Privacy: Stay away from Windows 10

[Bleipriester]

I just wonder, what MS could do with this sheer mass of data. It´s either creating profiles that are to be sold to companies or government filters or both.

 

[Ringel05]

Ya know going pure Linux or Hackentoshing is looking more appealing as I learn more about Microsoft products. I may just have to give up gaming.

 

[Bleipriester]

One could crack the games and use them on an unconnected OS only.

 

[Ringel05]

One could crack the games and use them on an unconnected OS only.

True, I could keep my Win 7 on a computer that is not connected to the internet but half of my games are via Steam and won't play unless I'm logged in. I don't know how to crack software.

 

[Bleipriester]

One could crack the games and use them on an unconnected OS only.

True, I could keep my Win 7 on a computer that is not connected to the internet but half of my games are via Steam and won't play unless I'm logged in. I don't know how to crack software.

Head over to gamecopyworld. The page is providing cracks, not games. In the normal case, you just have to replace some files of the downloaded games and they are portable and never need Steam again, though their prerequisites like DirectX, PhysX and VC Redistributable must be installed, if required, of course. You can find them in the redist folder of the game´s folder.

For example:

You must check the exe and dll files with virustotal. There could be malware but it is not easy to determine due to the many false alerts. However, if most of the scanners don´t find anything or say crack/hack tool/not a virus you are very probably save.

You can view the results of my
risen2.exe here: https://www.virustotal.com/de/file/...96387fe7fb724ae35e8d19be/analysis/1440813949/
steam_api.dll (for risen 2) here: https://www.virustotal.com/de/file/...f501d61248a88c8595baae89/analysis/1440814012/

You see, the exe has no alerts and the dll has 13/14 false alerts out of 56 scans and each scanner that gave an alert tells something different. Save. I have dozens of that "patches" and never ran into trouble so far.

You´ll find the games in your steam folder under apps or something.

 

[Ringel05]

One could crack the games and use them on an unconnected OS only.

True, I could keep my Win 7 on a computer that is not connected to the internet but half of my games are via Steam and won't play unless I'm logged in. I don't know how to crack software.

Head over to gamecopyworld. The page is providing cracks, not games. In the normal case, you just have to replace some files of the downloaded games and they are portable and never need Steam again, though their prerequisites like DirectX, PhysX and VC Redistributable must be installed, if required, of course. You can find them in the redist folder of the game´s folder.

For example:

You must check the exe and dll files with virustotal. There could be malware but it is not easy to determine due to the many false alerts. However, if most of the scanners don´t find anything or say crack/hack tool/not a virus you are very probably save.

You can view the results of my
risen2.exe here: https://www.virustotal.com/de/file/...96387fe7fb724ae35e8d19be/analysis/1440813949/
steam_api.dll (for risen 2) here: https://www.virustotal.com/de/file/...f501d61248a88c8595baae89/analysis/1440814012/

You see, the exe has no alerts and the dll has 13/14 false alerts out of 56 scans and each scanner that gave an alert tells something different. Save. I have dozens of that "patches" and never ran into trouble so far.

You´ll find the games in your steam folder under apps or something.

That's something I'll have to research/learn, it's a higher level of Geekenese then I'm familiar with......

 

[Bleipriester]

The work pays off. I like independence and convenience

 

[flacaltenn]

Thanks for that great advice. I just missed the option to turn out the keylogger and the bug. Cannot read something about the "disable free webcam shows", either.

Local login and don't use IE (Edge).

This isn´t helping. You did not read the report.

Not sure it true but I turned off the Cloud which is where it's probably coming from so I saw nothing. However for me it's now a mute point, I just reverted back to Win 7. I will make sure everything in 7 is locked down.

I would even consider a clean setup. What exactly are you going to disable in Win7?

Oh yeah, I found this:

How to Uninstall Microsoft Spying Updates from Windows 7/8

And what keeps those updates from being reinstalled on a regular basis?
Not fun.. And not what I want from OS supplier..

 

[Bleipriester]

Local login and don't use IE (Edge).

This isn´t helping. You did not read the report.

