back to article Windows 10 Creators Update general rollout begins with a privacy dialogue

Microsoft's rollout of Windows 10 Creators Update has begun, complete with a privacy dialogue box shown by default to all users. When will you get the update? Microsoft says “the first phase will target newer devices … we will then expand the Creators Update release to additional devices based on the feedback.” The process …

  1. Salamamba
    Coat

    I will delay the update as long as possible, so that the anti-telemetry (such a nice way of saying spying) programs have a chance to catch up.

    Mine's the machine with shutup10 and all the settings tweaked.

    1. Adelio

      Talking to my sister over the weekend, she complained that she kept saying no to updating to windows 10 (some time ago) and then one day it started updating her Laptop. She definately did not want it updating and was fed up of having to constantly say NO. She also says that the same thing happened to a friend.

      This was many months ago si it is too late to go back.

      I told her there was a ploy be Microsoft that tricked a lot of people into updating even though they did not want to.

      1. JetSetJim

        Must have hit the red cross to close a dialogue.

      2. GrapeBunch
        Windows

        Lucky 7even.

        I'm one of the lucky ones still on Win 7 (and XP!?. One of the XPs is destined for Mint Mate). AFAICT, MS for a long time did not have a version of 10 suitable for my ThinkPad W520. Then when I wised up about the "upgrade", I was able to prevent it. Curiously, this morning Comodo flashed a message that I would have to upgrade Comodo software before the Creators Update. On the surface, this is just an oversight on Comodo's part, mimicking not being able to tell what OS you are running. Or maybe it's a telegram that a user really might be that gullible after all this time to go from a stable 7 system to the latest whiz-bang. Or, is there a Creators Update for Windows 7 in our future?

        1. Dazed and Confused

          Re: Lucky 7even.

          Some of my PCs are still on 7, but it seems I'm not safe. The W10 machines in my office suffer from the well known "Thou Shalt Not Print" bug which means it denies being able to talk to any printer I chose to configure even though Windows is happy to ping them and all the web browsers installed are happy to open the printers home pages.

          So I'd taken to breaking the embargo by moving files I needed to print onto my old laptop which I wasn't stupid enough to let W10 onto. Then I could safely print from there.

          Well silly me.

          Last week Microsoft offered me some updates for W7 and one of those has noticed that I was printing while banned by W10 and so has stopped me printing from W7 too now. I get a different error message "Print driver host for 32bit applications has stopped working" but I have the same problem. I can't f*&king well print out what I need to.

          As to the creators update to W10, well I'm probably OK there since Microsoft are so totally inept that they are yet to make a version of last years update, 1607, work on my systems. Not that's stopped them trying constantly. So the chances of them being able to make the new update work I'd place somewhere below zero and digging fast.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "To Protect me" - Microsoft, stand outside the front door of my house, not inside it.

      If a Firewall was the equivalent of fitting the outside front door of your house with a 5 lever lock,

      Windows 10 Creators update seems the equivalent (in terms of scattered default to 'ON' Privacy settings) of a Microsoft official (with clipboard) standing in the family bedroom, watching and offering advice/condoms as you perform experimental an** sex with your consenting wife.

      Yes, they're "protecting you" but you're both compromised by Microsoft's presence at the same time and it's very fcuking invasive, when you look into the detail of what they collect (as Microsoft are doing) and who they could potentially sell/pass (conduit) this data to (especially when secondary data sources, allow re-connection the dots).

      Use this OS at your Peril, (you were told), it's pretty easy to see where things are going.

      1. TRT

        Re: "To Protect me" - Microsoft, stand outside the front door of my house, not inside it.

        A 5-lever dead bolt mortice with an anti-drill plate, reinforced bolt spindles and a hardened steel boxed keep to BS 3621:2007+A1:2009, an anti-tamper escutcheon, and a sprung, sliding anti-pick shutter. But the US Federal Agencies and the UK security services both have copies of the keys.

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: "To Protect me" - Microsoft, stand outside the front door of my house, not inside it.

