If you have Windows 10 installed, 1st thing to do

[Ognir]

There's been a lot of commotion over W10's privacy terms. I'm sure these methods can change/improve at any time, but here's a guide which should hopefully give you a relatively more private, safe experience, however at the risk of not being able to enjoy some of W10's features.

Before/During Installation

    Do not use Express Settings. Hit Customize, and make sure everything is turned off.
    It's strongly preferred that you use a local account with Windows 10.

After Installation

    Head to Settings > Privacy, and disable everything, unless there are some things you really need.
    While within the Privacy page, go to Feedback, select Never in the first box, and Basic in the second box.
    Head to Settings > Update and Security > Advanced Options > Choose how updates are delivered, and turn the first switch off.
    Disable Cortana by clicking the Search bar/icon.
    (Optional) Disable web search in Search by going to Settings, and turning off Search online and include web results.
    Change the name of your PC by going to Start (or hitting the Windows key), typing About PC, and clicking Rename PC.

Slightly Complex

    Open up the Command Prompt by launching cmd as an administrator, and enter the following:

    sc delete DiagTrack

    sc delete dmwappushservice

    echo "" > C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Diagnosis\ETLLogs\AutoLogger\AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener.etl

    Open up the Group Policy Editor by launching gpedit.msc as an administrator. Go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds. Double click Telemetry, hit Disabled, then apply. NOTE: This only truly works in the Enterprise edition, but the final step provides a decent enough workaround for Pro users.

    While still in the Group Policy Editor, go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive, double click Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage, hit Enabled, then apply.

    While still in the Group Policy Editor, go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender, double click Turn Off Windows Defender, hit Enabled, then apply.

    Open up the Registry Editor by launching regedit as an administrator. Go through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection, select AllowTelemetry, change its value to 0, then apply.

    First, download the Take Ownership tweak and enable it. Then, head to the Hosts File by going through C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc, take ownership of the hosts file, and add all of the IPs from this page into the file.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3f38ed/guide_how_to_disable_data_logging_in_w10/

Sites and IPs to block

127.0.0.1   localhost
127.0.0.1   localhost.localdomain
255.255.255.255   broadcasthost
::1      localhost
127.0.0.1   local
0.0.0.0 vortex.data.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 choice.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 df.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 telemetry.appex.bing.net
0.0.0.0 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 telemetry.appex.bing.net:443
0.0.0.0 settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 survey.watson.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 watson.live.com
0.0.0.0 watson.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 compatexchange.cloudapp.net
0.0.0.0 cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net
0.0.0.0 a-0001.a-msedge.net
0.0.0.0 statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net
0.0.0.0 sls.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net
0.0.0.0 fe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net
0.0.0.0 65.55.108.23
0.0.0.0 65.39.117.230
0.0.0.0 23.218.212.69
0.0.0.0 134.170.30.202
0.0.0.0 137.116.81.24
0.0.0.0 diagnostics.support.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 corp.sts.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 pre.footprintpredict.com
0.0.0.0 204.79.197.200
0.0.0.0 23.218.212.69
0.0.0.0 i1.services.social.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
0.0.0.0 feedback.windows.com
0.0.0.0 feedback.microsoft-hohm.com
0.0.0.0 feedback.search.microsoft.com



Take control
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/add-take-ownership-to-explorer-right-click-menu-in-vista/

[yankeedoodle]

Og,
Don't know if you have heard this, but heard it reported a few weeks ago that this thing - Windows 10 - is set up so it automatically updates, and you can't make it stop.  And, what this person was saying is that the fucking computer will update itself, and that it just might update itself to the point where peripheral equipment - computer, scanner, etc.  - will no longer be compatible.

Don't know if this is true.  Have you heard this?  Do you know?

Yankee Doodle bought a piece of shit Windows 8, and spent more time fighting with the fucking thing - including many many hours talking to Indians at HP - than working on it, and finally bought an old Dell and installed Linux Mint 17.1, and everything is wonderful.

Only use POS Windows for scanning - for some reason, scanners don't work on Linux - and for downloading podcasts to iPod, and for a few other minor things. 

Got an icon on task bar 3-4 weeks ago offering free update to Windows 10, and turned the fucking thing off.

[Ognir]

Yankee Doodle bought a piece of shit Windows 8, and spent more time fighting with the fucking thing - including many many hours talking to Indians at HP

[rmstock]

[ ... ]
Got an icon on task bar 3-4 weeks ago offering free update to Windows 10, and turned the fucking thing off.

The Windows 10 upgrade starts to smell like one fat Trojan Horse Gig.

[rmstock]

From Jim Stone's website http://www.jimstone.is/

  "August 19 2015
   Windows 10 BUSTED, AND IT IS CREEPY
   
   Yeah, I guess HILLARY'S E-MAILS PROVED THE NSA AS A SOURCE IS NOT GOOD
   ENOUGH, because using them can land you in jail. THE NEW CONSULTEE IS
   (PROBABLY) MICROSOFT, why have your goons infiltrate an old outdated
   battleship like the NSA when that can backfire?
   Why does Microsoft have a right to ALL text I type, the first 35
   megabytes of video from a web cam every time it is turned on, and
   everything that gets picked up by the microphone? Ha, they don't
   BECAUSE I DO NOT USE THEIR PRODUCTS, if you have not woken up yet and
   still do, here is what now happens:
   All text typed on the keyboard is stored in temporary files, and sent
   (once per 30 mins) to:
   
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      pre.footprintpredict.com
      reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
   
   This will allow Microsoft and the greater Jewish community to have a
   way to steal every joke, every poem, every intellectual endeavor you
   ever create and have it copyrighted before you even stop typing.
   
