Windows7/8 - Updates to hide to prevent Windows 10 Upgrade / Disable Telemetry

I have been noticing lately a lot of people keep asking the same question on how to prevent the Windows 10 upgrade so here is a list of updates that need to be hidden in order to prevent the Windows 10 Upgrade or prevent updates that enable Telemetry, some of them are system preparation for the upgrade so you may not find them all in your updates list until a prerequisite update was installed before.

If doing a clean installation of Windows 7 or 8, you need to scan the list of updates carefully everytime updates appear to ensure none of them re-appears as Micro$h4ft has been showing some of them again even if you hide them.

Update: Since I have created a Windows 7 Clean Installation Guide, I now have the images of every single phase of Windows Update after a clean install to help you with the fishing for bad updates job:

Update 2: for an easier and safer method to update a freshly installed Windows 7 machine, use the Simplix Pack which installs all the latest updates minus the bad ones. If you use the Simplix Pack, then you do not have to worry about the below spoiler of manually checking for every update being installed as the Simplix Pack contains the latest updates minus the bad ones.

Spoiler

NOTE: Never install mixed updates together unless you want them to fail or for your OS to be fux0red. Example, I once installed all the security and windows updates together, a few of them failed, after I rebooted, GPEDIT.MSC would not launch and Event Log Viewer wouldn't run as well. Let's do this one stage at a time.






























































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Now that we are done with all the Windows Updates, run the Disk Clean up, then run Disk Clean Up again but choose to clean system files and select all components, then reboot and proceed with creating your first system image using your favorite imaging software:





















Note: After the disk cleanup is done and you reboot, you may get the same updates that we hid before show up in Windows Updates, simply hide them again and they're gone forever.

If you have already installed Windows and did a few updates, then head over to Control Panel > Programs and Features > View Installed Updates then go from the top to the bottom through the list to ensure none of them is installed, if you do find one installed, then uninstall it, reboot, then check for updates and once it appears right click on it and hide it.

These Windows 10 upgrade activation updates are like a virus really, only thing is, it's a legit virus


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First of all, for Windows 7 users, let's install the Disable IE 10 and IE 11 toolkit in order for them to not showup in Windows Updates because if one installs them, he would get KB2670838 installed automatically as they come bundled with them which will break the AERO functionality on many systems and/or display blurry fonts in your browser on some sites.

IE10 BlockerToolkit

IE11 BlockerToolkit

Once you run any of the above downloaded EXEs, it will ask you to extract the contents to a folder. Select the folder you want then go through the Read Me File for instructions.

Here is how I blocked IE 10/11 on my system. Note that my computer name is PREDATOR hence you need to replace PREDATOR with your computer name.



