# Windows 10 is spyware



## uberknob1 (Jul 5, 2018)

I have ran Windows 10 for about a year and have recently locked down the system using various different tools including O&O shutup 10, blackbird, Spybot anti-beacon simple DNSCrypt etc all to block Windows auto updates, telemetry (spying), cortana, Windows Defender (I had a 3rd party AV and anti-malware as well as Glasswire firewall to handle all my AV and network security). Recently Glasswire started to crap out on me so that got uninstalled, soon followed by Avast though that was down to it being crap and deciding to install their so-called security-browser without my say so which caused my CPU usage to be a constant 20% and block my network conections, Avast went. Lo and behold Windows started downloading updates, namely 24GB worth even though it was or should have been prevented from doing so with O&O, Spybot et' al which were ran multiple times when the updates service decided to turn itself back on as well as cortana and defender. I ran system clean up to delete the downloaded windows updates 2x and every time it kept downloading them and prompting me to update. On top of this, the services for Cortana and Windows update were constantly thrashing my SSD and using 15-20% of CPU.

I have a Ryzen 1600 and B350 motherboard from Asrock and they provide Windows 7 drivers, so I think I'm jumping ship from this POS Windows 10 as even when you disable updates there is obviously something else going on in the background that says FU user, we're still going to force you to use the latest version of Windows 10 and give you any updates we want regardless...

I have done a dry run of Windows 7 install on my HDD with USB3 drivers slip streamed into the ISO which took a time in itself but is totally worth doing on my SSD as my main OS to stop this POS Windows 10 telling me what I can and can't control on my own damn system, failing that it's Linux and I'm fully willing to go down that route of needs be.


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## robot zombie (Jul 6, 2018)

Something else is going on there... I've been using Avast for a while and didn't have any issues with it auto installing anything like that and it's only eating up 2% of my CPU to run all of its active protection. And I never had it block necessary ports/connections. Sounds like maybe you have a configuration problem. Or maybe a conflict between all of the different things you're trying to change. Honestly with all that you have going on, I wouldn't know where to start.

How long has it been since you updated windows 10? Sounds like it's just trying to download months and months worth... ...as far as I know there's no simple way to disable updates that doesn't break things, though I'm not sure why you'd want to anyway. What do you have against security/compatibility updates?  Locking down telemetry, all of the phone-home crap, and cortana makes sense. I did that the first day...

To me, this is one of those things... ...if you try to force Windows 10 to work any other way than how it wants to, everything falls apart. But honestly, it's a great operating system if you let it do what it wants to. Why people want to try to twist its arm is beyond me. If you can't easily do it, you're probably not supposed to. You can't try to make an operating system work in a way its not designed to and then complain that it doesn't work.

I mean, if you don't want to be listened to, you can manage that reasonably without going to extremes. Most of the stuff that's going out doesn't matter anyway. Nobody cares all that much what you're doing. Why do you feel a need to go to such means? Why get rid of windows defender? All it is is another layer of security that costs little to no resources.


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## theFOoL (Jul 6, 2018)

I can understand your frustration with Microsoft and All but I don't care for my needs at least. I stream my video server and play games and... That is it. I can understand why people don't like them auto updating the OS without having an option to disable it or at least selecting certain ones to install

I'm happy with Windows 10 so far


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## uberknob1 (Jul 6, 2018)

Because it should be my choice, I've taken steps to make it my choice yet Windows 10 has other ideas, google, FB, whatsapp etc etc where all "free" services so people didnt care as much when they found out they were the product and not the consumer and targeted ads have become so common place people don't give a shit about companies taking everything they say and do online so they can be bombarded with crap from Amazon and ebay constantly. I just don't expect it out of my operating system which I have always ran the way I wanted to run it, rightly or wrongly but it's been my choice. In the same breath I guess no one who has replied what's the problem also doesnt run any ad blocker plug ins? is it not the same thing?