   Telemetry is sent once per 5 minutes, to:
   
      vortex.data.microsoft.com
      vortex-win.data.microsoft.com
      telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com
      telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com
      sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
     
   This allows them to track you very accurately.
   
   Typing the name of any popular movie into your local file search starts
   a telemetry process that indexes all media files on your computer and
   transmits them to:
   
      df.telemetry.microsoft.com
      reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
      cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net
      vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
      pre.footprintpredict.com
   
   This allows them to index any "unauthorized" content, and build a
   dossier on you that can be used in conjunction with their tracking data
   to stuff almost anyone in jail when needed.
   
   
   
   When a webcam is first enabled, ~35mb of data gets immediately
   transmitted to:
   
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
      i1.services.social.microsoft.com
      i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
   
   This allows them to get a good layout of your home and surroundings,
   and a good look at YOU PERSONALLY so they know exactly who to go get
   and how to stage the attack when something you typed pissed them off.
   
   Everything that is said into an enabled microphone is immediately
   transmitted to:
   
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com
      oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
      pre.footprintpredict.com
      i1.services.social.microsoft.com
      i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
      telemetry.appex.bing.net
      telemetry.urs.microsoft.com
      cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net
      statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com
   
   So even if you do not type anything, just talking in the room is gonna
   get you nailed, and if you say anything they don't like they will
   already have had a good look at you personally with your web cam, plus
   your surroundings, plus your exact location with that telemetry data,
   so they can PEG YOU GOOD. Yeah, I guess HILLARY'S E-MAILS PROVED THE
   NSA AS A SOURCE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, because using them can land you in
   jail. THE NEW CONSULTEE IS MICROSOFT, why use an old outdated
   battleship like the NSA when that can backfire?
   
   If this weren't bad enough, this behaviour still happens when Cortana
   (microsoft's version of SIRI) is not installed is SO IT IS NOT ANY
   HELPFUL ASSISTANT DOING THIS, IT IS A DATA AND PRIVACY RAPE PURE AND
   SIMPLE. "

[rmstock]

Another one from Jim Stone's website http://www.jimstone.is/

  "August 13 2015
   This mail regarding Jade Helm is serious.

   Greetings from Holland!
   
   Recently I came across something on Metabunk.org touching upon the
   subject of the Jade Helm operatioin recently/currently going in the US.
   After doing some research on this, this seems to be a test run of an
   artifical intelligence controlled military operation. Conincidingly,
   the friend/foe map for this mission seem to correlate to a Veterans
   densities map pulled from "Pete Thiel's Palantir, a spy machine that is
   used to predict outcomes based on variable input.".
   http://www.jerrywdavis.com/bilderberg-leader...
   This site is what that comes from.
   
   If altogether bits of this appears to be a tangible truth, dearest Jade
   is going to need input to make its decisions. What could contribute to
   that input? The former NSA's PRISM program and related monitoring? Or
   perhaps even more elaborate: Microsoft's Windows 10 datamining client?
   There is more interesting stuff surrounding Windows 10:
   
   http://www.overclock.net/t/1569318/ars-even-when-told...

   And this is another interesting bit:
   
   http://www.overclock.net/t/1569215/techworm-unhackable-version...

   One thing that could possibly be done is to throw sand in the eyes of
   Jade to disrupt it. But that's beyond my turf, no more than throwing
   around ideas. You seem to be handy in IT.
   
   My response: YOU ARE RIGHT, MICROSOFT DID INDEED BUY OUT AN ISRAELI
   SECURITY FIRM THAT HAS BUILT AN "UNHACKABLE" VERSION OF WINDOWS!

   Ha ha ha, Israeli security and "Unhackable" are bipolar statements,
   just ask Magna BSP. After this, Microsoft is a dead company, if anyone
   is foolish enough to allow an Israeli security firm do anything for
   them they deserve the doom that progresses in a perfectly sequential
   fashion afterwards.
   
   Never let a Jew store your records. They will be copied and used to
   rape you. Never let a Jew provide "security". Never let a Jew destroy
   your documents either, they will go in a storage bin while fake sawdust
   is dropped past a window to "prove" they destroyed them, and NEVER EVER
   in a MILLION YEARS let a Jew claim they have made anything at all
   "unhackable" because all this means is that you yourself will never
   find their back door, that leads straight to a comfy pad that allows
   them to eat, poop and take a nap inside your CPU!
   
   Yes, Windows 10 feeding a Jade Helm type system, PERFECT and obviously
   BANG ON."

http://thepetesantillishow.com/pete-santilli-episode-994-rand-paul-scheduled-to-meet-peter-thiel-after-bilderberg/

[MikeWB]

Og, none of that shit matters. Telemetry completely ignores hosts file. All your data is still sent to MS.

The only way to get rid of spying is to install Linux or use a Mac. It's impossible to stop data collection.

http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10

[Ognir]

Mike since this is the version of Windows, give us some time 

[yankeedoodle]

The only way to get rid of spying is to install Linux 

Got a Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon Rebecca CD for $10 in the mail.  Probably can download it for free.

If all you use computer for is surfing web, e-mail, etc, it works GREAT.  Few exceptions: for some reason, most scanners aren't compatible - but, the printer portion of your machine will probably work fine - so might have to find a new scanner that is compatible*; your iPod won't work; some gadgets might not work: for example, photos taken on an HP 7 tablet are not compatible, however, photos taken on a Nikon Coolpix are compatible, and work fine.   

