Windows 10: What You Need to Know

[STEED]

Update on my friend his Win7 is back but there are problems he can not fix so hes taking it into repair shop this week.

[STEED]

Susan Bradley busts Microsoft in the chops

First and foremost I think Microsoft is being a bully on the Internet. A big bully. The manner in which Windows 10 has been pushed out the patching channel has me seriously questioning if I want to be associated with this Company going forward… No update should install without your explicit permission to do so. I don’t appreciate that it’s being done with the justification of “from feedback from Microsoft customers”. No, Microsoft, we asked you for an easier way to say no, thank you. No one asked you to schedule the upgrade for us.

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/susan-bradley-busts-microsoft-in-the-chops/

They should be given a dam good spanking but MS may enjoy that. :03:

[aanker]

May be of interest:
From AskWoody:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3074096/microsoft-windows/hit-by-an-unexpected-windows-10-upgrade-heres-how-to-recover.html

[Onkel Neal]

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/susan-bradley-busts-microsoft-in-the-chops/

They should be given a dam good spanking but MS may enjoy that. :03:

Microsoft? A bully?

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4ea07b50ecad04ab10000009-1190-625/microsoft-promises-not-to-use-patents-to-bully-competitors.jpg

[Onkel Neal]

Wow, this is getting out of hand :/\\!!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3073457/windows/how-microsofts-nasty-new-windows-10-pop-up-tricks-you-into-upgrading.html

The redesigned GWX pop-up now treats exiting the window as consent for the Windows 10 upgrade.

So after more than half a year of teaching people that the only way to say “no thanks” to Windows 10 is to exit the GWX application—and refusing to allow users to disable the pop-up in any obvious manner, so they had to press that X over and over again during those six months to the point that most people probably just click it without reading now—Microsoft just made it so that very behavior accepts the Windows 10 upgrade instead, rather than canceling it.

[Skybird]

Skunks stink, Neal, what's the surprise?

Its pointless to accuse a scorpion of stinging. Stinging is part of its true nature. Best advise is to avoid it and leave it to itself.

Or smash it with your boot, then it cannot run after you anymore.

[Skybird]

Same story, different narrator.

https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/67367/upgradegate-microsofts-upgrade-deceptions-undermining-windows-10

[STEED]

^Just been reading that article. :)

MS is like those big criminal banks not giving a dam who they walk over and hurt. They are a disgrace and I bet they will get away with it, that is too say the more evil backstabbing under handed tactics to come.

[Skybird]

Some days ago, I posted this at Woody'S forum:

Marc says:
May 20, 2016 at 7:54 pm (http://www.askwoody.com/2016/is-microsoft-forcing-win7-customers-to-upgrade-to-win10/comment-page-1/#comment-85321)

People should not be surprised that MS does what it does, for it now officially does not care for private customers anymore like it once did, in the 90s when climaxing its dominace with Win95. But in recent years, MS has more and more pulled out of producing for private consumer market, their attempts to grab a hold in the smartphone market crumbled, their strategy with the Surface tablets has collapsed, and in the first market they have almost completed their pull-out, with the latter market being not updated with new hardware anymore, it seems to be set for getting abandoned sooner than later, too. Windows as a coin-generator has lost meaning due to Google and Apple with their OS hacking away at it, also MS Office sees strong and free competition via LibreOffice and Apache Office. MS more and more exclusively focusses on the server market and business sector, maybe cloud services. Private customers only disturb the routine here.

You guys feel ignored by MS for one simple reason. You are indeed being ignored for real, that simple. They do not care for you as customers anymore. In principle, you are just a surviving artifact of an older time long since gone, and nowadays you are a nuisance. They probably would prefer you would not exist – and your Win7 installations would seize to exist as well so that they can stop investing into their efforts of trying to transform them into W10.

Your hopes for MS turnign better again, are illusory. Your good will and patience is in vain. Wake up to the truth.

[Rockin Robbins]

I predicted it four months ago. I posted the fix: a combination of GWX Control Panel and Spybot Anti-Beacon. It worked then and it continues to work now. Microsoft announced back in December that in the first quarter of 2016 the upgrade would no longer be voluntary. Why, why didn't people believe them? Why, when the solutions were published by me to the point where I received PMs to just shut up, didn't people take the medicine?

Nobody running those two programs, or even running GWX Control Panel alone, has seen the upgrade window. We've been trumpeting the solution for four months. Those being caught have no excuse.

[aanker]

........ Why, when the solutions were published by me to the point where I received PMs to just shut up, didn't people take the medicine? ......
Thanks for not shutting up. You, Skybird & Steed all brought the seriousness of this into the light and gave good advice that kept my Win 7 'clean'.

Funny, I heard about this first on Subsim!

[Skybird]

Its not really a solution, it is a workaround - to arrange oneself with what I consider to be open fraud now, criminal behavior.

Its as if some fraudster offers a contract and not signing means one accepted it, or saying "no" is taken as a "Yes".

A "Solution" it would be if MS unconditionally goes back to the old ways of communication where terms meant terms, and words had a non-arbitrary meaning and faulty patches indeed were accidents, not intention, and communication was no trap.

Thus, there is only one reasonable way out now: rejecting to arrange oneself with a foul compromise, and drawing (pulling?) the consequence - abandon the use of MS software and products. Everything else is wishful thinking only, and lamblike naivety. I do not understand that people accept to be like this and try so hard to like W10, and find endless excuses for MS wicked ways. I just cannot understand that. They do their share to make things worse in the future.

Because in the end they help that MS gets away with it. And by securing that outcome, they help to make sure that in the future things will get even worse. Because MS once again has learned that it will get away with it. So why should it chnage its ways, if they are so successful?

Its like this with so many things, isn't it. Going cashless instead of using cash. Obeying businesses' questionable demands or influences instead of letting said businesses die by boycotting them. Taking the shortsighted easy solution and ignoring the longterm consequences. And my favourite: always - blindly, unreasonably - hoping for the best, and considering that to be a good strategy.

Disillusionising.

[Rockin Robbins]

But it is a solution if you don't want to give up Windows 7 for now and have no intention of sending another penny to Microsoft. It buys probably five years to find an alternative.

If you're running Windows 7, you spent the money awhile ago. Whether you continue to use it or not, it doesn't make Microsloth another pfennig.

My strategy is neither shortsighted, nor blindly hoping for the best. It is a measured response, mitigating a formerly good company's moves to coerce my behavior. The sky is not falling. Others will rise up to eat Microsoft's lunch and we'll never miss a beat, nor will we miss Microsoft.

In the meantime, Windows 7 is the refuge of choice, buying time for events to pan out. Microsoft is already shut off. No Microsoft Cloud. No Access. No Microsoft devices of any kind. No Microsoft software, ever again. How is that "taking the shortsighted easy solution and ignoring the longterm consequences?" It isn't.

You don't drop hydrogen bombs on cockroaches. You don't cut off your arm to fix a hangnail. This is a mere nuisance, not a catastrophe.

[Skybird]

This is completly new territory for me: are there any laptops, game-performance compatible, that are optimised or designed to be used with Linux in the first? And have no Microsoft stuff pre-installed? Any brand to look for, any roduct-line? - (I sit in Germany).

Also, my well-proven, good-quality printer Canon iPixma 5200 does not like Linux, because Canon does not like Linux. Drivers I changed, but the one driver has okay picture quality and lousy text print, the other prints text well but you can forget images with it. Any company, brand, product line to look out for that is optimised for Linux (but works with W7 as well if wanted), and that has the option to use cheaper third party ink cartridges?

Printing is one of the few things were Linux with my current hardware really lets me down. My old scanner, also a Canon model (some 8400 name), is not much liked by Linux, too. Canon is said to run an explicit business policy to not support Linux and line up with Microsoft's policies that way. Unfortunately, I feel the sting from that. Which is a shame, both devices are superb quality for the buck. A combined printer-scanner solution running reliable under Linux with good printing results and high resolution scanning (photo negatives) would be welcomed, too.

[Rockin Robbins]

Here's a good article (http://www.howtogeek.com/185286/how-to-buy-a-laptop-for-linux/) on how to buy a laptop for Linux. Interestingly, Neal's present giant killer laptop, the Dell XPS13, was also sold in an Ubuntu version without Windows on the machine at all.

Interestingly, Ubuntu makes it pretty easy to buy a laptop, maintaining a list of Ubuntu Certified Hardware (http://www.ubuntu.com/certification/) so you can determine whether a given machine meets the task of Linux.

[Rockin Robbins]

----------------

What a clumsily written article! It was a sheer torture to read.

[Skybird]

Thanks, Robbins. It seems I need to look closer at specifically in Germany available brands.

The good thing is I have no time pressure at all.

[Rockin Robbins]

I've found the trickiest components for Linux are wireless network cards and printers. There is some high-falutin graphics scheme that requires an i7 processor and has problems with Linux.

[STEED]

The Get Windows 10 patch, KB 3035583, is back

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3075480/microsoft-windows/microsofts-get-windows-10-app-kb-3035583-re-appears-for-no-reason.html

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-get-windows-10-patch-kb-3035583-is-back/

It's never gone away that bad smell.

[Onkel Neal]

Here's a good article (http://www.howtogeek.com/185286/how-to-buy-a-laptop-for-linux/) on how to buy a laptop for Linux. Interestingly, Neal's present giant killer laptop, the Dell XPS13, was also sold in an Ubuntu version without Windows on the machine at all.

Interestingly, Ubuntu makes it pretty easy to buy a laptop, maintaining a list of Ubuntu Certified Hardware (http://www.ubuntu.com/certification/) so you can determine whether a given machine meets the task of Linux.

Actually I have the XPS15

For the max everything.

At some point in the future, I may look into a Linux machine. I don't have the time to invest in learning that now, but the way MS is going, Windows could be extinct in 5 years. All we need if Google to make an Android OS for the PC and give it away free.... surprised that hasn't already happened.:hmm2:

[Rockin Robbins]

Actually I have the XPS15

For the max everything.

At some point in the future, I may look into a Linux machine. I don't have the time to invest in learning that now, but the way MS is going, Windows could be extinct in 5 years. All we need if Google to make an Android OS for the PC and give it away free.... surprised that hasn't already happened.:hmm2:
If Google does anything I think it would be a hybrid ChromeOS/Linux/Android and it would be a giant killer. With Steam paying developers to port mainstream games to Linux and Google behind the killer operating system Microsoft would be doomed, banished to the hell of cloud services, which I hope we would all avoid like bubonic plague.

[Onkel Neal]

Don't get me wrong, I am not a long term MS hater, :oops: I just am appalled by the direction they are taking their OS in. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and change everything in the UI for the sake of changing it (and confusing the end user, Steve Jobs would be livid), MS should be focusing on the user experience. Make Windows 10 so appealing that people want to upgrade, don't use extort them.

[Onkel Neal]

And now I am officially a MS hater :down:

Well, I just got another $45 Windows 10 upgrade forced on me. I did have the setting that disallowed downloads over a metered connection checked, but Windows downloaded it anyway without letting me know it was doing, without letting me know that it was starting a large download over my cell phone account, just told me Windows will upgrade your system now. I am all for upgrades but this costs me money, and I don't like having no notification or control of what Microsoft decides to download onto my PC.

Now I am unable to find the setting at all, this has all changed
http://www.pcworld.com/article/29531...-own-pace.html

I cannot even find what version of Windows my PC is now running, I looked in Control Panel/System, and I tried Start/Search programs and files.

It shouldn't be this difficult. Or costly.

[Jimbuna]

Neal, try clicking on the four squared MS icon (bottom left) then Settings (gear wheel) and the page that comes up (on my pc anyway) 'System' at the bottom left there is the option About, click on that and this is what I see on my screen.

http://i.imgur.com/q9BFTG9.jpg

[Onkel Neal]

Thanks, Jim. Looks like I have the same version as you.

[Jimbuna]

You're welcome matey :salute:

[Skybird]

Well. Maybe this costly event increases the chance for a sudden moment of enlightenment. ;)

Don't trust neither Microsoft's words, nor the settings in their software. Your system does not belong to you anymore - it belongs to them. Your privacy as well. Because YOU are the product now.

Welcome to the brave new world. - Go Linux. Apple, Google are not any better than MS - MS trails them.

Linux Mint has been developed to be as similar to Windows as they could make it, by this helping the migration from Windows to Linux. Its the Linux distribution of choice, if you are new to Linux. Saving an ISO to a bottable USB stick allows you to boot with Linux and check all its offers without needing to install it on HD. You can also test whether your laptop likes it or not. Testing several drivers for gfx card may be needed. Before installing to HD, mayke sure you got some edcuation on how to partition the HD best for Liunux, and how to avoid messing up the boot loader in case you chose a dual installation with Windows. Also, UEFI and BIOS need different procedures - UEFI was pushed by MS last but not least to make it more difficult for Linux advancing into Windows territories.

[STEED]

Don't trust neither Microsoft's words, nor the settings in their software. Your system does not belong to you anymore - it belongs to them. Your privacy as well. Because YOU are the product now.



That was clear to me when they said it was free for a year. :03:


Sorry to hear you got stung Neal.

[Onkel Neal]

Steve, Sky, what do you know about GWX Control Panel ?
http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

A PC guru suggested this would prevent Windows 10 from initiating stealth upgrade downloads. I will look into it tomorrow when I get home.

I apologize if this was discussed earlier in this thread, I am only extremely limited internet access today and cannot go look. :oops:

[Skybird]

GWX Control Panel I saw first mentioned in Woody's blog.

It is a background tool running and monitoring all the time whether your system receives any of the KB updates critical for preparing and downloading the pesty advertising of "Get Windows X!"

Since you already have W10 running, i fear this "control" tool is of no use for you.

Also, while it increases the chance for W7 and W8 users to avoid getting targetted by those critical KB "updates" that first advertise and later automaticaly try to install W10, I seem to recall that in the past there were changes by Microsoft that led to people using GWX CP fetching the unwanted malware nevertheless. It'S good to have it if you are a W7 or W8 user - but do not put all your money on this one alone.

Latest development this year have confirmed me in my scepticism that MS will even mislabel patch content and update descriptions in an effort to lure people into downloading GWX and W10. Its not just shouting and yelling when I say that MS have crossed the red line to right-out cheating and criminal behaviour, imo. People get openly lied to regarding what they download - or are made to believe to download.

The only way to be safe is to cut ties with MS servers, especially all and every download service like Windows Update Service. I myself decided that it is not worth for me to read one hour every day only to keep myself updated about the latest news and tricks in MS' war against its customers, the ratio between time invested and benefits gained calculated extremely badly in the end, so I stopped all updates alltogether, use W7 only as a game launcher and for NOTHING else, and do all surfing, working, writing, editing and so forth via Linux installation. There is a risk involved, since Explorer is deeply embedded in Windows and always does some minor stuff in the background and via internet even when you use another browser or do not browse under Windows at all (thats why your CCleaner always deletes some minor, small Explorer files when you run it, even when you never open Explorer at all and have disabled or maximised all its critical options), but it is the lesser evil. And if my Windows game launching installation gets corrupted, I simply delete it and copy over an image.

Note to all: Windows on-board solution for cloning an image of your HD to an external storage, never was a 100% reliable solution anyway, but since months gets reported to suffer from growing numbers of users saying that they now canno9t even create an image with Windows onboard tools (W7) from start on. Sometimes it is due to lacking virtual memory, it seems, or they messed up their background service settings. But I want to say that here is another tempting opportunity for Microsoft to erode the Windows7 user basis even more - by preventing people from creating security images of their W7 installations so that they cannot install W7 freshly via such an image. I'm just saying. Be on your guard, Microsoft plays stinking foul, and they certainly have not missed this chance to damage W7 this way. If you do a HD image, use a separate software solution, not Windows onboard solution.

Windows 7 was the best OS - and the last operation system! - they ever put together, and now they try so hard to kill its reputation and to destroy it. Shows what crazy lunatics are at the helm on Microsoft's bridge. Its really high time that this ship sinks. And who knows - maybe that would deliver a healing shock to the user community worldwide who still takes it for granted that MS software will be around forever. Or services. Or free use of XYZ. LOL

[aanker]

Steve, Sky, what do you know about GWX Control Panel ?
http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

A PC guru suggested this would prevent Windows 10 from initiating stealth upgrade downloads. I will look into it tomorrow when I get home.

I apologize if this was discussed earlier in this thread, I am only extremely limited internet access today and cannot go look. :oops:
It will not permit Win 10 Updates to the operating system or the nag screen updates to be installed on a Win 7 or Win 8.1 computer if it is set up correctly and in monitor mode. I use it to prevent being updated to Win 10.

I also look at the KB numbers and uncheck any that are on 'the list' of KB numbers that have anything to do with Win 10 on the Microsoft Update site although according to his description below it may be unnecessary for me to do that. I'm using version 1.7.3.1.
GWX Control Panel is the easiest way for users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to protect their computers from Windows 10. With GWX Control Panel you can: Remove the "Get Windows 10" icon that appears in your notification area, prevent your Windows Update control panel from upgrading your computer to Windows 10, prevent your computer from secretly downloading Windows 10 installation files, detect and remove the hidden Windows 10 installation files if they're already on your PC, optionally monitor your computer for unwanted Windows 10-related settings and files- and beginning with version 1.7 you can now easily delete some hard-to-remove program files that are known to cause Windows 10 upgrades and annoyances.

[Onkel Neal]

This seems to stop Windows updates?

[HunterICX]

This seems to stop Windows updates?

Short answer: No.

GWX (Get Windows 10) is useless post upgrade.
What I can see within the configuration of my Win 10 PC at work is that you can't seem to turn off the Auto-Updates like you could under Windows 7 for example by telling ''Windows Update'' to never check and/or download updates automatically.
In Win10 you only get 2 options: Auto and Notify when to reboot (which both means that Windows will update on it's own whether you like it or not)

however after a quick google there's a solution for 'metered' connections: http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/?PageSpeed=noscript

[Skybird]

Neal,

to my best knowledge GWX is to prevent users of W7 and W8 from getting W10 nagware and installation files - or any updates at all. It can ban on these systems the installation or looking-for any updates at all. This was necessary, since Microsoft bypassed the onboard update settings of users that thought they were safe if they switch off auto-updates or even recommended updates, and do it manually after scanning manually the available KB files for numbers they do not want. Microsoft pushed through not only the GWX nagware, but made it incredibly difficult to delete it again, and it re-released critical files time and again (up to two dozen times...) under different version numbers to trick out and bypass blacklists in scanners that were standing guard against these updates. Microsoft even went that far to have tens - if not hundreds, nobody counted them for sure - of thousands of systems auto-updating to W10 although the owners of said systems had set their settings such that right this should have been impossible, at lest should have been formally forbidden. But Microsoft does not take a No for an answer anymore. They now have changed the rules of communication and take it as permission to install if people do close nagware windows by clicking on the X at the right top corner - in the past twenty years this would have cancelled the action, now all of a sudden Microsoft says it confirms the action. Earlier, they have upgraded nagware and W10 installation updates from "optional" to "recommended", I may be wriong, but I think Woody said somwhere one of these files - junkware, mind you - even rate as essential securit yupdate now, but I could be wrong here.

All this interests users of W7 and W8 only, who do not want to downgrade to Windows 10 and want to maintain even a minimum of control over their systems, and a minimum of privacy, a hilariously small amount of privacy already - and for them, GWX Control, Panel was made.

