What To Do After Jan 2020

What makes you think Win7 isn't using telemetry?

Microsoft previews telemetry push with new Win7/8.1 patches KB 3192403, 3192404
Microsoft intensifies data collection on Windows 7 and 8 systems
Microsoft slips user-tracking tools into Windows 7, 8 amidst Windows 10 privacy storm

Snick said:

What makes you think Win7 isn't using telemetry?

Microsoft previews telemetry push with new Win7/8.1 patches KB 3192403, 3192404
Microsoft intensifies data collection on Windows 7 and 8 systems
Microsoft slips user-tracking tools into Windows 7, 8 amidst Windows 10 privacy storm

These days users need to manually install W7 Updates (if they want to avoid MS' bad behaviour).

There are various programs that are supposed to detect (and allow you to purge) unwanted updates.

For example:

XTR Toolbox comes with standard options, the cleanup of junk files or a startup manager, but also with options that many cleaning tools don't come with.


The "Remove Telemetry Updates" tool, for example, removes Telemetry updates from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices that you run the application on.

https://www.ghacks.net/2018/02/20/xtr-toolbox-review/

Note:
I haven't tried this tool.

J.R. said:

Me.

Screw W10. IMO it's a bad operating system.
Any operating system that collects all your bits is wrong.
I plan on using W7 despite 2020 deadline.
IMO, W7 is still popular and hopefully the business community can make MSFT change their schedule.
Not holding my breath on that one; but screw MSFT and their W10.

Your ISP collects far more than any operating system does.....so you trust your ISP more than Microsoft?

Microsoft is supporting Windows 7 with security updates as is does with any older operating system approaching end of life. This is what has always been the accepted and expected way, there is no ulterior motive, It applied with Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista. It will also apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8, which were all intended to be on a Three year active and ten year support lifecycle, (although other circumstances broke this model especially with the overlong retention of XP)

Windows 10 uses a totally different system model which involves in a continuously evolving product with major upgrades every six months, so has no end of life although the upgrade versions do expire after around two years, (this is not new it's always been the case with the older type Service packs being required after a set time to continue receiving updates and support)

JoWazzoo said:

Just be aware that the Update Removal in XTR removes the complete Update. So if there is anything else in the Update (beyond Telemetry) it goes Poof as well. (I wish there was a tool to remove ALL traces of Telemetry. FWIW two of the 2015 Updates were basically nothing but Telemetry for Windows 7. I removed them and recently Windows downloaded them back again. I have set to Manual install.

If you remove an update, Windows Update will detect that you don't have it and offer it again.

Some updates can be hidden, but MS often re-releases updates like KB2952664 (Telemetry) to wear down user resistance.

If you want to avoid (or reduce the chance of receiving) unwanted "improvements", you should manually install the monthly "Security-Only" patches not the "Monthly Rollups".

Brink usually posts the links for these each month (or you can go to the Microsoft Update Catalog).
For example:
February 13, 2018 - KB4074587 (Security-only update) Windows 7

Note:
You'll also need to install IE and .NET patches.

Golden said:

Your ISP collects far more than any operating system does.....so you trust your ISP more than Microsoft?

My ISP hasn't been caught:

• Sending out updates that auto-replaced users operating systems
• Using popup windows that have had the "Close" button recoded to "Install"
• Surreptitiously changing user OS settings to suit themselves

A lot of "Democracies" have passed laws forcing ISPs to store your data, so that the government can use it against you "on a whim" (even going as far as saying they don't need warrants).

Mathematically, the more organisations/people that store your data, the more likely it is that it will be accessed/stolen (by corporations, criminals &/or governments).

Intelligence/Military organisations have Security Clearances to restrict access to data and they can't get it right (e.g. Manning, Snowden, etc.).

I can't think of a "Tech Giant" that hasn't been hacked.

To paraphrase a famous man (now deceased); "they will have to pry my windows 7 out of my cold, dead, hands!".
That may sound a bit extreme, but essentially that's my feeling about the whole thing.

Heck, I still have a little Acer One Netbook running XP SP3. It will not run any newer OS because the newer OS's don't have the special drivers required for the little Netbook. XP is still working just fine!
I can still work the internet, send and receive my email, and play my favorite games.
I take the little Netbook with me whenever I have to leave town, for a day or longer.

As for Windows 10, I've installed many different versions of it, but it still takes me over an hour to dig through all the settings to KILL WUDO and disable Cortana, which I have NO use for at all.
Then to make it more user friendly, especially for older PC users, I install the "Classic Shell" and tweak it so that it closely approximates Windows 7. By the time I'm done, Win-10 will look and act so much like Win-7, that most users, (not Gurus) won't even know the difference.

One thing I don't like about the newest Win-10 is that I can no longer address Windows Defender by itself and get updates and run scans like I could with Defender on Win-7.
Every time MS makes some "Improvement", they take away something I like in Windows.
Linux, Unix, Zenix Phoenix or Kleenex is not an option. Well, I do use Kleenex!

Cheers Mates!
TechnoMage