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Samsung Cripples Windows Update To Prevent Incompatible Drivers

Posted by Soulskill on from the that's-not-how-this-works dept.

jones_supa writes: A file called Disable_Windowsupdate.exe — probably malware, right? It's actually a "helper" utility from Samsung, for which their reasoning is: "When you enable Windows updates, it will install the Default Drivers for all the hardware no laptop which may or may not work. For example if there is USB 3.0 on laptop, the ports may not work with the installation of updates. So to prevent this, SW Update tool will prevent the Windows updates." Too bad that the solution means disabling all critical security updates as well. This isn't the first time an OEM has compromised the security of its users. From earlier this year, we remember the Superfish adware from Lenovo, and system security being compromised by the LG split screen software.

4 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What? by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does their warranty cover hacked laptop?

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  2. Re:Hardware or driver's issues? by jones_supa · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I can think of two solutions on how to solve this problem.

    1) Pin the installed OEM drivers, so that Windows understands that no other drivers should be installed for these device IDs.

    or

    2) In the PCI device ID, add extra information that this device is a special Samsung variant, and then Windows knows that the generic driver for that device is not compatible.

    I'm not sure if these solutions are possible, if someone knows more then please let me know.

  3. My Samsung Laptop by MPAB · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I bought a Samsung laptop. i5, 6gb ram, Hybrid NVIDIA and Intel graphics, 750gb HDD, DVD burner. It is light, well powered and cost efficient back in 2011. Windows 7-64 bit. Problem is: Even the keyboard hotkeys such as screen brightness, WiFi, etc. work only through a "Control panel" that takes ages to load. Volume keys don't work within a game and sometimes the trackpad stops working after sleeping. And also I don't dare installing Linux on it because I read about severe cases of linux bricking the UEFI and rendering the laptop completerly useless.

    Alas, after you start it up (either from off or sleeping) and wait the 10-15 minutes for the HDD to calm down (after stripping down the startup, defragmenting, ccleaner and the such) it runs really well.

  4. Re:Wow ... by mlts · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Windows 2003 had a 64 bit version, but Windows 2003 mainly was 32 bit. If you used the /PAE option on the 32 bit edition, you could get past the 4GB barrier on that OS... but the caceat was only if you had the enterprise or data center editions (which got you to 32 GB or 64 GB respectively.)

    So, I do agree with the parent... the ability to get past 4GB did exist, but required a bunch of flaming hoops to go through.

    As for monitors, I've seen lots of screwy, nonsensical stuff, stuff (such as a glitch on a SCSI card causing the monitor to tint green), so I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.