'Get Windows 10' Turns Itself On and Nags Win 7 and 8.1 Users Twice a Day (infoworld.com) 720
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.
ARGH (Score:3, Insightful)
This is so damn annoying. I tried Windows 10 and reverted within a day or so. On two different machines.
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(Also note that the "STD" and "DST" strings are not unique - they cannot uniquely identify time zones. CST, for example can be either Central Standard Time (USA), Central Standard Time (Australia) or China Standard Time.)
Reverting is broken (unless it's been fixed very recently). Any events in the task scheduler gets converted to Windows 10 format when going to Windows 10, but if you revert, they do not get converted back again. So depending on your system's complexity, you're left with dozens or more tasks that won't run, and even worse, if opening the task scheduler and browsing to Windows, you get focus stealing popups complaining that the entries cannot be read, and have to dismiss them one by one, after which another
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
As someone who likes Windows 10 and thinks more people should upgrade and give it a chance... no, I'm not cool with overwriting the options you knowingly set.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Interesting)
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?
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
I had a family member who had a (smallish SSD) C: drive, with most data and applications on their D: drive. The C: drive had just enough free space to download the Windows 10 update, and then fail and crash attempting to install it. The update process is smart enough to check for and unset registry keys, but apparently not smart enough to check if there is actually enough disk space.
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Interesting)
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First off, the download was 3GB last I checked. Second, I really don't think the bandwidth consumption is the biggest issue here. Invasion of the user interface is far more aggravating to most users. If it was only for the bandwidth I'd say no big deal. Anybody running on less than 5% disk space has bigger issues than this.
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 ar
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For those of us who live in Outback, Nowhere, with crappy DSL (some people still on dialup!) that bandwidth consumption is a pretty big deal. Worse, people who pay for X amount of bandwidth on a monthly basis, and get charged for overages. (not me - my download speed sucks but there's no limit on it)
Unauthorized appropriatoin of resources - sounds like theft to me!
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
So you're OK with the fact that Microsoft will bypass your settings and download 6 GB without prompting you?
This - especially this! For the majority of rural Internet users, 6GB represents roughly 50-60% of their monthly bandwidth allotment - and it ain't cheap ( a typical 12GB monthly plan runs around $50-60 or so.)
I wonder if anyone has tried to sue Microsoft yet over being shorted on bandwidth? On my part (yeah, I live in the sticks), I have only Linux and OSX at home, and given Microsoft's recent intrusions, I've become rather happy with my OS choices...
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
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So why exactly should we drop several hundred grand to update?
Several hundred grand for what? If Software Assurance was bought with those Windows 7 licenses, or they were bought through enterprise agreements, it should cost you nothing to update. Where are you getting this several hundred grand from?
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Informative)
I think he's talking about the cost to replace packages bought from 3rd parties.
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That's what you get for buying Microsoft products. Maybe next time you'll think twice about buying anything from them.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
Unless your IT department didn't bother doing their job you're not being cajoled into anything right now. Computers registered on a domain are not subject to the same update policies as standalone, personal PCs. As for the ${x}00K cost to upgrade your legacy software, you're going to have to eat it some time within the next four years...
So, should we surrender the four years that we paid for to be hip and with the times? Or should we save our money and then spend the next four years migrating to an OS that doesn't forcefully seize control of our computers?
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
What's fair and what's reality are two entirely separate things. The short answer is -yes- get with the times; IT is a moving target of progress. There are cheaper options however; you can virtualize old Windows 95 boxes if you require legacy 16bit code to run over a mapped RS232 port as an example. It's ugly, but VM-ing an obsolete OS that's bound to custom legacy applications is doable.
Are you fucking kidding me? We should spend hundreds of thousands of dollars migrating to an OS that provides literally nothing useful to us, seizes control from our hands, and spies on us--for no reason whatsoever other than because it would be "with the times"?
Recognize and don't accept abuse. (Score:3)
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Insightful)
Do your times support current hardware when your old one breaks?
