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posted by martyb on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:35AM   Printer-friendly
from the now-THAT-is-what-I-call-a-DDoS! dept.

The problem is affecting domain-attached Windows 7 PCs not signed up to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for patches and updates, but looking for a Microsoft update instead.

The upshot is PCs, ranging from 10s to hundreds at a time, simultaneously chowing down on the 3GB-plus Windows 10 load, killing business networks.

[...] And it’s all happening despite Microsoft promising – here – that it wouldn’t.

[...] Users have logged urgent enquiries with Microsoft’s helpdesk but in the meantime have resorted to triage to stop the problem.

That means blocking traffic at the firewall stage that would normally have gone to Microsoft Update. Another option is to switch settings to the WSUS server.

Any Soylentils run into this problem? What have you done to cope with it?


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  • (Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:47AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:47AM (#219811)

    That's what you get for not upgrading to Windows 8. Because really, 10 is just 8 adjusted for inflation.

  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:07AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:07AM (#219815)

    this only happens if stupid users agree to the upgrade

    • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:13AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:13AM (#219818)

      but they're stupid if they don't upgrade right? cos they're asking for viruses and whatnot

      you must be a fapple sheep

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:59AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:59AM (#219821)

        ...and you must be a windows user.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @03:53PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @03:53PM (#219897)

          ...and you must be a windows user.

          You mispelled window sewer.

          • (Score: 4, Funny) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Saturday August 08 2015, @04:51PM

            by Jeremiah Cornelius (2785) on Saturday August 08 2015, @04:51PM (#219914) Journal

            Windows 10
            Users 0

            --
            You're betting on the pantomime horse...
            • (Score: 2) by mhajicek on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:29AM

              by mhajicek (51) on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:29AM (#220139)

              You know why Microsoft skipped from 8.1 to 10?
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              .
              Because 7 8 9.

              --
              The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
    • (Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:04AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:04AM (#219823)

      Three gigs are downloaded in the background whether a user agrees to upgrade or not.

    • (Score: 2) by edIII on Monday August 10 2015, @12:51AM

      by edIII (791) on Monday August 10 2015, @12:51AM (#220496)

      The problem is affecting domain-attached Windows 7 PCs not signed up to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for patches and updates, but looking for a Microsoft update instead.

      this only happens if stupid users agree to the upgrade

      Stupid users?

      --
      Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
  • (Score: 5, Interesting) by seeprime on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:11AM

    by seeprime (5580) on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:11AM (#219816)

    We have two identical Windows 7 Pro workstations in our small computer business that I intend to keep running Windows 7. Neither was set to reserve the Windows 10 upgrade. In fact we hid the update that brought the invitation screen up. Yet, one of them was discovered to have a drive image 6-GB larger than the week before, Deleting the $Windows folders I found will simply invite MS to re-download the install folders again. It apparently can't be stopped once they start sending it to you. I tried to unreserve it, but couldn't since it hadn't been reserved in the first place. This sucks a bit and is annoying. But is relatively painless.

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @12:01PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @12:01PM (#219852)

      And this is why you simply do not run microsoft windows on anything, ever.

      They simply can't be trusted.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:10PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:10PM (#219969)

      We have a similar thing, the image downloads and tries to install itself every few hours, but then fails (probably because no copies were reserved and it doesn't have the right permissions or something). The Windows Update log is full of failed install attempts for Upgrade to Windows 10.

    • (Score: 2) by Hairyfeet on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:02PM

      by Hairyfeet (75) <{bassbeast1968} {at} {gmail.com}> on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:02PM (#220013) Journal

      What you are gonna have to do is disable WU and use your own WSUS server or something like WSUS Offline. The only PCs I've seen at the shop that haven't been hit by the "Win 10 bug" is my customers using WSUS Offline (have some customers who live in the hills that own SMBs so they uses WSUS Offline at work and then just carry a copy home on a flash every month) while everybody that is using WU seems to get a copy of Win 10 dropped in their $Windows.

