Windows 7 telemetry updates

[Melita-s]

Is there a tool that can detect and remove microsoft telemetry updates that are already installed in a Windows 7 computer?

[MidnightCowboy]

You don't need third party software to accomplish this as everything can be done from within Windows itself. As you might expect though this is made as complicated as possible by Microsoft and will likely break your system unless you are truly competent with Windows services and server addresses. Also, the next raft of updates will likely replace all you removed previously unless you are prepared to research every individual update and then block those you don't want.

If giving statistical data to Microsoft is such a big concern there are at least 30 highly competent Linux distros you can install for free that will run faster and safer than Windows without any added spyware.

[Melita-s]

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

Also, the next raft of updates will likely replace all you removed previously

They can't do this because I have blocked all MS updates.

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

there are at least 30 highly competent Linux distros you can install for free that will run faster and safer than Windows without any added spyware.

I am using Linux. Installed Q4OS three years ago. You helped me with that

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Melita-s

They can't do this because I have blocked all MS updates.

Which now makes the system insecure unless you are filtering the security updates and installing these manually.

Just curious to know after the large amount of mostly negative comments about Windows security why you still bother with it at all? Are there specific apps or tasks you need to perform that cannot be done using Linux or if you just cant live without it in general why you don't run Windows from within a Linux VM?

[Melita-s]

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

Which now makes the system insecure unless you are filtering the security updates and installing these manually.

No, I have blocked all updates from MS.

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

Just curious to know after the large amount of mostly negative comments about Windows security why you still bother with it at all? Are there specific apps or tasks you need to perform that cannot be done using Linux or if you just cant live without it in general why you don't run Windows from within a Linux VM?

I have no problems at all with Q4OS. Linux is not hard to learn as some people claim. In fact it is a pleasure to use.

I will never use Windows 10, but I have no such antipathy towards Windows 7. There is neither love nor hate. It doesn't annoy me or offend me, so I simply don't mind using it when I feel inclined to.

Computer security is not something that I worry about. If ever I get infected, it will be a simple thing to wipe the hard disk clean. Then I recover my system with one of the weekly system images that I create. I know that this sort of attitude is not looked upon with favour by the majority of computer users, not to mention those security experts. But I don't see any problem with it. This of course is entirely my personal view. I am talking about it only because you asked me.

In a security forum I saw that some people make system images every 30 minutes for this eventuality. My needs are quite modest. A weekly image will do fine with me.

I hope this answers your questions.

Thank you.

[EldonW]

Originally Posted by Melita-s

No, I have blocked all updates from MS.

I have turned of updates in Windows 7 Ultimate since 2010.
And I have absolutely no issues/problems/malware/etc.

I have been on the internet without an AV for many months.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Melita-s

Computer security is not something that I worry about. If ever I get infected, it will be a simple thing to wipe the hard disk clean.

I wish I had $1 for every one of these I've seen. A lot of Windows rootkits will evade standard scanners and even dedicated tools. Some firmware variants cannot be fixed by wiping the drive but require a system rebuild that depending on the machine value might be better just thrown away. In any case removal is complex, time consuming and therefore costly.

It's good you have a Windows/Linux routine that suits your operational needs but just be aware of all the possibilities.

[Melita-s]

Originally Posted by EldonW

I have turned of updates in Windows 7 Ultimate since 2010.
And I have absolutely no issues/problems/malware/etc.

Wow since 2010! - you are one of those few people not being watched by Microsoft even while in the bathroom I would really like to know what made you do this as far back as 2010.

I came to know of the telemetry affair much later than that. I blocked MS updates on Windows 7 only a little over an year ago, after manually removing telemetry updates that were already installed without my knowledge. It was to make sure that I haven't missed any, that the question in this thread was posted.

Originally Posted by EldonW

I have been on the internet without an AV for many months.

I have been without AV for five years. Scans and cleanups occasionally detected some small unwanted file and removed it. Apart from that, just like your Windows Ultimate, all three of my operating systems Windows XP, 7 and Q4OS are also working perfectly .

[Melita-s]

Thank you for this information. I have one question.

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

A lot of Windows rootkits will evade standard scanners and even dedicated tools.

In this situation, wouldn't these things go undetected through Antivirus as well?

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

It's good you have a Windows/Linux routine that suits your operational needs but just be aware of all the possibilities.

I have three of them including my favorite Windows XP, which is what I use mostly.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by Melita-s

Thank you for this information. I have one question.
In this situation, wouldn't these things go undetected through Antivirus as well?

Quite often yes.

Rootkits in themselves may be benign in terms of direct system interference, their main purpose being to hide the presence of something else (worm, backdoor, spyware) and/or make this harder to remove.