Posts by Carl D

Microsoft quietly emits patch to undo its earlier patch that broke Windows 10 networking

Re: Emergency boot partition

"Now install a linux dual-boot partition so that you still have access to the internet to find out why your windoze system won't do what it should"

Funny how I received twice as many downvotes as upvotes (10/5) when I mentioned this in another topic.

http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2016/12/14/reschedule_holiday_party_its_patch_tuesday/#c_3054097

The only difference is, of course, that my Windows 7 doesn't have Internet access. Ever.

I'm guessing the MS fanboys must have been out in force earlier... getting their trolling out of the way before this month's Patch Tuesday offerings bork their machines... again. Especially if they're using the abomination known as Windows 10.

Reschedule the holiday party, Patch Tuesday is here and it's a big one

No reschedule needed here

"Reschedule the holiday party, Patch Tuesday is here and it's a big one"

That's the beauty of having a dual boot with Linux Mint and Windows 7 (SP1 level only and never allowed online).

Don't need to bother with Patch Tuesday anymore - I can just sit back, grab my bag of popcorn and watch the fun as we all wait and see what MS has messed up this month.

Anyone who still uses Windows (especially 10) as their main online OS these days must be a sucker for punishment or they just don't know about the alternatives.

Windows 10 market share growth just barely has a pulse

I'm sitting back in my comfy chair posting from Linux Mint and getting my popcorn ready for this month's Windows Patch Tuesday entertainment.

What will MS screw up this time? How will they try to sneak more spywa... oops, telemetry into this month's Windows 7 new 'rollup packages'?

Glad I don't have to deal with this BS anymore. But, I do feel a bit sorry for the millions of Windows 10 unpaid beta testers worldwide. Just a bit.

And, on the rare occasion that I boot up into my permanently off the Internet Windows 7 (SP1 level only) partition the good old MC Hammer song comes to mind - U Can't Touch This - dedicated to MS - with my middle finger extended just for good measure.

Poison .JPG spreading ransomware through Facebook Messenger

Re: I question this statement

"Even more surprising.. It's almost 2017 and people still run Windows!"

Oh, it's perfectly safe to run Windows (7 in my case) at any time.

As long as it isn't allowed to go online. Ever. That's what I have Linux Mint for.

As for Facebook - I've had 3 accounts over the past 5 years (the last one was nearly 2 years ago) and the longest that any of them lasted was about a month.

Firefox hits version 50

Re: Chrome

Even my ASUS motherboard driver disc has Google Chrome and Google Toolbar ticked to install by default when you install the drivers.

Unbelievable... good thing you can untick them or all heck would have broken loose in the Carl household.

Re: Chrome

"Why the high usage of Google's Chrome?"

Because almost everything you download from the Internet these days seems to include Google Chrome which is usually ticked to install by default and most people don't pay attention and just 'click through' without looking.

I've had a few people come to me and ask "what's this Google Chrome and how did I get it on my computer?" I've even had a couple who didn't know they had it installed (despite the obvious Google Chrome icon on their taskbar).

The big day is here and it's time to decide: Patch Flash, Windows, Office or Android first?

Re: Why not

Oh, almost forgot about my Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 inch tablet.

Any Android updates for that today? Nope? Didn't think so.

Hasn't had any for over 2 years.

Guess I'll just have to carry on using Firefox with the NoScript, uBlock Origin and Self Destructing Cookies add-ons.

Lucky I don't keep anything important on it.

Yes - watch out. From what I've been reading they're still trying to sneak the telemetry updates into W7 and 8.1 (for those people who have avoided them so far) and it looks like MS are going to make it more and more difficult to avoid them with these monthly 'rollups' for W7 and 8.1

Re: Why not

Windows 7 SP1 level only still offline (as always) - check.

Posting this with Linux Mint - up to date (as always) - check.

No 'Patch Tuesday' dramas for me, once again.

So glad I don't have to deal with MS's BS anymore. Life's too short...

Browsers nix add-on after Web of Trust is caught selling users' browsing histories

Update

"We are now preparing to relaunch an updated version of WoT which will include the appropriate measures to regain the trust of our users."

Too late. WoT is permanently gone from Firefox (Linux Mint) on my systems. And, many other peoples' systems too, I suspect.

