S
Skybuck Flying
Flightless Bird
Hello,
Today I visitted my mother for a nice dinner, after the dinner I wanted to
show her something on the computer/internet.
I noticed how the computer was extremely slow, and how the harddisk was
rattling non-stop.
First I was wondering if it was infected with a trojan or a scanner, this
did not appear to be the case.
Then I immediatly started wondering about windows automatic update since I
never trusted it to function properly... I have seen my share of failures
with it...
however the computer is pretty much unmanaged so at least automatic updates
protected it a little bit.
I decided to go to the windows update website for manual updating to see
what was going on... before I did that I stopped windows automatic updates
to verify that it was indeed the culprit and yes it was the pc became fast
again... I re-enabled it and went to the website.
There it took a very long time before there was any feedback... it did the
whole rattle thing over again... I took like 10 minutes or so...
Then it displayed some warning/error message: "Windows Genuine Activation
hulpprogramma failed".
Apperently Microsoft now believes the computer is not genuine ?!? This
computer was bought at a big retailer and should be genuine.
Then it continued rattling...
After having wasted 20 minutes of my life on this b.s. I decided it was
enough and shutdown the iexplore.exe.
For the time being I have disabled windows automatic updates so that the
computer can function normally again.
(This is on windows xp (NL) netherlands edition).
I ask my mother how long this has been going on since my elderly sister was
also complaining about it.
It turns out this has been going on for one month !!!
One full month of slow computer and Microsoft didn't even notice it ?! and
did nothing about it !
I am very unhappy about this.
I have consulted with my mother... she wants to buy a new laptop so she can
sit below... this would require additional wireless routers or so... but
ok...
She wants windows 7 because she hard about it... However I told her Windows
7 is a risk because of it's on-going-security problems.
The old computer can then still be around for the kids to use when to come
visit.
However windows xp nl 32 bit version is about to end it's life cycle.
I said to her and decided that the old computer can continue to keep
functioning until it gets trojaned/hacked and so forth...
After that happens I might pirate the computer and install windows xp x64
pro edition which at least is still supported and does seem to function
normally.
However I always have windows automatic updates off and for good reason
too... if I had it on my computer would have been toasted by Microsoft at
least 2 times, maybe even more.
Windows Automatic Updates/The cure seems to be worse than sickness...
However without the patches computers would be trojaned.
My mother was very smart... when she started about wireless routers she
immediatly recgonized the dangerous:
Wireless routers are unsafe... she wants to do banking across it...
I told her... well safety has improved a little bit... but it's indeed weak
protection... I concurred... you are a smart mother I said...
All in all I am not happy with the situation.
I believe Microsoft should be punished for:
1. Wasting peoples time with defects.
2. Security risks.
Here is my advice for Microsoft/you for now in the future:
In case of though legislation being introduced to go after Microsoft and
it's malfunctions... it would be much smarter for Microsoft to focus on it's
core components of it's operating system and make sure that those are
working flawlessly instead of trying to create "bloatware" which simply
increase attack vectors and requires more security patching.
If computer do get infected by flash then at least it's not Microsoft to
blame.
Do I believe my mother should pay 400 dollars/euro's for Microsoft
Windows... HELL NO !!!
The risks and costs of it to keep it working well are much higher...
especially if I had to bill her for my time.
Until Microsoft delivers an operating system which is 100.0000000% safe I do
not believe people should have to pay for it.
Instead Microsoft should be fined for putting people's time, life and money
at risk.
And yet Microsoft is the same company which wants it's software to run on
cars ?!?
Don't make me laugh !
Bye,
Skybuck.
Today I visitted my mother for a nice dinner, after the dinner I wanted to
show her something on the computer/internet.
I noticed how the computer was extremely slow, and how the harddisk was
rattling non-stop.
First I was wondering if it was infected with a trojan or a scanner, this
did not appear to be the case.
Then I immediatly started wondering about windows automatic update since I
never trusted it to function properly... I have seen my share of failures
with it...
however the computer is pretty much unmanaged so at least automatic updates
protected it a little bit.
I decided to go to the windows update website for manual updating to see
what was going on... before I did that I stopped windows automatic updates
to verify that it was indeed the culprit and yes it was the pc became fast
again... I re-enabled it and went to the website.
There it took a very long time before there was any feedback... it did the
whole rattle thing over again... I took like 10 minutes or so...
Then it displayed some warning/error message: "Windows Genuine Activation
hulpprogramma failed".
Apperently Microsoft now believes the computer is not genuine ?!? This
computer was bought at a big retailer and should be genuine.
Then it continued rattling...
After having wasted 20 minutes of my life on this b.s. I decided it was
enough and shutdown the iexplore.exe.
For the time being I have disabled windows automatic updates so that the
computer can function normally again.
(This is on windows xp (NL) netherlands edition).
I ask my mother how long this has been going on since my elderly sister was
also complaining about it.
It turns out this has been going on for one month !!!
One full month of slow computer and Microsoft didn't even notice it ?! and
did nothing about it !
I am very unhappy about this.
I have consulted with my mother... she wants to buy a new laptop so she can
sit below... this would require additional wireless routers or so... but
ok...
She wants windows 7 because she hard about it... However I told her Windows
7 is a risk because of it's on-going-security problems.
The old computer can then still be around for the kids to use when to come
visit.
However windows xp nl 32 bit version is about to end it's life cycle.
I said to her and decided that the old computer can continue to keep
functioning until it gets trojaned/hacked and so forth...
After that happens I might pirate the computer and install windows xp x64
pro edition which at least is still supported and does seem to function
normally.
However I always have windows automatic updates off and for good reason
too... if I had it on my computer would have been toasted by Microsoft at
least 2 times, maybe even more.
Windows Automatic Updates/The cure seems to be worse than sickness...
However without the patches computers would be trojaned.
My mother was very smart... when she started about wireless routers she
immediatly recgonized the dangerous:
Wireless routers are unsafe... she wants to do banking across it...
I told her... well safety has improved a little bit... but it's indeed weak
protection... I concurred... you are a smart mother I said...
All in all I am not happy with the situation.
I believe Microsoft should be punished for:
1. Wasting peoples time with defects.
2. Security risks.
Here is my advice for Microsoft/you for now in the future:
In case of though legislation being introduced to go after Microsoft and
it's malfunctions... it would be much smarter for Microsoft to focus on it's
core components of it's operating system and make sure that those are
working flawlessly instead of trying to create "bloatware" which simply
increase attack vectors and requires more security patching.
If computer do get infected by flash then at least it's not Microsoft to
blame.
Do I believe my mother should pay 400 dollars/euro's for Microsoft
Windows... HELL NO !!!
The risks and costs of it to keep it working well are much higher...
especially if I had to bill her for my time.
Until Microsoft delivers an operating system which is 100.0000000% safe I do
not believe people should have to pay for it.
Instead Microsoft should be fined for putting people's time, life and money
at risk.
And yet Microsoft is the same company which wants it's software to run on
cars ?!?
Don't make me laugh !
Bye,
Skybuck.