        MS Protecting You

    3. Carl D

      >>> I will delay the update as long as possible, so that the anti-telemetry (such a nice way of saying spying) programs have a chance to catch up.

      Mine's the machine with shutup10 and all the settings tweaked.<<<

      ____________________________

      New version of ShutUp10 has just been released... downloading it now, and the download speed is really slow at the moment. Must be lots of people downloading it.

      I already have the Creators Update of Windows 10 installed in a dual boot with Windows 7. With Windows 10 not allowed to go online after it was activated, of course.

      Edit: The new version of ShutUp10 allows to to disable Windows Defender which MS tried to stop people from doing in Creators Update. Good.

      1. Not also known as SC

        Shutup10

        Haven't heard of this before. Just to make sure that I download the right software is it O&O ShutUp10 I should be looking at?

        1. Danny 14

          Re: Shutup10

          Interestingly enough i thought you could only delay updates for a few months. If you dont agree does that permanently stop updates?

          Wsus is one way round it. They dont update if you dont approve them.

  2. Adair Silver badge

    Spyware

    Whatever excuses are made, however much there is the appearance of choice, that is what it is in the end.

    If there was a credible option to genuinely turn it all off, and then switch individual reporting on/off as desired; with an absolute guarantee that all choices would be respected without question or arbitrary reversal by MS, then there might be a shred of credibility in saying 'We're not offering spyware'.

    But there isn't, so they are: Windows <whatever it's current iteration> is spyware.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Spyware

      >absolute guarantee

      That's called open source. (Or at least source available with reproducible builds)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Spyware

        "That's called open source. (Or at least source available with reproducible builds)"

        Ubuntu?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Spyware

          I know it's naive to ask, but why can't people not use Windows? Obviously I'm not chummy with the conformed mindset that is "enterprise" == Windows, but how many rea$on$ can be left to continue using it?

          Microsoft sees Google and Facebook making cash from tooling the NSA's wishes, so Microsoft tools their entire OS to the NSA's wishes, leaving you paying cash to sponsor an increased spy state.

          Well Buttercup, as you wish.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Spyware

            > "but why can't people not use Windows"

            Stuff not working, mostly. I've got a Linux Mint box at home. BBC iPlayer works, but Channel 4 and Channel 5's on demand players don't work due to using Adobe's Flash DRM extensions. Whilst there are some good open source application replacements, for other niche applications, I've yet to find one - I'm thinking things like Lightroom (need to be able to view Nikon .NEF raw files, and manage a library of > 30,000 metadata-tagged images), or AutoCAD. Oh, and games - some work well on Linux, others don't work at all.

    2. CompUser

      Re: Spyware

      Microsoft uses such VAGUE language. On one privacy page, the one with the picture of Satya on top, it stated that user browser search history was collected without any mention of Cloud services. It stated that the user browser history was used for page prediction. This privacy page stated that USER browser history was collected and didn't make the simple statement that identifying information was removed.

      Now it seems that Microsoft is stating that browser history is collected and then mentions the Cloud in the next paragraph with the HOPE that people will ASSUME that the previous paragraph was related to Cloud services which actually hasn't been stated in any way.

      It would be a very simple matter for Microsoft to make a clear statements about what they are not collecting and this isn't being done.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Spyware

      I agree with you.

      Unfortunately, people are so used to giving away everything about them, most won't even care.

  3. TRT

    "Creators Update"

    Sounds a bit... gamey to me. "The Creators"... space-faring lizards that seed the magma of class M planets with the soul dust of a myriad other alien species.

    I mean, really. What's in a name?

    1. GrapeBunch

      Re: "Creators Update"

      The Creators are the guys (always guys) who speak with a disembodied echo voice in Start Wreck, The Origamal's Eeries. It's their way, or

      breathe {void}.

