From the
“Wow, they just don't get it” file:

Microsoft Is Spying On what You Code

Can be mitigated as described by these instructions.

Initially brought to light on reddit.com.  The comments make for a good read, like the following from emergent_properties

“I was a Windows fanboy.
I defended Windows XP's Fisher Prince Luna interface way back a decade ago.
I defended Windows Vista because it was just unfamiliar and Windows 7 was their successful attempt at capturing the same magic, so I recommended that to everyone I knew.
No longer.
Microsoft has turned Windows into the Bill Cosby of operating systems.”

That last line is a helluva summation.

From the
“Wow, they just don't get it” file:

Microsoft Is Spying On what You Code

The fiduciary duty to the shareholder, the legal requirement to use EVERY method to make money. You are right, some people don't get what that means in combination with data mining.

<ed>And who knows if they got a NSL?

---

Good links.

I like this comment: -

"And still there are people saying that you just need to flip one switch in the control panel to turn it all off."

Well, I fixed my WSUS server. I figured out why the DB crashed. The 320gb PATA drive that it was on--which had some bad sectors after ~240gb (so I made a 200gb partition and left it at that)--had the bad sectors spread like cancer. Turns out.. the DB itself, near the beginning of the drive.. resided on at least 30 bad sectors.

So I pulled that drive, and replaced it with a WD 640gb Blue that I had laying around. Seems like the DB is working now and doesn't time-out and give-up and reset frequently... because the DB can actually be read and accessed correctly now.

Anyway, as I'm digging through approving all the updates on a clean install of 2k3 and a new WSUS DB.. I found a block of 48 variations of the same update: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3012973 (I Know it says it doesn't exist, but...it does exist). It is listed in WSUS as "upgrade to Windows 10 Home/Pro/Pro N/Education/Education N, x86/x64 from Windows 7/8.1". So.. that's another one I'm declining.

In a short while.. I'll post a current "updates to avoid" list.

---

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

"updates to avoid", version 9:

(Red for 8.1, Blue for 7, Green for either/both):

KB 2952664 - Labeled a compatibility upgrade for upgrading Windows 7, its purpose is to "make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows".
KB 2957026 - This update makes feature changes and improvements to the Windows 8.1 Upgrade notification in Windows 8 or Windows RT. After you install this update, the upgrade will be more discoverable and faster.
KB 2976978 - A compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 which "performs diagnostics on the Windows system [..] to determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed.
KB 2977759 - This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. These diagnostics help determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed. This update will help Microsoft and its partners ensure compatibility for customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system.
KB 2990214 - Does the same as KB 3044374 but on Windows 7.
KB 3012973 - The actual upgrade to Windows 10.
KB 3021917 - Does the same as KB 2976978 but on Windows 7.
KB 3022345 - Update to enable the Diagnostics Tracking Service in Windows (Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1)
KB 3035583 - This update installs the "Get Windows 10" notification on Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1
KB 3044374 - This update for Windows 8.1 enables systems to upgrade from the current operating system to a later version of Windows.
KB 3050265 - This update makes improvements to the Update client to increase scanning speed, and to improve the upgrade to later versions of Windows. Also provides the registry keys to disable upgrading to 10.
KB 3050267 - Same as KB3050265 but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3058168 - This update allows 8.1 Key Management Service (KMS) hosts to upgrade to 10.
KB 3065987 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7.
KB 3065988 - Same as KB3065987, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3068708 - This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3075249 - This update adds telemetry points to the User Account Control (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels.
KB 3075851 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7 and also resolves an issue in which certain Windows Update operations fail when you install (KB3065987) on Windows 7 Embedded editions.
KB 3075853 - Same as KB3075851, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3079821 - Same as KB3058168, but for Windows 7.
KB 3080149 - This package updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3081954 - This update ensures users can continue using Work Folders when upgrading from Windows 7 to 10. Also adds telemetry points to Work Folders for Asimov telemetry pipeline.
KB 3083324 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 - August 2015.
KB 3083325 - Windows Update Client for Windows 8.1 - August 2015.
KB 3083710 - New Update Client for Windows 7. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3083711 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3102810 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083710
KB 3102812 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083711
KB 3112343 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 7 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3112336 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 8.1 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3123862 - This update adds capabilities to some computers that lets users easily learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10. (read: "nags you with propaganda until you give-in")
KB 3135445 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - February 2016.
KB 3135449 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - February 2016.
KB 3138612 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - March 2016.
KB 3138615 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - March 2016.
KB 3139929 - Update for IE9. It does fix some issues, but stealthily installs 3146449, which is an IE 11 update that gives win7/8.1 an upgrade path to 10. This update has been dubbed "when a security update is not a security update"
KB 3146449 - Updates IE 11's capabilities to upgrade 7/8.1 to 10. This one is not stand-alone, it is embedded within 3139929.
KB 3150513 - "May 2016 Compatibility Update" - improves the nagging mechanism to coerce you into getting 10 whether you want it or not.
KB 3161608 - June 2016 update rollup. (Everything in this one looks okay, except for the new update client (3161647) that is embedded in it. I'm avoiding it for that reason.)