PS: Credit to @octiceps for letting me know these tools exist.
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KB2505438 (Although it claims to fix performance issues, it often breaks fonts)
KB2670838 (The EVIL Update, breaks AERO on Windows 7 and makes some fonts on websites fuzzy, Windows 7 specific update only, do not install IE10 or 11 otherwise it will be bundled with them, IE9 is the max version you should install)
KB2882822 (Update adds ITraceRelogger interface support to Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1, Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 )
KB2902907 (Microsoft Security Essentials)
KB2952664 ("Get Windows 10" Assistant)
KB2976978 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 8)
KB2977759 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 7)
KB2990214 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 7)
KB3012973 (Force Trigger Download and Install of Windows 10)
KB3015249 (Adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 7 & Windows 8)
KB3021917 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation + Telemetry)
KB3022345 (Telemetry)
KB3035583 (GWX Update installs the "Get Windows 10" app in Windows 7 & Windows 8)
KB3042058 (Microsoft claims its a security update but it contains Winlogon Spying)
KB3044374 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8 systems)
KB3050267 (Windows 10 upgrade preparation but also adds the option in GPEDIT to disable Windows 10 upgrade altogether so you may want to actually install this)
KB3064683 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8)
KB3065987 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7)
KB3065988 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8)
KB3068708 (Telemetry)
KB3072318 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 8)
KB3074677 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation)
KB3075249 (Telemetry)
KB3075851 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7)
KB3075853 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8)
KB3080149 (Telemetry)
KB3081437 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation)
KB3081454 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation)
KB3081954 (Telemetry Update for Windows 7)
KB3083324 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 7)
KB3083325 (Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 8)
KB3083710 (Update for the Windows Update client with sketchy details for Windows 7, see this thread)
KB3083711 (Update for the Windows Update client with sketchy details for Windows 8, see this thread)
KB3086255 (Flagged as an Important update. It disables SafeDisc games in Windows Vista, 7, and 8/8.1)
KB3088195 (Miscorosft Claims it's a security update but also has a key logger on the Kernel Level)
KB3090045 (Windows 10 Upgrade Update for Windows 7/8)
KB3093983 (Microsoft claims it's a security update but it contains IE spying)
KB3102810 (Fixes an issue regarding long wait while searching for Windows Updates but also has Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 7)
KB3102812 (Fixes an issue regarding long wait while searching for Windows Updates but also has Windows 10 Upgrade preparation for Windows 8)
KB3107998 (Removes Lenovo USB Blocker)
KB3112336 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8)
KB3112343 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7)
KB3123862 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7 & 8)
KB3125574 (Telemetry for Windows 7)
KB3133977 (adds UEFI Secure Boot to Windows 7 computers and renders them unbootable)
KB3135445 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7)
KB3135449 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 8)
KB3138612 (Fishy update to for Windows Updates)
KB3138615
KB3139929 (Fishy update for Windows 7/8 to Windows 10 Upgrade)
KB3139923 (Update adds a point telemetry consent.exe file)
KB3146449 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7/8)
KB3150513 (Windows 10 Upgrade for Windows 7/8)
KB3161608 (Update adds a point telemetry consent.exe file)
KB3163589 (Report on the work of running an outdated version of Windows)
KB3172605 (Update adds a point telemetry consent.exe file)
KB3173040 (Windows 10 Upgrade notice)
KB4012218 (Windows Update processor generation detection)
KB4012219 (Windows Update processor generation detection)
KB4015546 (Hardware check for CPU Platform for Windows 7)
KB4015547 (Hardware check for CPU Platform for Windows 8)
KB2976978 (Useless diagnostics update for those who participated in the Windows improvement program)


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To uninstall all the above updates in one shot rather than looking for any of them if they are installed or not as it can be a daunting task to go through the large list of installed updates, @Ethrem created a great script that does this job. Please make sure to rep him for his hard work.

Download the "Remove Telemetry-Win10 Upgrade Updates Script" then extract it from the ZIP file. After that, you need to right click on it and choose Run as Administrator and wait for the on screen message to display that all updates have been uninstalled.

Reboot after that and search for Windows updates again, once you see them bad updates re-appear, just right click on them and select HIDE from the context menu.

To do this manually for each update, simply run the below command in an elevated command prompt.

Code:

wusa /uninstall /kb:2505438 /norestart

Replace the number in red with the KB Update # you want to uninstall.

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Additionally, please go to Task Scheduler and disable the following items:

Note: instead of doing this manually, you can simply download this batch file I created, right click on it and choose Run as Administrator and it will disable all the privacy related tasks .

Download Disable Task Scheduler Privacy Related tasks Batch File









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Please ensure you have KB3050265 ( Which fixes a major leak in Windows Updates that causes slow scanning and also adds the option to disable automatic update to the latest Windows Virus) then head over to Group Policy Editor and to this:
View attachment 128267

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Finally, create an empty TXT in notepad and copy/paste the below text then save it as hosts without any extension; then copy this file to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc overwriting the existing file then reboot.

This hosts file will block OpenCandy Malware, Telemetry, and a few dangerous domains like SourceForge. Feel free to remove any entry you don't want to block.