* but, if you don't use your scanner very often, you can scan things into your Windows machine, and then transfer the scan to your Linux machine as an attachment on an e-mail draft.   A minor nuisance,  but beats buying a new scanner, if you don't use a scanner very often.

Partition your hard drive, or get used computer on eBay and install Linux, and then only use Windows machine for things that won't work on Linux. 

No hassles with Linux.  You'll NEVER go back. 

For less than $100, you can get a Linux CD and a cheap computer on eBay to experiment with.

[rmstock]

The only way to get rid of spying is to install Linux 

* but, if you don't use your scanner very often, you can scan things into your Windows machine, and then transfer the scan to your Linux machine as an attachment on an e-mail draft.   A minor nuisance,  but beats buying a new scanner, if you don't use a scanner very often.

Take your pick for a scanner from here :
http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html
http://www.sane-project.org/sane-mfgs.html

The  Canon Canoscan 8800F, Canon Canoscan 9000F Mark II,  CanoScan 9000F Mark II
Canon Canoscan LiDE 110, Canon CanoScan LiDE 220 (development version of sane)
HP ScanJet G4050 and HP ScanJet G4010 are supported for a reasonable price. Brother
is not supported. I used to have a Epson Perfection 2400 PHOTO which came in tthe same
price range : between 100 and 200 Euros. They disappeared, and today to have the same
quality and possibilities you need a Epson Perfection V700 Photo which sells for over 500
Euros. Some strange reviews are circulating around about this scanner, like dust inside
a brandnew scanner ... It's simple, upon purchase the box should be factory sealed, and
before first use seal the opening screws yourself.
(Secret service likes to mess around with your equipment when your targeted.)

[yankeedoodle]

Great info, Robert.  Thanks.

[MikeWB]

Microsoft has changed their business model. They've moved away from selling the OS and have moved into Google's business model of tracking everything you do and then selling advertisers & government access to your data.

This is why Windows 10 is free. This is why they backported "Telemetry" to win 8, 8.1. And this is why it's impossible to block the tracking. Unless you can run an external firewall and can block all access to MS servers, there's no way to stop it. But if you do indeed manage to block it, you won't get any updates and will be vulnerable to security issues.

It's funny that Windows 10 phones home when you search your start menu, even with Bing disabled, and sends MS your search term.

There's no way to win with these "hacks". You cannot beat them. People should decide whether they value Windows legacy or are willing to use another OS to keep their privacy.

Windows 10 sends screenshots to Microsoft when installing anything
Sends webcam and microphone data from Cortana idle voice commands
Has all your passwords, including wifi and disk encryption
Biometric data is probably next

Win 10 is now also adware:



and they will track your pirated files:

[rmstock]

Pete Santilli Episode #994 – Rand Paul Scheduled To Meet Peter Thiel After Bilderberg
http://thepetesantillishow.com/pete-santilli-episode-994-rand-paul-scheduled-to-meet-peter-thiel-after-bilderberg/

Election  -   No responses
Rand Paul: Close the NSA!
By Money Morning Staff Reports, Money Morning • September 3, 2015
http://moneymorning.com/2015/09/03/rand-paul-close-the-nsa/

  "There's a loud mantra being shouted by 2016 GOP candidate Rand Paul:
   "Close the NSA!"
   
   The Kentucky senator stopped by the controversial Utah National
   Security Agency (NSA) building on Aug. 29 for a Kodak moment. He took a
   selfie standing out front of the facility, donning sunglasses and a
   solemn expression. Then he posted the photo to Facebook along with the
   following statement: "I'm on my way to the airport, but we decided to
   stop by the NSA facility in Utah. When I become president, we'll
   convert it into a Constitutional Center to study the Fourth Amendment!
   Bulk data collection must end!"
   
   
   
   Paul's promise came just a day after a crucial NSA appeals court
   ruling. Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman, whose client was suing the
   Obama administration for spying, was unable to convince the court the
   plaintiff had indeed been spied on by the government agency.
   
   In February 2014, Paul filed a similar lawsuit against the Obama
   administration. He charged the White House with illegally obtaining
   data on citizens. Paul's lawsuit was halted, however, on Sept. 22,
   2015, by Federal District Judge Richard Leon, pending the result in
   Klayman's case.
   
   It's no wonder Paul closely followed the Klayman case, which seemingly
   came to an end on Friday...
   
   Or did it?

   Rand Paul's Battle to "Close the NSA!" Isn't Over
   
   The ruling against Klayman was a setback for those who support limits
   on the NSA's reach.
   
   But Judge Leon reached out to Klayman and "practically begged" him to
   continue his battle, reported U.S. News on Sept. 2. He laid out a
   step-by-step guide for the lawyer to follow on how to get the NSA
   government surveillance case revived. Leon told Klayman, first and
   foremost, that he should seek out a new plaintiff.
   
   Should Klayman's case indeed see the light of day again, there's a
   chance Paul's could as well.
   
   However, the two cases do have a few potentially material differences.
   For instance, Paul's involves all manners of mass surveillance, whereas
   Klayman's only focuses on the illegal obtainment of cell phone data by
   the government.
   
   Whatever the outcome, Paul's opposition to government spying sets him
   apart from the 19 other Democratic and Republican 2016 presidential
   candidates. Should the Kentucky senator win the GOP nomination – and
   eventually the presidency – there's a chance the NSA may actually be
   shut down.
   [ ... ]"

[Ognir]

Fucker would close the nsa my foot, yet keep giving to israhell

Rand is a total fucking ass

[rmstock]

Software -> Operating Systems
Why Microsoft yanked its latest Windows 10 update download: It hijacked privacy settings
Update now fixed, we're told

25 Nov 2015 at 08:08, Chris Williams , 109 Comments
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/25/windows_10_download_explained/

  "Microsoft withdrew downloads for its latest official edition of Windows
   10, version 1511, after it meddled with people's privacy settings.

