Unstick v0.8.0 (unsigned portable)

Unstick v0.8.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.8.0
Roadmap: roadmap-v0.8.0.md
Design: in-app-update-design.md

---

Why 0.8.0

In-app updates after 0.7 UX/ops: discover GitHub Latest and install the portable zip with user confirm — download, SHA256 verify, stop, replace EXEs via unstick-updater, restart — without deleting AppData config.

Highlights

• Check for updates — service queries Dendro-X0/Unstick Latest; UI Controls + tray menu
• Install update — confirm dialog; requires published SHA256SUMS asset; wrong hash aborts
• unstick-updater.exe — allowlisted extract over install dir; restarts service/UI/tray
• Packaging — Package-Portable.ps1 builds updater and writes SHA256SUMS beside the zip
• Manual fallback — USER-GUIDE still documents zip extract-over-install

Unchanged / honesty

• Windows x64 portable only
• SoftOnly default; Suspend remains experimental-only
• No silent auto-replace
• Unsigned builds warn at confirm; Authenticode remains a parallel blocker for public Latest

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating. Prefer in-app Check → Install when already on 0.8+. First install of 0.8 still uses the zip from this release.

powershell -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1

Proof

• L1: cargo test -p guardian-core (semver, release JSON, SHA256SUMS, allowlist)
• L2: cargo check -p guardian-service -p guardian-ui -p guardian-tray -p unstick-updater
• Package includes unstick-updater.exe + root SHA256SUMS

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest when cert exists (signing-blocker.md)
• v1.0 gate: signed zip + soak on ≥2 machine classes + hang-free Soft path (roadmap-future.md)

Unstick v0.7.0 (unsigned portable)

Unstick v0.7.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.7.0
Roadmap: roadmap-v0.7.0.md
Designs: session-actions-summary-design.md · guard-profiles-design.md · prove-control-export-design.md

---

Why 0.7.0

Operator clarity after 0.6.0 Efficiency Idle: see what Soft did this session, pick Dev/Gaming/Quiet skins, read pressure/capping from the tray, and optionally export config or run a short prove soak — without dashboard sprawl or boost claims.

Highlights

• Session actions — Monitor / Controls: This session · capped N · idle M · restored K (actuators ran/restored — not freezes prevented)
• Soft restore events — leave-plan / Soft TTL emit soft_restore:* Resume lines in the Event log
• Profiles — Dev / Gaming / Quiet Soft policy skins (SetProfile); additive whitelist merge; SoftOnly only
• Tray badge — tooltip + icon tone for monitoring / cap / Efficiency Idle; CLI ctrl=
• Tools — Export/Import config JSON under AppData; opt-in Prove Soft (90s) via sibling disk-hog.exe
• Maximized layout — nav tabs, footer gauges, and status chips no longer stretch into empty slabs

Unchanged / honesty

• Windows x64 portable only
• SoftOnly default; Suspend remains experimental-only
• Overload = relief, not damage prevention
• Launch stutter on slow OS volumes may remain under high disk latency
• disk-hog is a soak fixture — not shipped in the zip by default

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.7.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service/UI, extract over install, restart.

# or local package
powershell -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1

Proof

• L1: cargo test -p guardian-core (session counters, profiles, export/import sanitize)
• L1: cargo test -p guardian-tray (control summary / icon tone)
• L2: cargo check -p guardian-service -p guardian-ui -p guardian-tray
• Manual: Monitor session line after Soft; tray icon under pressure; Export config path toast

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest when cert exists (signing-blocker.md)
• v1.0 gate: signed zip + soak on ≥2 machine classes + hang-free Soft path (roadmap-future.md)

Unstick 0.6.0 — Efficiency Idle

Unstick v0.6.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.6.0
Roadmap: roadmap-v0.6.0.md
Design: idle-under-stress-design.md
Evidence: hardware-control-l3-cliff-evidence.md Run 2

---

Why 0.6.0

Control depth after 0.5.0: when Soft intensity 2 is still sitting on a sustained OS-disk/RAM cliff, Unstick may deepen to Efficiency Idle (Windows Idle + EcoQoS) — Soft-only, streak-gated, TTL-restored. Not Suspend. Not a zero-stutter guarantee on slow OS volumes.