Seems like its a race to the bottom these days with everyone jumping on the data collection bandwagon "everyone else does it so why can't we?"

Even the latest version of Samsung Magician (4.9.7) for SSD's is now collecting information on users' systems. At least that one doesn't worry me - they can collect as much information as they like but it won't be going anywhere from my permanently offline Windows 7 installation.

Microsoft puts Windows Updates on a diet with 'differential downloads'

Re: Windows 8.1 Clean Install

Funny how Windows 8.1 is now having the same "wait forever" check for updates like Windows 7 has been having since the appearance of Windows 10 last year.

I did several clean installs of Windows 8.1 about 3 or 4 months ago and the initial check for updates took less than 5 minutes. I installed the updates in 'groups' - security updates first then a reboot, etc. and after each reboot the remaining updates appeared almost immediately.

Now W8.1 is having the same problems as W7. Is there anyone left who still doesn't believe this whole W7/8.1 update fiasco isn't being caused deliberately by MS to try and get people to give up and move to Windows 10? They began with W7 because it had (and still has) the most users. They've probably started 'borking' W8.1 updates now to deter people from moving there instead of W10.

Adblock overlord to Zuckerberg: Lay down your weapons and surrender

Re: Eyeo says it [..] wants "user empowerment"

I have also switched from Adblock Plus to uBlock Origin in Firefox just recently.

As well as being lighter on your computer's resources I've also noticed that 'certain sites' which won't let you in with Adblock Plus don't seem to detect uBlock Origin and allow you to enter - still minus the ads, of course.

Windows 10 market share stalls after free upgrade offer ends

I really enjoy watching the Windows 10 train wreck from the comfort of my Linux Mint installation.

I do still have Windows 7 - as a dual boot with Mint with W7 at SP1 level only and no Internet access allowed whatsoever seeing as MS is now trying new tactics to get their spywa.... oops, telemetry onto W7 machines with their new monthly 'all or nothing' Windows Update rollups.

Really nice not having to try and figure out which update is this month's 'magic patch' which stops the hours long wait for a list of W7 updates to even appear these days (and then more hours wasted waiting for the updates to install) - assuming nothing goes wrong which it frequently does with MS's updates lately.

And, really nice not having to constantly update antivirus, antispyware and antigoodness knows what else on a daily basis.

Oh, and MS - good luck trying to get any information from my permanently offline W7 installation.

Windows 10 market share fell in September

Windows 10 market share fell in September

Is this why the "annoying update that just won't die" KB2952664 has suddenly made another appearance? I think it's up to something like revision 24 or 25 now. *rolls eyes*.

https://www.askwoody.com/2016/win-7-8-1-customers-getting-hit-by-the-old-kb-2952664-get-windows-10-telemetry-patch/

Oh, I'm posting this from the last install I have of Windows 7 that is allowed online - and, I have it as a dual boot with Linux Mint. If MS start with more W10 nag and telemetry BS then W7 will be taken offline for good.

I already have a 10 year old HP laptop that runs beautifully and exclusively on Linux Mint 18 (with a SSD as well) and I'm predicting that my main PC (which I'm using now) won't be far behind.

Official: Windows 10 has hit the 400 million device mark

" it was hard enough replacing my Mom's OS X iBook with a Windows 8 Dell Laptop!! "

Mother-in-law, yes. But, not your dear Mother, surely?

Re: Windows 10? So What?

"So I can only assume that the W10 bashing here is by people that never, ever used the OS? I'm as guilty as the rest of you, I bashed W10 even though I never tried it. Now I've tried it. What's the big deal? Why all the objections if it's basically Windows 7 with a SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT start menu?"

- AC.

The big deal (apart from the privacy issues and things getting broken every Patch Tuesday) is that Windows 7 doesn't change all of it's settings back to MS defaults every time there's an update like 10 does.

And, yes, I have used Windows 10 - for a short time.

I feel sorry for anyone who is just starting out into the world of PC's these days and their first experience is the horror of Windows 10, If I had a dollar for each one of all the WTF? moments worldwide since the release of W10 I'd probably be a multi millionaire by now.

