Slashdot Mirror
'Get Windows 10' Turns Itself On and Nags Win 7 and 8.1 Users Twice a Day (infoworld.com)
LichtSpektren writes: As you may recall, Microsoft has delivered KB3035583 as a 'recommended update' to users of Windows 7 and 8.1. What this update does is install GWX ("Get Windows 10"), a program which diagnoses the system to see if it is eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10, and if so, asks the user if they would like to upgrade (though recently, the option to decline has been removed). Some users have gotten around this by editing Windows Registry values for "AllowOSUpgrade", "DisableOSUpgrade", "DisableGWX", and "ReservationsAllowed" in order to disable the prompt altogether. This advice was endorsed by Microsoft on their support forums.
According to a report by Woody Leonhard at InfoWorld, the newest version of the KB3035583 update includes a background process which scans the system's Windows Registry twice a day to see if the values for the four aforementioned registry inputs were manually edited to disable the upgrade prompt. If they were, the process will alter the values, silently re-download the Windows 10 installation files (about 6 GB in total), and prompt the user to upgrade.
According to a report by Woody Leonhard at InfoWorld, the newest version of the KB3035583 update includes a background process which scans the system's Windows Registry twice a day to see if the values for the four aforementioned registry inputs were manually edited to disable the upgrade prompt. If they were, the process will alter the values, silently re-download the Windows 10 installation files (about 6 GB in total), and prompt the user to upgrade.
This is so damn annoying. I tried Windows 10 and reverted within a day or so. On two different machines.
So, just uninstall that update?
This would be fine, if it actually worked. The Win 10 upgrade doesn't work on my system, for no other reason other than I converted from Spinning drive to SSD drive. The Win 10 Upgrade borks about half way through the install.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
Seriously, people, why would anyone tolerate this bullshit? It's being made amply clear that Microsoft doesn't give a good goddamn what you, the end user, actually wants to do, doesn't respect the fact that your computer is your property and not theirs, and is just pushing their way through to do whatever the hell they want. How is this even legal? Why is there not a massive lawsuit against Microsoft at this point? How is it that they think they have the right to shove Windows 10 down everyone's throat?
I have a Home Theater with a CableCARD and NEED Windows Media Center for it to work. They removed Media Center from Windows 10. If they add it back in I'd be glad to upgrade. Otherwise, they give me no other option and they can go cry in the corner.
-SaNo
This is the single worst thing Microsoft has ever done in my book. Basically, they are trying to gain control over every Windows PC out there. And it's not going to be optional if they have their way. Forcing you to download 5 GB of undesired files is just the beginning. Once you're locked in to Win10, all your data is theirs. They are transforming the desktop PC into a locked-down glorified cell phone.
Fiat Lux.
Sometimes what turns one person on, turns others off...
Dear Microsoft: I think we should break up.
I uninstalled update KB3035583 and blocked it when MS first sent it out several months ago. Then when I installed the last batch of patches in December it installed KB3035583 anyway. Before Windows 10 was released I was looking forward to it as Windows 8 done right. I was a little concerned about the rolling release approach, but was cautiously optimistic. But given their heavy handed approach on forcing windows 10 on people, and all the spyware included in it, they have destroyed any goodwill and trust they built up in recent years. Trust they need if they expect people to buy into their new software-as-a-service approach. My wife's next laptop will be running Linux or Mac OS X, which is not a big deal as she has used both in the past.
Try GWX Control Panel to disable GWX and OS updates entirely:
http://ultimateoutsider.com/do...
Also Spybot Anti-Beacon which disables telemetry:
https://www.safer-networking.o...
It works perfectly for me on Windows 7. And yes I know that all of what it does can be done manualy but these tools do their job and work well so why bother...
With the way Microsoft was progressing it seemed only a matter of time before they started actually forcing users to upgrade. Looks like we're very close to that point.
Ok, no matter what this is just frigging insane. I know for progress and what not proprietary has some better video card support and yadda yadda and I am running Windows 10 because of that.. but what the fuck. Been with Linux for 17 years and run it at work on every server I touch, as well as in vmware on my main desktop workstation, but this is making me want to inch ever so closer to full desktop Linux only. There is not a care in the world with companies about consumer opinion anymore and that means we are going to be SOL in the future if we keep choosing this path.
Did you forget the sarcasm tag? (If not, no media center, background data bullshit, ads in my start menu by default, etc)
-SaNo
You can totally disclaim any responsibility for anything done with your computer because you do not have command and control of it. Everything is obviously Microsoft's doing
I use Enterprise, which doesn't do any of this crap.
After the first round of this nonsense, I found the GWX Control panel, which claims to disable the nagware. It also monitors Windows Update and alerts you when its settings are changed to 'install automatically'.
I normally install updates once a week, so we'll see what happens in a few days.
I have run several upgrades with Windows 10, and have noticed that there are a multitude of registry entries as well as components the upgrade will break in the process. A good example of what I experienced after an upgrade was when i a fully upgrade Windows 10 Professional installation, and you attempt to change the lock screen background, and it does nothing. My recommendation is that if you are going to upgrade to Windows 10 backup your data, and do a clean install instead. this will save you a lot of headache in the long run.
For those who use Windows 7, and do not wish to upgrade; make sure all other updates outside of KB3035583 are installed then disable Windows Updates.
I don't have a problem with Windows 10. Overall I like it, much better than 8, and clearly more "futuristic" than 7. Free is a great price.
I am also very impressed with the "new" Microsoft under Satya Nadella. The company has done things I'd NEVER imagined they'd do, GOOD things...SMART things. Windows 10 being FREE was one of those things. There have been a few rocky issues, some high-profile like the Live One Drive storage space snafu. But overall, I've been impressed. The open source initiatives are just mind-blowing coming from Microsoft.
But this thing RIGHT HERE... THIS has been a fucking mess. Abject "What the fuck??" failure. First of all, people have stuff to get done, and small businesses often work on cycles. This thing is happening RIGHT IN THE SMACK MIDDLE of Tax Season in the US. Any idea how rickety the software that runs tax prep is? Trust me, this stuff isn't Win7 material. There are A LOT of small, independent tax preparers in the US. A LOT. And they all use Windows. And they're all getting nagged like crazy right now. I know, I'm getting the calls. They're not the only ones. QuickBooks Pro users, CRM users, and the list goes on. They can't afford this, not now, and they're not on Windows Home...they PAID for a Pro product to support OTHER "pro" software which is more important to their income stream.
It is bigger than that, even. Because Microsoft is nagging people running Win7 with hardware that just maybe SHOULD NOT be on Win 10. Core Duo CPUs, Intel Chipsets without driver support. And there is no opt out. No way to even say, "Hey, thanks for the offer Microsoft, but I'm just going to let this hardware which is running just fine on Win7 die with Win7." There is NO WARNING that Win10 will be incompatible with networking and wireless drivers, so that users' laptops will disconnect from the network after sleeping EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. There are NO WARNINGS that touchpads won't have similar levels of driver support, so people used to touch-tapping and driver-cobbled 2-finger dragging lose that. Nope. Nothing. And no way to simply say "This equipment just isn't ready and probably never will be...thanks, but please stop nagging me." And those aren't from little know vendors, mind you, that's from Intel! Synaptics! Broadcom!
And worst: Microsoft is pushing this upgrade onto sometimes ancient hardware, the gross majority of which on the backs of 5-year-old 5400rpm spinning platters from the sub-terabyte generation, WHICH HAS NEVER, EVER--NOT ONCE--been backed up. Suuuure, you get that 30-day restore Window. Yeeeeeaaaaaah. Good luck with that. More spinning and intensive read/writing to sectors never tested or touched.
So, WHAT THE FUCK, Mr. Nadella? Why? Just let users, especially Windows Pro users on older hardware, have a reprieve. Make it a year. Make it two. I don't care. But YOUR CUSTOMERS need the option to permanently stop the incessant nagging. You owe them THAT MUCH RESPECT for their business.
Scott
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
All this does is make more folks switch off their automatic windows updates.
