Yeah, I get called a stick-in-the-mud for not doing what everyone else does. But it impresses me that, if I suggest someone try using LibreOffice when said someone is pissed at M$'s latest pricing plan or round of menu hiding, I get a "that's not going to be compatible" type responses. I tell them otherwise but the conversation ends abruptly.
I really don't understand why LO on Linux looks so bland out of the box, it's not a good sell for a possible MSO convertee. I like to dress it up with a FireFox theme and add a bit of color to the icons. LO (not AOO) is really a very good office suite that is "more" compatible with other office documents including MSO itself. I even had LO open some really old MacDraw and MacWrite documents that I thought were lost forever since these were created when Macs still had floppies. Go LibreOffice! Go Linux Mint!
The other day I dug out my $100 RKM MK36S Atom W10 box. When I last played with it some 2 years ago I could not get HDMI Audio working. The 3.5mm audio connector works with external speakers fine. From forums at the time, it was deemed to be an Intel driver problem for the atom chip.
That assessment appears correct so I am trying to update W10 to see if that fixes it first. But the inbuilt FLASH C: is only 32GB and W10 appears to hog about 24GB of that. I have an external 64GB uSD installed too. Guess what, W10 update requires 8GB space to perform the update, but I had only 6.5GB. After deleting Kodi and an DVBT program it is updating. The only non W10 apps left are Firefox, netflix and ookla.
Microsoft issues emergency Windows patch to disable Intel's buggy Spectre fix
If you’ve noticed any unexpected reboots or PC instability as a result of the recent Spectre patches, there’s a solution: Microsoft has issued an emergency Windows patch that rolls back the recent Spectre mitigations.
Intel has reported issues with recently released microcode meant to address Spectre variant 2 (CVE 2017-5715 Branch Target Injection) – specifically Intel noted that this microcode can cause “higher than expected reboots and other unpredictable system behavior” and then noted that situations like this may result in “data loss or corruption.” Our own experience is that system instability can in some circumstances cause data loss or corruption. On January 22nd Intel recommended that customers stop deploying the current microcode version on impacted processors while they perform additional testing on the updated solution. We understand that Intel is continuing to investigate the potential impact of the current microcode version and encourage customers to review their guidance on an ongoing basis to inform their decisions.
While Intel tests, updates and deploys new microcode, we are making available an out of band update today, KB4078130, that specifically disables only the mitigation against CVE-2017-5715 – “Branch target injection vulnerability.” In our testing this update has been found to prevent the behavior described. For the full list of devices, see Intel’s microcode revision guidance. This update covers Windows 7 (SP1), Windows 8.1, and all versions of Windows 10, for client and server. If you are running an impacted device, this update can be applied by downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Application of this payload specifically disables only the mitigation against CVE-2017-5715 – “Branch target injection vulnerability.”
We are also offering a new option – available for advanced users on impacted devices – to manually disable and enable the mitigation against Spectre Variant 2 (CVE 2017-5715) independently via registry setting changes. The instructions for the registry key settings can be found in the following two Knowledge Base articles:
•KB4073119: IT Pro Guidance
•KB4072698: Server Guidance
NOTE: Running the KB4078130 fix from the MS Update Catalog Store doesn't open any windows like a normal update - it just applies registry updates
1) run as administrator
2) reboot
I let my new 10 machine update. Definitely noticed it. However, it has been stable. Cool. Overall latency and pauses came right up. Streaming anything shows the difference easily. IMHO, significant penalty for more people than is being framed.
At this time, my need for big speed isn't what it was a year ago.
Thankfully, I can largely wait this out.
And should a contract come up, my 7 machine is really fast. Its not gonna get the update. And it's online profile is very modest.
I really feel for the people in a demand use case high enough to struggle.
At this point in time, IMHO it would bebetter to wait it out and not apply patches that have not been widley tested.
But, W10 demands (no, it just does it, permission or not) to do the upgrades. It is not really possible to block the upgrades as far as I can tell. Although, now that my W10 is obeying the metered connection again, this blocks the updates although it keeps taunting me to do the upgrade with po-ups.