I had enough difficulty dealing with Windows 98 Second Edition back in early 2001 when I started out but, looking back now, it was child's play compared with W10.

At least W98 didn't download updates every 5 minutes that broke more things than it was supposed to fix. And, you could find most of the settings easily in W98, unlike W10.

Wanna prove you’re a Tech Trailblazer? Entries close in a week

The Internet is full of scams. Let me show you how to avoid them for just $29.95

Windows Update borks PowerShell – Microsoft won't fix it for a week

Time for a career change

Might be time for me to get in on the computer repair business.

The number of borked W10 machines out there at any given time must be in the millions. I don't know how Joe Average manages to deal with it. Probably thinking about buying Apple or Android... or changing their PC to Linux.

And, I've seen posts on forums lately from people who know their computers and operating systems inside out who are now getting tired of constantly fighting with W10 - the never ending forced updates that break things and reset everything to MS's default settings, etc.

But, I'm sure we'll be getting another canned response from a MS 'mouthpiece' soon reminding us (once again) that "Windows 10 continues to have the highest customer satisfaction of any version of Windows". lol... hilarious stuff.

Windows 10 needs proper privacy portal, says EFF

"The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has called on Microsoft to offer a “single unified screen” on which Windows 10 users can control how Windows 10 deals with their personal information and monitors their use of the OS."

Yes, and don't forget to tell MS that we want the controls to really work. Not just appear to work as seems to be the case at the moment.

Oh, and also don't forget to tell them we want the settings to stay as we've chosen and not reset to MS defaults (i.e. ON) every time there's a W10 update.

Farewell Patch Tuesday fragmentation: from October, MS will roll just one monthly patch

And... I'm still wondering if all this 'Patch Tuesday' business is just some massive con job to allow MS to keep control over peoples' computers. Almost like a conspiracy between MS and these so called 'security researchers' to keep the Windows patch cycle running forever. Most of these alleged security issues are never seen in the wild anyway.

I have a friend who is using Windows 7 SP1 online and it has had no updates whatsoever installed since SP1 and he has never had a problem with viruses, malware, ransomware, etc. despite the fact that he goes to some fairly dodgy websites (warez) from time to time.

If MS start playing around with W7 updates (well, more than they have already) from October and Simplix suddenly won't work anymore (I'm sure MS would love to sabotage it or shut it down) then I won't be installing any more updates and I'll take my chances. A good system image made weekly with something like Macrium Reflect is better protection anyway in my opinion.

I'll just stick with the monthly Simplix update pack, thanks.

It's like having a Windows 7 SP2 every month minus the telemetry and W10 'nag' updates (while they were being pushed) which is handy if you're doing a clean install, otherwise each monthly 'pack' just installs the updates you need.

One doesn't have to deal with MS's Windows Update BS. They're still messing people with Windows 7 around every 'Patch Tuesday' by making them look at "Checking for updates..." for hours on end. And, each month there's supposed to be a 'magic fix' to solve that problem but next month the same problem is back again.

And, I know some people may be suspicious of the Russian origin of Simplix but the guy behind it has been doing it for a few years now and I'm not aware of anyone having any trouble with it. He even asks for (voluntary) donations.

Some Windows 10 Anniversary Update: SSD freeze

I've always laughed at this picture:

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

I'm not laughing anymore. I'm sure that's exactly what's been happening with Windows lately.

Windows 10 Anniversary Update is borking boxen everywhere

Same thing happens most of the time with every (forced) monthly update as well.

Welcome to the Wonderful World Of Windows 10.

Where every customer is a perpetual unpaid beta tester.

Seriously - you'd have to be either insane or a masochist to use W10 for any considerable length of time.

Hint to MS: We want a stable operating system with just monthly security and minor updates with a major service pack every year or two. Like we used to have with previous versions. Not this W10 constantly mutating joke of an OS which keeps breaking things almost weekly.

Oh - and if you could put in a big TELEMETRY OFF button (that actually really works) for home users, that would be nice too.

Microsoft: You liked Windows 10 so much, you'll get 2 more in 2017

I actually downloaded the Windows 10 Anniversary Update ISO yesterday, put it on a USB stick (with Rufus) and installed it on a spare solid state drive.

