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

[New Troll]

My son was playing a Steam game on his PC which has automatic updates turned off. When he quit the game, we found Windows 10 automatically upgrading in the background with a "system will restart in 2 minutes to finish installation" message. We were able to cancel out of it, but who knows how far it's gotten and how quickly it will be able to continue whenever it wants. My son is now scared to even turn on his computer. Thanks Microsoft.

 

[John Keefer]

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

I've been told that you don't get the notifications if your specs are below a certain threshold. I don't have access to a weak enough computer to test, so this may be crap.

Then again, if this is a machine you game on, it's probably better than the threshold, so maybe I just wasted your time.

I'm not sure that'll be the case; the minimum requirements for Windows 10 is lower than Windows 7, and the same as Windows 8.1, so theoretically you can't be running 7 or 8 and not meet the requirements, as such.

You could possibly have some kind of obscure driver or device that is preventing the upgrade, though, as it only pushes it if it knows there are good drivers available for you.

In any event, I like Windows 10, but it is unfortunate their strategy is this aggressive. People ultimate have a right to choose what software runs on their hardware. You can roll back easily enough but that's not the point, it's a pain in the ass to have to do that at all.

 

[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

I've been told that you don't get the notifications if your specs are below a certain threshold. I don't have access to a weak enough computer to test, so this may be crap.

Then again, if this is a machine you game on, it's probably better than the threshold, so maybe I just wasted your time.

I'm not sure that'll be the case; the minimum requirements for Windows 10 is lower than Windows 7, and the same as Windows 8.1, so theoretically you can't be running 7 or 8 and not meet the requirements, as such.

You could possibly have some kind of obscure driver or device that is preventing the upgrade, though, as it only pushes it if it knows there are good drivers available for you.

In any event, I like Windows 10, but it is unfortunate their strategy is this aggressive. People ultimate have a right to choose what software runs on their hardware. You can roll back easily enough but that's not the point, it's a pain in the ass to have to do that at all.

Not sure what the deal could be. I am fairly certain my OS is standard Windows 7 (my work laptop is Enterprise) and my system specs are well beyond whatever Windows 10 considers minimum. Whatever's preventing me from getting spammed I am thankful for it, lol.

 

[Something Amyss]

In any event, I like Windows 10, but it is unfortunate their strategy is this aggressive. People ultimate have a right to choose what software runs on their hardware. You can roll back easily enough but that's not the point, it's a pain in the ass to have to do that at all.

I like Windows 10 myself, but it's outright pissed me off because of similar aggressive updating breaking my computer. Twice. I finally did the smart thing and switched my connection to "metered" or whatever the option is, but it's absurd I have to trick the system to not just update to something that may wreck my PC. Fortunately, I obsessively backup my important stuff, so there's that, at least.

 

[John Keefer]

In any event, I like Windows 10, but it is unfortunate their strategy is this aggressive. People ultimate have a right to choose what software runs on their hardware. You can roll back easily enough but that's not the point, it's a pain in the ass to have to do that at all.

I like Windows 10 myself, but it's outright pissed me off because of similar aggressive updating breaking my computer. Twice. I finally did the smart thing and switched my connection to "metered" or whatever the option is, but it's absurd I have to trick the system to not just update to something that may wreck my PC. Fortunately, I obsessively backup my important stuff, so there's that, at least.

Oh, for sure.

Just this week I've had an update forced on me that broke the mouse if you were using the Xbox One controller and TeamSpeak at the same time. Friend of mine had the exact same issue, caused by a specific KB update, but as this update is forced on you I can't stop it until they fix it.

They obviously can't test for everything but it's stuff like this that I actually worry about.

 

[Poetic Nova]

That timing.

I helped a couple of people last weekend to remove the relevant updates tied to upgrading to W10.
I really recommend using the guide that got posted earlier in this thread, but also to disable updates entirely.

 

[LordLundar]

Not sure what the deal could be. I am fairly certain my OS is standard Windows 7 (my work laptop is Enterprise) and my system specs are well beyond whatever Windows 10 considers minimum. Whatever's preventing me from getting spammed I am thankful for it, lol.

I've noticed that systems that are updated to the requirements (Win7 SP1 and Win 8.1) as opposed to them being shipped with those versions tend to be overlooked. Microsoft's probably using the online activation database to track it and people who updated to the required versions would be listed as ineligible.

 

[freaper]

Just used the GWX stopper to remove 5GB of Win10 nonsense, took me less than 10 minutes to read up on it, download it and click ze buttons.

 

[Fappy]

Not sure what the deal could be. I am fairly certain my OS is standard Windows 7 (my work laptop is Enterprise) and my system specs are well beyond whatever Windows 10 considers minimum. Whatever's preventing me from getting spammed I am thankful for it, lol.