At this point in time, IMHO it would bebetter to wait it out and not apply patches that have not been widley tested.
But, W10 demands (no, it just does it, permission or not) to do the upgrades. It is not really possible to block the upgrades as far as I can tell. Although, now that my W10 is obeying the metered connection again, this blocks the updates although it keeps taunting me to do the upgrade with po-ups.
Just add a single registry key and data set. It's outlined here.
People have been complaining for years that Linux is too hard to use.
This Windows mess is impossible.
It's a 2 minute procedure and it solves the update problem faster than complaining about it here does.
Sorry if that's a mess to you.
Not sure why everyone who actually understands computing complains about something as simple as a Windows registry change.
When I had my first unscheduled restart due to upgrade in Windows 10 two years ago I got on chat support from Microsoft and they explained it in about 5 minutes. They do understand that people need to lock down machines and have facilities to allow any user to do so.
Don't like the updates, turn them off, Don't like the notifications, you can turn them off too.
Don't line Windows at all, go to Linux, but as you so eloquently put it, "Good Grief" applying a registry fix is not that hard.
At this point in time, IMHO it would bebetter to wait it out and not apply patches that have not been widley tested.
But, W10 demands (no, it just does it, permission or not) to do the upgrades. It is not really possible to block the upgrades as far as I can tell. Although, now that my W10 is obeying the metered connection again, this blocks the updates although it keeps taunting me to do the upgrade with po-ups.
Just add a single registry key and data set. It's outlined here.
This article reads as I thought!
I don't have Windows 10 Professional - it's my home laptop and the usual Windows 10 Home.
From what I understand, it is NOT POSSIBLE to disable the automatic updates on W10-Home.
The trick was to make your wifi internet connection a metered connection (which is what I am also really on as I don't have a landline).
But W10 recently violated the metered connection and updated anyway. To make matters worse, it resulted in a download/update/rollback loop and repeat. Once I hit my download quota, it costs me $10 per 1MB !!!
In one of those loops over many days, W10 finally updated something that now honours the metered connection again. But the nagging is annoying because its still doing the download/update/rollback loop if I let it.
And for the record (nothing to do with unix)... I don't like messing with the registry. It's not that I am incapable, but that IMHO it is not for playing with, and should not be necessary.
It's a 2 minute procedure and it solves the update problem faster than complaining about it here does.
Perhaps. Once you have found out what registry keys to change and how.
Not sure why everyone who actually understands computing complains about something as simple as a Windows registry change.
Well. Changing a registry key is nothing to do with "understands computing". It's only about understanding the ways of Windows and it's registry. Both of which are new to me.
When I had my first unscheduled restart due to upgrade in Windows 10 two years ago I got on chat support from Microsoft and they explained it in about 5 minutes.
So what is it? A "2 minute procedure" or "about 5 minutes" with the help of an expert online?
By the way, how did you do that? How do you get chat support from MS?
Don't line Windows at all, go to Linux, but as you so eloquently put it, "Good Grief" applying a registry fix is not that hard.
For sure tweaking the registry is not hard.
Finding out what to tweak an how might be.
So, as it is so simple, tell me now, how do I prevent or undo the installation of Intel's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention firmware and/or Microsoft's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention OS patches?
Also by the way, how come I can never tell what this MS Surface Pro is going to do next time I boot it up. It seems to scale the desktop at random, often making things unreadable/unuseable and juggle my desktop icons around at random? And why does it turn things on that I have explicitly turned off?!
Just for the record, my wife's laptop (work laptop with W10 Pro for use at home with remote Desktop) a month or two ago decided to perform an update without notice or permission. It took over 4 hours where she was unable to use her laptop. Now, there is one day of the week where she doess the works wages. If this had occured on the afternoon of that day, then there would have been some very disgruntled employees, and they would not know, not care, that it was Microsofts fault !!!