      I'm personally advising my customers STAY AWAY from Windows 10, its filled with spying by MSFT, its default settings are so bad you might as well just set a cam behind your shoulder and send the vid feed to Redmond, and frankly if you turn off all the spying? Then it has no features to make it any better than Win 7 as all the new features are connected to the spying. If somebody thinks Win 10 is slow? Slap it on an SSD, there ya go, you have a faster system without it making a copy of everything you do and sending it to a corp!

      I had high hopes for Win 10, I really did, but at its current form I would argue its the worst version of Windows by far, even worse than Windows 8. At least with Windows 8 you can slap on Classic Shell and make a functional OS without any hassle, but with Win 10 there is just so much deeply embedded spying I have serious doubts there is any way to turn it all off. As I told customers when asked about Windows 10 "With Windows 10 the OS isn't the product, YOUR DATA is the product, Win 10 is just the carrot they are using to trick you to give your data up".

      --
      ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
  • (Score: 1) by cngn on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:31AM

    by cngn (1609) on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:31AM (#219819)

    I have 2 Domain Controllers, with 2 Windows 7 Wkstns, running a tiny domain and WSUS,, it hasn't come in for me....

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:08AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:08AM (#219826)

      Couldn't even read the summary eh? WSUS = not a problem.

  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:48AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @07:48AM (#219820)

    Where can I send the bill to MS for my monthly internet usage (since we're unfortunate enough to be capped here)

    • (Score: 0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:05AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @08:05AM (#219824)

      If you're poor enough to complain about your monthly bill, you're not rich enough to be on the Internet. Please die now, so the rich can get richer. Thanks.

  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by No Respect on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:26AM

    by No Respect (991) on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:26AM (#219832)

    That's all I need. Don't need no stinking Windows 10. Will NOT ever put up with that shit. Well, never say 'never', but looking to boost my stock of Win 7 licenses for the near term nevertheless.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:47AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:47AM (#219836)

      Maybe you should re-evaluate how important it is to stay on Ms Windows.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Gravis on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:47AM

      by Gravis (4596) on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:47AM (#219843)

      so long as you use Windows, you will always be a the mercy of Microsoft.

    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by inertnet on Saturday August 08 2015, @11:14AM

      by inertnet (4071) on Saturday August 08 2015, @11:14AM (#219849) Journal

      Which update do I block to keep a W7 installation from ever getting infected by W10?

      • (Score: 3, Informative) by acharax on Saturday August 08 2015, @12:35PM

        by acharax (4264) on Saturday August 08 2015, @12:35PM (#219853)

        It's KB3035583 unless there're multiple versions of it out there.

        • (Score: 2) by inertnet on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:05PM

          by inertnet (4071) on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:05PM (#220014) Journal

          Thanks. I'm sticking with W7 for now but it's probably going to be my last Windows version ever. I'll have to switch to Linux eventually, not looking forward to that at my age but I'll definitely not allow Microsoft to drag me onto that happy shiny transpicuous social media cloud.

          • (Score: 2) by mhajicek on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:42AM

            by mhajicek (51) on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:42AM (#220142)

            I just grabbed a copy of Xubuntu. I plan to set up dual boot and force myself to learn it.

            --
            The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @11:22AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @11:22AM (#219851)

      Buy a system builders disk and don't install optional updates?

    • (Score: 2) by Nollij on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:17PM

      by Nollij (4559) on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:17PM (#219918)

      Legit copies of Win7 are readily available. So much so that I assume you haven't looked.
      Here [newegg.com], Here [newegg.com], Here [microcenter.com], Here [frys.com], and even Here [tigerdirect.com]....

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:59PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:59PM (#219930)

        They might be available... but are they re-available?

        *ba dum tish*

    • (Score: 2) by mhajicek on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:40AM

      by mhajicek (51) on Sunday August 09 2015, @04:40AM (#220141)

      You can download it here:

      http://xubuntu.org/ [xubuntu.org]

      --
      The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Gravis on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:44AM

    by Gravis (4596) on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:44AM (#219842)

    If you have windows, it's become increasingly clear that you do not own your computer.

