Samsung Deliberately Disabling Windows Update Running Its Software - Polidicks

[quote] Barker stumbled across the issue while trying to assist a user who found that Windows Update "kept getting disabled randomly." By using Auditpol and registry security auditing, Barker discovered that a program called [B]Disable_Windowsupdate.exe [/B]was being run every time the PC booted up—and that EXE file, unfortunately, belonged to Samsung's SW Update suite. SW Update is exactly what it sounds like: it's one of those bundled OEM tools that ostensibly keeps all of your PC's software and drivers up-to-date. In this case, though, SW Update also installs a service that regularly downloads and executes a file called Disable_Windowsupdate.exe[B] directly from Samsung's servers[/B]. [B]The file is even digitally signed by Samsung[/B] (but don't run it unless you want to disable Windows Update). Obviously, considering SW Update is meant to keep your computer updated, Barker was a little bit perturbed—so he opened up a chat window with Samsung support to find out why Windows Update was being disabled. Here's what the support rep had to say: 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 [/quote] [url]http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/06/samsung-silently-disabling-windows-update-on-some-computers/[/url] This, boys and girls, is why you always blast the OEM install and put clean Windows on there. Or buy Signature Edition.

OEMware should be banned. So many problems have stemmed from general bloat or outright malware-ish practices that this shit carries out.

Shady. I would have no problem if they just set it to either "download but don't install" or "notify but don't download" (since Windows auto-updates are a TERRIBLE idea), but disabling it outright is not cool at all.

[QUOTE=Handsome Matt;48044692]First thing when I buy a laptop or PC is reinstall the OS with my own ISO from MSDN[/QUOTE] This is the thing to do. (Or just blast Windows entirely but that's another debate)

Only reason I kept SWupdate on my laptop because i needed the firmware updates. Otherwise it's a piece of shit

[QUOTE=TheAdmiester;48044551]OEMware should be banned. So many problems have stemmed from general bloat or outright malware-ish practices that this shit carries out.[/QUOTE] We have a few machines at work that still have the OEM OS installed. They generally tend to be the problem machines and ones people complain about "being really slow". I've been slowly re-imaging them to a vanilla Win7 install when they come in for repairs and usually nobody ever complains again. So much so that some of the freshly imaged Core 2 Duo machines outperform Sandy Bridge ones.

The malicious software removal tool that Microsoft pushes through Windows Update should just automatically blast all this garbage, and any manufacturer disabling Windows Update should lose their right to sell PCs with Windows preinstalled.

Now I am glad that I chose Dell instead of Samsung.

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;48044559]since Windows auto-updates are a TERRIBLE idea[/QUOTE] How come? Otherwise many would ignore important security updates.

[QUOTE=benbb;48047485]How come? Otherwise many would ignore important security updates.[/QUOTE] Microsoft isn't always very good at releasing updates without problems. In a business it's common to have a WSUS server which caches all the Windows updates you need and throws them out to a "bleeding edge" group of computers you define, typically more techie people. If all checks out, you can deploy those updates to the rest of the business a few days/weeks later. At home it's less of an issue, the things which break in my experience have only affected things like mandatory profiles and other bits. For the record, both my laptop and desktop (plain Windows 7 installs) receive Windows updates automatically and neither have been affected by a dodgy update.

[QUOTE=benbb;48047485]How come? Otherwise many would ignore important security updates.[/QUOTE] Win 8 and upwards auto-restarts when updated. [URL="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2491303/malware-vulnerabilities/update-microsoft-pulls-crippling-patch-from-windows-update.html"]And there has been a case of some nasty updates[/URL]

If Samsung is making retarded software like this, I thank God they exited the computer market. That's plain unacceptable.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;48045650]The malicious software removal tool that Microsoft pushes through Windows Update should just automatically blast all this garbage, and any manufacturer disabling Windows Update should lose their right to sell PCs with Windows preinstalled.[/QUOTE] How would it do that if WU is disabled? But yeah, any OEM overriding user choice on critical functions like WU should be prevented from doing so. BTW, the Samsung thing doesn't actually disable Windows Update. It forces WU to only install updates when the user manual tells the system to. What its disabling is user choice on if the user wants WU to install automatically.

[QUOTE=Van-man;48048523]Win 8 and upwards auto-restarts when updated.[/QUOTE] This has never happened to me and I've been using Windows 8 on my desktop since the day it came out.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;48051637]This has never happened to me and I've been using Windows 8 on my desktop since the day it came out.[/QUOTE] Same. It gives you a two day warning

[QUOTE=Kigen;48049674]How would it do that if WU is disabled? But yeah, any OEM overriding user choice on critical functions like WU should be prevented from doing so. BTW, the Samsung thing doesn't actually disable Windows Update. It forces WU to only install updates when the user manual tells the system to. What its disabling is user choice on if the user wants WU to install automatically.[/QUOTE] Well it's disableable so the MSRT can still download, the "malware"-esque part of it is how it reverts itself after a reboot. That's why the MSRT should nuke it.

[QUOTE=Kigen;48049674]How would it do that if WU is disabled? But yeah, any OEM overriding user choice on critical functions like WU should be prevented from doing so. BTW, the Samsung thing doesn't actually disable Windows Update. It forces WU to only install updates when the user manual tells the system to. What its disabling is user choice on if the user wants WU to install automatically.[/QUOTE] Which for the majority population is like disabling WU. There's a reason why install updates automatically is the default setting.

Im pretty sure I do the same thing as others. In the past two months my dad bought two Lenovo's. I've nuked the installation on both of them as soon as I've seen all the bloatware on it, and I heard about the Superfish malware thing. I recall that my Inspiron 1545 which my dad purchased back in 2010 didn't have this much bloatware. It only had a wallpaper set already, some fancy Dell Dock and a backup program preinstalled