MS has some real explaining to do. It's way time that the lawyers pounced (and I dislike lawyers more than car salesmen). MS might own your software, but they don't own your hardware.
I can just imagine the car of the future. You are on your way to hospital to have that emergency life saving heart operation, and your car decides it wants a service, so it detours to the service mechanic for a 4 hour tune up. You're locked inside the car, being held hostage while the robot mechanic does the tune up. When finally back on the way to the hospital you die. Who is at fault?
It's not that I am incapable, but that IMHO it is not for playing with, and should not be necessary.
No, that's what it's there for. The Windows Registry contains information, settings, options, and other values for programs and hardware installed on all versions of the OS. This excludes most Java, Portable, and .NET applications. Performing regular changes for the configuration of Windows features or application settings are quite safe as there exists two levels of transaction logs to allow for shallow and deep recovery, but this usually is not necessary.
Way back in 3.11 and 95 making changes to the registry could be detrimental because recovery meant clean install, but that stigma has stuck even though the technology has been fixed since NT. That was part of the New Technology. This was also when they added NTFS with journaling which is also used by Windows as another layer of protection for system files. There even exists a fourth layer of protection but that's quite esoteric knowledge.
Ever modify anything in /usr/local/etc? Mistakes there can be much harder to recover from than Windows registry errors.
The Army trained me as an MCITP and I worked MS Sharepoint in my years in SigInt and in that time I made hundreds of different registry changes in Windows to properly authorize devices and set protocol on certain comms devices. I all that time I never once had to recover a registry. Recovered a few systems that got zapped, but those were due to handling, not software issues.
The article that I presented shows the group police for pro versions and the registry fix for home users, no mystery there.
A lot of people are frustrated with Windows and that's going to happen, but there does exist a simple, safe, and proven solution to your problem.
It's a 2 minute procedure and it solves the update problem faster than complaining about it here does.
Perhaps. Once you have found out what registry keys to change and how.
No need to find them, I provided them, twice.
Not sure why everyone who actually understands computing complains about something as simple as a Windows registry change.
Well. Changing a registry key is nothing to do with "understands computing". It's only about understanding the ways of Windows and it's registry. Both of which are new to me.
Then you should take the time to research them before you denigrate them. To do otherwise is to perpetuate ignorance.
When I had my first unscheduled restart due to upgrade in Windows 10 two years ago I got on chat support from Microsoft and they explained it in about 5 minutes.
So what is it? A "2 minute procedure" or "about 5 minutes" with the help of an expert online?
Nice ad hominem. It took me 5 minutes online to learn how to do it. It takes me two minutes to apply it to any machine since I've learned how.
By the way, how did you do that? How do you get chat support from MS?
Don't line Windows at all, go to Linux, but as you so eloquently put it, "Good Grief" applying a registry fix is not that hard.
For sure tweaking the registry is not hard.
Finding out what to tweak an how might be.
Not when a trained professional lays out all the steps for you.
So, as it is so simple, tell me now, how do I prevent or undo the installation of Intel's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention firmware and/or Microsoft's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention OS patches?
Not sure how to undo it as I wasn't foolish enough to let them install on any machine that mattered in the first place. as to prevent them, please read my previous comments.
Also by the way, how come I can never tell what this MS Surface Pro is going to do next time I boot it up. It seems to scale the desktop at random, often making things unreadable/unuseable and juggle my desktop icons around at random? And why does it turn things on that I have explicitly turned off?!
Dunno, I think the surface is overpriced and I've never worked on one. My first thought would be to ask if you use any external displays with your surface and if those displays are always connected and how they are connected. Then I'd ask about any desktop share software. Then I'd ask if you use chromecast or any other feature that can control the resolution on an external device.
As for items that you've specifically turned off, are they apps that MS want to put on? If so you can disable the app store between uses and that will cease.
If this had occured on the afternoon of that day, then there would have been some very disgruntled employees, and they would not know, not care, that it was Microsofts fault !!!