    So, who owns your computer? Are you going to just let Microsoft to continue stepping on your face or are you actually going to do something about it?

    There are many OSes out there and lots of them are free, so why would you continue to cling to one that does not have your best interest in mind? Transitioning might be a bit rough but it's a small price to pay for freedom.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:58AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @10:58AM (#219845)

      Not much choice for gamers. [Probably due to DRM] a lot of the games I like to play are exclusive for Windows. I wish game studios and a lot of indie developers that I care about would get with it - not to mention the sorry state of certain video drivers (AMD especially, grr) in Linux.

      I have absolutely no use for Windows except using it as a proper gaming console with a mouse and keyboard, and yeah it's frustrating. GTA V doesn't run in Linux, and I'm willing to bet that Fallout 4 isn't going to either when it's released in November. Even Quake Live went Windows-only.

      • (Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:00PM

        by Nerdfest (80) on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:00PM (#219863)

        Unfortunately it's a long term game. Let developers know that you want games for Linux and reward those that put them out. Things are already getting much better.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:31PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:31PM (#219924)

        A lot of the games you like to play are also likely proprietary user-subjugating software. Even if the developers made Linux versions, you wouldn't truly be better off.

    • (Score: 4, Informative) by NezSez on Saturday August 08 2015, @01:29PM

      by NezSez (961) on Saturday August 08 2015, @01:29PM (#219858) Journal
      The corporate world owns it, and your personal data as well; note that is not just "corporate America" but includes Sony, Samsung, LG, etc.
      Corporate botnets are apparently good because they "improve services" by exposing your personal data.
      The windows 10 EULA (as the windows8 EULA and maybe previous versions as well) states that you are not buying the software but purchasing a right to use the software.

      So you pay them to let them use the hardware and network services you paid for so they can cash in on sharing your personal data.
      In return you get to watch pointless videos in your spare time, and software that will screw up even the best planned services when you actually need them :)

      windows-10-to-support-peer-to-peer-downloading-of-apps-and-updates [arstechnica.com]

      http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/preview-privacy-statement [microsoft.com]

      "Microsoft collects many kinds of information in a variety of ways to operate effectively and provide you the best products, services and experiences. We may combine this data with information that is linked to your user ID, such as information associated with your Microsoft account.

      When you acquire, install and use the Program software and services, Microsoft collects information about your use of the software and services as well as about the devices and networks on which they operate. Examples of data we may collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; location, browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; voice, text and writing input; and application usage.

      install or use Program software and services, we may collect information about your device and applications and use it for purposes such as determining or improving compatibility (e.g., to help devices and apps work together),

      when you use voice input features like speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing (e.g., to help the service better translate speech into text),

      when you open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file, and how long it takes to use it for purposes such as improving performance (e.g., to help retrieve documents more quickly), or

      when you input text, handwrite notes, or ink comments, we may collect samples of your input to improve these input features, (e.g., to help improve the accuracy of autocomplete and spellcheck)."

      and further down the document this gem:

      "Use of the Program software and services is at your discretion. Many features that transmit data to Microsoft are enabled automatically. You will not have the option to turn off the transmission of data for certain features in the Program software and services.

      To stop the transmission of all data, you must completely uninstall the Program software and services from all of your devices. This may require you to reinstall your device’s operating system."

      and:

      "We share some data collected in connection with the Program with third parties. For example, we may share data about the performance of a particular hardware or software component on your device with the manufacturer of that component to enable them to improve how their component works with Microsoft products and services. We may share or disclose information about you with other Microsoft controlled subsidiaries and affiliates, and with vendors or agents working on our behalf. For example, companies we've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information in order to provide those functions. In such cases, these companies must abide by our data privacy requirements and are not allowed to use the information for any other purpose. We may also disclose information about you as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of assets."

      and:

      "Personal information collected by Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country where Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers maintain facilities."

