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Today's "Windows 10 concern"

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  Today's "Windows 10 concern" "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-05 05:13 -0800
    Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Mr Xi Ji Ping <ping@china.cn> - 2025-03-05 18:00 +0000
    Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-05 15:18 -0500
      Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-06 10:33 +0000
      Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-06 17:40 -0800
        Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-03-07 08:31 -0500
          Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-07 19:04 -0500
          Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" The Car <arriving@dawn.com> - 2025-03-08 10:39 -0800
            Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-08 14:36 -0500
    Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2025-03-06 18:45 -0500
      Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-06 20:15 -0500
      Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ  <winstonmvp@gmail.com> - 2025-03-07 01:02 -0700
        Re: Today's "Windows 10 concern" micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2025-03-08 00:11 -0500

#182777 — Today's "Windows 10 concern"

...Every   ...single   ...day, some issue rears its ugly head in Windows
10 and I wind up wasting time trying to deal with it. I absolutely
detest Windows 10 and all the associated bullshit that this crappy OS
requires in order to spy on me and cause me problems. The continual
feature degradation and regressions in functionality as well.

Unlike a lot of other people, I turn my cable modem and router off
whenever I don't need to be on the internet. Today I noticed for the
second day in a row, that there is a Microsoft executable named
DeviceCensus.exe which runs briefly whenever I start up those two devices.

So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
internet says:

"DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
fix any bugs.
  If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
  If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
infected with malware."

"Legitimate" in whose eyes? And how, exactly, does monitoring my webcam
usage serve any purpose in determining which future version of Windows
10 I need?

I went into the Task Scheduler and disabled the piece of shit:

Open Task Scheduler
  Click on the carat next to "Task Scheduler Library"
    Same on "Microsoft"
      Same on "Windows"
        Left click on "Device Information"
          Right click on "Device" in the right hand upper pane
            Select "Disable".
If there's another task named "Device User" under "Device" do the same
to it as well.

Telemetry is just a euphemism for "Spyware" IMO.

Microsoft: "Your privacy is important to us"

Sure it is. As in "it's important that we rape your privacy as much as
possible."

-- 
John C.

Take back Microsoft from India.

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#182781

On 05/03/2025 13:13, John C. wrote:
> ...Every   ...single   ...day, some issue rears its ugly head in Windows
> 10 and I wind up wasting time trying to deal with it. I absolutely
> detest Windows 10 and all the associated bullshit that this crappy OS
> requires in order to spy on me and cause me problems. The continual
> feature degradation and regressions in functionality as well.

You have two choices:

1) Use something else such as Linux Ubuntu or Linux Mint;
2) Stop browsing child porn so Microsoft can spy on you and waste their 
time. Microsoft is only interested in people browsing child porn.

> 
> Unlike a lot of other people, I turn my cable modem and router off
> whenever I don't need to be on the internet. Today I noticed for the
> second day in a row, that there is a Microsoft executable named
> DeviceCensus.exe which runs briefly whenever I start up those two devices.

rename the file to RENAMED-DeviceCensus.exe.
iT WON'T START AGAIN after renaming the file.

> 
> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
> internet says:
> 
> "DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
> Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
> System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
> device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
> Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
> fix any bugs.
>    If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
> your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
> want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
>    If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
> idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
> infected with malware."
> 
> "Legitimate" in whose eyes? And how, exactly, does monitoring my webcam
> usage serve any purpose in determining which future version of Windows
> 10 I need?

They need an image of you which can be passed to the police for further 
action. Microsoft get paid by police for the service to catch pedos on 
internet.

> 

> 
> Telemetry is just a euphemism for "Spyware" IMO.


Yes but it affects only a few people out of billions using Windows 10 
and Windows 11.


> 
> Microsoft: "Your privacy is important to us"
> 
> Sure it is. As in "it's important that we rape your privacy as much as
> possible."