Spoiler: Ultra Male Hosts File

Code:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#  102.54.94.97  rhino.acme.com  # source server
#  38.25.63.10  x.acme.com  # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 bi.bisrv.com
127.0.0.1 www.softonic.com
127.0.0.1 softonic.com
127.0.0.1 sourceforge.net
127.0.0.1 www.bestvistadownloads.com
127.0.0.1 image.online-convert.com/convert-to-ico
127.0.0.1 tracking.opencandy.com.s3.amazonaws.com
127.0.0.1 media.opencandy.com
127.0.0.1 cdn.opencandy.com
127.0.0.1 tracking.opencandy.com
127.0.0.1 api.opencandy.com
127.0.0.1 offer.alibaba.com
127.0.0.1 a.ads1.msn.com
127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msads.net
127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msn.com
127.0.0.1 ads1.msads.net
127.0.0.1 ads1.msn.com
127.0.0.1 adsmockarc.azurewebsites.net
127.0.0.1 ads.msn.com
127.0.0.1 b.ads1.msn.com
127.0.0.1 b.ads2.msads.net
127.0.0.1 bingads.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
127.0.0.1 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 sb.scorecardresearch.com
127.0.0.1 spynet2.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 spynetalt.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 sqm.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
127.0.0.1 survey.watson.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net
127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 watson.live.com
127.0.0.1 watson.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net
127.0.0.1 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com
::1 localhost

(Note: You may notice that my list of entries in the HOSTS file are less than those found on other sites, reason being is after testing, when some of the addresses were in the HOSTS file, it caused problems connecting to some Micro$h4ft sites like the Micro$h4ft Office account page for managing your office subscriptions and OneDrive; but as long as you use this list along with O&O Shutup10 you should be safe.)
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Thank you for this . This has been really ticking me off...time to nuke them

 

You should add a link to this thread in your forum signature.

 

Roger that boss.

 

Thank you for the list and for keeping up with all the new updates Windows has been putting out!
I'll be doing another round tonight to see if any of these updates slipped past me.

 

Well so far I have found 10 of the 15 posted here and from another another thread.

 

Do you mean I missed any updates? please tell me which ones to add them to the list.

 

Ok these are the ones you posted here and another thread but I now see you have update it since then..
kb:3021917 done 6/11/15
kb:3035583 done 7/17/15
kb:2990214 done 5/13/15
kb:3050265
kb:2952664 done 8/12/15
kb:3022345 done 5/13/15
kb:3068708 done 6/11/15
kb:3080149
kb:3075249
kb:3065987 done 7/17/15
kb:3075851 done 8/12/15
KB2505438
KB2670838 done 4/28/14
KB2952664 done 8/12/15
KB29766978

I will check in later tonight...work tonight

 

3035583 keeps coming back even after I hide it. I think that is the one that displays win 10 update icon.

 

Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 10

 

If you uninstall it then go through the list and uninstall all the other per-requisties, you will never see 3035583 ever again.

 

There are blocker toolkits for IE9 and IE11 as well on Windows 7

 

Are people seeing this with Automatic Updates disabled in Group Policy Editor? Before eradicating Windows 10 from my Clevo, no updates were applied on my system with it disabled there. For those without the Pro edition there should be a registry tweak that does the same as Group Policy. All it is for the most part is a registry-editing GUI.

 

I will try it once I get home in the morning. IE10 was the first thing that M$ tried to install when I did the restart.

 

Here's the thing, I never needed any of those IE Blocking fixes or scripts....

When you first install Windows and run Windows update, that first thing you see in the updates is IE 11, hide it, then install some updates then after the reboot, check for updates again, IE 10 and 9 shows up, hide them, install more updates and restart, then they never show up again.

Oh and a big warning to my friends here, Windows 7 is very sensitive when it comes to updates, do not install .NET Framework updates and Windows updates/Security updates together, that has caused issue for me in the past where either the updates fail to install or after a reboot GPEDIT.MSC wouldn't run or
Event Log Viewer/Services.msc would be broken./

What I do is install all the .NET Framework updates then reboot > Install all security updates then reboot > Install all Updates for Windows then reboot > Check for more updates > Then install them all in one shot the last few are not so sensitive.

 

KB3044374 added to the list, this is affects people who have Windows 8.

Additionally, for people who installed KB3050265, now you can disable all future upgrade to the latest Windows via Group Policy Editor:

 

True, you can just hide them in Windows Update. But after running the blocker toolkit (it doesn't install anything, just makes a change to the Registry), IE never shows up in Windows Update at all when you check for updates. This way you never have to worry about Windows accidentally installing IE if your hidden updates show up again after a system image restore because M$ classifies IE as an "important" update. On a clean install I always block IE 11-9 first before ever running Windows Update.