You already have W10 installed.

In case nobody told you: W10 users can only delay, but cannot prevent auto-updating of their systems, no matter whether they want it or not. All that faulty KB stuff, that erratic updates, the sniffware you do not want and the beta-testing program you do not want to participate in - you sooner or later will be subscribed by MS to accept all that nevertheless, for you are no longert ruler in your own house.

The specific way to delay it I read somewhere in Woody'S blog, but since I never installed W10, I do not care for these W10-specifics that much and thus did not pay much attention on how to do it. Maybe there are some tricks possible with metered connections, but it is up to others to explain that, if that is possible, I cannot.

You are already in the trap - you have W10. You do not need a map to avoid this trap. You need a shovel to dig yourself out.

And no, I would not rely on GWX to prevent my Windows 10 installation getting any updates anymore. That is not what the tool was made for, its not for W10 users, but users of W7 and W8. Its already in the name : GWX stands for "Get Windows 10".

Consider to dramatically reduce your dependency on and need for Microsoft. Its the only really reasonable option. And they - will not change for the better, they are running their new business policy and in that policy private end users play a significantly unimportant role. Private users simply are not the market they aim at anymore.So bury the past and let it rest there.

[Skybird]

That should do the trick.
Have the same setting selected in Win 7's ''Windows Update'' and haven't seen a single update been downloaded for over a year now.
Does not compare. You are on W7, Neal is on W10 already.

[HunterICX]

Does not compare. You are on W7, Neal is on W10 already.

I spotted my mistake and editted my post, was busy at work so gave it a quick glance not spotting it was GWX.

[aanker]

however after a quick google there's a solution for 'metered' connections: http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/?PageSpeed=noscript
Yes, I just learned about the metered connection trick and read that many are using it now. For now, this looks like the answer.

[Fubar2Niner]

@Sky, RRobbins and others in the know.

Is it now no longer possible for Neal to roll back to his previous OS ? I ask because I experimented with W10 ( admittedly for just a couple of hours ), I then rolled back to 7 :hmmm:

Just a thought.

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

[aanker]

Officially there was a one month roll back period but there is a trick to roll back after that.

It involves 'reformatting' the hard drive to restore the original computer operating system and configuration it was in when it was purchased using the Recovery feature.

Edit:

How to Uninstall Delete Windows 10 after 30 days and rollback to Windows 8 or 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rJTo1i57PY

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[LIVE] How To Downgrade If Windows 10 Doesn't Give You The Option
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHkUerwJzLk

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://www.infoworld.com/article/3033806/microsoft-windows/how-to-roll-back-your-windows-10-upgrade.html

[Skybird]

@Sky, RRobbins and others in the know.

Is it now no longer possible for Neal to roll back to his previous OS ? I ask because I experimented with W10 ( admittedly for just a couple of hours ), I then rolled back to 7 :hmmm:

Just a thought.

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner
I really do not know for sure. These tools existed since longer time in Windows versions, but I found them sometimes working as advertised, but failing as often, too. So I do not trust them especially when they are now linked to W10. Backups and image cloning and back-copying I always do with external tools, therefore. My tool still is is Acronis 2011.

Then, it is against Microsoft's intentions to allow people just switching back easily to W7, withoit pay, without any kind of hook, without any kind of backfire. Another reason not to trust into back-rolling the Microsoft-way. I do not put my trust in that they really do just that, nothing more. Not after their many attacks and charges over the past 12 months. Trust is gone. Forever, completely. Will never come back - promised.

And if Neal bought his laptop new with W10 preinstalled, I again see a problem there.

Install new. one partition with W7 that does not get updated at all, not beyond SP1 or so, via an archive DVD, and use this only for launching games. Another partition with any other OS for all other tasks: surfing, emailing, browsing, working, writing, photo-editing and so forth.

If you do not need Windows, why wasting all this time to fight a battle that in the end Microsoft will win anyway?

[aanker]

While trying to find out if I could update my Win 7, I scrolled down and saw this:

From AskWoody

"FBI pushes for more power to crush your privacy"
June 3.
http://www.askwoody.com/
-
We're on MS-DEFCON 3. I'm going to wait to update until he sorts out SP2 and related patches (also on the same page). I'm not sure if I should do the usual "Important updates" or wait, so I'm waiting : )

Take care...

[andy_311]

You can revert to factory settings (ie with mine win7 sp1)after 30 days I have an acer pc and had a few of them when I got mine it gave you an option to revert to factory settings the files where on your HD or burn them to disc and then delete the files of your pc. I do have win 10 installed plus I have altered a lot of files in win 10 especially for edge,cortina,etc and removed MS "Trusted Installer" permissions and there's loads of them.I have a dvd that will now let me go back to win 7 SP1 factory plus a hundred usless apps as well,my HD is only backed up to around 40% so far. So far as I know most of MS nagware/spyware is disabled inc win updates. So what do I Do stay as I am or revert back ?

[Skybird]

Reverting back to W7 after you installed W10 is an option that MS offers, but that not for all people goes smooth and troublefree, it can give you a broken installation. Which is not surprising, considering that we talk of exchnaging ALL of the OS, not just an installed program or a data folder.

What you gonna do, you ask. Get one clean installation of W7 via your factory DVD, switch off all WUS-related stuff and THEN activate it, else WU starts maqybe while you even wait for activation. Next clean it of all the bloatware you do not want or need, and do not install anything that must be frequently updated. Make a slim, solid, trustworthy installation - and then create an image of this with an external tool, to an external HD. Keep this drive safe and declare it holy.

Not before now you start to install software, security scanners and such. If you still go with WU, do it manually - while when you do not update it at all anymore, go with another OS for all your needs, as I often explained in this thread.

Have a list with KB numbers of updates that are dangerous, and filter them out in WU, never run WU in automatic mode.

Get GWX control panel.

Do not trust words given by Microsoft, do not trust their file ratings of "optional", "recommended", "essential". They have abused them to deceive the nagware they wanted to push onto people's HDs, upgrading optional W10 advert files to recommended files, and so on.

Be on your guard, deal with MS as little as you can.

And the most important and only really reasonable advise of all: use alternatives. Everything else in the end is just a lousy compromise, leaving your system either vulnerable or corrupted. There is no really trustworthy solution under Windows anymore. Not W10. Not W7.

[STEED]

https://memecrunch.com/meme/BG68A/i-have-just-been-downgraded/image.jpg?w=500&c=1

A friend just emailed this saying bloody women in reference to his wife, he was on Win8. He also said he will give a it ago for a week before going back to Win8.

[Eichhörnchen]

http://i.imgur.com/VUCayVS.jpg

This is what it's like trying to install Windows 10 for a lot of people... a bloody farce. Takes all day and all night to download (after three failed downloads, costing me valuable metered data) then hangs up on the "Preparing to install" screen.

I don't even want Windows 10, but I've been told I should get it if I'm going to run my business online (as I plan to) because I should always have the latest and best anti virus and malware.

I wanted to install it this month while it's still free.


Belay that (to a degree, anyway)...

Shortly after the above rant, a panel popped up to begin the upgrade and, after a LONG wait (during which time I'd given up all hope) I'm finally on Windows 10, even though I still would rather not be.

My laptop is already Windows 10 so I know my way around it.

[Skybird]

because I should always have the latest and best anti virus and malware.


And Windows 10 gives that, or any earrlier Windows' onboard security solutions...? Serious...???

:haha: :har::haha: :har:
:har::haha: :har: :haha:
:haha: :har::haha: :har:
:har::haha: :har:


The overwhelming majority of attacks and malware events take place - under the generous and understanding umbrella of Microsoft software, with Google and Adobe in close second and third places.

Do not run your finance and business stuff via computer, if you can. If you cannot avoid it, minimise it as much as you can.

It.
Is.
Not.
Safe.

[Eichhörnchen]

No... I use 'AVG' (but may change to 'Kasparsky') plus 'Malwarebytes'; I only meant that over time these will surely usually be configured for the most up-to-date version of 'Windows'?

I don't have any of my finances anywhere near the internet, but I am going to have to have a website in order to sell my work.

[STEED]

The way Microsoft is going you will only be able to run what they tell you.

Once my Win8 sails into the night I will be switching away from Microsoft.

[Eichhörnchen]

It crossed my mind too, after all I've read here over time.

Already I'm experiencing fresh problems on this PC: very slow startups and, most aggravating of all, a Start Menu button that stops working and won't function again without a restart. Looking online, loads of other people are experiencing this and they're all given elaborate instructions to 'correct' it, which I would contend even a lawyer would struggle to understand. But we shouldn't HAVE to put it right ourselves... there was no problem in Windows 8.

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, Windows 10 has been far from a finished OS.

Yesterday I was minding my own business when one of my tenants, an accountant, stepped in my office. "My secretary is at lunch and I see her machine doing something very strange. Could you check it out?"

When I got to it, the computer had this really lousy looking monochrome crippled Windows symbol on it and said it was downloading Windows 10. I said "Her computer is upgrading to Windows 10."

Now you have to keep in mind that upgrading to Windows 10 for an accountant, lawyer or medical office most often is the same as closing the business. Single business software is generally very intolerant to "upgrades." Software for my storage business failed on a routine update of Windows XP and I had to run on a January 2012 version of XP in a Virtualbox until I spent $3000 on new software.

So, since the screen said "downloading" and not installing I used the Mac Truck of PC maintenance by holding the power button down for 5 seconds. The machine shut off. What happens when it comes back on?

I switched it back on, and after an unusually long boot a text box came up saying the machine was reverting to Windows 7. When it was fully restored (and the restoration process didn't destroy the system either! No losses as far as we could determine), Windows update came up with a dialog box.

"Due to unknown circumstances Windows 10 was unable to install." Just like the new update screen it had an update now button. There was no alternative but the "x" in the upper right corner. As of Tuesday before last, that "x" doesn't mean close the dialog box any more.

With no announcement or notification given that x now means "Sock it to me! I NEED Windows 10 NOW!" So don't even think about using it. I was able to use the task manager to shut down the dialog box, but first I just left it there while I installed GWX Control Panel on that and his other computers in the office. THEN I shut down the Windows Update process with the task manager.

Microsoft no longer considers your well being worthy of their concern. They have sharply rounded the bend from serving customers to preying upon them. Microsoft richly deserves to die. Customers deserved to be served, and not as dinner to sharks.

At least I found that the computer can be shut down during the upgrade process, so long as it is still in the download phase, and the computer will revert to Windows 7. The reassignment of the upper-right X shows that your well being is of no concern to Microsoft. They are quite happy to put you out of business at their whim while violating your rights as a computer owner.

[STEED]

Microsoft should face court action but we all know they will be found not guilty. So lets get them up against the wall, form up behind Skybird who clearly has a few scores to settle with them. :)

[Rockin Robbins]

The true currency of business isn't money. It's trust. Microsoft is going to learn that lesson the hard way.

[STEED]

The true currency of business isn't money. It's trust. Microsoft is going to learn that lesson the hard way.

The sooner the better I say.

Problem is too many people have Win10 fever.

[aanker]

No... I use 'AVG' (but may change to 'Kasparsky') plus 'Malwarebytes'; I only meant that over time these will surely usually be configured for the most up-to-date version of 'Windows'?

I don't have any of my finances anywhere near the internet, but I am going to have to have a website in order to sell my work.
Anti Virus and Malware software like, AVG, Avast, Avira, Zone Alarm etc are concerned with notification of viruses in a scan, and protecting against viruses and malware independent of the version of Windows that is being used is my understanding, unless stated otherwise on the reading material about their product.

My anti virus doesn't care if the virus comes from Win 7, Win 10, or a Mac, it just protects my computer. I do scan from time to time with another product just to make sure I'm clean.

I've been clean since the 'Monkey virus' got me in the late 80's or early 90's. That was my introduction to computer viruses. - ha! That thing was terrible.

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks for that; I don't remember who it was told me I needed Win 10 to keep antivirus up to date, but we're all going to get stuffed with it in the end, just like turkeys at Christmas. At least I managed to get stuffed free of charge and at a time of my choosing :haha:

[Skybird]

MBAM specialises in finding types of malware that usual virus scanners easily miss. It is designed to run parallel to an virus scanner (usually the advise is to not have two virus scannewr running, they could interfere with each oither), but with MBAM you shozuld not have problems, its made with that iouble use of two scanners on mind.

The difference between payware and freeware versions of security suites is that payware not only offers more features, some of which may just about comfortablity, but others can also add vital security-relevant features, but that the payware versions often alowo constant system surveillance in the background, while the free versions only allow active HD scanning that you do in frequent intervals - your online activity in a givenmoment must not necessarily be secured by them, and that is a big risk. You want that always-on guard feature in the background, you want it, really.

I strictly recommend the payware version of MBAM, it has rang more alarms ovewr the years trhan my antivir and firewall, and you get for a decent fee a lifetime license, so you pay only once, not yearly. Also, get a payware security suite. MBAM payware version since years I consider to be a must-have. Its my most proven security guard in active service, since years.

AV institute is an organization that exmines the effectvieness of the solutions on the market ong roudns of longterm observations, they ratre not only tests results that are a snapshot in time, but also examine how a given suite has been performing over the past 2-4 months in the wild. They sit in Germany and are not associated with and not paid by any software producing company - as to my best knowledge they are indeed independent. Check wioth their latest lists if still needing to buy a suite.

They are the ones who one year ago rang an alarm bell over the detoriating status of security on LKinux systems and that the security suites for Linux available so far are giving lisy performance only.

I randomly found today that this month the apparently first tablet with a factory-installed Linux Ubuntu distribution is hitting the market, at least her ein Germany, it is a middle-class tablet, a BQ Aquaris M10 . Alsom there is said Ubunto distriubvituon available for being used on tablets, so a dedicated tablet Linux. I did not know that. I wonder how the driver situation is. If Linux has one weakness that occassionally can show up, its the drivers for hardware, it seems. Maybe not a big issue with a tablet, since the hardware connected to a tablet is limited.

W7: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-7/
W8: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-8/
WX: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-10/

[Skybird]

Thanks for that; I don't remember who it was told me I needed Win 10 to keep antivirus up to date, but we're all going to get stuffed with it in the end, just like turkeys at Christmas.
When that day comes that I cannot avoid W10 anymore, I will have two separate machines and W10 only with some offline games anymore, nothing else.

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks, Skybird... your warning is very timely, for I only recently discovered that payware can stand 'permanent guard' over your system. I was planning to get this extra peace of mind for my business PC but stick with free for the other (unless it offers multi-device cover). The tables you linked to are very useful indeed, so thank you once again.

And by MBAM I presume you mean Malwarebytes?

[Skybird]

Yes. Malwarebyte'S Anti-Malware.

But always be aware that you only influence the chances in your favour, you do not gain absolute, total protection. There is malware out there since some years that can easily defeat any scanner and firewall on the market and actively avoid getting detected by them. Some gurus go as far as saying that the security business only still runs its income show by raising false assumptions about scanner software to milk people a bit more - their recommendations go as far as saying you should not care for spending on scanners at all.

I think they are still useful, at least for filtering out a good amount of new malware that is not as cleverly coded, and the whole lot of old malware that these scanners, the better ones at least, can reliably filter out.

Its war, and security is loosing it.

[Eichhörnchen]

I read somewhere that Malwarebytes "Anti Exploit" has been specially developed for spotting some of these newer threats. I'd already decided that this was probably the best option...

[Skybird]

Even MBAM can be defeated, I am certain.

As I said: by using security software, you influence chances in your favour, probabilities. But you never gain 100%.

Trust and confidence of the type "I use this and that, I am certain that I will not get hit", is not justifiable. All computer users are vulnerable, for many different reasons: installation, OS, settings, sec software used, sites visited. Some are more vulnerable, some less.

I only recommend to do what you can to belong to the latter. The only alternatives are: either pull the plug completely - or be aware of your risks that you inevitably need to accept. My choice was to reduce them at the cost of reducing comfort in using my rig.

Oh, and one advise that many people will laugh about and laugh at me for, saying it is from the stoneage: when you end your computer session and leave the desk for a brake of not just some minutes - SWITCH OFF your computer, completely. Not sleep mode. Not stand-by mode. OFF. Also, when leaving the house, switch off your modem or router. The telephone call that does not get recorded: if it was important, they will call again.

[Fubar2Niner]

Thanks, Skybird... your warning is very timely, for I only recently discovered that payware can stand 'permanent guard' over your system. I was planning to get this extra peace of mind for my business PC but stick with free for the other (unless it offers multi-device cover)..................

Eich many Suites offer multi platform/device cover. Bitdefender is one, but many others also mate. Don't go down without a fight :salute:


Best regards.

Fubar

[STEED]

Interesting payware Vs Freeware I was having a chat with PC repair guy who is well up on the subject and he said yes payware is better but is limited. He felt that all this standard safeguards will be history as these Malwares/Viruses become more complex and very capable of fooling payware. If true the future is looking dark, well make the most of it people. Better stock up on paper and get a few pigeons in.

BTW: I was with a mate trying to get his PC fixed after MS did the dirty on him. With luck he will get it back running Win8.1 some time next week.

[Eichhörnchen]

Something that AVG keep thrusting under my nose with frequent pop-ups (I'm only using their freeware at the moment) is their 'Tune-up' utility. You get this included with the payware version.

I once bought a PC tune-up software disc for XP (PX Software's 'Tune Up Utilities') at a garden centre, of all places, and this marvellous piece of kit has soldiered on, year-in-year-out, keeping my offline XP computer clean and tidy with ongoing disc clean-ups etc, never needing 'updating' or asking anything more from me. It just gets on with the business I purchased it for.

Isn't there a good, free, 'housekeeping' utility like this for Win10?

[HW3]

IObit: Advanced SystemCare 9 is free and supports Win 10.

http://download.cnet.com/Advanced-SystemCare-Free/3000-2086_4-10407614.html

If you do download from this site, read each install notice carefully, or you might end up with a program you do not want installed too.

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks, buddy :yeah: I'll take heed of the warning, too.

[STEED]

Thanks, buddy :yeah: I'll take heed of the warning, too.

Careful that link is Cnet better known as Malware and loads of other crap net. Mate went over there last week downloaded what he wanted and a ton of other stuff got on his OS behind his back. I know how he feels I got stung twice some years ago and never gone back to that site.

[Sailor Steve]

Here is ASC 9's dedicated download page. You might still find it asking if you want to install this, that or the other new toolbar, so select 'Custom Download" over "Automatic" if they give you that option.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/getmirror/advanced_systemcare_9,1.html

I've been using ASC to clean and shut down my computer for years to clean and shut down my PC every night, and it works very well. I'm still using ASC 6.4. ASC 9 is a lot better, but they broke one little thing with ASC 7 and never fixed it. One of the things I have it set to do is automatically erase all my previous day's internet traces when it starts up, and it worked very well until I got version 7. With that one it would not erase my history, but it would erase my log-ins, so I would have to log back in to all my favorite websites, including my home page. A lot of people complained about it, but when ASC 8 came out it was exactly the same. ASC 9 seemed to fix the problem, but after a couple of months it started doing it again, so I went back to the much older version for that one reason.

If you don't want your PC cleaner program to erase your history every day, then Advanced SystemCare 9 is probably the best one you'll find.