Seriously? You have to ask this?
Using the magic of the internet, I can buy hardware going back 10+ years.
Using the magic of my operating system, I can install hardware that is 10+ years old.
The only real issues are DX10 and 11, and ram limits, if you can really consider those to be major issues.
Do the times support the old software you run?
Yes, because if I paid someone to make me custom niche software I likely need that software to keep doing what it's doing. Why pay someone to make it again when it isn't necessary?
Are you exposed to any security risks as a result of not being with the times?
You know, I probably am. However, Microsoft is now proving themselves to be another one of the security threats. So I can bend over and take it from Microsoft, or I can roll the dice. I think I'll take my chances.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
That's just it, though. Windows 7 isn't obsolete.
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When I decided to check the options for "get with the times" back around 1998, I started reading EULAs. Amazingly I soon switched to Linux (with a stopover at Apple) despite Linux not having a decent word processor. It was still the correct decision. Since around 2000 I haven't regretted it once.
It took a bit longer to convince my wife, since she wouldn't read the EULAs, and also needed music score editing software (which still stinks on Linux unless you're a programmer). There were also problems when s
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
That's horseshit! I work in State government and our machines are nagging the shit out of us and we are on Enterprise version on a domain. Of course, that simply means that the Governor's Office of Technology are incompetent boobs and let this update through but still, it proves your statement false.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft is tired of supporting old ass insecure software. They can't rely on people who won't run patches, so they are going the Apple route. They know what you need, just submit and deal with it.
I like Windows 10, using it on my surface 4 right now. Edge isn't awful, but I still use FF and Chrome.
I would say that let the upgrade happen, and while it's happening, adjust the onion on your belt and go outside and yell at some clouds.
So I'm just curious, what would Microsoft have to do for you to say "That crossed the line, that's too much"? Because routing around your manual settings to avoid being forced an update and then attempting to force a 6 GB update on you apparently isn't it.
Apple doesn't do this (Score:5, Informative)
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!
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Informative)
Apple does not force updates like this, in fact it possible to turn them completely off.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft is tired of supporting old ass insecure software. They can't rely on people who won't run patches
I can completely sympathize with this frustration. My problem is not the annoyware pestering people to update their old ass insecure version but in the pushing of the entire update. Plenty of people have to use their phone in hot-spot mode or whatever kind of metered link to get some work done and the background download is killing it. Next time you're on a flight paying $$$ for the wifi that's already dead dog slow over satellite, tell me you don't mind someone a few rows over getting a giant update pushed at them.
Re:ARGH (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
Microsoft is tired of supporting old ass insecure software. They can't rely on people who won't run patches, so they are going the Apple route. They know what you need, just submit and deal with it.
I like Windows 10, using it on my surface 4 right now. Edge isn't awful, but I still use FF and Chrome.
I would say that let the upgrade happen, and while it's happening, adjust the onion on your belt and go outside and yell at some clouds.
No, Microsoft is tired of people using perfectly serviceable old software that is no longer a revenue source for them. Forget that it's a "free" upgrade...they make money on each and every installation by selling off YOUR data to third parties. It's NOT out of the goodness of their hearts that they want everyone to upgrade here.
Re: ARGH (Score:3)
That's what it's really about the user is the ware. For that reason I have trust issues now when it comes to M$ and I have disabled the automatic updates. It may be a risk, but I see that as a lower risk than allowing Microsoft to fuck up my computer.
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Microsoft is tired of supporting old ass insecure software. They can't rely on people who won't run patches, so they are going the Apple route.
1) it's not Microsoft's decision to make on behalf of the public
2) OSX allows you to turn that behavior off and choose for yourself when to check for updates. I have a small AppleScript that checks for updates and downloads them on my behalf at 3am, when satellite Internet won't count it against bandwidth.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Funny)
They know what you need, just submit and deal with it.
You must be a fun date.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Insightful)
> They know what you need, just submit and deal with it.
Myopic much?