---

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

Attention:
The June update rollup for Windows 8.1 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161606)
also contains a new update client! (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3163023)

---

Aloha, Uli

MS pays out $10K to Windows 10 victim

A few days after Microsoft released Windows 10 to the public last year, Teri Goldstein’s computer started trying to download and install the new operating system.

The update, which she says she didn’t authorize, failed. Instead, the computer she uses to run her Sausalito, Calif., travel-agency business slowed to a crawl. It would crash, she says, and be unusable for days at a time.

“I had never heard of Windows 10,” Goldstein said. “Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to update.”

When outreach to Microsoft’s customer support didn’t fix the issue, Goldstein took the software giant to court, seeking compensation for lost wages and the cost of a new computer. She won. Last month, Microsoft dropped an appeal and Goldstein collected a $10,000 judgment from the company.

So, for any inconvenienced folks needing some extra cash, you have your precedent. ;^)

---

Attention:
The June update rollup for Windows 8.1 (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161606)
also contains a new update client! (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3163023)

Noted. I didn't know about the June 8.1 rollup when I made the list. Since it is right there above.. I don't think I need to re-post it just yet.

---

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

MS pays out $10K to Windows 10 victim

A few days after Microsoft released Windows 10 to the public last year, Teri Goldstein’s computer started trying to download and install the new operating system.

The update, which she says she didn’t authorize, failed. Instead, the computer she uses to run her Sausalito, Calif., travel-agency business slowed to a crawl. It would crash, she says, and be unusable for days at a time.

“I had never heard of Windows 10,” Goldstein said. “Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to update.”

When outreach to Microsoft’s customer support didn’t fix the issue, Goldstein took the software giant to court, seeking compensation for lost wages and the cost of a new computer. She won. Last month, Microsoft dropped an appeal and Goldstein collected a $10,000 judgment from the company.

So, for any inconvenienced folks needing some extra cash, you have your precedent. ;^)

It's not a simple matter of being inconvenienced. The unwanted upgrade really screwed with her business. Even though she owned a business, not everyone owning a business is tech savvy. She had no idea what Windows 10 was, and had no desire to install it. This was and still is a matter of forcing a new operating system on people that did not and do not want it, through the guise of a technical update. I can understand her frustration, as my experience with this abortion of an OS lasted less then 24 hrs. I was very surprised she was not awarded more in damages, and I will be even greater surprised if others didn't sue over this. I'm still waiting for the class action suit and the EU or some other court telling M$S to stick up their ar#@se and fix it, especially the data mining.

---

I don't buy computers, I build them!!

>>>> I was very surprised she was not awarded more in damages, <<<<

From the ComputerWorld article:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3089071/microsoft-windows/customer-wins-10k-judgement-from-microsoft-over-unauthorized-windows-10-upgrade.html

In March, her claim was heard. Goldstein came prepared with documentation, including years of her firm's revenue to show the losses caused by the lack of a working PC. Microsoft, on the other hand, sent someone from the local retail store, not an attorney.

"This very honest kid came in, and said they had pulled him out of the store at 4:30 to go to court," said Goldstein. "They didn't even prepare for it."

Basing her claim on a section in the California Uniform Commercial Code, and arguing that the forced upgrade was non-consensual and resulted in lost wages, Goldstein was awarded the $10,000 judgment. Microsoft originally said it would appeal, but then ditched the idea and paid her the $10,000 last month.

"The company dropped its appeal to avoid the expense of further litigation," a Microsoft spokesman said in an email reply to questions today.

:

---

MS pays out $10K to Windows 10 victim

-[ snip ]-

So, for any inconvenienced folks needing some extra cash, you have your precedent. ;^)

It's not a simple matter of being inconvenienced. The unwanted upgrade really screwed with her business. Even though she owned a business, not everyone owning a business is tech savvy. She had no idea what Windows 10 was, and had no desire to install it. This was and still is a matter of forcing a new operating system on people that did not and do not want it, through the guise of a technical update. I can understand her frustration, as my experience with this abortion of an OS lasted less then 24 hrs. I was very surprised she was not awarded more in damages, and I will be even greater surprised if others didn't sue over this. I'm still waiting for the class action suit and the EU or some other court telling M$S to stick up their ar#@se and fix it, especially the data mining.