      1. GrapeBunch

        Re: "Creators Update"

        Memory is fallible. I was thinking of Episode 63 (or 67 in another count): The Empath. The Vions (who look like Ballmer in drag) slurp all human data. Kirk (representing the journalists of El Reg) saves the life of the helpless empath, Gem (representing all Windows users), with snappy debating points. But dammit Jim, the Vions don't use the words "The Creators", that must be another episode. Later, Spock almost smiles.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Microsoft's act

    Microsoft just don't do Joined Up.

    So Creator's Update is out, but the Media Pack that the "N" version users need to play videos is not out.

    FFS.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3145500/media-feature-pack-list-for-windows-n-editions

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Microsoft's act

      If you only interested in playing videos - Install VLC or KLite, they'll give you a much better experience, with light-weight players and support for more codecs!

    2. AMBxx Silver badge

      Re: Microsoft's act

      I'm sure that both of the N version users will be really disappointed

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Coffee/keyboard

    That installation dialogue in full...

    "Microsoft is committed to using your personal data come what may.

    Please choose from the following pre-installation privacy options:

    [x] upload all my personal data with my permission.

    [ ] upload all my personal data without my permission.

    [ ] enable SmartBackup(tm) which backs up all my personal data on Microsoft servers.

    [x] enable SmartAds(tm) everywhere, based on my personal data.

    [ ] don't disable SmartAds(tm) everywhere, based on my personal data.

    [x] don't worry me with too much choice. Just do what you think is best.

    [yes] [ok] [i love you]"

    1. TRT

      Re: That installation dialogue in full...

      [ ] The cheque's in the post.

      [ ] We promise we won't come in your mouth.

      1. hplasm
        Meh

        Re: That installation dialogue in full...

        [ ] The cheque's in the post.

        [ ] We promise we won't shit in your mouth.Again. Until next Patch Tuesday.

        FTFY

      2. boidsonly

        Re: That installation dialogue in full...

        That was only 2- you forgot the 3rd greatest lie:

        It's M$ compatible.

    2. Ben Boyle

      Re: That installation dialogue in full...

      [ ] Just the tip

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm still not going to use Win 10, not just because of the telemetry/privacy issues, but because Flat Design is an abomination.

    1. Infernoz Bronze badge

      So use Classic Shell to replace the dis-functional tablet like Windows 8+ shell and pick your preferred visual/functional preferences. I've also installed it on some old Windows 7 instances, because it seems better that the standard Windows shell.

      I dealt with the spying by blocking multiple microsoft sites in my router domain and URL blacklists (from Github lock-down tool lists) and using extra lock-down software to turn off the spy features, now including the later mentioned Shutup10 tool, at "https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10".

      1. Updraft102

        Classic Shell is a must on any post-7 Windows, but that in itself won't vanquish the flat interface. For that, you will need a new Windows theme.

        The UWP-themed bits of the OS are another question. The last time I personally investigated theming 10, they could not be themed by conventional means (.msstyles editing). In 8.1, I dealt with apps by sending them straight into the fiery depths of Hell, but you can't do that with 10, now that they're phasing out the control panel in favor of the settings app.

        Windows 10 can join my Win 8.1 apps...

  7. chivo243 Silver badge
    Coat

    They are asking now...

    how much data should we slurp?

    I've disabled as much as possible, and blocked my Win10 test from getting out to the intertubes...

    My coat with my usb key with my data!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's a USA corperation

    It's legally required to lie to you

    and every computer has an identifying number, so they can push upgrades on some people but not others (ie: those they know to be testing and searching for hidden features wind up with a different version than the general public)

    When do we get a non USA operating system bumping off windows ? Because I'm sick of this whole "you are the product" thing , on stuff we pay hundreds of dollars for.

    1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      "When do we get a non USA operating system bumping off windows ?"

      You get a non-USA operating system when you install Linux. As for bumping off Windows, Microsoft are trying really hard. Despite their best efforts users are putting up with slurpware. The exact death date for Windows will be a matter of opinion as governments will keep it on life support long after it is brain dead.

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Unhappy

      "When do we get a non USA operating system bumping off windows ? "

      Micro-shaft could be anywhere in the world, and would still do the same things. They're too big for their britches, treat customers like "minions", and ASSUME we're completely addicted to their "services".