Translation: Bend over, lube up, and take it up ass, because we have no balls to be anything other then Microsoft's bitch.
There is only one appropriate response: Fuck You, Microsoft. I don't need nor want your shitty spy-trojan-laced GUI. I already have working computers with Windows 7, and Windows XP, OSX 10.9, and Linux 12.04 TLS. There is nothing I need in Windows 10. In contradistinction, there are lots of things I don't WANT with Windows 10.
--
Microsoft Windows 8 and 10, noun: A 64-bit compilation of 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor written by a 2 bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition with 0 bit of understanding good UI.
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The problem is that not everyone is on an unlimited broadband. I don't expect Microsoft to cater primarily to the millions upon millions of people who still have slow and/or metered connections, but it would be nice if they didn't go out of their way to make our life hell.
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You mean, Microsoft is tired of supporting THEIR OWN old ass insecure software. True. And it is their fault, for writing woefully insecure software in the first place.
They want to replace their old ass insecure software with new ass insecure software.
Re: ARGH (Score:4, Insightful)
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I don't see a problem with adapting at all.
That's an unfair blanket statement to say about anyone who does not want Windows 10 right at this very moment like Microsoft is pushing. There are many non-luddite reasons one might want to hold off upgrading an operating system. Also what about people who try Windows 10, but it doesn't work for them? I tried the Windows 10 upgrade, which gave me much slower loading times, display issues that did not go away after updating video drivers, and moments the whole system would lock up for a few minutes because I
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
It doesn't help when Windows 10 has some significant removal of features. I run Windows Media Center on my Windows 7 HTPC. I'm not going to update to Windows 10 just to hack WMC back into it...
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No floppy drive support - that's definitely going to be a killer for any upgrade since I have some devices still using floppies as the only common way of exchanging data.
Re:ARGH (Score:5, Informative)
I created what I call an "unfuck script" that does this and a number of other things (such as moving the documents folder into a cloud sync floating profile folder, where I have a bunch of portable apps sitting so that I don't need to run a bunch of installers) that way installing a fresh copy of Windows on any of my machines and fully configuring it afterwards takes me about 5 minutes, and because it's all scripted I don't forget important things (such as using my upstream bandwidth for other people to get windows updates.)
http://pastebin.com/MmKimr3H [pastebin.com]
Fine (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Re: Fine (Score:2, Insightful)
> "my system" :chuckle:
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Re:Fine (Score:5, Insightful)
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People bought Google and Apple products knowing that there was telemetry and a walled garden. Nobody bought Windows 7
First of all, I never buy Windows. Pirating their OS is the only option as far as I am concerned. If they didn't manipulate the market to get themselves into a monopoly position I would have a different opinion. But I want to play the games that require powerful graphics cards and those work better on Windows. I do like that Steam is making it less of a requirement though.
believing that Microsoft would forcefully seize control of their computers and disable their manually-changed settings.
I fully believe that Microsoft will screw up my system. This is why I disable all updates. I have never trusted them and don't find that
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Hah, I get this annoying notification on one of my systems. And then it says "Unfortunately this PC is unable to run Windows 10". Basically the graphics driver is out of date and there's no hope for it.
So now I get bothered and the thing doesn't even give me the option to have it stop.
Why would anyone tolerate this bullshit!? (Score:5, Insightful)
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You haven't used many systems then, in most Linux systems it's up to you to decide when you do the updates and you can also exclude updates if you want in configuration files.
Re:Why would anyone tolerate this bullshit!? (Score:5, Insightful)
ut if you do run an older version of Windows - one that's going to stop being updated - it's going to remind you regularly to upgrade to the current version.
End of extended support [microsoft.com] for Win7 is January 2020; Win8 in 2023. No one needs to be nagged for five years.
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End of extended support [microsoft.com] for Win7 is January 2020; Win8 in 2023. No one needs to be nagged for five years.
Except that MS wants to start gathering all your data *now* and Windows 10 does that.
