agreed.  And I do do the critical updates.  PC is set to require me to permit each update. 

Here is a very interesting development.  Microsoft has filed a lawsuit against the federal government due to what they consider excessive requests to access customer information and their inability to inform those customers that their data has been accessed.  The Apple case involving breaking into an Apple phone is also ongoing even though the feds found someone to break into it.  I do not remember ever seeing both Apple and Microsoft on the same general page ever but both are not pleased with the excessive use of federal authority.  Here is today's article from Arstechnica.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/04/microsoft-sues-us-government-over-secret-requests-for-customer-data/

Now there's the pot calling the kettle black!   Obviously, what's good for the goose ain't okay for the gander.... and I don't recall MS ever informing me that it had accessed my data, so I'm wondering why it finds it so necessary to inform people the government has been prying into it.

The whole sorry sage reeks, no matter which way you look at it... and MS is as pusilanimous as it gets.

LOLOL The whole thing is quite sad, isn't it?  At least Apple doesn't have an NSA contract.  I read some more "stuff" today concerning updates but nowhere did Microsoft mention anything about "maintenance" issues. What they did was replace one version of gpedit with another as part of "improving our computer experience."    Actually, I think they deleted the old one and plopped in a new version which "coincidentally" allowed them to do as they pleased.  At least I am almost done reinstalling software.  They made "improvements" to Office 2010 too so now none of the rules I set work and they cannot be recreated.  The one plus is that the screens now resize correctly.  So glad I have Start 10 and WindowBlinds.  It makes Windows 10 palatable.  

The 'maintenance' thing is criminal in my book.... that MS can come in, change things around and then do pretyy much as they want on your PC.  If a builer came into your home uninvited and installed a brand new kitchen you didn't order or want, he could be charged, so why is MS being allowed to enter peoples computers and make unwanted changes?

I installed a 3rd party program to disable Windows Update, yet here I am, getting updates via 'Maintenance'.  Hopefully the 3rd party people will come up with another way to prevent unwated crap being downloaded and installed.  I don't want MS' modified drivers or firmware... I don't want updates from MS to other items I can get from manufacturers sites.... yet there is MS, ramming them down my throat.   Among the crap delivered yesterday was Microsoft's keyboard and mouse drivers and software.  Like why do I need that when I'm using Logitech?

What Upsets me most is that Windows 10 is a disaster for user choice and freedoms, yet there are those who are embacing it as the best thing since sliced bread and saqying that me/people who don't like the turn of events are paranoid.... conspiracy theorists.  I don't know what it's going to take for these people to change their way of thinking about MS and Windows 10, but I believe it will be too late to reverse things by the time they wake up and smell the roses.

Now I don't know how true this is, but I was speaking with someone the other day who told me that he shut down his Win 7 PC overnight and woke up to Win 10.  Having read about the security and other concerns with Win 10, he rolled back to Win 7, but a few daqys later he ran his PC to discover Win 10 was back on it, with no option to roll back.  If true, and given MS' recent behaviour, I have little or no reason to doubt it, it means that my plan to run Win 8.1 with 3rd party the aforementioned 'preventers' isn't going to work for too long.

Yes, they make 10 a little more bearable, but 'palatable' is stretching it a bit.  What with enforced updates; 'core' phone home devices; key changes being made to user settings without consent; uninstalling/disabling users 3rd party programs, Windows 10 is the most insidious, least user friendly OS ever created. I'm sure going to miss the Stardock customisation programs when I switch to Linux, which seems to be inevitable as more horror stories surface about MS and Win 10.  I have been somewhat reluctant to make the full switch before now, but I value my privacy and MY control over MY PC, and things are getting just too risky to remain with 10.

I do have a couple of copies of XP Pro that I could use on non-net connected machines to play around with customisation, but then I don't know how many of the more modern skins would work on it.  Then again, I could always run a non-net Win 8.1 machine instead of or as well as.

So, I'm on win 7 home prof.  How do I stop this 'maintenance' sleezeware from MS from getting on my PC?  I don't want their firmware of drivers on my PC. 