I used to be a big fan of the Xbox. But then MS spent several years making one amazingly awful choice after another. They continued for years to insist that users have Xbox Gold to even watch Netflix (long after every other platform allowed it for free). They debuted the Xbox One with the promise that it wouldn't be about gaming but would instead be focused instead on a really kludgy TV overlay that no one gave a flying fuck about. They tried to force everyone buy a kinect with its creepy always-on mic. They tried to kill off used games sales. It's like they wanted to do everything they possibly could to turn every hardcore Xbox fanboy into a PS4 owner.
Sometimes I think the leadership at MS just sits around all day thinking of new ways to fuck themselves. And not "fuck themselves" in a "Maybe I can wrap a belt around my neck and choke myself when I cum!" good kind of way. It's more of a "How can we personally insult and spit on every single customer we have?" kind of way.
SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
Is there a way to set Windows 7 so that it's not eligible for upgrade?
Or possibly to make it think that the hardware is incompatible with Windows 10?
Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
Because it spies on all your shit.
Although admittedly they're doing their best to retroactively add that feature to the older versions people are staying on for this exact reason.
Maybe I could find somebody who would surgically remove my lungs FOR FREE!!! but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
MS gets away with this because it's in the EULA. So then, just put a similar agreement, *by running this software, you agree...*, into the attack on your machine.
There are no backdoors in Windows... no no no...
Some people are outraged, but there's also a lot of comments to the effect of "so what" and "stop being a geezer and just update already". Thoroughly disturbing. Imagine if you told your dentist that you didn't really want your cavity fixed right now, and in response he said "Sure, no problem", proceeded to anesthetize you, do the surgery, leave you the bill, and threaten to detonate a grenade in your mouth if you disputed the bill.
Just. Use. Linux :)
aaaaaaa
.
How many times does a Microsoft customer have to actively stop Microsoft from hijacking the PC for its own nefarious purposes?
At this point, I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is no longer just asking if its customers want Windows 10. I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is trying to trick its customers into installing Windows 10 via a never ending string of pop-up questions and misleading dialog boxes.
I've also come to the conclusion that I no longer want to do business with a company that treats its customs in this manner.
There's a script here but I do it more or less manually:
"Script for Win 7/8 to block all telemetry updates and Windows 10 upgrade components"
https://voat.co/v/technology/comments/459263
Everyone knows that all even-numbered Windows versions are rubbish. I was toying with the idea of installing Windows 10, on the basis that it is in reality Windows 9. But now I understand clearly the reason Microsoft skipped 9 and went straight to 10. I shall now resist the install to the utmost.
Prove anything by multiplying Huge Number times Tiny Number
Not since Shiah LeBouf barking "DO IT!" at the top of his lungs has such a relentless campaign been launched to drag windows users kicking and screaming into Microsoft Windows 10 appstore talking start bar moneytrain edition. As a member of the system administration community, allow me to expound upon the very many upgrade paths users should consider.
Embedded: expect 32,768 unacknowleded and largely invisible notification windows for that CNC lathe or medical diagnostic machine to suddenly disappear. Once your ephemeral and wholly unverifiable upgrade is complete, the vendor will notify you of your lapsed contract, and you will have either declared chapter 11 for a manufacturing facility, or botched a heart transplant.
laptop: a crescendo of fan noise and flashing lights will be followed by an undulating windows icon for the remainder of the physical life of the machine. Use this undulating logo as a night light on your way to the toilet, or keep it around for the cat to play with.
desktop: unfortunately due to an oversight in the upgrade process, the system erroneously prompts you to upgrade to Windows 10. You should disregard this notice and instead, upgrade to a distribution of Linux.
Good people go to bed earlier.
So now Microsoft is stooping to vandalizing consumer electronics?
The number of people who will upgrade, in response to the nagging, is greater than the number of people who will abandon Microsoft in response to the nagging.
Or at least, so Microsoft believes. And maybe they are right. But all they care about is maximizing their profits. They do not care about harming some of their customers (which this will do), so long as such harm doesn't hit their profits harder than the gain from the push.
Microsoft doesn't care in the slightest if every customer hates them with a passion. They only care about whether or not they can make money. Making money off teeming masses of enraged users is perfectly fine with them...because they are making money.
After using Windows 10 on my work computer for a few months I was pretty happy with it - it seemed like the worst parts of 8 had been fixed and many UI improvements were made - multiple desktops, a taskbar that is duplicated on additional monitors etc. I was planning on updating my home computer with 10, but held off, so it's still running 8.1 which I finally have mostly gotten used to. Strangely, I haven't been bothered at all to upgrade to 10 on my home computer, though both of my wife's computers are telling her to upgrade from 7. If MS is forcing a 6GB download in the background, that might explain the odd slow speeds I have seen occasionally, and it's definitely a bad move by MS, but I'd say that the alternative is Linux, or live with the nags. Still better than apple!
Disabled auto-updates and uninstalled the Win10 ones months ago. My system isn't nagging me about Windows 10.
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
Sure MS would endorse the registry "fix" as they could've, and have, easily circumvent it. I never have bothered to remove the KB update, just booted from a Linux LiveCD and changed the name of the GWX executable so it never runs. Problem solved.
And people wonder why I turned off updates earlier last year. When (or if) I decide to check I will research each one before applying. Windows 7 is my last Microsoft OS and I will just give up anything I use that does not have a native Linux version or runs under WINE. My response in summary is not only NO, but HELL NO.
I need help turning off the update and won't settle for anything else. They will help me or hang up on me. Who's with me?
Folks, in my experience with M$ Window$ they have become aggressive to collecting data without our permissions to unacceptable levels. For those are hard core gamers and are not preprepared make MS feels their error by no longer using their "possessed" OS do the following: 1. Disable the "Windows Update" Service in services. This is the ONLY way stop MS windows from pushing their stuff on your computer without your permissions. If you need to install updates on Windows 7 research them before you install them. Otherwise you are better off installing a 3rd party firewall and an updated antivirus/maleware software. yes, there have been vunlerabilities found in antivirus/maleware products, and some spyware is whitelisted but it's better than an OS installing what is basically spyware or worse, updating components to the point you cannot remove the spyware. 2. Install a 3rd Party firewall. (not rely on Ms Windows firewall: if you can't trust the updates, how you can you trust their firewall). PrivacyFirewall has done well for me. You can uninstall the updates. I read that Windows 10 won't even describe what their updates do any more except to say "new features & enhancements"; creepy!. Haven't we all had enough? Of course the best thing to do is to use either Linux (Linux Mint is the most user friendly so far, but I also like Debian or Scientific Linux). Unless you are a gamer, or doing insanely complex spreadsheet tables, there is nothing on MS Windows you cannot do in Linux. Professional quality Word Processor: Free, LibreOffice 5.0 works very well. Email client: Most of use use Thunderbird anyway. Browsers: We all tend to use Chrome or Firefox anyway (I highly recommend the new Vivaldi browser, FAST!!). Multimedia for DVD/CD: Free VLC. AND....not region encoding enforcement and you can make backup copies (own the media, please I'm not endorsing piracy). So you can play your disks from the UK with nothing in your way. And...so spyware trying to install itself. I have noticed the CentOS update model is a little vague at time but you can check it or disable it. The need for Linux Antivirus is less (like mac) but there are viruses out there. F-Secure, ESet and Codomo has antivirus products for Linux. Oh, Itunes...humph.... RhythmBox does the job better in my opinion. Oh, there are WAY more games (including AAA games) for linux now, just not as many, but if more people switch that too will change. Yes you can also go to Apple. (although I suspect they will play their own games with collecting user data eventually) Anyway, point is, the only way MS is going to stop this is if we stop using them. The WGA was a test to see if we'd "take it up the butt" and most people did, so they want "full throttle". I'm kind of allergic of an OS that hijacks itself.So...vote with your minds, your hearts and your dollars. Otherwise things will get worse in this are, not better. I've had young kids from my classes use Linux Minx and they didn't even blink. One kid told me she was way happier with it because it was stable and faster. So usability is no longer holding people back from Linux (x-windows+ manager installed anyway). We have options, let's use them!