Re:Why would anyone tolerate this bullshit!? (Score:4, Funny)
You're not forced to use [[Ford]] at all. Run whatever you want on [[the road]]. But if you do run an older [[Ford]]--one that's going to stop being updated--it's going to remind you regularly to upgrade to the current version.
Umm... nope, doesn't pass the car analogy test. Microsoft is engaging in user-hostile behavior.
Re:Why would anyone tolerate this bullshit!? (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
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I do. You can piss on retail and OEMs all you want and they'll thank you for it. You screw over large enterprise customers and that could result in the end of your business. For all of the negatives we've heard about MS on various OSes over the last 2 years one thing has been consistent: they've not only allowed enterprise users to opt out of the shit they are hitting us with, but defaulted them to do so.
Re:Why would anyone tolerate this bullshit!? (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
So I'm just curious, what would Microsoft have to do for you to say "That crossed the line, that's too much"? Because routing around your manual settings to avoid being forced an update and then attempting to force a 6 GB update on you apparently isn't it.
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Why do you think they want to lock down bootloaders?
Media Center (Score:5, Informative)
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Loved my Media Center. Ran it for the entire life of the product.
I surrendered this last year, moved to Plex and Sonarr, mostly spurred by the XB1 not being a MCE.
Let me know if you want to double down and buy my cable card tuner :)
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I get that.
I moved to Sonarr to grab my TV. Then I moved back to a plain old cable box to watch live sports.
The peace and sanity in my house of not being screwed every so often on a Sunday night by some PlayReady Can't Install fuckup has made me much, much, less likely to punch babies in the face in anger. ...not that Sonarr doesn't have problems, but they're less angering than drying to reset my DRM and lose shows when PlayReady completely shits the bed -- once or twice a year.
Re:Media Center (Score:5, Informative)
Users have found a way to install Windows Media Center on Win10. I have done this (on my mom's PC) and it works. See http://forums.mydigitallife.in... [mydigitallife.info]
I'd love to upgrade to Win10 on my home's primary Win7 PC, but the upgrade keeps failing and never tells me why. I tried to get help from the MS support forums, but just kept getting fed a form response with a scattershot list of things to "try". I have Win10 on several other PCs and I like it.
Re:Media Center (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't have a Cable Card, but we utilize Media Center 100% for TV watching. I'm annoyed that they Netflix plug-in was depreciated, but we live with that in the browser now (and their horrid interface).
Media Center in a wonderful program, and the TV recording in it is better than anything else I've ever had (it's simple enough that my wife can use it, that says a lot).
With it being removed completely, upgrading on that computer is not an option. Very annoying for this pop-up to keep coming up.
Really Perverse (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Also unblocks the update (Score:5, Interesting)
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 & Spybot Anti-Beacon (Score:5, Informative)
Try GWX Control Panel to disable GWX and OS updates entirely:
http://ultimateoutsider.com/do... [ultimateoutsider.com]
Also Spybot Anti-Beacon which disables telemetry:
https://www.safer-networking.o... [safer-networking.org]
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...
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Try GWX Control Panel & Spybot Anti-Beacon (Score:4, Informative)
Switched to fully-mannual updates last time around (Score:2)
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GWX Control panel (Score:3)
After the first round of this nonsense, I found the GWX Control panel [ultimateoutsider.com], 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.
C'mon Microsoft! WTF? (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
What about incompatible "dummy" hardware? (Score:3)
MS, innovating new ways to piss off our customers (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Eligible for upgrade? (Score:3)
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?
Re:Eligible for upgrade? (Score:5, Informative)
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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 ?
What has happened to Microsoft's "Customer Focus" (Score:4, Insightful)
.
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.
Updates are and have been OFF (Score:3)
This is driving me away from Windows (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
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I should mention that, Mint boots significantly faster, is a lot snappier on the same hardware, and appears to have a much smaller memory footprint. (Test by: Install mint on existing hard drive on old laptop. Wow, that's fast. Ok, lessee.... what else can we do... swap in a solid state drive, reinstall Mint. OH MY GOD.) This was a laptop I used to take into the field, and now I think I will be using it again for that purpose.
