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Microsoft Is Downloading Windows 10 Without Asking

Posted by timothy on from the just-to-get-ready dept.

New submitter christhedj writes with a story at The Inquirer, according to which: Microsoft, having learned nothing from Apple and the U2 album, have started downloading Windows 10 as part of Patch Tuesday for Windows 7 and 8 users. For people on a 32GB flash drive tablet, that's a big chunk of space taken up with something that they didn't ask for. Microsoft admits to doing this, but users are not happy. Way to look needy, Microsoft.

29 of 867 comments (clear)

  1. That was easy by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I was still on the fence about whether to stick to Windows 7 or upgrade to Windows 10. This just made my decision for me. Looks like I'll probably make the jump to Linux in a few years depending on how well they've got games running on Linux( since that is the only thing keeping me on Windows anyway).

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:That was easy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      and another empty threat. you'll be on windows 10 in a few years, you'll see.

    2. Re:That was easy by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      and another empty threat. you'll be on windows 10 in a few years, you'll see.

      Probably not. Like I said, I'm really only still on Windows because of games, and with me essentially "growing up" (married, work 8-4 M-F and 1 weekend a month, planning to have kids next year) chances are in a few years I will hardly be playing games anymore anyway. At that point there is nothing left tying me to Windows.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    3. Re:That was easy by jandrese · · Score: 5, Interesting

      You might be surprised at how healthy gaming is becoming on Linux. The Linux Steam client is helping a lot. I've been playing through Torchlight II and Bioshock Infinite (my backlog is kind of long at this point) on Linux and they just work. No mess no fuss just launch them from Steam and play. In my Steam catalog maybe half of the games are playable on the Linux side, and admittedly the Linux list is heavily weighted towards indie titles, but Steambox has been convincing some of the big name publishers to put in the relatively minimal amount of effort necessary for Linux support.

      A lot of it comes down to the engines too. If you build on Unity then Linux support is a no brainer. If you build on Unreal then you probably won't have Linux support, but even that is changing as engine developers are adding Linux build options now.

      That said, some big name titles are not getting native Linux versions in the foreseeable future. If you want to play GTAV you need a Windows machine, or really a console because the PC port was so halfassed to begin with. Generally if the Windows version of a game is barely functional they won't have a Linux version either. An exception is apparently Arkham Knight, which had a terribad PC port but somehow is still going to make it to Linux this fall apparently.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    4. Re:That was easy by jandrese · · Score: 5, Informative

      You buy games, not versions of games on Steam. So if there is a Linux or Mac install of a game you bought on Windows, it automatically appears in your list on the other platforms. Surprisingly, Steam's cloud saves generally work cross platform as well, so you can start a game on Windows and then finish it on Linux, or play a round on the Mac and then go back to your Linux box.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    5. Re:That was easy by tepples · · Score: 4, Insightful

      At that point there is nothing left tying me to Windows.

      Other than Linux failing to suspend and resume correctly on a laptop.

    6. Re:That was easy by LVSlushdat · · Score: 4, Informative

      When you have an SSD that boots Linux in less than 20 seconds, who the hell *cares* if it doesn't hibernate correctly.. I run Kubuntu 14.04 on a Dell Precision M4400 and haven't EVER hibernated it, as a cold boot is fast enough to not give a shit if hibernation works or doesn't work...

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    7. Re:That was easy by Idarubicin · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When you have an SSD that boots Linux in less than 20 seconds, who the hell *cares* if it doesn't hibernate correctly.

      Presumably people working on multiple documents and/or in multiple applications who don't want to have to restart those applications, reopen their files, and rearrange their windows every time they go from home to office. (Or office to train. Or living room to desk. Or whatever.)

      --
      ~Idarubicin
    8. Re:That was easy by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      yeah, 'saving state' is such an old and outdated concept. I mean, why would we want to checkpoint the status of lots of open files, open browser windows, edits that are not ready to be commited or saved but you don't want to close the file, either. even the cursor position is important to be saved; its all part of 'state'.

      but go ahead an argue that saving your status is worthless. in fact, maybe you like to just be forced to logoff and reboot every few hours? hmmm? sound good to you?

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    9. Re:That was easy by mnooning · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You will be much better off waiting a year till the Windows 10 bugs are worked out.

      I upgraded to Windows 10 five days ago on one of my Dell GX960 Core 2 Duo machines. Windows 10 will *NOT* drive the HP LP2475w monitor that was working fine with Windows 7 at the recommended native resolution. The lowered resolution it will drive it at is distorted. I had to replace the machine with a different Windows 7 machine. I do not have any monitors smaller than 24 inch, and I do not have any Windows 7 disks, so I sat the trial GX960 on a shelf for now.

    10. Re:That was easy by squiggleslash · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Probably worth noting that Windows 10 seems to have apps "disappear" and need restarting on an hourly basis, and that's with light load. "Mail" seems to be the worst.