You are a dirty old man and sooner you are removed from the society the 
better it will be for the community you live in.
> 

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#182785

On Wed, 3/5/2025 8:13 AM, John C. wrote:
> ...Every   ...single   ...day, some issue rears its ugly head in Windows
> 10 and I wind up wasting time trying to deal with it. I absolutely
> detest Windows 10 and all the associated bullshit that this crappy OS
> requires in order to spy on me and cause me problems. The continual
> feature degradation and regressions in functionality as well.
> 
> Unlike a lot of other people, I turn my cable modem and router off
> whenever I don't need to be on the internet. Today I noticed for the
> second day in a row, that there is a Microsoft executable named
> DeviceCensus.exe which runs briefly whenever I start up those two devices.
> 
> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
> internet says:
> 
> "DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
> Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
> System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
> device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
> Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
> fix any bugs.
>   If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
> your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
> want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
>   If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
> idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
> infected with malware."
> 
> "Legitimate" in whose eyes? And how, exactly, does monitoring my webcam
> usage serve any purpose in determining which future version of Windows
> 10 I need?
> 
> I went into the Task Scheduler and disabled the piece of shit:
> 
> Open Task Scheduler
>   Click on the carat next to "Task Scheduler Library"
>     Same on "Microsoft"
>       Same on "Windows"
>         Left click on "Device Information"
>           Right click on "Device" in the right hand upper pane
>             Select "Disable".
> If there's another task named "Device User" under "Device" do the same
> to it as well.
> 
> Telemetry is just a euphemism for "Spyware" IMO.
> 
> Microsoft: "Your privacy is important to us"
> 
> Sure it is. As in "it's important that we rape your privacy as much as
> possible."
> 

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/device-census-in-windows-10

These descriptions are a bit on the funny side.

It could be accessing the webcam, to collect PNP info, but
that story is weak sauce. Unless the device has firmware
it loads each time, and there are likely better ways to determine
what firmware is being used, without probing the device.

The device has already been probed as part of hardware enumeration.
And that effort should be all that is needed. If Microsoft
wanted to use their command line version of Device Manager to
dump the hardware details, they could do that, and then the
webcam would never be blocked.

This all started with FrameServe, a subsystem that has no reason
to exist. I caught a thread a couple weeks ago, which mentioned
that two video conferencing softwares did not work, because
"FrameServe does NOT serve frames" :-) which I thought was
a hilarious declaration. The Device Census, would be part of
identifying new webcams, and also for preparing the "generic"
hardware support that replaces the custom driver your
webcam manufacturer provided.

My webcam never worked properly, after FrameServe came out.
When I want to use my webcam, I use it in Windows 7. It
stays *disconnected* in W10/W11, because it's really useless
to me. The custom software had digital pan and zoon, and in a
conference with my doctor, I could "center myself" in the picture
before the session started. So I would not look like I was slouching
in my chair or whatever. I can't do that in W10/W11. Feature is not there
in the generic driver.

I don't think enabling or disabling that, is going to make
that much difference to the operation of the machine. No magical
fairy is going to repair your webcam, based on a hundred million
broken webcam reports landing on some schmucks desk at Microsoft.

*******

For the longest while, I did not pick up the pattern. Each "Improvement"
had a different back story, throwing me off the path. What they're doing,
is Microsoft *wants to write all the drivers for everything*. They are
replacing the drivers. They don't want to allow the RealTek jumbo sound
driver to install. Instead, they install their lame version of a driver
with less features. That's the actual plan. So it wasn't "FrameServe"
after all, it was "break their existing drivers, feed them dreck
to replace it". That was the plan.

   Paul

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#182795

Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
[...]

> https://www.thewindowsclub.com/device-census-in-windows-10
> 
> These descriptions are a bit on the funny side.
> 
> It could be accessing the webcam, to collect PNP info, but
> that story is weak sauce. Unless the device has firmware
> it loads each time, and there are likely better ways to determine
> what firmware is being used, without probing the device.
> 
> The device has already been probed as part of hardware enumeration.
> And that effort should be all that is needed. If Microsoft
> wanted to use their command line version of Device Manager to
> dump the hardware details, they could do that, and then the
> webcam would never be blocked.

  AFAICT, this isn't really something to get one's knickers in a twist
about.

  During installation - at least on Windows 11 - there's a question
about this [1] and in Settings you can limit - but not eliminate - the
amount of 'Diagnostic data', you can 'View diagnostic data' and you can
'Delete diagnostic data'.

