• Testing Windows 7 SP2

    Posted on May 18, 2016 at 15:39 CDT by • Comment in the Forums

    Good question from CA:

    Hi Woody,

    KB3123862 reappeared on one of my machines this afternoon (optional, unchecked). We need to be forever vigilant.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3123862

    Well, I have to ask — will you be testing the Win 7 “convenience rollup” (AKA SP2) to see if it includes Win 10 nagware. It’s pretty much a given that it’ll include the spyware/telemetry patches (e.g. KB2952664, KB2977759, etc.)

    If not, maybe I can find the time next week to build a sacrificial machine and install a clean Win 7 Pro SP1 and then the rollup.

    I also have concerns with the monthly rollup patches. Will MS sneak nagware into these? Can we trust MS? The one below looks OK:

    May 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3156417

    You bet. I’m testing it on many of my Win7 PCs but, more importantly, I’m watching what other people say about the SP2 patch.

    It’s obvious that SP2 installs the snooping patches and the ones that are primarily concerned with greasing the update client to make it easier to install Win10. I haven’t been able to check out a completely clean install of Win7 SP2 to see which patches get installed – and I hope somebody comes up with a definitive list, so we can compare.

    What surprised me is that SP2 does NOT install KB 3035583. It does NOT install the GWX subsystem.

    It’s not clear if my machines were spared because they had GWX Control Panel-set registry settings. But I do know that SP2 did NOT override those settings. Microsoft is playing by its own rules of engagement.

    If the snooping patches get installed in their full glory, then people need to make a choice: Do they accept the snooping – realizing that it’s no worse than snooping many of us take for granted nowadays (e.g., by using the Chrome browser, or running a Chromebook, or an Amazon Echo, or a Siri-enabled iPhone or iPad) – or do they accept the fact that they’re sending info to Microsoft and move on?

    It’s not an easy question to answer, especially for folks who are accustomed to Microsoft asking for permission to send data to the mother ship. (Remember Dr Watson?) But it’s important, to me, that people make an informed decision. That’s what I’m fighting for.

    Windows Patches/Security ,
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