      One OS to rule them all. One OS to find them. One Interface to BRING THEM ALL and with 2D FLATSO METRO, *BIND* them!

      They re-re-re-invented the wheel to DRIVE the market into a place where Micro-shaft has COMPLETE control. Too many customers got suckered in, and just blindly went along with their evil plans...

      They need a competitor. Linux makes the most sense. The problem is legacy application compatibility. WINE won't do it. And it takes _MONEY_ to develop things. And so, we're STILL HERE...

  9. inmypjs Silver badge

    "Should you upgrade?"

    Stop calling it an upgrade FFS.

    The question should be

    Should you pay money to move to a steaming pile of spyware shit that thinks it is a phone to run your Windows applications?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Should you upgrade?"

      Actually I'll think you'll find 8.1 was the phone version, they fucked that bit up with 10.

      1. Updraft102

        Re: "Should you upgrade?"

        In 8.1, most of the phone stuff was sort of tacked on the outside of an existing desktop OS. The bizarre dual-mode OS demonstrated that the "app" bits weren't deeply integrated, but were running almost like an Android emulator within the main OS (though an Android emulator, unlike UWP, might actually be useful), so it's relatively easy to get rid of it without compromising stability of the OS, even if done by brute-force (powershell and install_wim_tweak.exe).

        In 10, there was a longer incubation period for what started with 8, so by the time it was released, the app stuff had metastasized all over the OS; too late to remove with surgical precision (if you had hoped for the patient to survive and thrive afterward).

        1. tiggity Silver badge

          Re: "Should you upgrade?"

          MS did have an android emulator essentially up and running, but canned it (search for Project Astoria)

          or visit El Reg

          https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/16/sanity_prevails_microsoft_sidelines_suicidal_androidonwindows_plan/

  10. Anonymous Git

    New version of Shutup10 is out.

    funny that the shupup10 is made by a company that is a microsoft gold partner! HAHA

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Win10 has its place....

    But only for the one game I still use it for

    1. jake Silver badge

      Windows has a place.

      Win2K, anyway. I use it for ACad 2K, and nothing else. Does the job for my needs, and I see absolutely zero reason to downgrade either of them to something more modern. Naturally, the machine is airgapped.

  12. Pat 11

    GDPR

    Isn't it going to be hard to square all this data collection with the GDPR, which is very tight on consent?

    1. JetSetJim
      Headmaster

      Re: GDPR

      The dialogue has it covered - you can consent to complete data-slurping, or you can flick a switch and consent to limited(*) data slurping

      (*) - currently limited to some degree, may not remain the same for the foreseeable future, information collected subject to change on update due to presumptive consent, at which point MS assumes consent given by the action of installing whichever patch re-enabled such slurping

  13. Zog_but_not_the_first
    Coat

    If you've worked in less salubrious parts of the world...

    ...you'll be familiar with the experience of hearing some worrying scuttling noises in the night, turning on the light and watching cockroaches and other creepy crawlies scurrying away under furniture, cracks in the floor etc. Turn off the light and it starts over again.

    I think you know where I'm going with this.

    Mine's the one with a can of DDT spray in the pocket.

    1. Aus Tech

      Re: If you've worked in less salubrious parts of the world...

      Dangerous stuff that DDT, even to us hoomans. I'm still using Windows 7, and will until support runs out. If M$ doesn't get its act together by then, I'll use something like 7 or XP without a net connection for the one program that absolutely requires Windows, and everything else that uses an Internet connection will be moved to Linux.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Data slurp

    As I pay for all data traffic with my ISP, both up and down, I would in effect be paying for MS to raid my PC.

    Win7 here.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Data slurp

      Isn't the slurp being back-ported? Or at least taking advantage of the back port?

  15. Terje

    Is there an up to date list of ip ranges to block somewhere? Some light googling got me only some posts with ip ranges that were quite old by now.

