Windows 10 Creators Update 1703

[HoracioDos]

Dutch DPA: Microsoft breaches data protection law with Windows 10
https://autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl/en/news/dutch-dpa-microsoft-breaches-data-protection-law-windows-10

[Mr. Scram]

1. For $20 I may buy one just to see if it actually works.

2. Not interested in untrustworthy cloud anything, but $84 a year? I'm used to buying OEM Windows once and using it for 5 years or more.

You're forgetting about the "Software as a Service" part. Everyone does it now. Why have people spend money once, when you could have them spending it forever?

[KE5FX]

I'm used to buying OEM Windows once and using it for 5 years or more.

Thank you for your report, User.  This bug has been scheduled for attention at the highest level of priority.  We are pleased to report that it will be fixed in the next release. -- Microsoft

[joeqsmith]

Was going to watch some TV and about 10 minutes into it, there was that stupid update popup.   This time it offered a hide button, so I selected that and went back to watching.  Whole show disrupted now.  Settled back in and again about 10 minutes later, the popup shows up.   This time I tell it to go ahead and give up on using the PC.  Thanks again Satya Nadella for taking a PC that has ran fine for a few years and rendering it useless.   

Several more minutes pass and up comes the popup.  This time it says that it can't get the patch. No sht!  It want's me to contact MS tech support with some number.   At that time, I removed every patch that had been installed in the last few months.   

Strange is my desktop has never popped up with anything after the changes to the router.   The laptop must have been contaminated with more updates as I had left it off that router for a few days while I was sorting it out.     

[stj]

i just found out yesterday, a lot of modern laptops have a rootkit in the UEFI bios that phones home and downloads a load of crap into your windows install!!

[bd139]

It’s a shit show isn’t it?

I actually installed freebsd on a spare desktop pc I have lying around yesterday. See if there is a decent spice variant in the ports collection ...

[joeqsmith]

See if there is a decent spice variant in the ports collection ...

Please post what you find for SPICE.  Maybe start a new thread for it.   

[bd139]

Will do.

[stj]

LTspice ??

i dont use it, but remember seeing it in repo's for years.

[Bud]

Several more minutes pass and up comes the popup.  This time it says that it can't get the patch. No sht!  It want's me to contact MS tech support with some number.   At that time, I removed every patch that had been installed in the last few months.   

Strange is my desktop has never popped up with anything after the changes to the router.   The laptop must have been contaminated with more updates as I had left it off that router for a few days while I was sorting it out.   

Looks a typical scam to me, i once in awhile see it on exactly tv watching web sites. May have nothing to do with MS. You really think MS support wants to talk to you ?

[joeqsmith]

Several more minutes pass and up comes the popup.  This time it says that it can't get the patch. No sht!  It want's me to contact MS tech support with some number.   At that time, I removed every patch that had been installed in the last few months.   

Strange is my desktop has never popped up with anything after the changes to the router.   The laptop must have been contaminated with more updates as I had left it off that router for a few days while I was sorting it out.   

Looks a typical scam to me, i once in awhile see it on exactly tv watching web sites. May have nothing to do with MS. You really think MS support wants to talk to you ?

I can only offer the forum what happens as I continue to tighten down on the traffic.  I am not posting the information to try and sway anyone's feelings about it, more just sharing the direction I have taken to try and make the PCs stable again. 

If you would like more information about the Microsoft 10 Update Assistant and the message, just Google the following:
"Something went wrong. You can contact Microsoft support for help with this error.  Here is the error code"
Leave the quotes in.

I did not write down the specific code but assume that it would be unique to them being unable to download the updates.   After uninstalling all their patches along with the new update assistant, I have not seen another popup on this PC. 

[amspire]

Came across a free program ShutUp10 from the respected anti-defrag company O&O:

https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

I haven't tried it yet, but it looks useful. It is a standalone portable program so it isn't installed, and it gives a simple interface to control security and privacy settings. If anyone is able to test it, it would be good to see if it helps to control Windows 10 a little. I currently cannot as my only Windows 10 is out of action till tomorrow.

[BradC]

Came across a free program ShutUp10 from the respected anti-defrag company O&O:

It's probably one of the better ones, but all it does is wind all the publicly available switches down to zero. When I tried it, Windows was still very chatty,bthus my method of total isolation for the Windows machines.

[amspire]

I was just able to try ShutUp10 in a Windows 10 VM that I had just updated to the Fall Creators Edition out last Tuesday.

Seems to work OK. When doing the upgrade, I turned off all the privacy options and Cortana during the update. I had selected a "Keep Nothing" upgrade, so I turned off all the "Talk to Microsoft" features presented to a new Windows user during initial setup.

