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Windows 10 Upgrades Are Being Forced On Some Users (arstechnica.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the you'll-take-it-and-you'll-like-it dept.

grimmjeeper writes: According to Ars Technica the Windows 10 upgrade option is being selected by default for some users. A dialogue box is appearing that only permits them to reschedule the upgrade process, not cancel it. "For the first year of its availability, Windows 10 is available for free to most Windows 7 and 8 users, and Microsoft has been trying to coax those users to make the switch by delivering the operating system through Windows Update. Until now, the OS has been delivered as an optional update; while Windows Update gives it prominent positioning, it shouldn't be installed automatically. This system has already generated some complaints, as Windows Update will download the sizeable operating system installer even if you don't intend to upgrade any time soon, but, over the last couple of days, the situation seems to have become a little more aggressive. We've received a number of reports that people's systems are not merely downloading the installer but actually starting it up." Update: 10/16 11:35 GMT by S : Microsoft said, "In the recent Windows update, this option was checked as default; this was a mistake and we are removing the check."

4 of 374 comments (clear)

  1. Heck of a Mistake! by geek111 · · Score: 5, Informative

    From the article - 'In the recent Windows update, this option was checked as default; this was a mistake and we are removing the check.'

    That is one heck of a mistake!!!

  2. Annoying, horrible and badly thought out by wilhil6128 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I support quite a few companies and Microsoft have created so much hassle for me recently with this, we now try to block these updates from happening, but, like most people, the first wave caught us off guard. Windows 10 is not compatible with 2nd gen i3/i5/i7 processors with internal graphics - it causes many BSOD and various system problems after about 30-90 minutes usage. Intel have not to date released a driver upgrade. Microsoft does not block these systems from upgrading to Windows 10.

  3. Re:Serves you right... by chipschap · · Score: 5, Informative

    I did that (hide the Windows 10 install update). Guess what? When I "check for updates" it's back, and selected by default. What are also back are the other updates I've hidden that backport telemetry to Windows 8.1 (although they at least aren't force-selected for install). Hiding does no good.

    I have Windows 8.1 on a partition for use when I absolutely can't avoid doing something under Windows (thankfully not often). Otherwise I never even touch that steaming pile and run off my Linux partition, where I can get work done without having to watch my back, not just for hackers, but to protect myself from the vendor that wants our trust and does everything possible to lose it.

  4. Re:Time to turn of automatic updates! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Type the following in a text file:

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Gwx]
    "DisableGwx"=dword:00000001

    Save it on your desktop with the extension '.reg'. Then right-click it, 'Run as administrator', and if necessary confirm that yes, you do want to make changes to your machine.

    Tada, no more Windows 10 nagware.