  16. Bloodbeastterror

    Services.msc

    I upgraded 3 laptops over the weekend and all 3 had the service "Connected User Experiences and Telemetry" (aka spyware) enabled even though I had specifically peviously switched it off. I've used services.msc to disable it permanently(?) yet again.

    I asked last week in another article response if anyone knows how much is fed back to MS when all privacy options are set to "off" and Telemetry is disabled. Any takers...?

    1. Updraft102

      Re: Services.msc

      sc stop diagtrack

      sc delete diagtrack

      stick those two lines in a .bat file and put that (or a shortcut to it) in your startup directory, or otherwise run it automatically at boot time (there are a number of ways to do this). That way, at each boot, it will stop and remove the spying service if it's there. It only takes a fraction of a second (in windows 8.1, anyway)... just a nearly instantaneous flash of the command prompt window and it's gone.

  17. DCLXV

    Where Is My Mind?

    Choose an OS. Choose your games. Choose Word and matching malware. Choose a three piece dialogue of privacy options on hire in a range of fucking dark patterns. Choose clipart and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch waiting on mind-numbing spirit-crushing software updates, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Where Is My Mind?

      I hate being a Microsoft User.

      We're the lowest of the fucking low, the scum of the earth, the most wretched, servile, miserable, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization.

      Some people hate the Linux Users, but I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers.

      We can't even pick a decent culture to be colonized by. We are ruled by effete arseholes. It's a shite state of affairs and all the fresh air in the world will not make any fucking difference.

      1. cookieMonster Silver badge

        Re: Where Is My Mind?

        tried to up vote you twice !! Spot on though, and sorry.

      2. agatum

        Re: Where Is My Mind?

        We're the lowest of the fucking low, the scum of the earth, the most wretched, servile, miserable, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization.

        For the record, I don't think that way, I just pity you. Slurp on the other hand seems to think exactly that.

  18. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
    Trollface

    Downloading it now

    After all the bitching about it on the Register forums by people who have never tried it, I figure it has to be excellent!

    1. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Go

      Re: Downloading it now

      Well, that's done. Didn't get the privacy dialogue box; otherwise, the update was quick and smooth. I guess we'll see if the the sky falls in; I'm guessing it won't.

    2. Updraft102

      Re: Downloading it now

      It's a fresh coat of lipstick on a pig. A lot of us may not have tried this particular coat of lipstick, but we've made the acquaintance of this particular pig before. It's the same old pig... hogging data, rooting through our personal stuff, and otherwise being the pig we know it to be.

  19. Dwarf

    I get it

    Retrospectively asking the customer for their preferred settings, when the setting they actually want isn't presented - leave my data alone and don't you dare try and spy on me and whilst you are at it - GET OFF MY LAWN

    Presumably it still only allows you to change these settings when you log in with the Microsoft account that you don'y have or don't want, rather than writing to a local setting on the machine. They used to be able to do this with an INI file, then the registry, now they need a full cloud to do the same thing. Poorly engineered / over engineered anyone ??

    This is very much like the de-installers for some applications that give you a list of reasons why you de-installed, but the one you want isn't there, which then results in meaningless marketing stats that go chasing after the wrong thing again. Its a shit product is never an option you get on the list.

    1. Updraft102

      Re: I get it

      "They used to be able to do this with an INI file, then the registry, now they need a full cloud to do the same thing. Poorly engineered / over engineered anyone ??"

      No, it's worse than that. The data reside on the hard drive owned by the one that copy of Windows serves.

      It's poorly engineered if the goal is to serve the user, but I don't think it is. It's maliciously engineered, if anything.

  20. Howard Hanek
    Childcatcher

    Did They Have Another Swansee Conference?

    You know, like the original one where the NAZIs worked out the details for their 'Final Solution"?

  21. Captain DaFt

    Another MS update,

    another forum filled with people complaining about it and helpful types linking to tweaks and programs to make it slightly less a total omnishambles, and snarky types saying "Use 'X' instead, noobs!"