ShutUp10 seems to show that over 90% of the Windows "Features" that talk to Microsoft are still running. I have attached a screen snapshot. There are another 3 pages of features after this one.

You probably shouldn't just go in and disable everything (green). That would disable things like Windows Defender that you may actually want. So if you use this tool, you do have to read what you are disabling.

ShutUp10 does have a recommended setting and you can choose the recommended setting for all the options with a click.

[amspire]

Came across a free program ShutUp10 from the respected anti-defrag company O&O:

It's probably one of the better ones, but all it does is wind all the publicly available switches down to zero. When I tried it, Windows was still very chatty,bthus my method of total isolation for the Windows machines.

Thanks. I just went in to Windows settings and turned off all the privacy options, and yet Shutup10 still shown the majority of the features can still chat to Microsoft.  So this utility is probably a big improvement over wading through the Windows Settings, but I am sure you are right. There will be things that Microsoft never want to disable.

[bitseeker]

I've been using SpyBot Anti-Beacon and will check out ShutUp10. Looks interesting. Thanks for the link.

Update: Just finished exploring it. Lots of good options in there. I blocked lots more stuff and exported the settings to make it easier to re-apply after future Windows updates.

[G7PSK]

I've been using SpyBot Anti-Beacon and will check out ShutUp10. Looks interesting. Thanks for the link.

Update: Just finished exploring it. Lots of good options in there. I blocked lots more stuff and exported the settings to make it easier to re-apply after future Windows updates.

I also have been using spybot anti beacon plus I have turned cortana off in the registry plus the silent app installer. Without the browser open I have no outbound traffic according to wireshark after turning on the computer other than the handshake with router.

[HoracioDos]

Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools
https://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-privacy-tools/

Beware some tools change things that cannot be undone

Why You Shouldn’t Use “Anti-Spying” Tools for Windows 10
https://www.howtogeek.com/273513/why-you-shouldnt-use-anti-spying-tools-for-windows-10/

[Mr. Scram]

Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools
https://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-privacy-tools/

Beware some tools change things that cannot be undone

Why You Shouldn’t Use “Anti-Spying” Tools for Windows 10
https://www.howtogeek.com/273513/why-you-shouldnt-use-anti-spying-tools-for-windows-10/

The things can be undone just fine. Those tools just won't. Others will, however.

[HoracioDos]

The things can be undone just fine. Those tools just won't. Others will, however.

Ok. That was a small warning. I read somewhere that changes are made not only in registry. Of course, they can be undone manually if needed.

[rdl]

Since it doesn't seem possible to make it completely non-intrusive and private with a reasonable amount of effort, I've found the best option is to simply not use Windows 10.

[G7PSK]

Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools
https://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-privacy-tools/

Beware some tools change things that cannot be undone

Why You Shouldn’t Use “Anti-Spying” Tools for Windows 10
https://www.howtogeek.com/273513/why-you-shouldnt-use-anti-spying-tools-for-windows-10/

I have had no trouble with Windows update and as I use a separate anti virus program windows defender is disabled anyway and not wanted as for the windows store I have as yet to want anything from it, silent app installer is disabled in registry as I am fed up with having noxious games perpetually popping up. 

[joeqsmith]

I decided to let the little laptop run this latest set of updates.  Over 5GBytes downloading.  Consider it had just downloaded 3GBytes I'm impressed.  I assume 10Meg of that is for a new updater that will attempt to work around any blocks I have come up with, and 500M for the new Candy Crush game that requires .NET 10.    2G for the latest .NET 10.   The rest being ad and spyware.  Maybe some cute menu tossed in there.   

I would gut that company starting at the top.  Come on Bill, find someone that won't destroy in a few years what it took so long to build.   

[stj]

Bill is too busy with his covert ugenics program using insect delivered "vaccines" these days to give a shit about m$

[tszaboo]

I will instert this here also:

PSA: Do not install Microsoft creators fall update if you use Altium


There is a problem with update kb4041681 which comes with this.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4041681/windows-7-update-kb4041681
OK, this is a windows 7 update issue, but it is clearly there in windows 10

Quote
Installing this update may cause applications based on the Microsoft JET Database Engine (Microsoft Access 2007 and older or non-Microsoft applications) to fail when creating or opening Microsoft Excel .xls files. The error message is, “Unexpected error from external database driver (1). (Microsoft JET Database Engine)".
Altium uses this for DBLib libraries, at least the Excel ones. I couldnt open any of my libraries, I got a EOIeException error. SoI couldnt place any new components. I dont know what else might have been broken, I had to go back to a restore point.
Forum with similar error.
https://forum.live.altium.com/posts/219414

Hopefully someone from Microsoft realizes, that they are breaking software that are somewhat more important than their 3D wet dream desktop.