      Also - automatic reboots. If there's one thing worse than having to shut down your power-compromised laptop, and then restart it when you're ready to use it again, it's having the device reboot all by itself and lose much of what you've done in the process.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    11. Re:That was easy by chipschap · · Score: 4, Informative

      I know this has been a problem with Linux on some laptops. I've experienced it, too. But I've been able to get it working on three different laptops (the number of laptops I've owned in my lifetime) with some effort. Yes, you may say, it should "just work" --- and that's right.

      (Does it "just work" on Windows? I honestly don't know, I haven't tried.)

      But it is not a fatal failing and can be made to work. Linux offers more than one method of hibernation, and actually, the biggest problem for me has been difficulty recovering the wireless networking after hibernation. But I've been able to work around that, too.

  2. Arrogance? by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is way beyond arrogance, this is tantamount to installing malware on my computer. So now I have to go through all my windows machines checking and uninstalling "patches" for... ever?

    1. Re:Arrogance? by red+crab · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's just tantamount to installing an upgraded version of malware that is already running on your system. Not that bad.

    2. Re:Arrogance? by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Good luck figuring out which ones are safe to install.

      Microsoft has promoted them to the point where they show as "Important" and claim to be for the stability of the OS. Unless you literally check every patch on the web to figure out if it isn't related to Windows 10 it's almost impossible.

      They're going to shove this turd up people's asses no matter what it takes.

      Apparently this is how Microsoft envisions the future ... sending a big "fuck you" to their customers and telling them they don't have a choice in how Microsoft runs things, and are re-defining who actually owns the machine.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    3. Re:Arrogance? by LVSlushdat · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If you're already using 7 or 8/8.1, you're getting the same "telemetry" crap shoved down your throat, unless you take the time to research and remove those "updates" doing this bullshit, and THEN you have to trust MS to NOT put them back despite your removal/hiding them.. "Trust" and "Microsoft" are two words that have NO business together.. And if you think *this* is "way beyond arrogance" wait till you actually RUN Windows 10.. To defang/castrate it from all of the spyware "features", you have to visit regedit, gpedit.msc, to disable/remove this sewage.. Even after alledgedly disabling some of the worst of the lot, namely Cortana, you *still* have a Cortana process running, that cannot be killed... I'm a retired Windows support tech/network admin who retired in 2010, and moved all of my home systems to Linux in 2011. I've installed/tested Windows 10 on a spare "burner" machine simply to be familiar with it when friends/neighbors ask me about it or want me to help them with it, when it inevitably pukes its guts.. I used/supported Windows from Windows 3.11 (1991) to XP/Windows 7 (2010) and I'm DONE with any Microsoft product and thats my advice to anyone who asks.. Those who continue to use Windows are now members of the largest botnet in history. sending ALL of your business to Microsoft... I might as well go ahead and say it "FUCK YOU MICROSOFT!"

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    4. Re:Arrogance? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's worse than that. Microsoft has also decided that they're going to stop posting details about patches. Check out the patch notes for Windows 10 updates (like KB3081452) and all you'll get, and I'm quoting verbatim for that update, is:

      August 27, 2015, compatibility update for upgrading to Windows 10

      Summary
      This update makes improvements to ease the upgrade experience to Windows 10.

      What does that mean? Not a clue. But that's the entirety of the upgrade notes. Everything else is instructions on installing the patch. What does it fix? Does it add new "telemetrics?" Does it fix any bugs? Microsoft won't say!

      Windows 10 is without a doubt the worst version of Windows since Windows ME. If you thought Windows 8 was bad, just wait until you try Windows 10! Explorer locks up constantly, breaking the Start menu and the desktop. The Nvidia drivers are the most unstable thing ever, and have only recently been fixed to the point where they just get restarted constantly rather than hard-locking the OS constantly. The Start menu search is now broken and finds a random subset of the installed programs. Cortana search will "find" documents on your computer ... but then not provide any way to open them. Windows 10 "tablet" mode provides no method of opening the software keyboard while "desktop" mode does.

      Windows 10 is just completely, hilariously broken, to the point that Windows 8 seems amazing by comparison.

  3. Waiting for it to update without prompting by mark-t · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If this is running as part of regular Windows Update, I'm curious to know whether or not this is going to just start installing the update to windows 10 without asking the user at some point.

    That will be *VERY* interesting....

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    1. Re:Waiting for it to update without prompting by houghi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why not? Because they will be punished. Oh, wait. They won't. Fined? Nope. Loosing more customers than they gain? Nope.

      In fact what would be the reason from their point of view for NOT doing it compared to doing it. They gain more by doing it and so they do it. Simple.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  4. Data Plan Blew Up by coop247 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My in-laws live in middle of nowhere Pennsylvania and had tried HughesNet for a few years but didn't like it. I told them to get one of the little wireless routers from Verizon, and they easily keep under their 2Gb limit.

    Last month she's calling me wondering how in the world she could have gone over her limit, and how they are going to charge her $30 and this and that. After some investigation, turns out it was Win10 downloading.

    Yeah, thats some shit right there.

