Samsung disabling Windows Update? • Hacker News Board

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#21

Post by kbenson » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:39 AM UTC

vcarl wrote: post #8

> When you enable Windows updates, it will install the Default Drivers for all the hardware no laptop which may or may not work. For example if there is USB 3.0 on laptop, the ports may not work with the installation of updates. So to prevent this, SW Update tool will prevent the Windows updates. So they "fixed" the problem of their driver getting overwritten by disabling all OS level updates? Oof. Screams shoddy dev…

I wonder if it was meant to be a short term fix until some drivers passed certification or something? Or maybe their software update selectively runs windows update to find updates and notifies the user? I wonder how long it's been set up this way? None of these are good, but the details may mitigate quite how bad it is (in spirit, if not reality).

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#22

Post by interurban » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:39 AM UTC

frik wrote: post #10

If Samsung blocks the Windows 10 "important" nagware patch KB 3035583 that installs autimatically on Windows 7-8.1 (except on PC with Domain/AD) than it's a service to the user. It replaces the Windows Update dialog with an Windows 10 advertisement and it adds a second start button to the startmenu that lauches an advertisement app. If you click the wrong button it will automatically download Windows 10 in the backgr…

Windows 10 isn't released yet, so there's no way that I'm aware of for it to download Windows 10 in the background.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#23

Post by JadeNB » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:39 AM UTC

frik wrote: post #10

If Samsung blocks the Windows 10 "important" nagware patch KB 3035583 that installs autimatically on Windows 7-8.1 (except on PC with Domain/AD) than it's a service to the user. It replaces the Windows Update dialog with an Windows 10 advertisement and it adds a second start button to the startmenu that lauches an advertisement app. If you click the wrong button it will automatically download Windows 10 in the backgr…

This seems a bit like "the enemy of my enemy is my friend [even if also the enemy of my friends]." Without debating the merits of the Windows 10 patch you describe, surely it's not Samsung's place to decide on the user's behalf to block not only that, but all updates?

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#24

Post by Aloha » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:40 AM UTC

jriordan wrote: post #17

Microsoft owns Windows. Licenses it to OEMs. If Microsoft didn't have a problem with OEM's disabling Windows Update, then then would have prohibited it in their license agreement.

I'd be very surprised if the OEM license doesn't include such language - just because its there doesn't mean Microsoft is aware of what the OEM's are doing.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#25

Post by pilif » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:42 AM UTC

tantalor wrote: post #18

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #3

If this is true (and frankly I know for a fact it is, as I just downloaded the linked file containing Disable_Windowsupdate.exe, which is signed by Samsung Electronics CO and downloaded from Samsung's own servers) then Microsoft should pick up the phone and threaten the heck out of Samsung, Microsoft while somewhat neutered by anti-trust still has a great deal of power over OEMs and stuff like this is a perfect time…

Yet, Microsoft is responsible for allowing such software to run in the background with no notification or authorization by the user or means to disable it.

It's really hard to find the correct middle-ground. Would you prefer if Windows worked like iOS where there are serious limitations on what apps can do in the background and where every application has to go through a central authority for vetting?

Or do you propose a solution that gives both freedom to the user while also not allowing something like this to happen?

Yes, there are whitelisting solutions (built into the OS by MS, btw), but they are a real pain in the ass to use - there's just too much stuff running on your machine at any given time.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#26

Post by detaro » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:42 AM UTC

frik wrote: post #10

If Samsung blocks the Windows 10 "important" nagware patch KB 3035583 that installs autimatically on Windows 7-8.1 (except on PC with Domain/AD) than it's a service to the user. It replaces the Windows Update dialog with an Windows 10 advertisement and it adds a second start button to the startmenu that lauches an advertisement app. If you click the wrong button it will automatically download Windows 10 in the backgr…

Yeah, and they could limit the graphics card to text-only mode. Improved battery usage AND it protects users from seeing advertisement videos and images online.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#27

Post by JadeNB » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:43 AM UTC

interurban wrote: post #22

frik wrote: post #10

If Samsung blocks the Windows 10 "important" nagware patch KB 3035583 that installs autimatically on Windows 7-8.1 (except on PC with Domain/AD) than it's a service to the user. It replaces the Windows Update dialog with an Windows 10 advertisement and it adds a second start button to the startmenu that lauches an advertisement app. If you click the wrong button it will automatically download Windows 10 in the backgr…

Windows 10 isn't released yet, so there's no way that I'm aware of for it to download Windows 10 in the background.

Although the language is a bit cagey, it seems like at least parts of Windows 10 will be downloaded before the official availability date:

> Between reservation and when your upgrade is ready, the files you need for the upgrade will be downloaded to your PC to make the final installation go more quickly.

(from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq > What happens when I reserve?).

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#28

Post by userbinator » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:43 AM UTC

smaili wrote: post #2

Fantastic discovery! Kind of makes me wonder if there are other OEMs doing the same kind of thing and we just never noticed it.

we just never noticed it.

Quite likely if those who would have the knowledge to look into such things are also those who would just reformat the drive and install a fresh copy of the OS.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#29

Post by crdoconnor » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:49 AM UTC

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #3

If this is true (and frankly I know for a fact it is, as I just downloaded the linked file containing Disable_Windowsupdate.exe, which is signed by Samsung Electronics CO and downloaded from Samsung's own servers) then Microsoft should pick up the phone and threaten the heck out of Samsung, Microsoft while somewhat neutered by anti-trust still has a great deal of power over OEMs and stuff like this is a perfect time…

Honestly, as a Linux user this kind of makes me chuckle.

Microsoft has spent so much time abusing their market dominance, trying to cripple linux on the desktop that it's kind of funny for once to see a company which they can't strong-arm doing the same thing back to them.

Re: Samsung disabling Windows Update?

#30

Post by MichaelGG » Wed, Jun 24, 2015, 4:49 AM UTC

Animats wrote: post #11

Normally, you'd expect a major hardware vendor and a major software vendor to be talking enough to avoid such problems. Does this indicate that Microsoft and Samsung are not getting along? That's quite possible, since they compete in tablets now.

Eh normally you just expect hardware vendors to be so incompetent at writing software that this isn't too surprising.