Set the time of day for updates under the update scheduling. This will guarantee no workday restarts.
If this had occured on the afternoon of that day, then there would have been some very disgruntled employees, and they would not know, not care, that it was Microsofts fault !!!
Set the time of day for updates under the update scheduling. This will guarantee no workday restarts.
That is just a solution after the problem. Its what I would expect from an MS employee. It's a bug, not an MS feature!
The problem here is that MS did the update without permission. All updates when being actioned, should IMHO, be given permission to do so, especially when you are going to lose access to your pc to do work (and I mean any access here, not necessarily work related). To just do it is completely wrong. This is what the default should be.
As for registry changes, they should not be tampered with. Anything that changes the registry should be done by software.
Now, there is one day of the week where she doess the works wages. If this had occured on the afternoon of that day, then there would have been some very disgruntled employees, and they would not know, not care, that it was Microsofts fault !!!
Are you saying that they are using Windows 10 Home for a professional application? There are fundamental differences between Home and Pro such as group policy that has the "feature" of disabling and advanced scheduling of the updates, as well as additional drive security. Features that you'd expect in an OS for business applications.
From the Windows 10 EULA
The software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorized sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates. By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice
Networks, data and Internet usage. Some features of the software and services accessed through the software may require your device to access the Internet. Your access and usage (including charges) may be subject to the terms of your cellular or internet provider agreement. Certain features of the software may help you access the Internet more efficiently, but the software’s usage calculations may be different from your service provider’s measurements. You are always responsible for (i) understanding and complying with the terms of your own plans and agreements, and (ii) any issues arising from using or accessing networks, including public/open networks. You may use the software to connect to networks, and to share access information about those networks, only if you have permission to do so.
They had your permission.
As for registry changes, they should not be tampered with. Anything that changes the registry should be done by software.
No, there are thousands of whitepapers on MS prescribed registry changes for users that need to deviate from the intended OS design. Deviations like ignoring updates that patch vulnerabilities.
If you want to use Windows for general internet usage then you need most of the updates. For general internet users skipping the vulnerability updates is tantamount to the anti-vaccination mentality. My policy is to receive the notifications and wait a week or so to see if any bugs pop up. Then I test the updates on non-critical systems first before allowing them to install on important machines.
Mikeologist,
You are missing the point. Just because a EULA says something doesn't make it right or law. I saw that even in the US that courts have found that being forced to agree to a contract when there is no alternative doesn't make it so.
In Oz, our laws override certain clauses in contracts.
Taking over your personal (or works) hardware is theft without your express permission. Just because you gave permission doesn't give permission in the future.
In the late 70's and 80's many countries, including Oz, passed laws holding corporations liable for consequential damages. These were specifically the result of computer hardware and software problems that were not fit for purpose. MS and others tried to circumvent these laws by EULAs when the PCs were introduced. I am sure these laws still apply. It will just take some dedicated smart law firm to take on the big guys.
BTW yes my wife's laptop is running fully licensed business software. Default settings that deprive a users access to his gear is not moral, and I would suspect unlawful (ie deemed to be negligent).
I'm pretty sure I got the point. You hate Microsoft and seem to think that somehow they will change after doing the same thing for 40 years. That's quite clear.
Just because a EULA says something doesn't make it right or law. I saw that even in the US that courts have found that being forced to agree to a contract when there is no alternative doesn't make it so.
In Oz, our laws override certain clauses in contracts.
Taking over your personal (or works) hardware is theft without your express permission. Just because you gave permission doesn't give permission in the future.
In the late 70's and 80's many countries, including Oz, passed laws holding corporations liable for consequential damages. These were specifically the result of computer hardware and software problems that were not fit for purpose. MS and others tried to circumvent these laws by EULAs when the PCs were introduced. I am sure these laws still apply. It will just take some dedicated smart law firm to take on the big guys.
BTW yes my wife's laptop is running fully licensed business software. Default settings that deprive a users access to his gear is not moral, and I would suspect unlawful (ie deemed to be negligent).
