 Fuck Microsoft and Fuck Nadella. As expected, the 24H2 update installed 'Recall', it can't be uninstalled. To disable the Microcoft spyware, run this as admin C:\Windows\System32>Dism /Online /Disable-Feature /Featurename:Recall Can't vouch that all the people you share your screen, code, IP, private details, will disable theirs. consider NOT sharing anything ever again. 103 comments
Screenshot of a Windows command prompt in Administrator mode, showing "Recall" (the mentioned privacy nightmare features) being disabled. @hareldan @veruhl this is a work laptop so the only other option is a mac. (Not because we can't run Linux, because of all the other spyware we're required, like crowdstrike, etc) I am seriously considering a @frameworkcomputer in the future  @hareldan @veruhl @frameworkcomputer Same, work laptop for me too and no other option. Just received a new one recently and I didn't install anything personal. It's still on 23H2 so got in before the Recall 😁  Ping if something is confusing. Often online "why is this" are misinformed, or hostile to new users. I'll try not to be.  I have switched to Linux Mint on my laptop and it works like a champ. I'll probably install it on my desktop when win10 dies.  @elexia @hareldan The only thing that hindered me from switching to Linux earlier was gaming. I used Linux Mint inside a VM. Then I discovered https://www.protondb.com/  @veruhl "We hate cookies, we love mints tho" Sadly, I can't move over to Linux just as-is because some pretty software I use, doesn't run on Linux (and Wine isn't a solution either) :\   @hareldan This is a little dramatic for the uninitiated, but to clarify instructions if you want to disable Recall: - Tap the [Win] key and type "cmd" Your results should be something like: Just adding this in, it’s now a dependency for File Explorer itself. If you remove it it literally deletes the Windows 11 File Explorer. Although most of us know this but something disabled like this will definitely be turned back on without warning in a future update. @bflipp I read about the file explorer thing previously, mine seems to still function correctly, but will surely be a factor in me tossing this laptop out if it does. As for them re-enabling things, oh yes, after every update I go and uninstall and disable everything I can. Recall can't be disabled in the typical methods, but the check is also simple (for now at least) You didn’t remove Recall. You just disabled it. I’m talking about deleting it. If you delete it File Explorer will break and/or kick you back to a cut down version similar to Windows 10’s explorer. What I’m getting at is they have wound this thing around the core internals and functionality of Windows. It’s never going away. Switching to Linux is imperative for every machine you have end to end control of. I’m lucky that my IT guys are holding on to Windows 10 as long as possible and switching as many people to Mac as they can. Not that Apple Intelligence is any better/more secure than Recall. I will still campaign for a Dell Precision with Ubuntu when they force an upgrade on me. I literally don’t do any work outside of my WSL install of Debian anyway. I’ve been all Linux at home for years now though.   @chloeraccoon @bflipp @hareldan @Beckydog Except maybe for tabs I guess? (I dunno, we don't use Windows) @chloeraccoon @bflipp @hareldan @Beckydog Depends how you use the file manager. Personally we use tabs quite a lot, not for dragging files but for working in separate but oftentimes related-to-the-same-task folders (like export images for one art thing + export images for a different art thing), and we use split panes for drag and drop, and we sometimes use multiple windows for drag and drop and we should probably do that more actually. @frost The only advantage to tabs in explorer is if dragging a file you go to the tab at the top and wait for the current view to change, instead of down to the taskbar. Split panes isn't a thing, you need multiple windows for that. @frost And when windows are hidden behind things tabs means I'd need to go to the taskbar to bring explorer to the front, the to the top of that window to select the tab - the tabs don't appear as a window list on the application's taskbar icon, only the active tab is. Well, it tells you that there are tabs, but not what they are or allows you to select them... Yeah I’m just going off of videos I’ve seen. I just know it looked suuuuper basic. Would not doubt that it’s Windows 7 at all. Mint is the easiest distro to switch to. The Cinnamon desktop is similar to Windows 7 in workflow and functionality. Even non-technical users can run it fine even if they need it installed for them. If you’re comfortable with running Windows debloat utilities you should just stop running Windows.  @bflipp You realize your behavior here is one of the things so offputting about the fediverse, right? You could try to tone it down and stop presuming you have standing to decide how others reorient the stuff underlying their lives. I pointed out the logical fallacy in your desire to maintain a broken Windows install instead of acclimating to a new OS right now. One that doesn’t require you to break it in order to use it in safety and privacy. Moving away from Windows is the only truly correct decision to make. I’m not saying it’s easy but it’s less work and less effort than maintaining broken Windows installs for the sake of privacy. If you disagree that’s fine.  Does Gnome not ship with and provide their own version of Solitaire on Flathub? But we should definitely let Microsoft keep up their abuse because of a card game. That’s a totally valid point. @bflipp Even worse: There soon will be an unfortunate "bug" that ignores your setting. Latest when and if Trump becomes president. @bflipp That fascist already announced boldly to persecute everone not following him and his agenda. Microsoft Recall will be one of the tools to establish Trump's dictatorship. Don't believe me? Read the history books how the NSDAP ensured its ultimate power. Software like Recall is the perfect tool for estabishing a modern version of the Gestapo. @bflipp And no: Trump doesn't have to be friend with Microsoft or anyone. He'll just seize this doom machine.  @hareldan This is not the correct way to ensure that microsoft won't track you anymore. Here is the correct method: format C: @janschiefer @Sdfendor @hareldan Agree that it won't move the needle on the stock price. I am thinking more of the long term. Many of "the shareholders" are looking to the company's management to make sound business decisions and manage risk appropriately. When management loses the plot, it's time to get out. So why would a shareholder love #Recall?  If Microsoft gets into the habit of enabling this every now and then without users' consent, Microsoft will have a lawsuit in their hands at some point. Taking regular screenshots is a very bad security habit and against many companies' security policy. I wonder how long it will take before some company suffers a data leak thanks to Microsoft's recall. Thank you for sharing the instructions to disable it. @hareldan that also means that whatever you ever share with a windows user, is out there to fetch for M$    @hareldan isn't that the same thing as uninstalling from the features panel?
 @hareldan Will this update be installed on all Win11 installations? Asking for my wife's laptop. @hareldan Great Information. Sharing this with my friends who may have upgraded without waiting to see the issues with this release. Thank you!  A simpler solution is to stick a linux installer on a flash drive, reboot, enter the boot menu, boot the flash drive, and write windows out of existence. 🤷♂️
By the way, the file explorer has a dependency on this shit! If you delete all the files, have fun using a legacy file explorer, because fuck you (says Microsoft). This is for Win11 only still, right? Online search seems to point to yes, but wanted to confirm. My work system is still on Win10 so I'm wondering if I need to deal with this somehow.  @hareldan They just want to make sure that when I update my Win10 gaming PC I will switch to Linux. @hareldan As all the users, even governments and companies, stick with Windows - no matter what they do in terms of privacy - why should Microsoft change it's behavior? I really don't get it. @hareldan@mapstodon.space Windows users get the linux experience. :silvervale_lols:  @hareldan Because of my NDAs, I can't switch to Windows 11 due to this trash, I can't know when it's gonna re-enable itself and it is bullshit @hareldan I wouldn't upgrade to 11 even if I was paid to at this point. Copilot and Recall are major deal breakers.
 @hareldan per a few weeks ago Recall is supposed to be limited to Copilot+ PCs and specifically opt-in, not out. Is this not the case...?  @hareldan recall would be awesome provided Microsoft could be trusted. I already have the habit on all my devices of taking screenshots of stuff I wanna save for later, something that organizes them (like the watered-down recall) would be fucking incredible. |
Gregory's Server
@hareldan is it a win10 crap?