It lasted about half an hour before I wiped it and reconnected my Windows 7/Linux Mint dual boot SSD.

W10 has become even more of a mess than it was before... take a bow, MS. I didn't think it was possible (I'm fibbing... I really knew you could do it going on your 'performance' lately).

As soon as it started updating Candy Crush and several other 'apps' without my intervention, that was the end of it for me. Oh, and by the way MS - my computer runs PROGRAMS, not APPS.

Apps are the silly little amateurish things (which usually try to extort money from you with 'in app purchases') that run on smartphones and tablets... oh, wait... I think I've just described most of the unwanted bloatware that comes with W10.

And, I don't want to spend time reinstalling programs that W10 deems 'unworthy' and removes every time W10 has a major update. I also don't want to keep changing my settings back to what I want after they're continually changed to MS's defaults which also seems to happen every time there's a W10 update.

Windows 10 still free, even the Anniversary Update, if you're crass

Apparently you can still get the 'free' downg... oops, upgrade if you set the clock on your computer back to July 28th. For now, at least.

http://www.winbeta.org/news/windows-10-free-upgrade-change-clock

To me, this suggests that MS hasn't really removed the W10 'free' offer - they've just put it aside for the moment while they work out their next devious plan to get W10 onto even more PC's.

They claim to have 350 million W10 users already. I believe they will be lucky to get 500 million by this time next year unless they go back to the shenanigans we've put up with over the past 12 months.

Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update tweaked to stop you disabling app promos

Re: turning the screw, slowly

"Windows 10 has been a free upgrade for Home and Pro users, and it may be that accepting a modest amount of promotion is in this case the price of free."

Trouble is - you have to put up with the same BS even if you pay for Windows 10.

And, as has been mentioned a few times before - W10 isn't really free. You still need to have a valid, paid for licence for W7 or 8.1 to be eligible for the 'free' downg...oops, sorry, 'upgrade'.

And, thank goodness the 'free upgrade' finishes today. Now people can go back to using their paid for Windows 7 in peace. Unless we start getting nags to buy W10 now, of course. Nothing that MS does these days would surprise me anymore.

Cortana expelled from Windows 10's new school editions

Interesting.

Cortana gets removed from school editions.

And now we're finding out Cortana won't be able to be switched off anymore for everyone else when the Anniversary update for Windows 10 is released next week. Well, not easily at least.

www.pcworld.com/article/3100358/windows/you-cant-turn-off-cortana-in-the-windows-10-anniversary-update.html

Good thing Cortana doesn't - and won't ever - know anything about my Windows 7 (minus all the W10 nag and telemetry crap) /Linux Mint dual boot.

Webpages, Word files, print servers menacing Windows PCs – yup, it's Patch Tuesday

Re: It's time for Microsoft to Fix the Windows 7 Update Slowdown

Finally got the updates to show after almost an hour and a half.

Then, it took less than 2 minutes to download and install the 4 security updates I chose to install. I don't get offered updates for Internet Explorer since it hasn't been updated from IE8 which comes with Windows 7 SP1 and I've 'removed' it with Programs and Features in Control Panel (yep, I know that doesn't actually remove it but as far as Windows Update is concerned IE doesn't exist anymore).

The amount of time one has to spend sodding around with Windows Update for W7 these days is ridiculous.

Of course, I had to hide 2952664 for about the 20th time *sigh*. I've noticed that one and it's 'partner in crime' 3035583 and a few other W10 nags don't seem to have any trouble showing up in Windows Update at random times of the month - not just Patch Tuesday.

Re: It's time for Microsoft to Fix the Windows 7 Update Slowdown

Well, after an hour of waiting I gave up with Windows Update the other day.

Now, I'm trying again (Windows 7 Professional). Half an hour of "Checking for updates..." and still nothing.

I'm absolutely certain MS is deliberately screwing with Windows 7 users. As I said in an earlier post - a week ago it took less than a minute or two to check for updates and to tell me I was up to date.

Now, since Patch Tuesday, the 'eternal wait' has returned. I haven't changed anything at my end since last week so logically, the 'problem' must be at MS's end. Doesn't matter what time of the day or night you try to get updates, the 'problem' is always the same.