I've noticed that systems that are updated to the requirements (Win7 SP1 and Win 8.1) as opposed to them being shipped with those versions tend to be overlooked. Microsoft's probably using the online activation database to track it and people who updated to the required versions would be listed as ineligible.

That sounds likely. IIRC I bought the disk when I was building my computer a little over a year ago. Fairly certain the OS went through a ton of updates when I initially installed the system.

 

[Major_Tom]

My win update is set to "check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them", but I have to remember to manually un-check Win 10 update because, even though it's in the optional category, it's automatically checked.

I've been told that you don't get the notifications if your specs are below a certain threshold. I don't have access to a weak enough computer to test, so this may be crap.

Then again, if this is a machine you game on, it's probably better than the threshold, so maybe I just wasted your time.

While it isn't the reason in this case, I think this is correct. Only 2 PCs I know of that aren't constantly pestering everyone to update are my grandma's laptop (Pentium-M 1.5, 1GB, integrated GPU - no WDDM) and my cousin's old desktop (P4 2.8, 1.5GB, Radeon 9800 - WDDM).

I'm not sure that'll be the case; the minimum requirements for Windows 10 is lower than Windows 7, and the same as Windows 8.1, so theoretically you can't be running 7 or 8 and not meet the requirements, as such.

No, they are actually slightly higher. They all need 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and DX9 GPU with WDDM driver (just for the Aero), but 8 and 10 need additional CPU features (PAE, NX and SSE2), which basically means Pentium 4 or newer (Win 7 was successfully installed on a 300Mhz Pentium II with 128 megs of RAM). But I think the update is actually judging by Win 10's recommended requirements - Core 2 or newer and 4 gigs of RAM.

 

[John Keefer]

No, they are actually slightly higher. They all need 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and DX9 GPU with WDDM driver (just for the Aero), but 8 and 10 need additional CPU features (PAE, NX and SSE2), which basically means Pentium 4 or newer (Win 7 was successfully installed on a 300Mhz Pentium II with 128 megs of RAM). But I think the update is actually judging by Win 10's recommended requirements - Core 2 or newer and 4 gigs of RAM.

Doh.

You're right, I should have known that. I tried to upgrade my brother's super-ancient Dell laptop and had the problem with it not supporting the right instruction sets.

I coulda swore the 1GB minimum ram was only introduced in Windows 8.1, though? Or did 7 Basic support it?

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Huh. The culprit (Update KB3035583) is marked as optional on my end. Granted, I'm running Windows 7 on the clerical machine and Windows 10 on my gaming rig, but I have a family-related obligation to keep one Win7 OS running...

If you're in your twenties or still living at home, you're probably well aware of the perils of the Panicky Non-Tech-Savvy Parent or Guardian. I got out of my parents' hair a year ago, but they still stop by and visit pretty regularly; and would freak out if they didn't have a recognizable interface at their disposal.

I don't mean it's just a case of them not liking Windows 10 - it's a case of their panicking if a single one of their desktop icons moves. Let's say their rig crashes and fails to save their new desktop icon placement, however cosmetic it is.

I'll immediately start getting calls or emails, usually titled something along the lines of "WTF?!!!" or "The computer's changed, what do I do?!"

I don't even want to imagine what would've happened if I'd let the updates install as-is on both my rigs and theirs. I'd have ended up with two late fiftysomethings in the ICU for some kind of brain hemorrhage, I guess.

 

[Major_Tom]

I coulda swore the 1GB minimum ram was only introduced in Windows 8.1, though? Or did 7 Basic support it?

No, the official requirement for any 32-bit edition is 1GB (2GB for 64-bit), and it runs happily on it. The actual hard limit is 96MB, it won't start on 64MB.

 

[Fijiman]

Well this really makes me glad that I already had to disable updates due to my laptop trying to brick itself from all of the updates it was trying to install at once.

 

[Neverhoodian]

A program that installs itself on your computer without your permission and can potentially cause loss of data? Isn't that the definition of a virus?

Good work Microsoft, you've only strengthened my resolve to go Linux for my next computer.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Updated Response.

I first set my update settings to deferred. When I did their first big update a few months ago, it reset all my update settings. That's something we are going to have to be on the lookout for now.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

Spoiler

wow I missed this the first time but holy shit! that sounds like 50 types of illegal and if it's not it should be illegal. There are going to be so many lawsuits.

 

[Metalrocks]

i never got any news or updates for win 10, because i have deactivated win updates and therefore will never see any win 10 logo on my win 7 gaming machine. and i like to keep it that way. only have win 10 on my laptop and im happy with that.