Highlights

• Efficiency Idle (intensity 3) — after sustained cliff at i2 (idle_escalate_streak, default 4 ticks); reasons disk_control:efficiency_idle / mem_control:efficiency_idle
• Config — idle_under_stress_enabled (default true), idle_escalate_streak, idle_release_streak in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Unstick\config.json
• Soft restore — Idle demotions still auto-restore via Soft TTL (~45s) and release when utilization eases
• Guard UX — tripwire efficiency idle · disk i3; chips Disk idle / RAM idle; hover explains Efficiency Mode
• L3 proof — WD Green cliff Run 2: i3 ~9s; released ~39s after hog stop; no hang FP; launch stutter honesty unchanged

Unchanged / honesty

• Windows x64 portable only
• SoftOnly default; Suspend remains experimental-only
• Overload = relief, not damage prevention
• On saturated slow OS SSDs (~0.7–1 s response), new-process / screenshot hitch may remain
• No standby purge; no timer-resolution lever; no claimed DPC or hardware-damage “fix”

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.6.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service/UI, extract over install, restart.

# or local package
pwsh -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1

Proof

• L1: cargo test -p guardian-core (Idle gate / plan / config)
• L3: cliff evidence Run 2 — WD Green Efficiency Idle + restore
• Manual: Guard efficiency idle under disk_hog cliff

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest when cert exists (signing-blocker.md)
• v0.7 UX/ops — action history, profiles, tray badges (roadmap-future.md)

Unstick 0.5.0

Unstick v0.5.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.5.0
Roadmap: roadmap-v0.5.0.md
Design: hardware-control-north-star.md

---

Why 0.5.0

Packages the hardware-control north-star: freeze mitigation and load/thermal relief with real headroom, visible sensing vs capping, and a clean (no-console) runtime — not a game booster and not hardware-damage insurance.

Highlights

• Freeze-safe control — operating band 80–88% of the calibrated cliff (was ~97–99%); fast release when load eases; soft intensity ceiling 2; soft demotion TTL (~45s)
• Stress headroom — hard latency / Disk Hard / paging / thermal-power shifts the band lower
• Guard UX — tripwires show monitoring vs soft capping; Event log uses capped for disk/mem actions
• Clean runtime — service/UI/tray are Windows GUI-subsystem (no terminal pop-ups); logs in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Unstick\
• Soak fixture — disk_hog defaults 1024 MiB/180s; cliff preset 2048 MiB/300s
• Timer-resolution lever — investigated and rejected (timer-resolution-reject.md)

Unchanged / honesty

• Windows x64 portable only
• SoftOnly default; Suspend remains experimental-only
• Overload = relief, not damage prevention
• No standby purge; no claimed DPC or hardware-damage “fix”

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.5.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service/UI, extract over install, restart.

# or local package
pwsh -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1

Proof

• L1: cargo test -p guardian-core -p guardian-win -p guardian-detect
• Control / thermal: control:: unit tests including stress + thermal flags
• Manual: Guard monitoring vs capping under disk_hog / cliff

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest when cert exists
• Optional Efficiency Mode Idle under stress streak (0.5.1+ design)
• Long L3 soak setpoint / self-overhead tuning

v0.4.0 — Hardware control

Unstick v0.4.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.4.0
GitHub: https://github.com/Dendro-X0/Unstick/releases/tag/v0.4.0

---

Why 0.4.0

Hardware control exploration (Option 2): closed-loop disk/RAM capping near the freeze cliff (~97–99%), Soft-only product path, Suspend experimental-only — not a general PC optimizer and not other-OS packages.

Design: specs/backend/hardware-control-redesign.md

Highlights

• D1 — Soft-only product path; experimental_suspend required for Last-resort NtSuspend; soft EcoQoS/mem-prio restore when PIDs leave the plan
• D2 — Per-machine envelope from idle baselines; status.envelope + envelope_profile.json
• D3 — Disk closed-loop (u_disk bang-bang → EcoQoS → VeryLow I/O → Idle); never Suspend
• D4 — Memory closed-loop (u_mem); WS trim paging-gated (Mem Lock L4 FP safe)
• D5 — Guard UI: Hardware control readout; Soft/Hard % under Advanced thresholds; Hardware Guard framing

Unchanged / honesty

• Windows x64 portable only
• SoftOnly default; no standby purge; no claimed DPC or hardware-damage “fix”
• Soft Disk/Mem Lock tripwires remain as an advanced safety net

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.4.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service, extract over install, restart.

Limits

• Windows only — no macOS/Linux installers
• Protection / hardware-control utility, not a suite
• User-mode only; no Windows MSI/Store yet
• Unsigned binaries — SmartScreen may warn

Proof

• L1: cargo test -p guardian-core -p guardian-win -p guardian-detect
• Envelope / control: status.envelope, disk_control_*, mem_control_*
• Design phases D0–D5 marked Done in redesign + roadmap

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest when cert exists
• Optional further tuning of setpoint deadbands / self-overhead

v0.3.0 — Smoothness (EcoQoS)

Unstick v0.3.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.3.0
GitHub: https://github.com/Dendro-X0/Unstick/releases/tag/v0.3.0

---

Why 0.3.0

Better disk/RAM protection under pressure: Soft remediation follows Microsoft Efficiency Mode / EcoQoS and memory-priority guidance, Guard self-overhead drops further, DPC advisories stay honest — without fake “DPC cures,” standby purge, or “PC optimizer” scope creep.