Greetings Cliff,

Micro$oft has made it illegal to hit them with a class action suit in their EULA.

"You understand and acknowledge that by agreeing to binding arbitration, you are giving up the right to litigate (or participate in as a party or class member) all disputes in court before a judge or jury," the EULA states in clause 18.1.4.

Who the he!! is Micro$oft that they think they can take a right away, from end users of their crappy products, to enter into a class action suit against them?

Keep on BOINCing...! :)

---

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

Another one to add to the list.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3090508/microsoft-windows/win7-and-81-patch-kb-3173040-throws-full-screen-win10-upgrade-warning.html

---

Microsoft’s Windows 10 Anniversary Update will arrive August 2nd

https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/29/microsofts-windows-10-anniversary-update-will-arrive-august-2nd/?ncid=rss

It is supposed to be a BIGGIE. Oh whoopie!

---

River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

"updates to avoid", version 10:

(Red for 8.1, Blue for 7, Green for either/both):

KB 2952664 - Labeled a compatibility upgrade for upgrading Windows 7, its purpose is to "make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows".
KB 2957026 - This update makes feature changes and improvements to the Windows 8.1 Upgrade notification in Windows 8 or Windows RT. After you install this update, the upgrade will be more discoverable and faster.
KB 2976978 - A compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 which "performs diagnostics on the Windows system [..] to determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed.
KB 2977759 - This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. These diagnostics help determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed. This update will help Microsoft and its partners ensure compatibility for customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system.
KB 2990214 - Does the same as KB 3044374 but on Windows 7.
KB 3012973 - The actual upgrade to Windows 10.
KB 3021917 - Does the same as KB 2976978 but on Windows 7.
KB 3022345 - Update to enable the Diagnostics Tracking Service in Windows (Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1)
KB 3035583 - This update installs the "Get Windows 10" notification on Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1
KB 3044374 - This update for Windows 8.1 enables systems to upgrade from the current operating system to a later version of Windows.
KB 3050265 - This update makes improvements to the Update client to increase scanning speed, and to improve the upgrade to later versions of Windows. Also provides the registry keys to disable upgrading to 10.
KB 3050267 - Same as KB3050265 but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3058168 - This update allows 8.1 Key Management Service (KMS) hosts to upgrade to 10.
KB 3065987 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7.
KB 3065988 - Same as KB3065987, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3068708 - This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3075249 - This update adds telemetry points to the User Account Control (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels.
KB 3075851 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7 and also resolves an issue in which certain Windows Update operations fail when you install (KB3065987) on Windows 7 Embedded editions.
KB 3075853 - Same as KB3075851, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3079821 - Same as KB3058168, but for Windows 7.
KB 3080149 - This package updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3081954 - This update ensures users can continue using Work Folders when upgrading from Windows 7 to 10. Also adds telemetry points to Work Folders for Asimov telemetry pipeline.
KB 3083324 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 - August 2015.
KB 3083325 - Windows Update Client for Windows 8.1 - August 2015.
KB 3083710 - New Update Client for Windows 7. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3083711 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3102810 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083710
KB 3102812 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083711
KB 3112343 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 7 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3112336 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 8.1 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3123862 - This update adds capabilities to some computers that lets users easily learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10. (read: "nags you with propaganda until you give-in")
KB 3135445 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - February 2016.
KB 3135449 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - February 2016.
KB 3138612 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - March 2016.
KB 3138615 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - March 2016.
KB 3139929 - Update for IE9. It does fix some issues, but stealthily installs 3146449, which is an IE 11 update that gives win7/8.1 an upgrade path to 10. This update has been dubbed "when a security update is not a security update"
KB 3146449 - Updates IE 11's capabilities to upgrade 7/8.1 to 10. This one is not stand-alone, it is embedded within 3139929.
KB 3150513 - "May 2016 Compatibility Update" - improves the nagging mechanism to coerce you into getting 10 whether you want it or not.
KB 3161606 - June 2016 update rollup. (This one contains a new update client (3163023) embedded within it.)
KB 3161608 - June 2016 update rollup. (Everything in this one looks okay, except for the new update client (3161647) that is embedded in it. I'm avoiding it for that reason.)
KB 3163589 - For win7 without SP1, win8 without 8.1; provides a full-screen nagware warning about using an outdated OS, pushing the upgrade to 10
KB 3173040 - For win7 SP1, win8.1; provides a full-screen nagware warning about the free upgrade expiring soon

---

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

I went ahead and updated the list since there were a few to add to it in such a short period of time. Again, thank you to those who keep pointing out updates that I don't always see/find on my own.



