Dave Plummer Archives

Winsage

May 7, 2025

Microsoft moved the goalposts before. Could it happen again?

Retired Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer has expressed concerns about the hardware requirements for Windows 11, questioning whether they are genuinely for security or a sales strategy. He noted that many PCs excluded from compatibility due to the lack of TPM 2.0 or modern CPUs are not necessarily old or underpowered. Plummer highlighted that Microsoft's history of discontinuing support for older operating systems, like Windows XP and 7, was typically based on security and compatibility challenges. He warned that future versions of Windows could impose even stricter hardware demands, potentially leaving many functional PCs unable to upgrade. Additionally, he pointed out the ambiguity behind Microsoft's refusal to allow users to opt out of security enhancements if they lack the necessary hardware, raising concerns about potential e-waste. Many users are hesitant to transition to Windows 11, and while hardware compatibility is a factor, it is part of a broader decision-making process. Microsoft’s shift towards a subscription model and the introduction of new hardware requirements suggest a significant evolution in Windows.

Winsage

April 29, 2025

Windows isn’t an OS, it’s a bad habit bordering on addiction

Microsoft's Windows operating system has approximately 1.5 billion users globally, but faces stagnation as many users find Windows 10 satisfactory and are reluctant to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft is pushing Windows 11 aggressively, incorporating AI features and nudging users toward paid services, which raises concerns about user experience. The company is uncertain about its future direction, with Project Hudson Valley fading away and the potential for a subscription-based licensing model. In corporate environments, IT departments often prioritize compliance over user needs, leaving employees with limited choices. Some users are exploring alternatives like macOS or Linux, seeking better alignment with their values. Resources are available to help users transition gradually from Windows 10 to alternatives, and maintaining a dual-system approach can ease this process.

Winsage

April 23, 2025

When Microsoft made the Windows as a Service pivot

Former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer discussed the company's shift from paid upgrades to a Windows as a Service model, highlighting the challenges faced after the success of Windows 7 and the disappointing reception of Windows 8. He noted that Microsoft made Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, which allowed the company to gather valuable telemetry data while introducing users to subscription services. However, the telemetry raised privacy concerns among users, as it included advertising and upsell mechanisms. Plummer expressed a desire for a version of Windows Pro without telemetry and advertising, indicating he would pay for such a product. He also mentioned that the transition to a service model helped address piracy by offering free upgrades to users with non-genuine copies of Windows.

Winsage

March 31, 2025

10 Facts you probably didn’t know about Windows as Microsoft turns 50

- Windows was originally named "Interface Manager" before being changed to "Windows" prior to its launch in 1985. - Early versions of Windows (1.0, 2.0, and 3.x) operated on top of MS-DOS and required users to boot into MS-DOS before launching the graphical interface. - The Briefcase folder was an early tool for synchronizing files between computers, which became obsolete with the rise of cloud storage solutions. - Prior to Windows XP, user profiles were basic and lacked robust security; full user accounts were implemented with Windows NT. - Several applications from Windows 1.0, including Calculator, Paint, Notepad, Clock, and Control Panel, are still present in Windows 11 in modernized forms. - The "Format" dialog in File Explorer has used the same code for over 30 years, although updates for FAT32 support are being developed. - TrueType fonts were introduced in Windows 3.1 in 1992 through a licensing agreement with Apple, improving font rendering quality. - The "Ctrl + Alt + Delete" shortcut was created by IBM engineer David Bradley as a debugging tool and later adopted by Microsoft for secure attention sequences in Windows NT. - Windows 1.0 required a minimum of 256KB of RAM at its launch in 1985, while Windows 11 requires at least 4GB.