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
So where the F*** is the anti-trust or class-action class on this. I personally know at least three people whom a Windows 10 installation has boned the computer of. At least one of those was an I'm-going-to-install-without-asking-you upgrade, and they all fail in their own unique and not-so-fun ways
* Broken hardware drivers/support, USB won't work, etc
* Corrupted software repository (can't uninstall, needed fresh install of Win7)
* Ate the bootloader, blowing up both Windows AND the Linux install on another partition
* Didn't complete install, wouldn't roll back.
All I want to add is that reading about every new feat of those MicroBastards is getting really tedious. Fuck Em. I just used Windows because of inertia and little handy programs that run mainly on Windows, but have one ARM Linux netbook and will use Linux as main OS from now on.
I'm not a Microsoft fan, far from it. But I am a Windows user, for the simple reason that the software I need to use runs on Windows. (Or in some cases, runs best on Windows). There are probably alternatives I could use (open source packages that do similar things, or Windows apps on WINE) but frankly, it's too much trouble. I'm not a zealot. I just want to get my work done.
But after a disastrous stab at Windows 8 (fought with it for three weeks, ended up reloading 7) I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft has lost the ability to write an operating system. I have no intention to ever go to 10.
I thought I had a few years before 7 expires, giving Microsoft time to maybe come to their senses, but now I'm getting plagued with these "upgrade to 10! It's fun!) popups and have heard rumors of some machines just upgrading themselves without a decision made by the user.
And I'm done.
I brought up Mint on a laptop I take into the field (I'm a photographer and make extensive use of the Adobe suite) and after fixing the inevitable wifi and other sundry problems that Linux never seems to be able to get right out of the box, had a machine that ran surprisingly fast, and was surprisingly capable. (It was my first experience with Mint. It was over the 2014 holidays, so probably 17.2. I see that 17.3 has just been released.) And then -- the acid test -- I actually got Adobe Lightroom running on Mint under Wine. Ok, I said once, in this very forum I think, that if Lightroom ever ran reasonably well on Linux, I'd drop Windows and never look back. Time to make good on that. My only remaining problem is that although the base version 5 installs and runs, the update (5.7.1) installs but does not run. I'm now experimenting with open source alternatives like lightzone (installs, but doesn't run correctly) and Darktable (no problems so far, but it's early).
So anyway, the takeaways from all of this:
1) Windows 8 has soured me to any new Windows OS for the immediate future.
2) I *was* content with 7, but:
3) Microsoft's os-so-clever nagware to upgrade to Windows 10 is getting on my nerves. And so:
4) As a result, I finally made time to try Mint.
5) I like Mint.
6) I don't have a clear alternative to the apps I use regularly on Windows, but I'm a *lot* (repeat LOT) closer than I've ever been.
7) Screw Microsoft. No, really. What the hell were they thinking.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
I'd never expect any FedGov entity to stick up for US consumers about this abuse, but I'm surprised not to have read anything about the EU even looking into this (yet), but perhaps I've missed it.
That is not just wasteful and rude, but outright *wrong*.
in the state of Minnesota, it is a gross misdemeanor to install software without the owner's permission. two years in the clink and $5000.
I do NOT want Malware 10. go away.
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
Because it spies on all your shit.
Just chuck these settings off during setup and you're good.
Overall I like Win 10, but the updates process is a bitch. One computer is generally off unless my son needs to do work. He doesn't have an hour or more to wait while it installs updates after powering it back on, yet it always insists on doing so. Another computer stays generally on, but the last update it went blue screen on boot with a bad boot configuration which was fine before it fucked with it.. I had to download a new ISO, put it on USB, try that several times, and finally get a working boot recovery to fix it. That alone has put me off MS. I'm buying macs for the house going forward.
False. Even with all the settings turned off, Windows 10 sends your personal information to over 100 domains. They have to be blocked from the router (Win10 bypasses its firewall and hosts file, so those don't work): https://github.com/WindowsLies...
It's superior to 7, 8, and 8.1 in every way that I can think of. Why do people not want a FREE upgrade?
I've tried upgrading 3 times after Windows 10 was launched, and I reverted within a day each time.
For one it BSODs every 20 minutes, even when just sitting there. For comparison, I've only had 2-3 BSODs with Windows 8.1 since I installed it shortly after launch, all game related.
Secondly "apps" are a PITA because they do not follow my forced display language.
A clean install should fix the BSOD issue, but until they sort out the apps I won't be touching Windows 10.
How is this not ripe for a lawsuit? This is absolutely stupid at this point!
Just uninstall the update and hide it.
Of course, it will be unhidden in a month or so, but just check your updates before installing them and hide it again.
Okay, that is actually pretty tedious, and MS are jerks for putting us through it. But it is doable.
I'm a little confused. Windows 8 users didn't upgrade at the first opportunity?
Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
I've been running Linux for nearly all of the last four years, and a majority of my computing hours since 1998, and this stuff's why. I won't let it touch baremetal anymore. Microsoft will download 6GB behind my back? I run on a connection with a 20GB monthly cap! That is completely unacceptable. I wonder when customers are going to cease handing control of their systems to something that's going to do MS marketing's bidding behind their back.
I guess it just doesn't work on either Mac or Linux.
Oh well, what the hell.
You are 100% correct. While MS makes no money on the "upgrade" to Windows 10, they DO make money on your data, which Windows 10 mines, then they resell that data to 3rd parties. The OS isn't the product, YOU are!
My PC's constant recommendations that I should install Windows 10 is starting to remind me of the Talky Toaster on Red Dwarf.
There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.
At this point I'm expecting Microsoft Security to come to people's houses with guns...
Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
Because the computer is ours, and not Microsofts? And that is really the only reason we need. But if you want more details:
Because there are no hardware drivers for our cash register receipt printers for Windows 8 or 10, and no receipt printers supported by our vendor that do have drivers. It would cost us seven figures to change to a different POS system, and no other POS system is properly supported by our franchise.
Ergo, if Windows 10 installs, we are literally out of business, with no viable options.
We bought Windows 7 with an explicit, published promise from Microsoft that it would be supported until 2020. Now they are trying to take away nearly four years of usable life. That's fraud, plain and simple. Isn't fraud a predicate offense for RICO lawsuits? (Which, BTW, would treat any license provisions that prohibit class actions lawsuits as evidence of fraudulent intent, I suspect.)
Until they decide to change or ignore them. This is the whole problem with their methods here, if they're willing to ignore your desire not to upgrade, they'll just as quickly ignore your choice not to be spied on. WHEN YOU 'ALLOW' THEM TO AUTO INSTALL SECURITY UPDATES THERE MUST BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF TRUST THAT THE UPDATES WILL BE IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS, AND IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS THEN YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.
Changing those setting probably just flags you as someone to pay extra attention too.
In the case of my Grandma, her crappy windows 7 system uses a low end onboard video card that will never be ported to Windows 10. There is no PCIe slot to install a new card, either. The updater service knows this and alerts that Win 10 can't be installed because of it. However, it doesn't stop it from flashing the notification every few hours to upgrade.
In my case, I have a CableCard tuner that requires Media Center in order to record premium channels such as HBO. So until they bring WMC to Windows 10, no upgrade for me, either.
Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
They'll gladly charge you $29.95 to give you advice that doesn't work and will be routed around in less than 12 hours.
Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
So people at Microsoft are sitting around, thinking about users everywhere and what they may be doing to keep themselves on Win 7 or 8 or 8.1, brain-storming how to get around whatever those pesky users have done to protect themselves (e.g., GWX_control_panel), and then ordering a team OS-level programmers to get it done. Perhaps this division of the corporate structure have a code name? Team Borg, perhaps? Do you get a pay hike if you're part of the spacial operation to assimilate users into the Windows 10 collective? Is this where you go to be a Big Swinging Dick at Microsoft?
These managers and minions feel entitled to spend company time and resources thinking this kind of stuff up Reminds me of those guys at Comcast who say "they're our pipes" when they want to justify poor service, data caps, price hikes, or net non-neutrality. These people are not trolls in Mama's basement with nothing better to do... these are career suits who could be spending effort making Windows suck less. Instead, They're all Vladimir Harkonnen, scheming to fuck customers to... what? please the almighty god of Windows 10 penetration statistics?