   Earlier we reported how Redmond disappeared the update, which could be
   fetched via the official media creation tool (MCT). The download became
   available in mid-November after Microsoft announced it as a major
   upgrade for Windows 10.
   
   MCT is aimed at IT professionals and enthusiasts juggling many PCs:
   rather than have each computer upgrade to the latest build of Windows
   10 via gigabytes of Windows Update downloads, you can instead download
   and create a single .ISO image of the operating system via MCT, write
   the image to a DVD or USB stick, and install the software on as many
   machines as you're licensed to.
   
   So if you wanted to bring a bunch of Windows 8 machines up to the
   latest Windows 10, you'd pop into each of them a DVD or USB stick built
   from the latest MCT download, and save yourself a lot of time and
   bandwidth.
   
   So when the November MCT download vanished over the weekend, it was a
   pain in the ASCII for people – it forced folks to install the July
   launch edition and then apply loads of patches from Windows Update
   across the board. (If you've already got a single Windows 10 computer
   and are upgrading via Windows Update, none of this really affects you;
   you'll get version 1511 soon, if not already, automatically.)
   
   Now Microsoft's finally come clean on why it yanked the self-contained
   download of Windows 10 version 1511.
   
   According to Redmond on Tuesday, "when the November update was
   installed, a few settings preferences may have inadvertently not been
   retained for advertising ID, Background apps, SmartScreen Filter, and
   Sync with devices."
   
   Fair play to Microsoft for shedding light on the blunder. Basically,
   its operating system allowed apps to access people's unique advertising
   ID numbers; the SmartScreen Filter that sends executables to Microsoft
   servers to analyze was enabled; software was allowed to run in the
   background; and settings and passwords would be backed up the cloud. If
   you previously disabled any of those, they would be reenabled by the
   MCT-derived upgrade over a previous Windows 10 install.
   
   So in effect, installing version 1511 of Windows 10 via the MCT on
   Windows 10 machines overwrote the user's privacy settings.
   
   "Recently we learned of an issue that could have impacted an extremely
   small number of people who had already installed Windows 10 and applied
   the November update," a spokesperson told The Register on Tuesday.
   
   "Once these customers installed the November update, a few of their
   settings preferences may have inadvertently not been retained. For
   these customers, we will restore their settings over the coming days
   and we apologize for the inconvenience. We worked to resolve the issue
   as quickly as possible – it will not impact future installs of the
   November update, which is available today."
   
   Indeed, this update is supposed to correct the overwritten settings.
   Microsoft has come under fire for its odd approach to privacy in
   Windows 10, but at least in this case it acted fast fixing the cockup.
   
   The November update, version 1511 aka build 10586, is now available
   again via MCT for people with machines to manage. ®
   "

[rmstock]

Fucker would close the nsa my foot, yet keep giving to israhell

Rand is a total fucking ass

About the NSA and feet : Inside the documentary Citizenfour by Laura Poitras something odd
can be seen happening. In the beginning NSA whistleblower William Binney is seen stumbling
into his car with one foot amputated.  Near the end when Binney was invited to Germany after
Der Spiegel had reported how Merkel's cellphone had been eavesdropped by the NSA, we
see Binney arrive in a wheelchair, but this time with both feet amputated ...

[MikeWB]

Fucker would close the nsa my foot, yet keep giving to israhell

Rand is a total fucking ass

About the NSA and feet : Inside the documentary Citizenfour by Laura Poitras something odd
can be seen happening. In the beginning NSA whistleblower William Binney is seen stumbling
into his car with one foot amputated.  Near the end when Binney was invited to Germany after
Der Spiegel had reported how Merkel's cellphone had been eavesdropped by the NSA, we
see Binney arrive in a wheelchair, but this time with both feet amputated ...

Diabetes + infection:

In Switzerland, at the privacy conference, Mr. Binney spoke from a wheelchair. His right foot was amputated in February because of an infection that spread to his bones and was hard to fight because he suffers from diabetes. The infection returned in August, forcing doctors to amputate his right leg below the knee. In 2010, his left leg was amputated below the knee for similar reasons.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304202204579252022823658850

[MikeWB]

Win 10 update is now mandatory...

Microsoft is reportedly making it harder for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users to avoid the upgrade to Windows 10.

Some users now claim that they no longer see an option in the Control Panel to install updates to their current version of Windows. Instead, a message says that the "upgrade to Windows 10 is ready," and prompts users to "restart your PC to begin the installation." Another user claims to have seen a countdown timer for installing Windows 10, with an option to reschedule but no way to call off the upgrade entirely.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2993381/windows/windows-10-upgrades-reportedly-appearing-as-mandatory-for-some-users.html

[yankeedoodle]

Ebay - Dells, and others, available without operating systems - 4gb and 6gb and 8gb - $60-$120 range
Linux Mint 17.1 operating system available for $10
http://on-disk.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=linux+mint+17.1&search_in_description=0&mysubmit=Search

Put in disk, answer prompts - watch VERY carefully for the wi-fi question - and you are up and running within an hour.   

FUCK BILL GATES. 

[MikeWB]

FUCK BILL GATES.

Word. Last year I reformatted my Win PC and installed Ubuntu on it. Now I have a Mac laptop, Ubuntu PC. Windows has gone full-surveillance now. MS wants to make money like Google makes money: by tracking you.

