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Is Dell Putting Spyware On Computers?

Computers

from the doesn't-seem-so-smart... dept

Mon, May 30th 2005 11:34pm — Mike Masnick
Dell hasn't always had a great reputation when it came to spyware. A few years ago, they got into some PR trouble when internal memos came out telling tech support staff that they couldn't even tell callers about anti-spyware apps, because Dell was afraid such apps might remove some products that Dell was putting on the computers itself. Soon afterwards, though, Dell changed its tune. After realizing that a ton of the calls their support staff was getting related to spyware, Dell suddenly began an education campaign about spyware for its customers. Apparently, some of its executives need the same lesson. Someone on Dave Farber's Interesting People list is complaining that Dell is about to automatically install what appears to be a piece of "spyware" on many Dell computers. The app in question is a support app, like many that are becoming increasingly popular from various computer makers. In this case, though, the app will continually report back to Dell various information about the computer's setup. Other support apps do the same thing -- but the user has at least some say in whether or not the app gets used. Apparently (and this has not been independently verified, other than the email on the mailing list), the Dell app cannot be stopped using the normal "add/remove" functionality -- despite the app itself telling people to remove it that way. Instead, since the app runs on its own separate partition, Dell's pricey tech support told the guy the only way to remove it is to format that extra partition. That seems a bit extreme (it would seem that a firewall might also block any such transmissions, and there should be plenty of ways to stop the app from starting up in the first place...). Either way, though, it does seem a bit heavy handed for Dell to install an app that is not easily uninstalled by users -- especially one that is constantly reporting home with user details. Update: In a further response, it appears that Dell's tech support staff may have been at fault, and it is entirely possible to remove the software at the app level. However, the confusion over this matter certainly suggests they need to do a better job letting customers know how.
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18 Comments

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  1. identicon
    eeyore, 31 May 2005 @ 4:50am

    Dell better think twice

    If this is true Dell will lose it's lucrative DoD contracts because the DoD treats spyware the same as computer viruses now and they won't buy machines that automatically report information to any source if it can't be disabled. The first thing done with a new XP system is to disable Windows Reporting, and if this can't be disabled they will look elsewhere for purchasing new computers.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Hero, 31 May 2005 @ 11:31am

    Re: Dell better think twice

    Dell will just sell the government and large corporations a version without spyware.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    DocMARs, 31 May 2005 @ 11:43am

    Re: Dell better think twice

    This is stupid. I am a very satisified Dell customer. I have 3 Dell Desktops in my own bedroom, as well as an 8200 my dad owns in the same house. I am 'nerd' enough to seek and destroy whatever it may be that Dell is installing if I purchase any Dell systems in the future. This is plain stupid though. And I thought Dell had a thing for privacy and good support. If they are using it to diagnose problems, then find another way, rather than spying their way through our PCs and tracking our actions. Many business owners and even home PC users have confidential data that is not to be let out to anyone, except for themselves. If Dell is doing this, then there is a privacy violation right in front of our faces.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous, 31 May 2005 @ 5:42pm

    Dell Is Evil

    As a former employee of Dell, I am all too aware of their practices of spying on their customers. On each and every Dell system, there are a number of different programs that run silently in the background, and periodically "phone home". Supposedly there is no "personal information" transferred, but in my opinion, IP addresses and browser history is pretty personal. My advise is to stay clear of Dell, unless you feel like voiding your warranty by formatting the hard drive and reinstalling a clean copy of Windows. If you were ever to mention to a Dell representative you dont have their version of windows loaded, they have the right to refuse all service to you. Pretty messed up if you ask me.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 May 2005 @ 8:09pm

    Re: Dell Is Evil

    Blowing away Windows and reinstalling doesn't void a damn thing. I did consumer support for almost a year at a North American call center and none of what yoi said is true. The only time OS support is not available is when a customer installs a version of Windows that did not ship with the system. For example, a customer calls in and wants support on WinXP but the system shipped with Win2k that customer would have to install Win2k for OS support. Pretty damn straight forward if you ask me.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 May 2005 @ 8:38pm

    Re: Dell Is Evil

    If it doesn't have the dell logo during startup or on the computer properties page, its not supported.