I am pretty sure I have the majority belief here.
Well, when OZ holds MS liable then you'll be in a great place to clean up. Until that day the points I've made are the reality of the situation.
I am not speaking to the morality of Microsoft.
I am speaking to the reality of the fact that you are ignoring a simple solution to your problem because you disagree with the application of a fix provided by the manufacturer.
What do you want, a GUI button that does the exact same thing? The problem there is that every person who knows just a bit about Windows will go in and turn that right off, then in three months they will gripe that their install is corrupt when in reality they've just fallen prey to vulnerabilities that have been patched. It's a just-enough-rope solution. That is exactly why they changed that feature from Windows 7. The vast majority of Windows 7 corruption was completely preventable had the users simply applied the provided patches.
If you have a moral issue with Microsoft I'd suggest that you stop using all of their products. Focus on the keywords, their products.
If you want total control of a machine that you can lock down with no unexpected maintenance using a moral product then Linux is clearly the OS for you; you'll never get that from a Microsoft product. However, if you want to fix your Microsoft product so you can continue to enjoy the conveniences of Windows then I have provided you with the solution to prevent changes until you allow them.
Then you should take the time to research them before you denigrate them..
My comments were not intended to denigrate anything. It was just a passing comment on the link about controlling updates that you posted above. That page is huge, it contains 9 or 10 screen shots and a lot of text.
I think I'm justified then in pointing out that Windows is not easier to use than Linux or whatever other OS when it comes down to it.
You are right. Most of these things are easy when you have spent time on finding out. Frankly, I don't want to spend one minute more than I absolutely have to learning how to control a legacy operating system. You can call that "perpetuating ignorance" if you like. So be it. I think there better things in life people could be learning.
Nice ad hominem. It took me 5 minutes online to learn how to do it. It takes me two minutes to apply it to any machine since I've learned how.
I don't think so. It is not a comment about you, used to defeat your argument, therefore it can be "ad hominem".
I actually tried that last night, out of curiosity. Did not get anywhere with it. Got too tired and gave up. I may try again some time.
Not sure how to undo it as I wasn't foolish enough to let them install on any machine that mattered in the first place. as to prevent them, please read my previous comments.
I think we can be sure that the vast majority of Windows users get updates pushed on them all the time. I'm not sure we should class all Windows users as fools.
Dunno, I think the surface is overpriced and I've never worked on one.
I agree. The Surface is expensive. I only have this because the boss insisted and coughed up the money. I was resistant to the idea of squandering money on an unrepairable, Windows machine.
My first thought would be to ask if you use any external displays with your surface and if those displays are always connected and how they are connected. Then I'd ask about any desktop share software
You got it. This surface is often connected to a big Samsung monitor at home, a different big monitor in the office or just being used by itself. Windows tries to adjust the display accordingly but it more often goes wrong and requires a reboot. This is one thing I have spent some time on, tweaking the display settings.
Then there are the applications that don't work well on the high res screen of the Surface. Strangely they tend to be legacy Windows applications. All the open source things I use behave better in that respect.
As for blocks that keep getting unblocked... I installed Spybot Anti-Beacon in an attempt to turn of all the spying Windows does. Spybot often shows that the OneDrive service gets unblocked. Why is any such service even running by default?
This operating system cannot be trusted.
On the other hand I have become very attached to my Surface Pro. It's very light and mobile. It has a great screen. It performs better than most big box PC's I have used. It runs all my open source favorite software. And Win 10 now has BASH on Windows which means I can actually use this machine to get work done. That is a first for Windows for me.
Gibson Research Corporation released a wonderful test tool that will help you to determine if your workplace or home computer is properly secured against Intel microprocessor vulnerabilities (Spectre & Meltdown) that I have been harping about for the last year.
Comments
How do I convince the 99.9999% of people around me not to use Windows?
I have been trying hard since 1998.
What more do I have to do?