[MikeWB]

Microsoft updates support policy: New CPUs will require Windows 10

In a change to its longstanding support policy, Microsoft says PCs based on new CPU architectures, including Intel's Skylake chips, will require Windows 10. A list of preferred systems will support older Windows versions on new hardware, but only for 18 months.



Historically, those customers have also been among the most conservative, lagging years behind the latest releases of an operating system release. Those practices have been encouraged by Microsoft's support lifecycle, which offers a generous ten years of support for each Windows release.

Effective today, that policy is changing in a subtle but significant way, with the addition of new hardware requirements for support of pre-Windows 10 releases. The company's also publishing a preferred list of systems that will receive special attention for updates and support.

Yes, Windows 7 (currently in the Extended support phase) will continue to receive updates until January 14, 2020, and Windows 8.1 will be supported until January 10, 2023. But in a series of "clarifications" to its support policy today, the company announced that support for those older Windows versions will be available only for "previous generations of silicon."

    Going forward, as new silicon generations are introduced, they will require the latest Windows platform at that time for support... Windows 10 will be the only supported Windows platform on Intel's upcoming "Kaby Lake" silicon, Qualcomm's upcoming "8996" silicon, and AMD's upcoming "Bristol Ridge" silicon.

The policy will be phased in beginning with systems based on Intel's new 6th-generation CPUs (code-named Skylake), which debuted a few months ago. New consumer-based Skylake devices must run Windows 10 to be supported.

For enterprise customers that want to buy "future proof" new hardware based on Skylake processors running older Windows versions, Microsoft will publish "a list of specific new Skylake devices we will support to run Windows 7 and Windows 8.1." That support will run for a period 18 months, until July 17, 2017, after which those enterprise customers will be expected to upgrade to Windows 10.

Examples of systems that will be on the initial release of the list include Dell's Latitude 12, Latitude 13 7000 Ultrabook, and XPS 13; HP's EliteBook Folio, EliteBook 1040 G3; and Lenovo's ThinkPad T460s, X1 Carbon, and P70 models.

The list will continue to be updated, Microsoft says.

Any machine that earns a place on the elite enterprise support list will get very special treatment indeed, with the idea being to reassure corporate customers that these models are especially likely to perform well on Windows 10 in the new era of continuous updates:

    For the listed systems, along with our OEM partners, we will perform special testing to help future proof customers' investments, ensure regular validation of Windows Updates with the intent of reducing potential regressions including security concerns, and ensure all drivers will be on Windows Update with published BIOS/UEFI upgrading tools, which will help unlock the security and power management benefits of Windows 10 once the systems are upgraded.

These models also get special treatment for enterprises that are still planning their Windows 10 migration, with an 18-month grace period where the older OS versions are fully supported.

    Through July 17, 2017, Skylake devices on the supported list will also be supported with Windows 7 and 8.1. During the 18-month support period, these systems should be upgraded to Windows 10 to continue receiving support after the period ends. After July 2017, the most critical Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 security updates will be addressed for these configurations, and will be released if the update does not risk the reliability or compatibility of the Windows 7/8.1 platform on other devices.



Of course, enterprise customers who want to stick with earlier Windows versions beyond that mid-2017 deadline have lots and lots of options, based on current generations of Intel processors such as the Broadwell and Haswell lines. Those systems, which are based on what Microsoft calls "downlevel silicon," will continue to be fully supported for pre-Windows 10 operating systems.

In today's blog post, Microsoft says it's seeing "unprecedented demand from our enterprise customers" in Windows 10. Enterprise customers are especially interested in new Windows 10 security features like Credential Guard, which uses hardware virtualization to safeguard credentials from attack.

Windows 8-era enhancements like Secure Boot, which protects systems from being compromised by rootkits and bootkits, also require new hardware.

Not surprisingly, today's announcement contains the usual cheery statements from Microsoft's three biggest hardware partners: Dell, HP, and Lenovo. All three companies compete aggressively in the low-margin consumer market, where virtually all new systems will run Windows 10. But enterprises will pay premium prices for the improvements in battery life and security in Skylake-based mobile systems, making this the most attractive segment to target.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-updates-support-policy-new-cpus-will-require-windows-10/

[yankeedoodle]

In a change to its longstanding support policy, Microsoft says PCs based on new CPU architectures, including Intel's Skylake chips, will require Windows 10. A list of preferred systems will support older Windows versions on new hardware, but only for 18 months.
 

Does this mean that, in the future, if you buy a machine with this Intel Skylake chip in it, the only thing it will run is Microsoft, and you won't be able to install Linux?

[MikeWB]

In a change to its longstanding support policy, Microsoft says PCs based on new CPU architectures, including Intel's Skylake chips, will require Windows 10. A list of preferred systems will support older Windows versions on new hardware, but only for 18 months.
 

Does this mean that, in the future, if you buy a machine with this Intel Skylake chip in it, the only thing it will run is Microsoft, and you won't be able to install Linux?

It means that Win10 is the only version of Windows that it will run on. They won't be updating Win7/8 kernels to support new Intel chips Linux etc will be fine since they'll just add support for them.

Before I moved away from MS, I used Win7  and it was fine. It's also the last MS OS without serious spyware on it (Win8 got an update that installed Telemetry be default).

