I have disabled the Windows Update service in my daily driver 7 installation to preserve it's integrity.
I am not sure I shall ever install or trust another update from MS for fear of it hijacking my computer.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Another great reason to turn off Window$ Updates, no security/bug fix updates for Win7 or 8.1.

That's just stupid. Plenty of things still to fix in your Windows that can otherwise be taken over by baddies through ransomware injected through a Flash Player (e.g.)

Plenty of other programs that run on people's systems that require an updated Windows on security fixes as well, not in the least the internet banking programs, but just regular browsers, communicating with sites such as that of the IRS and just your plain capability of using SSL/HTTPS. Because if you do not allow Windows to update the certificates, you're not going to be surfing around that safely.

So telling people to stop Windows Update and not take in the security updates anymore is plain stupid. In my humble opinion, at least. You are scared over nothing.

Windows 10 won't be able to overtake your system ever, because its installer requires user input. So as long as you don't click "Yesser the Yes Yes, give it", it won't be installed.

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I will keep accepting Security updates unless I read here that one of them does the "install 10" prompt. Other than that, I read the More Information on each and every one of them and only install them if it seems like I might actually need them. I'm not sure I really needed the recent one that added the Georgian and Azerbaijani currency symbols, but I took it anyway. I always do the time zone changes too; that's one you can't blame M$ for needing to be fixed.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

The problem, Jord, is that that MS cannot be trusted anymore, and many of us (myself included) are having trouble sorting out which of the updates they are pushing out labeled as 'important' are really related to any security issues and which are related to MS agenda issues. IE, pushing everybody towards their Skynet edition of computer domination.

I don't think that being fearful of what MS is doing should be labeled as 'stupid'.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

The problem, Jord, is that that MS cannot be trusted anymore, and many of us (myself included) are having trouble sorting out which of the updates they are pushing out labeled as 'important' are really related to any security issues and which are related to MS agenda issues.

And you could trust them on their word before this push to Windows 10?
For all of Windows 7, the 'blurb' on all of my security updates has always been "A security issue has been identified in a Microsoft software product that could affect your system. You can help protect your system by installing this update from Microsoft." etc. etc.
I've even had it loads of times that clicking the 'more information' link gave the exact same blurb.

But the thing is, that in none of the (e.g.) "Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems" updates has there ever been code added to try to get Windows 10 on your system.

Those have always been in the "Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems", as you can easily see from the list that Cosmic keeps up.

Plain updates for Windows 7 == highly suspicious.
Security updates for Windows 7 == if you want to continue being secure out there on the internet, best install.

And besides, if you would've installed KB2990214 and then used the Group Policy Editor -> Computer configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update -> Enable, you wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

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Another great reason to turn off Window$ Updates, no security/bug fix updates for Win7 or 8.1.

That's just stupid. Plenty of things still to fix in your Windows that can otherwise be taken over by baddies through ransomware injected through a Flash Player (e.g.)

Plenty of other programs that run on people's systems that require an updated Windows on security fixes as well, not in the least the internet banking programs, but just regular browsers, communicating with sites such as that of the IRS and just your plain capability of using SSL/HTTPS. Because if you do not allow Windows to update the certificates, you're not going to be surfing around that safely.

So telling people to stop Windows Update and not take in the security updates anymore is plain stupid. In my humble opinion, at least. You are scared over nothing.

Windows 10 won't be able to overtake your system ever, because its installer requires user input. So as long as you don't click "Yesser the Yes Yes, give it", it won't be installed.

Greetings Jord,

Show me where I specifically told anyone to turn OFF Window$ updates. I believe that I have just been agreeing with others and stating what I have done. So don't say I've done something that I have not done. OK?

As for security and bug fix updates? After reading that article I do NOT trust Micro$oft to send me any updates that are NOT tampered with so as to allow them to control my PC. If they cannot be truthful and list everything that a specific update does, I don't want them. That's not being scared, that's making sure my PC is still MY PC.

I find it hard to believe that Window$ would be tasked with the job of making sure that 10s or 100s of thousands of web certs are up-to-date. Or are there other certificates besides the ones listed in my browser that Window$ IS responsible for?

I seem to remember reading here that Micro$oft came up with a way to force a persons PC to 'update' to Window$ 10. There was no backing out of the install, nothing. All a person could do was allow the commandeering of their PC. They were stuck with Window$ 10 screwing up their PC. I'll see about finding the post here...

Keep on BOINCing...! :)

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CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath

The problem, Jord, is that that MS cannot be trusted anymore, and many of us (myself included) are having trouble sorting out which of the updates they are pushing out labeled as 'important' are really related to any security issues and which are related to MS agenda issues.

And you could trust them on their word before this push to Windows 10?


And besides, if you would've installed KB2990214 and then used the Group Policy Editor -> Computer configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update -> Enable, you wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

Trust them before this push to Skynet 10?
I suppose I did.
According to Merriam-Webster....
Definition of TRUST

a : assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
b : one in which confidence is placed

Yes, I trusted that the updates they sent as 'important' were so because they were to maintain the integrity and safety of the OS I purchased from them, and for no other purpose.

Now, I need to consult a third party list to determine which updates I should install and which to stay away from? That is not trust.
Listing updates as 'important' when they are not for maintaining my OS as is? That is not trustworthy behavior.

As to your recommendation for installing KB2990214, I may try that over the holidays when I have the time to do so, and I thank you for that.

Meow.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Here's how I distinguish between suspicious updates and ones that are trustworthy:

"Update for Windows 7" = requires research to find out exactly what it does.
"Security Update for Windows 7" = safe, 99.999% of the time; once in a while, these types of updates cause some new problems, but they only patch existing system components.

