Win 7 vs Win 10 – Upgrade vs Spying.

[TenOC]

My computer works well with Win 7; however, I keep getting popups telling me to upgrade to Win 10 for free. Each time I ask myself “Self, why is MS giving away Win 10 when they could charge $$$ for it.” I could understand a “warranty” issue because of the problems with Win 8.1, but not with Win 7. I did a search on the internet and found that Win 10 allows MS to spy everything you do on your computer. One web page At first I could not believe it. So I spent almost a week reading up on the issue. Now I believe it. Not only does Win 10 spy on you, but so does Google. This explains how Google knows to popup a small advertisement for an item I search for a few weeks ago when I am looking at something different.

OK so Win 10 spies on user, what about Win 7? From what I have read, Win 7 cannot spy as easy as Win 10. So how to turn of the auto-update to Win 10. How to stop spy I suggest you check out a program call GWX Control Panel. One place to download GMX This program will allow you to get update to Win 7, but not download Win 10.


To turn off Google spying on you check out these two Google add-in Ghostery and uBlock.

Now that I can update Win 7 without Win 10 downloading at the some time, I am staying with Win 7 for a year or two more. Maybe MS will release a version Win 11 without spy-ware.

[mlts22]

That is good to know about the user satisfaction node. I can probably write up a GPO that can just be doubleclicked and pushed out which would kill that stuff dead.

The ironic thing is that W10 Enterprise has some very nice security features. It stores credentials (passwords and such) not just in a secure part of the OS... but actually in a different virtual machine... well out of the reach of malware. This is called Credential Guard. Since every Windows 10 certified machine has a TPM chip, the credentials are protected by hardware, which is decently secure for the next few months or so.

MS gives, MS takes away, I guess. In general, I've had great luck with MS's server operating systems as desktops. However, they are not cheap, and Windows Server 2016 (the server OS corresponding to Windows 10) will have a different "pack" licensing model than before.

[thestoloffs]

greenrvgreen wrote:

You can remove the entire problem by going into "gpedit.msc". A search online will list the functions to be disabled, but basically it is the "user satisfaction" node that does all the spying.

The problem for most of us is that Group Policy Editor is not available with W10 Home, only W10 Business or W10 Enterprise. :?

[greenrvgreen]

First, a "thank you" to 1492 for his recent OP alerting me to the win10 upgradeware being deposited on win7 and win8 machines. Since then I've strapped on my big ol tinfoil hat and done a little googling and digging. Here are some random thoughts, FWIW:

Some of the updates mentioned (and there are a few more in addition to the ones 1492 posted) are now HARDWIRED into recent revs of win 8.1. This means that while you can view them under update history, you do not have the right-click option to remove them, as you do with most others.

You can remove the entire problem by going into "gpedit.msc". A search online will list the functions to be disabled, but basically it is the "user satisfaction" node that does all the spying.

If MSFT has decided to drop win10 turdlets on your machine, they put them in a temp file that you can remove. This requires admin privileges under "free up disk space" or something like that. Again, an online search will get that.

On a machine that has win7 installed I would never change for any reason. I bought a machine that has 8.1 and I found that downgrading to win7 would cause more problems than it solves. So I learned to be happy with 8.1. I know that win10 is a better, more polished OS, but I've gotten 8.1 to work well enough that I'll probably never go to win10, even when they take the spyware out in the $300 Enterprise version.

[strollin]

Personally, I don't believe I will ever be forced to upgrade my Win 7 machine. By the time Win 7 support ends, I will more than likely have retired my Win 7 machine.

I have no problem with either Win 8.1 or Win 10 (in fact, I have machines running both of those OSes), I just don't believe in upgrading something that works perfectly fine as is.

[TurnThePage]

The Windows 10 update won't be free forever. Next year, you'll have to pay. At some (distant) point after that, Windows 7 support will stop. Then you'll have no choice.

I never "upgraded" to Windows 8, but I will upgrade to Windows 10 where I can. I'm not totally thrilled about it, but will learn to live with it. On a side note, I recently acquired a Windows phone. So far that thing is a blast!

[1775]

For the OP - I would not update Windows 7 to Windows 10. There really is no advantage to that upgrade. I did buy a laptop with Windows 8.1 and I hated it. I did update that to Windows 10 as soon as I could and I am much happier with the laptop now. The first thing that I did was go into settings to Privacy and shut everything off. There is no spying, no information that goes out that I do not want going out. But I like my Win 7 PC with XP Mode for older software and all runs well and I will keep it like that.

[strollin]

az99 wrote:
... It also creates problems for old programs. Example- I load my 2010 paid copy of Office on it. But no spell check on Word. If I buy the new Win 10 version of Office for $6.99 per month I bet it will work. ...

I have run Office 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 on Win 10 without issue. Not sure why your spell check doesn't work in Word. I haven't found any functions that aren't fully operational in any version of Office that I've tried. Is your copy of Office activated?

[Clay_L]

I am not endorsing this article yet but I think it is interesting.

Win 10 spying?

[Belgique]

Be careful. Some of the upgrade emails are fake and could do nasty things. DW gets them daily on her 7 machine and the links are very sketchy.

[az99]

I have worked with Win 10 on two new computers now. It is nothing more than Win 7 with things changed to polish it and make you learn something new.
It is a new operating system to sell you stuff and unknowingly collect info about you. It also creates problems for old programs. Example- I load my 2010 paid copy of Office on it. But no spell check on Word. If I buy the new Win 10 version of Office for $6.99 per month I bet it will work.

I see no reason anyone would want to upgrade?? from 7 to 10.

[SCR]

Deleted By User

[camperforlife]

MS is not the only one following you. The DW was searching on Google for my Christmas gift while I was on another computer looking at Facebook. Up pops an ad on Facebook for a bike accessory similar to the one I asked for Christmas. I looked at my wife and said "Don't order that one, the one I want is model # ___.

She asked what made me think she was shopping for my Christmas and I just walked across the room with my laptop and showed her the ad. She got a disgusted look on her face slammed her lap top closed and walked out of the room as I chuckled.

[1492]

I'd be more concerned with compatibility issues cropping up with Windows 10 upgrade, than with privacy concerns? In fact, two of my co-workers who've worked in enterprise Windows IT for decades, including multiple MS/Cisco certifications, have both had upgrade issues with their personal WIN 10 systems. Some not showing up immediately. Others involving stability issues which appear to be related to incompatible device/hardware drivers.

These issues will most likely be addressed in time. But one reason not to jump in on the bandwagon when the newest OS is released. You do have a year for the free WIN 10 upgrade.

In fact, we've only upgraded one DELL desktop among hundreds at work with WIN 10, which is not enterprise domain attached on purpose.

As for spying concerns in WIN 10, if you've downloaded all Windows 7 updates by default, you've likely installed similar user tracking capabilities found in WIN 10. In which case you may want to disable, or better yet, uninstall them.

sato4000 wrote:
What operating system isn't free?

If referring to which desktop OS offers free upgrades to new releases, than one would be Apple MAC OS X. But one can argue that you've paid for it with higher system acquisition costs upfront.

[toedtoes]

Campfire Time wrote:

That may be the case, but I know you would be shocked if you saw the data that's been collected on you.

Actually, I wouldn't be shocked because I am aware of how much data is collected. But, you'd think with all that data, they'd be able to better target me. But behind all that data is the long-time dependency on consumer comparison.