Someone at another forum suggested MS has put some sort of random delay loop into Windows Update for W7 which could possibly explain why some people get the list of updates fairly quickly and others have to wait hours.

Let's see what happens next month when the W10 'free' upgrade offer is finished (Thank God!). If W7 updates return to normal (or as normal as one could expect from MS) then we'll know for sure they've been messing with us since W10 came out last year.

Three quarters of an hour now and still "Checking for updates...". If nothing happens after an hour or so I'll be giving up and using the latest Simplix package to update when it is released soon (assuming they can get the updates from MS, of course).

And, we're back...

... to the eternal wait for Windows 7 updates.

Last week I did a check and it took less than a minute (there weren't any updates available because I was up to date).

Today, I've been waiting nearly half an hour and I'm still looking at "Checking for updates...".

I'm in Perth, Western Australia - so surely the MS Australian servers (if there are any) can't be overloaded?

It seems all of these so called fixes for Windows 7 slow update checks that have appeared over the past few months either don't work or they only work for that particular month - then you're supposed to install another seemingly non related update to speed up the wait time.

Seems a bit suspicious to me - maybe all these 'fixes' are really a Windows 10 'timebomb' that will explode before the end of the month and people who have installed them will wake up one morning and find W10 on their machines after they turned off W7 the night before. Oh, wait... that's already been happening, hasn't it?

Thank goodness my 10 year old HP laptop is now permanently on Linux Mint. Last time I tried checking for W7 updates it was still checking after 5 hours. My main PC (which is STILL checking for updates) is a W7/Linux Mint dual boot. Soon to be a Mint only machine the way things are going with Windows these days.

Oh, I don't plan to install any of these updates (if they ever appear) until the weekend. I just want to check them out.

Re: Wait until the weekend to install

Well, at least this is the last time we have to worry about Windows 10 nagware in the monthly updates.

Isn't it, MS? Isn't it?

Oh, sorry. I see you're too busy 'battening down the hatches' preparing for more lawsuits after the one where you paid $10,000 to the lady in California.

http://windowsreport.com/microsoft-ny-ag-windows-10-forced-upgrade-lawsuit/

And, about time too.

Wait until the weekend to install

Most people I know wait until the weekend to install updates after Patch Tuesday to make sure there aren't any problems seeing as there have been many issues with the quality of MS's code lately.

And, be sure to make a backup image before installing any updates.

But, I'm betting that most of these 'security issues' are never seen 'in the wild' anyway - they never get further than the offices of these security researchers who I'm sure are on a nice little earner spending all day, every day looking for security flaws. Perhaps someone needs to shut THEM down?

And, honestly - you'd think after 30 years of Windows there wouldn't be many more security issues left to find. Perhaps if MS started concentrating on security instead of useless 'bells and whistles' that no-one wants (Windows 10, I'm looking at you) we wouldn't have so many patches to install year after year.

Win 10 Anniversary: 'We're beginning to check in final code' says Microsoft

Re: Their last hurrah

"I agree that the pushing out of upgrades in the manner that is happening is undesirable but when you are over a barrel. What can you do ?"

Easy - set up a dual boot with the Linux flavour of your choice then keep Windows 7 offline permanently.

Or, set up Windows 7 in a virtual machine inside Linux (once again keeping Windows 7 offline).

I prefer the first option (I'm really liking the new Linux Mint 18, by the way).

Microsoft's Windows 10 nagware goes FULL SCREEN in final push

Re: Simplix

Simplix is scrutinized by lots of people on the Whirlpool forums so I doubt very much that it has any 'crap' of it's own. Of course, everyone should always scan downloaded files of any sort with their choice of antivirus/antimalware program prior to installing.

Anyway - with MS's malware like behaviour with Windows 10 'nags' over the past year I think a lot of people using Windows 7 and 8.1 would rather take their chances with something like Simplix instead of Windows Update.

Re: Simplix

Based on the location of the people behind the Simplix project (Russia), I suspect MS is going to have a very difficult time trying to shut them down. They've been running for several years now already.

Simplix

Anyone contemplating a clean install of Windows 7 these days should do a search for 'Simplix'. I found it mentioned (and linked to) from a thread in the Windows 10 section of Whirlpool forums.