Power hungry fucks. Windows 10 sucks less than it did, but I, for one, do not want my PC penetrated.
Take it easy, Charlie, I've got an Angle...
MS originally said that the free upgrade to Windows 10 would be in place only for one year, and after that you'd have to pay.
Therefore one of three things is definitely going to happen after the end of July of this year: Either 1) MS will start trying to collect money for these forced updates (After the update starts, it will not complete until you pay for it, effectively placing the "update" on par with ransomware), an option which I expect may have very unfortunate legal ramifications for Microsoft; or 2) Windows 10 will be available for free indefinitely, meaning that the so-called 'free upgrade' period that they were talking about last July was just a scam to encourage those who would fall for it to get Windows 10 for free while they could; or else 3) these messages will finally stop after the first year is up.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
Glad I'm not the only one annoyed. Obligatory meme.
Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
Windows 10, Its the worst virus to hit us windows 7 ultimate/pro users ever!
Hid GWX kb numbers, went to manual updates. Haven't had problems with it.
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
Microsoft has a long history of extremely incompetent management. For example, the cover of the January 16, 2013 issue of BusinessWeek magazine has a large photo of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (now replaced by Satya Nadella) with the headline calling him "Monkey Boy". See the BusinessWeek cover in this article: Steve Ballmer Is No Longer A Monkey Boy, Says Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The BusinessWeek cover says "No More" and "Mr.", but that doesn't take much away from the fact that the magazine called Ballmer Monkey Boy -- on its cover.
Worst CEO in the United States: Quote from an article in Forbes Magazine about Steve Ballmer: "Without a doubt, Mr. Ballmer is the worst CEO of a large publicly traded American company today." Another quote: "The reach of his bad leadership has extended far beyond Microsoft when it comes to destroying shareholder value -- and jobs." (May 12, 2012)
Windows update needs to have the time control comeback. Yes there is a kind of way that is hidden in the reg / gpo's
Is this a joke? Microsoft intentionally writing code to reset parameters people set to keep from being nagged into doing something they unambiguously indicated they want no part of?
Seems clear Microsoft neither wants nor deserve my business.
Does the "delete the file and create a directory in its place, or vice-versa" trick work to prevent the Windows 10 Update package from successfully downloading?
I haven't tried it myself. Yet.
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
People on Slashdot don't react appropriately negatively when they are abused. That amazes me.
Any more info on that?
And you are in IT and use windows software raid?
Stupid question, but one that should be explored... Since GWX analyzes your system to make sure you're compatible with Windows 10, does it refuse to install (or better yet, not download 5-6GB), if it finds an incompatible system? So, is there some sort of dummy driver that could be installed (that appears in Device Manager) that would cause GWX to determine that the system is incompatible? Someone with some Windows driver programming skills should be able to make that... Throw in some extra code that, if uploaded to Microsoft for analysis, would refuse to run on anything higher than Windows 8.1...
Windows 3.1x calc: 3.11 - 3.10 = 0.00
If they're going to be that aggressive with updating, then they should provide the same type of upgrades for those running older operating systems. Especially those that shelled out a premium for WIndows Vista Ultimate and turned out to get surprisingly little.
It's MALWARE:
Malware, short for malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer operations, gather sensitive information, gain access to private computer systems, or display unwanted advertising. Malware is defined by its malicious intent, acting against the requirements of the computer user, and does not include software that causes unintentional harm due to some deficiency. - Wikipedia.
That's what this whole windows 10 upgrade thing is.
Refusing to do business with Microsoft is pretty hard, as it turns out.
That is precisely why they can get away with consumer-hostile behavior like this.
The "free" Windows 10 upgrade turns you Windows 7/8 Retail licenses into a license that is locked to the computer, so basically an OEM license.
Can use an AGP or PCI slot for a video card or even an pci-e X1 slot
I wish cortana would go away. Even after disabling it, it still shows up in the task manager whenever i press a key or move/click the mouse.
DISABLE ALL UPDATES
The only solution is to disable all updates in Windows 7 and 8. Then, at your leisure, you can reference which kb numbers are safe to bring over, and manually choose them (a giant pain).
But whatever, Microsoft is clearly willing to wrestle you very hard on this. It's obviously not in your best interest. People compare this to Apple, but if you tell your phone not to get an update, it fucking WON'T.
This is overtly hostile.
I've had a handful of machines that would open that friggen nag window mere minutes after closing it, or after opening internet explorer, or running windows updates...
If you don't want the compromise, run your own build of Linux you compiled yourself.
In theory, I agree with you. In practice, not all computer hardware that one already owns is compatible with Linux, X11, CUPS, SANE, or other hardware-facing parts of the GNU/Linux system. One can build a desktop computer compatible with GNU/Linux by choosing all components carefully. But a lot of people need to use a laptop computer for some reason, such as making productive use of time as a transit passenger commuting to and from one's day job. As I understand it, it's impractical to build a laptop yourself if you're unsatisfied with the limited selection sold by System76.
Refusing to do business with Microsoft is pretty hard, as it turns out.
So far, in the past few years, I've reduced the number of Windows licenses I use by 4. I've found FreeBSD to be quite useful for a lot of the server-type of things I used to do with Windows.
.
I migrated away from Microsoft Office eight years ago.
Let's see, what other Microsoft software do I use? Nothing except for the the OS on the remaining Windows PCs.
Not buying anything else from Microsoft is looking to be easy....
....free thinking citizens of the world pulled together to put an end to this nonsense.
Microsoft is nothing more than a money gathering machine, so the best way to attack it would be to cut off the money supply. The only legal way I can think of to attempt this is to spread knowledge of free solutions as widely as possible.
My suggestion would be to approach some media production company, preferably one that depends upon open source because they might do it for free, and persuade them to work with a well known personality, perhaps somebody like Steven Fry (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?... ) who might also do it for free. Produce a short public information type film demonstrating how to use Windows to download a good Linux desktop OS and burn the ISO file to a DVD, then use that DVD to install Linux onto a computer.
It might take a kick-starter campaign to raise funds to put it onto TV.
Could it work?
Why nag me when the thing says Windows 10 won't even work?!
It's nagging you to buy a new GPU. Microsoft gets a cut because the GPU manufacturer paid for certification. That's also why one of the options, if I remember correctly, is "Explore new PCs with Windows 10". Microsoft gets a cut of those too.
So, when's the class action/antitrust start?
Oh yeah, you can't sue megacorps anymore.
The only way their going to stop is when they are forced to.
Switch to GNU/Linux, and you can still play games in Steam for Linux. Buy a Mac, and you can still play games in Steam for OS X. Not all games for Windows are available for GNU/Linux or OS X, but games that aren't are also likely to be ported to PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4.
I've also come to the conclusion that I no longer want to do business with a company that treats its customs in this manner.
Neither do I. But I would like to get four more years of extended support that I paid for without constant harassment. I figure that by then I'll finally go back to Linux (yes, I left again) and maybe a Wintendo if AAA games are still absent.
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Who would make a piece of hardware with no support for any other media software?
CableLabs, a consortium of the cable TV industry, controls which software is approved to decrypt subscription television signals. In theory, any program can be used so long as it passes a certification process that it meets CableLabs' requirements for digital restrictions management compliance and robustness. But among television recording applications for PC, the only certified application I know of is Windows Media Center.
Apple users tolerate it.
No, we don't. Because Apple to the best of my knowledge has never overridden user-configured settings when it comes to downloading or installing automatic updates. For years now I have disabled all of the relevant "automatic update" checkboxes in System Preferences, and Apple has never reenabled them and has never downloaded system updates without my permission. I have several old iPhones with various versions of iOS 6-8 on them and apple has never applied an OS update without my permission. Okay, I do remember being asked once or twice during major OS upgrades if I wanted to enable some of the automatic update settings, and once (*once!*) got a notification popup on my Mac asking me if I wanted to download Safari, but there's a clear difference between displaying a one-time popup and downloading 6GB of data to my machine *when I specifically asked you not to*, or installing Safari anyway, or even changing settings that you *know* I set manually!
