Let's go again: A while ago Microsoft said that he will stop collecting so much data via telemetry at Windows 10. Of course if you want to believe it. But what about the company's older operating systems?
Microsoft reportedly re-released two updates that add telemetry to Window 7 systems (KB2952664) and Window 8.1 (KB2976978).
Updates were also released in the past, so users of Windows 7 and 8.1 know them. As we mentioned in one article-warning in October of 2016 these updates come as optional patches which means they will not settle if you do not really want it.
So if you are one of those who didn't install them in 2016, and you hid them from Windows Update, you will notice that they have reappeared in the Windows update panel that you are using due to the re-release.
The question, of course, is why Microsoft chooses to re-launch telemetry updates to two systems that are not under development and does it even intend to withdraw them?
According to the company, the telemetry data it collects from Windows 10 is used to develop a better operating system.
Updates that were used to allow data collection from Window 7 are again marked as "important" for Window 7 PC, and appear as recommended by Window Update.
To hide a Windows update, right-click on the Window Update window and select "hide update" from the menu. If it is not re-released, it will no longer appear on your machine and thus will never be installed.
Both "Compatibility Updates for Window Updates" are offered through Window Updates and the Microsoft Update Catalog.
It should be noted that we currently don't know too much about what the updates actually do KB2952664 and KB2976978. Looks like they are adding a new one mode called DoScheduledTelemetryRun, but it's unclear what data the company collects, and whether anything else changes on the system when the updates are installed.
