"Microsoft has begun patching files on Windows XP and Vista without users'
knowledge, even when the users have turned off auto-updates."
Full story at http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070913/#story1 , along with
details on how to check if your files have been modified. I hate Microsoft.
Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent
Checked my XP files, still all .374's, off to do an update and see what I get afterwards.
Went to get updates but before I could get them I had a message saying I needed to update the update program, which I allowed, then cancelled the search for updates, checked the files and I now have .381 versions.
But I was asked if I wanted to update the files first, they hadn't been pushed on my computer without me knowing.
Went to get updates but before I could get them I had a message saying I needed to update the update program, which I allowed, then cancelled the search for updates, checked the files and I now have .381 versions.
But I was asked if I wanted to update the files first, they hadn't been pushed on my computer without me knowing.
Re: Microsoft updates Windows without users' consent
I may bash Microsoft from time to time, but I do not hate them (too strong), wishing they had some real competition in the OS market is closer to the way I feel about them.PB wrote:I hate Microsoft.
Ever since it was released, Windows XP (Home edition) has been very good to me. I've only had to do one re-install (which was my fault), and my current installation is working perfectly despite that its now three years old! No other version of Windows I've used has been so reliable or stable.
Hate is a little strong, I don't like some of the ways they work though. I don't like the direction they are going with their products but I can see the reason for it $$$$.
The place I work has WU disabled and the connections it uses to the internet are blocked and DNS won't resolve the outside world. We use 3rd party applications to handle patching and updates.
At home I leave WU running, I install all critical patches that come through without checking/testing them and can't really say I care if M$ does a couple of extra's on the sly (but I'll be sure to whinge if they break something
)... when XP SP3 comes out they'll get me with them all then anyway so there's no hiding.
Do you hate MS just because of this? You must REALLY hate Sony then!
The place I work has WU disabled and the connections it uses to the internet are blocked and DNS won't resolve the outside world. We use 3rd party applications to handle patching and updates.
At home I leave WU running, I install all critical patches that come through without checking/testing them and can't really say I care if M$ does a couple of extra's on the sly (but I'll be sure to whinge if they break something
)... when XP SP3 comes out they'll get me with them all then anyway so there's no hiding.Do you hate MS just because of this? You must REALLY hate Sony then!
Paul Dwyer
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
I'm almost the same, I have WU set to download all critical updates but only to notify me when they are ready to install and I always use custom. I install all of them anyway, I just like to see what the updates are for information purposes.pdwyer wrote:At home I leave WU running, I install all critical patches that come through without checking/testing them
I would mind, but I've also never seen Microsoft do that, for me anyway, they've always asked first so I don't even worry about it.pdwyer wrote:can't really say I care if M$ does a couple of extra's on the sly
How very true...pdwyer wrote:when XP SP3 comes out they'll get me with them all then anyway so there's no hiding.
I always turn off WU, rather choose what I install but like you I always install the critical updates and, like others have said, I have never had any major problems with XP. Used to have 98se and must of reinstalled that dozens of times compared to only a few times with XP.
I have had to update my 'updater' on quite a few occasions but have always been asked first to do it, as I was the last time, but I guess that it could be a problem if MS take it on themselves to just update files without asking.
As for Sony, fancy releasing a device with security features built in that can actually put your computer at more risk!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6975838.stm
Although, in their defense, they have stopped shipping the faulty ones.
I have had to update my 'updater' on quite a few occasions but have always been asked first to do it, as I was the last time, but I guess that it could be a problem if MS take it on themselves to just update files without asking.
As for Sony, fancy releasing a device with security features built in that can actually put your computer at more risk!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6975838.stm
Although, in their defense, they have stopped shipping the faulty ones.
I'll not touch sony stuff if I can help it. I have some I admit but if I can avoid it I do. They're always early to market with sleak designs that are expensive, proprietry and fragile. MP3 players etc have all these little traps to lock you in to their proprietry stuff, only their software will talk to their devices etc etc, as bad as Apple really (never touch and ipod,iphone or imac). I'd never touch sony's digital cameras or laptops either.
Even without the root kit incident they are evil!
MS are not so bad in comparison. If it wasn't for their early cheap and dirty OS's hardware would never have become so cheap so linux would certainly never have been born. (not that I use linux much
)
Even without the root kit incident they are evil!
MS are not so bad in comparison. If it wasn't for their early cheap and dirty OS's hardware would never have become so cheap so linux would certainly never have been born. (not that I use linux much
)Paul Dwyer
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
@pdwyer:
Well Linux isn't so much related to Windows, but to Unix. Since most of it is GNU anyway which is even older than Linux (since 1991) it would probably have happened even without Windows.
Well Linux isn't so much related to Windows, but to Unix. Since most of it is GNU anyway which is even older than Linux (since 1991) it would probably have happened even without Windows.
Visit www.sceneproject.org
> I always turn off WU
So is mine, but the issue here is that MS is updating anyway.
> it could be a problem if MS take it on themselves to just update files without asking
That's exactly what they're doing. They're bypassing user preferences and
just updating without the user's permission, even when WU is turned OFF.
As for hate being a strong word: I don't care. It's the company I hate.
So is mine, but the issue here is that MS is updating anyway.
> it could be a problem if MS take it on themselves to just update files without asking
That's exactly what they're doing. They're bypassing user preferences and
just updating without the user's permission, even when WU is turned OFF.
As for hate being a strong word: I don't care. It's the company I hate.
But mine hadn't been updated until I went to the update site and then I had to confirm the update first. At what point is the update secretly downloaded as I use the internet daily but only go to microsoft about once a month.
Do you have to go to their site before the download is forced on you or have I just been 'lucky' and not been targeted?
Do you have to go to their site before the download is forced on you or have I just been 'lucky' and not been targeted?
Maybe, my point is more that without MS being around before that the price of hardware may not have come down in the same way, they were (I think) the first group to really market PCs for the masses. Apple was proprietry all the way and held tight to their hardware monopoly while the x86 compatible consumer hardware industry took off. It was conditions like that that helped linux enourmously.Nik wrote:@pdwyer:
Well Linux isn't so much related to Windows, but to Unix. Since most of it is GNU anyway which is even older than Linux (since 1991) it would probably have happened even without Windows.
But then, who's to say what would have happened had MS not done anything, perhaps the world was just ready for home PCs and we'd be here anyway.
Back to the topic though, I can see why firms/professionals would get annoyed at this (although it's a little vague as to what has actually occured or why). Plays havock with change management or build standards but i'm not convinced (yet) that this is a big deal. Sounds more like the punch line will be "and Elvis is beaming the updates from his UFO" :roll:
Paul Dwyer
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
“In nature, it’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent who survives. It’s the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin
“If you can't explain it to a six-year old you really don't understand it yourself.” - Albert Einstein
Derek,
There is no defense for what Sony did.
They deliberately installed rootkits on users machines to stop them from copying CDs.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/01 ... otkit_drm/
There is no defense for what Sony did.
They deliberately installed rootkits on users machines to stop them from copying CDs.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/01 ... otkit_drm/