The cloud

[Burgerman]

I dont use it. Fortunately. Microsoft have a major outage for some hours already with cloud services in several countries down, and many major banks, TV channels, airlines and computers across the world. Cash machines, supermarket tills, petrol stations, etc and computers shutting down, and for those using legal software many of these dont work across the world as they go online to check if they are registered/activated etc. And many anti virus programs across the world hang, and cause blue screens aparently! I dont have anti virus either.

Fortunately non of that affects me. As all my software isnt strictly legit, and I wouldnt use the cloud if you paid me. The cloud and online services as well as digital money isnt reliable. Use cash, keep all your own data on your own drives, and dont register for anything that you depend on online.

Check TV news if its working where you are! See what isnt working. The cloud... Someone elses computer.

Added. Most of the trains are now not running in UK either. Great this cloud lark.

[Burgerman]

Microsoft dont know whats caused this yet. But theres blue screens all over too. So it MAY be an errant update that crashes some PCs. But anything running office 365 which is every business will be having issues. As that needs the MS Cloud to check its legitimacy. And othr 3rd party software thas cloud based too.
These will think you are running them illegally. (Unless you have "fixed" versions...)

Fortunately and one of the reasons I and a few others here use LTSC IoT versions of windows is because it only does security updates. And only after the same patch has been sent out to normal windows to test it, to be sure its safe. And zero feature or version number updates. So this sort of thing shouldnt affect LTSC IoT. 10 or 11. Or the office 2024 if you got it from a link on here.

But your bank, bus, train may not be running. All US airlines like American etc are all grounded. That includes overseas flight ones. And now rianair too!

EDIT now many GLOBAL airlines grounded. Sound like lots of mayhem because businesses rely on other peoples computers... Microsofts ones this time.
My TSB bank is offline.
Got a TXT message that my new 4TB ssd that should be delivered today now wont be. IT problems apparently. So Amazon deliveries too!

[LROBBINS]

The outage was attributed to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm whose software is used by scores of industries around the world to protect against hackers and outside breaches. A software update issued by CrowdStrike appeared to be at the root of problem, resulting in crashes of machines running Microsoft Windows operating system.

[Burgerman]

Well I never heard of crowdstrike. But I dont use or need any antivirus myself. I run one now and again to check but dont need a real time one.

But there appears to be 2 problems. The crowdstrike antivirus causing crashes. Across al windows based machines that run that.
And the Microsoft cloud servers that are used by every modern microsoft software for activation status, the microsoft accounts, cloud computing such as office etc, even non microsoft stuff such as adobe. Countless IT system such as the NHS and airlines, banks etc.

These microsoft cloud servers though dont use crowdstrike - at least I wouldnt expect them to do so. They all apparently use MS Server which has MS own anti virus and firewalls etc built in. And amazingly they use linux servers too. At least they rent them in some countries. How do I know? Been reading how their servers work. Linux ones are down too. And that crowdstrike thing isnt a problem on linux, not even sure its available for it.

So 2 seperate issues by the look of it.

But my bank is now working. So was down about 5 hours. Flights are cancelled 24 hours. FAA in the US decided that. Some like Ryanair have no choice nothing is working... Petrol station where my carer went this morning not selling fuel. No we connected computers and so nobody can pay.

Seems down for a long time. Airlines and banks in australia down too according to news.

[LROBBINS]

Cloudstrike is not an anti-virus, but a threat discovery service used by Microsoft and many, perhaps most, major computing outfits. It's not running on the users machines, but a bug in an update corrupted a huge number of servers running under Windows.

[martin007]

I don't use the cloud.
I'm distrust of what is beyond my control.
I have my own cloud on two SSD disks.



P.S. People say I'm weird.

[Burgerman]

I too have my own cloud. But not just 2 ssd's. I connect vis secure VPN from any of my laptops at home or while out and about, and with my camera etc to my Desktop PC. It is my main storage, and anything that needs real computing power or real storage is done on that. Even if I am actually using my laptop. Because those things dont have enough storage or access to all my files, movies, software etc. And because if say movie editing they also dont have the horsepower needed to so it.

[LROBBINS]

A more certain protection than LTSC from this kind of snafu: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/07/20/179242/southwest-airlines-avoids-cloudstrike-issues---thanks-to-windows-31

[martin007]

Windows 3.1
It seems to be a joke...

[Burgerman]

I still have customers using a automotive dynamometer software that was originally written to run on DOS 6.22 and those are STILL working! Why? Because its better. Windows isnt a real time operating system. So when it comes to timing a rotating drum with huge accuracy you get problems. Theres ways to do it. But DOS works better. Also... NO computer that is used for anything critical should ever be connected to the internet or even a network. Ever.

But they do. Then when something bad happens they all look baffled. Are these people stupid?

[martin007]

There are stupid people and smart people.
Such people are not distinguishable by the naked eye.

[Burgerman]

Most of them have a liberal or labour or green rosette on them at election time.