[Jimbuna]

Careful that link is Cnet better known as Malware and loads of other crap net. Mate went over there last week downloaded what he wanted and a ton of other stuff got on his OS behind his back. I know how he feels I got stung twice some years ago and never gone back to that site.

Careful STEED, that link of Steves is Cnet :)

Actually, you shouldn't be too concerned provided you've a decent security kit enabled.

[Sailor Steve]

:o

You're right, it was. I've replaced it with a link to Major Geek's page.

And here's one to Softonic. I don't know if they're bad or not.

[STEED]

Careful STEED, that link of Steves is Cnet :)

Actually, you shouldn't be too concerned provided you've a decent security kit enabled.

That's the problem jim, all that other crap is bundled in on what you want and before the alarms go off a percentage of that crap has landed on your OS. Any old joker can upload to Cnet and some poor sod will get stuffed, granted there are others that are also minefields as well. So far for me FileHipo has been clean as I heard from some where they check the stuff to see its all right.

[Jimbuna]

Advanced System Care: filehippo

http://filehippo.com/search?q=advanced+system+care

[STEED]

Microsoft takes Windows 10 upgrade near nuclear line

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3081401/microsoft-windows/microsoft-takes-windows-10-upgrade-near-nuclear-line.html

I think they have crossed the line by being sneaky, question is will they blatantly cross the line?

[Jimbuna]

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3081401/microsoft-windows/microsoft-takes-windows-10-upgrade-near-nuclear-line.html

I think they have crossed the line by being sneaky, question is will they blatantly cross the line?

Why not? nothing seems to have stopped them thus far.

[STEED]

Why not? nothing seems to have stopped them thus far.

True, just have to see if anyone has the guts to stand up to MS and say that is it see you in court.

[aanker]

True, just have to see if anyone has the guts to stand up to MS and say that is it see you in court.
I think it's money more than guts. I have guts, we have guts, they have big buck lawyers.

I read some of the comments after that article and learned that there is no Media Center in Win 10. It was DC'd after Win 7 but people could still get it for Win 8 & 8.1. I haven't used it but many were complaining about its absence in the comments. Maybe I'll check it out... lol

[STEED]

My Windows media player is crap, it keeps locking up and crashing. Stopped using the dam thing a few years ago :down:

Thank goodness for VLC never had a issue with that. :up:

[Jimbuna]

My Windows media player is crap, it keeps locking up and crashing. Stopped using the dam thing a few years ago :down:

Thank goodness for VLC never had a issue with that. :up:

Never had any substantial issues with Media Player tbh but have used VLC for a looong time now.

[aanker]

Never had any substantial issues with Media Player tbh but have used VLC for a looong time now.
Yep, I've used VLC too long to switch & learn new (old) tricks. It does everything I need and keeps improving.

[Sailor Steve]

It may just be that I'm illiterate in these things, but I keep using WMP mainly because it presents my music the way I want it. If VLC can be made to look like this I'd love to know.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/SailorSteve/WMP_zpseps278w8.jpg (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/SailorSteve/media/WMP_zpseps278w8.jpg.html)

[aanker]

If you're happy with and used to WMC/WMP keep using it.

VLC is more 'primitive' looking but can do so many things, I use it for video and let the folder thumbnails display folder contents.

Here's part of their Wiki support:
https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Open_Media/

Hope that helps.

[Sailor Steve]

I'm not praising WMP. It has its share of faults. I just like that one interface and I really do wish I could find something else that would let me have a similar screen.

MS has released new 'Music' and 'Video' players, which are supposedly much better than WMP. I didn't like either one of them. I'm probably just a crusty curmudgeon. Or a musty crustacean. :dead:

[STEED]

Reader reports missing “Never check for updates” in Win7

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/reader-reports-missing-never-check-for-updates-in-win7/#comments

If this is the work of MS then I hardly see them stopping there.

[aanker]

Win 7 still configured correctly here, maybe they were confused by Win Update Screen 1 below??

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/ptcbupers/GWX_zpsexa751ky.jpg

GWX working in monitor mode.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/ptcbupers/Update_zps3xc0t9ev.jpg

So far, so good. I don't like the last sentence beginning with "Note:" though.

[STEED]

Un-tick those boxes. :)

[aanker]

Un-tick those boxes. :)
Where does it say or show that? I would appreciate seeing something please, I've been looking on his support and also watching YouTube videos to try to find that.

Okay, Thank you again Steed

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p157/ptcbupers/4Update_zpsjyds6umo.jpg

When I do check for updates I uncheck those I don't want, and this month we're on DefCon 2 so I'm not checking.

[Rockin Robbins]

Today I worked on my second computer in a week that was in the process of updating itself. The customer was working on their machine and the screen went black. They shut it down and took it to a computer repair shop which shall remain anonymous. They said "It's in a boot loop and the fix is to reinstall the operating system. $65.00" Well, that's not a bad price to reinstall the operating system, but that's not what she needed. She left there and took the computer to me.

I found when I booted up the computer the friendly "Would you like to upgrade now or tonight?" box with the sucker X in the upper right corner. Fine. Leave the box open and download GWX Control Panel. Install and then close the Windows Update dialog box with Task Manager.

Job done. I charged $25.00 and told her she didn't have to worry about Microsoft tricking her again. She was very happy.

By the way my own computer has been set to "automatically download and install updates" a couple of times in the past couple of weeks. Microsoft is on the prowl and it believes its success comes from the exploitation of its customers. Microsoft is wrong.

[andy_311]

I would like to ask a serious question here 2 days ago my user account went ape it seemed everything just failed I didn't have much choice but I called MS support and explained the situation to them and they did fix the issue to some part. They made me a new account and named it "Test" and then moved everything from my old account into test and it seems to work fine now (I had to get rid of all the malware and spyware )however it came at a price 149GB of hard drive space.Now I would like to ask all the know how guys is I have 2 accounts in my users folder one named from my previous account and test.Am just wondering is it safe to delete my previous account because I want to recover that 149 Gb of space ?.

[Rockin Robbins]

I would like to ask a serious question here 2 days ago my user account went ape it seemed everything just failed I didn't have much choice but I called MS support and explained the situation to them and they did fix the issue to some part. They made me a new account and named it "Test" and then moved everything from my old account into test and it seems to work fine now (I had to get rid of all the malware and spyware )however it came at a price 149GB of hard drive space.Now I would like to ask all the know how guys is I have 2 accounts in my users folder one named from my previous account and test.Am just wondering is it safe to delete my previous account because I want to recover that 149 Gb of space ?.
Two things you need to make sure. Is your original account still the only administrator on the machine? If so you have to log into that account and make your new account an administrator. Otherwise you risk losing any administrative control. And you can't delete the original adminiatrator account from a user account!

Second, are you absolutely sure you've migrated everything you need because it's about to take a permanent vacation!

Then log into your new account and remove administrator statis from your first account. Delete away!

Now, on my computers I have an administrator account I never use under normal circumstances. All my other accounts are user accounts. That way if I lose my user account I still have the administrator account to effect repairs from. And it never gets corrupted because it's only used for strictly administration purposes.

[andy_311]

thanks you RR for the advice,checked everything you said and recovered my 149 gb thank you.

[Skybird]

Microsoft pays woman 10,000$ for bringing her system to a crawl due to an unwanted and failed W10 update.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-draws-flak-for-pushing-windows-10-on-pc-users/

We need hundreds of cases more of this . With 100,000 and even 1,000,000$ per case, so that Microsoft learns the lesson well. In a perfect world, their damages would be so high that they completely eat up any profits they make directly or indirectly with W10.

[STEED]

Looks like there is no end to this war with MS as Get Win10 is back again after the free period!

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/new-get-windows-10-nag-screen-arrives/

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3090472/microsoft-windows/new-get-windows-10-nagware-screen-arrives-no-need-to-install-anything.html

[Rockin Robbins]

Microsoft pays woman 10,000$ for bringing her system to a crawl due to an unwanted and failed W10 update.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-draws-flak-for-pushing-windows-10-on-pc-users/

We need hundreds of cases more of this . With 100,000 and even 1,000,000$ per case, so that Microsoft learns the lesson well. In a perfect world, their damages would be so high that they completely eat up any profits they make directly or indirectly with W10.
Income from a criminal enterprise should be entirely confiscated and distributed to the victims.

I expect that the US wouldn't do such a thing, but where the @#$@## is Europe in this? The Union that backed Microsoft down for including a harmless browser in Windows installations is sitting on its hands while Microsoft fleeces its citizens. Britain probably did the right thing to seceed. (We have an old secession flag we can't use any more we'd sell them for a song!) It's not 50 years old and the European Union is rotten to the core already. Entirely lost any sense of obligation to protect its citizens, and that is the first obligation of any state.

[STEED]

http://overmind.ro/RedAlert/images/redalert.gif

We have a big Patch Tuesday coming tomorrow. Now’s a good time to make sure automatic update is turned off.

http://www.askwoody.com/2016/ms-defcon-2-turn-off-automatic-update-and-pray-for-peace/

My ones were set too off last year.

[Catfish]

... where the @#$@## is Europe in this? The Union that backed Microsoft down for including a harmless browser in Windows installations is sitting on its hands while Microsoft fleeces its citizens....

Afaik the EU was the only "union" that ever did anything against Mickeysoft.

Britain probably did the right thing to seceed. [...] and the European Union is rotten to the core already. Entirely lost any sense of obligation to protect its citizens, and that is the first obligation of any state.Yeah and good luck alone! If there is any union worldwide to protect its citizens or people beyond national borders and against companies at all, it is the EU!

https://fsfe.org/activities/ms-vs-eu/timeline.en.html. (https://fsfe.org/activities/ms-vs-eu/timeline.en.html)

You remember, this is why the US call us socialist:rotfl2:

National corrupt governments have given up their initial task to protect their citizens, or where is the official english or then UK resistance against such perpetration?
Ah it's all the EU's fault, or Obama's. I am sick and tired of this nonsense.

[Fubar2Niner]

http://overmind.ro/RedAlert/images/redalert.gif



http://www.askwoody.com/2016/ms-defcon-2-turn-off-automatic-update-and-pray-for-peace/

My ones were set too off last year.

Thanks for the heads up mate :salute: Already turned off here and anti beacon doing it's thing :up:

All the best.

Fubar

[Eichhörnchen]

http://i.imgur.com/V3IiAXu.jpg

Still having to restart before my bloody Start Menu and email will come on. If I sold someone a car that had to be started twice before the lights and wipers would work, they'd want their money back. I read somewhere that this happens when you download using the 'Get Windows 10' icon, but not if you get it direct. Thanks for that, Microsoft... thanks for nothing.

[STEED]

There is a bad smell in the air yes its the bad smell that just will not go away, KB 3035583 is back!

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3097521/microsoft-windows/last-gasp-microsoft-updates-get-windows-10-nagster-kb-3035583-yet-again.html

[andy_311]

So I assume after July 29 deadline has expired and people then revert back to there last OS win 7 or 8.1 Microsoft can't nag you to get win 10.

[STEED]

Very short article
The ‘Get Windows 10’ campaign will see its day in court

A class is forming in Florida, suing Microsoft for “Get Windows 10.” But the attorney involved lists his company on Facebook as a Real Estate Lawyer.

The plot thickens.

InfoWorld
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-get-windows-10-campaign-will-see-its-day-in-court/

From one on the comments below the article..

Microsoft is in trouble: NY Attorney General pursuing case about Windows 10 forced upgradeshttp://windowsreport.com/microsoft-ny-ag-windows-10-forced-upgrade-lawsuit/

Too little to late, if this was way back when the nagware started maybe but now just can't see MS paying up if they are found guilty.

[Buddahaid]

Still working just fine for me.

[STEED]

Lawsuits filed in Florida and Israel against Microsoft seek class-action statushttp://www.infoworld.com/article/3101744/microsoft-windows/the-get-windows-10-campaign-will-see-its-day-in-court.html

[HW3]

The only ones getting rich are the lawyers, that's why they file the suits in the first place.

[Rockin Robbins]

And the remedy isn't lawsuits. It's the saturation of Microsoft with the absence of your money. Don't buy anything from them ever again. That alone will fix the problem.

[STEED]

More forced advertising creeps into Windows 10 Pro

Starting Aug. 2, admins will not be able to keep Microsoft from pushing the likes of Candy Crush Soda Saga onto Win10 Pro PCs on their networks because certain Group Policies will be deactivated

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3101947/microsoft-windows/more-forced-advertising-creeps-into-windows-10-pro.html

Now the so called free period is over looks like its time to get their money back. :hmmm:

[Fubar2Niner]

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3101947/microsoft-windows/more-forced-advertising-creeps-into-windows-10-pro.html

Now the so called free period is over looks like its time to get their money back. :hmmm:


As the old saying goes, nothing in this world is for free. Seems MS are going to rip the pee out of it tho :nope:

[Skybird]

The next logical step will be that MS tries to install Windows or gain control for pushinging rights on PCs that connect to the web and have not even Windows running as their OS.

No, I am not joking. I just continue on a straight line the course they have plotted in the past 2 years, starting with W8. Mark my words.

[c6owboy]

I will share my sad story. I attempted the upgrade a week ago. The games will start and run but sadly I learned that my video card manufacture did not write updated drivers for windows 10. The generic driver made the game run hideously slow. So I fell back to windows 7. Its an old machine and I only use it for gaming. So my advice if you also run into this problem is to wait till you get all the last updates to windows 7 . Burn an imagine disk for windows 7 and hang on till you get a new machine.

all the best C6owboy

[Aktungbby]

c6owboy!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome to SubSim c6owboy :sunny::sunny:

[STEED]

The case against Windows 10 Anniversary Update grows

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3104389/microsoft-windows/the-case-against-windows-10-anniversary-update-grows.html

Just for those of you on Win10.

[HW3]

Installed on 2 of 3 computers running Windows 10, no problems, except the System Restore issue which is easily corrected by turning it back on.

[DragonRider]

So Windows 10 scores a massive own goal with its new features update.
This up-date downloads then installs then downloads and installs and then again and again and again in a never ending loop.
This slows you computer down and also you keep getting asked to restart.
Any saves you make seem to go missing and in the end the system ties itself in a knot.
This is a real kick in the ass for all those who stood by Windows 10 and put
themselves out to fix all the little problems with it from the start.
Back to Windows 8.1 for me

[STEED]

GAME OVER FOR WIN7/8.1

Looks like our fight back against the evil MS is about to to be delivered a blow this October.

Win7 and 8.1 to get cumulative updates – you no longer control your Win7 or 8.1 machine

https://www.askwoody.com/2016/win7-and-8-1-to-get-cumulative-updates/

Well thanks a bunch MS you have just reinforced the known fact you don't care, you want to rule the waves and you will walk over us to do it.

[Jimbuna]

As much as I strongly disagree with what MS are doing I must say I am hardly surprised.

[HW3]

Actually their idea is a good one if, you ever need to reinstall your operating system. Only one cumulative update to download instead of hundreds of separate ones and, if you only want the security updates you can get just those all in one separate download. Of course, there will always be those who hate anything Microsoft does.

[Skybird]

End game.

Few will remember, but I predicted somethign like this in the days when the first hard informations about what Windows 8 would look like made the rounds. Most of you guys called me Cassaandra and laughed.

I commented on the above linked blog entry at Woody's site, under the name "Marc", and I have nothing to add to those remarks. You can recognise it easily by its length and my usual typos. :)

[Skybird]

Actually their idea is a good one if, you ever need to reinstall your operating system. Only one cumulative update to download instead of hundreds of separate ones and, if you only want the security updates you can get just those all in one separate download. Of course, there will always be those who hate anything Microsoft does.
Getting locked out from your unconditional right to command your system, never is any good. Even less so when the perpetrator has such a prominent record of releasing broken oatches, opatches disabling systems, and abusing his access possibilities for profiliung and spying.

I use an archive DVD of patches, status late summer last year, when reinstalling Windows 7 these days, I do not trust MS and will never allow my system again to vastly connect to their servers. Too much brown smelly stuff has been intentionally mislabeled and lied about, and got pushed on people'S systems under fraudulent claims and lying explanations.

I am convinced that the massive update scanning problems of the past weeks and months have been intentionally designed and left the way they are in, to make the experience unpleasant for people and pushing them to abandon old W7, and get W10.

But I assume people with W10 finding that thei mahcines do not work anymore due to the latest flow of prkioed W10 updates, hardly is any more pleasant. Its a very bad opütion to allow Microsoft poushign its sh!t onto your HD at their will, neitherneeding your "Yes" anymore, nor caring for your opinion and intention.

But if you excuse all that and find words to comfoprt yourself - okay, yopu time yopu waste with repairing your system. You reap the fruitis you have helped to sowe. These fruits here now are black, stinking, and poisonous.

P.S. I have ended my commenting at Woody'S blog with today's posting, and I also stop posting in this thread now. Windows is dead. Out.

[STEED]

Before October I will be cleaning up my PC and removing all stuff that is private and not for sale if you get my drift. Looks like next year I will be on the hunt for a pre-installed OS that is not microsoftcrime.

[Skybird]

Before October I will be cleaning up my PC and removing all stuff that is private and not for sale if you get my drift. Looks like next year I will be on the hunt for a pre-installed OS that is not microsoftcrime.
Going for a preinstalled Linux is a good idea because then the manufacturer/seller can and must guarantee the compatability of all hardware components, and their proper support with Linux drivers. Some brands do better in this than others, some boycott Linux more or less actively by having signed alliance contracts with Microsoft. The Kraken unfortunately casts a shadow in Linux land, too.

And why would one give up Windows just to move to Apple or Google? Thats out from the frying pan and into the fire.

[STEED]

Going for a preinstalled Linux is a good idea because then the manufacturer/seller can and must guarantee the compatability of all hardware components, and their proper support with Linux drivers. Some brands do better in this than others, some boycott Linux more or less actively by having signed alliance contracts with Microsoft. The Kraken unfortunately casts a shadow in Linux land, too.

And why would one give up Windows just to move to Apple or Google? Thats out from the frying pan and into the fire.

Thanks Sky, I shall look in that direction. :)

[Skybird]

Thanks Sky, I shall look in that direction. :)Yes, you probably want to chose between Ubuntu and any of its sub-derivates, or Mint. Mint is the closest to what Windows users are used to. To be like that - that is what Mint has been designed for. I have decided for myself that I am no power user needing Ubuntu for stuff I cannot even dream of, so i stick with Mint. Easy breezy going. Just hardware compatability, also for printers, routers, scanners, must be checked. These three items seem to cause most problems, its always about lacking drivers. So check before buying.

Sounds like a big issue speaking against Linux, but if one prepares in advance, it is not. Linux runs much smoother, reliable, stable and problem-free for me, than Windows ever did.

And look, a new Mint, version 18, has just been released, with LTS (long time support). It will get vital updates at least until 2021, but you can use it beyond that without worries.

[Rockin Robbins]

I also find Elementary OS to be even more like what we're used to than Linux Mint. It's another Ubuntu derivative.

Actually, any of these distros are much like mods for Silent Hunter 4, just a collection of individual modifications to Ubuntu. You can do this yourself! You could take Ubuntu and install Mate or Cinnamon from Linux Mint, even before the Synaptic Package Manager made this easy and before Mate and Cinnamon versions of Ubuntu were published.

And since you are in charge of how your PC looks and operates (I had my Linux looking and working like OSX for awhile!) a distro is just a starting point. There's NOTHING you can't customize. You can even rip out the entire sound system and replace it with another.