It's a rollup package of all the updates since SP1 (without the W10 and telemetry crap) and it is updated monthly so you can start using it anytime - it searches for installed updates and just installs the ones you need if you're already pretty much up to date.

Much better than the 'half hearted' MS so called 'Convenience Rollup for W7' they released recently.

Using Simplix with a clean install of W7 SP1 can take up to an hour and it has about 3 reboots (it installs the updates in groups, about 80 then a reboot, then about 60 then a reboot, then the rest and a final reboot). You get prompted for the first reboot then the rest is fully 'automatic'.

The beauty of this is (apart from the lack of W10 nag/telemetry patches) is that you don't need to use Windows Update at all - and you can leave it completely disabled, even in Services. Just download the new Simplix package each month and update with it.

No means no: Windows 10 nagware's red X will stop update – Microsoft

Hi, Ian.

I was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England but I was brought to Perth, Western Australia in 1961 when I was 4 years old.

Been here ever since except for a short 2 week holiday to Singapore and Penang in 1977.

And - NOTHING will ever make me love Windows 10. But, I'm really beginning to LIKE Linux Mint.

Just waiting for the new Linux Mint 18 "Sarah" to get out of Beta testing and I'll be installing it (at least with Linux they make a genuine effort to make it as bug free as possible before releasing it).

You should have included Terry Myerson's full statement in the article.

"We started our journey with Windows 10 with a clear goal to move people from needing Windows to choosing Windows to loving Windows. Towards this goal, this week we’ll launch a new upgrade experience for millions of PCs around the world. The new experience has clearer options to upgrade now, choose a time, or decline the free offer. If the red-x is selected on this new dialog, it will dismiss the dialog box and we will notify the device again in a few days. We continue to recommend all of our customers upgrade to Windows 10 before the free upgrade offer expires on July 29."

Loving Windows? Yeah, right. Just shows how out of touch Terry and his ilk are these days.

Love is supposed to mean two people loving each other. At least it used to. It is not meant to apply to anything else. Especially computer operating systems.

Liking Windows? Maybe. But, MS's behaviour over the past 12 months with Windows 10 makes it difficult to even do that.

And, we also have this quote:

" If the red-x is selected on this new dialog, it will dismiss the dialog box and we will notify the device again in a few days."

In other words, they still won't take NO for an answer. F_ off and die, MS.

'I urge everyone to fight back' – woman wins $10k from Microsoft over Windows 10 misery

Indeed.

And, speaking of publicity - has anyone else noticed how quickly these 'anti MS/W10' articles seem to disappear from Google search results these days? At least here in Australia.

It's almost like someone has an army of paid employees spending all day, every day 'bumping' up pro MS/W10 articles so the 'bad' ones quickly disappear.

But, maybe I'm just been cynical? Let's see how long this one and the many others about Teri's win that have been posted in the last day or so last.

Hopefully, this is the just the start of many lawsuits.

'Windows 10 nagware: You can't click X. Make a date OR ELSE'

Re: Try refusing to agree to the TOS

Did it then roll back to W7 or 8.1 OK for her?

I've heard it doesn't in a lot of cases and people then have to try and fix the mess or do a clean install of W7 or 8.1

In my opinion, the license agreement should be presented to the user BEFORE the W10 install starts. Not when it finishes.

Antitrust

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/

Very underrated film - especially in light of what MS is doing these days.

(I have it on DVD).

>> I had disabled the update to IE 11. Turns out that if you don't have IE 11, it doesn't nag you as, for some reason known only to someone at MS, IE 11 is essential to the update trigger. <<

You might be on to something there.

After I heard about the sneaky W10 ad wrapped up in an IE11 security update a couple of months back I have since done a clean install of Windows 7. First thing I did was remove IE8 (which came with 7 SP1) using Programs and Features.

I know that doesn't really remove IE - just kinda 'hides' it but it's enough to stop Windows Update from offering my IE11 or any IE updates whatsoever. Which is just fine by me because I use Firefox all the time.

1. The fact that not one government entity on the entire planet has lifted a finger (so far) to protect people from this garbage suggests to me that they're all in cahoots with MS. Money talks and all that.