    From Dell's standpoint, only OEM versions of Windows are supported. All Retail versions are "shwung" to MS Support. Trust me on this one, its how I got people off my phone all the time.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jun 2005 @ 7:01am

    No Subject Given

    Lol. Yes, it's always the pc manufacturer's job to teach the user how to use their computers and remedy the problems from any spyware and porn popups that they somehow installed on their computers. And of course, we all know that it's actually Dell that installs this stuff and it shipped that way. And Dell doesn't want you to know about any tools to remove it cause it will affect their collecting of browser history and your email and the SS#'s of you and your family. There was never a letter inside Dell telling tech's not to remove spyware. That letter was fraud and from an anti-spyware company. Read the comments on the story on site like slashdot and see for yourself. Dell has always pointed customers to tools to remove spyware and incurred huge costs in support for having to deal with the influx of calls due do it. So yeah, Dell loves the stuff and every caller who has no clue how to fend it off themselves. So yeah, anyone with a mind capable of understanding a little farther up the business chain would realize why Dell would all of a sudden want to educate the customers to fend for themselves rather than having Dell walk them through it each and every incident. If not, they'd probably think it was some kind of conspiracy. Lol. Then Dell puts on some support sfw installed "on another partition" so that the user can't even uninstall it. Evil. Or misinformation being passed as fact from a person with no clue. No, that seperate partition holds the diagnostics from the resource cd cause those are always lost and then support has no way to run hardware diagnostics. Lol. Evil. Oh wait, some have yet another hidden partition with an image on it so you can reimage the box in 5 minutes once it's been messed up too bad. We can't have anything like that on there so I always delete that first. And what does the support tool do? Well, it checks for security updates from the dell web site. Go to support.dell.com and you can probably find them there yourself. And it allows those same users who can't fight spyware to reinstall the latest drivers if case thiers have been borked and they don't know how. You want to get rid of it, you know how to use add/remove programs and there is no evil hidden partition that will keep it on there. Dell is not to be trusted.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    clay, 26 Jun 2005 @ 5:37pm

    Re: No Subject Given

    I am an experienced Windows user and the Add/Remove will NOT remove Dell Support. When I click to remove .. then confirm with yes ... it locks up .. and beeps about 6 times ... and then cancels the remove. Dell Support is still listed.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Super Lee, 1 Jul 2005 @ 12:45pm

    Re: Beeping Instead of Uninstalling

    Yeah, I can vouch for the whole "Remove" button not working. It starts and then says "cancelling" and beeps ten times (just a typical message box beep). Pretty handy...

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Brian, 8 Sep 2005 @ 2:08pm

    Re: Removing Dell software.

    You are getting the beeps and locking up because the dell software is still running. First shut down the dell software and then remove it from add/remove. It will remove completely.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Graham, 15 Oct 2005 @ 2:23pm

    Re: Removing Dell software.

    Guys,

    Stopping the software isn't obvious.

    Easiest way is clearly documented by Dell, I just used it, it works:

    http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1092618&l=en&lang id=1&c=us&cs=&s=gen

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    alison kayla bleiweiss, 18 Jan 2006 @ 3:42pm

    jordan claus is a very good cuddle boy

    hi i just wanted to say that my sweet loving and very protective boyfriend jordan claus is a very good cuddle boy wich is another great thing i love about this claus kid.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Apr 2006 @ 7:40pm

    if people are stupid enough to save personal details on any computer with out having the foresight to spend 5-10% of the computer cost on security maybe they deserve what they get

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Alex, 21 Jun 2006 @ 2:23pm

    Dell

    I disagree with several things. 1- Dell have a good support. Here on Mexico they replace the systems or hardware in less than 48 hours. 2- I have 500 dell systems and all my systems have my own XP + apps and Dell provide me support without any issues.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Geo, 16 Dec 2006 @ 10:57am

    It's true

    I have this app on my computer and everything in the article is true. If you have a firewall it will constantly try to connect and will actually shut off your internet forcing you to restart your computer. That's when I decided to try and remove it. Using the add/remove programs to remove it is extremely interesting because the program pushes the cancel button for you causing you to blurt all sorts of interesting profanity and simply using the rightclick-delete will give you a file may be write protected or a file is in use by another program error. Even just deleting the shortcuts off the start menu and pretend it's not there doesn't work because the program will put them back after a time.

    It's a real pieace of work and I'm being nice because there are plenty other four letter words that fit better.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Geo, 16 Dec 2006 @ 11:14am

    Thanks Graham

    Downloading that file from Dell seemed to get rid of it at least for now, if it comes back I'll post again.

    The only thing is, this is just wrong. I shouldn't have to download a file to delete software I don't want. I think the bottom line is - If I can't control, complete control, of what's going on with my PC (in any way) then it's not MY PC it's THEIR PC and that's just BS.

    So therefore I'm sticking to custom building my own PCs from parts that I hand pick, and since this is in actuallity my wife's computer, I'll leave her to torment in DELL :)

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Jeff, 9 May 2007 @ 11:58am

    I found the solution on another board. You have to re-run the installation routine for "Dell Support." You can download it if necessary from Dell. It detects that it is already installed, and gives you the option to Remove it.

    Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    mike, 12 May 2008 @ 6:36am

    Re: Re: Dell better think twice

    no dell is vary bad i had 3 laptops the broke in the year

    [ link to this | view in thread ]


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