Microsoft's "End Game" is the end of Microsoft, not us. When they do a stupid human trick, like Zone Alarm's two updates that took millions of people off the Internet with no easy recourse, people will immediately question the wisdom of leaving their entire computer life in Microsoft's hands.

Just to give you an idea of the future for Microsoft lemmings, Woody says in only one paragraph of this article (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3108405/microsoft-windows/microsoft-changes-win781-updates-pushes-even-harder-for-windows-10.html):
Cumulative updating in Office -- that is, Office Click-to-Run -- hasn't been so problem-free. There were significant bugs in December that wiped out Word macros and customizations (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3017791/microsoft-windows/windows-10-update-kb-3124200-clobbers-word-customizations.html); two in February that caused documents to freeze on open (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3035712/microsoft-windows/patching-delays-raise-red-flags-for-microsoft-as-a-service.html) and knocked out POP3/deleted mail (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3040635/microsoft-windows/february-office-365-update-still-clobbers-pop3-mail-in-outlook-2016.html); one in April that crashed Lync/Skype for Business and Outlook (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3060457/patch-management/microsoft-ackowledges-problems-with-buggy-office-2013-patch-kb-3114941.html); one in June that caused Office apps to throw an error 30145-4 (http://www.infoworld.com/article/2607889/microsoft-windows/another-botched-patch--error-30145-4-plagues-office-2013-click-to-run.html); and another in July where Excel won't open renamed HTML files (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3098898/microsoft-windows/excel-refusing-to-open-files-blame-the-kb-3115322-3115262-security-updates.html). That doesn't bode well for Windows 7 as a service. Things will get worse. Accountability has been removed. Free from user scrutiny, Microsoft will get dumber and dumber until it ceases to exist.

We all need to get behind Steam and their effort to push Linux game development. That's the only missing link holding many to Windows. Commercial software is keeping businesses "loyal" but IT departments will insist on security to their definitions and they also will head Linux' way. Windows has jumped the shark and there's no turning back.

[Rockin Robbins]

Too little, too late, the Electronic Frontier Foundation issues its scathing attack on Microsoft's anti-consumer, anti-privacy mindset as exemplified by Windows 10 gangster tactics:

With Windows 10, Microsoft Blatantly Disregards User Choice and Privacy: A Deep Dive (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive)

It's not over yet. Windows 7 is becoming as bad as Windows 10. User choice is being eliminated as operating systems become marketing and data mining operations, oh yeah, they MIGHT help you run your stuff too if Microsoft approves of your stuff.

Our only escape will be Linux. Time to learn something about it. I suggest a dual installation to acquaint yourself with how superior a culture of "the user is in charge" really is. You already know how to use it. You just haven't done it yet.

[Rockin Robbins]

The excitement seems to be over. Microsoft is now selling Windows 10, just like its previous operating systems. The horrors of GWX are gone. We're living back in a blissful state.

But what is bliss? Isn't it a synonym for ignorance? Even as we breathe easily, Microsoft is beginning its drop-kick of Windows 7. First, and that is taking place now, Microsoft is taking away our ability to screen and choose which updates we will install. Updates to Windows 7, from now on will be released in packages of all the updates they force you to take, the good, the bad, the ugly.

Spyware will enter Windows 7 to make it as customer abusive as Windows 10. The operating system will change its core purpose from serving you in smoothly helping you run the applications on your machine to serving you advertisements (adware that Microsoft would have eliminated 18 months ago) and collecting personal information to be sent back to the mother ship (spyware that would have been eliminated by MSE 18 months ago).

Yes Microsoft, the company that has no scruples in redefining the "x" in the upper right hand (I have to think about what corner now that I run Linux) corner to mean "yes, hit me with the spyware/adware operating system" instead of the universally understood "close the dialog box," is now in total control of your computer. At some point Windows 7 will not be a place that you would want to live.

They appear to have five years of commitment to support Windows 7. But what is the definition of "commitment?" What is the definition of "Windows 7?" Soon, we will find out the answers to those questions and they will stink. Microsoft is squarely in the box held by companies who not only see no need to serve their customers but aggressively prey upon them.

If you are not already running Linux, it's time to start learning. It's not difficult. It runs SH4/GFO flawlessly. It also runs Borderlands2, Counterstrike: Global Offensive, Kerbal Space Program and hundreds of other commercial games perfectly, thanks to Steam, who have also declared war on Windows.

It's time to kick Microsloth to the curb. Do it before they kick YOU to the curb.

[Rockin Robbins]

It's really an exciting day for Windows 7 users. In what Woody Leonard (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3148192/microsoft-windows/microsoft-fixes-windows-7-group-b-security-only-patching-method.html) of Infoworld magazine has to say is that since the "patchocalypse (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3128983/microsoft-windows/how-to-prepare-for-the-windows-781-patchocalypse.html)" where Windows was forcing Windows 7 users to load up the non-security roll-ups that contained spyware in order to get security update corrections, it looked like game over for Windows 7. We were doomed to end up with everything bad from Windows 10 without any of the good stuff.

But in a new announcement, Microsoft has changed their policy. Starting next month, any problems with security updates will be fixed in security updates. So many people quit updating Windows 7 at all that Microsoft felt compelled to change their update policies (https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configmgrdogs/2016/12/07/update-to-supersedence-behaviour-for-security-only-and-security-monthly-quality-rollup-updates/).

From now, if you don't want to import Windows 10 spyware "features" into your Windows 7 installation, you can elect to install only the security updates, and Microsoft pledges that if they screw up a security update, from now on it will be fixed in a security update.

Skybird may be paranoid but that doesn't mean he's wrong. And unlike the pariah he's portrayed as by some on Subsim, he has had enough company to force Microsoft to change their ways. It's a small victory. That's a lot of people who agree with him and who independently came to the same conclusion not to update Windows 7.

Now we need a rollup patch to unload all the spyware we've been compelled to download so far. Of course, using Spybot Anti-Beacon keeps Microsoft from calling home anyway.

[Rockin Robbins]

Fun with Windows 8.1! (hey that rhymes).

Was working on a person's Win 8.1 computer. It was irretrievably borked and needed a reset to factory specs, translated reinstallation of the operating system. Should be straightforward and easy, no?

So first you have to tunnel through the Byzantine weirdness to get to the command to reset. In practice, with these "modern" operating systems you get the search box and type "reset" to get possible options to do what you want. Trying to actually navigate there is dangerous to your sanity and may stress your vocabulary of 4-letter words.

Then reset (reinstall) the operating system. Pat yourself on the back. That wasn't so rough. This lady gets her computer back right away!

"Windows is looking for updates....." Four hours later "Windows is looking for updates........................................... .........." Eight hours later "Windows is looking for updates........................................... ........" Next morning "Windows is looking for" hit the reset button. Same result. Time to check things out.

Woody on Windows mentioned that Microsoft completely changed their update system and without....you guessed it.....a couple of updates you can't update your computer. Quickly adding one and one to get four or five, I surmised that the restored Windows 8.1 is calling home to the old routine but there's nobody home. It's scramble time. In effect, Microsoft locked their car keys in the car so they could remember where they were.

I found out the update which changed the update scheme and how to manually download and install it from the Microsoft Download Center. Did so and "Windows is looking for updates......." forever again. Holy Crap! This is happening to every user of a Windows system who restores a version before the updatepocalypse and there's no solution?

Finally found someone on an Acer discussion group who produced some Microsoft Power Shell scripts to determine what updates a machine needs and manually download the list. First I had to install Power Shell from the command prompt. Then I had to download the scripts, run Power Shell and from the commmand line load up the scripts, which became new Power Shell commands.

Note that according to Skybird a great advantage of Windows is that the GUI is all inclusive. Absolutely untrue! My Silent Hunter 4 Corruption Management System can't be executed in the GUI and neither can these Power Shell scripts be replicated in the GUI.

So in several minutes I'm thanking my lucky stars that I have a legacy from the DOS days, know batch programming and have a decent amount of experience with the Linux terminal. Because here I am now typing commands and watching text output, feeling at home doing it.

It took 12 hours but those scripts downloaded over 1000 updates, totally optimizing the system. When it was done Microsoft Update worked normally and the system could again find and download its own updates. No thanks to Acer. No thanks to Microsoft. Both of them would rather you just die or buy a new system.

Me? I'm staying with Ubuntu. It's much simpler, faster, more advanced, more trustworthy and it never forgets that my computer is MINE.

[Rockin Robbins]

What else could be possibly worse about Windows 10. I mean other than HALF your "start menu" kindergarten blocks being advertisements. lock screen ads (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/223634-windows-10-now-shows-ads-on-lock-screen-heres-how-to-kill-them) disguised as backgrounds, notification ads (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/238968-microsoft-starts-showing-ads-edge-browser-windows-10) for Edge, and a strange pop-up ad (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/243171-microsoft-targets-chrome-users-ads-personal-shopping-assistants-windows-10) for Microsoft’s personal shopping assistant in Chrome. But hell, we're all used to that and Windows 10 is just the greatest thing since Anthrax spores, isn't it?

Until now. In its latest push to redefine "operating system" as an ad serving application that might perform other less useful functions too, Microsoft is serving advertisements......wait for it........in Windows 10 File Explorer!
https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/one-drive-explorer-ads-800x507.png

I'll bet my life this is only the beginning. What's it going to take to just tell Microsoft to get off the island? How far will this fiasco go before you tell Microsoft to go to hell, go straight to hell and don't collect $200?

I've already drawn the line and Microsoft doesn't live on my computer any longer. I don't miss them. And neither would you.

[Rockin Robbins]

http://m.gsmarena.com/microsoft_thinks_its_a_good_idea_to_put_ads_into_y our_windows_10_file_explorer-blog-23859.php has an even more entertaining way of putting it.
Microsoft has been trying to make the concept of ads in operating systems acceptable for a while now, using Windows 10 as its testbed. We've seen lock screen ads, notification ads telling you that Chrome is eating your battery and you should switch to Microsoft Edge, and even some weird targeted pop-up ads for Chrome users informing them about Microsoft's Personal Shopping Assistant.
So by now you should have gotten used to this. That said, Microsoft is ready to take things to the next level - specifically, the Windows 10 File Explorer. That's a pretty essential app that we assume most people use on a day-to-day basis, so here's what you may be presented with the next time you launch it:


Ain't it GRAND?

Where are the Europeans who should be attacking this with sharp knives and hand grenades? They're the ones who mauled Microsoft in the early 2000s just for including Internet Exploder with Windows and using that to stifle competition in the browser market.

Now not only does Microsoft have a kindergarten style browser included in Windows, but is using its other tools like Windows File Explorer to attack Google Chrome and push the Microsoft cloud from a perch unavailable to Box, Dropbox or Google Drive, whose voices are locked out from the advertising platform. This is clear monopolistic abuse and the European courts should be on this like white on rice. It should be a relentless war on Microsoft.

Instead we have silent acquiescence from what appear to be thoroughly corrupted governments. This alone invalidates the European Union. Before the independent nations served to hold one another accountable. Now there seems to be no accountability and justice is available only to the highest bidder.

But hey! Microsoft is good! The trains run on time.

[CapnScurvy]

If I may step into this thread between Double R coming up for air!! (love 'ya Steve) :D

I've been putting together some points about Windows 10 for those of us that use it. From its download/install, to how to make Silent Hunter 4 work with the added memory our modern computers have (its not your Dad's Operating System anymore). Just thought I'd bring up this thread Windows10; Large Address Aware; SH4 Install (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=228888)

[Rockin Robbins]

And the Capn's article is very important if you use Windows 10 to play Silent Hunter 3, 4 or 5.

A four hour old article by a respected computer guru,
Microsoft is disgustingly sneaky: Windows 10 isn't an operating system, it's an advertising platform (https://betanews.com/2017/03/12/disgustingly-sneaky-windows-10-ads/)


"It's time for things to change, but will Microsoft listen?"

The answer is "no." Microsoft has well and truly "jumped the shark." There is no going back. They have decided to move on from serving mankind to preying upon mankind. They won't be missed. The death of Microsoft will clear the decks for a more enlightened replacement.

[ValoWay]

yea, I run win10, too and even after getting rid of 99% of the stuff you don't want certain things are apparently unkillable, they simply keep reappearing after an update which is nothing but egregious and tedious work..

But you know who the real losers are? Those who paid full OS price for this! Adding ads to the free version is one thing but paying for an OS which tries to snoop on you and show you ads? LoL

I used this link among others: https://fix10.isleaked.com

[Skybird]

Microsoft is disgustingly sneaky: Windows 10 isn't an operating system, it's an advertising platform

LINK (https://betanews.com/2017/03/12/disgustingly-sneaky-windows-10-ads/#comments)

"Don't believe what Microsoft tells you -- Windows 10 is not an operating system. Oh, sure, it has many features that make it look like an operating system, but in reality it is nothing more than a vehicle for advertisements (https://betanews.com/2016/11/04/windows-10-edgeads/)."

Add to this that they have fired much of their tech support staff and that th tehcnical quality and reliability of "patches" and driver support has fundamentally declined since the days of W7.

As I use to say: Windows 10 is not the product - the user of Windows 10 is the product.

Be smart. Avoid Windows 10 - and software depending on it. Boycott Microsoft, and try to help making them disappear from the market by ruining them.

[STEED]

I hear on the grape vine from friends their friends are getting these Ad's and as I always said do you really think that one year free period was really free? Of course not, nothing is free wake up people. If MS are so bloody minded they will continual to push their crap on to people and if the people wake up MS is in for a rude awakening.

[Skybird]

I had my blind-eyes-day yesterday. Sorry for being your echo, Robbins. ;)

[Buddahaid]

I don't get hassled by ads at all. I used to be prompted to upgrade office but that's it.

[Rockin Robbins]

I don't get hassled by ads at all. I used to be prompted to upgrade office but that's it.

Some have a high tolerance for ads. I don't. When half the tiles in the falsely named "start menu" are ads and someone says they're not hassled by ads that means that they just like ads. Or Microsoft paid them to lie. :D

So half the tiles on the "start menu" plus this:
https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/one-drive-explorer-ads-800x507.png

....(and that's still a minority of the advertising forced upon you) is reasonable? Not a hassle? I say you're in a very small minority and outside of the norm.

[HW3]

Windows 10 after yesterdays update.

Desktop
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/davestev47/ScreenHunter_18%20Mar.%2015%2010.43_zps0wpowaju.jp g (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/davestev47/media/ScreenHunter_18%20Mar.%2015%2010.43_zps0wpowaju.jp g.html)

This PC
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/davestev47/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2010.43_zpstkjhpnnx.jp g (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/davestev47/media/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2010.43_zpstkjhpnnx.jp g.html)

I don't see any adds, never have seen any adds. BTW desktop picture is my grandson's first haircut.

[Rockin Robbins]

I have enumerated where the ads are with links for proof where necessary. I can gin up a page from yahoo.com with no ads on it but that doesn't mean yahoo.com isn't thoroughly infested to the point of unusability with ads. Just hit that start button unless you've carefully removed all the ads from that too, and show us that half your tiles aren't ads.

Show us your screens and show that lock screen ads (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/223634-windows-10-now-shows-ads-on-lock-screen-heres-how-to-kill-them) disguised as backgrounds, notification ads (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/238968-microsoft-starts-showing-ads-edge-browser-windows-10) for Edge, and a strange pop-up ad (https://www.extremetech.com/computing/243171-microsoft-targets-chrome-users-ads-personal-shopping-assistants-windows-10) for Microsoft’s personal shopping assistant in Chrome don't exist.

Windows is an advertising platform that happens as a side effect to do a few useful things--just like the Ask toolbar or Conduit "services" or 180SearchAssistant or Gator or WhenU-DesktopBar or the cool CoolDesktopSearch! Two years ago Microsoft Windows Security Essentials was hunting and destroying these parasites. Now Windows makes all of them look like upstanding citizens of the Internet. Even the slimeballs don't require you to cede all rights to your computer if you are to use it. At least they have the decency to act illegally, without your consent. They are burglary. Windows is a brutish, strongarm, pistol armed, home invasion.

[Buddahaid]

OK, I don't see ads in the start menu tiles because I don't use start menu tiles and they are turned off, I'm not seeing the lock screen ads because I don't log off on my home PC, and I can't say I've ever seen pop-up ads like that possibly because I use an ad blocker. I have been prompted to switch to Edge but I was getting similar prompts using Windows 7.

In any case, what I have been subject to is so much less than the bombardment from web sites, and game launchers, I just don't really take much notice.

[BarracudaUAK]

Too little, too late, the Electronic Frontier Foundation issues its scathing attack on Microsoft's anti-consumer, anti-privacy mindset as exemplified by Windows 10 gangster tactics:

With Windows 10, Microsoft Blatantly Disregards User Choice and Privacy: A Deep Dive (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive)

...

OK, I don't see ads in the start menu tiles because I don't use start menu tiles and they are turned off, I'm not seeing the lock screen ads because I don't log off on my home PC, and I can't say I've ever seen pop-up ads like that possibly because I use an ad blocker. I have been prompted to switch to Edge but I was getting similar prompts using Windows 7.

In any case, what I have been subject to is so much less than the bombardment from web sites, and game launchers, I just don't really take much notice.

Just an observation...

I checked the link in RR's post and it had several other links within it.
Including, but not limited to, links to legal actions taken against Microsoft last year. Maybe Buddahaid and HW3's lack of ads is due in part to this.

Or, it may be due to what they set when they setup their install(s).


I'm not saying it is either/or, but I am saying I've seen WInME run PERFECT. Ocasionally.

I've also seen it 'virtually' crater so hard you felt it in the real world.

I setup a friends new all-in-one with Pre-installed Win10 a few months ago.
No ads, but it did want to install when it wanted, and wouldn't let me install the software that he needed unless I rebooted so it could update.
It was a major pain.

Barracuda

[Buddahaid]

I see one ad here for a game suggestion. I wouldn't have noticed save I was looking for it.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/921/4KOr2o.jpg


Nothing here save a C drive that needs some space freed up.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/923/uwWCel.jpg

[HW3]

I can gin up a page from yahoo.com with no ads on it but that doesn't mean yahoo.com isn't thoroughly infested to the point of unusability with ads. Just hit that start button unless you've carefully removed all the ads from that too, and show us that half your tiles aren't ads.

So now I am a liar!!!! I will have you know I took those screenshots of my computer this morning, and they are 100% not fakes!!!! I have no need to post anything but the truth, as I could care less what you, or anyone else thinks. I know what my computer is doing. (BTW I have 3, all running Windows 10 just fine.) You want a shot of the start tiles, here it is. I used Screenhunter 6.0 to take the screenshots, and then uploaded them to Photobucket for posting here. I do not use Yahoo.com at all.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/davestev47/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2017.02_zpsolashyvp.jp g (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/davestev47/media/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2017.02_zpsolashyvp.jp g.html)

[Buddahaid]

After today's update and restart, plus a few hours.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/923/Gp4kjS.png

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/922/pGrh98.png

[Castout]

March 14, 2017—KB4013429 (OS Build 14393.953).

