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Windows 10 Home Updates To Be Automatic and Mandatory

Posted by Soulskill on from the remind-me-in-4-hours dept.

AmiMoJo sends a report stating that Windows 10 Home users don't seem to have any way to disable automatic updates to the operating system. Throughout the testing of the Technical Preview, users noted that this option wasn't available, but it wasn't clear whether that was intended for the full release. Now that the suspected RTM build has been distributed, only two options are available regarding update installation: update then reboot automatically, or update then reboot manually. A quote from the EULA seems to support this: "The Software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. ... By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice."

The article notes, "This has immediately raised concerns. Today, if a Windows user finds that an update breaks something that they need, they can generally refuse that update for an extended period. ... For Windows 10 Home users, this isn't going to be an option. If a future update breaks something essential, the user is going to be out of luck." Windows 10 Pro users will be able to delay updates for some period of time, and Enterprise users will have update functionality similar to that of Windows 8.

3 of 628 comments (clear)

  1. Secure Boot by tepples · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not if alternatives to Microsoft software are impractical to procure. As of Windows 10 launch, Microsoft is allowing PC makers to lock users into Secure Boot. With this in place, and with trialware allegedly more than subsidizing the cost of a Windows license, I don't see laptop makers other than System76 and Apple caring about anything but Windows.

    1. Re:Secure Boot by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Informative

      Sigh....right click on the computer icon>choose "manage">choose "services"> disable Windows Update Service...tada! You can even control it via Task Scheduler if you want to check on certain days or times.

      Personally I'm waiting until WSUS Offline has Windows 10 support before I think about switching, I have Win 10 on an SSD so I can just pop it in but so far? I'd say its a big "meh" when it comes to the desktop when compared to Windows 7. On laptops, especially those still using HDDs? Its under the hood speed ups make it worth checking out but on a desktop with SSD? It has more irritations like Cortana and the fugly as fuck settings/control panel mess while not really offering any "Wow I have to have that" moments....and who in the fuck thought that those fonts and icons were the way to go? The faded fugly explorer, icons that look worse than KDE 1, I'm telling my customers to wait and see because right now? Really not impressed.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  2. C'mon.... by Rick+Zeman · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...how many average Windows 10 HOME users would know if a patch breaks something so badly and that they would know how not not install it? If it's that bad and ubiquitous, MS will pull the patch. Tech savvier people will be either running a higher version, or know how to work around it.

    This policy is really a non-issue; it's just geared towards the lowest common denominator--of which there are LOTS.