Wica what?

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furukitsune
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Message 1613635 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 1:48:15 UTC

After the usual monthly update to my computer, I found several disturbing changes on my system.

There is now a directory called CompatTel which cannot be deleted except
by "TrustedInstaller".

There is a program in this folder called "wicainventory.exe" which
tries repeatedly to contact the following IP address:

157.56.141.102

There are files in this folder listing all hardware and software on my system. Also is a file which contains the path to uninstall my anti-virus and firewall
programs, as well as CPU-Z.

For a while, normal os functions/utilities would trigger a UAC warning that the publisher is "unknown", then last night a small update was downloaded, and that behavior stopped.

The manufacturers website describes this set of updates as:
"This update helps make improvements to the current operating system
in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of ..."

Is anyone else experiencing this? It seems to have started in April but I just received it this week.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this but I thought it should be seen by the users.

fk
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Profile betreger Project Donor
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Message 1613640 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 2:00:20 UTC

Well I don't allow updates with out looking at them first. I have seen more than a few which required uninstalling or system restore in order to obtain some lost functionality.
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Profile Jord
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Message 1613641 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 2:03:33 UTC - in response to Message 1613635.  
Last modified: 14 Dec 2014, 2:03:58 UTC

It's part of Windows Update KB2952664 and seems to be a file intended to help Microsoft check which files on your computer need help or not if you ever take the plunge to update to Windows 8.1

If you never do, you can uninstall the program or the update.

But do read this thread at the Microsoft forum for all on that.
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Message 1613649 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 2:19:50 UTC - in response to Message 1613641.  
Last modified: 14 Dec 2014, 2:20:43 UTC

Reading your link just reconfirms my aversion to auto updates
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furukitsune
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Message 1613653 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 2:41:10 UTC - in response to Message 1613649.  

Agreed.
I did find an interesting web page about making ubuntu
look like windows 7. Might have to consider that.

fk
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Message 1613684 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 5:00:04 UTC

there's also windows update KB3004394 which does not play well with win 7 and AMD graphic driver updates and will actually block the installation of AMD's Catalyst Omega...just another reason not to have auto updates set
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MGCJerry
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Message 1613744 - Posted: 14 Dec 2014, 6:58:54 UTC
Last modified: 14 Dec 2014, 6:59:33 UTC

I cant count how many times I've had to fix computers where an "update" came down the pipe and killed the machine. Then later on to get an update to fix an update to fix the bad update. I've always recommended users to view the updates and pick and choose and to never blindly install updates.

Remember that obscure bug where an auto-update to flash made the computer blue screen on boot? That was fun to fix, especially since I was the computer geek in the shop at the time.

No auto-updates here either. No thanks.


OT: My first post since returning to crunching.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Wica what?


 
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