This damn Windows 10 update refuses to install on my PC. Scanned for viruses, none. Troubleshot Windows Update corruption, to no avail. Did Sfc /Scannow, nothing wrong, DIMS online thingy, nothing wrong either. Downloaded the update manually, failed to install even with Admin privilege...Deleted Software package folder, same thing...resetting Windows 10, the problem persists. I may have to nuke the PC with complete reinstallation losing all my files and apps...., tried deactivating the Anti Virus as the possible culprit, it wasn't it...Ran script to reset Windows Update, didn't work out...

Can anyone offer any help short of full reinstallation?

[Rockin Robbins]

Often when Windows has a problem installing updates, Microsoft issues a correction without comment and with the same KB number. As long as your computer is running okay I think you've done your due diligence and all you can do is wait for Microsoft to fix it.

[Rockin Robbins]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/davestev47/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2017.02_zpsolashyvp.jp g (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/davestev47/media/ScreenHunter_19%20Mar.%2015%2017.02_zpsolashyvp.jp g.html)
Okay, HW, here I see on the top row the xbox, groove music and movies and tv tiles are ads. On row 2 the second tile, solitaire collection and minecraft tiles are ads. On row 3 and 4 I heart radio, Candy Crush, OneNote and get office tiles are ads. what's left is what you put there and the advertisement for the Windows Store. And of course, I never said that Windows doesn't "run fine." In order for malware to do its primary work it MUST run fine.

If you read the links I helpfully supply to support my positions (I don't just allege on my own authority. I'm insisting that there be some substance in my positions) you'll note that the ads in what used to be called Windows Explorer are not displayed all the time. They are occasional. Apparently the thought process is that if they are there all the time you can easily learn to ignore them. If they appear from nowhere at unpredictable times you can remember why you hate Microsoft and that is supposed to be good in their warped vestigial brains.

Soon it will only be people who try Linux who understand what an operating system is supposed to be: what you have a right to demand that it will be. What you allowed to be perverted into an entity that preys upon you instead of serving you.

Rights are not lost when they are taken away. They are lost when we ALLOW them to be taken away: when we become the ones making excuses for those who seek to take our rights from us and become the ones who enabled their success.

My ownership rights to my computer are absolute. They will not be negotiated away. They will not be taken from me.

[Rockin Robbins]

Now let's look at a real desktp from a real operating system, in this case it's Ubuntu 16.10 running the Unity Desktop. In Linux your GUI is not imposed on you. If you think your GUI is serving you ads or spying on you, you can switch to an entirely different one in seconds. Competition ensures that the operating system serves you and does only what you want.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/Workspace%201_008_zpszk2n0l2z.jpg

Here (https://www.howtogeek.com/113330/how-to-master-ubuntus-unity-desktop-8-things-you-need-to-know/) is a complete rundown on the Unity Desktop. Let's look at all the buttons, which don't care whether you have a touch screen or a mouse. Unity works better with a touch screen than Windows does.

The top button is your dash button, which is sort of like the Start button in Windows but MUCH more versatile. It allows you to search for software or data, browse all programs or data with filters and sorting options so your selection is much easier than Windows. It is NOT schizophrenic, confused whether it's a cell phone running "modern apps" (which are nothing of the sort, being severely crippled applications without appropriate menus or prompts) or a real computer running full capability computer applications.

Most importantly, every button represents software the I installed on the machine and to which I want quick access. This thing serves MY needs, not the needs of a company collecting information on me for sale without any benefit to me or which seeks to sell me things I don't need or want. If I want to go to Amazon.com I can actually do that voluntarily, and I do that quite often without someone else's help!

Soon this will look quaint to people conditioned and manipulated into thinking that being sold things against their will is a normal and even a desirable state while using your sovereign property. Soon people will make grand sounding posts about how fantastic it is that Microsoft has full rights to every file on your machine, can remove any of them at any time as it deems desirable, can copy, encrypt and send them home to Microsoft servers for evaluation, for sale, whatever purposes they have without restrictions. Soon people will proudly declare how it is a virtue that Microsoft owns the entire contents of their storage, that there is no more such a thing as confidential information, company secrets, proprietary recipes, research, communications. It's a great thing that information is free, belongs to no one (but Microsoft) and is safe from only benefiting one company or individual.

I don't understand how any corporation can justify the use of Windows 10. Even if Microsoft were not using the information for data marketing and was actually serving its customers (not for lunch either), third parties can hook into Microsoft's spyware routines to operate beyond any system of detection, because Windows itself is now spyware.

It might be a moot point, were there no alternative. But look at the screenshot above. Look at the link I have provided. You don't have to put up with a company which has thoroughly gone to the dark side and which has forgotten what an authentic operating system is.

[Buddahaid]

RR, I do understand your position but I'm just not going to go to great lengths to fight what I consider a losing battle. It seams any product you can currently install tries to do the same thing. Adobe Creative Cloud etc. I dug hard to get a copy of CS6 so I could dump my CC subscription just to use Illustrator, even then I'm locked for a few more months unless I want to pay a penalty fee.

Just a thought, I don't use One Drive either which may keep the ads at bay, or not.

[Jimbuna]

Hope I'm not missing the fundamental point here but I don't get all the tiles/ads....I'm using Classic Shell.

[Rockin Robbins]

RR, I do understand your position but I'm just not going to go to great lengths to fight what I consider a losing battle. It seams any product you can currently install tries to do the same thing.
Seems to me that I thoroughly prove you wrong above, and in great detail. I have won the battle you think is lost. And I don't miss the Evil Empire at all. Because there is free and open competition in the Linux world, the battle will never be fought, much less lost.

And the operating system (https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop), plus almost all the software are absolutely free. That's free of payment, free of spyware, free of malware......just free in the best sense of the word.

[Rockin Robbins]

Hope I'm not missing the fundamental point here but I don't get all the tiles/ads....I'm using Classic Shell.
I hope your classic shell causes you to miss all of the fundamental points. Does classic shell have its own file manager? Do you use Edge or a real browser? Hopefully, it gets you out of just about all the ads.

But what about the spyware? Microsoft is collecting much more information than Vizeo just paid $2.2 million for when it lost a lawsuit resulting from collecting information on people's television viewing habits. Microsoft should be fined billions of dollars or be dissolved for its thuggery. Microsoft execs should go to prison.

[BarracudaUAK]

Now let's look at a real desktp from a real operating system, in this case it's Ubuntu 16.10 running the Unity Desktop.

...



Ok RR, I have to call you on your bogus statements right here:

Unity is not a real desktop.

KDE is! :D:O::haha::har:

Barracuda

EDIT: just to clarify, this was/is a joke.

[Buddahaid]

Seems to me that I thoroughly prove you wrong above, and in great detail. I have won the battle you think is lost. And I don't miss the Evil Empire at all. Because there is free and open competition in the Linux world, the battle will never be fought, much less lost.

And the operating system (https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop), plus almost all the software are absolutely free. That's free of payment, free of spyware, free of malware......just free in the best sense of the word.

OK. How about I'm too old to care if they know what brand of diaper I start using, or is it FEMA death camps and soylent green for me? :o

[Rockin Robbins]

Ok RR, I have to call you on your bogus statements right here:

Unity is not a real desktop.

KDE is! :D:O::haha::har:

Barracuda

EDIT: just to clarify, this was/is a joke.
And that is a top reason to go to Linux. We have DOZENS of different desktop GUIs. It's a matter of personal choice what you like and in Linux you can change it!

If you like sharp corners on totally opaque and garishly colored windows, you can have them.

If you like the style and sophistication of an Aero type window decorator, you can have that.

If you hate Unity (some people say they do) you can use KDE. Or LXDE. Or Cinnamon. Or Open Box. Or well over a dozen other possibilities. You could even set up your installation to pick a GUI at random every time you start your system.

It's as if you loved the Windows XP interface and window style and could use it in Windows 10 if you wanted. Linux has been doing this for 20 years and Windows hasn't learned a thing from it.

[Rockin Robbins]

OK. How about I'm too old to care if they know what brand of diaper I start using, or is it FEMA death camps and soylent green for me? :o
FEMA death camps are strictly for Apple users!:up:

[Rockin Robbins]

Attention Windows 10 Users!

Creator's Update is Fast Approaching
If any of you were in the unfortunate position of upgrading to the last major Windows 10 upgrade, known as the Anniversary Update, then you will once again experience that uncomfortable worm crawling around in your stomach. Yes indeed folks, come April 11 this year, that same feeling of trepidation will once again rear its ugly head in all its haunting glory.

Read all about it (https://davescomputertips.com/how-to-defer-the-scary-creators-update/?utm_source=wysija&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly+Recap+Newsletter). It's a scary state of affairs when Microsoft cannot be trusted to deliver a quality update that doesn't cripple your system. But that time is here. At least you can postpone the update by following the instructions in this article and maybe Microsoft will have it fixed by the time you are forced to load it. Maybe.

The handwriting is on the wall. If you are to keep your sanity a prudent exit strategy is called for. It's called Linux.

[Rockin Robbins]

I continue to bring stuff from outside of Woody on Windows, simply to demonstrate that Woody, Skybird and I are not some colander on the head looney tunes crazies living in a cardboard box somewhere in Walt Disney's back lot. This is widespread, well-founded and acknowledged opinion based on solid fact. So from How-to-Geek I bring you:

Microsoft, Please Stop Breaking My PC With Windows 10’s Automatic Updates (https://www.howtogeek.com/298940/microsoft-please-stop-breaking-my-pc-with-windows-10s-automatic-updates/)

Hey Microsoft, could you please stop breaking my PC? The latest WPD driver update released on March 8, 2017 is just the latest in a long string of bad updates. If Windows 10 is going to force these updates on my system, the least Microsoft could do is test them properly first.What follows is a long list of major snafus in the Windows 10 update saga. These will undoubtedly be denied by the Microsoft apologists and kool aid drinkers. But each of the examples in the article are carefully referenced and linked so you can check out the situation for yourself.

When someone claims authority and spouts profanity NEVER mistake that for reality. Reality can stand by itself without help from an "authority" and doesn't need to be supported by attacking another person or by cussing at them. And a flat denial that advertisement exists in a Windows function is not evidence of any kind, but simply the imposition of some imaginary authority to make an unsupported claim. That authority is powerless against the irresistible force of reality.

And there's more on the ads (with supporting evidence, of course. I don't post my own unsupported opinion. I post fact with evidence)
Even when updates don’t break something or remove useful features, they aren’t always good. Microsoft keeps packing Windows 10 full of more and more ads. With the Creators Update (https://www.howtogeek.com/278132/whats-new-in-windows-10s-creators-update/), Windows 10 is getting Office 365 and OneDrive advertisements in File Explorer (https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/5ycvzm/wtf_just_opened_explorer_and_got_this/?st=j045a1fe&sh=5b5310e0). Windows 10 already has full-screen ads on the sign-in screen, ads that pop up from the taskbar, ads that appear as notifications, sponsored apps in the Start menu, Candy Crush tiles installed by default, and full-screen video ads in the Solitaire app.
Whenever there’s a big update, there are more advertising settings I have to disable (https://www.howtogeek.com/269331/how-to-disable-all-of-windows-10s-built-in-advertising/) just to keep my operating system quiet.
Microsoft charges $119 for the Home edition of Windows 10 and $200 for the Professional edition. And the Professional edition has just as many ads as the Home version. That doesn’t seem right.
I use my PC to run software. New features are great, but I don’t need them so soon that they come to me untested. I just need Windows to be stable and not break my hardware. Oh, and not shove ads in my face. Is that really too much to ask for?
Yes. Money talks and YOUR MONEY is saying "Microsoft, I love being treated like a victim. I love having my settings and preferences erased. I love having every file treated as Microsoft property and parts of my private life sent to your servers twice a day to do with as you wish. I don't think I have the right to know what you are doing with my system. I think Microsoft has the right to take a carefully optimized system and trash it with every update. I don't think I even have a right to have a Windows compatible webcam work. I love buggy software. You're not shoving enough advertisements in my face. Here's my cash."

When will you say "Go to hell. Go directly to hell. Do not take my $200."? Windows is not required or desirable any more in running your computer.

I write this post from my computer, which runs only Ubuntu Linux. I play Silent Hunter 4 and write all my mods, including Fall of the Rising Sun Ultimate, the largest mod ever written for Silent Hunter 4, on Ubuntu Linux. Linux is more than able to fully meet the needs of anybody who doesn't absolutely require software that only runs on Windows. That is well over 90% of Windows 10 users, who wouldn't ever miss the Microsoft dark side.

The situation is clear. Microsoft has entirely lost its moral compass. They will respect us, their victims, only when we MAKE them respect us. We will do that with our wallets. Our money talks.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gADQO9ynrKAAi3Kc3LZ2EQOSzT_5ZlUBnl9ke4sQUAlqpeZasJ WqubbTJlDZDaTgYLk9n5Jn7Np1ftv700npTDwBjFEsd0HfFlbY eEaY2bBxFWvIMT7sdFKq0CgkZO5iLW2qzjBK00vCrHHqFCJHlA 5ZeYB5L0ECiCPzV1q7w8Jrxnxo9j9qafI7qvZezBmmlJ8k-TXFs5p4Qtl97ybiNhvCcZGD27qNCTag2aWATB09q6IUyaSuNZr 8JlbQE7XS--9V9FqYRCUiuame25g7pU0yCs9mxQvYLWgVdGTiA8RFjzknInEo R8IRG0GX0foHG_3Ia14FqUlN3tz9e7NNBr6JQDayP3-Rkx7vZrKwjk8h4kpe9E0Cck8Wyx-xCbw9LfPADleZlknzGQ9lFv6oENBuBX5s5_ths7BdLQAmDdHLX 0VM5knyLLD9XT5I316emQQmHbjZdgNiNEgSgtU84LFBSUTmHUS iGpsc4SHmdyryyWvQuLsQGVsb2eqa33IWvXU7U4g68ZNaixjae rNWKS_V3IUDCzrUqfpMnMhXDdrLMH6CUyKq7lOBjFHbo9Uuvzt uFS02p9GI5JhCsvtEClT9MUGaS_YhzTtIXYDWYs1NZCVQZTkdV g=w600-h366-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tX1aaXtnvUTtUU9EQERF1wrdX09C7bTEA1-JvIk4NBZq42FqpGK9gGNGps7oDXijhs0k-nnVWZvljvB3iRDaScImrEJH9u54qsALuYXH0V1UGFG8tbmh1HE l7CTNgXO2sq5AAOdsPt8CpPMEJsiCcwcTq9Bbr6OPF5b0CbXRX b2sCFk5pNOdGcAPmhZHCs69_6uv1ZypECmmb8-YFpGueVxVZyV_XODPVpJ_XXYCv3xaMawZUq0qPA-nxJ1Aadz9Mk8iMZXLxyPG7TKDOvOAi-WNxIiaCgDApJ78iquFN9bzPhm3j2m_3EGysdmHPTW4Ik6bnGow 8nMW_LvsMiIiHsv3W_2PbZ7mX5QMLmGw7y4ScjZsfgV3DGonBH YuG-Z0rBfTfW9cwBX7cp4_G0tJHRHYuzq-8BfnY0Eyu8U-K5i2EKHnYmd_s9ZBFVIJRUUSKNAVSbR3MvSMxXbKp0Mz-EsUFZP144EmBh-aWcXEAwv9XsFvgvn4-WkGJuwryI7kKNxkUndTfbKHDnfseLIPZPyzlXLga3ZSGujVUHX yxKUafXoz828k-_8CYdZ7aasiIlUWMdqyW12N8YKJOp_8SLz3ReoK-xxbd5I0tHFOg1GgoVk2oz5Uog=w428-h248-no

[Rockin Robbins]

Windows updates will soon get pushed over limited connections too (http://www.techradar.com/news/windows-updates-will-soon-get-pushed-over-limited-connections-too)

Microsoft calls limited connections "metered connections." Those are connections where you pay for the amount of data you use. Therefore, Microsoft will, without your knowledge, and without notifying you at the time or giving you the option to postpone the update, cost you money to update Windows. They promise you this will only be for "important" updates. Trust them! They are your friends!


http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/smileys/hellofriend_zps8097f63a.jpg

<irony>This, of course, is in keeping with Microsoft's "The Customer is King" initiative, where respecting customer wishes and preferences is given priority over merely punishing him for being a Microsoft victim. </irony>

[Skybird]

Robbins,

I would appreciate it if you would (if you could) discuss what new hardware (mainboards, gfx cards, CPUs) is depending on W10's presence to properly function, mainly regarding driver support.

I had read about it months ago, that certain new types of hardware architecture, new CPU generations, will not update drivers with non-version 10 Windows. The threat in that was that one may buy a brandnew kit, a complete system, and installs W7 - and finds it does not work, or will not update drivers, and that one needs W10 nevertheless. A nightmare scenario. This "alliance" with hardware manufacturers of course was initiated by Microsoft.


But i got out of touch with this matter, and have no overview on what is out there in hardware these days anyway.

My current Windows-rig for gaming is from around 2011. It is the best system I ever have had, stable, reliable, no problems whatever, all the fps I need for my kind of gaming. Superb platform. The CPU was considered to be the best bang for the buck at the time it was sold. The system still works fine, but it becomes older and older and of course one day it will die. Maybe I also want to update earlier to gain some solid fps reserves in case I ever want to try out VR in Assetto Corsa and Raceroom. I do not need the latest and most expensive stuff, but I would look for good bang for the buck ratios. Reliability, durability, economy, solid performance is what I look for.

When considering my current rig - Intel i5 2500 3.3 GHz, Asus P8H67 B3, 8 GB DDR 3 PC1333, nVidia 660 GTX 2 GB, Win7 Pro 64Bit - and considering also that I want to stay with W7 of course, under the often described conditions of not updating beyond SP2 and summer 2015, and only using it for game-launching, nothing else - what Intel-CPU, mainboard would roughly be equivalent to that system from 2011 in today'S modern hardware market environment? I would want to stay with nVida gfx also, but updating to a 1060 - or higher, if the price is a smiley.

What kind of CPU or CPU generation, and mainboard must I avoid, for it would no longer run under W7?

[Rockin Robbins]

Robbins,

I would appreciate it if you would (if you could) discuss what new hardware (mainboards, gfx cards, CPUs) is depending on W10's presence to properly function, mainly regarding driver support.

I had read about it months ago, that certain new types of hardware architecture, new CPU generations, will not update drivers with non-version 10 Windows. The threat in that was that one may buy a brandnew kit, a complete system, and installs W7 - and finds it does not work, or will not update drivers, and that one needs W10 nevertheless. A nightmare scenario. This "alliance" with hardware manufacturers of course was initiated by Microsoft.


But i got out of touch with this matter, and have no overview on what is out there in hardware these days anyway.

My current Windows-rig for gaming is from around 2011. It is the best system I ever have had, stable, reliable, no problems whatever, all the fps I need for my kind of gaming. Superb platform. The CPU was considered to be the best bang for the buck at the time it was sold. The system still works fine, but it becomes older and older and of course one day it will die. Maybe I also want to update earlier to gain some solid fps reserves in case I ever want to try out VR in Assetto Corsa and Raceroom. I do not need the latest and most expensive stuff, but I would look for good bang for the buck ratios. Reliability, durability, economy, solid performance is what I look for.

When considering my current rig - Intel i5 2500 3.3 GHz, Asus P8H67 B3, 8 GB DDR 3 PC1333, nVidia 660 GTX 2 GB, Win7 Pro 64Bit - and considering also that I want to stay with W7 of course, under the often described conditions of not updating beyond SP2 and summer 2015, and only using it for game-launching, nothing else - what Intel-CPU, mainboard would roughly be equivalent to that system from 2011 in today'S modern hardware market environment? I would want to stay with nVida gfx also, but updating to a 1060 - or higher, if the price is a smiley.