  For details: Settings -> Privacy & security -> Diagnostics & feedback

  If one decides to try to prevent Diagnostic data to be sent -
preferably based on the actual content -, then it's probably best to try
to block it in the firewall, instead of assuming/hoping that the Task
Scheduler task won't be re-enabled.

  FWIW, my 'Diagnostic data' setting is set to 'Sending required data'
and my computer hasn't been taken over by Microsoft (yet!? :-)).

[...]

[1] "Send diagnostic data to Microsoft" -> Required only -> [Accept]

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#182806

On 25/03/05 12:18 PM, Paul wrote:
> On Wed, 3/5/2025 8:13 AM, John C. wrote:
>> ...Every   ...single   ...day, some issue rears its ugly head in Windows
>> 10 and I wind up wasting time trying to deal with it. I absolutely
>> detest Windows 10 and all the associated bullshit that this crappy OS
>> requires in order to spy on me and cause me problems. The continual
>> feature degradation and regressions in functionality as well.
>>
>> Unlike a lot of other people, I turn my cable modem and router off
>> whenever I don't need to be on the internet. Today I noticed for the
>> second day in a row, that there is a Microsoft executable named
>> DeviceCensus.exe which runs briefly whenever I start up those two devices.
>>
>> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
>> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
>> internet says:
>>
>> "DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
>> Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
>> System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
>> device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
>> Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
>> fix any bugs.
>>   If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
>> your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
>> want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
>>   If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
>> idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
>> infected with malware."
>>
>> "Legitimate" in whose eyes? And how, exactly, does monitoring my webcam
>> usage serve any purpose in determining which future version of Windows
>> 10 I need?
>>
>> I went into the Task Scheduler and disabled the piece of shit:
>>
>> Open Task Scheduler
>>   Click on the carat next to "Task Scheduler Library"
>>     Same on "Microsoft"
>>       Same on "Windows"
>>         Left click on "Device Information"
>>           Right click on "Device" in the right hand upper pane
>>             Select "Disable".
>> If there's another task named "Device User" under "Device" do the same
>> to it as well.
>>
>> Telemetry is just a euphemism for "Spyware" IMO.
>>
>> Microsoft: "Your privacy is important to us"
>>
>> Sure it is. As in "it's important that we rape your privacy as much as
>> possible."
>>
> 
> https://www.thewindowsclub.com/device-census-in-windows-10
> 
> These descriptions are a bit on the funny side.
> 
> It could be accessing the webcam, to collect PNP info, but
> that story is weak sauce. Unless the device has firmware
> it loads each time, and there are likely better ways to determine
> what firmware is being used, without probing the device.
> 
> The device has already been probed as part of hardware enumeration.
> And that effort should be all that is needed. If Microsoft
> wanted to use their command line version of Device Manager to
> dump the hardware details, they could do that, and then the
> webcam would never be blocked.
> 
> This all started with FrameServe, a subsystem that has no reason
> to exist. I caught a thread a couple weeks ago, which mentioned
> that two video conferencing softwares did not work, because
> "FrameServe does NOT serve frames" :-) which I thought was
> a hilarious declaration. The Device Census, would be part of
> identifying new webcams, and also for preparing the "generic"
> hardware support that replaces the custom driver your
> webcam manufacturer provided.
> 
> My webcam never worked properly, after FrameServe came out.
> When I want to use my webcam, I use it in Windows 7. It
> stays *disconnected* in W10/W11, because it's really useless
> to me. The custom software had digital pan and zoon, and in a
> conference with my doctor, I could "center myself" in the picture
> before the session started. So I would not look like I was slouching
> in my chair or whatever. I can't do that in W10/W11. Feature is not there
> in the generic driver.
> 
> I don't think enabling or disabling that, is going to make
> that much difference to the operation of the machine. No magical
> fairy is going to repair your webcam, based on a hundred million
> broken webcam reports landing on some schmucks desk at Microsoft.
> 
> *******
> 
> For the longest while, I did not pick up the pattern. Each "Improvement"
> had a different back story, throwing me off the path. What they're doing,
> is Microsoft *wants to write all the drivers for everything*. They are
> replacing the drivers. They don't want to allow the RealTek jumbo sound
> driver to install. Instead, they install their lame version of a driver
> with less features. That's the actual plan. So it wasn't "FrameServe"
> after all, it was "break their existing drivers, feed them dreck
> to replace it". That was the plan.
> 
>    Paul

You're right, Paul. And they did the same thing to the popular Twain
driver for most scanners built within the last 20 years or so. The
disabled support for Twain drivers in W10 and for scanner and digital
camera in-box drivers, Microsoft accepts only WIA drivers.

