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'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 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.
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.
Probably because use of the software implies agreement to their terms. This imaginary butthurt is the stuff I can't tolerate. 99% of this coming from people who don't even run windows. It's the same way Apple has basically full ownership of you, your itunes content, and your dirty socks. You agreed to it by not reading the agreement. That said..... I think we do have a class action case here, but only for those people on metered internet.
I guess I am the 1%. I am the admin in an office that needs Windows 7 -- our legacy software *will not run* on Windows 10. And I live in constant terror that no matter what settings I alter or updates I decline, that I'm going to walk in some Monday morning and find that Windows 10 rammed itself onto every computer.
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.
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.
Or you know maybe i need to use my Cisco vpn. Win 10 just up and uninstalls it with no notice.
People are tired if supporting old ass software companies. They can't rely on companies that will ignore they needs so they are going the Linux route. They know what they need, just submit and let them choose.
I like Linux Mint 17, using it all my laptops. Firefox isn't the best, but I can still use Chromium (not that malvertising crap Chrome).
I would say let the Linux Revolution happen, and while it's happening, adjust the collar around your neck and let some oxygen get to your brain.
What happens if you say 'yes' and then decline to accept the new license agreement. Does it give up with the new install, or does that leave you with a bricked PC ?
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'
Because they overwrote the options you knowingly set, wouldn't this be in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Could someone not take them to court as well as file a federal charge against them?
This is being done with out proper permission.
Thoughts?
love the taste, hate the texture
One of our friends had a five year old Acer netbook with Win 7 starter (a bit of a WTF in itself). They thought they had to upgrade to Win 10 so they said OK to the nag window. End result, the computer no longer starts. I tried pulling the HD and looking at it with another computer and the computer doesn't even know what to do with the drive.
Observation 1 - ten years is ten years away. 2 - many shops don't need or want the latest AutoCAD - or any other software for that matter. 3 - many shops have no use for Quickbooks
Our machine shop has all of the software they want installed on each and every machine they operate, and they will NOT want anyone tampering with them, in any way. Period.
Maintenance shop, ditto.
Those production machines that use Microsoft OS's are still NT4 - and they aren't connected to the internet anyway - so we can ignore those.
Office machines are a whole 'nother story. The so-called IT department doesn't do squat with them anyway, they are all outsourced, and operate up there in "The Cloud". I don't really care what they screw up on those things, I have no responsibility for them. I hope they all crash and burn.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br