[Ognir]

Doesn't make any difference, VM Win7 are here to stay

[rmstock]

Security
Patch Super Tuesday
How to not get pwned on Windows: Don't run any virtual machines, open any web pages, Office docs, hyperlinks ...
Keep an eye on your wireless mouse, too
12 Apr 2016 at 21:11, Shaun Nichols,  91 Comments
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/04/12/microsoft_patch_tuesday_12apr16/

  "Patch Tuesday Microsoft has posted the April edition of its monthly
   security update, which kills a bug that allows guests to escape to
   hosts on Hyper-V.
   
   A malicious app running in a virtual machine can exploit this flaw to
   drill down to the host server, execute code on the machine, and
   interfere with the system and other VMs. Which is bad.
   
   This month's patches also splat remote code execution bugs in Office,
   Internet Explorer, Edge and Skype. In total, Microsoft has posted 13
   bulletins addressing a total of 40 CVE-listed security vulnerabilities.
   
       * MS16-045 This one will be a major headache for those who run and
         host virtual machines on Hyper-V. A flaw in the hypervisor could allow
         a "guest" instance to access the host system and execute code, in
         addition to infecting the host system or accessing data from other
         hosted instances.
       * MS16-037 A cumulative update for Internet Explorer that addresses
         six flaws, including remote code execution vulnerabilities that can be
         exploited by loading a malicious web page.
       * MS16-038 A cumulative update for the Edge browser that, like the
         IE fix, patches six vulnerabilities, including remote code execution
         from malicious web pages.
       * MS16-039 A patch to address a remote code execution flaw present
         in Windows, .NET Framework, Office, Skype for Business, and Microsoft
         Lync. According to Microsoft, the vulnerability "could allow remote
         code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or visits
         a webpage that contains specially crafted embedded fonts."
       * MS16-040 A single flaw in the XML Core Services component in
         Windows that allows an attacker to take control of a system by
         convincing the user to click a link "typically by way of an enticement
         in an email or Instant Messenger message."
       * MS16-041 A remote code execution bug in the .NET Framework that
         allows an attacker who already has access to the local system to
         install and execute a malicious application.
       * MS16-042 Four memory corruption vulnerabilities in Office that
         allow an attacker to remotely execute code by convincing the user to
         open a malicious Office file. One of the flaws also affects Office for
         Mac, meaning Apple users will need to patch their software as well.
       * MS16-044 A vulnerability in Windows OLE that allows an attacker
         to remotely execute code by convincing the target to open "either a
         specially crafted file or a program from either a webpage or an email
         message."
       * MS16-046 A flaw in the Windows Secondary Logon that allows an
         attacker to elevate their user privilege level to Administrator.
       * MS16-047 A "man in the middle" flaw in the Windows Security
         Account Manager and Local Security Authority Domain components that
         allows an attacker with access to network traffic the ability to
         downgrade security controls and then impersonate the user – aka
         the Badlock bug.
       * MS16-048 A vulnerability in Windows CSRSS that potentially allows
         an attacker to bypass security credentials and gain administrator
         access by exploiting a flaw in the way CSRSS handles memory tokens.
       * MS16-049 A denial of service vulnerability in Windows that allows
         an attacker to freeze a targeted machine just by sending a malicious
         HTTP packet.
       * MS16-050 A cumulative update for Flash Player addressing a total
         of 10 security bugs, including remote code execution flaws.

   Additionally, Microsoft has posted a security advisory for an update
   that closes a vulnerability allowing a USB wireless mouse to input
   keyboard strokes on Windows machines. ®

   PS: Adobe has security patches ready for its Flash player, Creative
   Cloud Desktop Application and its RoboHelp Server.

   Tips and corrections                                    91 Comments"

[rmstock]

Security
Homeland Security warns Windows PC users to uninstall Quicktime
Published April 18, 2016 FoxNews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/04/18/homeland-security-warns-windows-pc-users-to-uninstall-quicktime.html

  "The Department of Homeland Security and a top cybersecurity firm have
   advised Windows PC users to uninstall Apple's Quicktime video player
   immediately after two new bugs were found in the software.

   

   
   In a blog post published Thursday, the Trend Micro security firm said
   that Apple was no longer issuing security updates for Quicktime for
   Windows, despite the presence of the bugs. Trend Micro said the bugs
   could be used to launch attacks on PCs if users visit a compromised web
   page or open a tained file.
   
   Trend Micro said it was not aware of any cases where the bugs had been
   exploited by hackers. The warning does not apply to Quicktime on Mac
   operating systems.
   
   DHS's United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) put out
   a similar alert Thursday warning that Windows PC users were vulnerable
   to viruses and other threats due to the security flaws.
   
   "The only mitigation available is to uninstall QuickTime for Windows,"
   US-CERT's alert said.
   
   There has been no public comment from Apple on the situation, though
   the company has posted instructions for uninstalling Quicktime for
   Windows on its website. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205771
   
   Click for more from TrendMicro.com.
   http://blog.trendmicro.com/urgent-call-action-uninstall-quicktime-windows-today/ "

[rmstock]

Hardware
Microsoft half-bricks Asus Windows 7 PCs with UEFI boot glitch
You can always update to Windows 10. Eh? Eh?

6 May 2016 at 19:59, Shaun Nichols 114 Comments
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/06/microsoft_update_asus_windows_7/

  "A recent Windows 7 update partially bricks computers that have an Asus
   motherboard fitted, it emerged this week.
   
   Windows 7 machines that have installed Microsoft's KB3133977 update may
   trigger a "secure boot violation" during startup, preventing the PC
   from loading the operating system, Asus said.
   
   Though the KB3133977 patch has been out for a while, Microsoft has only
   this week changed its classification from "optional" to "recommended",
   meaning for many users it now automatically installs through Windows
   Update – and then borks the PC.
   