    Congrats MS, your OS is finally at the stage GNU/Linux was at

    Thirty fargin' years ago!

    1. cookieMonster Silver badge

      Re: Another MS update,

      Brilliant, that really brought a laugh - thx. !!

  22. cookieMonster Silver badge
    Unhappy

    MS - You used to be a great company - WTF happened??

    I worked for them a long time ago (engineer, for 7 years) - back then they were an amazing company to work for (WFW 3.11. OS/2, SNA server, then NT, W95) but something happened not sure when exactly (but monkey boy rings a bell - was actually there) - Stopped using MS OS'es in 1998/99 and switched to a mix of Linux and MacOS/OS X - and soon will drop Mac. All this snooping has to fucking stop, thankfully I have some say in the matter. Things are going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

  23. Random Handle

    COPPA Compliance?

    Presumably there's an option which says 'I'm under 13' and switches off all the data gathering in the US - and a similar setting for parents when they set up their kids' logins - otherwise the FTC must be licking their lips right now.

  24. psychonaut

    What update?

    All my win 7 machines haven't noticed. Win 10 you say? Hmm, no, i'll let the guinea pigs find the bugs thanks...wonder what this update will remove...could be network drivers , file share permissions, security software, other software, print drivers....need some popcorn. Still, the phone will start ringing soon and i'll find out how bad it is

  25. Chunes

    Too Many Lawyers; Not Enough Smart People

    And I don't mean you, Ballmer.

  26. TeacherMARK

    It would be nice if Windows could find a way to remember my chosen programs for each file type every time they do an update. This latest update is a big yawn... no noticeable changes except I have to change all the default programs AGAIN for movies, music and images, etc...

    1. tiggity Silver badge

      defaults

      @ TeacherMARK Of course you had to change teh defaults back, you don't think you would be allowed to have non MS defaults for things! You should know better by now.

      Firest rule of any windows update is check yoyr settings to see how many things have been reverted from your changes to the settings MS wants

  27. Slions

    Updated a couple of custom built machines, turned off all snooping options from the privacy screen.

    First impression, it seems it's not happily using an insane amount of CPU cycles for telemetry or other mischief.

    On earlier version of Windows 10 one of those machine could not come back from sleep without crashing, it seems that got fixed somehow. It would also wake from hibernate for no apparent reason. That too seems to be fixed.

    Happy customer here.

  28. Jay 2

    Next I fire up my Win 10 VM I suppose I should trawl through all the privacy settings. Fortunately I don't really use it for anything, so hopefully not too much info has been slurped.

  29. FozzyBear
    Devil

    I am waiting for a BOFH or another truly malevolent mind to figure how we can all turn this data gathering to our advantage.

    I'd personally approve of any system which would make a microslop employee instantly barf into their keyboard if they saw the browsing history

  30. Black Betty

    Send Microsoft your voice input to blah, blah, blah.

    Translation if Cortana fails to recognize what's said, the audio will be sent to a human being for translation. I suppose this might only happen once or twice for each unknown word, but accurate translation means context (ie whole phrase or sentence) for any unknown words will have to be passed onto that human being.

    That's bad enough in a so called "Smart TV". In an application intended to answer any question asked it, there's enormous potential for abuse.

    All settings to off for me.

  31. HKmk23
    Trollface

    Windows 10 pro

    I have disabled "windows update" in services. The latest "update" managed to remove the delete key in Outlook! From now on I will only "update" when the dust has settled and everyone has stopped moaning (if ever).

  32. eddy67

    I have now installed the creators update on several pc's, and although, as usual, it took ages and sometimes a second go, it does actually seem an improvement.

    The update to privacy settings was in my opinion timely, allowing me to turn off al but the first.

    Personally although I don't like the idea of unnecessary data slurping, for me, like many others, the most important thing is that it feels faster, especially on low spec pc's. I hope that means it is doing less superfluous writing to my disk, which is of more concern to me than Microsoft or the US & UK governments knowing my incredibly boring browsing habits.

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