I'm not sure on Win 7, Elana.  I know of 3rd party programs for Win 10 that can prevent some of MS' shenanigans, but this new method of attack through 'scheduled maintenance' is a new one on me.  I certainly hope that somebody comes up with a way to block it, and soon. Otherwise I'll be moving over to Linux a bit before I'm ready.

Sorry I was of no help... but if I learn of something I'll be sure to post it here, okay!

Elana ...ignore hear-say from the paranoid.

When they say "I don't know how true this is" it means even the paranoid don't believe it.....

I should have read this but missed it.  Please note that it talks about upgrades NOT updates.  On Windows 10 Pro the only way to stop automatic updates is either through a registry hack or using gpedit.  The article below does explain why things get weird. 

http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-block-windows-10-upgrades-on-your-business-network-and-at-home-too/

For anyone interested I have kept an updated list of crap MS tries sneaking in on Windows 7 users. I always check this list against any updates I get.

KB2506928
KB2545698 (IE9)
KB2592687
KB2876229 SKYPE
KB2976978
KB2977728
KB2978092
KB2923545 RDP
KB2970228
KB2990214
KB2994023
KB2660075
KB2952664 x2
KB2726535
KB3021917
KB3022345 Replaced by KB3068708 Telemetry (Caused false sfc result)
KB3035583
KB3044374
KB3050265
KB3065987
KB3068708 Telemetry
KB3075249
KB3080149
KB3095649
KB3102810

KB 2952664 - Labeled a compatibility upgrade for upgrading Windows 7, its purpose is to "make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows".

KB 2976978 - A compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 which "performs diagnostics on the Windows system [..] to determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed.

KB 2990214 . Does the same as KB 3044374 but on Windows 7.

KB 3021917 - Does the same as KB 2976978 but on Windows 7.

KB 3035583 - According to Microsoft, this update enables "additional capabilities for Windows Update notifications when new updates are available".
    
KB 3044374 - This update for Windows 8.1 enables systems to upgrade from the current operating system to a later version of Windows.
   

Damned 'page reset' double posting again.  GRRRRR!!

And now both of 'em are gone since editing.  GRRRRR!!!!!

 Anyway, so I'm not going all over it again, what I wrote can be seen by clicking on 'see editied content' below.

starkers

reply 31

Damned 'page reset' double posting again.  GRRRRR!!

 

And now both of 'em are gone since editing.  GRRRRR!!!!!

 Anyway, so I'm not going all over it again, what I wrote can be seen by clicking on 'see editied content' below.

edit says '... updated lust..."   ummmm  now I know its really starkers.  

I'd love some 'updated' lust.... and lots of it... haven't been out on the tiles in near 40 years.

Oh and if you're wondering why the gummy smile instead of my usual toothy grin.... I forgot to put my dentures in.

Actually it not that I forgot to put 'em in... more like I forgot where I left 'em.

Hmmmm. could be they're still stuck in the piece of steak I abandoned for being too chewy,

Ah, old age... when getting a little action means yer laxative is working... and the gleam in yer eye is the sun hitting yer bifocals.

Yeah, I know, I've gone waaay off topic... but hey, without a comedic distaction here and there, Windows 10 and what MS is doing is severely depressing.

Oh, and Paul [aka Jafo], while I'm still here... it's not that I didn't know how true it is that MS 'uprades' peoples PCs overnight.  Several respected tech journalists have reported on the matter and confirmed it is happening.  I believe that!  The bit I was unsure about is MS reversing a Win 7 roll-back to Win 10.  I'd not heard of it happening before.  However, I did say that due to MS' abominable behaviour of late, "I have little or no reason to doubt it".

Thanks, WebGizmos and Starkers. 

Jafo

reply 28

Elana ...ignore hear-say from the paranoid.

 

When they say "I don't know how true this is" it means even the paranoid don't believe it.....

 

 

What happened here, happened, Jafo, and Microsoft is shoving Windows 10 down peoples' throats.  That is a fact and they are being aggressive about it.  If a product is great and free, there should be no need to shove it down people's throats.  I allowed Windows 10 to be installed on my computer so that's my choice but other people should have a choice too.  Even on Windows 10 Pro, one can no longer simply set updates to notify before dowloading or installing using the Control Panel.  It has to be done via the group policy editor.  People with the Windows 10 Home version have no say at all. 

