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Whatacrock
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Re: How to Remove Windows 10 Installation Files from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs

Post by Whatacrock »

GWX Control Panel (formerly GWX Stopper)

Even before releasing Windows 10 in July 2015, Microsoft made sure that every user out there was informed about the perks of upgrading to the new OS.

This was achieved not only via aggressive marketing, but also by relying on a dedicated app called ‘Get Windows 10’ (or GWX, in short) that would constantly remind people to reserve and then to upgrade to Windows 10.
Prevent GWX from running on your PC

As useful as this utility might seem, having its icon displayed in the system tray at all times ended up bothering a lot of users, and this is where GWX Control Panel comes in.

This software solution can help you stop GWX from running on your computer, either temporarily or permanently. The best thing of all is that its interface is kept as intuitive as possible meaning that even novices can still enjoy its functions.

Hide GWX icon

Since this is a portable application, it does not need to be installed on the host PC to run smoothly. Instead, you can just launch it and wait until it looks for GWX on your computer - once it detects it, it displays the actions you can take.

If you plan to upgrade to Windows 10 soon, simply hiding the icon could prove to be the ideal option. Nonetheless, you need to keep in mind that it is a temporary solution and that the GWX icon will be displayed once again after OS reboot.

Disable GWX for good

Another function of GWX Control Panel is to get you rid of the ‘Get Windows 10’ app for an indefinite period. This means that you can restart your PC as many times as you like, and it will not be shown in the system tray again.

If you decide you want to upgrade the OS at a later time in the future, you can run GWX Control Panel once more and re-enable the icon with a simple mouse click.

All in all, GWX Control Panel can come in handy to all those who are annoyed about the notification icon urging them upgrade to Windows 10 and who want to make it go away quickly and easily.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Sys ... pper.shtml

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/G ... _panel.exe



There are a great number of apps which work in similar fashion, just do a search for them !!!
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Re: How to Remove Windows 10 Installation Files from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs

Post by ChrisJ »

Wow, up to 6GBs of likely unwanted and definately unsolicited crapware - amazing arrogance of Microsoft!
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Microsoft Update Disables Safedisc on Windows 7 and 8, Breaks Down Some Games

Post by Whatacrock »

Microsoft Update Disables Safedisc on Windows 7 and 8, Breaks Down Some Games

It’s all for your own good, Microsoft says in patch notes

One of the updates released by Microsoft this month silently disables Safedisc DRM on Windows 7 and Windows 8 because of security concerns, as vulnerabilities that were found in the system could be exploited by cybercriminals and expose users’ computers.

Microsoft also implemented similar changes in the RTM version of Windows 10 in July when it rolled out the new OS, making some games that use Safedisc or Securerom impossible to play. And the consequence of having this new update installed on Windows 7 and 8 is pretty much the same: games that were using these DRM systems can no longer be played.

In the official description of KB3086255, Microsoft explains that the patch was absolutely needed, but points out that a way to manually enable Safedisc and Securerom back in case you want to play a game employing any of them is still possible.

“This security bulletin addresses a defense-in-depth update for the secdrv.sys driver, a third-party driver. The update turns off the service for the secdrv.sys driver. This may affect the ability to run some older games,” the company acknowledges.

“After you install this security update, some programs may not run. (For example, some video games may not run.) To work around this issue, you can temporarily turn on the service for the secdrv.sys driver by running certain commands, or by editing the registry.”
The workaround

You can find the way to enable Safedisc and Securerom in the box after the jump.

Despite the fact that it provides a workaround to get around this update, Microsoft says that it’s extremely risky to do it because this can expose your computer to attacks and viruses. So the company makes it clear that you make any changes at your own risk and you can’t blame the company in case your PC is attacked.

Safedisc was first implemented in the ‘90s as a way to prevent piracy, as it made it more difficult (but not impossible) to copy game discs. Several titles are still using such protection systems, such as Grand Theft Auto 3, but newer games, especially those that are available on digital platforms such as Steam, no longer employ them and can be played on patched systems and Windows 10 with no issue.
How To Re-enabled Safedisc
► Show Spoiler
http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 2610.shtml
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Microsoft Rolls Out Windows 7 Test Update by Mistake, Makes Everyone Believe They Got Hacked

Post by Whatacrock »

Microsoft Rolls Out Windows 7 Test Update by Mistake, Makes Everyone Believe They Got Hacked

If you're still on Windows 7 and received a notification for an update wit a very uncommon and suspicious name, don't worry, it's just Microsoft testing the update service.

The company has mistakenly released a test patch to Windows 7 consumers, making everyone believe that the Update service got hacked and now users are infected with malware.

There are hundreds of posts everywhere you look online pointing to this patch which, let's be honest, doesn't look at all as a legitimate Windows update. Its name is a long string of random letters and numbers and its description says absolutely nothing about the things it attempts to patch, so people were worried that Microsoft's servers got compromised and the company's Windows Update service is now being used to spread malware.

Despite the worries, some people actually tried to install the patch, but the process failed because Microsoft rapidly removed it from its servers.