Highlights

• EcoQoS / Efficiency Mode — Soft/Warn apply ProcessPowerThrottling so background work yields when Disk/Mem Lock need headroom
• ProcessMemoryPriority LOW on Mem Lock Soft before Hard working-set shrink
• Hard WS shrink only on Idle/Suspend Mem Lock ladder (Soft keeps L3 EmptyWorkingSet for proof)
• Normal-band sampling — full process enum every other tick when idle (CPU/mem/PDH every tick)
• DPC advisory UX — clearer “driver / WPR / WPA” copy in UI + USER-GUIDE
• Design: specs/backend/ecoqos-efficiency-design.md

Unchanged

• SoftOnly default; Disk Lock + Mem Lock as the core job; no standby/SysMain purge; no claimed DPC fix
• Mem Lock L4 paging gate; IDE/Defender protection; tray HARD toasts; event log

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.3.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service, extract over install, restart.

Limits

• Windows only — portable Guard for Windows x64; no macOS/Linux installers or packages
• Protection utility, not a suite — Disk Lock (SSD/HDD) + Mem Lock (RAM); not a general performance optimizer
• User-mode only; no Windows MSI/Store yet
• Unsigned binaries — SmartScreen may warn; public “production” channel waits on code signing

Proof

• Mem Lock L3/L4: specs/backend/mem-lock-l3-evidence.md, mem-lock-l4-evidence.md
• EcoQoS design: specs/backend/ecoqos-efficiency-design.md
• Self-overhead: scripts/Measure-SelfOverhead.ps1 → ~1.18% one-core idle (specs/backend/self-overhead-measure-v0.3.0-*.csv)
• Automated: cargo test / Mem Lock verify scripts

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest (still Windows portable protection utility)
• Optional Windows MSI/MSIX if a Store path is chosen later

Unstick v0.2.0

Unstick v0.2.0 — release notes

Channel: portable release (unsigned until Authenticode cert — private beta / local OK)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.2.0
GitHub: https://github.com/Dendro-X0/Unstick/releases/tag/v0.2.0

---

Why 0.2.0

Mem Lock quality bar + packaging maturity + Guard UX polish after the v0.1.x portable beta.

Highlights

• Mem Lock L4 false-positive proof — Hard never latches on mapped-I/O / IDE-like load when paging evidence is absent (Verify-MemLock-L4.ps1)
• IDE / Defender protection — Cursor/Code and MsMpEng-class processes stay off the apply list (fixes Soft-trim miss after path gating)
• Tray toasts on Disk Lock / Mem Lock HARD
• Event log on Monitor — last actions from session / events.jsonl
• Portable update story + Package-Portable.ps1 -Sign scaffolding + SIGNING.txt honesty banner
• Softer elevated Access Denied copy (expected for AV leftovers)

Unchanged

• SoftOnly default, Disk Lock, focus boost, Last-resort opt-in
• Sample intervals from v0.1.2 self-overhead work

Install / update

See USER-GUIDE Updating (portable). Download Unstick-0.2.0-windows-x64.zip, stop service, extract over install, restart.

Limits

• User-mode only; no MSI/Store yet
• Unsigned binaries — SmartScreen may warn; public “production” channel waits on code signing (V2-3)
• Darwin QoS apply remains stubbed off macOS

Proof

• Mem Lock L4: specs/backend/mem-lock-l4-evidence.md
• Packaging design: specs/backend/v0.2-packaging-design.md
• Automated: Verify-P2-Automated.ps1 / cargo test

Next

• Authenticode-signed public Latest
• Optional live Darwin QoS/App Nap apply on a macOS host
• MSI/MSIX if Store path is chosen later

Unstick v0.1.2

Unstick v0.1.2 — release notes

Channel: public portable release (unsigned)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.1.2
GitHub: https://github.com/Dendro-X0/Unstick/releases/tag/v0.1.2

Patch over v0.1.1.

---

Why 0.1.2

Lower Unstick self-overhead on low-end PCs (service sampling + status I/O + UI paint), without changing SoftOnly defaults or Disk/Mem Lock policy.