Winsage

March 27, 2025

Looking back at Windows Longhorn

Retired Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer discussed the Windows Longhorn project, which aimed to succeed Windows XP but faced significant challenges. Longhorn was envisioned to overhaul the user experience and introduce features like WinFS for content-based file searching. However, the simultaneous development of many new features led to a fragile and bloated codebase, making it difficult to use in daily operations. A 2002 memo from Bill Gates prioritizing security diverted resources from Longhorn, further complicating development. Ultimately, in August 2004, Microsoft scrapped the existing Longhorn codebase in favor of the Windows Server 2003 SP1 codebase, integrating select Longhorn features. The project resulted in Windows Vista, which retained some Longhorn features while discarding others. Plummer reflected on the mixed legacy of Longhorn, acknowledging its failures and the lessons learned that shaped Microsoft's future practices.

Winsage

November 13, 2024

Microsoft sneaks Task Manager fixes into Patch Tuesday

Microsoft released an update (KB5046617) for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 that addresses security concerns and includes quality improvements. The update fixes a Task Manager glitch that incorrectly displayed zero counts for active applications when using the "Group by Type" option. It also resolves access issues related to Dev Drive for Windows Subsystem for Linux and installation delays of up to 40 minutes on certain hardware configurations. Additionally, it addresses failures during installations and extended restart times on Windows Server 2025 systems with 256 or more logical processors. Microsoft has been working on known issues, including a problem with fingerprint sensors and an unexpected upgrade issue affecting Windows Server 2019 and 2022 systems.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

Black screens persist for Windows 10 AVD users

Microsoft has acknowledged ongoing issues affecting Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) users after the installation of July's non-security preview update (KB5040525), leading to a black screen that can last 10 to 30 minutes. This issue is linked to a deadlock between the Azure Active Directory broker and the AppX deployment service, as well as the Background tasks infrastructure service. Users with FSLogix user profile containers in multi-session environments are more likely to face these problems. Additionally, Windows 11 24H2 users are experiencing issues with Task Manager displaying zero counts for Apps, Background Processes, and Windows Processes after the October 2024 non-security preview update, particularly when the 'Group by Type' view is enabled. Dave Plummer, the original author of Task Manager, described this as a "fairly severe bug."

Winsage

August 17, 2024

Microsoft boosts Windows’ FAT32 partition size limit after nearly three decades

Microsoft has increased the maximum FAT32 partition size limit from 32GB to 2TB in the latest Windows 11 Insider Canary Preview Build, utilizing the command line. This change addresses a limitation that has existed for nearly three decades since the era of Windows NT 4.0. However, the Windows graphical user interface (GUI) for partitioning still enforces the 32GB cap. Retired Microsoft system engineer Dave Plummer revealed that he set the 32GB limit in the mid-1990s, believing it would soon become obsolete, and clarified that the cap was intended to optimize storage efficiency rather than promote NTFS.

Winsage

August 16, 2024

New Windows 11 build removes ancient, arbitrary 32GB size limit for FAT32 disks

Microsoft is lifting the long-standing 32GB limitation on FAT32 partitions in the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update. This change, introduced through the Canary channel of the Windows Insider program, allows for the creation of new FAT32 partitions up to the filesystem's theoretical maximum of 2TB, although it is currently only accessible via command-line formatting tools. The 32GB cap originated from a decision made by former Microsoft programmer Dave Plummer during the development of Windows in the 1990s. While FAT32 has become less relevant compared to NTFS and exFAT, it still serves specific needs for formatting disks for legacy systems.

Winsage

August 16, 2024

Microsoft is finally removing the FAT32 partition size limit in Windows 11

Microsoft is increasing the FAT32 size limit for partitions in Windows 11 from 32GB to 2TB when using the command line format command. This change currently applies only to the command line interface, while the traditional format dialog box will still have the 32GB cap until further updates. The original 32GB limit was established over three decades ago during the development of Windows 95, based on considerations of 'cluster slack.' Windows has always been able to read FAT32 partitions up to 2TB, but users previously needed third-party tools to create them. The individual file size limit on FAT32 volumes remains at 4GB. FAT32 is still used by many older devices that require USB drives or SD cards formatted with this file system.