#windows updates

[hindbodes]

Blessed Evil Tech Practices

Kernel-level ad block

Mandatory Windows update that switches your computer to Linux

Hyper-left-wing government-controlling AI Agent in favour of human rights

Censorship that only kills content farms and clickbait slop

[brennacedria]

Get Rid of Bing AI in Windows Taskbar

I don't know if this is hitting any other versions of Windows, but my laptop is on Win11 and the update that adds Bing AI to my search box hit much earlier than I expected it to. Once the update downloads and installs, it's enabled by default so you'll need to go into your settings and turn it back off.

[Text: Disable Bing AI Chat in Windows Search

Click the search box or button and then click the "Options" showing next to your profile icon.

This will open Settings app and scroll down on the page.

Find "Cloud content search" heading and disable "Microsoft account" option under that section.

Now, click the Windows search box/button and you will not see the Bing AI chat icon anymore. This will also remove the "Chat" filter that appears whenever you type and search.]

I'll try to redo this post later with actual screen caps of each post, rather than just instructions, but I won't have a chance until much later and this is better than nothing I suppose.

[equinoxts2]

PSA regarding Win11 13th August update and Ubuntu partitions

Just in case any other simmers (or anyone using Win11 and Linux Ubuntu on the same device) are experiencing this: After installing the latest update for Windows 11, I could not boot my Linux system, instead getting a message saying "something has gone seriously wrong - security policy violation." Using F12 boot options, I managed to get back onto my Windows desktop - but all my Sims stuff is on Linux, so...

Here's how it can be fixed. With some help from my mum's incredible librarian google-fu, I discovered that pressing the F12 key while starting up your PC to access setup options, then going to the Boot option and disabling Secure Boot, was the necessary fix for this issue. I'm on my Linux desktop now, typing this up for anyone else having the same issue.

Note that I did not figure this out myself. My mum did the search for fixes and found someone else who'd had and resolved the same problem, so full credit to them for finding the solution. I wish I had the link, or at least their online name, but just to repeat: this is not my fix. (Edit: Mum also found the name: Berry Win) Either way, I'm putting this on my blog so that anyone else experiencing this can (hopefully) sort it too.

[robotsarecoolaf]

[thoughtportal]

Microsoft's Silent Update Checks Your Windows PC for Old Versions of Office

Nothing is installed, no restart is required, but Microsoft will quietly collect some information about your system.

Microsoft is running an update on Windows PCs that will silently check for old copies of Office.

As The Register reports(Opens in a new window), details of the update were revealed on the Microsoft support website earlier this month. Update KB5021751(Opens in a new window) is described as "intended to help Microsoft identify the number of users running out-of-support (or soon to be out-of-support) versions of Office, including Office 2013, Office 2010, and Office 2007." No detail is given as to why Microsoft decided to perform this check.

The update will "run one time silently without installing anything on the user's device" and no restart will be required after it runs. It's unlikely the vast majority of Windows users will even notice the update has been downloaded and run, but the information it collects will be transmitted back to Microsoft.

Although Microsoft hasn't explained why this check is being performed, it most likely relates to the fact support for Office 2013 ends(Opens in a new window) on April 11 this year. Microsoft wants to know how many people still have these very old copies of office suite installed, as that may determine if and when any future updates are required to maintain security on those systems. If Microsoft decides to explain in more detail why this update is running, we'll update our coverage accordingly.

[squirrelfm]

Easy mistake to make.

[calyssmarviss]

name one thing more frustrating than windows updates on your computer.

i’ll wait

...for a loooong time oh my god it still says 30% c’mon windows it’s been 13 years!

[spacedoutamazon]

so high

My dumbass just sat and stared at a whole ass Windows Update