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Dual-booting Windows 7 and Windows 8 -- both operating systems side by side

Every time Microsoft releases a new version of an operating system, there's always a few users bitterly unhappy at the company'due south decision not to support new features on older products. Microsoft has finally listened to these die-hard devotees of older operating systems. If yous felt like Windows vii and Windows 8 offered yous a piffling too much privacy, rejoice: Microsoft is updating those operating systems with the same telemetry gathering software it deployed on Windows ten.

What? You wanted DirectX 12?

Ghacks.cyberspace has discovered four KB updates for Windows 7 and 8, each of which is described as an "Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry." Each is detailed below:

KB 3068708: This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices. By applying this service, you tin can add together benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet upgraded. The update as well supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Awarding Insights.

KB 3068708 is listed as collecting diagnostics well-nigh functional problems on systems that take function in the Customer Experience Improvement Program. Determining whether or not yous are a member of the CEIP, however, is less than obvious. The KB also notes that "Most programs make CEIP options available on the Help menu, although for some products, you might accept to bank check settings, options, or preferences menus." This is a recommended Windows update.

KB 3022345: This update has been superseded by KB 3068708, but previously provided the same telemetry-tracking services. It's not clear how the two updates differ, only if y'all want to remove all traces of telemetry tracking, you'll want to remove this update too.

KB 3075249: This update adds telemetry points to the User Account Command (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels. What this appears to mean is that MS wants more information nigh the kinds of applications that trigger UAC in the start place, presumably because information technology wants to know what they exercise and why they demand that admission. This update is classified equally Optional.

KB 3080149: This update is described in identical linguistic communication to the first two. "This parcel updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices. This service provides benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that accept not however upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights." It is provided as an Optional update, fifty-fifty though the beginning was classified a "Recommended" update.

Hard-coded phoning habitation

Ane of the assumptions made by various privacy advocates and journalists, including me, is that third-political party utilities would be able to shut down the tracking Microsoft deployed in Windows 10. To some degree, that's already happened, but in that location are certain new "features" of Windows 10 that can't exist blocked past any OS-level tweaks, including the hosts file. The updates listed higher up connect to vortex-win.data.microsoft.com and settings-win.information.microsoft.com. These addresses are hard-coded to bypass the hosts file and cannot be prevented from connecting. It'due south been reported that software firewalls aren't sufficient to block them, though this is unclear. (See update in a higher place).

Telemetry2

It'south non clear if setting this flag in Windows seven still disables all telemetry with the new patches installed.

The only way to cake some of these connections is if your router has a firewall you lot can configure and if that firewall allows yous to block HTTPS connections instead of merely passing them through. Some users have reported that they can cake these connections, but plenty of other devices tin't, at least not completely. Information technology'southward still possible to reduce the amount of information flowing to Microsoft, but disabling it completely seems to be impossible unless you build a software router or replace your current hardware with a dedicated box.

Windows 7's GPEdit.msc contains a setting that allows users to disable all application telemetry, and another setting that can shut off user participation in the Consumer Experience Improvement Program. Whether these options continue to office later the latest patches isn't known. Users who do non wish to send Microsoft their ain telemetry should uninstall the updates and tell Windows Update to hide them from now on.

Update (eight/31/2015): This post originally reported that a firewall can't be used to block the Windows connections that featherbed the hosts file. There appears to be confusion on this point as to whether the ranges can be blocked on Windows 10 or not and alien reports on how the Windows Firewall treats such rules. Nosotros discussed the situation with Ars Technica's Peter Bright, who has confirmed that these new connections can exist blocked. Reports that they can't exist may accept been confused or related to different Os settings.