What kind of CPU or CPU generation, and mainboard must I avoid, for it would no longer run under W7?

Okay, here's the deal. If you're buying an Intel Kaby Lake, Qualcomm 8996 or AMD Bristol Ridge processor, Windows is not updating Windows7, 8 or 8.1 to support those new processors. In addition, any Sky Lake processor made after July 17, 2017 will not support Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. And actually that's backwards. Nothing processor manufacturers are doing makes them incompatible, Windows refuses to supply proper drivers for the new hardware. "There's only one current version of Windows, and while Microsoft will fulfill its legacy hardware obligations, it won't be expending resources to help users steer clear of its latest and greatest."

Microsoft says new processors will only work with Windows 10 (http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake)


What they're not saying is that Linux exists and will work perfectly with the new processors. It makes their statement a lie, doesn't it? It's just another reason to kick Microsloth to the curb, where it belongs. They're also not acknowledging that they have received their last penny from my wallet when I bought Windows 7 in 2014.

(http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake)

[Skybird]

I know your strict stand on Windows, and if certain sims would not exist that I would love to continue with, I would skip it as well completely. But as things are, for certain purposes I still need Windows 7 - and compatible hardware running it. Anything else I do on Linux. But a hardware-heavy sim to run on a Linux machine and then in a virtual machine - sorry, certain things simply do not work too well if you do not accept fps to turn into a slide show. Plus additional gaming hardware (higher class wheels) also not being too happy to run with Linux. Not at all, I read.

People accepting to run a W10 system and not caring for privacy since they use it only as a game launcher, like I do, again may find troubles - reports on W10 breaking the system and not running games or only under unacceptable conditions, are anythign but rare. So even in this arranbgement W10 is no wise option.

W10 is a crappy thing due to a totally crappy policy that wants it to be crap. I do not intend to invest money on W10, ever.

Do i get this right then : all Skylake models developed until this summer are still compatible with W7?

And Mainboards no concern?

[Rockin Robbins]

I know your strict stand on Windows, and if certain sims would not exist that I would love to continue with, I would skip it as well completely. But as things are, for certain purposes I still need Windows 7 - and compatible hardware running it. Anything else I do on Linux. But a hardware-heavy sim to run on a Linux machine and then in a virtual machine - sorry, certain things simply do not work too well if you do not accept fps to turn into a slide show. Plus additional gaming hardware (higher class wheels) also not being too happy to run with Linux. Not at all, I read.

People accepting to run a W10 system and not caring for privacy since they use it only as a game launcher, like I do, again may find troubles - reports on W10 breaking the system and not running games or only under unacceptable conditions, are anythign but rare. So even in this arranbgement W10 is no wise option.

W10 is a crappy thing due to a totally crappy policy that wants it to be crap. I do not intend to invest money on W10, ever.

Do i get this right then : all Skylake models developed until this summer are still compatible with W7?

And Mainboards no concern?

That appears to be correct. Just make sure that any main board you buy comes with Windows 7 drivers on its driver disk. I'm a lover of AM3+ eight core CPUs and they all work great with Win 7.

[Rockin Robbins]

Microsoft is Playing Windows Hardball (http://www.computerworld.com/article/3183439/microsoft-windows/microsoft-is-playing-windows-hardball.html)


Microsoft really wants all of us on Windows 10. And it's done asking nicely. For many users of Windows 7 and 8.1, upgrade cajolery just morphed into something that looks a lot like upgrade coercion. (It had already tried upgrade trickery (http://www.computerworld.com/article/2993851/windows-pcs/microsoft-antagonizes-users-with-intrusive-new-windows-10-upgrade-tactics.html).)
I’m sick and tired of this.

Windows 10 is OK, but I still prefer Windows 7, thank you very much. I’m not the only one.
This article implicates AMD and Intel as agreeing with Microsoft not to issue any drivers of their own for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. Also it contains a test by the author of using Windows 7 on a computer with an "incompatible" processor.

Guess what the result is. The computer runs fine. Microsoft shuts him down with "no updates for you, ever again!" That's right. Although Microsoft is pledged to support Windows 7 until 2020, if you have the wrong processor, your End of Life for Windows 7 is YESTERDAY.

Adding insult to injury, Microsoft got AMD and Intel to go along with this idea. An Intel spokesperson even said, “No, Intel will not be updating Win 7/8 drivers for 7th Gen Intel Core per Microsoft’s support policy change.” Thanks, AMD and Intel. We really appreciate you having our backs.

Will Windows 7 and 8 even run on these hot new processors? I don’t know about AMD’s best and brightest, but I’ve had Windows 7 running on Kaby Lake. It runs just fine. There’s only one little problem. When Microsoft finally got around to releasing its latest patches (http://www.computerworld.com/article/3180996/security/largest-ever-patch-tuesday-from-microsoft.html), instead of getting them I got a message saying: “Unsupported Hardware — Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows and you won’t receive updates.”
Merry Christmas. Isn't Microsoft just a warm and fuzzy company? Do they deserve your money? Remember, Linux works with all past, present and future CPUs.

[Commander Wallace]

Thanks for keeping us up to date on Microsoft and what they are doing.

[Skybird]

What to say. Never no more Microsoft garbage for me again, never. Not Windows >7, not anything else.

I rather start playing teletubbies on my Android smartphone than to buy W10.

Of course, Xbox also would be off the table.

Recently Microsoft hit its customers with another wave of account and online "service" outages. But go ahead, go cloud - if you are a hopeless case. And just today I read that they have released another coupole of urgent emergency "fixes" today. These emergency fixes have become anything but rare in past 12 months or so.

[Skybird]

In reply to my own earlier question:

LINK - Search begins for workarounds to Microsoft's Win7/8.1 on Kaby Lake/Ryzen patch ban (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3183642/microsoft-windows/search-begins-for-workarounds-to-microsofts-win781-on-kaby-lakeryzen-patch-ban.html)

[Skybird]

In reply to my own earlier question:

LINK - Search begins for workarounds to Microsoft's Win7/8.1 on Kaby Lake/Ryzen patch ban (http://www.infoworld.com/article/3183642/microsoft-windows/search-begins-for-workarounds-to-microsofts-win781-on-kaby-lakeryzen-patch-ban.html)

[Rockin Robbins]

The amazing thing is that the Windows cheerleaders, although they have to reach deeper and deeper into lala-land to defend Microsoft's thuggery, are as cheerful and unfazed as ever about how "great" Windows 10 is.

That raises the question "Is there ANYTHING Microsloth could do to lose the support of their kool aid drinkers?" They have tricked people into a "free" upgrade. They have reset user preferences for all Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 customers to force their computers to do things against the wishes of their owners. They have welched on their promises of support for Windows 7 until 2020, chopping many off at the knees two days ago. They have sold Windows 10 at the highest prices for any Windows operating system so far, while they persist in shoving advertisements down our throat, even in Windows Explorer!

"Windows is the property of Microsoft and we only license the use of their software. It has the perfect right to treat us like serfs, stomp all over us and our preferences, trick us, bully us, serve us advertisements.....it's all part of a good and rightful company we love." they say. I say Microsloth is telling us they don't want our business.

[Skybird]

Beware April 10th.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3183583/microsoft-windows/microsoft-will-kill-some-windows-7-and-81-support-in-april.html

It looks as if customer who bought new Skylake -CPU-based system and operate W7 or W8, from next patchageddon day on will be banned from getting further Windows updates. Which maybe is not really a problem for you if you, like me, consider a switched-off Windows-Updater not a problem, but a welcomed feature. If you however still believe in the old gods and beleiuve that keepign youzr windows always updated and trust Microsfot that they do not abuse the situation, you might find out that the old gods let you down from April 10th on.

I recommend to find an old (!!) CD or DVD with an archive of SP2 on it, if you ever plan to reinstall your W7. Use this old SP2 (not a newly downloaded from the Microsoft website) and patch your newly installed W7 with it, up to that standard, SP2 from back in the days. And then forget about updating Windows, switch it off. But use such a machine not for surfing and other working routines, only for the one single purpose why you still depend on Windows, which probaly is either gaming or some specialised workplace software - for everything else, have a second system with a different OS, preferrably Linux.

I play on a W7 system. But all popsts you read from me were done form a seocnd system with Linux. All emaisl go there, too, and all surfing and shoppiung is done from that second system, too. I even charge my steam wallet and buy Windows games on Steam via the Linux system, then activate the wanted software on the Windows machine. Since my Windows is now vulnerable afte rnot havign been updated for over 1 1/2 years, I expose it to the internet as little as possible for my gaming intentions. And that means often to play in steam offline mode whenever possible and then with a plug to the router pulled out.

Nothing beats the innocence of the facts of physics. Pull the plugs, cut the wires - do not trust software control and software switches, it makes no sense to trust these - they are just code. Anjd you never know for sure what the code is doing. Especially when it comes from Microsoft.

[Buddahaid]

More cheer leading then. You can turn off much of what is being complained about regarding privacy. Note the built in key logger can be set to off.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/922/KTIylg.png

[Rockin Robbins]

More cheer leading then. You can turn off much of what is being complained about regarding privacy. Note the built in key logger can be set to off.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/922/KTIylg.png
It says it is off. How sure are you that Microsoft doesn't reset your settings as it pleases without notice to you? How sure are you that Microsoft doesn't continue to collect information even when the settings they choose to make available to you are turned off? How sure are you that malware, no longer having to write a keylogging routine, hasn't hooked Microsoft's keylogger and are using it. If they are, no malware scanner on Earth will flag the Microsoft keylogger.

When the OS hawker builds malware into its operating system you can be 100% sure bad guys will hook it and use it against you.

By the way it's 100% sure that Microsoft on dozens of occasions (at one point it was resetting user preferences every couple of hours!) has reset user preferences and permissions without notice or permission. It's 100% sure that Microsoft continues data collection with all your precious settings in the off position and continues gathering what it pleases without notice, without review, encrypted and compressed, sent to Microsoft servers twice a day, at your expense if you're on a metered connection.

As the Sony rootkit debacle shows, if you have malware installed on people's computers, whether you use it or not, bad guys will hook the routines for a free ride to anything they want, beyond any detection method because they become Microsoft.

Microsoft no longer has a clue what an operating system is. They don't care about your preferences or needs. There is no difference between Windows and Conduit. Windows is simply a data collection and advertising system that does some useful things for some users. Others, Microsoft tosses casually in the trash. "No soup for you!"

[Buddahaid]

You can never be certain of anything. Your new car data logs your driving habits. Your cell phone logs your whereabouts.

It's not that I don't see your point, I just think it's a bit overkill and paranoid. Pandora's box has been opened already.

[Rockin Robbins]

You can never be certain of anything. Your new car data logs your driving habits. Your cell phone logs your whereabouts.

It's not that I don't see your point, I just think it's a bit overkill and paranoid. Pandora's box has been opened already.
Surrender Dorothy

Resistance Is Futile

Be the Bridge
That way we can walk all over you on the way to better places.

Ruthlessness
It pays a lot better than integrity


Sorry, I choose not to participate and will continue to resist assimilation. With Ubuntu Linux I don't have to worry about my computer doing anything I don't want.

[Skybird]

Both Microsoft and Google (Chrome) have repeatedly, even often, demonstrated that some, in Chromes's early days even most of their switches and documented tweaks for privacy were dummy switches, or did not offer the completeness in pirvacy proptection that their labels suggested. Snoopware on the other hand gets sold under unsuspicious labels and names and gets hidden in services where you would not search them and would not expect them to be located. Both companies have reapetedly demonstrated that they mislead people.

That is no paranoia at all - but hard, historic, empiric fact.

You have to remember just one thing to see what is more likely here, paranoia or fact: and that is that user's privacy protection is against the very business interest and profit interest of these companies, and it would ruin their business model if they would allow customers' will to rule Microsoft's and Google's ways.

You do not run a product that you bought when using Wiondows 10 or Chrome or anything of the Google Kraken Empire. YOU ARE THE PRODUCT that gets sold.

[vienna]

Interesting article on some of the problems ahead now that Windows 10 is moving away from a 'product' model to a 'service' model; there is some info that may be of interest to Win 7 & 8 users, also:

'Windows as a service' means big, painful changes for IT pros --

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-as-a-service-means-big-painful-changes-for-it-pros/#ftag=YHFb1d24ec?yptr=yahoo




<O>

[Commander Wallace]

Interesting article on some of the problems ahead now that Windows 10 is moving away from a 'product' model to a 'service' model; there is some info that may be of interest to Win 7 & 8 users, also:

'Windows as a service' means big, painful changes for IT pros --

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-as-a-service-means-big-painful-changes-for-it-pros/#ftag=YHFb1d24ec?yptr=yahoo




<O>


Good information Vienna. Thanks for posting.

[Skybird]

My eyes just randomly strolled over this headline:

"Even on the “Basic” setting, Win10 Creators Update still sends 1,966 individual pieces of data to the Microsoft mother ship."

:gulp:

[Rockin Robbins]

Here's what you need to know about reinstalling Windows 7!

Four steps to reduce the pain of Windows 7 installations using cumulative updates (http://www.techproresearch.com/article/four-steps-to-reduce-the-pain-of-windows-7-installations-using-cumulative-updates/)

The problem is that there are hundreds of updates to get Windows 7 up to snuff and that can take three days (don't ask me how I know). Using this procedure you download the updates you want, then install them manually offline for a much quicker experience. I haven't gone through the list to see which ones are Windows 10 crap but Skybird's thread on updates you can remove will help with that.

[Rockin Robbins]

Microsoft seems to be responding a little (http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-opens-up-more-on-data-its-collecting-with-windows-10/) to the pressure from crazies like me (don't let your guard down however--wait for independent corroboration) and has released an article:

Windows 10, version 1703 Diagnostic Data (https://technet.microsoft.com/itpro/windows/configure/windows-diagnostic-data)

Just one short section
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1T5-mubcpSrMb8pPz9sy6DOvbw1ta0Xk2EWnS2LVY9UpnOY35H7IQQ 0VvQO-pxOECyrSNEtCwiV6J0mU7vh8hD4XdZTRzvhAx-RILYffCT9ZsEYzRAz-DkxnG92rsPtn8Y-1FZBq-RB8IEEPWHJpqXnBfPzHTBq6pKObo3BBTrcogn87BT7hTrOXN52 Oi83hC_mgM4vxqTOgjccG1WkouH1fJ_c7Un3TPyoJzyAKRpPYg-5PoQRQB7efGHworExg3SWDqksmJr2ZrPXmw_j_qKboHNlPdaxO HPe2VAAf4JbKonN3BE8Nd-dEzc1V1F7koLyvWN6ltJJwxjp2Til_Ob4Ad1HeDjALzU_UIhvo I5f9jWaDaYGykj-N0uzF-Xc8vv63946oEzHxJrjk7BN2KZd1KyGPk3w5HNhDTySEhOoMS12 8M0HeL9aTgUSpAzowlN1O0Yio4XBw1ZZeHNKtKXcq5C52OCEzF pS2Ghev1hdb03qwJzs2Jm_przymZX8iTL0KtmNwWu7oomAj2Bn mZKRGtc5Ipyp_dA9x1HLswfw61fRZ4cEOGk7ixEMQTsQgO4I1d LVbEHQd9SFQ6jzIipkhiTsSnSNU0P2SCTTeJzwaDfdF61Sl3Q= w706-h648-no

Isn't it interesting that it says "not intended to capture user viewing, listening or reading habits" and then they demonstrate that is exactly what they are collecting. For instance if I've loaded up a DVD encoded for European use and watching it with VLC media player, which respects no region code and have made my DVD player region code agnostic, they know it..... And they say I'm crazy!

Ubuntu for the win!
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/smileys/633576400771138665-whatyoudidntdividebyzerodidyou_zpskhwngc56.jpg

[Buddahaid]

That one I know. I keep a win7 laptop disconnected and never updated so I can still rip content from media to HDD as mkv files. That was deemed illegal last April 25th.

[Rockin Robbins]

In case some think I'm a bit too hard on Microsoft, Barnacles Nerdgasm (Jerry) is a former Microsoft employee who actually likes Windows 10. Let's hear what HE has to say about Microsoft snooping and how necessary it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPFbAqICUJo

[vienna]

For those of you who do use Windows 10 and are curious about the Win 10 Creator update, I helped someone upgrade a few days ago and, other than taking a bit of a while to download and install, the update was not a problem. I checked the machine's settings before the upgrade and re-checked them after the upgrade; none of the privacy settings on the machine were reset and all of the other settings appear to be intact. I can only speak for the machine I helped update, but there appears to be no devious switcheroos caused by the upgrade. Where there might be a problem is with the Windows accessories like OneDrive that may be 'reawakened' if you had previously deactivated them; you may have to redo the deactivation, but, on the machine I updated, OneDrive was the only problem...

That was my experience; you mileage may vary...




<O>

[mapuc]

Yesterday I got this upgrade to Win10 Creators

Didn't have any problems with my computer before and don't have any after this huge upgrading

Only problem is my battery-one sec it says 100 % two second later it says either 97 % or 95 % and doesn't charge.

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

So you agree with Barnacles. Windows is not resetting preferences with this update. However Windows is ignoring the settings it didn't touch and Barnacles' packet sniffers show that keylogging, for instance, is still taking place when you set it off in the preferences.

Quite simply, Microsoft is not telling you the truth about what they are collecting or what they are doing with it. Being smart malware its job is to execute the primary mission as stealthily as possible and without interfering with your borrowing of their machine for whatever you might want to do with it.

[mapuc]

So you agree with Barnacles. Windows is not resetting preferences with this update. However Windows is ignoring the settings it didn't touch and Barnacles' packet sniffers show that keylogging, for instance, is still taking place when you set it off in the preferences.

Quite simply, Microsoft is not telling you the truth about what they are collecting or what they are doing with it. Being smart malware its job is to execute the primary mission as stealthily as possible and without interfering with your borrowing of their machine for whatever you might want to do with it.

I'm a total novice when it comes to computers-I use to let my cousin fix the problem(s) I get.

I haven't noticed any changes in my settings, I did though take copies, as recommended, I didn't have to do that. The rest about keylogger and other things Microsoft seems to monitoring its user was new to me. I know what a keylogger is. A very bad thing mostly a part of a virus.

Edit: Correction I have a problem-I can't access google- Every time I open google main page-I get a can't.... and then something about TLS-security-something. The same goes everywhere-Chrome, IE and the new IE-can't access google and its service.

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

Edit: Correction I have a problem-I can't access google- Every time I open google main page-I get a can't.... and then something about TLS-security-something. The same goes everywhere-Chrome, IE and the new IE-can't access google and its service.

Markus

Ouch! That's a new one I wasn't expecting to hear.

It's been unbelievable how much better I feel about my computer since I switched to using Ubuntu Linux on my main machine. I just don't worry about updates any more. Twice a week Software Updater offers me updates for the operating system, plus every program installed on my machine. And I don't have to reboot for updates unless the kernel is updated, which happens once a month. Even then rebooting is optional! The pressure is totally off. I never have to worry about "what's Microsloth up to THIS MONTH?"

[mapuc]

Ouch! That's a new one I wasn't expecting to hear.