I wish I could update to Windows 10, but I have some legacy software that I need to keep Visual Studio 2005 around for. And Visual Studio 2005 supposedly has compatibility issues with Windows 8 and higher.
I uninstalled and then hid the update on all my Win7 systems and have not had any issues since. It's a pain to hide the update, because uninstalling it requires a reboot, and the reboot will reinstall it. So decline the reboot, then re-run the update scan and hide it. Then it will stay gone, at least it has on my systems. Reg edit not needed.
I know Windows 10 won't auto-install on a virtual Windows machine.
Is there any registry entry that can be altered to trick windows 10 into thinking the OS is running in a virtual machine?
Isn't that a little of an overreaction? Twice a day is not that much.
We both know that if they put in a check box to turn it off, so many people would just click "never" because they do not want to be bothered with it, but absolutely would benefit from an upgrade.
I'm pretty sure that there are things you do not want to be bothered with, like exercising regularly in a particular gym, that you would absolutely benefit from. Should the police be dragging you there if you don't do it voluntarily?
Could lower health care costs for everyone.
I tried to upgrade to W10 on my media center, an it failed miserably. Even the Install from disk just sends me back to Windows 7 to do the failed upgrade. Needless to say, I switched to kodibuntu.
I'll run windows 10 on a VM that is running on a windows 7 but I don't trust windows 10 on my hardware. Too many key loggers etc... Windows 10 does things that an OS should never do
Spy on the user.
Take you data by force.
Force Updated (a huge deal breaker!!!).
Log key presses and send them to a server.
Force the user to use cortana.
Even if you turn it all off it still sends data!
Personally I wouldn't mind upgrading my Win 7 Starter Edition Aspire 10 netbook to Windows 10 just to take advantage of the 4GB of RAM I put in my system (Starter is limited to 2GB). But Intel / PowerVR never created 64 bit drivers for the embedded graphics card, so I can't upgrade (at least via the normal route). So why is MS nagging me to install and downloading 6GB of data to my SSD which I'll never use?
Anyone have any suggestions on a formal way to complain about this?
The thing that really drives me nuts about this whole thing is that I have Windows 7 and Windows 8 testing boxes (VM's). I DO NOT want to upgrade them, they are for testing. And yet I get these messages and secret downloads of the W10 package. Geez!
My home PC is not something I spend a ton of time maintaining (or I'd be using Linux). Yes, I'm using software for the mirrored RAID, mostly because I was more comfortable I'd be able to swap in a new drive with the software RAID than the hardware RAID, and the hardware RAID configuration was pretty painful. I *was* using the hardware RAID until there was an actual problem and it made it as difficult as possible to diagnose.
The extra time from setting up Windows 10 mostly comes from disabling things. Setting the default browser takes a little longer, there are more pre-installed apps (like "Get Office" and "Get Skype") that have to be uninstalled - which requires finding them in the start menu, you can't search for them if you want to uninstall them. Even if OneDrive isn't configured it still decides to start with Windows and generate notifications, so I turn that off too (usually that gets delayed because it updates while I'm trying to disable it). Plus the trackpad notification. I also clear most of the junk out of the start menu, like Mail, Sports, Finance, and Candy Crush.
I had Windows 8.1 down to about 30 minutes of interactive setup, Windows 10 is about 90 minutes. It would be much longer if we were buying direct from the manufacturer (more shovelware), but all of the PCs I assign out now are Microsoft Signature PCs. Of course Microsoft Signature doesn't exempt you from Microsoft's own shovelware (I really hate the 'Get Skype' app).
The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.
...people are having repeated problems with this.
Ever since MS started trying to force Windows 10 on unwilling users, I simply unchecked the Windows Update option that says something like "Give me recommended updates the same way I receive critical updates", and also set it to only notify me of updates and not to download or install them. KB3035583 then just sits there in the list of Recommended Updates where it is just ignored by me.
I've never had to hide the update, so I've not had it mysteriously unhide itself, and I've never seen it move into the critical updates list and inadvertently get installed along with those.
For me, steering clear of Windows 10 has been easy to do so far.
Fear tactic anyone? Who cares, just don't run that software, period! On a side people who "know" left that train long time ago, whats left is the uniformed masses who don't care about that as long as they could watch football on 80 inch TV that every few seconds dish them daily dose of "programing"
I forced admin control over the GWX folder found in the system32 folder and renamed it. No more nagging. I tried to do it to the GWX.exe executable but was denied. I also tried to delete either the file or the folder but neither option was permitted.
Do you suppose Satya Nadella would dig a class action suit?
Because you are not very smart and have overlooked a couple of important drawbacks of Win10?
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
Nag them until they buy a product. Great. Microsoft is the biggest malware I have ever seen.
I also wonder about the legal situation of manipulating registry entries to circumvent user decisions. There are a few laws in Germany which as if they could fit (but IANAL):
303a Data Manipulation
(1) Anyone who illegally deletes, supresses, renders unusable oder changes data shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 2 years or a monetary penalty
303b Computer Sabotage
(1) Anyone who significantly disturbs a data processing [process], which is of significant importance to someone else, by
* an act according to 303a
* injecting, entering or submitting data with the intention to create a disadvantage to someone else, or
* destroying, damaging, rendering unsuable or changing a data processing system or data storage medium
shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 3 years or a monetary penalty
(2) In case the data processing [process] is of significant importance for a (different) business, company, or a civil administration the punishment shall be imprisonment of up to 5 years or a monetary penalty.
(4) In especially serious cases of section (2) the punishment shall be imprisonment of no less than 6 month to 10 years. As a rule a specially serious case is if the culprit
1)...
2) acted businesslike or as member of a gang which formed for continuous perpetration of computer sabotage.
And according to 202c distributing computer software which is intended to commits such crimes is punishable, too.
[all my translation; definitely not authorative]
So now the questions are:
* Was the manipulation of the registry values illegal?
* Was a company or civil authority hit? (Note that the law does not say "Void if they should have set up a Domain")
* Is Microsoft's approach "businesslike"?
Because if all is answered yes, then anyone involved in programming and distributing GWX.exe should better avoid Germany for some time to come (I don't know the statue of limitation on this).
It's all about the Pentiums, baby
Uhh, uh-huh, yeah
Uhh, uh-huh, yeah
It's all about the Pentiums, baby
It's all about the Pentiums, baby
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
Yeah
What y'all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers? Wastin' time with all the chatroom yakkers? 9 to 5, chillin' at Hewlett Packard? Workin' at a desk with a dumb little placard?
Yeah, payin' the bills with my mad programming skills. Defraggin' my hard drive for thrills.
I got me a hundred gigabytes of RAM. I never feed trolls and I don't read spam.
Installed a T1 line in my house. Always at my PC, double-clickin' on my mizouse.
Upgrade my system at least twice a day. I'm strictly plug-and-play, I ain't afraid of Y2K.
I'm down with Bill Gates, I call him "Money" for short. I phone him up at home and I make him do my tech support.
It's all about the Pentiums, what?
You've gotta be the dumbest newbie I've ever seen. You've got white-out all over your screen.
You think your Commodore 64 is really neato? What kinda chip you got in there, a Dorito?
You're usin' a 286? Don't make me laugh. Your Windows boots up in what, a day and a half?
You could back up your whole hard drive on a floppy diskette. You're the biggest joke on the Internet.
Your database is a disaster. You're waxin' your modem, tryin' to make it go faster.
Hey fella, I bet you're still livin' in your parents' cellar. Downloadin' pictures of Sarah Michelle Gellar. And postin' "Me too!" like some brain-dead AOL-er. I should do the world a favor and cap you like Old Yeller. You're just about as useless as jpegs to Hellen Keller
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
Now, what y'all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers
Wastin' time with all the chatroom yakkers?
9 to 5, chillin' at Hewlett Packard?
Uh, uh, loggin' in now
Wanna run wit my crew, hah? Rule cyberspace and crunch numbers like I do?