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## theFOoL (Jul 6, 2018)

In All honesty I prefer Windows 7 as I kept going back at times. Why? Cause as long as Microsoft doesn't create a new .NET thing I'm ok. Might switch back but unsure


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## damric (Jul 6, 2018)

All of that stuff is easy to disable in the registry, even on home edition. No 3rd party programs needed.


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## AsRock (Jul 6, 2018)

Yup, royal pain in the butt, like to know why Microsoft.Photo's.exe likes to try to connect online.  O yeah if you block it can end upl not allow you to see the pictures.


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## robot zombie (Jul 6, 2018)

rk3066 said:


> I can understand your frustration with Microsoft and All but I don't care for my needs at least. I stream my video server and play games and... That is it. I can understand why people don't like them auto updating the OS without having an option to disable it or at least selecting certain ones to install


Well at least they let you choose when your PC auto-reboots now, hah.

No, but I do get that. Sometimes the updates break things. But I think they've kinda got this on lock now. Nobody would install updates because of this in the past... ...even security ones that you really should have. Now, it does it for you and if something breaks, you can roll back from whatever update broke things and it won't install again until a new version is up. You can also pause the non-critical ones while the kinks get worked out. Occasionally inconvenient, but I think its a reasonable compromise. The vast majority will probably never have a problem anyway.


And on phoning home, good luck avoiding it. It's become such a prevalent thing now that preventing it on the user end is impossible. Not saying I like it, but it's just how things are now. The only thing that could ever really stop it is a cultural shift and some serious legislation. And we all know how that goes :/


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## uberknob1 (Jul 6, 2018)

Of course I don't want an unpatched OS without security updates etc, I just prefer what to and when to install them, yet Windows practically held me at gun point by downloading this major update time and time again at 24GB when my OS SSD is only 120GB and usually runs at 50% capacity which is how I like it. I wasn't on an early Win10 version either it was 17** Fall update? and the update was 18** released fairly recently, so ya..



robot zombie said:


> Well at least they let you choose when your PC auto-reboots now, hah.
> 
> No, but I do get that. Sometimes the updates break things. But I think they've kinda got this on lock now. Nobody would install updates because of this in the past... ...even security ones that you really should have. Now, it does it for you and if something breaks, you can roll back from whatever update broke things and it won't install again until a new version is up. You can also pause the non-critical ones while the kinks get worked out. Occasionally inconvenient, but I think its a reasonable compromise. The vast majority will probably never have a problem anyway.



I'm the sysadmin on my own personal computer (as it should be), you're happy with MS being yours?



damric said:


> All of that stuff is easy to disable in the registry, even on home edition. No 3rd party programs needed.



Other than what I have done including rewriting the windows hosts file and blocking everything, what do you suggest?


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## robot zombie (Jul 6, 2018)

uberknob1 said:


> Of course I don't want an unpatched OS without security updates etc, I just prefer what to and when to install them, yet Windows practically held me at gun point by downloading this major update time and time again at 24GB when my OS SSD is only 120GB and usually runs at 50% capacity which is how I like it. I wasn't on an early Win10 version either it was 17** Fall update? and the update was 18** released fairly recently, so ya..
> 
> 
> 
> I'm the sysadmin on my own personal computer (as it should be), you're happy with MS being yours?


Not really. If I had a say I would rather have all of the power, which is why until recently I was a long-time linux user. But really at the end of the day all I care about is if the system does what I need it to do in a stable and consistent way, as efficiently as possible. If it does that, I'd much rather let it do so rather than try to make changes that cause problems on principle. I think many things with win10 are stupid and could be done better. But if it didn't work for me I wouldn't use it. Windows 10 isn't the only option. And for many people, it's a great option. Just not for everyone. For me, it's the best option thus far.

I do understand the frustration. I just think sometimes you've gotta take the bad with the good. Just the nature of the beast. If you don't like it, say so and find a better option. All part of the progression of stuff becoming better over time. It's not that I think you're wrong to be angry about this, you know?