It's been unbelievable how much better I feel about my computer since I switched to using Ubuntu Linux on my main machine. I just don't worry about updates any more. Twice a week Software Updater offers me updates for the operating system, plus every program installed on my machine. And I don't have to reboot for updates unless the kernel is updated, which happens once a month. Even then rebooting is optional! The pressure is totally off. I never have to worry about "what's Microsloth up to THIS MONTH?"

Tried once again some minutes ago, this time in Microsoft edge-Wrote google and google came up, closed edge and opened it again. Wrote google once again to see if google will appear-No such thing, a white page with a lot of Danish technical text about TSL-something and an old version.

I hope you will get information from some English computer nerd who knows what all these things means

Edit(again) Hey what if I made a search for google translate in bing(the page that comes up when I open my browser-No problems google translate was the first proposal I clicked on it and it came up. So I copied what it said in Danish about this security.

Here is what comes up instead of google mainpage
"Unable to establish a secure connection to this page
It may be because the site uses outdated or insecure TLS security settings"

Markus

[Buddahaid]

Just updated my two machines. No setting changes I can see other than One Drive activated again, but I did go through the options the upgrade asked you about and set Cortina off. The privacy setting I made a few weeks ago remained where I left them.

I also had to activate restore points and made one right away.

[vienna]

In case anyone may be concerned about the NSA Windows exploit codes released by hackers recently, here is a bit of information about how MS has already patched the potential breaches:

http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/15/15311846/microsoft-windows-shadow-brokers-nsa-hacks-patched

Note that if, for some reason, you are still using XP or Vista, you may still be vulnerable...



<O>

[mapuc]

More about accessing google main page

I turned on my computer about 1800 and the first 2 hours or so I had absolutely no problems opening google and getting into its service-that is until 10 minutes ago, same message as before

"Unable to establish a secure connection to this page
It may be because the site uses outdated or insecure TLS security settings"

Now I'm confused-no problem at start and the first 2 hours.

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

More about accessing google main page

I turned on my computer about 1800 and the first 2 hours or so I had absolutely no problems opening google and getting into its service-that is until 10 minutes ago, same message as before

"Unable to establish a secure connection to this page
It may be because the site uses outdated or insecure TLS security settings"

Now I'm confused-no problem at start and the first 2 hours.

MarkusThat sounds like something outside your own computer or operating system there. Can't blame Windows for this one, I think.

[mapuc]

That sounds like something outside your own computer or operating system there. Can't blame Windows for this one, I think.

You could be right, I haven't that much knowledge.

1. Didn't have any problems before this upgrade.
2. No problems the first 2 hours or so.
3. Wonder if there are more than me, who have the same problems-when trying to open google on Chrome, IE, Microsoft edge, after 1-2 hours use of computer and/or Internet.

I'm curious to know what makes this happen.

A novice question-Is google a part of Microsoft or is Microsoft a part of google ?

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

Google and Microsoft are two completely separate companies who don't really get along very well.

[mapuc]

Lets take today-Already from start I couldn't access google main page and I have discovered that I can't access youtube. When I can access google I can access youtube.

Earlier today when I read the latest comment in our movie-tread I get a white screen where there should be a startscreen-White screen with the text "This page can't be open and a proposal that I should try to find it through Bing.

I'm confused.

Markus

[Reece]

Maybe it is your web browser, what are you using? If it is Firefox try an update?:hmmm:

[mapuc]

Maybe it is your web browser, what are you using? If it is Firefox try an update?:hmmm:

I have and are only using. Chrome, IE11 and lately now and then Microsoft Edge. Mostly I use IE11.

My computer are set to send me notice when there is an update to one of these browser or to other I have only received two updates after the huge updates last week-Going to Win10 Creators.

It was first after this huge update I got this or should I say these problems. First it was Google and its service(such as google translate) who wasn't there(see my former post) and then I couldn't access youtube and today I have noticed I can't access one of my mail account(I have two) and I can't access none of them

I guess I will have about 2-3 weeks then I'm without a computer, ´cause I am a totally novice when it come to deeper things regarding computers-I have read a lot and a lot about this TSL-thing. I can read what it says, but I don't understand the meaning of it.

I have tried to search for it(via Bing *) Here I have only found very old article-way back to 2003 and 2008.(can't access google) and a version from 2003 regarding this TSL-thing.

TSL Means Transport Layer Security I know it has something to do with sending information between two places secured. I don't know how I can change my TSL, if possible. or if it is a thing Google has to do.

Some more info. At start I couldn't as expected access my google account, and I couldn't access youtube. I could see the startscreen in our movie thread. After this first visit here in Subsim and GT. I continued my journey in cyberspace, went back to Subsim to write this comment and to see if I still could see the startscreen and see these movies-I could not.

Markus

[Reece]

I have a password/username for Google and it is the same account with Youtube (same company). So it does look like a security problem with Google.
What sort of firewall do you run? can you check the privileges?:hmmm:
It does seem that access to Google is denied for some reason, have you tried Yahoo or another browser? Hopefully RR can shed some light, he's probably on Easter holidays.:yep:
Strange that your email is also blocked, have you tried access through webmail?:hmmm:

[Rockin Robbins]

Reece, see if you can access gmail or google search in a private browser window. Also, this appears to be a repeat of a previous problem (https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/platform/issues/10311428/) in 2016. All you defenders of Microsoft snooping because it "increases quality," this is powerful evidence that Windows quality is falling! It's not slowly slipping down a shallow slope, it's fallen off a cliff.

Solution last time was to go into settings for IE11 and Edge and turn "use TLS 1.2" off. Last time Firefox and Chrome were unaffected by the feature. It's hard to believe that specific blocking of all things Google is an accident, although the MS drones were chanting that mantra last time.

Still reading that thread. Things get worse:
Per H. Apr 11, 2017 (https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/platform/issues/10311428/#comment-127)
I have this issue in Creators Update (15063), I have tried several different “solutions” (like disabling TLS 1.2), InPrivate Browsing and others but none have helped me. I was really hoping to start using Edge now, but I guess I’ll have to wait a little bit longer :-(

Why would ANYONE "really hope" to start using a cell phone app on a real computer? People are simply sick. Why would they even use totally insecure and abysmally slow IE11? Really the fix is to jump ship from Microsoft. The handwriting is on the wall and it says the sky is falling. Microsoft may fix this problem, but history has already repeated itself. Their snooping is so far over the line it wouldn't have been tolerated two years ago. People would have gone to prison. And their stated reason that it increases quality of the product is just a sorry lie.

Jonathan B. Apr 14, 2017 (https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/platform/issues/10311428/#comment-134)
Yeah, this isn’t a 'bug’, this is horrible business practice by Microsoft. Blocking Google’s sites is childish. You can drown us in advertisements on the computers WE OWN but if you’re browser doesn’t open all sites on the internet, guess what? I’m going to use GOOGLE’S browser…I tried to give Edge a shot and it didn’t even last an hour…

Nuff said. It's a real issue. It will be ignored and even made difficult to find. It's not a bug. Microsoft saw how users defeated the block last time and strengthened it this time. This is Microsoft's business practice in action. At some point it will be intolerable even by those who love and defend Microsoft now. This site quoted above is one of those sites peopled by Microsoft lovers. They are losing faith. Microsoft lost faith in us first and they richly deserve their fate.

Switch browsers to Chrome, Vivaldi, Firefox, Opera, Waterfox and not many others. Remember, that is just a temporary holding position while Windows goes to hell.

[mapuc]

I have a password/username for Google and it is the same account with Youtube (same company). So it does look like a security problem with Google.
What sort of firewall do you run? can you check the privileges?:hmmm:
It does seem that access to Google is denied for some reason, have you tried Yahoo or another browser? Hopefully RR can shed some light, he's probably on Easter holidays.:yep:
Strange that your email is also blocked, have you tried access through webmail?:hmmm:

Thank you for your answer.

I have Avast Internet Security And it runs smoothly no problems there.

Rockin Robbins mentioned below your answer, that people should drop IE and especially Edge. I would, if it wasn't that I have the same problem in Chrome-Can't access Google, Gmail and youtube.

Have tried to locate this TSL 1.2. The only thing I can find is something called SSL in my Internet settings.

Very IMPORTANT! I'm a totally novice when it comes to computer-things So I do NOT touch things inside the computers software. Meaning no touching things in BIOS, Registry and so on and so on. I have only done as recommended-There is a new update available. I do as told, I get this update and let the computer do the work. That is the reason to why I can't understand I have these problems with my Google and youtube account.

Is it my computer or is it Google or have the been some problems with my upgrade to Creators ?

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

Is it my computer or is it Google or have the been some problems with my upgrade to Creators ?

Markus
Unfortunately, all I can tell you is what I can find. It certainly has something to do with the upgrade. You are not alone. Microsloth says the problem is fixed in the thread on the Microsoft site I was quoting above. It isn't. I don't have and will never have Windows 10 on any computer I own. So I can't try things to help you out.

I would try the black box repair function in Windows 10. Who knows what it does. Mostly it goes out to lunch for a long time and either tells you it's fixed or that it can't fix it. Then you reboot to see what it did. I've seen it say it fixed the problem and didn't. I've seen it say it didn't fix the problem and it did. It doesn't tell you what the problem is or what it did to fix it. You don't deserve to know.

Windows days are numbered. It's time to form an exit strategy.

[mapuc]

Thank you Rockin Robbins

Where can I find this "black box repair function" ?

I can now, for the moment access google in my Chrome browser. Had to add an "s" in my favorite-something and then it came. Did the same in IE NO still no access.


Edit: Since I wrote the comment above this text, I could as written access google in Chrome and Edge. Now I can't for some reason, even though I had added this s in http.

If you wonder if I'm confused then I can tell you that I am a lot.

Markus

[mapuc]

I have noticed something some minutes ago. I do NOT have Chrome anymore. I noticed it by holding my cursor on the Chrome-logo which haven't change in form or other things before and after the big upgrading.

Now it is Microsoft Edge !!

I don't know where my Chrome is can't find it !

A thought: Have Microsoft been stealing some ideas from Google and their browser Chrome and added these to their own new browser Edge ? ´cause it look a lot like Chrome. I visit Chrome same day I got the upgrade.

I can access google in the Edge, but I don't want to use this browser.

Have to download and reinstall Chrome.

Markus

[Reece]

If you have edge I would uninstall that first. I just realized/remembered that Chrome is also Google so it seems there is some problem with Google account, otherwise the browser. I use Firefox and never had any problems in Win XP, Win 10, and Linux.:hmmm:

[Buddahaid]

Do you have the Cortana search box in your taskbar? Just type chrome and it should find it.

[Buddahaid]

So after most of a week using the 1703 build, I've had Onedrive attempt to reactivate twice as a suggestion to saving files, and Windows thinking my printer driver is lost when it is not.

[Rockin Robbins]

I have noticed something some minutes ago. I do NOT have Chrome anymore. I noticed it by holding my cursor on the Chrome-logo which haven't change in form or other things before and after the big upgrading.

Now it is Microsoft Edge !!

I don't know where my Chrome is can't find it !

A thought: Have Microsoft been stealing some ideas from Google and their browser Chrome and added these to their own new browser Edge ? ´cause it look a lot like Chrome. I visit Chrome same day I got the upgrade.
Markus
Edge is a cell phone app. Chrome is a computer app. There is no way Edge either looks like Chrome or steals its ideas. As Microsoft explores its newest feature set: contempt for customers, look for more and more in your face episodes of pure malevolence.

I once read an interview of Steve Martin. He said something like "so there's the audience. They've paid good money to sit in that seat and laugh. And they WILL laugh, no matter what I say. I love to stand on stage and refuse to say anything funny at all. They came to laugh. Eventually they just run out of patience and laugh at nothing at all. It's funny."

When service to customers, respect for customers, eagerly seeking their needs and wants and rushing to satisfy them ceases to be your guiding principle and is replaced by contempt and a strong sense of entitlement, then you have jumped the shark. You are well on the way to "who's he?"

[Reece]

Do you have the Cortana search box in your taskbar? Just type chrome and it should find it.
I was told by an "I.T." person to turn Cortana off, it spies on your system.:hmmm:

[propbeanie]

I say MS is in contempt of common sense and all that is decent in the world... As of several weeks ago, I no longer allow my Windows installs to update at all. I had quit the "automatic" over 2 years ago, and dumped Win10 preview prior to the final release, when I first noticed them doing Evil Roy Slade deeds... Win7 will soon be relegated to "basement only" status, with no access to the outside world via the internet. They (MS) basically trashed my Win7-64 install the last three times I did the "important" updates (only), and I had to "repair" their deeds. Something undesired always seemed to "come along for the ride". What a crock of $#!+ pie! They've (not me) changed all my file associations for the last time. I waited too long to quit the updates, and the one computer somehow "automatically" flips my jpeg file association back to an MS app every time I'm not looking. Same thing with the avi files. I do NOT want MSMP even thinking of opening on my computer, and I want VLC associated with AVI and MP4, but MS sure doesn't. I've got 3 flavors of Ubuntu running on the three main computers now, deciding which flavor is best for the family to use. The wife already doesn't notice the difference on the web, but does when it comes to "saving" files and re-opening them later, so we'll have to work on that transition for her... The boys couldn't care less one way or the other, so long as their games run... :lol: - and a LOT of what they have is on Steam, and is no problem... The umbilical cord attached to Redmond, while made of high-tinsel strength cable, is slowly but surely being sawn asunder here... I already do most of my real "work" (SH4, video editing and music recording) on Ubuntu Studio on the "big" computer. I just wish my store-bought plug-ins would work reliably and natively in Ubuntu.

[Buddahaid]

I was told by an "I.T." person to turn Cortana off, it spies on your system.:hmmm:

Suit yourself, but I have Cortana all turned off as well save the search box.

[mapuc]

Everything seems ok now. At start when I opened my internet for the first time today, I got the same message as before. Ignored this warning and continued my surf around. About 20 minutes ago I got a notice saying we have an update for you(something like that) clicked on restart- After I opened my IE I could access both Google and youtube no problems at all.

I am however planning on download Chrome and use that instead.

Thank you all for your help.

Markus

[vienna]

I'm posting this as an informational item that may be of interest to some of you out there:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/hack-lets-older-windows-users-around-windows-10-222921730.html

I can't vouch for its efficacy, so you're on your own...


EDIT:

Just noted the article does not have a specified link to the 'patch'; here is another article on same, with link:

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3191427/microsoft-windows/developer-lifts-windows-7s-update-blockade-with-unsanctioned-patch.html




<O>

[Rockin Robbins]

Everything seems ok now. At start when I opened my internet for the first time today, I got the same message as before. Ignored this warning and continued my surf around. About 20 minutes ago I got a notice saying we have an update for you(something like that) clicked on restart- After I opened my IE I could access both Google and youtube no problems at all.

I am however planning on download Chrome and use that instead.

Thank you all for your help.

Markus

Notice that MS never admitted they had a problem. That's troubling.

Folks, this isn't going to get better. Microsoft is devolving before our eyes, changing from Dr Jekyl to Mr Hyde, and unlike the story, the real transformation is usually a one-way deal. Even if you LOVE Microsoft, it's time to formulate and get comfortable with an exit strategy.

Barnacles Nerdgasm loved Microsoft. He worked for them for fifteen or twenty years. He led development teams. He was laid off with everyone else who represented the idea that prosperity comes as a side effect of service to mankind. Representing truth is sometimes costly. But it costs less than joining the thugs.

As companies like Adobe realize that Microsoft no longer serves the needs for which it was created, they will move to other operating systems. After all, who has more money to spend for applications, one who spent $100 to $200 to buy Microsoft Windows or someone who uses a free operating system that works much better?

When these commercial companies pick a preferred Linux distro, that will finally give the Linux world a nucleus. Not that other distros will go away, but they will make good and sure that they are compatible with whatever preferred distro, I predict Ubuntu, the commercial world selects.

There will be some distros who retain Linux' traditional hatred of all things commercial (the hippies of Linux, cute, harmless and fun. They tend to be very creative and benefit the ecosystem. If you find one you can feed 'em). That also will be healthy for everyone.

[Rockin Robbins]

EDIT:

Just noted the article does not have a specified link to the 'patch'; here is another article on same, with link:

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3191427/microsoft-windows/developer-lifts-windows-7s-update-blockade-with-unsanctioned-patch.html

<O>

Shades of GWX Control Panel! As a permanent strategy, it's probably doomed, as Microsoft will just switch the CPU blacklist routine from file to file. But it is a great idea to force Microsoft to spend more time and money on Windows 7. That way they have less resources to further destroy Windows 10.

Sometimes it's not about fixing something. It's about punishing the bad guys.

[propbeanie]

A major problem with "hacks" like that, is that they are in "direct violation of the User's Agreement policy", and MS will either deep-six the hack with other updates, and / or they may resort to disabling of the user's OS, as per the license agreement... They have that "power" in Windows 10, and possibly in Win7 & 8, but I'm not sure. Probably depends on the "updates" that are installed. This is what we get with "Licensed Updates" aka "Subscription-based Software". Almost all the companies I used to purchase software from are doing this crap now, including, but not limited to: Microsoft, Adobe, Steven Slate, Waves, and others that I can't think of now. Absolutely disgusting. This is worse than the DRM garbage that prevents a "purchaser" of a DVD or BD from backing-up their original disk for archive purposes, but which also gets in the way of my "user-created content"... I better quit. I'm really disgusted with the "trend" of the digital world. They're even got this crap in refrigerators and clothes dryers... Yikes! - What? You mean my cell phone is spying on me ~too~?!?!?!!! Yes it is, even when you've turned it off... why else did they force you to upgrade to a minimum of 3G comm?...

[Buddahaid]

Yes, the cloud. It's why I went out of my way to buy the last version of Adobe Illustrator the works without the cloud.

Some companies, like Autodesk, use it well. You can install their Fusion 360 CAD software for free if you sign on as a student/hobbyist.

Plus these subscriptions auto pay which rears the ugly head of an aging digital society having their money drained off when they become forgetful.

[vienna]

Microsoft is releasing a slimmed down version of Windows 10 aimed at the laptop market:

http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-windows-10-s-2017-4




<O>

[Rockin Robbins]

It's a padded cell and you're in manacles. You can use any software you want as long as it's downloaded from the Microsoft Store, and that's only the beginning of the "captivity with a smile" campaign in this abortion of an operating system.

They are specifically going for the educational system, which has enthusiastically adopted Google Chromebooks. For Microsoft to succeed here, the schools must ditch all the hardware they've purchased in the last several years and replace it with more expensive stuff.

Chromebooks account for about 60% of the educational market with Apple and Microsoft at about 20% each. Schools are all very happy within the Chrome environment. Chances of Microsoft success? Somewhere less than zero.

[ValoWay]

ohh, poor MS wants sooo hard a piece of the pie, it's about to become pathetic..

[vienna]

It's a padded cell and you're in manacles. You can use any software you want as long as it's downloaded from the Microsoft Store, and that's only the beginning of the "captivity with a smile" campaign in this abortion of an operating system.

The odd thing about this argument is Apple, by severely limiting not only the software that could be used on Mac desktops/laptops, but, also the very hardware available (not under Apple license? You can't use it...), has been doing exactly this since its inception, with very little outcry about Apple being unreasonably "controlling"; imagine the outcry if Microsoft had imposed the same restrictions as Apple on PC products...