They call me the king of the spreadsheets. Got 'em printed out on my bedsheets.
My new computer's got the clocks, it rocks. But it was obsolete before I opened the box.
You say you've had your desktop for over a week? Throw that junk away, man, it's an antique.
Your laptop is a month old? Well that's great. If you could use a nice, heavy paperweight.
My digital media is write-protected. Every file inspected, no viruses detected.
I beta tested every operation system. Gave props to some, and others? I dissed 'em.
While your computer's crashin', mine's multitaskin'. It does all my work without me even askin'.
Got a flat-screen monitor forty inches wide wide. I believe that your says "Etch-A-Sketch" on the side.
In a 32-bit world, you're a 2-bit user. You've got your own newsgroup, "alt.total-loser".
Your motherboard melts when you try to send a fax. Where'd you get your CPU, in a box of Cracker Jacks?
Play me online? Well, you know that I'll beat you. If I ever meet you I'll control-alt-delete you.
What? What? What? What? What?
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
It's all about the Pentiums! (It's all about the Pentiums, baby)
Now, what y'all wanna do?
Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers
Wastin' time with all the chatroom yakkers?
9 to 5, chillin' at Hewlett Packard?
What??
I basically look at this as Microsoft's major problem. Instead of building a stable ecosystem of products, they're constantly (and consistently) in "churn and burn" mode. As such, as a Good Little Consumer, you should buy the sam
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
... which fools MS into thinking it's still nagging you as designed. It's in the startup directory (yes, Windows 8.1 still has one). I opted for this instead of uninstalling the update or changing registry values since it was the option no one else was doing. I'm not at home right now, but it's easy enough to figure out on your own.
The real damage will come with the small businesses that have no IT department. The psychologist office whose printers and customer service programs all get borked when the server magically upgrades. The restaurant office that can no loger use their quickbooks and almost loses their company file when the server upgrades. The pizza parlor front end and cashier program that does not work with 10. The Insurance company software that does not work. The verizon store applications that don't function with anything beyond internet explorer 8. The dentist software and camera assist programs for working on patients that no longer works because of windows 10. The software for running mill machinery that only works on 7 and won't function on 10. These are all customers that I have worked on. These are all REAL people who have REAL businesses that will unexpectedly lose hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of money for an upgrade they've already opted out on. Make no mistake folks, the scale of the damage will be huge. Microsoft is playing Russian Roulette with the market and the law and it is very likely they will blow their own brains own in front of everyone.
Honestly. I think that the BEST option would be for AV vendors to classify GWX is malware.
It basically IS malware. It sets up on a system more or less without user request. It performs a lot of unauthorized tasks under the hood. It's misappropriating system resources to do this. And it actively fights user-mandated removal from your system.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
How many times does a Microsoft customer have to tell Microsoft that the Windows 10 "upgrade" is not wanted?
Always. kzzzzt Uh, never!
How many times does a Microsoft customer have to actively stop Microsoft from hijacking the PC for its own nefarious purposes?
Always. kzzzzt Uh, never!
At this point, I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is no longer just asking if its customers want Windows 10. I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is trying to trick its customers into installing Windows 10 via a never ending string of pop-up questions and misleading dialog boxes.
Shhh. Don't even say those things! Especially not if they're true.
I've also come to the conclusion that I no longer want to do business with a company that treats its customs in this manner.
Does anyone?
I don't know why I got rid of Mythbuntu the last time a few years ago (installing Win 7). Windows became such a dog lately that it was easier to put ol' faithful back on the box instead. Mythbuntu is so snappy and responsive; no CPU spikes slowing down playback, and it does what you want at the time you press a button (there's a novel concept, Microsoft!). I can see why Microsoft ditched Windows Media Centre in 10 because they've proven that it's just too hard for them to get it right. My household is now completely Microsoft-free (with my main computer being a Macbook Pro :-)
Would it be possible to just replace the downloaded files with dummy files with the right name? So when MS checked to see if they needed downloading, they would appear to be there, but not take up much space?
Does anyone know since when contents have not been same?
Just promo your box to a DC. Then disable the DC services. No more updates...
...microsoft will do what it wants. Now I can understand that at work you may have to use Windows but at home you should probably only use it for games and use Linux/BSD for everything else.
I'm sorry, you work in I.T. and you haven't setup a script to take care of this...
Firstly, why are the AV developers not treating GWX as a virus - it is behaving exactly like one.
Secondly, Windows 10 does not work work well to begin with. I have tried it on current hardware and older, and I have seen more BSODs with it than I have with any previous Windows OS.
Third, using the proverbial Lemmings' argument to justify consumer as a product without their consent goes beyond simple privacy violations.
How many times does a Microsoft customer have to tell Microsoft that the Windows 10 "upgrade" is not wanted?
.
How many times does a Microsoft customer have to actively stop Microsoft from hijacking the PC for its own nefarious purposes?
At this point, I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is no longer just asking if its customers want Windows 10. I've come to the conclusion that Microsoft is trying to trick its customers into installing Windows 10 via a never ending string of pop-up questions and misleading dialog boxes.
I've also come to the conclusion that I no longer want to do business with a company that treats its customs in this manner.
Look!! 200,000,000 installs in just 4 months?! Customers MUST LOVE IT SEE OMG
Marketing can brainwash alot of executives
http://saveie6.com/
There is an excellent 3'rd party utility that SO FAR, has successfully prevented MotherShip from forcing it's malice upon several Internet-facing WIN7 machines that are under my care. This utility is basically a watchdog to keep MS's fingers out of your Registry.
Here is where you can find it:
http://blog.ultimateoutsider.c...
(I hope his server won't melt! Too bad the CORAL mirroring system is no more.)
You're welcome. ;)
Willie...
I posted about this elsewhere in this topic, but wanted to make sure you saw it. It's a 3'rd party utility that has, so far, (knock on silicon) prevented MS from forcing their malware onto any of my Internet-facing WIN7 machines.
http://blog.ultimateoutsider.c...
Willie...
I'm getting nagged on my HP Microservers (N36, N40, N54L) and I know for a fact if you don't have the latest BIOS update on them, the network card doesn't work. I know someone who's done it and I've seen the "why doesn't server 2012 work on my HP Microserver" articles.
I sure as shit hope these things don't auto install this thing.
"If the users don't control the program, the program controls the users. With proprietary software, there is always some entity, the "owner" of the program, that controls the program—and through it, exercises power over its users. A nonfree program is a yoke, an instrument of unjust power." https://www.gnu.org/philosophy...
I have had nothing but great success getting Windows software to work with Wine under Linux. I just installed Photoshop today. Granted, some apps, especially Java based (getting an app to work with JDK without replacing OpenJDK system wide), require some finagling , but it can be done. I realize we are largely talking about the corporate sector, but for those at home who are running Linux primarily and have a backup Windows machine for those apps that are Windows only...
Hard to say if this will get modded up or down. This late in the game, probably nowhere.
Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
That's the tragedy of all this nagware... upgrading is not guaranteed to work and can lead to a hosed system.
Best thing to do is mothball your old drive, get a new SSD, and install fresh. All you need is here to create a legit installable DVD or USB stick, and a license key from any of Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10, and you don't really even need the key because unlicensed Windows 10 doesn't do much to bitch at you except put up a water-mark on the desktop and present an alert from time to time about how great it is to have a fully legal copy. Unlicensed Windows 10 does none of that auto logout or shutdown nonesense (at least, not for now).
If you think you have too much installed cruft on your machine to start fresh, well, all that cruft is more likely to fuck up the magic upgrade process. Catch-22. Back up your shit, find your old install media, check out ninite for installing free software and Steam or Gog for installing games. Besides, new SSDs these days are way good and affordable. Better than taking a chance at some hit-or-miss upgrade routine. Even Linux distros haven't perfected major in-place upgrades. Always safer to start over fresh, and your rig will thank you for it.
Take it easy, Charlie, I've got an Angle...
I've turned updates off on hundreds of computers. Their owners are happier without these nags, so they don't get updates at all. Fuck MS for giving us the choice of doom or bullshit.
