Reinstall Win7 what updates to avoid for telemetry & winX preparation?

[admltk]

Hi everyone

As a beginner to all of this, I am very confused by all the different opinions in the previous posts. Some users seem to be intent on listing out all the telemetry updates to be uninstalled, while others are claiming that it is as simple as running Simplex followed by using the kb_spy cmd file to uninstall the telemetry updates.

I guess my main confusion is regarding whether the Simplex + kb_spy thing is actually proven to remove all unwanted updates, or whether some still lurk behind? If some remain then that would justify the approach of other users to manually check and compare between the two approaches to weed out any unwanted updates.

I hope that made sense... any advice?

Edit: A good example of the confusion I am talking about can be found in the following thread:
Which updates should I avoid?

Notice how poster #2 says:
"Run Simplix. That is all you need."

Simple enough, right? But then poster #3 and #4 say the following:
"This contains a script to check for and removed unwanted updates. Remove telemetry updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 . GitHub"

"Hi
I have done a pretty comprehensive list in here that you can look at to get a little overview / idea of.


Reinstall Win7 what updates to avoid for telemetry & winX preparation?"

Who's right?

 

[townsbg]

Simplex I believe will install the updates that are proven not contain telemetry or at least not suspected to have telemtry. I don't know specifically what's in there but I doubt that it'll contain the latest updates available without the extended update plan because those had updates bundled together without any really real description as to what they do. Some preferred to just ignore them. It is designed for a new system. If your system is already updated that one isn't for you. The script on the other had will look for a specific list of updates suspected to have telemetry and remove them. Essentially it comes down to us simplex on a new system and the script on established, already updated systems. Does that help?

 

[admltk]

Simplex I believe will install the updates that are proven not contain telemetry or at least not suspected to have telemtry. I don't know specifically what's in there but I doubt that it'll contain the latest updates available without the extended update plan because those had updates bundled together without any really real description as to what they do. Some preferred to just ignore them. It is designed for a new system. If your system is already updated that one isn't for you. The script on the other had will look for a specific list of updates suspected to have telemetry and remove them. Essentially it comes down to us simplex on a new system and the script on established, already updated systems. Does that help?

Thanks for your reply. However, I'm not sure I fully understand yet. My question was specifically regarding why some users (such as "Marie SWE" in the last link in my previous post) are troubling themselves to post *lists* of the updates to be removed, while others are simply saying "run simplix". I get what you're saying about simplix being for new installs of Windows 7 and the kb_spy thing being for updated ones, but that still doesn't answer my main question.

Unless you are saying that the list posted by Marie SWE and others is for future updates? But I thought simplix was updated regularly, so can't one just download + run simplix from time to time to keep updated (while removing the "bad" KB updates at the same time)?

 

[townsbg]

There aren't any more updates unless you purchase the extended update plan and I don't know what simplex has in it because I haven't used it. As for your questions, you have to cosider the context of what they are answering. For example:

Run Simplix and it will install the updates you don't have.
Run kb_spy.cmd to uninstall the telemetry already installed.

That's in response to someone saying that he hadn't updated in awhile. The script doesn't install updates hence the reason for him suggesting Simplex. He suggested running the script afterwards in case that person had already installed as you put it a bad update. If that doesn't answer your question then I don't know how to. I think that you are over analyzing this but they are responding to individuals with different issues and hence need different actions.

 

[Megahertz07]

There aren't any more updates unless you purchase the extended update plan and I don't know what simplex has in it because I haven't used it. As for your questions, you have to cosider the context of what they are answering. For example:



That's in response to someone saying that he hadn't updated in awhile. The script doesn't install updates hence the reason for him suggesting Simplex. He suggested running the script afterwards in case that person had already installed as you put it a bad update. If that doesn't answer your question then I don't know how to. I think that you are over analyzing this but they are responding to individuals with different issues and hence need different actions.

Single file with all updates - Simplix has ALL updates, including those that MS only release on the paid plan.

 

[admltk]

I don't know what's difficult to understand about my question to be honest: all I am asking is why some users are posting lists of the telemetry files etc that should be removed IF SIMPLIX ALREADY DOES THAT FOR YOU.

Why are those users bothering wasting their time posting long lists of "KB..." updates to remove manually if simplix already removes them automatically when you run it? That is what I don't get.

Does it mean Simplix is not as "watertight" as other users would have us believe, in that it might not remove ALL telemetry and other security-compromising updates? Or does Simplix actually remove ALL of them?

