Avoiding Microsoft spyware KB971033 on SP1

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#1

I would like to avoid having Microsoft’s spyware KB971033 on my legitimate/genuine-licensed Win7 PC. See
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000681.html

I uninstalled KB971033, and I have not yet upgraded my PC to SP1. Microsoft’s list of hotfixes for SP1 includes KB971033. Some questions:

  1. Has anybody who upgraded to SP1 tried to uninstall the included KB971033?
  2. If failure, does it work to install KB971033, upgrade to SP1, then uninstall KB971033?
#2

The hotfix isn’t included in SP1, it’s offered separately trough Windows update and it’s not automatically selected. You can simply choose to hide it.

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#3

I just checked the list of hotfixes and seurity updates at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=61924cea-83fe-46e9-96d8-027ae59ddc11&displaylang=en&pf=true

Contrary to what I saw a few days ago, 971033 is not on the list.

Thanks for the help Radaghast. Unless someone else has other info, I will try Radaghast’s method.

#4

I left KB971033 uninstalled, installed SP1, restored hidden updates, and then KB971033 was offered by Windows Update (which I hid). Success!

Thanks for your help Radaghast.

#5

The update take care of activation and validation components in Windows Activation Technologies for Windows 7.
So if your Windows is 100% legal I can’t see what there is wrong in letting MS know that your not a pirate.
It’s not like that it leaks other information or gives you a great impact on latency and bandwidth.

#6

It is more a matter of principle, than anything else. Kind regards.

#7

Which is to protect the software against piracy.
Principle goes both ways.
And why is it that people always yell when Microsoft does it?
I didn’t see much yelling about EA and other software companies doing the exact same thing, not to mention Steam.

#8

I am personally not yelling at MS, and if you have followed my post you will notice I rather stick up for them in most situations. I do think it is probably ok for any program to check for piracy, but a single check is all I think is necessary not periodically on going. Kind regards.

#9

Funny you should mention EA DRM run amok: how Bioware and EA are screwing users right now

I don’t imagine anyone with legitimate software is against reasonable measures software vendors take to protect their rights, however, when over-the-top, problem inducing DRM is imposed, it becomes a different matter.

#10

+1. I have seen many different complaints against DRM for just about anything. Also, some legit Windows customers have problems with activation.

In the end, most anti-piracy methods only harm customers…pirates can get around quite a lot, when some put their minds to it.

#11

If one does want privacy the best choice is to not connect the device to anything that has public access.
Just seeing how Google collects data says it all.

#12

It’s not really about privacy, it’s about having to jump through hoops to fix a problem, brought about through ill-considered DRM, that should never have occurred in the first place.