Picking doom because when they call and say the PC is dead I'm showing up with a Linux disk and nothing else.
This is an infoworld article, that is based on third hand information from some dude selling a "disable windows 10 updates" tool. Nowhere in the article does it even claim that anything silently redownloads 6GB, submitter seems to have added that to an already dodgy piece of clickbait.
You guys are fucking hilearious.
ARRRRR FUCK YOU MICROSOFT I AM SO MAD WHAT YOU DID I HAVE BEEN A COMPUTER PRO FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE AND LET ME TELL YOU
The nags finally caused me to give in. I bought a Macbook Air.
If you are going to run windows, you are going to run 10, and you will not have a choice. Eventually the nagging will get to the point they will either just disable your older install, or just upgrade you.
After reading the first hundred or so messages in this thread I decided it was time to tackle this issue once and for all. I did this on three different machines all running Win 7. YMMV but this appears to work.
1. Turn off auto updates
2. Uninstall KB3035583
3. Restart
4. Uninstall KB3035583 again (2nd time)
5. Restart
6. Uninstall KB3035583 again (3rd time)
7. Restart
8. Check for Updates. It will show KB3035583
9. Hide KB3035583
I know it's a little strange, but that damned update needed to be uninstalled three times before I could get it to gone. The first time I thought I might have mis-remembered exactly what I did, but by the third machine it was a definite pattern.
FYI
How about a moderation of -1 pedantic.
"At this point I'm expecting Microsoft Security to come to people's houses with guns..."
I have guns too, They wouldn't dare to do that
Being a pirate is all right with me!
no
more
windows
UPDATES!
Unfortunately a lot of business and even mission critical software now runs Microsoft products. Your choice is pretty much Apple OSX with their problems or linux with half assed desktops, office suites and their issues. And if you're using professional products that only work on Windows (Solidworks, Autocad, the vast majority of PLC programming software), your best bet is to use vmware on top of either OSX or your favorite linux distribution.
It's very hard to get away from Microsoft, believe me I'm trying and I get very disappointed at the alternative options. And you think that's bad, Microsoft is getting into the industrial safety world and Industrial PLC's (Beckhoff's all run Windows 7 embedded and crash all the time, bricked at least 10 of them doing firmware upgrades). Imagine your safety being relied upon Microsoft. Also doesn't help that the mass influx of Chinese products is using Microsoft or some messed up Android version.
I'm sure 10 is a perfectly fine OS. As was 8.1, 7, vista (once it stabilised), hell even xp. Which is the point. An upgrade will, like previous ones, offer some minor gains, some minor losses, a bunch of slightly annoying changes for change sake that we'll more or less get used to, some lost productivity doing the upgrade, and a lot of time and effort down the drain fixing the problems that always arise (program x no longer works, I lost these settings, why won't it talk to my hardware... that kind of thing). So, to turn the question around: why would people WANT a free upgrade? What, really, is the benefit?
Ostensibly to prevent malware from installing itself into the boot process as a hypervisor. Such bootkits date back to the days of booting from floppy disks, when they were called "boot sector viruses". The original idea was that you'd add the public key for whatever operating system you plan to run to a PC's UEFI settings.
UEFI Secure Boot can be deployed in two ways: open, where the owner of a machine can add new public keys or turn off Secure Boot entirely, or closed, where the owner of a machine can do neither of these things. Manufacturers of PCs and motherboards certified for Windows 8 (x86) or Windows 8 (x86-64) were required to include open Secure Boot, relegating closed Secure Boot to Windows RT. True, as of Windows 10, Microsoft began to allow PCs to ship with either open or closed Secure Boot. But in practice, what fraction of PCs are sold with closed Secure Boot?
distrowatch.com
Yup... A supposedly fully "castrated" copy of Windows 10, (local account only, all of the spyware switches turned off, several other settings in gpedit.msc disabled) STILL constantly blabs away to many of the listed domains. Just to show a couple of neighbors who doubted the fact that Windows 10 was such a privacy nightmare, I used a previously unused Windows 7 productkey to install the latest build (November update) on a spare laptop drive. I turned off all the bullshit, used a local account, cruised thru gpedit.msc and turned more shit off.. Then loaded rpcapd on my router and pointed a copy of wireshark at it... Oh my god... I saved the packet capture for use to show other neighbors/friends WHY friends DON'T LET FRIENDS use Windows 10...... After 19+ years supporting/using MS products, I quit in 2010, and after seeing what a nightmare Windows 10 is, I couldn't be happier.... KUbuntu FTW!!!!!
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
Thanks for the warning. I hid that update and not going to get it.
I'm so glad that my wife's labtop, which cannot handle Windows 8.1, let alone, Windows 10, will get nagged 2x daily to install an OS that WILL NOT WORK on the laptop. I've tried. Netowrk drivers, touch screen and touch pad all fail and the lap top maker says it will not support windows 8.1 or Windows 10. This is total BS form M$FT.
"It's not like your minds are as open as the source you love..." - Me to the majority of Slashdot.
Here is my remove/no install list so far, some are gwx, some are telemetry, some are crap I just don't want.
971033 (if you use cracks/loaders to activate W7)
2952664
2976978
2990214
3012973
3015249
3021917
3022345
3035583*gwx
3044374
3050265
3050267
3065987
3068708
3073218*gwx
3075249
3075851
3080149
3083324
3102429
3112343
Windows update categorizes patches as either important or optional. The KB3035583 one is in the optional list. I've got updates set to "let me know, but I'll decide when to download them".
Am I safe to download the important updates and ignore the optional ones, or are there trojan horses among the important updates also?
AFAIK, the correct way to get rid of the windows 10 nag is:
1. De-select recommended updates in Windows update
2. Uninstall KB3035583
3. Re-boot
4. Uninstall KB3035583 again (yes, it is still there! have to uninstall twice)
5. Re-boot
6. Check Installed Updates, KB3035583 should be gone
De-selecting recommended updates is important because selecting that basically says "Microsoft can install whatever updates they want"
Uninstalling KB3035583 twice is important, because it is usually still there if you only uninstall once.
It kinda makes one wonder how this could be viewed under the Canadian so-called "anti-spam" laws....especially since the terminology used in said laws is "commercial electronic messages", and not strictly "email".
And maybe not even MS's. Use the telemetry to report use of non-authorized versions of movies, TV shows, music to MPAA etc. They can send you the bill...
Or just blocking 'piracy' software that they consider unacceptable...EAC etc
Not this year, not next, but 5 years time?
Once MS has this data and everyone is over to these Malwared versions. Even if MS don't want I can see them being sued to enable this.
....where anyone has tried setting permissions on the registry.
Seriously? You didn't know you could do that just like on a file system? Locate the manual change M$hit is reversing, then right-click, Permissions, set the Permissions to a locked down that only you can control. Try removing 'System' as an authorized FullControl account from that Key if you have to, but try it and let the rest of us know.
Its now also officially malware, modifying the registry to force you to download something. This is the realm of drive by downloaders and malware authors.
Why is it ok that microsoft does this?
Are their books looking so grim they have to pull this kind of thuggery on there users so they can sell there data to advertisers? Sure sounds like things are getting really bad inside of the finance department at Microsoft.
Let Windows 10 install and fuck Microsoft in court with your machines as physical evidence.
You will recover your losses and more in the settlement far faster than you will recover losses in other court venues.
It only takes 1 person to step forward and start a Class Action suit. Surprisingly easy.
I have a cracked win7, so this doesn't affect me for reasons that I don't care enough to research.
Regardless, there are a multitude of reasons why people do not want to, or can NOT upgrade. Forcing someone, 5 years early yet, is a steaming load.
Time to make them care.
At least, it does not fetch and install systemd...
Damn I'm glad I use Linux.
And don't take me wrong. I'm not saying it's not wrong but the average /. user most probably runs torrents, Netflix or some other form of high bandwidth software. Those 3GB of download are a drop in the bucket.
3GB, over a metered connection?