There are workarounds, but what absolute horse shit. Many people are
upset about this. If I hadn't been able to get my scanner to work AND
figured out a way to get my RealTek chipset to use the RealTek HD Audio
Manager, that would have been it for MS on any system I use.

-- 
John C.

Take back Microsoft from India.

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#182809

On 3/6/2025 8:40 PM, John C. wrote:

>>>
>>> I went into the Task Scheduler and disabled the piece of shit:
>>>
>>> Open Task Scheduler
>>>    Click on the carat next to "Task Scheduler Library"
>>>      Same on "Microsoft"
>>>        Same on "Windows"
>>>          Left click on "Device Information"
>>>            Right click on "Device" in the right hand upper pane
>>>              Select "Disable".
>>> If there's another task named "Device User" under "Device" do the same
>>> to it as well.
>>>

   Thanks for that. Mine was disabled but there was a Device User
entry. I have most things in TS disabled. Though I also use
Simplewall to block callinghome. There are numerous processes
that try to call out.

> You're right, Paul. And they did the same thing to the popular Twain
> driver for most scanners built within the last 20 years or so. The
> disabled support for Twain drivers in W10 and for scanner and digital
> camera in-box drivers, Microsoft accepts only WIA drivers.
> 

   To be fair, WIA works in XP, with a supporting printer.
Printer makers have been slow to add support, but MS
came out with WIA a long time ago. My somewhat old
HP Envy supports both TWAIN and WIA. It supported
WIA on XP. Though it was a bit spotty. For example,
there's no way to ask whether it supports a given file
extension. PNG? "Sure, bring it on." It gives me a PNG file,
but it's actually a JPG. That wasn't WIA's fault. HP just
hadn't done the whole job of supporting WIA. I don't know
whether that's HP's fault for being half-assed or Microsoft's
fault for designing a buggy interface.

   We get spoiled on Windows. Up until a year ago I was
still running XP. A lot of software developers were still
supporting it, 23 years after it came out. What if you
were on a Mac? You'd have support only for the current and
one earlier version. "Don't be a cheapskate. People stand
in line for our toys. You should, too." Linux? Don't even try
to imagine it. In 2001 you would have been lucky to get
a program on Linux that could produce something to print.
On current Linux they have no time for the past. Backward
compatibility is an oxymoron. They worship at the alter of
The Future. Hardware support is generally
pretty good, but any kind of commitment to support is
missing. Linux OS support? I think it's typically 6-18 months.
I had to replace the OS on my Raspberry Pi 4 because it
wouldn't support newer Chromium. Luckily I was able to
install the latest Raspbian on the hardware. Of course,
most people wouldn't be able to do that. But the OS was
only 3 years old to begin with.