And in a statement released shortly after that, the company confirmed that it “mistakenly” pushed the 4.3MB update to consumers and that it was just an internal test patch that was supposed to be available only for its own PCs.
Microsoft tight-lipped despite so many worries

Microsoft hasn't detailed the release of this test update too much beside the fact that it was an accidental patch rollout, so there still are plenty of users out there who believe that their laptops and PCs were compromised.

“We had the update repeatedly show up as available and repeatedly it failed (never blindly accept updates. However seems to have gone, but we NEED to know what it was. Has the laptop been compromised? Just a short answer will do,” one user wrote on the company's Community forums.

So no, you're computer hasn't been compromised and you're as safe as before this patch, so just ignore it and you should be all fine.

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/ima ... 3273-2.jpg

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 3273.shtml
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Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

Post by Whatacrock »

Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection
Six old patches shipped again to Windows 7 PCs

Microsoft has a goal of bringing Windows 10 on a total of 1 billion devices by 2017, and in order to achieve this, the company knows that most, if not all of those on Windows 7 need to upgrade as soon as possible.

So to do this, Microsoft offered some patches prompting users to upgrade, and it turns out that the company has recently re-released these to make sure that, even if Windows 7 consumers blocked them, they still show up on their computers.

Woody Leonhard of InfoWorld writes that a total of six patches have been re-released, and these include not only updates that are supposed to encourage the upgrade to Windows 10 but also bulletins that were previously used to enable data collection on Windows 7.
“Important” updates

Most of these updates are marked as “important” on Windows 7 PCs, and they are labeled as recommended by Windows Update, so users who might not know what they are all about could easily install them.

Here's the list of the updates re-released by Microsoft a few days ago:

Update installs Get Windows 10 app in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1 (KB3035583) Enables the Get Windows 10 app on Windows 7 and 8.1 systems.
Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7 (KB2952664) Activates telemetry runs on Windows PCs.
Compatibility update for Windows 7 RTM (KB2977759) Diagnostics for Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program computers
Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: October 2015 (KB3083710) -
Compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 (KB2976978) Diagnostics for Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program
Windows Update Client for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2: October 2015 (KB3083711) -

As usual, if you don't want to upgrade to Windows 10 and if you don't want telemetry services enabled on your computer, you should avoid and hide these updates. Needless to say, Microsoft recommends everyone to install them, but it's up to you to decide whether you need them or not.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 4236.shtml
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Re: Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

Post by ChrisJ »

Whatacrock wrote:Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

<snip...>
: KB2952664 : KB2976978 : KB2977759 : KB3035583 : KB3083710 : KB3083711 :
CHUMPS!
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Re: Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

Post by TheAPGuy »

huh... maybe we should create a REMOVE MS SHIT script. lol
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Re: Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

Post by Whatacrock »

Even easier solution is not to include these updates in the scripts. Only a couple of the updates have standalone installers, the rest are delivered by Windows Update. Have a Windows Tweaking package which may be of some use to users, this however would come with a warning "Use at your own discretion"

Those that still use Windows Update from time to time can just uncheck, then hide the update..
Offered by Windows Update Only are KB2952664, KB3035583, KB2977759 --- Windows 7, and KB2976978 --- Windows 8.1
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Re: Microsoft Re-Issues Windows 7 Updates Forcing Windows 10 Upgrade, Enabling Data Collection

Post by TheAPGuy »

black list issue split from this topic and moved to help...
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Microsoft to Discontinue Old Internet Explorer Versions in January

Post by Whatacrock »

Microsoft to Discontinue Old Internet Explorer Versions in January

Update before this date or remain unpatched....

Now that Microsoft has replaced Internet Explorer with Edge in Windows 10, the company’s exclusively focusing on its new browser, so moving users to this version has become a priority.

Unfortunately for the software giant, it can’t get rid of Internet Explorer overnight, but what it can do is kill off some of the old versions and slowly switch users to newer builds. That’s exactly what the company will be doing on January 12, 2016, when it’s killing support for several old versions of Internet Explorer.

As gHacks notes, a notification on Microsoft’s Lifecycle website calls for users to update their browsers before this date, pointing out that only the latest version on each supported Windows release will continue to receive updates and security patches.

As a result, on Windows Vista SP2, Internet Explorer must be updated to version 9, while on Windows 7, 8.1, and 10, Internet Explorer 11 is the currently-supported build.
Edge for the win

Microsoft is offering both Edge and Internet Explorer in Windows 10, but it’s no secret that the company’s all about the first nowadays, especially because it’s available not only on PCs, but also on tablets and smartphones.

Edge is the default browser in Windows 10, while Internet Explorer is buried deep in the operating system, so you have to search for it manually or look for the app in the Start menu.

Pundits previously said that at some point in the future, Internet Explorer would be removed completely from Windows, but the company can’t do this right now given the huge number of companies that are still using this browser for their internal apps or services.

It takes time to kill a browser, that’s for sure, but with the January deadline, Microsoft is definitely moving one step closer towards this goal. Time will tell, however, how long Internet Explorer can survive this massive push to move everyone to Edge.


http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsof ... 4594.shtml
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