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Windows 10’s controversial data collection coming to Windows 7 and 8 users
MICROSOFT has reportedly rolled out background data collection and user tracking to Windows 7 and Windows 8 in its latest updates.
By Aaron Brown Aaron Brown
PUBLISHED: 12:20, Mon, Aug 31, 2015 | UPDATED: 12:35, Mon, Aug 31, 2015
The background data collection introduced by Microsoft in Windows 10 is coming to Windows 7 and 8
Microsoft rolled out its final major operating system, Windows 10, to some 190 countries last month.
The new operating system blends elements of the previous two releases, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
User have reported a number of issues with the latest release, including PC boot-up speeds slowing to an agonising crawl and wifi issues.
The new Microsoft operating system has also been criticised for its extensive background data collection on users.
The telemetry and diagnostics service included in Windows 10 cannot fully be disabled, a departure from previous entries in the Redmond’s best-selling desktop operating system series.
Data collected from users is used "to improve the products and features customers use most often and to help solve problems."
By harvesting usage data from its millions of users, Microsoft hopes to better improve its operating systems with future updates.
The anonymised usage data includes details on Microsoft software, the operating system and from "third-party applications that interact with Microsoft products."
The slew of data ranges includes how often the USB port on your computer is used to which web browsers you use most often.
Microsoft has built a new Start Menu, which combines elements of Windows 7 and Windows 8
Community funded software specialist site gHacks claims Windows 10 “slurps data like there is no tomorrow, especially when systems are set up using the express settings.”
The site now claims Microsoft has introduced a number of these features to its previous two operating systems, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should keep an eye out for updates KB3068708, KB3022345, KB3075249, KB3080149.
“If these updates are installed on the system, data is sent to Microsoft regularly about various activities on it,” gHacks reports.
“The best way to deal with these updates is to make sure they are not installed.”
Luckily for those Windows 7 and Windows 8 users who do not want to hand over any data to Microsoft, the updates are not mandatory and can be uninstalled.
Windows users can uninstall the new updates from within the Control Panel, or if they have not yet downloaded the update, hide the new update with a right-click within the Windows Update app.
This can stop the update being returned within PC search results and will avoid any accidental installations.
Windows 10’s controversial data collection coming to Windows 7 and 8 users
MICROSOFT has reportedly rolled out background data collection and user tracking to Windows 7 and Windows 8 in its latest updates.
By Aaron Brown Aaron Brown
PUBLISHED: 12:20, Mon, Aug 31, 2015 | UPDATED: 12:35, Mon, Aug 31, 2015
The background data collection introduced by Microsoft in Windows 10 is coming to Windows 7 and 8
Microsoft rolled out its final major operating system, Windows 10, to some 190 countries last month.
The new operating system blends elements of the previous two releases, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
User have reported a number of issues with the latest release, including PC boot-up speeds slowing to an agonising crawl and wifi issues.
The new Microsoft operating system has also been criticised for its extensive background data collection on users.
The telemetry and diagnostics service included in Windows 10 cannot fully be disabled, a departure from previous entries in the Redmond’s best-selling desktop operating system series.
Data collected from users is used "to improve the products and features customers use most often and to help solve problems."
By harvesting usage data from its millions of users, Microsoft hopes to better improve its operating systems with future updates.
The anonymised usage data includes details on Microsoft software, the operating system and from "third-party applications that interact with Microsoft products."
The slew of data ranges includes how often the USB port on your computer is used to which web browsers you use most often.
Microsoft has built a new Start Menu, which combines elements of Windows 7 and Windows 8
Community funded software specialist site gHacks claims Windows 10 “slurps data like there is no tomorrow, especially when systems are set up using the express settings.”
The site now claims Microsoft has introduced a number of these features to its previous two operating systems, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should keep an eye out for updates KB3068708, KB3022345, KB3075249, KB3080149.
“If these updates are installed on the system, data is sent to Microsoft regularly about various activities on it,” gHacks reports.
“The best way to deal with these updates is to make sure they are not installed.”
Luckily for those Windows 7 and Windows 8 users who do not want to hand over any data to Microsoft, the updates are not mandatory and can be uninstalled.
Windows users can uninstall the new updates from within the Control Panel, or if they have not yet downloaded the update, hide the new update with a right-click within the Windows Update app.
This can stop the update being returned within PC search results and will avoid any accidental installations.
