"the_bmac" wrote in message
...
claus wrote:

Denny - I am running XP (SP2) on my laptop used for navigation purposes
onboard the boat.

I just downloaded the fix for the animated cursor flaw yesterday and was
not aware that it allowed MS to install the "Call Home" function... so I
need to get rid of that as my boat is not connected to the internet...
what is the proper technical name for that function - and is there any
way to disable it short of "rolling back" the software to the previous
state???

Unfortunately you cannot rollback. If you were using automatic updates
and this little POS got installed, you can't un-install it. The only
solution is to fdisk-format-reinstall, which of course leads into the same
"upgrade" hell cycle you've just completed. If you're not willing to go
Mac or Linux, you're simply going to have to starts whistling "Always Look
on the Bright Side of Life".

My maiin concern is that the operating system would stop functioning if my
PC is not connected to the internet while I am out cruising...

Or am I misunderstanding Denney's post?

"claus" wrote in message
. ..

"the_bmac" wrote in message
...
claus wrote:

Denny - I am running XP (SP2) on my laptop used for navigation purposes
onboard the boat.

I just downloaded the fix for the animated cursor flaw yesterday and was
not aware that it allowed MS to install the "Call Home" function... so I
need to get rid of that as my boat is not connected to the internet...
what is the proper technical name for that function - and is there any
way to disable it short of "rolling back" the software to the previous
state???

Unfortunately you cannot rollback. If you were using automatic updates
and this little POS got installed, you can't un-install it. The only
solution is to fdisk-format-reinstall, which of course leads into the
same "upgrade" hell cycle you've just completed. If you're not willing
to go Mac or Linux, you're simply going to have to starts whistling
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life".

My maiin concern is that the operating system would stop functioning if my
PC is not connected to the internet while I am out cruising...

Or am I misunderstanding Denney's post?
According to the windows xp discussion group:

No, it does not.


"claus" wrote in message
...
I am using windows XP (SP2) to run navigational software on my boat.

Is it correct that the latest "animated cursor" fix also installs a "Call
Home" feature that will make the OS inoperative if the PC can not "call
in" to Microsoft.

In that case I - and everyone else using a PC on a boat (or any other
location without internet access) - have a big problem. Not using the
navigational software is obviously not an option.

Have I misunderstood something???

Thank you for any clarification...

claus wrote:
My maiin concern is that the operating system would stop functioning if my
PC is not connected to the internet while I am out cruising...

I don't think that will happen, but of course with Windows just about anything is possible. That
wasn't meant in a particularly complimentary fashion.