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Microsoft Installs New Software Without Permission

Futurepower(R) writes "Even though I have Automatic Updates turned off, on August 28, 2007, between 3:49 and 3:51 AM PDT, Microsoft installed new files on my Windows XP computer." Nine files are updated on Vista and on XP SP1, a different set of on each, relating to Windows Update itself. Microsoft-watch.com's Joe Wilcox and ZDnet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes confirm the stealth update.

28 of 760 comments (clear)

  1. Resistance is futile! by CdrGlork · · Score: 1, Funny

    You'll take your nanites, and you'll like them!

  2. Hmm.... by TechnoBunny · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...I cant see how anyone on /. would ever object.

    Anyone want popcorn?

  3. This reveals MS Secret loves by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does wmbla stand for Windows Man Boy Love Association???

    Boy I need to spend time away from the interweb

  4. Re:Why? Re:Block it by Ragein · · Score: 2, Funny

    You should not have to but, In theory theory and practise are the same in practise they are not.

    --
    They fitted George Orwell's coffin with rollers so he could turn over more easily years ago.
  5. Re:Kathleen Malda's Excellent Adventure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Dammit, Rob, for the last time: Please fix your bookmarks. We really don't need these updates of yours. Save 'em for your blog.

  6. Re:and the surprise is? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The solution is simple, install NetBSD.

  7. It's just the DOS 5.0 update push... by capnkr · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...as seen yesterday in that hot video. :/

    -----------

    Informal poll: Raise your hand if you are surprised that microSoft did/does sneaky updates like this.

    What? Noone? Noone at all???

    It's expected, by now, and accepted. Sadly.

    Same old, same old -and one of the many reasons I've been mS-Free for 8 years...

    --
    "...there are some things that can beat smartness and foresight. Awkwardness and stupidity can." ~ Mark Twain
  8. Can't Win for... by WED+Fan · · Score: 5, Funny

    /.er:Windows is insecure, Microsoft is evil.

    /.er:Where are my patches?

    /.er:You're evil because you patched my system.

    MS:O.k., we'll make a system the user can run and patch them system that way.

    /.er:You're evil because most lusers won't set it up properly and the net will be taken over by these luser's machines.

    MS:O.k, we'll patch the system involuntarily.

    /.er:You're evil for patching my system that way.

    MS: You've made a career at being happy with whatever prevails, right?

    --
    Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong fix.
  9. In corporate America Microsoft Windows updates You by zygoon · · Score: 2, Funny

    (this may become obligatory comment sooner than you expect)

  10. Re:omg hackers by mhall119 · · Score: 4, Funny

    That could take hours, bitching takes mere seconds. Here on /. we strive for efficiency, not accuracy.

    --
    http://www.mhall119.com
  11. Re:What's the IP address? by walt-sjc · · Score: 3, Funny

    I know the one you are talking about. Has this thing about "chairs".

  12. Re:omg hackers by enrevanche · · Score: 4, Funny

    Repeat after me, "I will never ever again use the words slashdot and efficiency in the same sentence."

  13. Re:omg hackers by mhall119 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Repeat after me, "I will never ever again use the words slashdot and efficiency in the same sentence." I would, but repeating that statement would immediately violate it.
    --
    http://www.mhall119.com
  14. Re:Why? Re:Block it by The+Rizz · · Score: 5, Funny

    I say we take off and nuke the website from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

  15. Re:WGA is coming to get you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The grandparent probably already has WGA itself installed, he just thinks he's keeping the devil out of his computer by keeping the Notification update from installing.

  16. New RIAA Defense by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft did it.
    -
    =D

  17. Re:Why? Re:Block it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because it's pirated and MS hasn't found the key yet.

  18. Re:Why? Re:Block it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Microsoft can run code on your box, I'd expect some other people can too. l33t crackers, the government. What would stop them?

    The law? Oh wait...

    -Alberto Gonzalez

  19. Re:You couldn't be more wrong. by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 5, Funny

    I would just like to point out that he could, in fact, have been more wrong. He could have stated, for instance, that Microsoft is run by dolphins from an secret underwater base in the artic.

  20. Yes, and please keep doing this. by Erris · · Score: 2, Funny

    You linked to twitter's journal, eh?

    Indeed, I did and I'd like to thank all of you Assholes Cowards for pointing it out to me. I ordinarily ignore your posts and don't pay much attention to user names. Your "ERRIS is the TWITTER" nonsense finally enticed me to look and I like what I found. Please keep advertising twitter.

    Non free software is a vital part of any government's attack on people's liberty. Besides the direct attack on software freedom, non free software is used to keep tabs on citizens and censor their news. Even when it's not directly abused as it is in China, non free software is insecure and presents an unacceptable treat to the free internet and every form of free communication. Twitter points these things out and I'll continue to link to him and others where appropriate.

    --
    DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
  21. Re:You couldn't be more wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...Microsoft is run by dolphins from an secret underwater base in the artic.
     
    ... You mean it's not? B-b-but, how else do you explain Windows ME?

  22. Re:Why? Re:Block it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Fuckin' A!

  23. Burke by Sh!fty · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ho-ho-hold on, hold on one second. This installation has a substantial dollar value attached to it.

    --
    Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves. -- Carl Sagan Sh!fty
  24. Re:That's the last thing you want! by scribblej · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wow, when you learn how to handle all that in your router/firewall then you will /really/ be cool, and won't have to crawl around unplugging and plugging cables.

    When I need a computer to stay off the internet, guess what I don't have to fuck with? That's right, ethernet cables.

  25. Re:Why? Re:Block it by cez · · Score: 2, Funny
    Hah...true you might not be one they update without permission...but the fear comes from someone maliciously using that process to control every Windows PC out there today to ping that nice lil box of yours off the net until Duke Nukem Forever is ported for Hurd =)

    MicroStorm,

    --
    Walk with Music;
  26. Re:Why? Re:Block it by Mike+Morgan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I believe there is a clause in the EULA that prohibits nuking Redmond from orbit.

    --
    -USR1
  27. Re:Ripley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I think Windows users are already being "Bill'ed"

  28. 1984 and 1/2 by theolein · · Score: 2, Funny

    While reading TFA, something in TFA caught my attention, here a list of changed components:

    1. cdm.dll
    2. wuapi.dll
    3. wuauclt.exe
    4. wuaucpl.cpl
    5. wuaueng.dll
    6. wucltui.dll
    7. wups.dll
    8. wups2.dll
    9. wuweb.dll

    1.Iwonder.dll
    2.whenmsft.exe
    3.willsee.dll
    4.youcan.dll
    5.usemore.exe
    6.than8_3.dll
    7.notation.dll
    8.innames.exe
    9.1984want.scr
    10.itsdos.dll
    11.back.txt