Windows 10 upgrade notification icon on the system task bar

[CJREX]

Welp, 10 is being booted from the desktop as well.

Back to 8.1 for now.

After monitoring my firewall for a bit, 10 is basically a keylogger and sends so much telemetry back to MS that you might as well just let them video your computer activity.

There are now tons of sites that talk about Win 10 spying, and as a neat trick, MS is pushing updates to Win 7 and 8 that install the same spying capability. At least on 7 and 8 you can uninstall those updates and block them from being reinstalled (for now).

Partial list of domains that Win 10 is phoning home to:

vortex.data.microsoft.com

vortex-win.data.microsoft.com

telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com

telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

oca.telemetry.microsoft.com

oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com

sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

watson.telemetry.microsoft.com

watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

redir.metaservices.microsoft.com

choice.microsoft.com

choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

df.telemetry.microsoft.com

reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

telemetry.microsoft.com

watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com

telemetry.appex.bing.net

telemetry.urs.microsoft.com

telemetry.appex.bing.net:443

settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

survey.watson.microsoft.com

watson.live.com

watson.microsoft.com

statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com

corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com

compatexchange.cloudapp.net

cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net

a-0001.a-msedge.net

statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

sls.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

fe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

diagnostics.support.microsoft.com

corp.sts.microsoft.com

statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com

pre.footprintpredict.com

i1.services.social.microsoft.com

i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

feedback.windows.com

feedback.microsoft-hohm.com

feedback.search.microsoft.com

rad.msn.com

preview.msn.com

ad.doubleclick.net

ads.msn.com

ads1.msads.net

ads1.msn.com

a.ads1.msn.com

a.ads2.msn.com

adnexus.net

adnxs.com

aidps.atdmt.com

apps.skype.com

az361816.vo.msecnd.net

az512334.vo.msecnd.net

a.rad.msn.com

a.ads2.msads.net

ac3.msn.com

aka-cdn-ns.adtech.de

b.rad.msn.com

b.ads2.msads.net

b.ads1.msn.com

bs.serving-sys.com

c.msn.com

cdn.atdmt.com

cds26.ams9.msecn.net

c.atdmt.com

db3aqu.atdmt.com

ec.atdmt.com

flex.msn.com

g.msn.com

h2.msn.com

h1.msn.com

live.rads.msn.com

msntest.serving-sys.com

m.adnxs.com

m.hotmail.com

preview.msn.com

pricelist.skype.com

rad.msn.com

rad.live.com

secure.flashtalking.com

static.2mdn.net

s.gateway.messenger.live.com

secure.adnxs.com

sO.2mdn.net

ui.skype.com

www.msftncsi.com

msftncsi.com

view.atdmt.com

And if you want to remove this "feature" from your Win 7 and 8 machines, uninstall the following "updates"

KB3068708
KB3022345
KB3075249
KB3080149

Also note that MS has recently upgraded these updates from Optional to Recommended, which means they are more likely to get installed with default Update settings.

If you have them on 7 or 8, you can remove them in Control Panel.

They are baked into Win 10.

[KahanaReef]

I forget which update it was off the top of my head, but Microsoft had upgraded others in the beginning of the Win 10 upgrade crap, from recommended to important to get it to slip by unnoticed. Sneaky bastards

[Blakbird24]

Argh. More "privacy" complaints. Do you use the internet? A phone? It's so ironic to hear all the complaints about the privacy issues in Windows 10 posted from people's iPhones/Galaxies. I don't think I need to spell out to anyone here that if you are using a smartphone, you've already given up everything that Microsoft is looking for to Google and/or Apple.

You know what the difference is with Windows 10? You can stop it...all of it. Don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to make it sound like Microsoft was nice enough to allow us the ability to disable the data mining, because i'm sure they don't condone this procedure at all. My point is that this is the new reality. When it comes to technology we are always being exploited somehow. Before computers there was "long distance" and "premium cable". Then came the hardware race. Then there was extortionist-level pricing on software and DRM. Now there's data-mining. Every time corporations have found a way to exploit us for gain, we have found a way to stop it. This is no different. See link below for details.

https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/...in_windows_10/

[CJREX]

I am fully aware of the (lack of) privacy aspects of a smartphone, however, I don't keep the same data on it that I keep on my computer, ie, tax records.

[Blakbird24]

I am fully aware of the (lack of) privacy aspects of a smartphone, however, I don't keep the same data on it that I keep on my computer, ie, tax records.

But I bet you have spoken or texted about your money and/or tax matters on your smartphone...right?

[CJREX]

But I bet you have spoken or texted about your money and/or tax matters on your smartphone...right?

Not that I can think of.

I don't ever remember speaking about it but absolutely have never texted it.

[GaryJenkins]

So, we're going back to the conspiracy theories again, folks? Put on your tinfoil hats. It's about to get crazy in here!