Windows 10: Why you should NOT upgrade...

[kano]

http://betanews.com/2016/01/28/brace-yourself-for-a-windows-10-crapware-explosion-pre-installing-tripadvisor-is-just-the-start/

 

Enjoying the show...

 

Also: http://betanews.com/2016/01/22/developer-windows-store-is-a-disaster/

 

This is actually a good thing. I mean, we want this thing to fail. I mean, if it gets popular, it would just be a question of how long before software was exclusively offered in this manor, making it significantly more difficult to run in Wine or on older versions of Windows.

 

We all saw what Microsoft tried to pull with the XBox One.

Edited January 28, 2016 by kano

[esme]

Windows 10 just went from an optional update to a recommended update, even better it's preselected

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/02/02/microsoft_ups_pressure_win_10_holdouts/

[Oldjim]

I saw that - will be watching

[Bikerdude]

Windows 10 just went from an optional update to a recommended update, even better it's preselected

You mean its "gone back" to recommended, they had it as recommended a while back but the backlash caused M$ to make the excuse that was a mistake.

 

Your average user will be fine as long as we stick to security updates only.

[kano]

Believe it or not, this isn't me... I swear!

 

http://videochart.net/video/1x734.3939778271dcafb0cc564790b4b8

 

As far as the updates go, I would not be at all surprised if Microsoft changes it to an important update right at the end of the free upgrade offer.

Edited February 5, 2016 by kano

[kano]

http://betanews.com/2016/02/06/windows-10-phones-home-a-lot-even-with-all-reporting-and-telemetry-disabled/

[stumpy]

its likly to be a critical update to catch those off guard, and it will install while you are away, or stealthly in the background as a hidden process.

Although windows 10 might be the last operating system microsoft does, as they are gearing up to go cloud based only. you'll have a box, that connects directly to the internet with a basic hardcoded windows 10 operating system on rom and no ssd or hardrive, and everything like games and work will be done in the cloud. wont the hackers and data pirates be happy when that day comes.

it was mentioned on the gadget show on channel 5 about a year or two ago.

[esme]

Regarding the use of a hard coded box that does everything in the cloud

 

I refer Microsoft to the answer given in "Arkell v Pressdram"

[Reman]

I've disabled all cloud integration that W10 lets me and I've also enabled all settings in Spybot's Anti-Beacon:

 

https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

 

To be honest, W10 spying isn't very high on my list of privacy concerns. Nothing they gather can be linked to my real name (no MS account, computer user name is "Lenovo"). Amazon probably knows 10 000 times more about me than Microsoft.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Reman

[Oldjim]

Just caught up with Windows Update - mine hasn't worked since last October and I hadn't realised - on Windows 7

Now sorted - so why am I posting

I had to hide seven files all to do with Win 10 update

Edited February 16, 2016 by Oldjim

[Reman]

Steve Gibson mentioned in yesterday's Security Now podcast that Microsoft now has an official tool to disable all W10 update related stuff in Windows 7 and 8.1:

 

https://youtu.be/55bPu-2tYMo?t=4735

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351

[Bikerdude]

hmmm, good. But now how about a tool to disable all telemtery in Win10...

[Oldjim]

Slightly off topic

In January something created a folder and files as per this picture - could it be part of getting ready for Windows 10

 

 

[Bikerdude]

That looks like a virus/trojan (AdWare.Win32.BHO MSIL/Adware.BHO), and a google search resulted in hard hardly any known good verifiable instances of it -

 

- https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mswinlive.dll&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=K83EVurRCIeUaLfepYAO#q=MSwinlive.dll&nfpr=1

 

That and Micro$oft killed off Windows Live years ago.

[Oldjim]

The odd thing is I have no idea how it got there

Note that Malwarebytes is perfectly happy with it

 

Just remembered something

On Feb 2nd I had an unusual popup posted elsewhere

 

I noticed in the bottom right bar a warning and when I clicked on it - it said "You need to restart your computer to disable UAC"

So I immediately moved UAC back to the highest setting which may have stopped something Edited February 17, 2016 by Oldjim

[Bikerdude]

@Jim, if you need a hand with this I can teamviewer on to you PC and help you remove it. Just let me know when your around in the evenings etc.

[Oldjim]

No thanks

I just ran a full scan and let Kaspersky deal with it and manually removed the containing folder so it has gone now

In the worst case scenario I could have rolled back to a clean Acronis image as I have it running automatic backups every week

I will check occasionally to see if it comes back

Edited February 18, 2016 by Oldjim

[kano]

http://www.techeye.net/news/microsoft-abusing-update-power

 

Its not a bug, its a feature!

[stumpy]

i've got that update and its not causing any problems, although I have windows defender turned off, so its likely that that is resetting file associations for the person in that report with the custom file settings. there is an action window to set the default programs to launch what files you have, I could guess that they haven't used it, its rather hard to find. you have to right click on the start button to find the extra stuff.

[kano]

http://www.howtogeek.com/243263/how-to-disable-ads-on-your-windows-10-lock-screen/

 

... and heeerrreee come the ads!

[Destined]

It is no problem, if you have disabled Spotlight. At least, that is what I have done...

[kano]

http://www.ghacks.net/2016/03/09/security-update-ms16-023-installs-new-get-windows-10-functionality/

 

I love it when you play dirty!

[Melan]

So Scumbag Win10 is trying to get on my system after repeatedly being told not to. The trouble is, it is no longer an offer, it is a countdown that starts when my computer is idle.

 

How do I circumvent these fuckers? I do not want to have Win10 on my PC now or in the foreseeable future, as I am happy with Win7 (and was happy with XP before they completely discontinued it). After their pressure sale tactics, they have also burned whatever goodwill I might have had for them (and I had a lot). This must stop.

 

(Please don't tell me to switch to Linux. I don't want to do that either.)

 

[Bikerdude]

Already mentioned, but here is the info again -

• The official method from M$, that requires some system knowledge - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351
• The unofficial tool GWX control panel - user guide can be found here
• And additionally I'm also recommending Spybot Anti-beacon as this blocks a bunch of known telemetry in windows 7-10.

If your Windows10 'infection' for some random reason isn't fixed by the above, then drop me a pm and I will remote in view team viewer.

[Melan]

Wow, thanks! I installed the GWX control panel and switched off the upgrade options. Turn out the sneaky updater has downloaded 7 GB worth of data without my knowledge or consent. Not only did it clog my laptop (I was wondering where that HD space went), it drained my monthly DL quota, so I have been sitting with a 128kbps bandwidth cap until the 16th.

 

I am not one of the Microsoft haters, and I have been satisfied with their products, but this was a shitty thing to do. How can I trust them in the future if they try to pull this kind of crap?