Microsoft Windows – Page 3

… Windows machines try to request two URLs (www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt and ipv6.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt, the former over IPv4, the latter over IPv6) to ascertain whether a given network is routed to the Internet and if there is a captive portal in the way (NCSI stands for “Network Connection Status Indicator”). Ref.: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/ See also: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/networking/2012/12/20/the-network-connection-status-icon/.

Et virus definerer jeg som et uønsket program som installerer seg uten mitt samtykke, sender data til en fjern server, har uønskede funksjoner, og er vanskelig å bli kvitt. Altså det samme som Windows 10. Ref.: http://www.digi.no/bedriftsteknologi/2016/03/17/er-du-blitt-tvangsoppgradert-til-windows-10#comment-2576121180.

KB3146449 is another update one should avoid installing. From its own description: Updated Internet Explorer 11 capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 And: This update adds functionality to Internet Explorer 11 on some computers that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10.

A couple of KBs, KB2977759 and KB2952664, related to the dreadful Appraiser stuff, appeared in our WSUS instance this week. The former just made it on my list of KBs one should avoid. Both was promptly declined. The list encompasses: KB2952664, Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7 KB2977759, Compatibility update for Windows 7 RTM KB3022345, […]

Earlier this week Microsoft released another batch of Windows updates. Among them are KB3123862. As usual, the title displayed by Windows Update gives no clue to what this update actually does: “Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3123862)”. Clicking on the More information link reveal the following: Updated capabilities to upgrade Windows 8.1 and […]

Upgrading to the latest version of Windows 10 isn’t straightforward for all of us. For some reason, Windows Update is unable to perform its duties when asked to look after “other Microsoft products”.

Microsoft continues their sneaky trend by camouflaging Windows 10 related updates as “Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems”. I would avoid installing these six (five actually) updates, identified by their KB numbers: KB2952664, Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7 KB3022345, Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry (superseded by KB3068708, see below) KB3035583, Update […]

I declined KB2952664 in our WSUS instance. This update phones home and reports whatever you have installed. I see no reason to be spied upon. Not to mention that this update is not a oneshot update, it creates a couple of scheduled tasks that run regularly. This one is related to KB3035583, and both should […]

Microsoft is pretty sneaky. They camouflage their Windows 10 downloader, KB3035583, as a recommended Windows 7 update with no indication of what good this update does. Only by clicking on the first link is its true intention revealed. As a contrast, the dreaded KB976002 browser choice update was well marked with its intention even in […]

Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 fails to notify Windows 7 when the SSID changes. The result is that the wireless interface retains the previous and possibly invalid IP addresses and other settings. The latest driver, A11, only a few days old, isn’t helpful at all. I usually avoid installing Intel’s own utility for managing wireless […]

Category: Microsoft Windows

Network Connection Status Indicator (NCSI)

Windows 10 – et virus?

Ad for Windows 10 camouflaged as a security update, how low can one sink?

KB2977759 and KB2952664 now available in WSUS

Another bad KB? KB3123862

Upgrading to Windows 10, version 1511, build 10586

Bad KBs

Appraiser or Hellraiser? KB2952644

KB3035583

Dell Latitude E7240 and Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260