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If you need professional grade photography and color calibration why don't you consider a Mac? Yes, they are expensive but it supports colors that only Windows and MacOSX due and full Adobe support
I was on a G4 at one time. I switched to Windows partly because I felt Macs were overpriced, and partly because Apple and Adobe were at the time engaged in a pissing contest about, among other things, how a touchpad should operate. (In my opinion, it's not a good business plan to piss off the vendor of your signature application, but maybe Apple thought Aperture and iPhoto would take over the world? How did that work out?)
But also, I gave up on Apple partly because I became increasingly uncomfortable wit
EU (Score:3)
Talky Toaster (Score:3)
Presumably, it will eventually stop.... (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
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Re:uninstall! (Score:4, Informative)
I use this script to clean people's Windows 7 computers up:
wusa /uninstall /kb:3035583 /quiet /norestart
and the same for
kb:2952664
kb:3022345
kb:3068708
kb:3075249
kb:3080149
kb:3021917
kb:3083324
kb:2977759
kb:3112343
(sorry, I can't post a cut and paste script herre, get an error about a compression filter).
Then I hide those updates in windows update, and uncheck automatic updates because MS keeps switching them on and I'm not sure they will eventually push windows 10 as a security update.
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Except that I found out the hard way that the /quiet option means that any problems uninstalling will also be hidden. For some reason the script I made didn't uninstall any of the patches until I removed the /quiet option.
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So, just uninstall that update?
One would think. Unfortunately, even if one opts to decline and "hide" KB3035583, Windows 7 and 8.1 will try to reinstall it if the system's setting is "Install updates automatically". So basically, the only way to avoid the bastard is to turn off automatic updating, and manually opt to "hide" KB3035583 every time Windows wants to reinstall it. (I imagine that the reason it keeps popping back up in the update ledger is because Microsoft is changing it, i.e. "updating the update". I also am assuming that Mic
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What about setting permission on the registry folder to read-only?
Re:uninstall! (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, that is fundamentally the problem.
You simply cannot trust Microsoft here. If you allow them to alter your system as they see fit, they're going to .... and in the process they'll eventually take away your ability to stop them.
They've also started lying about/concealing what updates do. They just say "this addresses issues with Windows", when what it's really doing it adding telemetry and other shit designed to benefit only themselves.
With Windows 10, Microsoft have become malware, and the will keep trying to shove this up your ass until they succeed or you forcibly stop them. All they'll do it re-issue it with a different number and keep trying.
I wonder if Microsoft understands (or cares) the extent to which they are pissing people off, and forcing people to start rejecting updates on the assumption they can't be trusted.
It just seems like they have decided it is their computer, and you don't get a vote. This seems to me like it's a violation of the computer fraud and abuse act or whatever it is .. but apparently assholes with EULAs can do anything they want to.
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So basically, the only way to avoid the bastard is to turn off automatic updating,
When the unknown notification started showing up in my task bar, the first thing I did was see what the executable behind it was and ... delete it and the entire directory that contained it. Pretty easy, except for the two-stage permission change so I could nuke it.
Never came back. gwx.exe.
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Right with you there. Look, I've been a Linux user, one way or the other, for even a little longer than that (Slashdot ID checks out). I've been whatever-coexisting with Windows for the last decade or so. The period where sound and wifi were sucking on Linux (and IE ruled the web) coincided with me having enough income to buy new-out-of-box laptops. So, grew to live in a Windows desktop, Linux server peace. Actually didn't hate Win8/8.1 for my own needs (though I agree it was a UI disaster for non-power-
Re:Why would you not want to upgrade to Windows 10 (Score:4, Insightful)
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.)
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A lot of old software would differentiate if it was running on a Windows 95 or Windows 98 system by checking if the OS Name string began with "Windows 9". Microsoft jumped from Windows 8 to Windows 10 to avoid creating problems if someone tried to run one of these apps on a Windows 9 system.