How to avoid being "upgraded to Win 10" against your will:

[NoelC]

You don't think Microsoft has imagined someone using permissions to block their access?  A subsequent update will almost surely come along and "cure" that change.

 

I've personally seen them un-protect registry keys blocked in this fashion.  Some of the namespaces in Explorer, for example, that you can tweak out of existence by registry changes come back again and again with updates, even if protected.  The TrustedInstaller has as many or more privileges than you do.

 

Imagine if ANY entity other than Microsoft tried to establish a foot in the door as big as theirs with Windows Update...  The ability to regularly and automatically install arbitrary software on your computer at any time, and even going so far as forcing a reboot.

 

TRUST has been of prime importance all along.  Now that it's been destroyed, there's little left to limit what Microsoft does. 

 

I believe they're more desperate than you might think.  Their desperation is akin to the clutching behavior a drowning man might exhibit, potentially dragging down and killing the lifeguard trying to save him.

 

-Noel

[aviv00]

i dont think ms will go that nasty and change ntfs permission settings

but task scheduler can fix this problem if so

Edited January 14, 2016 by aviv00

[NoelC]

That's the problem with most folks - they believe there are still lines Microsoft won't want to cross.

 

Didn't I mention I've already seen it happen (not with GWX but with other things)?

 

Microsoft now believes they need to be in control of our computers.  COMPLETE control.  We will only be allowed to run Apps that are pre-ordained to do just the things we have paid them to allow us to do.

 

-Noel

[aviv00]

I totally seeing it happening
Actually i foresee it , just after see the change of the policy back then
I said to my self oh something happening

But anyways we playing the game, we know good and familiar with windows platform, we still can protect our self.

Hopefully we wont stuck in windows soil when time come to change to Linux

Edited January 14, 2016 by aviv00

[GrofLuigi]

Windows has been changing permissions by itself since permissions existed.

 

I can think of some examples on XP (I just checked):

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Credentials

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ServiceCurrent

 

They are harmless, unlike:

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SECURITY

 

Where you can render your machine unbootable if you give yourself too many permissions (I've stoped even looking at these keys long time ago, so I don't want to check if it alters them too, but it wouldn't surprise me).

[aviv00]

http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-announces-update-for-get-windows-10-app-on-windows-7-and-8-1-498897.shtml

Enterprise version of Windows 7 or 8.1 won’t receive the “Get Windows 10” app,

Edited January 14, 2016 by aviv00

[JorgeA]

^^ The article reads:

 

it turns out that so many people are pleased with how the “Get Windows 10” app worked on consumers’ computers that Microsoft decided to release it for business too, thus giving more people the option to upgrade to the new operating system.

 

 

LOL, let me fix that for them (corrections in boldface red):

 

It turns out that so few people are pleased with how the “Get Windows 10” app worked on consumers’ computers that Microsoft in desperation decided to release it for business too, thus pushing more people[...] to upgrade to the new operating system.

 

--JorgeA

[NoelC]

What, you don't think there are managers who think Windows 10 is better than what they have, and would like to have a free upgrade?   Ignorance knows no bounds, and reality (especially detail-laden reality) rarely intrudes on management decisions.  I hate to say it, but most IT managers honestly don't have the skills to know better, so they deal in concepts, not details.  From their perspective, here are the salient concepts:  New and Improved Windows, Free Upgrade, Microsoft Support.

 

All Good Things, right?  Who cares if they actually DELIVER on those things.

 

I don't choose to "up"grade MY business to Windows 10 based on actual reality - from both what I see in it technically AND what I see in Microsoft's policies...  Cumulative updates, and in-place upgrades every 4 months, are you SERIOUS?  Problem is, I'm actually a business manager who came up through technical ranks, and I still think details are important.

 

Here's the fundamental nugget of truth underlying all this: 

 

Microsoft pushes the "Pro" edition for small business.

 

My takeaway, based on this and other policy issues, is that Microsoft is more and more choosing to treat small business like consumers and THAT is a fundamental failure in Microsoft policies.  What small business needs from computing is no less serious than what big business needs.  In fact, small business may well be more innovative, more efficient, and actually need MORE from the operating system.  What do we know so far:

 

• There is no more "Ultimate" edition, after Windows 7, because Microsoft doesn't think small business (or enthusiasts) should have access to the "best" features.
   
• One can no longer control "Pro" fully.  Take for example the inability to configure all the telemetry off.  What business - small or large - wants their data forcibly shared with Microsoft.
   
• "Pro" is subject to most of the same rules as "Home" with regard to updates, except that you can defer the whole mess - presumably so all the "Home" users will work out all the important problems before the "Pro" user who has selected deferred upgrades will be forced into it.  But think about that, do "Home" users test all the things "Pro" users need?
   
• Why isn't the "Long Term Servicing Branch" (LTSB) available to "Pro" users?
   
• Now we see Microsoft expanding the "GWX experience" to small business (identified by "Pro" editions on domains). 