What really made me angry was their statement that we all promised to assist them in developing Windows 10.  I do not remember signing any agreement to that effect.  It installed as an update.  Microsoft has lost direction trying be everything to everyone and the reports I am reading from trusted sources such as Ars Techica say the Windows 10 phones have serious problems.  Verizon is not even going to offer the Windows 10 phone.  I know because I asked them but...if I buy a Windows 8.1 phone, I could have Windows 10 for free.  Sadly, I will stay with Android.  At least it works.  I have expressed my concerns directly to Microsoft and will continue to do so.  

More like Microsoft lost direction when it followed Apple's business model and began to inflict everything [bad] to everyone with a phone home "cop it sweet" OS.

I had a bad feeling about Windows 10 even before it was officially released, and recent events have proven that feeling to be correct.  Even when in 'beta', several tech journalists were already decrying some of the 'features' contained in Win 10... notably that of the 'phone home' ability and the data collectinf/transmitting apps.  Now, with Microsoft aggressively forcing Win 10 down peoples throats to gain near total control of the PC market - they won't get Linux users - I am convinced there is more going on that we don't know about... YET!!!   I believe a Windows subscription model will eventually be introduced, most likely when MS believes it has a near 100% captive market and the alternatives are far and few between.  Most will not switch to Linux, and the rest will find it too easy to remain with Win 10 and MS control.

In a way, the public asked for this, blindly trusting the OS and that MS wouldn't do anything untoward, then embracing a 'spying' OS and not questioning why certain 'odd' things are happening... like unwelcome ads on the start menu, etc, etc.  Well I'm not one who's gonnal swallow MS' bullshit and deceit... nor the damned 'in OS' ads.  I neither trust or respect MS after this series of despicable actions.

MS hasn't lost direction...still trying to get as much money as possible as always.

WebGizmos

reply 37

MS hasn't lost direction...still trying to get as much money as possible as always.

Yep, that'll always be true... money, money and more money.... and in the near future, when they think that not enough money is coming in, they'll switch to a Windows subscription model and royally screw everyone over.  However, MS has lost direction with regard to customer wants, needs and satisfaction.  This 'free' OS that is Windows 10 is probably the least free item in their software inventory.... and I'm not just speaking of the cost in dollars forked over for apps and etc..  There are other caveates that make Win 10 costly to users... such as data mining apps; phone home apps that return targeted ads to users; a core phone home device that transmits user data to MS and cannot be turned off. 

Then of course there's the enforced updates that can bork one's system... and when Windows Update is disabled by 3rd party programs to prevent unwanted and/or undesirable updates, MS uses 'Scheduled Maintenance to deliver them regardless of user wishes.  I have Windows Update disabled, and every so often I get a popup to notify me that I need to 'fix' this to install 'important' updates.   I ignore these popups, yet in the next day or so I find those very same updates I rejected have actually been installed overnight. I have a Logitech keyboard and mouse combo, so I don't want or need MS' Keyboard and Mouse Center, yet it keeps being downloaded and installed regardless of how many times I uninstalled and blocked it.  Each time it is downloaded overnight and installed during Scheduled Maintenance, which cannot be disabled.

For mine, Windows 10 is the worst edition ever

Don't worry...version 10 3/4 will be out soon and it will be awesome!

And Starkers...you do know you can uninstall the stuff on that list above if they should slip by you. And you have to watch if you "hide" any updates because they still try and slip them by you. I just open that list and look at everything listed to make sure they aren't there again. Pain in the ass yes...but even more so if you don't.

Yeah, I check constantly for MS' originated PUPS, and uninstall it whenever I find it... and yes, they are persistent bastards.   I've uninstalled several things that I later found had slipped through under the guise of something else.... or on the coat tails of something else.... eg, Sceduled Mainenance, App updates, etc.

For mine, MS should be sharged with multipe counts of PC rape.  if you or I or any other male installed our procreational parts in places unwelcomed, we'd be charged with rape, yet MS installs its bits n' pieces in peoples PCs unwelcomed and gets a fechen way with it.