They are specifically going for the educational system, which has enthusiastically adopted Google Chromebooks. For Microsoft to succeed here, the schools must ditch all the hardware they've purchased in the last several years and replace it with more expensive stuff.

This would be true of any switch from any one OS/hardware platform to another. Apple, up until the last 5 or so years, was the dominant OS/hardware platform chiefly because they early on pretty much gave away or sold their product at extremely low prices to educational entities at all levels to ensure a firm hold on the market for later, higher priced sales; it was a model sort of loosely based on the stereotypical drug pusher motif: "Yeah, here, the first taste is free, but the next hit is gonna cost you..."

A few years back, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). a district encompassing over 960 square miles, about 735,000 students, over 26,000 teachers and a budget of about US$7.6 billion, at the urging of a senior administrator, initiated a program to give an IPad for each student in the LAUSD system. The project was a disastrous failure and cost the LAUSD staggering amounts of money, at taxpayer expense and to the enrichment of Apple. It was later discovered the senior administrator whose bright idea it was had a more than cozy relationship with Apple and was, in essence, a shill for Apple computers. The fact the administrator favored and pushed for the much more expensive Apple platform over proposed much less expensive PC-based alternative should have raised warning flags, but thus is the course of governmental procurement and bureaucracy...

Chromebooks account for about 60% of the educational market with Apple and Microsoft at about 20% each. Schools are all very happy within the Chrome environment. Chances of Microsoft success? Somewhere less than zero.

Here is a March 2, 2017 NY Times article on market shares in US classrooms:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/technology/apple-products-schools-education.html

As can be seen in the article's graph, Apple has dipped slightly in share while PCs have gained slightly; Google really didn't become a factor until 2012 and didn't surpass Apple until some time in late 2013. A while back, I posted an opinion that, given the ubiquity of Android-based hardware such as cellphones, tablets, etc., Google would become the preeminent platform across all devices. Where Apple sought to gain a stranglehold on the education market by giveaways and low-balling prices, Android has the advantage of being literally the main entry level exposure to technology for newer student entering the school system; every kid either has or has access to an Android cell phone, tablet, or other device. Add to this the relatively inexpensive Android-based hardware and their availability, the ability to easily move across multiple devices, and it is no surprise Apple and MS are falling by the wayside...



<O>

[Rockin Robbins]

The interesting thing is that Chromebook users don't complain about their systems. They just use them! They are consistently the happiest of all computer users, which might seem strange to us local storage addicts.

But the Google ecosystem with Google Drive, Google Maps, Chrome, Google Pnotos, Google Sheets, Docs, Gmail, You Tube......it goes on and on, really work well together. I just set up a real and capable computer as a Google centric machine, like a Chromebook on steroids. I have to admit it was a compelling thing. And as you can see below, I'm linking Google Photos instead of Photobucket to my posts lately. Google Photos is unlimited and no ads, compared to Photobucket's ad choked interface that tries your patience every time.

Google also has been more honest in its marketing stuff than Microsoft has been. Microsoft gave you all those "privacy controls" which did very, very little. With Google the controls work, to the point of shutting off any behavioral surveillance at all. You will still receive ads, they just won't be "targeted" ads. Google privacy controls actually allow you to control how Google collects information. What a concept! Of course, they also are not serving me ads in Google Drive or Google Photos like Microsoft is doing in Windows Explorer (or whatever it's called this week).

It's going to be very difficult for Microsoft to capture any more of the educational market.

From your linked article:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BdDtw2LKsRAKAnIthhUXmxFUySg1rD0FjEu6Pc3iiCfDyvZUV9 g8Ijmwn9j-gvnjs0zVvVebNWZf-K-ebI4AhbXUcP1X96STM4Kt8qy_Cv_rUZD6YNXcTnhOrARorMC9g NZS3SkDUfWQ2aBib2Ke8vd8x07WgbxUeFDLopAxkdXY3pLYVIR DCZABCU4R-kztPwzrIvHWrdOtiXB14HqHa4Z6FzsS7kALkieaYBi0kfhecx3 GVnUs_ZLE-jZcW7zO0zscDb4L7k8NdeaIY9je6F2ldTBY9Bl3Bf_hj07zqPN 3mVdbsJRp5UAIYhVANXfVC2i2iiGiGqaODwGy6VBk9xmmKtjyw--d1TudjaNGH56SDFstcKAS_Xok1Gbk1fFSI648wgx1STFcYeKQL H0A_ym8K38K7lEo8ydC-Gn4p51r3BrtCOsTtFgG_K8dyrPz4iAskZKFRAyXw0sRCxI2F34 P70VVTE3V-2iTpm-_0IWGkraFmjFLbD49jwT1ZdiqCW06gr9WtYDRtzidcfq_YbdTQ P-Fsqht0k7LPab4sqVjsZ5kxOZm8Ppwx3la8g6Ha80-f74Qvey_bX-2l5ZS_73c7LKIbz1yGqi1XZpJjejccc81smyF3g=w358-h405-no

[vienna]

@Rockin Robins: Thanks for posting the graph. For some strange reason, the copy and paste function on my machine wasn't working properly and, try as I might, the paste just didn't come out right and my insomnia was waning, so I gave up; that was the reason I referred to the graph in my post in hopes others would give it a good look...

Thanks again... :salute:




<O>

[Rockin Robbins]

Windows 10 S Won’t Let Users Install Linux Distros (http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/05/windows-10-s-run-linux-distros)

Well, various people have been posting about how Microsoft is singing Kumbaya with Linux and how great it is that Windows will be giving Linux such needed "support."


Well, part of the goodness known as Windows 10S will be that you will be blocked from installing any version of Linux on that machine. Also you will be unable to install ANYTHING from anywhere else but the Windows Store.


No browsers but Edge. No search engine but Bing. No command line apps. No shells. Read the article linked above and be disgusted.


Yeah, Windows LOVES Linux. For dinner......:har: We'll see who eats who. Linux already owns the web. The desktop is next.

[Rockin Robbins]

Europe is living under Microsoft’s digital killswitch (https://thenextweb.com/eu/2017/05/10/europe-is-living-under-microsofts-digital-killswitch/#.tnw_yCKB2hT3)

You might think Skybird is off his rocker with fantasies of Microsoft evil. Well, he might be a bit off, but he's also perfectly on target. Here's independent corroboration of all the Skybird paranoia to date.


Word to wise: it's worse than he has said. NSA back doors allowing spying on European governments through Microsoft Windows? Check!


Windows using the "crack cocaine model" to raise the young skulls full of mush on proprietary Microsoft Word, Excel and Windows for free so they can be made to buy it when they're older? Check!


Microsoft infiltration of foreign European governments by any means necessary, producing a legislative DEMAND for Microsoft products, especially when it is against their national interest to use horrendously expensive Microsoft products? Check!


Microsoft's purposeful use of proprietary file formats, not for the purpose of delivering higher quality, but for the purpose of locking out alternative software from ability to read the data, imprisoning Europe in a Microsoft prison? Check!

Inclusion of a kill switch, allowing Microsoft and/or the US Government to shut down all European systems or any of them individually without notice or consent? Check!

Yup, it's all there and more than even Skybird could come up with. Microsoft is a completely unethical company which deserves to die. For sure!:up::up::up:

(I'm just visualizing the possibilities of Skybird translating all this into German, where a word for word translation will come up gibberish "Skybird might be a little off but he's also perfectly on target". Can you imagine any translator getting that right? Languages aren't just alternate ways to present ideas, they are different modes of thought and that doesn't always translate! Standing by........)

[Skybird]

Actually, I strongly assume, no, I take it for granted that Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter are tools of US foreign policy and support the Us government regarding info collection and options for interventions that else would be handled and taken care of by the intelligence services. I strongly assume that thes ecompoanies could not opt out even if they would want that - if they reveal their compliance with according demands by the adminsitraiton a nd governmental services, the responsible directors of mentione companies would risk to end up in prison for year - in compliance with existing US laws threatening up to 5 years for this "offence". Its also about a wanted US option to conduct business espionage more easily, of course. But if a company uses cloud services for in any way sensitive business or project data, then that is n aivety on a level and of a scale that I could not imagine even if I were fully drunk.

Meanwhile , new illustrations of how you cannot shut down the always too much tracking telemetry even of W10 Enterprise: https://xato.net/windows-spying-and-a-twitter-rant-19203babb2e7

What the future holds? Chipping humans, even babies already.

No, I do not mean that as a joke. I am bloody serious.

[STEED]

What the future holds? Chipping humans, even babies already.

No, I do not mean that as a joke. I am bloody serious.

It seems I am not a screaming mad man these days. I said this over 15 years ago our personal private information is the new currency. And kids today are told Tech is good and that is mildly putting it.

[Eichhörnchen]

Windows10 ate my hamster!

[STEED]

Windows10 ate my hamster!

Nah..

http://www.feelnumb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/freddie_starr_ate_my_hamster_john_deacon_queen.jpg

[Rockin Robbins]

Windows 10 does temporarily disable third-party antivirus, admits Microsoft (http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-does-temporarily-disable-third-party-antivirus-admits-microsoft/)



Here we go again. The situation is so bad that the sleeping Europeans who alone gave Microsoft nightmares in the early 2000s when Microsoft was trying to keep alternative browsers from easy use in Windows, at pursuing anti-trust action against Microsloth, who surely deserves the drubbing.


Of course Microsoft does its usual tap dance about how this is just an effort to "protect" its users and how everything they're doing is completely reasonable. And I have some high, dry land in the Everglades I'll sell you for a song too!:D:D:D

[Rockin Robbins]

Hey, why in the world would you buy one of those piece of trash Microsoft Surface Laptops? Oh, yeah, because Microsoft says that with its new Windows 10 S operating system,

'no known ransomware' runs on Windows 10 S"
so ZDnet tried to hack it (http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-no-known-ransomware-windows-we-tried-to-hack-it/). Three hours later
"We considered leaving the laptop playing 'AC/DC Thunderstruck' on loop for you, but we didn't want to upset your neighbors or any pets!" he joked.
"We could even take something like Locky, a DLL-based ransomware, and run it so that it would encrypt all the files in your documents and request a key by setting the wallpaper," he said.
Though he was given permission, Hickey stopped short of installing the ransomware, citing the possible risk to other devices on the network. "We've proved the point enough," he said. "We can do whatever we wanted," he said.
Yes, the computer was wide open to malware. As usual Microsoft's version of security is to cripple the user's ability to use the machine as he wishes while rolling out the red carpet to malware.

This malarkey has been going on since the grandiose "protected system directories" of Windows 7 where we couldn't play Silent Hunter 4 but malware staged block parties. Microsoft has refused to buy a vowel and can't come up with any security scheme better than "if we cripple it so bad it won't work it's bound to be pretty secure." Buy Microsoft and you're buying trouble.

[Rockin Robbins]

Microsoft lays an egg
Nearly One in Four Windows Users Surveyed Plan to Switch to Mac Within Next Six Months (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/Nearly One in Four Windows Users Surveyed Plan to Switch to Mac Within Next Six Months)

So if you read the press, you'd think that Windows 10 is the greatest thing since 2-ply toilet paper. But the press has completely abandoned its rightful role as reporting the facts and took up advocacy, not just in politics, but in commercial spheres as well. Journalism is dead, replaced by dishonest marketing.


I predicted the end of Microsoft. This is powerful evidence that I may have understated my positions. 25%. Six months. It's like rats deserting a sinking ship. It's Barnacles Nerdgasm's Revenge.

[Rockin Robbins]

Contrast between Windows and Linux. Last week, with a brand new Windows 7 installation, the monthly update rollup became available. I downloaded it and at the end it said the update was ready, reboot? Sure.

It rebooted and locked up. Ran my system recovery disk. It repaired three separate times (who knows what it does? It sure won't tell you). Then I ran System Restore to get back to where I was. System Restore had an error and wouldn't fix it. End result: screwed.

The same day I upgraded online from Ubuntu 16.10 to 17.04. At the end of the upgrade I had no network. Rebooted and found the same. Fired up Systemback. Less than ten minutes later I was up and running again as if nothing had ever happened.

There is just no comparison between the utilities, repair abilities and resiliency of the two systems. Linux wins by several miles. Microsoft has crippled, and then crippled some more the tools users can run to repair a corrupted system to the point where you can have no idea what is wrong or what Microsoft is doing to fix the problem. What tools exist, and they're laughable, are only available if the system can boot up (if it could I wouldn't NEED it, fools!) or from a system repair disk that most users don't even know they have to burn or lose their system forever.

Only complete reinstallation fixes Windows most of the time. That's not acceptable.

[Rockin Robbins]

When you see a graph like this, (https://www.askwoody.com/2017/as-windows-fades-slowly-into-the-sunset/) what does it mean?
https://goo.gl/XJAABH

See where in 2006 56 Windows devices were sold compared to one Apple device? See the extreme downward slope since? That's Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 destroying Microsoft's lofty position. That's corporate stupidity thinking insulting its customers would somehow result in world domination.

Now less than 3 Windows devices are sold by all vendors for every Apple device sold. And the slope remains steeply downward. Somebody at Microsoft has decided that this is a good day to die. They've made decision after decision for years to shrink their market. It looks suicidal for such a one-great company.

[Rockin Robbins]

Windows 10 is failing us (https://betanews.com/2017/07/15/windows-10-fail-microsoft/)

While Windows 10 is arguably successful from a market share perspective, it is still failing in one big way -- the user experience. Windows 8.x was an absolute disaster, and Microsoft's latest is certainly better than that, but it is still not an enjoyable experience. Quite frankly, the people clutching to Windows 7 aren't so crazy.

[Skybird]

You just don't try hard enough to love it. The love you do not throw at it, is the love it never returns. :D

[Buddahaid]

Still works for me as well as 7 did. I've been using their new mail app too but I suppose you'll tell me how bad that works for me too.

[Rockin Robbins]

Still works for me as well as 7 did. I've been using their new mail app too but I suppose you'll tell me how bad that works for me too.
If the e-mail app is one of them "modern apps" translation: turns a computer into a cell phone, Thunderbird beats it in every respect plus a lot more respects than cell phone app doesn't have.

[Moonlight]

^He's no need to tell you that Buddahaid as Microsnot already knows. :haha:

[Rockin Robbins]

And if Windows 10 is so great why are one in four intending to switch to Apple in the next six months? How do you explain the graph above showing Microsoft falling off a cliff through Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 without a single hitch, just a straight downward trend?

Microsoft has made a corporate decision to die. Its refusal to alter the downward plunge for six years proves their demise is no accident.

[Buddahaid]

I'm only relating my experience. I can't speak for the whiner generation.

[Skybird]

https://www.askwoody.com/2017/windows-10-anniversary-update-1607-end-of-the-road-for-clover-trail-chips-but-security-patches-continue/

Well.

[Rockin Robbins]

Microsoft’s stance on unsupported hardware adds uncertainty to Windows 10 (https://www.ghacks.net/2017/07/26/microsofts-stance-on-unsupported-hardware-adds-uncertainty-to-windows-10/)

To quote Microsoft, "any hardware device that falls out of the manufacturer's support cycle may be ineligible for future Windows 10 updates." That means if your sound card, headphones, DVD Drive, keyboard, or any component isn't presently supported by its manufacturer you may not be able to continue to run Windows.


Anybody think this is a reasonable stance? What are these people smoking?

[Skybird]

Planned obsolescence. People should be forced to buy hardware new from scratch in shorter intervalls. Everything. PC, periphery, game controllers, printers. At best every two years. You see the same business "understanding" in their crappy tablets.

The Monsanto of digital seeds.

People. Boycott this crap. You owe it to yourself.

[Rockin Robbins]

Looks like Microsoft acknowledges that they have a development problem in their system. And being the monolithic be all and end all of their particular universe, what do they do about it?

Microsoft Is Now Using Linus Torvalds' Open Source Tool For Windows Development (https://itsfoss.com/microsoft-using-git/)

Yes, when their own tools can't cut it, they traveled to Linux Land to get tools that really work. Now, everybody at Microsloth: GIT to work! Make us an operating system that works for us again. Naw! They decided to die years ago.

[Skybird]

Sometimes I wonder whether making Windows an open source thing, would do something good for it. Especially since Microsoft now makes the major share of its profits with cloud computing "services" anyway, recent business figures showed, I think.

[Rockin Robbins]

Sometimes I wonder whether making Windows an open source thing, would do something good for it. Especially since Microsoft now makes the major share of its profits with cloud computing "services" anyway, recent business figures showed, I think.

I can't see that happening, but it would fix Windows, along with ensuring its survival. The open source community would rip all the telemetry out of it that was possible and only use the telemetry it kept using for non-commercial use.

[propbeanie]

Looks like Microsoft acknowledges that they have a development problem in their system. And being the monolithic be all and end all of their particular universe, what do they do about it?

Microsoft Is Now Using Linus Torvalds' Open Source Tool For Windows Development (https://itsfoss.com/microsoft-using-git/)

Yes, when their own tools can't cut it, they traveled to Linux Land to get tools that really work. Now, everybody at Microsloth: GIT to work! Make us an operating system that works for us again. Naw! They decided to die years ago.
I used to do MS local seminars back in the day. Free lunch, free apps... better than the Netware gatherings in that regard... but anyway, I digress and get distracted... We were at a pre-Windows 2000 Professional release seminar, where they were showing us what all it would be able to do... Pre-XP, Pre-Server days, mind you... when the computer crashed. Horrors! So they shut the feed off, and on the overhead display was a command prompt... They were running a "fake" Win2k. Nothing but WinNT4.x gussied up to look like a new version, running on top of, and using Linux to "run" the new stuff... Very strange, especially back then. They did get it all ported over, of course, but why bother with it at that time at the seminar, in front of all those people, if it wasn't at least "real", ya know?... Why "fake" it to the people who understand "deadlines" when it comes to programming? Oh well.

[mapuc]

Could be wrong, very wrong

I'm convinced, someday in the future Microsoft will send some updates to those who has a window based computer, in which it makes it impossible to have any kind of google related stuff on a window based computer.

I guess they will go all in, in this war or upcoming war.

Markus

[Rockin Robbins]

Could be wrong, very wrong

I'm convinced, someday in the future Microsoft will send some updates to those who has a window based computer, in which it makes it impossible to have any kind of google related stuff on a window based computer.

I guess they will go all in, in this war or upcoming war.

Markus
If Microsoft decides to fire the first shot in that war, then Google would announce Android for PC and Windows would cease to be. But I think you're probably right and that is the reason for the Microsoft Store. It locks out anybody they wish to lock from the Windows Universe. It's a suicidal strategy, but I'm convinced that Microsoft decided to die five years ago.

[Rockin Robbins]

Linux is Running on Almost All of the Top 500 Supercomputers (https://itsfoss.com/linux-supercomputers-2017/)

https://image.ibb.co/czfyUv/Linux_on_Supercomputers.png


Beginning in 1993 here is what the world's top 500 supercomputers have run. In the beginning they almost all ran Unix, but Linux has exploded onto the scene and today all but two run Linux. The other two run Unix. Zero run Windows. Zero run Apple OS.

The situation with web servers is almost identical with the vast preponderance of web servers running Linux. These are the choices of the most learned computer users on the planet. Why don't YOU run Linux as your primary operating system?

There's a clear trend here. Hang onto Windows too long and you'll be left in the cold.