At Microsoft, we're working hard to protect your privacy, while delivering products that bring performance, power, and convenience to your personal computing experience. This privacy statement explains the data collection and use practices of these Windows Vista installation features: Activation, Dial-up Networking, Installation Improvement Program, Dynamic Update, Microsoft Error Reporting Service, Phishing Filter, Windows Defender, and Windows Update. These features send information to and from the Internet when you're installing and setting up Windows Vista. This disclosure does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft websites, products, or services.
For a more comprehensive privacy statement for this software, see the online Windows Vista Privacy Statement at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=52526
Windows Vista contains several Internet-enabled features that collect standard information from your computer ("standard computer information"). Standard computer information generally includes such information as your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address; operating system version; browser version; hardware ID, which indicates the device manufacturer, device name, and version; and your regional and language settings. Some features may collect additional information. The privacy details for each Windows feature listed in this privacy statement will disclose the additional information that is collected and, if the feature sends the information to Microsoft, how it is used.
Information that is collected by or sent to Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country or region in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, or agents maintain facilities. Microsoft abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of data from the European Union. Microsoft may disclose information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Microsoft or the site; (b) protect or defend the rights or property of Microsoft and its family of websites; or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft software or services, or members of the public.
Microsoft occasionally hires other companies to provide limited services on its behalf, such as providing customer support, processing transactions, or performing statistical analysis of reports. Microsoft will provide these companies only the information they need to deliver the services. They are required to maintain the confidentiality of the information and are prohibited from using it for any other purpose.
Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the information that you provide on computer servers that have limited access and that are located in controlled facilities.
If you have questions about this privacy statement, please contact us by submitting your questions online to Privacy Feedback at https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1213&showpage=1&ws=WindowsVista
Or by postal mail:
Windows Vista Privacy Statement for Installation Featuresc/o Microsoft Privacy Response CenterMicrosoft CorporationOne Microsoft WayRedmond, Washington 98052
Activation helps reduce software counterfeiting, thereby helping to ensure that Microsoft customers receive the software quality they expect. Once your software is activated, a specific product key becomes associated with the computer (the hardware) on which your software is installed. This association prevents the product key from being used to activate the same copy of the software on multiple computers as counterfeit software. Some changes to your computer components or the software may require you to reactivate the software.
During activation, product key information is sent to Microsoft along with a hardware hash, which is a non-unique number generated from the computer's hardware configuration. The hardware hash does not represent any personal information or information about the software. The hardware hash cannot be used to determine the make or model of the computer and it cannot be backward calculated to determine any additional information about your computer. Along with standard computer information, some additional language settings are collected.
Microsoft uses the information to confirm that you have a licensed copy of the software, and then it is aggregated for statistical analysis. Microsoft does not use the information to identify you or contact you.
Activation is mandatory and must be completed within a predefined grace period. If you choose not to activate the software, you cannot use it after the grace period expires. If the software is not correctly licensed, you will not be able to activate it.
What this feature does
If you choose to participate in the Installation Improvement Program, the feature sends a single report to Microsoft. The report contains basic information about your computer and how you installed Windows Vista. We use this information to help improve the installation experience and to create solutions to common installation problems.
Information collected, processed, or transmitted
The report generally includes information about your installation and setup experience, such as the date of installation, the time it took for each installation phase to complete, whether the installation was an upgrade or a new installation of the product, version details, operating system language, media type, computer configuration, and success or failure status, along with any error codes.
The report is sent to Microsoft when you are connected to the Internet. This report does not contain contact information such as your name, address, or phone number. A globally unique identifier (GUID) is generated and sent with the report. The GUID is a randomly generated number that uniquely identifies your computer; it does not contain personal information.
Use of information
Microsoft uses the report to improve our software installation experience. We use the GUID to correlate this data with data collected by the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP), a program you can choose to participate in when you are using Windows Vista. This GUID enables us to distinguish how widespread the feedback we receive is and how to prioritize it. For example, the GUID allows Microsoft to distinguish between one customer experiencing a problem 100 times and other customers experiencing the same problem once. Microsoft will not use the information in the report to identify you or contact you.
For more information, about the Customer Experience Improvement Program, see these frequently asked questions online at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=52095
Choice and control
You can choose to participate in this program when you set up Windows Vista.
Dial-up Networking allows you to access the Internet using a dial-up modem and a broadband technology, such as a cable modem and digital subscriber line (DSL). It also allows you to connect to private networks using a virtual private network (VPN) connection and Remote Access Service (RAS). RAS is a component that connects a client computer (typically your computer) to a host computer (also known as a remote access server) using industry standard protocols. VPN technologies allow users to connect to a private network, such as a corporate network, over the Internet while maintaining secured communications.
Dial-up Networking includes dialer components such as RAS Client, Connection Manager, and RAS Phone, as well as command-line dialers like Rasdial.
The dialer components collect information from your computer such as your user name, password, domain name, and phone number. This information is sent to the system that you are attempting to connect with. To help protect your privacy and the security of your computer, security-related information such as your user name and password are encrypted and stored on your computer.
The Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) is a server component that allows administrators to collect information from users on a network. The information that is collected is determined by the administrator. For more information, contact your system or network administrator.
Dialer information is used to help your computer connect to the Internet. For CMAK, the information that is collected is used to create connection profiles, which help administrators deploy and manage connections across a network.
For non-command-line dialers, you can choose to save your password. However, this option is turned off by default, so you may be prompted to provide your password to connect to the Internet or a network. For command-line dialers like Rasdial, there is no option to save your password.
Dynamic Update enables Windows Vista to perform a one-time check with the Microsoft Update website to get the latest updates for your computer while your operating system is being installed. If updates are found, Dynamic Update automatically downloads and installs them so your computer is up to date the first time that you log on or use it.
The types of updates Dynamic Update can download to your computer include:
● Installation updates: Important updates for installation files to help ensure a successful installation
● In-box driver updates: Additional hardware drivers that enable Windows Vista to successfully interact with your computer’s hardware
● Windows updates: Important updates for the version of Windows that you are installing
● Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool updates: Updates for the latest version of this tool which can help remove malicious software such as viruses and worms if it detects them on your computer
To install compatible drivers, Dynamic Update works with Windows Update (see below) to send information to Microsoft about your computer's hardware.
Dynamic Update software reports information about your computer’s hardware to find compatible drivers. For more information about how information collected by Dynamic Update is used, see Windows Update (below).
During Windows Vista setup, you can choose to use Dynamic Update.
Microsoft Error Reporting Service helps Microsoft and Windows partners diagnose problems in the software you use and provide solutions. Not all problems have solutions, but when solutions are available, they are offered as steps to solve a problem you’ve reported or as updates to install. As part of setup and installation, the Microsoft Error Reporting Service sends b...
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