Not sure it true but I turned off the Cloud which is where it's probably coming from so I saw nothing. However for me it's now a mute point, I just reverted back to Win 7. I will make sure everything in 7 is locked down.

I would even consider a clean setup. What exactly are you going to disable in Win7?

Oh yeah, I found this:

How to Uninstall Microsoft Spying Updates from Windows 7/8

And what keeps those updates from being reinstalled on a regular basis?
Not fun.. And not what I want from OS supplier..

You can easily blacklist updates. It is called hidden updates. You can also configure Windows updates. It knows more than on/off.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The gov knows all it wants to know out of you and there isnt a damn thing you can do about it.

 

[Ringel05]

Local login and don't use IE (Edge).

This isn´t helping. You did not read the report.

Not sure it true but I turned off the Cloud which is where it's probably coming from so I saw nothing. However for me it's now a mute point, I just reverted back to Win 7. I will make sure everything in 7 is locked down.

I would even consider a clean setup. What exactly are you going to disable in Win7?

Oh yeah, I found this:

How to Uninstall Microsoft Spying Updates from Windows 7/8

And what keeps those updates from being reinstalled on a regular basis?
Not fun.. And not what I want from OS supplier..

If you're using XP, Vista and Win 7 (don't know about 8/8.1) but switch your updates to; Notify me and let me decide then when the update manager let's you know updates are available you check the updates, look for those numbers then right click on each one and select Hide Update. It won't download or install, ever. Win 10 doesn't give that option.

 

[longknife]

The latest Windows 10 privacy scare revolves around family accounts

Let's set the hysteria aside and take a good look at the options. I don't know who the author is, but here's what he says:



Of course, you can turn the feature off, but others have questioned whether or not Microsoft is still collecting the data and just not sending it to the parents. Once again, Microsoft is alarming Windows 10 users with its total lack of transparency.



My thought – if you're worried, don't try getting answers from the MS Support Forum as it's the most childish site around. Read more @ The latest Windows 10 privacy scare revolves around family accounts

 

[Ringel05]

The latest Windows 10 privacy scare revolves around family accounts

Let's set the hysteria aside and take a good look at the options. I don't know who the author is, but here's what he says:



Of course, you can turn the feature off, but others have questioned whether or not Microsoft is still collecting the data and just not sending it to the parents. Once again, Microsoft is alarming Windows 10 users with its total lack of transparency.



My thought – if you're worried, don't try getting answers from the MS Support Forum as it's the most childish site around. Read more @ The latest Windows 10 privacy scare revolves around family accounts

That's not what the OP article is talking about and no, it doesn't just revolve around the family accounts, that's a deflection (by the article author) at worst, or a complete lack of knowledge by the author at best.
What the OP article is addressing is communication between personal computers and Microsoft servers even if all the privacy settings are set to No or Off.

 

[Ringel05]

I've just read a few writeups on this issue, it's still confusing as some claim the keylogging is only on the technical release as that was when they were testing the OS and was needed. Some seem to say it's still on the "finished" release but it's not clear whether the author was referring to the technical or 'finished" release.

 

[Ringel05]

One thing Win 10 can do is detect and disable pirated software and uncertified gaming controllers. From what I understand you have to use Cortana or be logged into your Microsoft account for the detection to work.

 

[Bleipriester]

I prefer an OS of which nobody says it sends my input to someone.

 

[Ringel05]

I prefer an OS of which nobody says it sends my input to someone.

I don't think Bortnikov would approve........

 

[Bleipriester]

I prefer an OS of which nobody says it sends my input to someone.

I don't think Bortnikov would approve........

Russia has no interest in my personal behavior.

 

[Ringel05]

I prefer an OS of which nobody says it sends my input to someone.

I don't think Bortnikov would approve........

Russia has no interest in my personal behavior.

Personal.... probably not..... Professional...... Uuummmmm.......

 

[Bleipriester]

I prefer an OS of which nobody says it sends my input to someone.

I don't think Bortnikov would approve........

Russia has no interest in my personal behavior.

Personal.... probably not..... Professional...... Uuummmmm.......

Doesn´t make sense anyway.