Users seethe as Windows 10 arrives while their backs are turned

Computerworld ^ | 3/15/16 | Gregg Keizer

[Patriot Babe]

o thank you

[Mariner]

Windows 10 is the best OS Microsoft has ever shipped.

[Two Kids' Dad]

Thanks for the link. Will check it out.

[Mariner]

Windows 10 is far superior, and far more intuitive than 8.1.

[RaceBannon]

Last week, I left the laptop on, it did it overnight to me, I been saying no for months, it did it by itself

[Pontiac]

For later

[kevao]

"Customers continue to be fully in control of their devices, and can choose to not install the Windows 10 upgrade or remove the upgrade from Windows Update (WU) by changing the WU settings," Microsoft said in an emailed statement.

This is a LIE! On a colleague's Win7 machine this morning, I was confronted by a window that said Windows10 was going to be installed. My options were not "Yes" or "No" but rather "Now" or "Later," and later was a drop-down box that gave me five alternative dates: 3/15, 3/16, 3/17, 3/18, and 3/19, along with a second drop-down box for the hour of the day.

I chose the latest date possible (3/19), then removed that nasty KB3035583 "critical update," and rebooted. The machine then went into "Installing critical updates. Do not turn off" mode for FOURTY-FIVE minutes!

I was certain Win10 was being installed, but we were able to log in to Win7 again. I downloaded the GWX Control Panel, and it found a *hidden* Win10 folder 6.1GB in size. That explains the 45 minutes of lost productivity. Who do we see about that?

With GWX I was able to erase all remaining traces of Win10 update. But I should not have had to go through all of this trouble. And I am far more tech-savvy than most users, many of whom I imagine now unwantedly have a Win10 machine.

This is absolutely disgusting, underhanded behavior by Microsoft. There is something extremely spooky about this whole Win10 thing. Windows versions were always overpriced (IMO); but now it's FREE and, for many, MANDATORY. What the hell is going on here?

[kitchen]

Thanks, this will be very helpful! I’m upgrading (LOL) several XP 64 bit desktops and a 32 bit netbook to W7 Home Premium in a couple weeks. The desktops also get SSDs for the OS and program files. In your opinion, are there any MS updates I should install?

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

You rock!!!

[aimhigh]

I have a blind friend who has the continual popups. If it upgraded without notice, he would be hit with various Windows asking for ID and passwords. In other words, his PC would be useless to him without calling in some assistance.

[Secret Agent Man]

Msquish said they were gonna do this. We warned you they were gonna be forcing this.

They have already said they are going to move to updates you can’t refuse.

[2nd amendment mama]

Bookmark for later - Win 10 removal tools

[867V309]

Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users have begun to howl over Microsoft's practice of automatically upgrading their PCs to Windows 10, saying that they were never given a chance to decline the upgrade before it installed itself.

That was contrary to how Microsoft has described its aggressive strategy of pushing Windows 10 to devices running older versions of its operating system.

My computer with 8.0 was fine, I didn't want 8.1. Suddenly it was happening without my permission, before my eyes, no way to stop.

Bless FR, I read about the evil that is Windows 10. I turned off automatic updates, automatic downloads and automatic checking for updates.

IOW, microsoft: bite me.

No security updates? No problem. NoScript on websites, no unknown email attachments. No questionable .exe.

[AFreeBird]

The last personal copy of Windows I’ve run, was W2K.

Went Linux, and now running OS X.

I’m real happy about it. No complaints.

[matt04]

I like W10, however I’m still running W7 because of a few pieces of software that I use that have issues in W10.

As long as MS doesn’t pull any tricks I should be W10 free until I want it.

[PAR35]

You going for sarcasm, or do you really believe that?

XP was the best Windows operating system. Seven just looked good compared to Vista.

[Organic Panic]

So far windows 10 has cost me $8000. What a great FREE upgrade.

[catnipman]

“In your opinion, are there any MS updates I should install?”

Yeah, pretty much all of them except the ones in my removal program, namely:

KB3035583
KB3022345
KB3068708
KB3075249
KB3080149
KB2990214
KB3044374
KB2952664
KB2976978
KB3021917
KB3112336
KB3112343
KB3083711
KB3083710
KB3123862
KB3012973
KB3146449
KB3139929

you can skip their stupid “malicious software” removal tool too.

[Neidermeyer]

That explains the 45 minutes of lost productivity. Who do we see about that?
***************
I e:mailed buscond@microsoft.com “Business Conduct” , I don’t want win10 and if it is forced on my my computer becomes worthless due to incompatibilities uncovered by the pre-install tool.

[MarkL]

Supposedly, Microsoft was not going to pull this crap on Windows 7 Professional systems that are members of domains (business computers,) but sadly that is NOT the case.

The company I work for uses VMware View/VDI desktops, which are hundreds of virtual desktop computers, running on 6 VMware servers down in the data center. The users’ computer desktop is a little box, with keyboard, mouse, and monitor attached, and the USB ports disabled.

This allows us to smoothly roll out changes and upgrades, and keep control over the system configurations, as well as allowing full access to the users’ desktops from remote sites, using “thin clients,” PCs, Macs, and even tablets.

And the exclusive use of thin clients at the office means we don’t have to worry about people bringing in their own media or storage, to infect our network, or steal data.

That damned icon showed up on every one of our desktops, freaking out the users!

Mark