# win 10. Why do i need to fix apps on win a



## manfred (Dec 21, 2005)

I keep getting an annoying pop-up from windows stating that I need to fix my microsoft account for apps. 
I didnt know I had an account and dont care about the apps but since windows update I get this and another pop-up every few minutes. 
Will it ever stop?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Sounds like malware. Scan your system with Adaware or Malwarebytes.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I too suspect some third party nasty. Thats what this sounds like.

But big hint when starting out with a new install of win10, it will try every trick in the book to get you to sign up for a microsoft web account and in doing so make you agree to let it spy on you. Will spy anyway unless you take some extraordinary steps besides checking boxes. But if you look for tiniest print on page there is an option to set up with a local only user account. Dont need to use your actual personal info when doing this. You dont need a Microsoft web account in order to use win10. I suggest this is option you want if you value your privacy at all. However at least some of the cloud apps built into win10 require a Microsoft web account IF you want to use them. Not interested in them, you dont need a M$ web account.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Windows 10 is spyware and malware.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Shrek said:


> Windows 10 is spyware and malware.


It is malware/spyware as it comes out of the box and used as M$ intends. However if you do your homework and spend bunch time, you can sanitize it, plug the holes, and turn it into something more like an updated XP. Few people are going to do this and M$ knows that. Oh they know some will out think their schemes, but they arent too concerned cause minority of people willing to do that probably will just use linux anyway.

Few people are that interested in learning about linux either. Though frankly once installed modern versions are pretty straightforward and easy. Just got to get out of mindset they are going to run software made for windows. Some windows programs can run via WINE but most wont or at least wont be fully functional. You need to learn to use linux software that does same things.

I tend to have old computers. i recently got hold of two cheap win10 "chromebooks" to play with. Super cheap cause they had problems. Had to replace screen on ACER and the eMMC drive kaput on the Lenovo. The newer UEFI only (no legacy option) bioses caught me by surprise. And they are moving to where computers will require not only UEFI, but also ability to use Secure Boot. Luckily right now all I know about, allow disabling of Secure Boot. Seems M$ now makes you jump through all kinds of new hoops to use an alternate operating system. They dont want people bypassing their spying with alternate system. 

Took some serious research but got linux to boot on them. I left the Acer with win10 on eMMC drive and jumped the hoops to neuter its nasties. The eMMC was kaput in the Lenovo so its got Sparky Linux booting via usb SSD drive. Sparky has new enough kernel to support the BayTrail Atom processor in Lenovo fairly well. But wow, not only win10 nasties, but ACER installed their own nasties which of course are reinstalled when you reset win10. It takes lot patience and time and research to make win10 truly friendly and usable. Plus you do have to block the mandatory automagic updates one way or another or M$ update will either reverse what you have done or it make the system unbootable in its attempts.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

That was interesting. Ran across something mentioning using Rufus to make a UEFI bootable win10 install usb thumb drive. I only have dvd of the free official downloadable iso from M$. Metered cellular broadband so I had just bought already burned copy off ebay some time back rather than download it myself. So I converted dvd to an iso, then used Rufus to make a UEFI bootable usb.

Tried booting it on the ACER and voila, the install booted and ready to do its thing. I didnt want to do actual install as I had got the ACER version cleaned up and functioning pretty well. The generic win10 install actually been lot easier than trying to clean up the ACER install though probably would had to hunted down some drivers. But using the generic win10 install, I could also used that third party win10-LITE script to prune great deal of carp during the install. Something I couldnt do with the ACER win10 reset. 

Oh well, more you fool with this stuff, the more efficient you get at doing it and more tricks you learn. But unless you do this for living or as a hobby....


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Hmm, rainy day yesterday. I have been annoyed for some time with old XP partition not booting anymore on my ancient desktop. Booting from XP disk and trying to fixmbr and fixboot in repair mode didnt work. So finally tried the HP restore partition. It came up and asked if I wanted to save existing files, basically just replacing system files or total wipe. Told it to keep files. It then briefly popped up message hard drive being formatted!!!! About gave me heart failure. Didnt want it wiping my Puppy Linux partition. Nothing too important on the XP partition so wasnt absolutely horrible to lose that. Be been kinda nightmare to lose my Puppy files.