What I'm interested in seeing, and I may use a VM to find out.. is after this free upgrade period is over... will most of these updates suddenly be removed from the update pool? Or will they stay and just switch over to incessant nagging about buying an upgrade to 10? That's going to be an interesting one to find out starting sometime in August.

---

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

What I'm interested in seeing, and I may use a VM to find out.. is after this free upgrade period is over... will most of these updates suddenly be removed from the update pool? Or will they stay and just switch over to incessant nagging about buying an upgrade to 10? That's going to be an interesting one to find out starting sometime in August.

Most probably M$ will just extend free upgrade period "due to enormous number of requests from peoples who wanna upgrade so much but late"...

---

SETI apps news
We're not gonna fight them. We're gonna transcend them.

Get ready for (possibly) the last "big push" by M$....
Final Windows 10 upgrade nag takes over your whole screen

Zero hour is approaching, and with the free Windows 10 upgrade offer set to expire at the end of the month Microsoft has unleashed a new weapon: a full-screen nag. Err, reminder.

Microsoft has been much, much more careful in designing and delivering this particular nag screen. Not everyone who’s been avoiding the Windows 10 upgrade is going to see this new screen.

For example, if you tried to upgrade before and it failed, you won’t see the full-screen nag. You also won’t see it if your computer is detected to be incompatible, if you declined the EULA after a successful install, or if you rolled back to your previous version of Windows after kicking the tires on Windows 10.

---

Several months ago, I posted, that Windows updates kept stalling, then uninstalled themselves, with a total of 8 reboots. Last week, it finally fixed itself, by uninstalling MSI Afterburner. It was an older copy, so there must have been something in it Win 10 didn't like. This week, I will find something more modern to monitor GPU temps, but with my water cooling, I don't have a problem with GPU overheating. My CPU is running at 4.4 GHz, but is only 30°C due to my new chiller.

It is such a relief to no be constantly be prompted to reboot my system, when I knew it was going to uninstall the updates anyway. I finally reinstalled Adobe Reader, as it had kept switching the pdf default application back to Edge. Now, it finally works! This has been a problem since I did a clean install of Win 10 with my latest computer build.

Steve

---

Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

Several months ago, I posted, that Windows updates kept stalling, then uninstalled themselves, with a total of 8 reboots. Last week, it finally fixed itself, by uninstalling MSI Afterburner. It was an older copy, so there must have been something in it Win 10 didn't like. This week, I will find something more modern to monitor GPU temps, but with my water cooling, I don't have a problem with GPU overheating. My CPU is running at 4.4 GHz, but is only 30°C due to my new chiller.

It is such a relief to no be constantly be prompted to reboot my system, when I knew it was going to uninstall the updates anyway. I finally reinstalled Adobe Reader, as it had kept switching the pdf default application back to Edge. Now, it finally works! This has been a problem since I did a clean install of Win 10 with my latest computer build.

Steve

There's no such thing as a free lunch. This article may say for enterprise customers only, now. But I predicted that Micro$oft would disable the X and they pretty much did just that by making it a button to accept the Window$ 10 upgrade. Just wait. Users that got Window$ 10 "free" will end up paying a monthly usage fee for the rest or Micro$oft's life. Miss a payment and the computer will not boot or have very, very, very limited usage until payment is made. More likely it will boot into a nag window demanding that payment must be made to get past the nag window. Ok, perhaps Micro$oft will be magnanimous and give a 5 day grace period. Uh-huh. ;)

Keep on BOINCing...! :)

---

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

Several months ago, I posted, that Windows updates kept stalling, then uninstalled themselves, with a total of 8 reboots. Last week, it finally fixed itself, by uninstalling MSI Afterburner. It was an older copy, so there must have been something in it Win 10 didn't like. This week, I will find something more modern to monitor GPU temps, but with my water cooling, I don't have a problem with GPU overheating. My CPU is running at 4.4 GHz, but is only 30°C due to my new chiller.
Steve

You might want to take a look at SIV [System Information Viewer] SIV64
which is a nice utility to monitor GPU temps and CPU temps, in fact Everything about your system. If you have a Corsair Link AIO device it also will monitor and control that. I don't bother with the standard Corsair Link software and just use SIV64 to control my H-100i V2 cooler. Also allows custom fan control on Nvidia GPUs.

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Seti@Home classic workunits:20,676 CPU time:74,226 hours

A proud member of the OFA (Old Farts Association)