[aprssig] Before You Install Windows 10 (Or even if you don't want to) Read This

Thu Sep 10 16:14:09 EDT 2015

As most of you know, Microsoft is currently engaged in an unprecedented 
hard-sell campaign to push rapid adoption of Windows 10 by existing users of 
Win 7 and 8.    This includes a series of nagware popups urging you to “Get 
Windows 10” being stealth installed on Window 7 and 8 devices in the guise of 
bug fixes and security updates by Windows Update.

1)       Win 10 is the last discrete version of Windows ever.  From now on out, 
it will be continually and endlessly changing with silent FORCED updates 
without your consent or knowledge.

Unlike previous versions of Windows, where Window Update would present a list 
of patches and let you pick and choose which ones to apply, Win 10 just 
silently forces changes into your system.   This would be great --IF-- MS 
didn't have such a horrible record of botched updates.  In just the FIRST week 
of Win 10 release, there have been three major screwups that have bricked 
just-installed Win 10 installations. One driver update for certain video chips 
locked machines into endless reboots, and one totally killed many machines 
rendering them unable to boot at all.

This continual unannounced changing of Win 10 means you are dealing with an 
endlessly moving unknown target.  Just because programs and device drivers 
worked today, there is no assurance they will work tomorrow, next week or next 
month, due to the endless stealth updates.  This is going to be especially 
significant with ham software because much of it hasn't changed significantly 
since the XP era of the mid-to late 2000's. Sooner or later some secret update 
will start breaking these elderly programs, with no recourse to uninstall the 
offending patch (if you can even identify it).

2)       Win 10 has escalated invasion of privacy to an unprecedented level. 
Win 10 is far more "cloud-oriented" than previous versions of Windows.  As part 
of this, it's embedded "telemetry" reports practically everything you do, every 
program you run, every file you open back to the MS mother ship for analysis 
and marketing purposes. It shares your WiFi passwords with friends on your 
contact list. It contains hooks to pop up ads in the middle of LOCALLY RUNNING 
programs. It attempts to default file saves of local programs to Microsoft's 
cloud, rather than to your own hard disk.  It tries to thwart downloads of 
browsers other than Edge;i.e. that can run adblocker and popup-blocker 
plug-ins. It ignores entries in the Windows HOSTS file aimed at blocking 
unwanted communications to specific URLs.   MS has taken it upon itself to scan 
your local files to determine which of your BitTorrent downloads and installed 
programs are "illegal".

3)       MS is now attempting to stealth-load the same telemetry "spyware" into 
Win 7 and Win 8 systems under the guise of "important Customer Experience 
Improvement” patches by Windows Update.  However, at least with Win7 and 8 you 
can see the list of proposed downloads BEFORE they download, and uncheck them. 
  Further, there are simple third-party batch file tools that can scan and 
uninstall this unwanted invasive crapware, including the "Get Windows 10" 
nagware popups campaign.)

4)       MS is now stealth-downloading the ENTIRE Win 10 setup image (i.e. 
multi-gigabyte DVD image) into Win 7 & 8 systems, whether or not you asked for 
it,   "just in case you decide to upgrade".   It's stealing gigabytes of your 
disk space and blowing through wireless device data quotas.

 From 
<http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2425381/microsoft-is-downloading-windows-10-to-your-machine-just-in-case> 
   (Please note this is a British IT news site and NOT the American “National 
Enquirer” scandal sheet weekly paper):

"Microsoft is downloading Windows 10 to your machine 'just in case'

MICROSOFT HAS CONFIRMED that Windows 10 is being downloaded to computers 
whether or not users have opted in.  A  reader has pointed out to us that, 
despite not having 'reserved' a copy of Windows 10, he had found that the ~BT 
folder, which has been the home of images of the new operating system since 
before rollout began, had appeared on his system. He had no plans to upgrade 
and had not put in a reservation request."
________________________________________________________________________

The trojan horse “patch” to Windows 7 and 8 that starts this assault is Windows 
Update
“KB3035583”  a.k.a.  “GWX” (Get Windows X a.k.a. Windows 10) .

The first sign you have been hit with this unwanted crapware is the appearance 
of a white Windows logo in the system tray in the lower-right corner of the 
Windows desktop on Win 7 and 8 systems. An incessant series of popups urging 
you to update will follow. You can head off this download with the following 
registry entry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\GWX]
"DisableGWX"=dword:00000001

Open Notepad or another text editor.    Copy/paste the three lines above into 
the blank document.  Save as  "NoWin10.reg” .  Note that this file must have 
the extension “.REG” rather than the default  “.TXT”.     Exit the editor. 
Locate the this file in the Windows Explorer, RIGHT-click it and choose 
“Merge”.   After a couple of  “Are you really sure?” type UAC prompts, it will 
add this value to the Windows registry.

If you have already been hit with the GWX nagware and possible installs of 
Win10-style “telemetry”, you can un-install them with the following .CMD file 
(i.e. Windows version of a classic DOS “batch file”.)

Open a blank document in Windows Notepad or similar text editor.   Copy/paste 
the following lines into it.   Save the file as “NukeWin10.CMD” or some such. 
Note the file extension “.CMD” rather than the default  “.TXT”   .   After the 
save, locate this file in the Windows Explorer.  RIGHT-click it and “Run As 
Administrator”. After a couple of UAC "Are you sure?" prompts, a black "DOS 
Box" window will open. You will be repeatedly asked to "Hit any key to 
continue".  Just keep entering <ENTER> until the black window closes; then reboot.

@ECHO off

ECHO .
ECHO This batch file removes several Windows 10-inspired
ECHO spyware a.k.a. "telemetry" components stealth-
ECHO installed into Windows 7 and 8 systems under the
ECHO guise of Windows security patches by Windows Update.
ECHO .
ECHO It also removes the "Upgrade to Windows 10 "nagware"
ECHO KB 3035583.
ECHO .
ECHO Hit ENTER to continue after each pause.
ECHO .
ECHO This batch file must be run with administator
ECHO privileges; i.e. right-click this file and
ECHO "Run As Administrator".  Reboot system after final
ECHO uninstall runs and black command window closes.
ECHO .
ECHO on
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3035583 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:2990214 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:2952664 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3022345 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3068708 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3075249 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3080149 /norestart
pause
wusa /uninstall /kb:3044374 /norestart
pause
ECHO  Last Uninstall, Reboot Now!
Pause

After the uninstalls complete, look for the subdirectory (i.e. “folder”) 
located beneath the main Windows directory called   \$Windows.~BT .  You will 
need to have “Show Hidden Files” enabled in the Explorer to see it.  If found, 
delete it and its contents.    (This is the location where the stealth download 
of the entire Windows 10 installer is being placed, eating up gigabytes of your 
disk space.)

____________________________________________________________

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:        WA8LMF
EchoLink:  Node #  14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net

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