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Windows pc calling home (even while asleep)
(lemmy.dbzer0.com)
I have a network-wide pi hole and I noticed that it requested activity.windows.com, a url blocked by my pi hole, even while my pc is suspended. I pinged 10.0.0.217 and it is currently unreachable. So, somehow, windows pc’s turn on networking, phones home, and turns off even while suspended.
Creepy behavior
That is because recent laptops don't "sleep" like before with s4 (hybernate) or other sx.
They have some sort of tucking clock waiting for windows to wake up to check for updates.
In theory it allows to keep everything up to date while people are not working.
However un proactice, it drains battery and overheats laptops, because Microsoft implemented that feature like crap, or the partners did some stupid things.
It was supposed to only activate when the laptop was plugged in. However if the laptop was plugged in, put on sleep, then unplugged, windows still believed that the laptop was plugged in.
Now I don't know if windows ever solved that issue after people brought it up and Linus from Linus tech tips complained to Microsoft.