Yeah, I get called a stick-in-the-mud for not doing what everyone else does. But it impresses me that, if I suggest someone try using LibreOffice when said someone is pissed at M$'s latest pricing plan or round of menu hiding, I get a "that's not going to be compatible" type responses. I tell them otherwise but the conversation ends abruptly.
Two years later, rinse and repeat.
That assessment appears correct so I am trying to update W10 to see if that fixes it first. But the inbuilt FLASH C: is only 32GB and W10 appears to hog about 24GB of that. I have an external 64GB uSD installed too. Guess what, W10 update requires 8GB space to perform the update, but I had only 6.5GB. After deleting Kodi and an DVBT program it is updating. The only non W10 apps left are Firefox, netflix and ookla.
If you’ve noticed any unexpected reboots or PC instability as a result of the recent Spectre patches, there’s a solution: Microsoft has issued an emergency Windows patch that rolls back the recent Spectre mitigations.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3251825/security/microsofts-issues-another-emergency-windows-patch-to-pull-intels-buggy-spectre-fix.html
From Microsoft
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4078130/update-to-disable-mitigation-against-spectre-variant-2
NOTE: Running the KB4078130 fix from the MS Update Catalog Store doesn't open any windows like a normal update - it just applies registry updates
1) run as administrator
2) reboot
EDIT: checking the registry, apparently the fix only disables the Variant 2: CVE 2017-5715"Branch Target Injection"
see: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4073119/protect-against-speculative-execution-side-channel-vulnerabilities-in
- Ron
Windows Client Guidance for IT Pros to protect against speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4073119/protect-against-speculative-execution-side-channel-vulnerabilities-in
At this time, my need for big speed isn't what it was a year ago.
Thankfully, I can largely wait this out.
And should a contract come up, my 7 machine is really fast. Its not gonna get the update. And it's online profile is very modest.
I really feel for the people in a demand use case high enough to struggle.
But, W10 demands (no, it just does it, permission or not) to do the upgrades. It is not really possible to block the upgrades as far as I can tell. Although, now that my W10 is obeying the metered connection again, this blocks the updates although it keeps taunting me to do the upgrade with po-ups.
Just add a single registry key and data set. It's outlined here.
Good grief.
People have been complaining for years that Linux is too hard to use.
This Windows mess is impossible.
It's a 2 minute procedure and it solves the update problem faster than complaining about it here does.
Sorry if that's a mess to you.
Not sure why everyone who actually understands computing complains about something as simple as a Windows registry change.
When I had my first unscheduled restart due to upgrade in Windows 10 two years ago I got on chat support from Microsoft and they explained it in about 5 minutes. They do understand that people need to lock down machines and have facilities to allow any user to do so.
Don't like the updates, turn them off, Don't like the notifications, you can turn them off too.
Don't line Windows at all, go to Linux, but as you so eloquently put it, "Good Grief" applying a registry fix is not that hard.
I don't have Windows 10 Professional - it's my home laptop and the usual Windows 10 Home.
From what I understand, it is NOT POSSIBLE to disable the automatic updates on W10-Home.
The trick was to make your wifi internet connection a metered connection (which is what I am also really on as I don't have a landline).
But W10 recently violated the metered connection and updated anyway. To make matters worse, it resulted in a download/update/rollback loop and repeat. Once I hit my download quota, it costs me $10 per 1MB !!!
In one of those loops over many days, W10 finally updated something that now honours the metered connection again. But the nagging is annoying because its still doing the download/update/rollback loop if I let it.
And for the record (nothing to do with unix)... I don't like messing with the registry. It's not that I am incapable, but that IMHO it is not for playing with, and should not be necessary.
By the way, how did you do that? How do you get chat support from MS? For sure tweaking the registry is not hard.
Finding out what to tweak an how might be.
So, as it is so simple, tell me now, how do I prevent or undo the installation of Intel's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention firmware and/or Microsoft's botched Meltdown/Spectre prevention OS patches?