2. Surely governments using Windows 7 or (God forbid) 8.1 at all levels worldwide must be affected by this as well as ordinary people and businesses? If not, then goto1.

3. Since nothing is being done to stop them, MS just keep 'pushing the envelope' further and further. They're long overdue to be regulated by the US Government. After a massive fine and the sacking of Nutella (sic) and his cohorts, of course.

Where are these pop-ups coming from?

Are these stupid nags coming from KB3035583 (which I've hidden for what seems like the hundredth time a few days back) or a combination of that plus KB2952664 (which was up to something like Revision 20 just recently) and maybe a few other W10 related 'updates' for W7?

Just wondering because I've never seen any of them with my Windows 7 Professional 64 bit. Mind you, I only have security updates and very few 'optional/recommended' ones installed after Service Pack 1.

Of course, I don't have any of the 'back ported to W7' telemetry or W10 'nag' updates installed and I have used Never10 and Spybot Anti-Beacon as well just for good measure.

Doesn't matter too much to me anyway - thank goodness for a Linux Mint dual boot. Windows 7 can now stay offline until the 'All Clear' siren sounds at the end of July (hopefully).

Windows 10 market share jumps two per cent

Does the Windows 10 market share include all those who have (voluntarily or more often not) gone from W7 or 8.1 to 10 and then rolled back within 30 days or clean installed 7 or 8.1 if they've gone beyond the 30 day rollback?

I bet it does. And, from what I've been reading, there's a lot of rollbacks going on. Especially lately with MS's shenanigans trying to trick people into installing W10.

Microsoft won't back down from Windows 10 nagware 'trick'

The BBC seems to think they've backpedalled (slightly) on this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36376962

>> "Based on "customer feedback", Microsoft said it would add another notification that provided customers with "an additional opportunity for cancelling the upgrade" <<

Customer feedback? lol... yeah, I bet they got lots of that. And, I'm sure their word censor blanked out quite a bit of it too.

And this comment from another website:

>> Microsoft said users could still cancel the upgrade once the red X had been clicked. “With the free Windows 10 upgrade offer ending on July 29, we want to help people upgrade to the best version of Windows,” it said.

"Customers can choose to accept or decline the Windows 10 upgrade." <<

I'm almost certain if someone broke into 'MS Headquarters' all they would find these days is an army of robots (or aliens) programmed to conquer the world with Windows 10 - when they're not busy churning out useless, canned responses like the ones quoted above.

Hate Windows 10? Microsoft's given you 'Insider' powers anyway

They may hear but will they listen?

Only if you're already using Windows 10.

If you're still using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 (especially Windows 7) the only thing they want to know is "WHY HAVEN'T WE TRICKED YOU INTO INSTALLING WINDOWS 10 YET?"

You can smell the desperation when you see this sort of crap that's just started happening:

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/229040-microsofts-latest-trick-clicking-x-to-dismiss-windows-10-upgrade-doesnt-stop-upgrade-process

I think The Register needs to do a story on that... could end up with the all time record for the number of comments.

Microsoft shifts Windows 7 and 8.1 fixes to 'rollup' bundles

Time for a test, I think...

Might have to do a test install of Windows 7 Professional SP1 on a separate SSD I have inside my computer tower.

I'll install Windows, then run Steve Gibson's Never 10 and/or Josh Mayfield's GWX Control Panel (I think they pretty much do the same thing although I've noticed Never 10 needs to download and install a more recent Windows Update Agent before it can do it's job).

Then, I'll install the rollup package and see what happens. I'll also run Spybot's Anti-Beacon afterwards and see if it still disables telemetry if it has been installed.

It'll be something to fill in time one evening when there's nothing worth watching on telly

Uh-huh

>> Microsoft also says that for Windows 7 SP1, it will now begin distributing a single cumulative rollup update that contains all patches and updates for the OS up to April 2016. <<

Will that include all the spyw... oops, sorry, "Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry" and Windows 10 upgrade nag patches released since last year? If so, can they be removed easily?

I'm guessing not. Sounds like a ploy for a last (?) desperate attempt to get more people onto Windows 10 before the 'free' offer ends in a couple of months.

(Edit: I see Bob beat me to it.. lol..)