I am taking a different road from Skybird for two reasons: there are legitimate security updates in the updates and there is a flurry of Windows attacks out there taking advantage of the fact that many are totally opting out of the update process.

Hold it while I put on my Skybird hat.......okay. But I am running a laptop on Windows XP since February. There have been NO PROBLEMS with incursions. I am running Zone Alarm firewall and Avast anti-virus, along with an occasional Malwarebytes scan and it's clean! Predictions of XP death have been greatly exaggerated. It works as well as the day it was made.

But for 7 I am taking Woody's advice. Defend myself, exclude carefully chosen updates and proceed with updates when found safe. Since I don't need it, Windows 7 is disposable as far as I'm concerned so experimenting with it is a harmless exercise. And I can remain relevant on what the lay of the land is like for normal users. So on March 27, with my updates turned off, guess what happened?

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrhtgkje9.jpg

Cool! Let's take inventory with GWX Control Panel. Is the GWX application installed? NO! Amazing! That is what KB3055583 IS! The only thing that changed was that operating system upgrades were turned back on. But with GWX not resident on the machine that can't happen. Windows 10 installation files are not on the machine. This shows that GWX Control Panel can fight pretty well and I was still safe in spite of the 13th (?) return of KB3055583. We've been plagued by that piece of malware for a year and for now we need not fear the beast.

So I'm taking Woody's advice in his last MS-DEFCON update. Go ahead and update. First fire up GWX Control Panel as I did and set all anti-update options properly. Then fire up Windows Update. Find and hide KB 3139398, the Windows 7 and 8.1 USB driver fix; and KB 3139852, the kernel mode driver patch. Those aren't spyware, they're seriously broken security updates.

Now apply security updates only, for Windows as well as any Microsoft applications. Reboot. Run GWX Control Panel and reerect any fences that were opened by updates.

Take a deep breath and wait until next month.

Is it perfect? No. But you are protected from Windows 10, which continues to be exposed as a deeply flawed operating system, and with Spybot Anti-Beacon you are still protected from built in spyware. For now.

This gives Microsoft time to find and see the wizard, kill the Wicked Witch, return to the wizard and get a brain. This looks like a company that will accept a medal as a substitute for a brain and die happy. I wish them well in Valhalla.

Another very interesting thing. I just checked my list of hidden updates. It was entirely empty! Microsoft has taken it upon itself to say "you don't want to hide those updates. Here let me install them for you! I won't tell you I did it. No need to thank me! I've got your back! Trust me."

Thank you Microsoft for again demonstrating why you are so despicable. A once great company is now the Keystone Cops, Colonel Klink, Barney Fife and Handsome Jack, all rolled into one comical evil character. It's better than a movie!

Any help with this one...

Friend of mind has bought a new win8.1 laptop and after going though what was installed by the factory found one bad one. KB2976978 classed as Win10 nagware installed on Nov 11th 2014, he came across some advice on removing it as their was not right click option to remove it, anyway he tried this different method and was told it was vital and part of the OS that can not be removed.

Should he panic like hell or think he got off lightly, it looks like part of that feed back crap as well. Where should he look to close down all this feed back crap on his laptop? I advised turn off updates check them your self and hold off for a month so he gets the good ones and not those bad ones. Also told him to get GWX and Spybot Anti Beacon as well.


Footnote

On a lighter side I have noticed prices of laptops and desktop win8 have gone up costing up to £50 more than win10. Seems to me sales on win8 are better and retailers have seen this and stuck the prices up. :hmmm:

Please, whenever you quote me with "Skybird says shut down all updates for W7", also include my warning to do so without leaving most use of W7 behind as well and to use an alternative OS via dual boot or second system. I do not say you should not update W7 while using it for your everyday surfing, work, and anything else you do with it. Minimise your use of W7 as much as you can, for reason's sake. In my case that means to use W7 exclusively for launching a simulation or game - AND NOTHING ELSE anymore.

Also, a fully patched professional security suite and a tightened W7 system are mandatory as well. I update daily my Malwarebyte'S Antimalware (payware), my G-Data Internet Suite (payware), I frequently immunize with Spyware S&D, and shut down several background online-connecting tasks via XP-antipsy. There is also Spyware Beacon and GWX monitor running.

Also you do want to maximise all security-relevant settings of Explorer, since it is embedded into W7 and is used by W even for Windows-related tasks that have nothing to do with surfing. Seal it off, and forbid it anythign to do or to run or to download - push the prohibition policy to the max for Explorer.

Do not have more stuff installed under windows than what you absolutely need it for, in my case: certain games. No browser. No email client. No text editor. No nothing. NOTHING. Do all that use via another OS installation. That implies you must also not worry to get Adobe updates (PDF, flash player, both of which are notorious nightmares since years), Google updates, or any other security-breaching stuff known for being notorious security disasters. Java RTE - oh mein Gott rette sich wer kann...