Also by the way, how come I can never tell what this MS Surface Pro is going to do next time I boot it up. It seems to scale the desktop at random, often making things unreadable/unuseable and juggle my desktop icons around at random? And why does it turn things on that I have explicitly turned off?!
MS has some real explaining to do. It's way time that the lawyers pounced (and I dislike lawyers more than car salesmen). MS might own your software, but they don't own your hardware.
I can just imagine the car of the future. You are on your way to hospital to have that emergency life saving heart operation, and your car decides it wants a service, so it detours to the service mechanic for a 4 hour tune up. You're locked inside the car, being held hostage while the robot mechanic does the tune up. When finally back on the way to the hospital you die. Who is at fault?
No, that's what it's there for. The Windows Registry contains information, settings, options, and other values for programs and hardware installed on all versions of the OS. This excludes most Java, Portable, and .NET applications. Performing regular changes for the configuration of Windows features or application settings are quite safe as there exists two levels of transaction logs to allow for shallow and deep recovery, but this usually is not necessary.
Way back in 3.11 and 95 making changes to the registry could be detrimental because recovery meant clean install, but that stigma has stuck even though the technology has been fixed since NT. That was part of the New Technology. This was also when they added NTFS with journaling which is also used by Windows as another layer of protection for system files. There even exists a fourth layer of protection but that's quite esoteric knowledge.
Ever modify anything in /usr/local/etc? Mistakes there can be much harder to recover from than Windows registry errors.
The Army trained me as an MCITP and I worked MS Sharepoint in my years in SigInt and in that time I made hundreds of different registry changes in Windows to properly authorize devices and set protocol on certain comms devices. I all that time I never once had to recover a registry. Recovered a few systems that got zapped, but those were due to handling, not software issues.
The article that I presented shows the group police for pro versions and the registry fix for home users, no mystery there.
A lot of people are frustrated with Windows and that's going to happen, but there does exist a simple, safe, and proven solution to your problem.
No need to find them, I provided them, twice.
Then you should take the time to research them before you denigrate them. To do otherwise is to perpetuate ignorance.
Nice ad hominem. It took me 5 minutes online to learn how to do it. It takes me two minutes to apply it to any machine since I've learned how.
There is no mystery there either. Just go to their website https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus they make it nice and easy.
Not when a trained professional lays out all the steps for you.
Not sure how to undo it as I wasn't foolish enough to let them install on any machine that mattered in the first place. as to prevent them, please read my previous comments.
Dunno, I think the surface is overpriced and I've never worked on one. My first thought would be to ask if you use any external displays with your surface and if those displays are always connected and how they are connected. Then I'd ask about any desktop share software. Then I'd ask if you use chromecast or any other feature that can control the resolution on an external device.
As for items that you've specifically turned off, are they apps that MS want to put on? If so you can disable the app store between uses and that will cease.
Anything else?
Set the time of day for updates under the update scheduling. This will guarantee no workday restarts.
The problem here is that MS did the update without permission. All updates when being actioned, should IMHO, be given permission to do so, especially when you are going to lose access to your pc to do work (and I mean any access here, not necessarily work related). To just do it is completely wrong. This is what the default should be.
As for registry changes, they should not be tampered with. Anything that changes the registry should be done by software.
From the Windows 10 EULA They had your permission.
No, there are thousands of whitepapers on MS prescribed registry changes for users that need to deviate from the intended OS design. Deviations like ignoring updates that patch vulnerabilities.
If you want to use Windows for general internet usage then you need most of the updates. For general internet users skipping the vulnerability updates is tantamount to the anti-vaccination mentality. My policy is to receive the notifications and wait a week or so to see if any bugs pop up. Then I test the updates on non-critical systems first before allowing them to install on important machines.
You are missing the point. Just because a EULA says something doesn't make it right or law. I saw that even in the US that courts have found that being forced to agree to a contract when there is no alternative doesn't make it so.
In Oz, our laws override certain clauses in contracts.
Taking over your personal (or works) hardware is theft without your express permission. Just because you gave permission doesn't give permission in the future.