All we can really do is let microsoft know what we want to see and hope they listen. Sometimes they actually do, other times they don't. Unless something really big happens and huge masses of people stop buying their product, this isn't gonna change. That aside, it's a bigger problem than just Microsoft.


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## GoldenX (Jul 6, 2018)

Windows 7 runs OK on Ryzen, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB runs very well on it, with the option to disable telemetry and only receiving monthly security updates, and Your Favourite Linux Distro runs the best without any Microsoft Annoyance (TM).
You don't need to stay on the open beta that is the consumer's edition.


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## Bones (Jul 6, 2018)

damric said:


> All of that stuff is easy to disable in the registry, even on home edition. No 3rd party programs needed.



If only it was a easy as "Set it and forget it" - Because Microsoft will change all that with an update.

I believe there was an article about that covering a recent Win 10 update that was set to target PC's specifically set by the user to avoid updates. This is what many have a problem with since if you set it and it's your machine then it's not supposed to do that, update or otherwise. The mentioned update (All of them really) WILL re-enable all registry settings to allow automatic updating without the user's input or consent for these changes to be made, if you do the update it will change these settings on it's own.
IT guys have ran into problems with it causing machines to become unuseable because the update broke something so they disabled automatic updating..... And after all that, now they want to force changes onto them anyway.... And you too?

Sorry - Those that claim it's as easy as disabling things need to try it for themselves and see what happens. The settings will get changed after the update is done.
No Win 10 here and never will be either.


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## eidairaman1 (Jul 6, 2018)

Bones said:


> If only it was a easy as "Set it and forget it" - Because Microsoft will change all that with an update.
> 
> I believe there was an article about that covering a recent Win 10 update that was set to target PC's specifically set by the user to avoid updates. This is what many have a problem with since if you set it and it's your machine then it's not supposed to do that, update or otherwise. The mentioned update (All of them really) WILL re-enable all registry settings to allow automatic updating without the user's input or consent for these changes to be made, if you do the update it will change these settings on it's own.
> IT guys have ran into problems with it causing machines to become unuseable because the update broke something so they disabled automatic updating..... And after all that, now they want to force changes onto them anyway.... And you too?
> ...



I will only run ltsb if 1, 7 doesnt work on TR3, 2 a Better OS comes out...

Too bad ReactOS can't keep in step.


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## uberknob1 (Jul 6, 2018)

eidairaman1 said:


> I will only run ltsb if 1, 7 doesnt work on TR3, 2 a Better OS comes out...
> 
> Too bad ReactOS can't keep in step.



I'm kind of more inclined to run Windows 7 and not even look at ltsb, not like I will lose much/any compatibility with a Ryzen 1600 and GTX 780 Ti anyway really is it? though could be a good time to set up a dual boot Win7 and Linux setup perhaps. Though I think I am officially done with Windows 10.



Bones said:


> If only it was a easy as "Set it and forget it" - Because Microsoft will change all that with an update.
> 
> I believe there was an article about that covering a recent Win 10 update that was set to target PC's specifically set by the user to avoid updates. This is what many have a problem with since if you set it and it's your machine then it's not supposed to do that, update or otherwise. The mentioned update (All of them really) WILL re-enable all registry settings to allow automatic updating without the user's input or consent for these changes to be made, if you do the update it will change these settings on it's own.
> IT guys have ran into problems with it causing machines to become unuseable because the update broke something so they disabled automatic updating..... And after all that, now they want to force changes onto them anyway.... And you too?
> ...



Have you any kind of info or proof relating to this? it does seem to correlate with the issues I had when disabling everything yet somehow and maliciously updates, cortana and defender seem to keep restarting and causing all kinds of other issues until you give in and finally update after being beaten into submission.


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## Bones (Jul 6, 2018)

There was an article on this -  Found it but it's on another site.

[CW]Microsoft pushing Win10 version 1803 to PCs specifically set to avoid it - Overclock.net - An Overclocking Community

I want to say it was here too but couldn't find it when I searched.


