Newsletter Archives

• Martin Brinkmann’s deep dive into removing telemetry in Win7 and 8.1

  Posted on February 11, 2017 at 08:05 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  On the heels of Günter Born’s discoveries about the just-reissued “snooping” Win7 and 8.1 patches KB 2952664 and KB 2976978, Martin Brinkmann at Ghacks has just posted:

  • A thorough list of telemetry-inspired Win7 and 8.1 patches
  • A list of dozens of Microsoft servers that only exist to snoop
  • Details about disabling the Customer Experience Improvement Program, the Diagnostic Tracking Service, and scheduled tasks that phone the mothership.

  If you’re concerned about Win7 snooping – and you should at least be aware of the, ahem, feature and its manifestations – this is an amazing central repository of information.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978, Windows 7 snooping

• A way to mediate the telemetry gathering in Win7 and 8.1

  Posted on February 10, 2017 at 22:02 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Windows guru Günter Born has just posted an English-language article on his web site about KB 2952664 and KB 2976978, the re-issued snooping patches for Win7 and 8.1 (see entry below).  His article includes a detailed description of how one might cut off the telemetry in those patches.

  The question is “why Microsoft re-releases those updates, although they has been installed on many machines, and why as a extraordinary update on a Thursday?” Microsoft kb articles doesn’t give a clue what’s in.

  He goes through a series of steps to take down a program called compattelrunner.exe, a telemetry data gathering routine that “has been known as a trouble maker driving many systems CPU and RAM load to 100%.” Born admonishes:

  But note, I haven’t tested it – so you are at your own risk – and we don’t know how long this trick will work. But it’s maybe helpful.

  He also includes a list of telemetry related patches that many of you will find interesting.

  Check it out.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978

• Microsoft re-releases snooping patches KB 2952664 (for Win7), KB 2976978 (Win 8.1)

  Posted on February 9, 2017 at 15:14 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  What’s going on?

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  UPDATE: The replies here are getting thick and uninformative. Opinions are great, but they belong in the Rants forum, not here.

  I sealed off the replies, and point you to this comment by Mr. Brian:

  I think we have a decent idea of what KB2952664 does (at least the older version that I tested). KB2952664 adds task Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser. Task Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser is a gatherer of information that is sent to Microsoft by service Diagnostics Tracking Service.

  Detailed KB2952664 (older version) test results: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/care-to-join-a-win7-snooping-test/#post-21407.

  Method of listing the telemetry data that Diagnostics Tracking Service sends to Microsoft: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/care-to-join-a-win7-snooping-test/#post-21414.

  I will test the newer version of KB2952664 when time permits.

  MrBrian

  I’ll update this as definitive information arrives.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978

• Windows 8.1 snooping patch KB 2976978 re-re-re-released

  Posted on November 2, 2016 at 10:29 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  It’s an optional patch, so you won’t get it unless you ask for it.

  The KB article is now up to revision 32.

  Microsoft is careful to note (this time):

  This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. The diagnostics evaluate compatibility on the Windows ecosystem and help Microsoft to ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows. There is no GWX or upgrade functionality contained in this update.

  It’s the Win8.1 analog to the much-discussed Win7 KB 2952664.

  While Microsoft implies that the patch only does its snooping if you enable the Customer Experience Improvement Program, I haven’t found any official confirmation.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978

• Win 7, 8.1 customers getting hit by the old KB 2952664 ‘Get Windows 10’ telemetry patch

  Posted on October 5, 2016 at 07:47 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  It’s back, tho its purpose isn’t clear.

  Why does Microsoft keep digging itself into the same hole?

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  UPDATE: I just got a nudge from SB and have appended this to the comments at the end of that InfoWorld patch:

  I’ve just been told of a significant reason why some folks may want to install this new version of 2952664. It looks like the patch is used by the Windows Update Analytics service – and this is their telemetry hook.

  I stand corrected: If you expect to use the Windows Update Analytics service, you need this patch.

  SECOND UPDATE: Microsoft reached out to me with a statement that

  There is no Get Windows 10 or upgrade functionality contained in this update. This KB article is related to the Windows Update and the appraiser systems that enables us to continue to deliver servicing updates to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices, as well as ensure device and application compatibility.

  The InfoWorld page has been updated, and the update should be propagating even as we speak.

  Windows Patches/Security Get Windows 10, KB 2952664, KB 2976978

• Four new Windows patches to avoid: KB 2952664, 2976978, 2977759, 3170735

  Posted on July 6, 2016 at 08:06 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  It looks to me like Windows Journal has finally gone to the bit bucket in the sky.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978, KB 2977759, KB 3170735, Windows Journal

• Wednesdays releases: KB 2952664, 2976978, 2977759

  Posted on June 10, 2016 at 05:28 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Guess that writing on the book has rolled over my brain – or I’m just getting lazy. You wouldn’t believe how many changes there are in build 1607. Anyway.

  On Tuesday, Microsoft re-re-re-re-re(^16)-released three old familiar faces:

  KB 2952664 – Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7, version 21

  KB 2976978 – Compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows , version 25

  KB 2977759 – Compatibility update for Windows 7 RTM (that’s the one for people who are still using the original Win7, and haven’t yet applied Service Pack 1), version 21

  They’re all unchecked, optional updates, all related to Win10 marched upgrading, all equally ignorable. No doubt they’ll turn into “recommended” before too long. I last wrote about them two months ago.

  Second verse, same as the first….

   

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978, KB 2977759

• Microsoft re-releases three “compatibility” patches KB 2952664, 2976978, and 2977759

  Posted on March 31, 2016 at 16:37 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I don’t understand why MS does this.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security KB 2952664, KB 2976978, KB 2977759
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