Changes

• Gated process command-line collection — skip expensive cmd() for quiet processes; still collect for script hosts, hot CPU/disk, and miner-ish names (specs/backend/self-overhead-design.md)
• Compact + throttled status.json — compact JSON; ≤1 Hz file write on Normal band; IPC GetStatus still fresh every tick
• Adaptive UI repaint — ~1 Hz when gauges settled; ~15 Hz only while lerping or interacting (was fixed ~30 Hz)

Proof

• L1: cargo test (incl. cmdline gate unit tests)
• L2: Verify-P2-Automated.ps1
• L3: Measure-SelfOverhead.ps1 before/after — self-overhead-l3-evidence.md

Unchanged

• SoftOnly default, Disk Lock, Mem Lock, focus boost, Last-resort opt-in
• Sample intervals (sample_idle_ms / sample_busy_ms)
• Portable install path

Install

1. Download Unstick-0.1.2-windows-x64.zip
2. Run guardian-service.exe, then guardian-ui.exe
3. Optional: pwsh -File Install-Autostart.ps1 -StartNow

Limits

Same as v0.1.x: user-mode only, unsigned binaries (SmartScreen may warn), no MSI yet.

Next

• v0.2: Mem Lock L4, installer, code signing — roadmap-next-release.md

Unstick v0.1.1

Unstick v0.1.1 — release notes

Channel: public portable release (unsigned)
Surface: Portable zip + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.1.1
GitHub: https://github.com/Dendro-X0/Unstick/releases/tag/v0.1.1

Patch over v0.1.0.

---

Why 0.1.1

• Ship P2-4 false-positive soak sign-off into the tagged release (60m LastResort probe)
• Add scripts/Verify-P2-4-FalsePositive.ps1 + evidence
• Sync release notes / proof checklists after CI green on main

Unchanged from 0.1.0

• SoftOnly default, Disk Lock, Mem Lock, focus boost, Last-resort opt-in
• Portable install path (guardian-service + guardian-ui)

Install

1. Download Unstick-0.1.1-windows-x64.zip
2. Run guardian-service.exe, then guardian-ui.exe
3. Optional: pwsh -File Install-Autostart.ps1 -StartNow

Limits

Same as v0.1.0: user-mode only, unsigned binaries (SmartScreen may warn), no MSI yet.

Next

• v0.2: Mem Lock L4, installer, code signing — roadmap-next-release.md

Unstick v0.1.0

Unstick v0.1.0 — release notes (draft)

Channel: public portable release (unsigned binaries)
Surface: Portable dist/ + optional HKCU autostart
Version: 0.1.0 (Cargo workspace)

---

Highlights

• Soft throttle under CPU / RAM / disk pressure (Soft only Critical Guard by default)
• Disk Lock — user soft/hard OS-drive Active Time %; VeryLow I/O + working-set trim
• Mem Lock — trim background working sets when available RAM is scarce (safe % sliders)
• Focus-aware boost; focused app tree never throttled or paused
• Last-resort pause (opt-in) with durable ledger + auto-resume after crash/kill
• Whitelist for games/apps; abuse / miner heuristics (not antivirus)
• Disk latency tripwire, paging vs mapped-fault split, DPC/ISR advisory, thermal Serious suppresses Suspend

Install (portable)

1. Unzip the release folder (or build: pwsh -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1)
2. Run guardian-service.exe, then guardian-ui.exe
3. Optional autostart: pwsh -File Install-Autostart.ps1 -StartNow
4. Read USER-GUIDE.md in the package

Limits

• User-mode only — cannot hard-cap IOPS on Win10/11 desktop Job Objects
• Elevated targets may show Apply denied (run elevated or whitelist)
• DPC/ISR stutter is detect-only (cannot fix bad drivers)
• No MSI/Store yet (v0.2); unsigned binaries — Windows SmartScreen may warn

Proof snapshot (pre-tag)

Gate	Status
P0 / P1 safety + ops	Done
P2-1 automated verify	Local script available
P2-2 Disk Lock L3	Probe PASS 2026-07-17
P2-3 L4 decoy	PASS 2026-07-17
P2-4 false-positive	PASS 2026-07-17 (60m coding-phase probe)
Mem Lock L3	PASS

P2-4 coding-phase false-positive soak signed (60m LastResort probe, 2026-07-17). Gaming hour remains optional.

Verify locally

powershell -File scripts/Verify-P2-Automated.ps1
powershell -File scripts/Verify-DiskLock-L3.ps1
powershell -File scripts/Verify-P2-L4-Decoy.ps1
powershell -File scripts/Verify-MemLock-L3.ps1
powershell -File scripts/Package-Portable.ps1

Next

• Sign P2-4 → tag v0.1.0 → GitHub Release with zip
• v0.2: Mem Lock L4, installer, code signing — see roadmap-next-release.md