In the late 70's and 80's many countries, including Oz, passed laws holding corporations liable for consequential damages. These were specifically the result of computer hardware and software problems that were not fit for purpose. MS and others tried to circumvent these laws by EULAs when the PCs were introduced. I am sure these laws still apply. It will just take some dedicated smart law firm to take on the big guys.
BTW yes my wife's laptop is running fully licensed business software. Default settings that deprive a users access to his gear is not moral, and I would suspect unlawful (ie deemed to be negligent).
I am pretty sure I have the majority belief here.
Well, when OZ holds MS liable then you'll be in a great place to clean up. Until that day the points I've made are the reality of the situation.
I am not speaking to the morality of Microsoft.
I am speaking to the reality of the fact that you are ignoring a simple solution to your problem because you disagree with the application of a fix provided by the manufacturer.
What do you want, a GUI button that does the exact same thing? The problem there is that every person who knows just a bit about Windows will go in and turn that right off, then in three months they will gripe that their install is corrupt when in reality they've just fallen prey to vulnerabilities that have been patched. It's a just-enough-rope solution. That is exactly why they changed that feature from Windows 7. The vast majority of Windows 7 corruption was completely preventable had the users simply applied the provided patches.
If you have a moral issue with Microsoft I'd suggest that you stop using all of their products. Focus on the keywords, their products.
If you want total control of a machine that you can lock down with no unexpected maintenance using a moral product then Linux is clearly the OS for you; you'll never get that from a Microsoft product. However, if you want to fix your Microsoft product so you can continue to enjoy the conveniences of Windows then I have provided you with the solution to prevent changes until you allow them.
This thread seems to have run its course, and will be de-prioritised in favor of Parallax / electronic topics.
Feel free to continue the discussion here, and as always, please remember the forum rules and to respect your community.
I hope so. The relevant points were made and now it is becoming repetitive.
I think I'm justified then in pointing out that Windows is not easier to use than Linux or whatever other OS when it comes down to it.
You are right. Most of these things are easy when you have spent time on finding out. Frankly, I don't want to spend one minute more than I absolutely have to learning how to control a legacy operating system. You can call that "perpetuating ignorance" if you like. So be it. I think there better things in life people could be learning.
I don't think so. It is not a comment about you, used to defeat your argument, therefore it can be "ad hominem". I actually tried that last night, out of curiosity. Did not get anywhere with it. Got too tired and gave up. I may try again some time. I think we can be sure that the vast majority of Windows users get updates pushed on them all the time. I'm not sure we should class all Windows users as fools. I agree. The Surface is expensive. I only have this because the boss insisted and coughed up the money. I was resistant to the idea of squandering money on an unrepairable, Windows machine. You got it. This surface is often connected to a big Samsung monitor at home, a different big monitor in the office or just being used by itself. Windows tries to adjust the display accordingly but it more often goes wrong and requires a reboot. This is one thing I have spent some time on, tweaking the display settings.
Then there are the applications that don't work well on the high res screen of the Surface. Strangely they tend to be legacy Windows applications. All the open source things I use behave better in that respect.
As for blocks that keep getting unblocked... I installed Spybot Anti-Beacon in an attempt to turn of all the spying Windows does. Spybot often shows that the OneDrive service gets unblocked. Why is any such service even running by default?
This operating system cannot be trusted.
On the other hand I have become very attached to my Surface Pro. It's very light and mobile. It has a great screen. It performs better than most big box PC's I have used. It runs all my open source favorite software. And Win 10 now has BASH on Windows which means I can actually use this machine to get work done. That is a first for Windows for me.
https://leeneubecker.com/grc-releases-test-tool-spectre-and-meltdown-vulnerabilities/
Gibson Research Corporation released a wonderful test tool that will help you to determine if your workplace or home computer is properly secured against Intel microprocessor vulnerabilities (Spectre & Meltdown) that I have been harping about for the last year.
https://grc.com/inspectre.htm
Example result: