If the Redmond scum force me to take their spyware OS, that computer goes out the window (no pun intended).
Never look a gift OS in the mouth.
I did a clean install of Windows 10 rather than the upgrade. I just save the upgrade to a flash drive and then re-installed Windows 10 from scratch. My new desktop computer previously had 8.1. It has worked like a dream.
I still have Windows 8.1, and I have been getting pop up to convert to Windows 10. I refuse, they better not do this crap on my computer.
All my stuff is backed up just in case. I have the original CD’s for W7 should that happen. I do not have the icon in my tray for W10 to auto update.
There was Freeper who gave me the link to GWX10 which is a free app preventing W10 from loading. I forgot who it was and mine has W7.
GWX Control Panel ( http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads ) does some good things, but it hasn’t kept up with the full list of KB updates that ought to be removed beyond just KB3035583. It’s also a bit non-intuitive for some non-techies.
So I’ve made some easy-to-use tools to help put an end to this coerced Windows 10 installation nonsense. They can be downloaded from here and then unzipped:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_hrA7ihzIPlVXpRUnJyc1AyNkU/view?usp=sharing
The three included tools uninstall the Windows 10 nagware and the Microsoft “telemetry” (spyware) “updates” from Windows 7 and Windows 8.x Operating Systems if they are installed, prevent the updates from being reinstalled, and remove the Windows 10 installer folder $WINDOWS.~BT if it is present.
These tools must be run from an account with Administrative privilege, which is the case (unfortunately) for most accounts. They can also be run from a non-Administrator account by right-clicking them and then left-clicking on “Run as Administrator”.
The tools are most effective when run in the following order:
1. Run PreventW10InstallationUAC.exe to set Microsoft Update to “manual only” mode and modify a couple of registry variables that tell the OS to never allow a newer OS to be installed. This tool will run quickly unless you accept the optional request (recommended) to make a System Restore Point before the tool makes it changes, in which case the Restore Point will take a while to make.
Note that after this procedure finishes, no more Microsoft updates will be applied unless you manually request a check for updates and then decide which updates to accept, though making such decisions requires knowledge that the average user usually does not possess. However, for mature operating systems I personally believe that blindly accepting Microsoft updates at this juncture has more downsides than upsides.
(If you DO want to attempt to manually check for updates, you’ll first have to change the Windows Update setting from “Never Check for Updates” to “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” before you click the “Check for updates” button.)
2. Run RemoveW10NagwareTool.exe to remove a set of Microsoft updates that relate to Windows 10 nagware (”white flag”) popup, Microsoft spyware, and the Windows 10 installer itself if any of them have been installed. Detection and uninstallation can take a few minutes to complete.
If any of this set of updates is found, you’ll need to reboot the system.
It might also be necessary to run this tool again after rebooting if the nagware update had previously been slated to be installed AGAIN, in which case after rebooting, you’ll STILL see the Windows 10 (”white flag”) nag. If that’s the case, just run this tool again and reboot again, and then run PreventW10InstallationUAC.exe again.
3. Finally, after you’re sure the Windows 10 nagware has been removed, run RemoveW10Folder.exe to detect and remove the Windows 10 install folder if it is found.
I am so mad at Microsoft for this behavior. Let me buy a non-spyware version for $100. Why only “free” and “send all my files and keystrokes to Microsoft?”
I’m somewhat convinced that the newer your OS the more you are vulnerable to systemic internal spyware and tracking. If I could I’d go back to Windows 2000 pro.
I have a high end photo printer that will NOT operate with Windows 10. I will be pi$$ed if they do that to me.
Thanks!
One more bkmk to stop windows 10 CRAP
Windows 10 is super popular. That’s what MS says. Of course this is like giving women roofies and then walking around bragging about how the women are all having sex with you.
Windows 10 is essentially a date-rape of your computer.
Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of use from my Macs and Windows computers. But Apple and Microsoft have both been high-handed at times.
What are the alternatives? I’m not a computer hobbyist, so I don’t want to tinker to set up or optimize my computer. I used to do that with System 9 extensions on the Mac - a long time ago. I continue to use my iBook for some old Mac Classic applications. And I use my Windows 7 sliding into 10 computer. It may be about time for a 3rd computer. A new OS may be the way to go for me. What can I buy that is ready to go?
My task bar on WIN 10 stopped working months ago for me. If you still have WIN 7, like I did formerly, hold on to it as long as you can!
Windows 10 is the best OS Microsoft has ever shipped.
Last week, I left the laptop on, it did it overnight to me, I been saying no for months, it did it by itself
This is a LIE! On a colleague's Win7 machine this morning, I was confronted by a window that said Windows10 was going to be installed. My options were not "Yes" or "No" but rather "Now" or "Later," and later was a drop-down box that gave me five alternative dates: 3/15, 3/16, 3/17, 3/18, and 3/19, along with a second drop-down box for the hour of the day.
I chose the latest date possible (3/19), then removed that nasty KB3035583 "critical update," and rebooted. The machine then went into "Installing critical updates. Do not turn off" mode for FOURTY-FIVE minutes!
I was certain Win10 was being installed, but we were able to log in to Win7 again. I downloaded the GWX Control Panel, and it found a *hidden* Win10 folder 6.1GB in size. That explains the 45 minutes of lost productivity. Who do we see about that?
With GWX I was able to erase all remaining traces of Win10 update. But I should not have had to go through all of this trouble. And I am far more tech-savvy than most users, many of whom I imagine now unwantedly have a Win10 machine.
This is absolutely disgusting, underhanded behavior by Microsoft. There is something extremely spooky about this whole Win10 thing. Windows versions were always overpriced (IMO); but now it's FREE and, for many, MANDATORY. What the hell is going on here?
I have a blind friend who has the continual popups. If it upgraded without notice, he would be hit with various Windows asking for ID and passwords. In other words, his PC would be useless to him without calling in some assistance.
Msquish said they were gonna do this. We warned you they were gonna be forcing this.
They have already said they are going to move to updates you can’t refuse.
Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users have begun to howl over Microsoft's practice of automatically upgrading their PCs to Windows 10, saying that they were never given a chance to decline the upgrade before it installed itself.
That was contrary to how Microsoft has described its aggressive strategy of pushing Windows 10 to devices running older versions of its operating system.
My computer with 8.0 was fine, I didn't want 8.1. Suddenly it was happening without my permission, before my eyes, no way to stop.
Bless FR, I read about the evil that is Windows 10. I turned off automatic updates, automatic downloads and automatic checking for updates.
IOW, microsoft: bite me.
No security updates? No problem. NoScript on websites, no unknown email attachments. No questionable .exe.
The last personal copy of Windows I’ve run, was W2K.
Went Linux, and now running OS X.
I’m real happy about it. No complaints.