 

hi OP, can you reupload the pics? for some reason when i click on the pic it asks me to register / login to some site.

 

Hey matrix leader.
I would also like to see the task scheduler pictures. There to small to read and when I click image it just goes to a picture upload site.
By the way this is great info.
Maybe I don't know how to view pictures and you could explain how.
Thanks

 

you don't need to do anything to view pictures, they should automatically appear. I'll upload them again to imgur this time. Please check the post again.

 

Images re-uploaded to imgur, please check the main post again

 

Perfect.
Thanks matrix leader

 

This thread should be stickyed since this is very important info for people who are unaware of what Microsoft is doing to their customers

Btw ty Matrix for keeping this thread up to date

 

Windows 10 Update notice came back, even after removing and hiding all the listed updates, going to check again now what came back...

That's odd, I saw the update, clicked on More Info, and it disappeared. Then I rebooted, and it doesn't show up in the systray... and KB3035583 doesn't show up, checking the others...checking for updates brought it back.



Double checked and all the hidden KB's are still hidden:

 

If you had hidden all the updates mentioned in the OP, you shouldn't even see KB3035583 bro.

Go through the list of installed updates and check which per-requestie was installed.

 

Yes, I know, so why is the update showing up again? I uninstalled and hid all the listed updates, and now today the Windows 10 upgrade notice is back... checking list again to see if anything came back...

I am assuming they are all still hidden / not installed, but I am verifying, just in case - if they aren't back - then it is something new.

Update: all the hidden KB's are still hidden and not installed.

 

Oh darn! This is getting tiring to keep up with all the updates that install this virus.

 

That's what they are counting on

I checked the whole list in your 1st post, none of them are installed, and here is the list of hidden KB's on my system:

 

Is this Windows 7 or 8?

Why do I not see KB3021917 hidden?

that should be hidden, check if it's installed again please.

 

Windows 8.1, and KB3021917 isn't installed:

 

For now, I hid the Windows 10 update...



It's a new Windows 10 update, issued Wednesday 8/26/2015. Like when a new driver is released for a hidden driver - you need hide it too. So for each new iteration of the Windows 10 update, we have to notice it and hide it.

I saw it today for the first time because on Tuesday's I check for new Windows Updates manually, and I hadn't checked since the previous Tuesday, 8/25/2016

 

I hate to lead you down a rabbit-hole, I only have a sec to butt in with this W7 tid-bit which is worth a read: How to manage W10 notification & upgrade options / kb3080351
Related kb3050265 Windows Update Client for Windows 7: June 2015 claims to fix 'stuff' but note: 'General improvements are made to support upgrades to a later version of Windoze'. *Matrix will explain below how he uses this update to his advantage based on what else is bundled with it*
{edit: @matrix the kb's aren't on a list of upd8's to uninstall, the linked knowledge base articles are reading material to possibly hide W10 reminders, whereas 3050265 includes a noted element we'd otherwise want uninstalled: W10 prep-code} My updates-to-remove checklist jives with Matrix' Master List relative to Wse7en; a web search might uncover the final tweak you need to disappear your nagware if the above pointers don't.

 

You guys are making this way too hard. Disable Automatic Windows Updates using Group Policy (or by editing the registry if you have the crippled "Home" version of Windows). Windows update cannot run or check or notify you about updates unless you intentionally manually check for updates after you disable it.

Wow! 297 updates... Lord have mercy. That's more than 10 times the number of updates installed on my Windows 8.1

 

Mr. Fox, that is what I did, do a weekly manual check for Updates. That's why I didn't see it back on 8/26 when the new Windows 10 update came out, because I had disabled automatic updates

 

Lots of other Microsoft product updates

 

Ah, OK. But, man that's a lot of updates.

If you only change the settings feature in Windows Updates to say to never check for updates, that cotton-picker will turn itself back on when you least expect it to and vomit updates all over itself. It has to be done with Group Policy or a registry tweak to make it permanent. It has done that to me many times, so I said enough of this nonsense and shut it off permanently.

I don't update Windows much at all, or M$ Office. I don't care about vulnerabilities that much. They are not as bad as Windows Update cancer making my systems run like crap, LOL. I had rather take my chances on a hacker gaining control of my PC or other remote possibilities like that than have to deal with their garbage updates.