 

Over and over we see them trying to push "Pro" and "Home" together.  It's like trying to mix water and oil.  A wise man once said "make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler".

 

Microsoft really seems to be trying to ruin computing across the board.  We haven't begun to see all of what they're going to push on Enterprise users yet (which are still just getting used to Windows 7), but I'll wager only the most disconnected, high level IT managers will easily embrace Windows As A Service.

 

-Noel

Edited January 14, 2016 by NoelC

[JorgeA]

KB2952664 popped up yet again in this month's Patch Tuesday set.

 

--JorgeA

[JorgeA]

What, you don't think there are managers who think Windows 10 is better than what they have, and would like to have a free upgrade?   Ignorance knows no bounds, and reality (especially detail-laden reality) rarely intrudes on management decisions.  I hate to say it, but most IT managers honestly don't have the skills to know better, so they deal in concepts, not details.  From their perspective, here are the salient concepts:  New and Improved Windows, Free Upgrade, Microsoft Support.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the fundamental nugget of truth underlying all this:

 

Microsoft pushes the "Pro" edition for small business.

 

My takeaway, based on this and other policy issues, is that Microsoft is more and more choosing to treat small business like consumers and THAT is a fundamental failure in Microsoft policies. What small business needs from computing is no less serious than what big business needs. In fact, small business may well be more innovative, more efficient, and actually need MORE from the operating system. What do we know so far:

 

• There is no more "Ultimate" edition, after Windows 7, because Microsoft doesn't think small business (or enthusiasts) should have access to the "best" features.
• One can no longer control "Pro" fully. Take for example the inability to configure all the telemetry off. What business - small or large - wants their data forcibly shared with Microsoft.
• "Pro" is subject to most of the same rules as "Home" with regard to updates, except that you can defer the whole mess - presumably so all the "Home" users will work out all the important problems before the "Pro" user who has selected deferred upgrades will be forced into it. But think about that, do "Home" users test all the things "Pro" users need?
• Now we see Microsoft expanding the "GWX experience" to small business (identified by "Pro" editions on domains).

 

Over and over we see them trying to push "Pro" and "Home" together. It's like trying to mix water and oil. A wise man once said "make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler".

 

Microsoft really seems to be trying to ruin computing across the board. We haven't begun to see all of what they're going to push on Enterprise users yet (which are still just getting used to Windows 7), but I'll wager only the most disconnected, high level IT managers will easily embrace Windows As A Service.

 

-Noel

 

All so true, and eloquently put. Home users and small (even if home-based) businesses do have different needs and approaches.

 

If I were in the market for Windows 10, though, I would get the Pro version, as at least it offers the Group Policy Editor through which you have some remaining control over updates (not sure if it offers any better control over telemetry, I'd have to check).

 

--JorgeA

[dencorso]

KB2952664 popped up yet again in this month's Patch Tuesday set.

Got offered KB2976978 yet again today on an 8.1 machine I'm servicing!

While it's preposterous the way MS continues insists in pushing 10, those offerings make sense (one regarding the other), and confirm my initial pairing of them.

[...]

Summary:

Now, there are some of these updates that come in pairs (pairing revised after reading post #111):

KB2952664 for Windows 7 SP1 and KB2976978 for Windows 8.x.

[...]

That said, it remains fundamental to keep eyes wide open at each patch Tuesday, for those of us who haven't yet fully relinquished MS patches.

[Bakuchris]

Augh, Why does Microsoft keep doing this with there updates it is getting so tiring.

[Dave-H]

I suspect we'll have to put up with this at least until the "free update" window closes.

[NoelC]

KB2999226

"Update for Universal C Runtime in Windows"

It is an update that enables one to run windows 10 applications on earlier versions of windows.

 

I'm just now bringing an old Win 7 x64 Ultimate VM up to date, and I am looking KB2999226 over...

 

I see that the files it updates are of the form "api-ms-win-core-*.dll...

 

Looking over the files already on my system of the I see a BUNCH of these files, some dating back to October, 2012, for example in folder:

 

c:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-minkernelapinamespace_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.17135_none_66dcd6a595588d81

 

I even found an empty folder dated 2009!

 

C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-minkernelapinamespace_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_66a6e19d9580f9e3

 

What are these files about?  Has Microsoft been putting some kind of App capability into Windows 7 since wayyy back?

 

Check it yourself on your Win 7 system...  From an elevated CMD window, do this DIR command:

 

DIR  C:\Api-ms-win-core-*.*  /s

 

Given the sheer number of these things already on the system, I'm wondering whether disallowing this particular update would have any positive effect.  Conversely, should one just trash all these files?  It's not like they're HUGE or anything, but what are they good for?

 

-Noel

Edited January 15, 2016 by NoelC

[dencorso]

Just gave them a quick look... did you notice the description of many, if not all, of them is: "ApiSet Stub DLL"?