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#182817

On Fri, 3/7/2025 8:31 AM, Newyana2 wrote:
> On 3/6/2025 8:40 PM, John C. wrote:
> 
>>>>
>>>> I went into the Task Scheduler and disabled the piece of shit:
>>>>
>>>> Open Task Scheduler
>>>>    Click on the carat next to "Task Scheduler Library"
>>>>      Same on "Microsoft"
>>>>        Same on "Windows"
>>>>          Left click on "Device Information"
>>>>            Right click on "Device" in the right hand upper pane
>>>>              Select "Disable".
>>>> If there's another task named "Device User" under "Device" do the same
>>>> to it as well.
>>>>
> 
>   Thanks for that. Mine was disabled but there was a Device User
> entry. I have most things in TS disabled. Though I also use
> Simplewall to block callinghome. There are numerous processes
> that try to call out.
> 
>> You're right, Paul. And they did the same thing to the popular Twain
>> driver for most scanners built within the last 20 years or so. The
>> disabled support for Twain drivers in W10 and for scanner and digital
>> camera in-box drivers, Microsoft accepts only WIA drivers.
>>
> 
>   To be fair, WIA works in XP, with a supporting printer.
> Printer makers have been slow to add support, but MS
> came out with WIA a long time ago. My somewhat old
> HP Envy supports both TWAIN and WIA. It supported
> WIA on XP. Though it was a bit spotty. For example,
> there's no way to ask whether it supports a given file
> extension. PNG? "Sure, bring it on." It gives me a PNG file,
> but it's actually a JPG. That wasn't WIA's fault. HP just
> hadn't done the whole job of supporting WIA. I don't know
> whether that's HP's fault for being half-assed or Microsoft's
> fault for designing a buggy interface.
> 
>   We get spoiled on Windows. Up until a year ago I was
> still running XP. A lot of software developers were still
> supporting it, 23 years after it came out. What if you
> were on a Mac? You'd have support only for the current and
> one earlier version. "Don't be a cheapskate. People stand
> in line for our toys. You should, too." Linux? Don't even try
> to imagine it. In 2001 you would have been lucky to get
> a program on Linux that could produce something to print.
> On current Linux they have no time for the past. Backward
> compatibility is an oxymoron. They worship at the alter of
> The Future. Hardware support is generally
> pretty good, but any kind of commitment to support is
> missing. Linux OS support? I think it's typically 6-18 months.
> I had to replace the OS on my Raspberry Pi 4 because it
> wouldn't support newer Chromium. Luckily I was able to
> install the latest Raspbian on the hardware. Of course,
> most people wouldn't be able to do that. But the OS was
> only 3 years old to begin with.

Stuck in the present, we are.

It seems like just yesterday, that I dusted in here.

   Paul

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#182826

On 3/7/25 05:31, Newyana2 wrote:
> Linux OS support? I think it's typically 6-18 months.

Interminably supported rolling releases are typical too.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#182828

On Sat, 3/8/2025 1:39 PM, The Car wrote:
> On 3/7/25 05:31, Newyana2 wrote:
>> Linux OS support? I think it's typically 6-18 months.
> 
> Interminably supported rolling releases are typical too.

There is a web page for that.

   https://ubuntu.com/about/release-cycle

Not every distro is commercial, or has "resources".

   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Linux_Distribution_Timeline.svg

  Paul

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#182804

In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Wed, 5 Mar 2025 05:13:51 -0800, "John C."
<r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:

>So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
>C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The

Interestingly, I have the file too, 24KB, from 11/17/2024, but it's
address is:
C:\Windows\servicing\LCU\Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~19041.5371.1.9\amd64_microsoft-windows-devicecensus_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.19041.5198_none_2445ede1afad7996\f

I wonder what the difference in locations means. 

I haven't checked if it runs or not.  I'm not sure what else besides
starting the router would cause it to perk up. 

>The internet says:
>
>"DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
>Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
>System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
>device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
>Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
>fix any bugs.
>  If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
>your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
>want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
>  If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
>idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
>infected with malware."

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#182805

On Thu, 3/6/2025 6:45 PM, micky wrote:
> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Wed, 5 Mar 2025 05:13:51 -0800, "John C."
> <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
>> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
> 
> Interestingly, I have the file too, 24KB, from 11/17/2024, but it's
> address is:
> C:\Windows\servicing\LCU\Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~19041.5371.1.9\amd64_microsoft-windows-devicecensus_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.19041.5198_none_2445ede1afad7996\f
> 
> I wonder what the difference in locations means. 
> 
> I haven't checked if it runs or not.  I'm not sure what else besides
> starting the router would cause it to perk up. 
> 
>> The internet says:
>>
>> "DeviceCensus.exe is a legitimate system file in Windows 10, signed by
>> Microsoft. It is part of the Telemetry Framework and is located in the
>> System32 folder. Its primary function is to collect data on your
>> device's hardware usage, _including webcam usage_, and report it back to
>> Microsoft. This helps Microsoft optimize Windows for future updates and
>> fix any bugs.
>>  If you notice that DeviceCensus.exe is using a lot of CPU or accessing
>> your webcam, it is generally safe to keep it running. However, if you
>> want to disable it temporarily, you can do so through the Task Scheduler.
>>  If you have any concerns about privacy or security, it's always a good
>> idea to run a thorough antivirus scan to ensure that your system is not
>> infected with malware."