It didnt wipe Puppy, but it didnt save any XP data files plus it reinstalled all the HP carpware that came on computer when it was new. Really nasty version of MacAfee that just refused to uninstall. I started trying to remove that garbage by force and got to thinking, why the heck am I trying for a pristine XP, dont need XP for anything since the old data files are gone and it cant run tax software anymore.

So I installed win10. This time the "Home" version, just curious if it was really much different than PRO. My way of course with win10LITE and DWS and bunch other modifications. 10GB install and if anything its faster than XP on computer designed for XP and that came with XP. I have it blocked phoning home and the metro/cloud apps gone and the blinking jumping carnival like app nonsense gone. I am getting pretty efficient doing this. Honest I actually like my modified win10 better than XP though I was never big fan of XP. I changed to linux as my primary operating system back in win98 era and never really looked back. Just kept windows (that came with computer) around to run occasional windows only programs. As I pointed out in past, win10 runs fine unactivated, you get full functionality since it cant talk to the activation servers with such blocked in firewall. Since it cant find out if its activated, it just works forever with no restrictions. Even if you let it find out its unactivated, only restrictions you get are a watermark (which can be removed or modified with certain free watermark software) and you cant personalize desktop, though workaround available to change wallpaper if you really want to. But just blocking contact with activation servers is simplest easiest way to do it. I also have update servers blocked too. I dont need updates trying to change my settings and modifications or changing it to where it wont boot in the process.

But gotta say if I HAD to use win10, once neutered and modified, so its not serving two masters, it really isnt that bad. Firefox and Thunderbird pretty much same, whatever system they are running on.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

This whole thread is scary to a computer novice since I am getting a new computer for Christmas with Win 10.

I have Win 7 on my Acer and am happy with it, as simple minded as I am.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

All this tech talk just let it go. So many of us just can't or not well schooled enough or just don't want to FOOL AROUND with such stuff. That is why Windows is the way it is. For The MASSES. Same thing with Apple. Clink on a icon to open it up and bingo you have it open. This tech talk from a few are so just for those who ARE techie inclined and want to fool around with such stuff. Just pay them no mind and enjoy Widows 10 for what it is and have fun with a brands new computer.
I sort of a techie but never want to fool around with the workers like some on here have said to do. No way. I would mess it up LOL

I did that one time deleting things not the correct way and oh my I was stuck in the Blue Screen of Death. I tried everything I knew still could not get out, called tech support they took me through the same steps but with two added ones and STILL I had That Blue Screen Of Death.
IO ended up doing a complete no it is called a Hard Reformat. EVERYTHING was Wiped Off. Everything. When I turned the machine back on the ONLY thing showing on the screen was The Trash Can. LOL
Had to Load Everything. But back then you Had everything on disks. So load everything on leave off anything you didn't want.
But I got rid of that blue screen and a clean format for starting new but lost everything that I had not backed up on CD's LOL

And even at work if I had a problem with a computer program just called the IT tech guys so I could continue to make parts that went into the hard drives. The suspension part that holds the Read/Right head.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Advice to just lay back and think of England, probably not greatest advice long term. At least know what is happening on YOUR computer and make the conscious decision thats what you want to be happening. Microsoft is collecting info and steering/tricking you into things you may or may not want. But so are other websites and corporations. Its not simple. Yes you can limit such access greatly, but it takes some effort. 

First ask yourself if you want to use microsoft's cloud/metro apps. IF you do, then do nothing, you have to have a microsoft web account and share your information to use these "services". If not then you can disable/remove most of it though you will need to do so from a command prompt or using a third party script to remove some things and set up you win10 firewall to block OUTGOING communication by windows to Microsoft servers. Then use a third part browser and NO-SCRIPT (or at least Ghostery) plus Adblocker Ultimate plus Self Destructing Cookies. NO-SCRIPT blocks website scripts by default, YOU have to decide which to disable, this usually requires experimentation on your part. Some javascripts are necessary to navigate/interact with the site. Others are just junk to gather information and track you. But once you decide, then it remembers for that site. Ghostery is more automatic and relies on lists of third party scripts that collect info. It does have a whitelist when set up that you should empty. I assume these companies pay a fee to be on the white list. 

I will say on a newer powerful computer you maybe giving up info, but you wont notice much difference in speed, etc. However on older and even newer computers with low specs (like only 2GB RAM) then bringing win10 under control will improve speed and usability greatly. Win10 is trying to serve two masters with limited resources, and you dont get highest priority in that situation.


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