cleaning using Windows

Disk cleanup using third-party programs

Before you start manually cleaning each folder individually, you should use special third party programs created for automatic search and clean the disk from unnecessary files:

Video: Removing system files using CCleaner

Features of cleaning individual system folders

If the previous cleaning methods did not solve your problem or you need to clean one of the folders selectively, then find it in the sections below and follow the instructions provided.

But many folders are hidden by default to prevent the user from accidentally damaging them. To display hidden folders in the general list do the following:

Winsxs

Cleaning the Winsxs folder on Windows 7 is done through standard disk cleanup. This method has already been described above. Before you start cleaning, you are presented with a list of files that can be deleted. Select the "Files" section. backup copy update package."

Check “Update package backup files”

Video: how to empty the Winsxs folder in Windows 7

System Volume Information

To clear the System Volume Information folder, you must first access it:

Consistently click the “Apply” button, OK.

DriversStore

To remove outdated drivers from a repository called DriversStore, follow these steps:

Installer

The Installer folder may contain files necessary for the system or programs, but there is a special third party application PatchCleaner, which will automatically determine what content can be removed:

Pagefile.sys

If you are confident that your computer will cope with the required tasks without the Pagefile.sys page file, you can remove it by following these steps:

Folders with history, cache and browser cookies

Browser files can take up a large amount of disk space. The easiest and safest way to remove them is through the settings of the browser itself: Marking the files. which should be deleted from the browser history

Problems with disk cleanup

If, after you have deleted any files from the system folder, errors appear or the computer begins to slow down, there is only one thing left to do - perform a system restore. This could happen due to incorrect disk cleanup or deletion. necessary files. System recovery is only possible if there are restore points on the computer:

Video: Restoring Windows 7

What to do if there is no “Clean up system files” button

If, when trying to free up disk space using the standard cleaning method, you are faced with the absence of a “Clean up system files” button, this means that you have disabled UAC (control accounts), and the program starts immediately with the ability to clean system files. That is, clicking the “Clean up system files” button gives you administrator rights and with them the ability to edit and clean up system folders. But if UAC is disabled, then you have immediate access to changing system files and do not need to press any additional buttons.

If the "Clean up system files" button is missing, User Account Control is disabled

If you want to clear disk space or are sure that system files If part of the virus has been preserved, then in this case the operating system itself has a standard and advanced disk cleanup function. You can also use third-party programs or clean each folder separately. But you shouldn’t delete everything, otherwise it will damage your computer, and the only way out will be to roll back the system to the last restore point.

One of the many changes in Windows 10 is the saving of update logs in ETL format files, which can only be read using special utilities. In more earlier versions system logs were written to normal text file, but since the update service is constantly active in the system, the data was overwritten regularly, which created additional unwanted load on the disk.Using the ETL log format reduced the load on the hard drive, but made reading logs less convenient for administrators. Microsoft is aware of this problem, so the developers have implemented the ability to convert update log files into a human-readable format. In addition, logs can be viewed using the built-in Log Windows events. Let's look at both options in a little more detail.

Launch the PowerShell console and run the Get-WindowsUpdateLog command.

Reading and converting data will begin immediately,

Upon completion of the procedure, you will have a WindowsUpdate.log file on your desktop, which you can open with regular Notepad or any other text editor. Now you can safely study the log yourself or send it to more experienced users.

The second method is just as simple. Call context menu Start button (Win + X) and select “Event Viewer”.

In the log that opens, follow the chain Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → WindowsUpdateClient → Operational. In this case, in the central column of the Log you will receive a sorted list of events related to the operation of the update function.