Microsoft 'accidentally' upgrades Win7 and 8.1 PCs to Windows 10 ("Ooopsie! Sorry about that!")

InfoWorld ^ | Oct 16, 2015 | Woody Leonhard

[GingisK]

So, you still wondering why I fell back to XP? My applications all run correctly, my mouse buttons can keep single and double clicks straight, and it is really fast. I placed a tiny single board computer running a Linux firewall between me and the Internet. Next I turned every service related to automatic updates off.

I can withstand this siege, I think.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Gonna have to deal with 1 file at a time, verify what it really is.

Don't allow automatic dowloads.

[freds6girlies]

bookmark

[BuffaloJack]

I upgraded my wife’s laptop to Windows 10(She hated the Windows 8 that came with the system). Windows 10 is much better than 8 but I would prefer 7.
I tried upgrading my Windows 7 system to 10, but there was no driver support for several of my programs, the most critical being the RAID1 system that I use. I had to downgrade back to Windows 7 to restore driver support for my RAID.

[I want the USA back]

My computers work just fine. I’m not about to “upgrade” and then spend days trying to get the things that I use to work.
When I’m ready, I’ll spring for a new computer with Win 10.

[Maudeen]

I need a Windows for dummies on this issue. Where do you go to see if your Win 7 was automatically changed.

[rockrr]

Yea, I’ve had it happen - once.

I’ve never clicked the “sign me up for 10” popups (I usually have them disabled altogether) but one of my VM’s presented me with a shiny new copy of (unlicensable) Win-10.

[CedarDave]

Here you go:

The truth about Windows 7 and 8.1 'spy patches' KB 3068708, 3022345, 3075249, 3080149 ^

The important post is #23 which begins:

If you do not want Windows 10-related updates on your computer, but are not sure whether or not they are installed, you can let Windows do the searching and uninstalling. The below is for Windows 7...

And be sure to turn off Windows automatic updates. Search through the update list manually and when you see one of listed at #23, uncheck them then "hide" them - Windows won't install them, but you can see and review them for installation at a later date.

[CedarDave]

Does anyone have a good list of updates that shouldn't be applied?

Here is the list that I have taken from the link I posted and another location. I have them on a sticky note next to my screen to use as reference when I do a manual Windows update:

KB 2952664
KB 3022345
KB 3035583 *
KB 3068708
KB 3075249
KB 3080149

* This is the Windows 10 installation patch.

[13foxtrot]

Was dealing with this yesterday. Could not install win7 updates easily w/o fear of installing W10.

Google has solutions. A key tool is GWX_Control_Panel

Which removes all Win10 related patches from Win 7 and Win8 among other things.

I also check each update file (more information link from update dialog) to make sure it is something I need before I install.

[The Cajun]

I have but one word about this, BASTARDS!!

[The Cajun]

Further note, just looked at mine, Win 10 was still checked “for install” under the optional update section, unchecked it real quick like.

Not only BASTARDS, but SNEAKY BASTARDS.

[lysie]

Thanks. For later.

[zeugma]

Thanks CedarDave. The only reason I have windows at all is for a VM to use to backup/update by iphone. I wouldn’t mind updating bugfixes and stuff, but I’m just not interested in anything else.

[dayglored]

This looks like a winner for avoiding Windows 10 if you don't want it:

GWX Control Panel

Discussed at some length here:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2983777/microsoft-windows/how-to-clean-the-windows-10-crapware-off-your-windows-7-or-81-pc.html

I might even make a separate thread about that tonight or tomorrow...

[CedarDave]

Here's another one to avoid that came out just two days ago:

KB 3083710
Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: October 2015

From this link: http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

UPDATE (October 14, 2014): We have seen at least one case where a Windows Update patch can re-enable some settings that GWX Control Panel disables. (Specifically, it appears to be a recent overhaul to the Windows 7 and Windows 8 versions of Windows Update, which also resets all Windows Update settings, including those related to Windows 10 upgrades.) Be vigilant and run GWX Control Panel after new updates are installed to make sure the OS hasn't re-enabled unwanted features. At some point I might add a feature to monitor for these settings changes in the background, but for now just know that if you have automatic updates enabled, you might need to keep an eye on things.

[minnesota_bound]

Bing er ping

[roamer_1]

Do you know of a good financial management program like Quicken that runs on Linux?

It's been a long while, but I came within an inch of moving my company accounts into GnuCash. What finally caused me to decide against it was not the program itself (which I was quite enamored of), but rather, due to it's lack of interoperability in my financial environment - At the time, it wasn't capable of online banking with my bank, new payroll rules from my state could not be automatically updated, and most importantly, my bookkeeper and tax guy wouldn't take the time to learn it, so the interface with them was an import/export PIA. Thus I stayed in QB, which I absolutely hated.

However, it's been many years - so assuredly many improvements have occurred... and your needs may be quite different from what mine were at the time...

Let me know if you like it...

[tbw2]

I need something similar to Quicken for tracking expenses, investments, some small business accounting.
In short, Dave Ramsey’s “Everydollar” app and software is great for day to day but not enough.

[roamer_1]

I need something similar to Quicken for tracking expenses, investments, some small business accounting. In short, Dave Ramsey’s “Everydollar” app and software is great for day to day but not enough.

GnuCash is certainly capable of that, though probably more than you need. Think more along the lines of Quickbooks... or a better fit, MYOB. It is a stunningly powerful software, and to my knowledge, still free (as in beer, and as in liberty)

I would be very careful in transition (if you indeed commit)... It will run in windows, and will import/export QIF (Intuit), but I would suggest a dummy/duplicate for some months till you get proficient.If it will work for you, it is definitely worth the cost (in time, i mean), and it will knock down an important barrier against a full migration to Linux... and away from the costly upgrade chain.