   The problem, Asus says, is that its newer boards support Unified
   Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)'s Secure Boot mechanism by default
   to prevent firmware and operating system tampering. Windows 7, however,
   does not support that feature, so it's normally not used.
   
   However, the KB3133977 patch – which fixes an issue in Microsoft's
   BitLocker drive encryption system – leads the motherboard's firmware to
   believe Secure Boot is supported, but when it comes to the crunch, the
   operating system is incompatible and cannot start.
   
   Secure Boot, in short, works by checking the cryptographic signatures
   of the PC's low-level software to ensure it's starting official and
   unmodified code, and not code that's been maliciously modified by
   malware or hackers. In Secure Boot mode, in this particular case, the
   firmware insists on the OS presenting file signatures only Microsoft
   can correctly create. Windows 7 can't do this, but the KB3133977 update
   for BitLocker seemingly misleads the firmware into thinking it can.
   
   That sparks the meltdown during boot – and it affects a whole pile of
   machines, because Asus builds motherboards for plenty of PC makers.
   Perhaps this is because the KB3133977 update was designed for later
   versions of Windows but is now, for some reason, being presented to
   Windows 7 systems too. We've asked Microsoft to shed some more light on
   this cockup.
   
   
   Look familiar, Asus owners?
   
   To remedy the issue, Asus recommends that users access the firmware
   settings on their  PCs and disable UEFI Secure Boot. This can be done by
   entering the "UEFI Advanced Menu" in the firmware control panel, selecting Boot,
   then Secure Boot, and changing the "OS Type" from "Windows UEFI mode"
   to "Other OS" and rebooting.
   
   More recent versions of Windows support UEFI Secure Boot, and Microsoft
   notes that Asus owners who will update to Windows 10 will not encounter
   the issue.
   
   This, however, may not be a popular option for Windows 7 holdouts who
   have continued to resist the increasingly intrusive demands by
   Microsoft to migrate over to Windows 10. Microsoft, meanwhile, has said
   that it will be dialing back those update prods as the July deadline
   for free upgrades happens. ®
   
   Updated to add
   
   Microsoft has been in touch to say:

      Asus shipped some main boards with their own implementation of a Secure
      Boot-like feature for Windows 7. Secure Boot is a feature introduced by
      Microsoft in Windows 8 and also supported by Windows 10. Prior to
      releasing the update, we worked closely with Asus to help them put
      support in place for their customers. For customers experiencing an
      issue after installing the update, we recommend they contact Asus.

   Tips and corrections "

See also :


"Microsoft Windows Update KB3133977 is Deadly"
Submitted by IWB
Technology: "Microsoft Windows Update KB3133977 Is Deadly"
by By CoyotePrime  Monday, May 9, 2016 17:57
http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-liberal/2016/05/technology-microsoft-windows-update-kb3133977-is-deadly-2528214.html

"Microsoft Warns Windows 7 Has A Serious Problem: Earlier this year
   Microsoft MSFT warned users that Windows 7 has serious problems. I
   dismissed its claims as a desperate attempt to shift copies of Windows
   10 (and I still do), but now Microsoft has warned of a new serious
   Windows 7 problem that is very real – even though it makes no sense
   whatsoever...
   
   In short: Microsoft has made a seemingly small yet completely bizarre
   tweak to Windows Update on Windows 7 and confirmed it is crippling many
   users' PCs. The tweak? It switched the status of Windows 7 update
   KB3133977 from 'Optional' to 'Recommended'. The bizarre part? Despite
   acknowledging the problems, Microsoft knew they would occur in advance
   and it has no plans to do anything about it. Ok, let's put some meat on
   these bones.
   
   PCs That Suddenly Won't Start: It all centers around Asus motherboards.
   Now 27 years old, Asus is one of the largest PC component makers and
   supplies motherboards to many of the world's biggest PC makers.
   Recently it enabled Secure Boot in UEFI on all its motherboards. This
   wasn't a problem for older PCs because Windows 7 didn't support Secure
   Boot, that is until KB3133977 came along in March and enabled it.
   
   Initially the fallout was small. Asus confirmed the problem, Microsoft
   confirmed the problem.  But the best news was KB3133977 was an optional
   Windows 7 update so it had to be manually installed to take effect. The
   solution was simple: just steer clear of KB3133977 (aka do nothing) and
   you'd be fine. Then last month – for some bizarre reason – Microsoft
   made KB3133977 a 'Recommended' update. The result was every user
   running Windows 7 and default Windows Update settings (the vast
   majority) would find the update now installed automatically. And then
   everyone with an Asus motherboard was hit. Woody Leonhard at InfoWorld
   says he's seeing a lot more problems being reported.
   
   A Global Problem" As InfoWorld's Windows expert Woody Leonhard notes
   "I'm now seeing problems reported from all over the globe about Windows
   7 machines that suddenly won't boot". Affected machines simply show a
   red box which says:
   
   
   
   All of which does nothing to pinpoint the problem or solve it for those
   without a second secured boot device. In short: you'd be screwed.
   
   The Good News And Staying Safe: The good news is Asus has now issued a
   workaround to get PCs booting up again. Furthermore Asus must take some
   of the blame for not reacting faster when KB3133977 presented a
   potential landmine and issuing new updates to its motherboards.
   
   How do you know if you have an Asus motherboard in your Windows 7 PC?
   Go to: All Programs > Accessories > System Tools and select System
   Information. This will list your PC's components, including the
   motherboard. One downside: some major PC makers like Dell and HP
   rebrand the motherboard as the computer's model number. In which case
   you should do a web search on your model or call the manufacturer
   directly.
   
