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diagnostics tracking service ?


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Hi.

 

After installing what seemed like hundreds of optional windows updates this last "black" tuesday I have started noticing a daily failure of the diagnostics tracking service. I have read on the net that some people are describing it as a kind of keylogger installed / activated by Microsoft itself.

 

Apparently it "enables data collection about functional issues in Windows components" and sends that data back to Microsoft.

 

Anyway, I decided to disable it under msconfig > services to stop these daily service failures.

 

Is it safe for me to keep this service permanently disabled or could it cause any unforeseen system instability / security concerns ?

 

Thanks in advance for any help / advice.

 

 

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Hi:

 

As a general principle, "optional" updates from MS are just that.

In most cases, they are not at all necessary and only need to be installed if they fix a particular issue the user experiences on his/her machine.

Most users can (and probably ought to) refrain from installing them.

 

Having said that, it would help to know WHICH specific KB to which you are referring as "it" (the "keylogger")????

 

Thanks,

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Hi daledoc1,

 

Unfortunately I can't identify the exact KB that started this whole diagnostics tracking problem, but this is what people are saying about it...

http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-preview-has-built.html

... the more suspicious minded amongst them are referring to it as a built-in keylogger in Windows 10 and I'm sure I read somewhere else that one of the recent updates has activated this feature in previous versions of Windows (I'm using 8.1).

 

Certainly this service started crashing on my machine after installing all of Tuesdays updates (including all the optionals).

 

As it's only function seems to be to collect information about the computer and send it to Microsoft it should be safe to keep the service disabled shouldn't it ?

 

 

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Hi:

 

If you're worried about it, then perhaps just uninstall "it"?

 

Yes, there is all sorts of FUD out on the internet about MS "spying" on users in Win10 and "forcing" 7/Vista users to upgrade to 10, and other issues.

It's becoming increasingly hard to separate fact from fiction and paranoia.

Here is one example.

 

As previously mentioned, there's no need to install optional updates unless they fix a specific problem affecting one's machine ("hotfix").

That is why they are optional, not "recommended" or "important" or "critical".

(And with MS's recent track record of "bad", critical security patches, it's not a bad idea to wait a short while and research even these patches, before installing them.)

 

As just another home user, I'm not able to provide specific advice about a specific patch, without knowing which patch it is.

 

I will need to defer to the other, more knowledgeable forum members and staff members on this.

 

Sorry about that,

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Thanks again daledoc,

 

I think I will follow your advice about not installing optionals in future.

 

As for this diagnostics tracking, well I now have it disabled through msconfig > services so it's not causing me any further problems.

 

I'm a bit worried about uninstalling it because I've learned from past experience that uninstalling updates / services can end up having unforeseen consequences and making things worse.

 

So I don't think I'll tempt fate any further ;)  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Came across this discussion while searching for info about KB3022435... 

 

Just wanted to add that this update is listed as "Important" as of 5/12/2015 and is marked/checked for installation by default, requiring you to now uncheck it to avold installing it.

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Hi:

 

Welcome.

 

Came across this discussion while searching for info about KB3022435... 

 

Just wanted to add that this update is listed as "Important" as of 5/12/2015 and is marked/checked for installation by default, requiring you to now uncheck it to avold installing it.

 

I assume that was a typo and that you might be referring to KB 3022345? :)

 

If so, yes, there seem to be some problems with this patch.

 

There are quite a few threads about it at computer help forums & other sites, such as these:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/575721/some-files-cannot-be-repaired/ (one of the posters replying here describes a "fix")

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/369225-windows-7-update-kb3022345-causing-corrupt-files.html

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2922324/microsoft-windows/windows-usage-tracker-patch-kb-3022345-triggers-sys-file-corruption-which-sfc-is-unable-to-fix.html

 

MS's own KB article even describes issues with it:

 

NoticeThe current version of this hotfix, Version 2, was published on May 6, 2015. The previous version of this hotfix was Version 1.005. Both versions provide the same functionality and protection except that Version 2 includes a minor update to support devices that do not contain U.S. English language files. However, the current hotfix is not a compatible upgrade to Version 1.005 and may cause an error (800F0922) if it is installed over the old version. We recommend that you install this hotfix if you have not already installed it. If you have installed the original version of this hotfix and you want the added functionality, we recommend that you wait for an upcoming version that will be a compatible upgrade to either version.

 

Thanks for reporting,

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Thanks again daledoc,

 

I think I will follow your advice about not installing optionals in future.

 

As for this diagnostics tracking, well I now have it disabled through msconfig > services so it's not causing me any further problems.

 

I'm a bit worried about uninstalling it because I've learned from past experience that uninstalling updates / services can end up having unforeseen consequences and making things worse.

 

So I don't think I'll tempt fate any further ;)  

I just uninstalled 3022345 without any issues.

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  • 3 months later...

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