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @03:13PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @03:13PM (#219880)

        "The windows 10 EULA (as the windows8 EULA and maybe previous versions as well) states that you are not buying the software but purchasing a right to use the software. "

        That's what basically every software EULA ever said.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:35PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @05:35PM (#219927)

          And they'd all be null and void in any sane legal system.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:35PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:35PM (#219942)

            How can I immigrate to this sane country?

      • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:40PM

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Saturday August 08 2015, @06:40PM (#219945) Journal

        Thanks for posting that. I've been on linux exclusively for 16-17 years and generally don't have a good impression of Microsoft, but those terms surprised even me. They're outrageous. Is it that people aren't generally aware how draconian they are?

        They may as well have printed the following:

        "Microsoft reserves the right to endlessly fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you..."

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
    • (Score: 4, Informative) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Saturday August 08 2015, @04:58PM

      by Jeremiah Cornelius (2785) on Saturday August 08 2015, @04:58PM (#219915) Journal

      If you have Windows 10? It's not just your computer. Here's a list of other things Microsoft copies, catalogues and indexes for their own uses:

      Your documents
      Your messages
      Your emails
      Your photos
      Your media metadata and usage
      Your browser histories and passwords
      Your Facebook activity
      Your network encryption secrets
      Your mobile number
      Your microphone and camera - remotely activated
      Your present location - linked to all the above

      Windows 10: Resist now, or don't say later that I didn't tell you.

      --
      You're betting on the pantomime horse...
    • (Score: 2) by darkfeline on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:24PM

      by darkfeline (1030) on Saturday August 08 2015, @09:24PM (#219996) Homepage

      >it's become increasingly clear that you do not own your computer.

      In other words, Richard Stallman was right.

      --
      Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
      • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 09 2015, @01:11AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 09 2015, @01:11AM (#220076)

        In other words, Richard Stallman was right.

        He is the Messiah!

        Follow The Shoe!

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by ledow on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:12PM

    by ledow (5567) on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:12PM (#219872) Homepage

    There's a reason that - outside of work - I disable and block auto-update of anything and everything that tries.

    Sorry, but the right to run unknown executable code on my machine is something that I don't offer to everyone, for the same reason that I don't run random executables from the Internet, I can't let Microsoft execute a single byte of code other than that I specify or know about. Not because I think they are being malicious rather than just stupid, but because it doesn't matter their intentions - the facility is there to do harm with even an innocent action.

    That something has connected to the Internet, been told to download stuff, downloaded random executable and is one instruction away from executing them without my knowledge? Sorry, but I find that unacceptable. So you will get blocked. And turned off. And disabled. And removed. And whatever I can do to stop that shit. It doesn't matter that it's signed, certified or anything else. It's without my consent or knowledge, so it doesn't happen.

    It's not what's happened, it's the principle of what's happening here.

    Even on Linux, I do apt-get update on MY schedule. I then look and see what it wants to upgrade. I then check to see why it's upgrading them (mailing lists of ubuntu packages normally). Then, if necessary, I instruct it to proceed. If it touches a service or program I don't want to risk upgrading, it gets checked twice. Because, even now, I have a broken MySQL installation on one external server because an upgrade partially failed, despite being identical to other machines where it didn't. So now I have to clear up the mess. Fortunately, I knew it was coming so tested it in parts and nothing vital could have been lost, but it's not the point. Auto-update is dangerous and not compatible with predictable computing. That's why WSUS is a business feature, because they can't tolerate that kind of shit happening automatically, and even there companies get mis-treated and forced to apply updates, and have updates "sneaked in" like this, or disguised as security updates (sorry, but the Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 upgrade dialogs ARE NOT SECURITY UPDATES - you fuckers!).

    With snapshot, rollback, virtualisation, etc. I honestly do not understand auto-update. Nor why we can't just say "That fucked my computer up, please revert to your state yesterday" (don't even get me started on System Restore's worthless rollbacks.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 09 2015, @01:08AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 09 2015, @01:08AM (#220074)

    the more fools migrate away from windows xp the better it's looking, and if microsoft says windows xp is insecure then it's probably really their most secure operating system