Beware: Windows 10 May Update Windows 7-8 While You Are AFK - Update

[John Keefer]

Beware: Windows 10 May Update Windows 7-8 While You Are AFK - Update

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If you are running an older OS on your PC than Windows 10, you are probably getting regular pop-ups on your screen to upgrade. However, some reports are coming in that some PCs are updating automatically causing some major headaches.

Update: A spokesman from Microsoft got back to us in response to the reddit thread: "That is not accurate. As 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. We have updated the upgrade experience today for some of our customers, who had previously reserved their upgrade, to schedule a time for their upgrade to take place. Users are fully in control of their devices."

So that is the official response, and they acknowledged that they upgraded the experience. Perhaps another "accident" happened that they haven't found yet? Who knows.

Original Story: Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users know that the push is on by Microsoft to get them to upgrade their OS to the new Windows 10. And while the new OS seems to be solid [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/scienceandtech/14393-Windows-10-Should-Be-the-Last-OS-You-Will-Ever-Need], some users prefer the familiar to the change. Be on the lookout, however, as reports are coming in that the OS is updating systems without user consent.

A October update on the Windows 10 blog [https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/4a0asv/warning_windows_7_computers_are_being_reported_as/], Microsoft promised:


"Depending upon your Windows Update settings, this may cause the upgrade process to automatically initiate on your device. Before the upgrade changes the OS of your device, you will be clearly prompted to choose whether or not to continue."


However, the latest Windows 10 push appears to have neglected the part of "choose whether or not to continue." Granted we have no way of knowing for sure what check boxes users clicked or did not click when it comes to updating their PCs. We already knew that it was quite likely that Windows 10 had already downloaded to PCs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142367-Microsoft-Downloads-Windows-10-To-Computers-Without-Consent]. And in the October blog update, MS made it clear that Windows Update would start making Windows 10 an "Optional Upgrade." In February, Optional became a "Recommended Upgrade."

But when even some IT folks are surprised by this, then it is something to watch for. And it would not be the first time it happened, as MS had an accident [http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/10/windows-10-upgrade-installing-automatically-on-some-windows-7-8-systems/] that did something similar back in October.

We have reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update if we get a response.

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As a Windows 7 user myself, I am constantly getting the pop-up (see the gallery above) to upgrade to Windows 10, and I just click the X to close the box and ignore it. But I'm going to pay a lot closer attention now to make sure this doesn't happen on my machine, as I am quite fond of my existing setup.

Source: InfoWorld [https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/4a0asv/warning_windows_7_computers_are_being_reported_as/]

Permalink

 

[AidoZonkey]

Yup this happened to me, I left my pc on while I was at work and I came back to find it mid way through the windows 10 upgrade. After rolling back it tried to do it again when I left my pc for a short while, lucky it came up with a prompt saying "Upgrade will start in 60 mins" and I was able to cancel out of it.

This is starting to become a problem, I dont need/ want to upgrade to windows 10. I was fine with the reminders, but now its forcing me to update to a system when im not looking. Ill upgrade when im ready, which will be when microsoft stops hovering up data like its going out of fashion

 

[Fappy]

Not sure why, but my Windows 7 machine hasn't gotten a single message regarding Windows 10 ever. I think I bought my OS disk from Fry's 1-2 years ago, so maybe that's why? Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be spared this spam lol

 

[Mister K]

Not sure why, but my Windows 7 machine hasn't gotten a single message regarding Windows 10 ever. I think I bought my OS disk from Fry's 1-2 years ago, so maybe that's why? Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be spared this spam lol

Maybe you have disabled automatic updates?

OT: Well that's a dick move.

 

[Elfgore]

I'm still getting hit with "please upgrade to 8.1", so hopefully that means I won't have to worry about this. Makes me happy as hell though I always shut my computer off when I leave it alone for extended periods of time.

Oh and fuck Microsoft. If I wanted to update my windows, I'd do it. Don't do shady as hell methods to get me to do it or against my will do it.

 

[Roxas1359]

Not sure why, but my Windows 7 machine hasn't gotten a single message regarding Windows 10 ever. I think I bought my OS disk from Fry's 1-2 years ago, so maybe that's why? Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be spared this spam lol

You're a lucky one then. I've got updates turned off on my system and still get the notification pop up sometimes. I'd hate to have to do a clean reinstall of Windows if my computer just up and decided to go to Windows 10. Plus I'd lose all my editing footage for my LP channel as well as my settings for rendering which would just be the pits. :/

Maybe you have disabled automatic updates?

Nope, the messages still pop up even if you have automatic updates disabled.

 

[Fappy]

Not sure why, but my Windows 7 machine hasn't gotten a single message regarding Windows 10 ever. I think I bought my OS disk from Fry's 1-2 years ago, so maybe that's why? Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be spared this spam lol

Maybe you have disabled automatic updates?

OT: Well that's a dick move.

Naw, I update regularly. Not really sure why I don't get prompted, but I know others who haven't too. My work laptop doesn't get prompted to upgrade (but that's probably due to something IT did before they gave it to me).

 

[DemomanHusband]

The more I hear about the shady bits of Windows 10, the more I regret being unable to convince my folks to get a computer with an older OS. All this talk of W10 constantly sending screenshots of what you're doing to Microsoft, telemetry in general, integration with Xbox, and all that other jazz makes me wonder what Microsoft's bottom line with this OS is. Feels like more of a botnet than Google Chrome at this point.

 

[Janaschi]

I was happy with XP, and I am happy with 7. I thoroughly plan on keeping Win7 until something tangibly better comes out, as even when MS stops updating the aged OS, there are still groups out there that will be providing unofficial support.

