Microsoft Calls BS On Rogue Windows 10 Upgrades, Says Users Remain ‘Fully In Control’

HotHardware ^ | Tuesday, March 15, 2016 | Brandon Hill

[Utilizer]

Despite significant user outcry that the Windows 10 upgrade mechanism has gone rogue, installing on customers' Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines when their backs turned or otherwise away from the computer, Microsoft is pleading innocent. We first brought you news of the automatic Windows 10 upgrades over the weekend, and in nearly every case, Windows 10 installed without user intervention — something that is clearly not supposed to happen based on previous commentary from Windows chief Terry Myerson.

Microsoft issued the following statement regarding the “unplanned” upgrades:

We shared in late October on the Windows Blog, we are committed to making it easy for our Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers to upgrade to Windows 10. As stated in that post, we have updated the upgrade experience to make it easier for customers to schedule a time for their upgrade to take place. 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.

[Utilizer]

Not certain I am willing to buy this (the "explanation"), considering how many people out there are complaining about it.

[lee martell]

“Fully in control!” (wink, wink)

[TomServo]

I’m still running Win 7 here....

[2ndDivisionVet]

Then how come I was forced into Windows 8.1 from 8.0 out of the blue one day? Did I imagine that?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Running XP, but it only shows me stories where Trump is beating the tar out of everyone else.

[rockrr]

I call BS on their calling BS. It happened to me - with a virtual machine no less. I had a Win-7 machine for testing and left it running (I usually shut them down after using them to save system resources).

I came back on Monday morning and found a Win-10 machine waiting for me. I can’t get it to activate but I kept it for other tests.

[Utilizer]

Ping!

[Paladin2]

I keep Win 10 in a locked VirtualBox..

[reaganaut]

I call BS on MS’s claim of BS. I was running 8 just fine then all of a sudden last week, I got a notice that Windows 10 upgrade was installing. Not a happy camper.

[null and void]

XP at home, 7 at work.

We’re forbidden to “upgrade” to Win 10 at work.

[snarkpup]

I've had no problem with Windows 10 actually installing on my Windows 7 machine; but that's because every Patch Tuesday I go through the "important" updates with a fine-tooth comb and "hide" the ones with the Windows 10 adware. Of course, they only stay hidden for a month and then they have to be re-hidden again, and again, and again.

[Utilizer]

But for how long?

[Utilizer]

Quite a few people it seems are experiencing Sudden-Win10-Upgrade experiences. Is microsoft really attempting to claim that they are all suffering from the same delusion? Then why do so many report identical experiences?

[icwhatudo]

This happened to me as well. Also happened to a friend at work. I managed to stop it before the installation was complete. They could not and now their computer is running horribly.

[lordsofthejungle]

This happened to me. After months of Microsoft “Would you like to upgrade now?” queries I returned to my computer one day to find Windows 10 installed without my approval. I was livid of course and immediatley began checking to see if my third party softwares were still installed and functional. Surprisingly almost everything was still there and working though I havent been able to get my Microsoft Office 2013 programs to work. Jerks.

[Bubba_Leroy]

I had six Windows 7 PCs in my office. I upgraded one PC to Windows 10 a couple of months ago to try it out before upgrading the others. Two of my PCs upgraded themselves last week. No chance to opt out.

[norwaypinesavage]

I'll have to somewhat disagree. A couple of weeks ago I received a notice from Microsoft that Windows 10 would be installed on my PC. I only had the choice of immediate, or overnight. No other options were offered. I have a virtual machine loaded on the PC for running AutoCAD in Windows XP, and this will not work with Windows 10, so I needed to stop the installation.

I finally advanced to the second screen and studied it carefully. It only had a dozen, or so , words on it so it wasn't difficult to see everything. I finally found an obscurely worded link (that wasn't highlighted as a link) that stopped the download. I was clearly being coerced into downloading Windows 10.

For various reasons, I use a dozen, or so, PCs and plan to convert before I have to pay for it. I have already converted a couple, and generally like Win 10, though the required memorizing of new places to find old features is aggravating. I plan to keep an XP box to run AutoCAD. I have yet to find a necessary feature on their email client, and that's what's slowing me down.

[Blue Highway]

This is a case for the X-Files. Now that their back Moulder and Skully will be on the case!