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## uberknob1 (Jul 6, 2018)

Bones said:


> There was an article on this -  Found it but it's on another site.
> 
> [CW]Microsoft pushing Win10 version 1803 to PCs specifically set to avoid it - Overclock.net - An Overclocking Community
> 
> I want to say it was here too but couldn't find it when I searched.


Ding ding ding.... someone who has actually took the time to read the whole post and not just the thread title, thanks man. So yes, I'm not just talking a lot of crap for the sake of it, but hey, gotta keep them witty replies and post counts up kiddies


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## johnspack (Jul 6, 2018)

Guess I'll chime in then...  I used MS products for almost 20 years,  hate win 10,  so I did something about it...  I switched to linux.  And I love it!


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## jboydgolfer (Jul 6, 2018)

Try some of these CMD's to remove microcrap



W1zzard said:


> I've started to look into Windows 10 for desktop and benchmarking usage.
> 
> Share the tweaks you find useful, I'll integrate them into first post.
> 
> ...






W1zzard said:


> Updated  for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
> 
> Run in admin-rights cmd shell
> 
> ...


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## Berfs1 (Jul 6, 2018)

uberknob1 said:


> I have ran Windows 10 for about a year and have recently locked down the system using various different tools including O&O shutup 10, blackbird, Spybot anti-beacon simple DNSCrypt etc all to block Windows auto updates, telemetry (spying), cortana, Windows Defender (I had a 3rd party AV and anti-malware as well as Glasswire firewall to handle all my AV and network security). Recently Glasswire started to crap out on me so that got uninstalled, soon followed by Avast though that was down to it being crap and deciding to install their so-called security-browser without my say so which caused my CPU usage to be a constant 20% and block my network conections, Avast went. Lo and behold Windows started downloading updates, namely 24GB worth even though it was or should have been prevented from doing so with O&O, Spybot et' al which were ran multiple times when the updates service decided to turn itself back on as well as cortana and defender. I ran system clean up to delete the downloaded windows updates 2x and every time it kept downloading them and prompting me to update. On top of this, the services for Cortana and Windows update were constantly thrashing my SSD and using 15-20% of CPU.
> 
> I have a Ryzen 1600 and B350 motherboard from Asrock and they provide Windows 7 drivers, so I think I'm jumping ship from this POS Windows 10 as even when you disable updates there is obviously something else going on in the background that says FU user, we're still going to force you to use the latest version of Windows 10 and give you any updates we want regardless...
> 
> I have done a dry run of Windows 7 install on my HDD with USB3 drivers slip streamed into the ISO which took a time in itself but is totally worth doing on my SSD as my main OS to stop this POS Windows 10 telling me what I can and can't control on my own damn system, failing that it's Linux and I'm fully willing to go down that route of needs be.


I hope you understand that there is a reason that Defender exists. Literally I would not trust anything but the OS manufacturer's software to be used with that software at a bare minimum (of course I trust other software, however in your case I see absolutely no proof that W10 is spyware). You could reinstall W10, disable Cortana, and limit all the stuff it is allowed to do, through the installation process. Should I mention, it is NOT spyware since you apparantly agreed to the Terms of Service of using Windows 10, before installing it. Since obviously you built your system, you obviously installed W10 by yourself. Read the Terms of Service before you start calling it spyware, because by accepting it, you gave Microsoft the right to push updates onto the computer automatically. And about the extreme CPU usage, yes, I agree with you that it can be quite high. If you want to be able to pause updates, you need W10 Pro, in which case you will be allowed to pause updates for a certain period (30-35 days, if I am not mistaken). A lot of people don't understand just how easy W10 is to use, but once you have been using it for quite a while (not including the time you take yelling at it), and when you go back to W7, you will see just how hard drivers are to install. You have to manually do it, because Device Manager (in W7) can't find all the updates. Oh, this is for my case, which would be a Sandy Bridge i5 laptop. Yea. I have dual boot on this, for security reasons. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret getting a 256GB SSD (860 Pro 2.5") and asymmetrical partitions, one for W7 Ultimate, and one for W10 Pro. Loved the system ever since. Stop complaining about software if you agree to the Terms and Services. If you do however find a legality issue with the ToS, that can be talked about. However, as far as I am aware, under every single time I have installed Windows 10 (over a hundred times, literally speaking), Windows 10 isn't spyware. The fact that you USE other AV software makes sense that you are not a professional user, therefore you don't really have experience or even know how to stop most of Microsoft's non-important services. If you would instead of complaining, just google your questions, I am 99% sure they have already been answered. Google is a nice tool. Just ask how to uninstall MSPaint. Step 1, google it. Step 2, easy and done. Essentially, don't go crapping on people's hard work without investigating the issues yourself. It is always okay to ask the community, however there have been so many cases where people think Microsoft is spyware, when they really gave Microsoft the right by agreeing to the Terms of Services, therefore most (not everyone, but most) people do not have a legitimate case.