   The Bad News And What Comes Next: As for the bad news? It's Microsoft's
   reaction. On the plus side, Microsoft did update the support document
   for KB3133977 with a warning which states: "After you install update
   3133977 on a Windows 7 x64-based system that includes an Asus-based
   main board, the system does not start". But Microsoft also uses the
   document an opportunity to promote upgrades to Windows 10: "Microsoft
   has also done nothing to modify KB3133977 or release a new patch so
   users with Asus motherboards don't run into this problem in the first
   place. Furthermore, at the time of publishing, KB3133977 remains a
   'Recommended' in Windows Update for Windows 7."
   
   Needless to say, conspiracy theorists will have a ball seeing it as yet
   another new way Microsoft can push users to Windows 10. Especially with
   upgrade rates slowing in April. This in itself is remarkable given the
   increasing number of heavy handed and devious ways Microsoft has been
   pushing Windows 10 onto Windows 7 and Windows 8 users. Regardless, the
   message is clear: life is going to become increasingly uncomfortable
   for Windows 7 users from now on. Whether they like it or not...
   In brief: It's official – Microsoft is screwing Windows 7.

                                     - http://www.forbes.com/      "

[MikeWB]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX7xTE59lRI

[MikeWB]

Microsoft won't back down from Windows 10 nagware 'trick'
Redmond assumes closing nagware dialog means 'yes', says that's by design
26 May 2016 at 06:04, Richard Chirgwin

Microsoft is hurt and disappointed that people would think it was trying to "trick" them with a confusing Windows 10 upgrade dialog that scheduled an upgrade without users explicitly agreeing to do so.

Redmond recently created a new Windows 10 nagware reminder that presented a dialog asking you to install the OS. But if users clicked the red "X" to close the dialog - standard behaviour for dispelling a dialog without agreeing to do anything - Microsoft took that as permission for the upgrade.

Redmond (via its flacks) has e-mailed The Register – and, we presume, World+Dog – to say that the UI had worked like that for ages: "the UI of our 'your upgrade is scheduled' notification is nothing new (including the ability to just 'X-out' of the notification with no further action needed to schedule your upgrade) – it's been part of the notification UI for months" (their emphasis, not ours).

In this Knowledge Base article, Microsoft notes that "Based on customer feedback, in the most recent version of the Get Windows 10 (GWX) app, we confirm the time of your scheduled upgrade and provide you an additional opportunity for cancelling or rescheduling the upgrade."

+Comment: You'll have noticed that Microsoft didn't say it would re-write the app so that closing the app is taken as a "no", as happens for just about every other dialog Windows offers.

Or is Redmond saying users who didn't like the UI sleight-of-hand are at fault for delving into its Knowledge Base every time they find a dialog confusing? We'd expect commenters to have an opinion on this ... ®

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/26/microsoft_clarifies_upgrade_trick/

[rmstock]

Software > Operating Systems
Samsung: Don't install Windows 10. REALLY
Microsoft and Samsung celebrate Windows 10 year of driver FAIL
31 May 2016 at 11:18, Gavin Clarke
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/31/windows_10_samsung_fail/



   Updated Samsung is advising customers against succumbing to Microsoft's
   nagging and installing Windows 10.
   
   The consumer electronics giant's support staff have admitted drivers
   for its PCs still don't work with Microsoft's newest operating system
   and told customers they should simply not make the upgrade.
   
   That's nearly a year after Microsoft released Windows 10 and with a
   month to go until its successor – Windows 10 Anniversary Update – lands.
   
   Samsung's customers have complained repeatedly during the last 12
   months of being either unable to install Microsoft's operating system
   on their machines or Windows 10 not working properly with components if
   they do succeed.
   
   However, with the one-year anniversary fast approaching it seems
   neither of these tech giants have succeeded in solving these persistent
   problems.
   
   A Register reader with a Samsung NP-R590 laptop got in touch when he
   couldn't install Windows 10 and after he approached Samsung support.
   
   He complained that his Broadcom wireless card does not work with
   windows 10.
   
   In an email seen by The Register, our reader was told frankly by
   Samsung:
   
   "Honestly speaking, we don't suggest installation of Windows 10 to any
   Samsung laptop or PC and we are still coordinating with Microsoft
   regarding to this matter," Samsung's UK support said.
   
   "The Drivers that we have on our website are not yet compatible to the
   latest version of Windows. What we usually recommend is to keep the
   current Windows version and we'll update you once the Windows 10 have
   no more issues on any Samsung laptops and computers or even monitors."
   
   Samsung's email limply advised the reader to contact Microsoft directly
   for more information, at its Thames Valley Park campus in Berkshire, UK.
   
   The Register contacted Microsoft to find out when updated drivers for
   Samsung PCs and Windows 10 would be released.
   
   Microsoft only managed a boilerplate statement attributed to a
   spokesperson. "Microsoft and Samsung are committed to Windows 10, and
   are working closely together to provide the best possible Windows 10
   upgrade experience," it said.
   
   Microsoft "encouraged" Samsung users to visit that company's own
   website to "ensure upgrade is supported by their PC". ®

   Update
   
   A Samsung spokesperson has contacted us since the publication of this
   story to say:
   
     We apologise for any confusion caused by a recent incident where a
     customer service representative mistakenly provided incorrect
     information about Windows 10 upgrades for Samsung notebooks. We
     would like to remind our customers that they can visit the Samsung
     website where there is detailed information on the Windows 10
     upgrade applicability for each Samsung notebook model run by
     Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
   
   Tips and corrections                                                            205 Comments "