I think Ravaldy is trying to claim that the average Slashdot user is on a connection that is not metered so tightly that 3 GB would make a significant difference. It's only 1 percent of Comcast's monthly data allowance, for example. Cellular and satellite are metered far more tightly, but the consensus on Slashdot[1] appears to be that if the only Internet options are available to you are cellular and satellite, you ought to move within the service area of a less harshly metered option.
[1] See comments by sglewis100, AC, AC, AC, Zero__Kelvin, allquixotic, AC, Bengie, Bengie again, and FlyHelicopters.
Even if you do manage to buy a PC whose hardware Linux fully supports, the copy of Windows 7 that you buy to run work-necessary, Wine-incompatible applications in a virtual machine will still pull this shit and try to upgrade itself to Windows 10.
Secondly "apps" are a PITA because they do not follow my forced display language.
Would you prefer that an app be made entirely unavailable for download if its (often small) developer has not yet translated the app to your "forced display language"?
I am already at my 4th computer Os conversion to linux (mint/ubuntu). I must use window for work purposes but anything else (and family/older relatives) are being converted to linux. Watch out M$..
In case Microsoftee's read slashdot, they are missing an opportunity. I love my Windows 7 machine but am VERY uncomfortable with the idea of upgrading to Windows 10. But... I still run a copy of XP and Vista on Windows 10 compatible hardware which I would gladly upgrade to test it out. (When Vista goes unsupported I currently plan to migrate both to Linux.) But give me a free upgrade on XP and Vista (which you dont want around any more either) and maybe someday I'll say yes to the upgrade nagware on 7.
Coincident with Microsoft's more aggressive Windows 10 update campaign, I have not received - even when manually checking - any "important" or "optional" (other than two Windows Security Essentials and the default selected Windows 10 upgrade) Windows 7 updates. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a known solution?
If you want to take some measure of control back, visit http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html and download the GWX control panel. It works (at least so far).
When is the gov going to step in and investigate this crap? They are not probably because the government has a stake in the data collection going on. this is far worse than the monopoly crap that they were sued for a over a decade ago.
After years and years of complaining about Microsoft doing this to your system or changing policies or putting a new "feature" it's still humorous to see the outrage.
1) Microsoft is a company. A company in this case which is a profit making entity. They will bundle "features" tying you to their system and will do "noncompetitive" things to retain and enhance market share. When you install your O/S there's T's and C's that you agree to or were agreed to on your behalf.
2) Yeah, forcing downloads of multiple GB multiple times is unscrupulous behavior but refer to #1 above. Nagging you all the time is a firing squad offense in my book.
3) There's alternatives, use them instead of MSFT products. If you don't like the MSFT bullshit, don't use it or keep your system and disable all automatic updates and get Autopatcher. Autopatcher can keep you up to date without all the phantom re-installs of disabled patches.
4) If you're an end-user who doesn't know what's going on, carry on get the upgrade or pay Geeksquad to upgrade you. If you're so inclined just buy a new machine with it already installed and transfer your files. This commonly known as the "if you like your Microsoft, you can keep your Microsoft" strategy.
5) MSFT will only start changing its cultural/instrusionware policy if enough customers walk away or they get hit by a Class Action lawsuit. Again refer to #1 above.
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
You may as well watch Clippy dance on your screen, it's about as effective as calling MSFT tech support.
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
I am so happy :'D
Sadly, a Libertarian cannot force his views on another, and freedom cannot spread as does the cancer known as religion.
Well you can always give yourself all permissions on the \windows\system32\GWX folder and delete it once you have shut down the GWX.exe process.
Then go to Computer management, Task Scheduler, Microsoft, Windows, setup and delete al tasks in the gwx task subfolder......seems to do the job.
I suppose you can also delete tasks in the other subfolder named GWXTriggers but I haven't bothered to work it out yet !
You don't say? This is a bargain basement PC with no expansion slots. There is no reason for her to upgrade when Windows 7 works fine for what it is used for: recipes, pictures, Facebook, and browser games.
Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
If windows 10 is going BSOD constantly when earlier versions of windows aren't, it's not windows 10, it's your shitty hardware.
I have a laptop which does a BSOD on windows 10 every 20 minutes because the wireless card is a piece. Changing out the drivers with older versions fixed the problem
Would you prefer that an app be made entirely unavailable for download if its (often small) developer has not yet translated the app to your "forced display language"?
My forced display language is English. And why is using my keyboard layout language somehow a better choice than the display language I've explicitly told it I want?
My forced display language is English.
Thank you. I was trying to infer what you meant; the best I could come up with at the time was "I speak Lithuanian; why aren't all the apps available in Lithuanian?" Now the best scenario I can come up with is that you might get apps intended for use in a particular locale outside Five Eyes that are available only in the official or majority language of that locale.
And why is using my keyboard layout language somehow a better choice than the display language I've explicitly told it I want?
If an app ignores the display language in favor of the language for which your keyboard layout was intended, then that's either a bug or DRM. Have you reported it to the developer of each affected app? Or does it affect all apps system-wide?
I wonder how many computers MS has made insecure by causing people to shut off automatic updates?
No worries. This link shows you how to recover the 6 GB of downloaded 10 files and how to get rid of the nag screen once and for all. It works and I have cleaned up 3 machines. Just make sure that after you uninstall those 3 KB updates for Windows 7 that you change the windows update settings to NEVER CHECK FOR UPDATES. Only then will you restart the computer. When done, manually check for windows updates and then right click on those files and "hide them" After that, you can select download windows updates automatically. The only way it will come back is if MS decides to repackage those KB updates in a different name or file size. They already did that earlier in the year but I'm thinking they might hold off now. Mainly because if somebody is willing to go through all that work to hide and delete all the W10 files they will be majorly pissed if MS sneaks them in anyway. It will cause allot of bad PR with the public. And in the end, those users will still avoid it anyway if they have gone to that much trouble to avoid W10. So my thoughts on this is this remedy will probably hold.
I'm also wondering what MS will do once the free upgrade period ends? Obviously, at this rate they will no way hit their 1 billion install base. They will probably extend the offer? Or will the nag still be there saying you can upgrade for X dollars? It will be interesting to see what happens.
http://betanews.com/2015/09/11/remove-unwanted-windows-10-upgrade-files-from-windows-7-and-windows-8-x/
The main reason I really like W7 is that no matter what MS does, the user still has control over windows update in the end. You still have the ability to uninstall and hide KB updates. This is the main reason I am avoiding Windows 10. I would rather pay for a copy of Windows 10 if it gave me the tools to control windows updates. But as it is, W10 will update automatically with no user control or consent to whatever they want moving forward. I don't care how good W10 is. Giving up this much user control over their PC is unacceptable. I simply don't agree to the TOS on this one MS.
Now the best scenario I can come up with is that you might get apps intended for use in a particular locale outside Five Eyes that are available only in the official or majority language of that locale.
No idea what the Five Eyes are, but my situation is this: I live in Norway, I cannot stand having anything but english as the display language in my OS, but I want to be able to type my name, emails, documents etc using norwegian keyboard layout as the norwegian alphabet contains æÃÃ¥.
Have you reported it to the developer of each affected app? Or does it affect all apps system-wide?
It affects all the _apps_ that are installed by default, so I'll say it's Microsoft. Note that the desktop, and all desktop-related programs, correctly respects my language choice.
And I'm not alone, social.microsoft.com has several posts on the issue from other people.
Ãf¦ÃfÃfÂ¥
Gah forgot slashdot is in the technological stoneage... The norwegian alphabet contains three letters not found in the english alphabet.
No idea what the Five Eyes are
The Five Eyes are the major Anglophone countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States), which also happen to be part of a signals intelligence cooperation treaty.
[Use of keyboard language rather than display language for display] affects all the [UWP] _apps_ that are installed by default, so I'll say it's Microsoft. Note that the desktop, and all desktop-related programs, correctly respects my language choice.
Then you've found a genuine defect in the UWP subsystem, and yes, it should be reported to both Microsoft and the public.
And I'm not alone, social.microsoft.com has several posts on the issue from other people.
Do you have a blog, a social media account, or other means through which you can raise awareness of this defect in order to encourage other users to put pressure on Microsoft to fix it?