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## uberknob1 (Jul 6, 2018)

OneMoar said:


> I literally  sat down and shot mountain dew out my nose clearing a sinus clog I have had for a week
> thank you bro that shit was killing me


come and answer me... I'll pay for you to come here or i'll come to you for free, why talk shit then act like a faggot? it's because you're  a faggot, faggot.



Berfs1 said:


> I hope you understand that there is a reason that Defender exists. Literally I would not trust anything but the OS manufacturer's software to be used with that software at a bare minimum (of course I trust other software, however in your case I see absolutely no proof that W10 is spyware). You could reinstall W10, disable Cortana, and limit all the stuff it is allowed to do, through the installation process. Should I mention, it is NOT spyware since you apparantly agreed to the Terms of Service of using Windows 10, before installing it. Since obviously you built your system, you obviously installed W10 by yourself. Read the Terms of Service before you start calling it spyware, because by accepting it, you gave Microsoft the right to push updates onto the computer automatically. And about the extreme CPU usage, yes, I agree with you that it can be quite high. If you want to be able to pause updates, you need W10 Pro, in which case you will be allowed to pause updates for a certain period (30-35 days, if I am not mistaken). A lot of people don't understand just how easy W10 is to use, but once you have been using it for quite a while (not including the time you take yelling at it), and when you go back to W7, you will see just how hard drivers are to install. You have to manually do it, because Device Manager (in W7) can't find all the updates. Oh, this is for my case, which would be a Sandy Bridge i5 laptop. Yea. I have dual boot on this, for security reasons. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret getting a 256GB SSD (860 Pro 2.5") and asymmetrical partitions, one for W7 Ultimate, and one for W10 Pro. Loved the system ever since. Stop complaining about software if you agree to the Terms and Services. If you do however find a legality issue with the ToS, that can be talked about. However, as far as I am aware, under every single time I have installed Windows 10 (over a hundred times, literally speaking), Windows 10 isn't spyware. The fact that you USE other AV software makes sense that you are not a professional user, therefore you don't really have experience or even know how to stop most of Microsoft's non-important services. If you would instead of complaining, just google your questions, I am 99% sure they have already been answered. Google is a nice tool. Just ask how to uninstall MSPaint. Step 1, google it. Step 2, easy and done. Essentially, don't go crapping on people's hard work without investigating the issues yourself. It is always okay to ask the community, however there have been so many cases where people think Microsoft is spyware, when they really gave Microsoft the right by agreeing to the Terms of Services, therefore most (not everyone, but most) people do not have a legitimate case.


Have you heard of grammar? no.... didn't think so.

You talk shit to me, I gave you my address, only a faggot would pussy out after they talk so much shit, give me yours, I'll be over in half an hour


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## sneekypeet (Jul 6, 2018)

Ok I had to clean so much hate from this thread it no longer makes any sense. Ashamed of the community as a whole with this one


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