If it does, then why do those users post long lists instead of just running Simplix + that KB_spy file (and other similar files which serve to remove the "bad KB" updates for you).

Sorry if I appear to be irritated or anything; I am just trying to clarify the question I have been asking from the start. Hopefully someone understands what I am asking now.

 

[Megahertz07]

I don't know what's difficult to understand about my question to be honest: all I am asking is why some users are posting lists of the telemetry files etc that should be removed IF SIMPLIX ALREADY DOES THAT FOR YOU.

Why are those users bothering wasting their time posting long lists of "KB..." updates to remove manually if simplix already removes them automatically when you run it? That is what I don't get.

Does it mean Simplix is not as "watertight" as other users would have us believe, in that it might not remove ALL telemetry and other security-compromising updates? Or does Simplix actually remove ALL of them?

If it does, then why do those users post long lists instead of just running Simplix + that KB_spy file (and other similar files which serve to remove the "bad KB" updates for you).

Sorry if I appear to be irritated or anything; I am just trying to clarify the question I have been asking from the start. Hopefully someone understands what I am asking now.

If you haven't tuned off automatic updates when you installed Win 7 you probably have some telemetry. Simplix doesn't install telemetry but it doesn't remove those already installed.

 

[admltk]

If you haven't tuned off automatic updates when you installed Win 7 you probably have some telemetry. Simplix doesn't install telemetry but it doesn't remove those already installed.

Does there exist a file/program that removes all of them?

1. If yes, why do users like "Marie" and others list them out by hand? Or maybe they don't know that such a cmd file exists (maybe it hasn't even been posted on the thread? I doubt they would still feel it is necessary to waste their time listing the bad KB's by hand if they had a cmd file that nuked all of them automatically, right?)

2. If no, then that fully answers my question: the reason "Marie" and other users bother listing the bad KB's by hand is simply because it is the ONLY WAY of making sure they are ALL removed!

 

[townsbg]

You know people may like to do things differently and as I've already said some questions are being responded to on an individual basis. I can't tell you why one user posts one thing and another posts something else. You might try asking them rather than insisting that we answer you something that we can't know. Is that because we are the only ones answering? All we can tell you is what we know about it and what we think about it. Personally I really don't get your line of questioning and why does it matter if someone uses the script while others just does things manually? You are talking semantics whereas we are talking facts. If you are trying to know what to use I personally think that Simplex would be best at making sure you are up to date whereas the script would be the easiest way to make sure all the "bad stuff" isn't installed and remove it if it is. If you are wanting a list you can open up the script in your favorite text editor. It is human readable and has a list of the "bad" updates built in. I believe that there are even comments as to why an update is on that list. You can use both if it suites you. Marie might have even gotten that list from the script. But why does Marie prefer this? I have no clue and personally I don't care. It doesn't impact me at all. I'm not even running 7 anymore but I still drop by daily to try to help out. I don't mean to sound rude but since I don't have an answer for you, I'm out. I've tried to help but apparently it isn't enough for you.

 

[Megahertz07]

Does there exist a file/program that removes all of them?

1. If yes, why do users like "Marie" and others list them out by hand? Or maybe they don't know that such a cmd file exists (maybe it hasn't even been posted on the thread? I doubt they would still feel it is necessary to waste their time listing the bad KB's by hand if they had a cmd file that nuked all of them automatically, right?)

2. If no, then that fully answers my question: the reason "Marie" and other users bother listing the bad KB's by hand is simply because it is the ONLY WAY of making sure they are ALL removed!

If you had read my post Single file with all updates - Simplix you will see that there is a link to download a batch file to remove all known telemetry.

 

[ONELightsMyPath]

Greetings to all in this forum.

I'm new (as a registered user) here (though I've come across SevenForums a few times in the past - and TenForums as well) when searching for advice or pointers on various solutions. I've returned once again to not only browse the forum today out of a need to OFFICIALLY gain knowledge and insights provided here by many of you, but to also (make good use of) your provisions by downloading the Simplix pack from SIW2 as well as to running the kb_spy.cmd script.

That being said, I just wanted to chime in and say a BIG thank you to all involved with these files, scripts, lists, & additional information provided.
SIW2
Megahertz07
Marie SWE
townsbg
... and others for your efforts. (if I didn't mention someone, please don't take it personally. I only ready certain forum areas pertaining my needs.)

It takes a LOT of time and meticulous effort to compile all this information and code, and it benefits many including myself. To whom thanks and appreciation is due, I really appreciate all of your efforts and time invested. Know that you time is not wasted.

Thank you all again.
May God bless you and be with you.