If doing like this, you reduce the risk of new malware finding you via W7. The best protection against Microsoft is not to use Microsoft stuff. Or better: its the only trustworthy protection.

If you do not use games, immediately deinstall Windows and wipe the HD, then throw the DVD into a shredder. I hope I will one day be ready to give up on games, and then happily will cut my last remaining wire to MS.

And for anything but games and some very specialized software used at a high level, switching to Linux will leave you not missing Windows one bit. Even my astronomy photographic program, Deep Sky Stacker, works perfectly under Linux. GIMP will do most anything Photoshop will. Open Office or Libre Office are great replacements for Microsoft Office. Steam runs great. Firefox and Chrome run great. E-mail programs are decidedly BETTER than Windows.

That is why Microsoft is pushing UEFI and other harware schemes to force you to use Windows. They know they cannot compete and you're going that way some day. They're closing the door before you get to it. If they do it now you won't complain. Once you get there it's a done deal. Don't worry. The Linux guys are smarter about getting on hardware than Microsoft is in keeping Linux off.

How about a little cell phone astrophotography? It's my LG G4 with about 50 stacked frames, plus calibration photos processed with Deep Sky Stacker. Streaking at upper right and lower left are caused by the camera not being at thermal equilibrium. While taking the photos the camera either expanded or contracted enough to distort the corners. This is just the cell phone clamped to the cheapest digital tripod I could find (<$10.00)--no tracking, no trix.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...pseovh20cd.jpg
http://goo.gl/photos/9TaztTcrxbAPFDZ8A

Quote:

Steve Gibson's Never10 vs. Josh Mayfield's GWX Control Panel

http://www.infoworld.com/article/304...rol-panel.html


BTW: New GWX is out v.1.7.3.1

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Hi Folks you know I posted about a friend getting a Win8 laptop he has told me he got a email from Windows welcome to win8 and would he like to know more about upgrading to win10. How the hell did they get his email? This is news to me as I have never come across such a thing.

It's possible any number of ways. Did he buy or acquire the laptop online? Probably had to give his email address to do the buy; the seller could be a "partner" with MS who shares info (mailing lists, etc.) with MS. Did he send in a warranty card or something of the sort? Again, if it had an email address on it, MS could have gotten it that way. Seriously, the average internet user should have more concern about the non-governmental collection and sharing of data than they do of any government agencies; in point of fact, the governments don't have to exert much effort on an individual level to find out about us - all they have to do is go into the various commercial, educational, and other databases and mine away. People would be surprised how easy it is to assemble a rather detailed picture of their lives with data not in the government reach...


<O>

Just been speaking him about did he have to use his email on setting up anyway he did say he bought it online from amazon uk so as he had no other dealing with MS I would assume that will be a one off email. I suggested if he gets more just block them, just shows how everything can be got hold of these days.

Since big companies like MS have a deal with their nation's secret services, there is not much that remains private, or anonymous.

And then there are the companies themselves, which sell your data , metadata and buying habits.

Certainly all to make you feel secure and well-cared for.

May have its advantages, ask your GCHQ if you harddisk fails, maybe they have a backup.

There are also random e-mails sent out to interest groups, for instance people who have registered a version of Windows. Most copies of Windows bought from retail outlets are pre-activated, but membership on any Microsoft website or its affiliates could subject you to random e-mails from Microsoft and/or affiliates.

Check that e-mail to see if there is an opt-out link. Opt-out links are kind of self-contradictory. If the company is unscrupulous, going to the site and opting out is just telling them "Yup! This here is a genuine real e-mail site. Bombs away there bub!"

However, I think that if this is a Microsoft e-mail, opting out is likely a legitimate operation. Then again, they DID just reset my option to forbid operating system upgrades...... I'd still opt-out.

Had a look at the email it contains links to how to do this and that along with video links and near to bottom Win10 sales pitch. No opt-out links found and no we did not try any of the links. I said just keep a eye on it and see how you go, probably was a one off welcome to win8 run of the mill emails.

pushy pushy
 

That is why I turned off auto updates use GWX and Spybot Anti beacon. MS has stuck a gun in everyone's head and pulled the trigger without giving a toot about their actions. Being offered Win10 is one thing but to have that forced on to you is a whole new ball game.

Did you delete the - $WINDOWS.~BT folder

Get the GWX control panel

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Roll up roll up get your win10 patches yet again..

Quote:

For the second time this month, Microsoft pushed out three optional patches to grease the skids for Windows 10

http://www.infoworld.com/article/305...d-2977759.html

Who would have thought that Groundhog Day was a prophetic movie?:/\\!!

One of my all time favorite films now has a bad taste because of KB305 & KB303 (5583) et.al (when I have KB patch numbers memorized, it's bad.)
Quote:

Well, Aktungbby, the theme of this thread is that assimilation is not inevitable and you can successfully resist.