Have not gotten hit with any attempted auto-update, yet, and hopefully it will stay that way.

 

[Lightknight]

I get prompts for this and just reschedule it for later in case I want to do it later. I am fortunate enough that I don't leave my PC on unattended. I'm either on it or it's in sleep or it's off. Not idle.

This is why pirated windows is better

Still prompts on pirated versions depending on your settings. Pirated copies are still Microsoft code. Microsoft wants everyone to upgrade to Win10. They figure if you pirate then you'd just pirate this one too and at least this way they'd get ad revenue from you.

FYI, I'm not entirely sure you can advocate for piracy in this manner on this site. But that'll be up to the mods if they see the post.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Man, this is going to make me paranoid as fuck now.
I tend to leave my laptop running the background overnight, kinda like falling asleep with a mellow LP or Livestream in the background.
Welp, I guess MS just doesn't want a rerun of Internet Explorer being used by everyone in China so they had to keep supporting it.

 

[Nazulu]

Every time I hear about Microsoft, I hate them more. Can they do anything right!? What the hell!?

Stop doing anything Microsoft! I bet everyone will like you more then.

I mean, it's really hard to believe this is an accident after all the crap they've done and are still doing.

 

[Ukomba]

This has very nearly happened to me twice. Luckily I was there both times and managed to kill it, but ya, it doesn't ask you at all if you want to upgrade, it just pops a window that says the update will start in 60 minutes unless you tell it not to. The hell kind of system is that?

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

Guess this isn't a problem for me, since one of the first things I do upon logging on to my PC is to open task manager and kill off a load of processes that I don't really give two shits about. One of which is GWX, which I assume is "Get Windows 10".

 

[Errickfoxy]

Not sure why, but my Windows 7 machine hasn't gotten a single message regarding Windows 10 ever. I think I bought my OS disk from Fry's 1-2 years ago, so maybe that's why? Not sure.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful to be spared this spam lol

Maybe you have disabled automatic updates?

OT: Well that's a dick move.

Naw, I update regularly. Not really sure why I don't get prompted, but I know others who haven't too. My work laptop doesn't get prompted to upgrade (but that's probably due to something IT did before they gave it to me).

Same here. I've even tried to manually update to 10, but the attempt fails and it reverts itself back to 7. It's annoying, the people who don't want Windows 10 apparently are getting it forced on them, and the people who actually do want 10 can't seem to get it.

 

[LordLundar]

Guess this isn't a problem for me, since one of the first things I do upon logging on to my PC is to open task manager and kill off a load of processes that I don't really give two shits about. One of which is GWX, which I assume is "Get Windows 10".

Yup.

If you know what the patches are (which you have to look for by the patch code because they're labelled security updates) you can remove them, block them from updating again and delete the Win 10 folder (which for most people who are getting the nagware is already on their system) and that prevents it from coming up again. It is not a simple process and some stuff they have under an "already running" security lockdown to prevent it but it is possible.

Basically Microsoft has been doing this for months (tip: don't install optional updates that are listed as "recommended" without verifying. MS put the Win 10 install in that category a few months back), this is just the newest effort.

Naw, I update regularly. Not really sure why I don't get prompted, but I know others who haven't too. My work laptop doesn't get prompted to upgrade (but that's probably due to something IT did before they gave it to me).

Could be an Enterprise license. Those don't get the patches to try to get the update. To add, if IT is being smart, they won't let the update patches go through to begin with.

 

[JLF]

Does the EULA for windows 7 and 8 specify Microsoft the right to Install new software that is not a patch for existing software?
Sounds really shady and probably illegal in some way. Even when it happens in mistake it counts.

 

[direkiller]

Man, this is going to make me paranoid as fuck now.
I tend to leave my laptop running the background overnight, kinda like falling asleep with a mellow LP or Livestream in the background.
W

if you wish to update later but want to ignore it right now Disable a process called MSX, it will remove the popup and can't update untill you restart.

If you wish to remove it all together remove an update named KB3035583 and hide that update in your update manager.

 

[Frezzato]

Oh. Oops, I assumed that everyone either already knew/didn't care about this or was using Windows 10.

I heard about this dick move over a month ago and sought out a solution, which can be found here [http://www.howtogeek.com/228551/how-to-stop-windows-7-or-8-from-downloading-windows-10-automatically/]. Read up on the matter and then use the GWX Control Panel. I can't say with absolute certainty, but it seems safe, plus it works.

I avoided updating my Windows 7 machine for several months because every time I did it tried to download Windows 10, no matter what I tried. Then I installed the GWX tool, eliminated all remnants of Win 10 (and the reminders) and, finally, updated Win 7.

*EDIT*

Spoiler: Here's what it looks like

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Oh, great. This is a thing now.

I really wish MS would just give us a clear cut options menu of "Yeah, let's get this Windows 10 BS over with," "I'm not ready for Win 10 yet and will do the upgrade when I am," and "Win 10 can fuck right off. I know I have hardware/software that still needs the old OS to run properly, and that doesn't look like it's changing any time soon." It's too bad they want to homogenize their user base by force.

This is why my update settings have always been "Check for updates, but let me chose whether to download and install them." Well, the reason is more that I might hear in the news shortly after release of a new update that the update has a massive security hole or a major headache inducing glitch. This still falls under the spirit of "a supposedly helpful update may cause me problems.

I'd better double check my family's computers again. I really don't have the time right now to research if any of the software we use will be fully compatible with Win 10. Also, it would drive me crazy getting asked how to use the new OS, especially when I'd be figuring out it's tricks as well.