C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe   # This would be the one that runs.

C:\Windows\servicing\LCU             # is an Undo folder for the Last Cumulative Update (Patch Tuesday)

C:\Windows\WinSxS\                   # Windows Side By Side maintenance tree (hardlinked to the first one)

C:\Windows\WinSxS\Temp\InFlight\     # Not fully processed yet ? Waiting on a dependency ?

WinSxS could have multiple older versions, or manifests for them.

   Paul

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#182808

micky wrote on 3/6/2025 4:45 PM:
> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Wed, 5 Mar 2025 05:13:51 -0800, "John C."
> <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
>> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
> 
> Interestingly, I have the file too, 24KB, from 11/17/2024, but it's
> address is:
> C:\Windows\servicing\LCU\Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~19041.5371.1.9\amd64_microsoft-windows-devicecensus_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.19041.5198_none_2445ede1afad7996\f
  - that folder was a deploymenent location for a monthly update.
  - the functionality of DeviceCensus.exe in Windows does not use that 
location.
  - the folder only indicates that the folder was created sometime in the 
past for updating Windows.
- Windows 10 22H2 or earlier(19041 is Win10 20H2 base, though 19041 files 
are still in use on later Win10 versions).
   e.g Win10 22H2's DeviceCensus.exe is still 19041 version, and its 
DeviceCensus.exe should be 19041.5438 at the minimum 22H2 updated through 
Feb 2025(019041.5487)
  => and its file date should be the date that the last LCU(monthly 
update) was installed(i.e. if you installed February's LCU today on March 
7, then the DeviceCensus.exe file Creatrion and Modified Date should be 
March 7 2025. The exe file's Digital Signature should have a date in Jan. 
or Feb 2025(when Win10 has been updated with the latest(Feb) LCU.> I 
wonder what the difference in locations means.
> I haven't checked if it runs or not.
In your case, it does not mean much for running an exe. That location is 
unused for the installed Windows version.
No reason to check.
  - If you wish to run DeviceCensus.exe find the exe in 
C:\Windows\System32 and double click to run it...but doing so won't 
provide much information.


-- 
...w¡ñ§±¤ñ

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#182819

In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 7 Mar 2025 01:02:25 -0700, ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ
<winstonmvp@gmail.com> wrote:

>micky wrote on 3/6/2025 4:45 PM:
>> In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Wed, 5 Mar 2025 05:13:51 -0800, "John C."
>> <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> So what is this "DeviceCensus.exe" executable (file path is
>>> C:\Windows\System32\DeviceCensus.exe, at least on my system)? The
>> 
>> Interestingly, I have the file too, 24KB, from 11/17/2024, but it's
>> address is:
>> C:\Windows\servicing\LCU\Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~19041.5371.1.9\amd64_microsoft-windows-devicecensus_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.19041.5198_none_2445ede1afad7996\f
>  - that folder was a deploymenent location for a monthly update.
>  - the functionality of DeviceCensus.exe in Windows does not use that 
>location.
>  - the folder only indicates that the folder was created sometime in the 
>past for updating Windows.
>- Windows 10 22H2 or earlier(19041 is Win10 20H2 base, though 19041 files 
>are still in use on later Win10 versions).
>   e.g Win10 22H2's DeviceCensus.exe is still 19041 version, and its 
>DeviceCensus.exe should be 19041.5438 at the minimum 22H2 updated through 
>Feb 2025(019041.5487)
>  => and its file date should be the date that the last LCU(monthly 
>update) was installed(i.e. if you installed February's LCU today on March 
>7, then the DeviceCensus.exe file Creatrion and Modified Date should be 
>March 7 2025. The exe file's Digital Signature should have a date in Jan. 
>or Feb 2025(when Win10 has been updated with the latest(Feb) LCU.> I 
>wonder what the difference in locations means.
>> I haven't checked if it runs or not.
>In your case, it does not mean much for running an exe. That location is 
>unused for the installed Windows version.
>No reason to check.

So I'm glad I didn't take time to do it. 

>  - If you wish to run DeviceCensus.exe find the exe in 
>C:\Windows\System32 and double click to run it...but doing so won't 

There is no copy there. 

>provide much information.

Thanks to you and Paul for interesting info. 

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