Preventing "forced" Windows 10 upgrade

[d0g]

Hello all,

I've been getting those annoying "upgrade to Windows 10" popups every day on my Win 7 system, and last night got one saying "Your upgrade is scheduled for 8:00 next Wednesday." I had to go back into the "Get Windows 10" tab and hit the "cancel" button. The pop-up said that it will be pushed as a "recommended update" through automatic updating. I have since disabled automatically installing updates classified as "recommended." It will only automatically install "important" and "critical" updates.

Is this enough to keep me from getting Windows 10? I don't know too much about it, but from what I've heard, I do not like. I don't like what I hear about it being installed "automatically," without any real action on the part of the user except reading a pop-up, and the fact that I had to opt out to prevent it from installing itself. The LAST thing I want is to wake up one morning with a new OS that I didn't consent to. I'm sorry to say this, but behavior like that seems like a characteristic of malware to me... but I digress.

So is disabling automatic installation of "recommended" updates enough to prevent this from being installed, or is there something else I need to do?

Thanks.

 

[shaneturner12]

Have you tried either GWX Control Panel or Never10?

Shane

 

[clam1952]

Use Never 10 By Steve Gibson Research, he's highly respected in the PC technical world https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

 

[narrowgauge]

Thank you both and gratitude to Steve Gibson. Never 10 works well.

I had some concerns as both my on-line machines are set up to dual-boot to Win7 or Win10 and I worried a bit that Never 10 would affect the setup. No worries, the little window image has gone and both machines can go to Win10 and back to Win7. I periodically run both in Win10 to get any upgrades, that may need Never 10 to run again although as each OS is on a separate drive, I think that unlikely.

Peter

 

[johnwhelan]

Hello all,

I've been getting those annoying "upgrade to Windows 10" popups every day on my Win 7 system, and last night got one saying "Your upgrade is scheduled for 8:00 next Wednesday." I had to go back into the "Get Windows 10" tab and hit the "cancel" button. The pop-up said that it will be pushed as a "recommended update" through automatic updating. I have since disabled automatically installing updates classified as "recommended." It will only automatically install "important" and "critical" updates.

Is this enough to keep me from getting Windows 10? I don't know too much about it, but from what I've heard, I do not like. I don't like what I hear about it being installed "automatically," without any real action on the part of the user except reading a pop-up, and the fact that I had to opt out to prevent it from installing itself. The LAST thing I want is to wake up one morning with a new OS that I didn't consent to. I'm sorry to say this, but behavior like that seems like a characteristic of malware to me... but I digress.

So is disabling automatic installation of "recommended" updates enough to prevent this from being installed, or is there something else I need to do?

Thanks.

But on the other hand win 10 is a bit more secure, the drivers are better so you get a little better performance out of the existing hardware and any software updates you get will assume win 10 these days including TANE. I have six machines running Win 10 and haven't seen any problems so far except one very old 32 bit intel machine didn't have the right instruction set to run it.

Have you any specific concerns? It's been around long enough now to have shown any major problems.

Cheerio John

 

[d0g]

I mainly just don't want to be pushed into something without having much time to think about it. I have the "if it ain't broke" mentality. I don't need all the bells and whistles; I don't want Cortana, I don't use apps, and I don't like the interface change introduced with Windows 8.

As far as security goes, I've had this system for 2 years now, and have never had one security issue. I am also a little hesitant because I run MSTS and Open Rails, and from what I have read, they may not be fully compatible. I'm also not sure about Ship Simulator Extremes.

 

[maruffijd]

There is a WIN7 update that is the reason for the annoying reminder.

By deleting update KB3035583 you get rid of the reminder and taskbar icon. go back and find the update after searching for it again and disable/hide it instead of loadind it.

You can get at the installed update through Control panel> Programs and features> view installed updates(in left column).

 

[PC_Ace]

The free upgrade offer to move to Windows 10 ends in July, so the "nagware" shouldn't be a hassle to stop-outs after that.
That said, there are now over 300 million users of Windows 10, with the vast majority being "happy chappies and chappesses".
In the opinion of many Geeks and OS tinkerers, this latest variant of Windows 10 OS is easily the best operating system brought out by Microsoft to date.
It is demonstrably faster than Windows 7 and 8.1 and more secure to boot. It runs games (like T:ANE) faster than all of the previous versions of Windows and supports more software and greater network interoperability.
The latest Windows Insider tweaks will come to the mainstream OS as soon as they have been comprehensively tested and these free updates will likely be welcomed by most users.
Ultimately, it's your choice. You have a couple of months to consider the options and the cost/benefits of doing nothing, or acting on the free upgrade offer.

 

[Saieditor]

The free upgrade offer to move to Windows 10 ends in July, so the "nagware" shouldn't be a hassle to stop-outs after that.
That said, there are now over 300 million users of Windows 10, with the vast majority being "happy chappies and chappesses".
In the opinion of many Geeks and OS tinkerers, this latest variant of Windows 10 OS is easily the best operating system brought out by Microsoft to date.
It is demonstrably faster than Windows 7 and 8.1 and more secure to boot. It runs games (like T:ANE) faster than all of the previous versions of Windows and supports more software and greater network interoperability.
The latest Windows Insider tweaks will come to the mainstream OS as soon as they have been comprehensively tested and these free updates will likely be welcomed by most users.
Ultimately, it's your choice. You have a couple of months to consider the options and the cost/benefits of doing nothing, or acting on the free upgrade offer.

Hmmm. I dunno. I'm told (I haven't verified this) but I'm told that everything you do is traced and tracked by Microsoft.

I'll go over to Paul Thurrot's Supersite for Windows and just check that out and see if its real or a furphy.

Just because I use an operating system they lease to me (you don't own Windows, never mind how much you spent on purchasing it [you bought a lease] you didn't actually buy it) doesn't mean I give all my privacy over to Microsoft Corporation ....

 

[scratchy]

I was a bit iffy about upgrading to Windows 10 too, but I've come to like it a lot. You can customise it to look and act pretty similar to windows 7/Vista and I've removed Cortana from the task bar and you can pretend it isn't there You can turn off some of the reporting and updating options if you select a custom install. But yeah I've you suspect some of your games won't work then it isnt worth the risk.

 

[PC_Ace]

Saieditor -Well, I guess it is the job of the operating system to track and trace every resource, file, app and process that runs on your computer (otherwise there would be chaos) and the evidence can be found in the Event Viewer and Resource Monitor utilities and various other OS logs.
However, I wouldn't go asking Microsoft (or the NSA for that matter) for their backup of your data (or their extensive analysis of your behaviors, motives and intents) in the event that your hard disk drive crashes!
Consider the logistics involved with tracking and tracing the activities of more than a billion Windows users when that OS still dominates the desktop computer market today i.e. Windows share is greater than 88.7% of all desktop operating systems being used today according to www.netmarketshare.com analytics.
Perhaps when presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton enquires formally about Area 51 and UFOs once she's in office, she'll look into the Great Microsoft Conspiracy too?

 

[clam1952]

There is a WIN7 update that is the reason for the annoying reminder.

By deleting update KB3035583 you get rid of the reminder and taskbar icon. go back and find the update after searching for it again and disable/hide it instead of loadind it.

You can get at the installed update through Control panel> Programs and features> view installed updates(in left column).

MS have moved on since that and can override it. Only reason I have it blocked on one PC is it's an older motherboard and will not upgrade without a bios update which is not ever going to be provided.
There is a simple registry hack that will prevent OS upgrades that will effectively stop any forced or in the background downloads of Win10
Other 3 PC's are running Win 10 fine, the phone home stuff can all be blocked if you so desire, plenty of utilities available to do it for you if you dont fancy wading through all the options yourself.
Best one I think is Spybot Anti-Beacon. https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/ It will reapply the blocks if Windows 10 update tries to revive them! Uses the hosts file amongst other things to do the blocking.

 

[clam1952]

I mainly just don't want to be pushed into something without having much time to think about it. I have the "if it ain't broke" mentality. I don't need all the bells and whistles; I don't want Cortana, I don't use apps, and I don't like the interface change introduced with Windows 8.

As far as security goes, I've had this system for 2 years now, and have never had one security issue. I am also a little hesitant because I run MSTS and Open Rails, and from what I have read, they may not be fully compatible. I'm also not sure about Ship Simulator Extremes.

I've got rid of all the new stuff including Cortana (which is as annoying as that stupid Paper clip used to be in Office) and use Classic Shell to replace the start menu with a Win7 style one, looks pretty much like Win7 now but works a lot better.

I've had OpenRails running in Win10, MSTS should run under Win7 compatibility.

 

[johnwhelan]

I mainly just don't want to be pushed into something without having much time to think about it. I have the "if it ain't broke" mentality. I don't need all the bells and whistles; I don't want Cortana, I don't use apps, and I don't like the interface change introduced with Windows 8.

As far as security goes, I've had this system for 2 years now, and have never had one security issue. I am also a little hesitant because I run MSTS and Open Rails, and from what I have read, they may not be fully compatible. I'm also not sure about Ship Simulator Extremes.

If you're connecting to the internet and browsing any web sites it's broken. You may not notice the malware being installed but on the older operating systems they aren't as secure and one problem is when Microsoft produces an update to fix Win 10 the malware writers work backwards to craft malware that exploits the flaw in earlier versions. That's why XP doesn't stand a chance these days, Microsoft updates point out the weaknesses and they are exploited.

