“Free”(?) Windows 10 and “Privacy”(?)

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An interesting (and sobering) read:

http://theconversation.com/windows-10-is-not-really-free-you-are-paying-for-it-with-your-privacy-45593

And here: (How to opt out of Microsoft’s Intrusive new Terms of Use):

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/windows-10-spying-how-to-opt-out-of-microsofts-intrusive-terms-of-use-10432300.html

:huh:

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If you do an upgrade install of Windows 10 and activate it, and then do a complete format of the hard drive and a clean install of Windows 10, it will activate automatically.
This means if you format your hard drive and sell your computer, the next user who installs Windows 10 will automatically have the computer activated and tied to your name, e-mail, onedrive,etc.
Should make identity theft easy.

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If you do an upgrade install of Windows 10 and activate it, and then do a complete format of the hard drive and a clean install of Windows 10, it will activate automatically.
This means if you format your hard drive and sell your computer, the next user who installs Windows 10 will automatically have the computer activated and tied to your name, e-mail, onedrive,etc.
Should make identity theft easy.

The unique hardware ID doesn’t include your name or email address. The device is licensed, not the user.

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The unique hardware ID doesn’t include your name or email address. The device is licensed, not the user.

Surely it’s naïve to assume the hardware ID and all your personal info harvested by default settings–name, address, email, much more–are not connected in some database?

Remember, these companies are under pressure from the US government to supply info on stream and on demand, without disclosing same, which probably gives them legal cover to collect and connect what they like, as long as they keep the ToS fuzzy enough.

A good rule of thumb is: “If they can, they will”.

So best idea for jsalpha2 is to either keep the HD or do more to wipe data than just a format.

Lugh.
~
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i7-7700; GeForce GTX 1060; 16GB DDR4 2400; 1TB SSD, 256GB SSD, 4TB HD

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Surely it’s naïve to assume the hardware ID and all your personal info harvested by default settings–name, address, email, much more–are not connected in some database?

I don’t think I did assume that, because a subsequent owner of the computer will not have access to that (if users and files are deleted before sale or transfer, or Windows reset).

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I don’t think I did assume that

Ah ok, my bad assumption

Lugh.
~
Alienware Aurora R6; Win10 Home x64 1803; Office 365 x32
i7-7700; GeForce GTX 1060; 16GB DDR4 2400; 1TB SSD, 256GB SSD, 4TB HD

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If you do an upgrade install of Windows 10 and activate it, and then do a complete format of the hard drive and a clean install of Windows 10, it will activate automatically.
This means if you format your hard drive and sell your computer, the next user who installs Windows 10 will automatically have the computer activated and tied to your name, e-mail, onedrive,etc.
Should make identity theft easy.

Presumably you do more than format the disk – but rather use CCleaner or Eraser to wipe the disk completely. In any case, one assumes you have a secure password, so they wouldn’t be able to get in anyway.

And when you add what Bruce has said, then there’s no need to worry.

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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And here: (How to opt out of Microsoft’s Intrusive new Terms of Use):

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/windows-10-spying-how-to-opt-out-of-microsofts-intrusive-terms-of-use-10432300.html

Turn off personalised ads
Obviously, ads that are tailored to what you want depend on storing some of your data, otherwise you’d be bombarded with adverts for things you have no intention of buying.

Right. Let’s all make sure we get ads for stuff we don’t care about rather than stuff we are interested in. :rolleyes:

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I think the hardware ID thing has been around for a long time. It once was the CPU serial number, but that was a big mistake.

If you want to dispose of a PC, sell it to someone, or give it away and have NONE of your information go with it, the remove the disk drives, You should have a recovery CD or DVD from the purchase of the unit, so use that to rebuild the system back to initial settings before it is sold, given away, or disposed of.

But in general, keep your disk drives.

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Disk drives are simple to erase securely with DBAN. Ignore the Blancco stuff and just get DBAN.

cheers, Paul

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Disk drives are simple to erase securely with DBAN. Ignore the Blancco stuff and just get DBAN.

cheers, Paul

+1

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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