    --
    //TODO: Insert catchy phrase
    1. Re:Data Plan Blew Up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Same thing happened to me. I don't game or stream and am just a poor college dude, so I just tether my laptop to my phone for internet. I blew over my cap because of this. If I had known about it or had the option to delay, I would have gone to a wifi hotspot for the update. Microsoft really must have their head so far up their collective asses to not consider there might be any reason to give users a choice on if and when they download Windows 10. It just goes to show how Microsoft is out of touch with how people are actually using computers... "gee I have high speed internet at home so everyone else must have it too!".

  5. Metered connections ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What about when you are on a metered connection (such as mobile broadband) ?

    This could cost you a fortune. Any chance Microsoft could be held liable for their customers communication costs ?

  6. We'll be here to help by raymorris · · Score: 5, Interesting

    > Looks like I'll probably make the jump to Linux in a few years

    Those of us who have been Microsoft-free for decades will be here to help whenever you're ready. Only if you're a Windows expert, they'll be a little bit of a learning a learning curve. For example, if you edit the registry manually on a regular basis, there's no registry on Linux. If you DON'T delve into the internals of the OS, you may hardly notice the difference, other than that you don't have to worry about software license keys anymore.

    My main tip to make transitioning simple:
    Don't ask "how do I run [brand name of software] on Linux?"
    Instead I ask, "How do I [accomplish task] on Linux?"
    As an example, it's much easier to do basic and moderate photo editing in Gimp than it is to buy Photoshop and get it running on Linux.

  7. Been doing this for few weeks now by X.25 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I had to travel recently, so I took a laptop with clean Windows 8.1 Pro install.

    At my destination, I've purchased a SIM (they only had 1GB data packages) and put it into the 3G/wifi router I carry.

    I powered the laptop, connected to Internet via said router, checked few things, then went away for few hours.

    When I got back to apartment, my data package (and Internet connectivity) was killed because Microsoft idiots decided to start downloading Windows 10 even though I have explicitly closed/rejected all the 'offers'.

    Those retards did not take into account the possibility that not everyone running Windows is on unlimited broadband data package. Great planning there.

    At home I did a plain install of 8.1 on another computer, and same thing happened - even though I explicitly rejected everything related to Windows 10, idiots made it so download starts anyway. I had to 'hide' the Windows 10 in Windows Update in order to stop it from being downloaded.

    1. Re:Been doing this for few weeks now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      You're "supposed" to set the connection as "metered" which will prevent Windows from downloading any updates at all. (Or at least it's supposed to. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it turns out that it doesn't.)

      Not surprisingly, while marking a connection as "metered" in Windows 8 is trivial (right click on the network and choose "set as metered"), it's nearly impossible to do it under Windows 10. You have to go to Settings, Network Connections, Advanced Options, and then there's a "metered" option hiding somewhere in those options.

      Of course, if you're using Windows 7, you're screwed. The "metered" setting is a new Windows 8 feature, and can't be done in Windows 7.

  8. 1-800-sue-em by ThatsNotPudding · · Score: 5, Insightful

    She will be a perfect, unassailable test case in the airtight class action lawsuit Data Cap Victims v Microsoft Corporation.

  9. Re: Why do they need to? by monkeyzoo · · Score: 4, Informative

    2 of the 4 KBs are not be displayed :P so it is impossible to uninstall them...

    Can anyone provide more info on this?
    Is it true? The list of KBs I know to avoid are:

    KB3022345 - Created a new Windows service called the Diagnostics Tracking service. (RETRACTED)
    KB3068708 - Update to 3022345.
    KB3075249 - Enhanced the User Account Control (UAC) feature to enable it to collect more information from the elevation prompts.
    KB3080149 - Update to 3022345/3068708.

    But it's true I tried to uninstall them and only saw 2 to uninstall and hide. I thought however that it was because some were updates/replacements of previous ones.

  10. Why I never accept security updates by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Informative

    One time, years ago, I got a new laptop and deferred accepting the "security update" for over a month while I learned the details of my new laptop and new Win XP OS. When I did accept the security update I could no longer access the Internet from Linux. This was particularly strange since I was running Linux from a Knoppix Live CD, and I even confirmed that the CD had not changed (both by checking the md5 and by making another CD). What I eventually tracked down was that the "security update" had changed the EEPROM on my built-in NIC so that it wouldn't work properly under Linux any more (all modern NICs use EEPROM to store information including the MAC address). Windows bypassed what was done and it could still access the Internet.

    As Windows is that only malware that successfully has been able to do damage to any of my computers that I couldn't undo, I no longer allow Windows to do the automatic updates. Some say that I'm foolish. This article indicates otherwise.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  11. Microsoft Has to do this.. by Striikerr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Microsoft has to do this in order to boost figures which they spread around via marketing. Look how many times Windows 10 has been downloaded by users! Have a look at THIS headline as proof..
    The Appeal of Free: 75 Million Users Download Windows 10 in First Month

    Obviously the intent here is to inflate their numbers and make the deployment look better than it really is. While I have no doubt that many are taking advantage of the free upgrade option (which apparently expires in a year or so), not all who download are going to install (shoveling the upgrade onto systems) or stick with it.