 

I actually installed this update as it adds an option to disable Windows Uppgrade altogether in Group Policy Editor

• This update addresses an issue in which system performance can be decreased during scans. This issue has the greatest effect on computers that have a small amount of physical memory.
• This update addresses an issue in which Windows Update scans can fail and generate a 0x8007000E error.
• General improvements are made to support upgrades to a later version of Windows.
• This update installs a new Group Policy object that enables you to block upgrades to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update.

Policy path Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update

Policy setting Turn off the upgrade to the latest version of Windows through Windows Update (enabled or disabled)

 

I always set the updates to check for updates and notify me, I think that's the 3rd option, never had an update force fed to me

 

Nah, I don't even want to know about 'em... I could not care less about their update crapola. I just want them to hush up and I will check and apply only what I want, whenever I want... if ever. If any of the updates are not important enough to qualify for installation on my corporate/enterprise setup at work, then I won't even look at them. Those that claim to address "issues" with Windows with no explanation of precisely what the issues are, then those are also off limits. If my machine is working properly and doesn't have any "issues" then there are no "issues" that need to be fixed. That's how I look at it anyhow... " if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

What can happen is that running Windows Updates often changes your settings to their idea of what the defaults should be, then updates start downloading when you're not aware of it and the next thing you know you are getting system tray pop-ups telling you to reboot so it can finish. You have to reset everything over and over again, so just setting Automatic Updates to "Disabled" in Group Policy eliminates all the hassle of having to check and recheck. You can still run it manually if you feel some sort of obligation to do so, but it never does anything unless you tell it to.

 

Come to think of it, from a user's point of view, none of those 200 updates did anything to enhance my experience. Only thing they do is they may cripple a system like what KB2670838 did and Micro$h4ft didn't even remove it or fix it......nope, their clowns release garbage and forget it......let the users enjoy.....

 

Although its truth may be dubious at best, this idea has been expressed since ancient times. The actual wording, however, comes from Thomas Gray's poem, “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College” (1742): “Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.” - Google

 

That's exactly where I landed and why. After having to do a clean OS reinstall more than once to fix things Windows Updates screwed up (whether instability or lower benchmark scores) I said to myself, "Self, what has an Automatic Windows Update ever done for you, other than screw things up?" It has probably been 2 years, maybe longer, since I let Micro$lop make any kind of decisions on my behalf and that's how I intend for it to stay.

This is why Micro$haft believes they can get away with forced updates with Windoze OS X without a bunch of people having a hemorrhage over it. Almost nobody wants to have to think... most folks want someone else to do that for them. And, then they whine when something goes wrong.

 

I've had my system the same way since the day I got. It's never installed an update unless I told it too. I have mine set to check for updates but notify me when to download and install and it has been doing exactly that for almost a year now. Knock on wood.

 

When Micro$haft does things and tells me afterward, this is how it makes me feel...

 

Destroy Windows 10 Spying 1.5 Build 328

http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/destroy_windows_10_spying.html

 

Everyone is trying to get in on this game now. I still have yet to see the program or hack that haults W10 in its entirety. TBH here M$ needs to get on board and stop it themselves. This is the only way to guaranty they will not be coming back in later to thwart users trying to protect themselves.

 

Which will stretch into forever, if they don't stop/reverse taking our privacy away.

So, add a 3rd and 4th item.

3. US Government
4. US Citizens and Residents.

And, of course, what foreign Citizen is going to allow the US to take their information and private files? So, better add a 5th item:

5. The World.

I think a simple admission of being forced to do this by the US Government, and a complete redaction of the privacy invading code will be the minimum people will accept. It will still be difficult to trust them for quite a while, they will need to be on much better behavior moving forward.

 

Did someone tried it? Any thoughts?
Is it really working?



Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

New Telemetry Virus added to the list in the OP:

KB3092627 (Claims to fix problem but if you dig deep, it actually allows Telemetry)

 

I think in the second link they are not saying it does telemetry but sneaks in the EULA amendment needed to align the older OS versions with W10's EULA and privacy issues.

The update is not on mine, at least it has not shown up yet.

Edit; I can not seem to find the addendum they refer too.