The latest attack vector is using a web site, you don't need to do anything the infection is picked up by simply landing on the web site. There are three lines of attack the web site owners sometimes do it, second an advert can contain carefully crafted HTML and third the wab site might have been compromised. This is especially true of web sites that use libraries etc.

JATWS.org might no look fancy but its straight HTML5 and very secure. It's weak point is it is not HTTPS currently but that's extra money. The benefit that HTTPS brings is you actually arrive at the web site you want, otherwise remeber that 30% of the servers you pass through on the Internet the typical number between you and a web page is 14, don't have their antivirus software upto date, in fact most home routers are running on old firmware that can be compromised.

Now as long as you don't bank or use a credit card on the machine and don't mind your computer being part of a botnet you're fine.

Cheerio John

 

[d0g]

Now as long as you don't bank or use a credit card on the machine and don't mind your computer being part of a botnet you're fine.

So you're telling me that I am doomed to become part of a botnet if I stick with Windows 7? And that all this malware is slipping through my firewall, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes Pro, and Hitman Pro? Seems to me it's only a matter of time before Windows 10 is exploited in one way or another. I seem to remember a time when people thought Mac's were impervious to malware.

I'm not totally against Windows 10... I just will not have it shoved down my throat by Microsoft without having time to think about it.

 

[Saieditor]

Perhaps when presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton enquires formally about Area 51 and UFOs once she's in office, she'll look into the Great Microsoft Conspiracy too?

I don't feel that there is a conspiracy. Certainly not a conspiracy by Microsoft. They have had many antitrust suits thrown at them and they have lost to the tune of billions. $$$

I just don't think we have an international convention on privacy, like the Berne Convention on Copyright.

We will never have privacy while there is a war on terror. That is an enemy without a face, and we have to live with that until it is exterminated.

On the other hand, why do Microsoft need to track everything I do? Ditto Google, who are about to get slapped with a humongous anti trust fine by the EU.

 

[boc61]

On the other hand, why do Microsoft need to track everything I do? Ditto Google, who are about to get slapped with a humongous anti trust fine by the EU.

MONEY. The more they know about you the more they can tailor and target advertising.

 

[johnwhelan]

So you're telling me that I am doomed to become part of a botnet if I stick with Windows 7? And that all this malware is slipping through my firewall, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes Pro, and Hitman Pro? Seems to me it's only a matter of time before Windows 10 is exploited in one way or another. I seem to remember a time when people thought Mac's were impervious to malware.

I'm not totally against Windows 10... I just will not have it shoved down my throat by Microsoft without having time to think about it.

There is a concept of surface area in security, if your computer has its USB connections sealed with superglue you don't have to worry about infected USB sticks. Kaspersky, Malwarebytes Pro, and Hitman Pro all have high privileges they need to to do their job, however that means the attack surface area is larger and there is a risk of infection through them.

You might do better to ensure you use a standard account type rather than an admin account when browsing the web. Also these bits of software look for known strings in files being loaded that have been used to attack operating systems in the past. You're probably better to use an operating system that doesn't have these vulnerabilities in the first place and that means keeping your operating system patched.

One of the problems that some of the mapping parties have come across is when they hand out USB sticks with software on them maybe 20% get infected from the laptops they used with. So your machine might be safe but the numbers of infected win 7 machines is higher than you might think.

Cheerio John

 

[wilts747]

There is no direct need for any computer usage to be tracked but in the eyes of the tracker information is big business (they call it improving the User experience) and if we the User wants something for nothing, i.e. to use Google, having Microsoft patching or replacing our OS in the name of security or enhancement, use social media, etc. we indirectly acknowledge surrendering a little of our privacy.

Up front there is little to choose between the security or intrusion of Win 7, 8.x or 10, although much of Win 10 is enabled by default but can be switched off. However in the future it will be the lack of Microsofts support for Win 7/8.x which will make them less secure than Win 10 when any insecurities are not resolved. As for running a dedicated Win 7 games machine for Trainz in the future, I think with a little common sense and up to date anti-virus there shouldn't be a problem as most unwanted security attacks are practically invited.

If you really want security without intrusion you could always try the like of 'Tails' (a Linux distribution) which uses Tor (the so called dark Internet) and runs from a closed CD/DVD which cannot be written to. Great for banking but a no go for Trainz. Peter

 

[johnwhelan]

Up front there is little to choose between the security or intrusion of Win 7, 8.x or 10, although much of Win 10 is enabled by default but can be switched off.

Rubbish, there really is a difference in security between the different versions and win 10 is the most secure.

Cheerio John