And the "blurb" is always the same for every update: generic, vague, and never actually says anything useful. For instance, with KB 3112148 that I just got yesterday, if you go and do a google search for it, the top result is this page. Once you scroll down past the push for 10, you see "Install this update to resolve issues in Windows." Wooooow. That's super-descriptive.

But, if you click + Details, and read the KB article, you find out a TON more info.

And FYI.. 3112148 was one that was listed as "Update for Windows 7", which required research. I decided I wasn't going to bother with that one since honestly... I don't care about new time zones/DST rules outside of the US. Just like the other 17mb update that updated the currency symbol for.. Libya. Don't care.

edit: Of course, MS did mention that they plan to give less details about what updates actually do, so there will likely come a time when updates just outright cannot be trusted. For now, they still seem pretty easy to spot (and for now, refer to my color-coded list, version 4 to see which ones to avoid if you want nothing to do with 10).

2990214 isn't required in order to get that switch that prevents OS upgrade though. Group Policies are literally just a more-intuitive front-end for the registry, but only if the rules are already installed.

From MS themselves:

To suppress this offer through the registry, specify the following registry value:
Subkey: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
DWORD value: DisableOSUpgrade = 1

the notification icon can be suppressed through the Windows registry:
Subkey: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\OSUpgrade
DWORD value: ReservationsAllowed = 0

But... as we saw with the big November update for 10 (basically, SP1 even though they won't ever call it a SP), it ignored the previous settings for privacy options (most of which are set in the registry) and put them back to defaults, so there is absolutely no guarantee that some update won't come along that resets those registry keys back to ones that technically allow the upgrade and the nagging about it.

It's easiest altogether to just avoid the entire list of updates to avoid. And even easier than that.. is to just turn updates off entirely, especially if you are basically just a crunch-only rig.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

So...
I think I have a path by setting 7 not to allow the update process to take off.
And now I am told that MS will probably circumvent that anyway.

I am just leaving the Windows Update service disabled until something stops working and I am forced to deal with it further.

Maybe by then there will have been a class action lawsuit successfully litigated that forces MS to see the light of freaking day.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Honestly at this point, having had to go strip unwanted services from, and run antibeacon on, my Win7 dev machine, it looks as though Win10 is going to end up easier to deal with bolting down.

Since I have a fair bit of electronics and potentially valuable software development going on, it's amounting to apparent industrial espionage. They really need to not do that...

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"Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions.

Another 'suspicious' update KB3112336. Here's the 'More Information', I'm going to pass on it and assume it is another brick in the Highway to M$ Hell......

"This update enables support for additional upgrade scenarios from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, and provides a smoother experience when you have to retry an operating system upgrade because of certain failure conditions. This update also improves the ability of Microsoft to monitor the quality of the upgrade experience."

[edit] my bad........already discovered and listed.

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Here's how I distinguish between suspicious updates and ones that are trustworthy:

"Update for Windows 7" = requires research to find out exactly what it does.
"Security Update for Windows 7" = safe, 99.999% of the time; once in a while, these types of updates cause some new problems, but they only patch existing system components.

That is exactly my philosophy on it too. And more than half the time, I decide I don't need a recommended one, even if it's not related to forcing you into 10.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Another 'suspicious' update KB3112336. Here's the 'More Information', I'm going to pass on it and assume it is another brick in the Highway to M$ Hell......

[edit] my bad........already discovered and listed.

Sort of.. I knew of the one for win7, but didn't find out about the KB number for the same update for 8.1 until a few days later. Yes, technically that one has already been mentioned in this thread, but I don't yet have it in my handy list. Next update that gets released, I'll add this one to the list like it should be.

I don't know about anyone else, but I keep that specific post bookmarked so I can easily refer back to it.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

A little off topic, but still at M$ expense........

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Reverted from windows 10 on 4 desktops because of many problems ( mostly because NVIDIA.com GPU drivers were killed and internet access lost). Windows 10 supplied NVIDEA drivers disable SETI GPU use.
Waiting for
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/os2-blue-lion-to-be-the-next-distro-of-the-28-year-old-os/
My most favorite OS, OS/2, to make a comeback to see how it works.
I am not smart enough to get SETI to work with a GPU under LINUX :-(

...as a general rule Nvidia drivers supplied by MS only have the graphics part of the drivers....

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

...as a general rule Nvidia drivers supplied by MS only have the graphics part of the drivers....

It's true. All drivers supplied by MS are just the bare basics for it to function, and doesn't come with all the extras that you actually need/want.

Friend of mine had a laptop with a GTX680 and was just getting drivers from Windows Update and his games kept crashing or being really laggy. I told him to go to nvidia and get the actual driver bundle from there, and it fixed the crashing problem and got a lot more framerate out of it.

Turns out.. a lot of games need the PhysX drivers/framework, and that isn't supplied by Windows Update.

And in this case, neither are the CUDA and OpenCL frameworks.



The problem is... 10 doesn't want you to have any control over anything because "MS knows what's best for you. All hail your overlord." Yes, there are things you can get that are supposed to let you have control over graphics drivers... but it doesn't work half the time, especially if you have multiple GPUs.

I really hope MS changes their mind about being so controlling and actually tries to attract tech-savvy power-users...but I know they won't. *sigh* It's really a shame.. I was really looking forward to the cool stuff of 10...but that lack of control and all the spying... no thanks.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

Welcome to the new world of the duumbed down?

Or at least to the proprietory world of the corporate dumb-you-down?


IT is what we allow it to be....

Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Welcome to the new world of the duumbed down?

Or at least to the proprietory world of the corporate dumb-you-down?


IT is what we allow it to be....

Martin

So you want some third party to support a different third party's hardware and put a warrantee of fitness on it? Facepalm. Talk to legal.

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