Microsoft's Windows 10 nagware goes FULL SCREEN in final push ("Sorry to interrupt, but...")

The Register ^ | Jul 1, 2016 | Shaun Nichols

[dayglored]

> any reason NOT to upgrade a tablet from 8.1 to 10? The tablet is mainly for couch surfing but does have MS Word on it. I have been avoiding the upgrade just because of the hassle factor.

If you're willing to take the (small but non-zero) risk that a roll-back doesn't work, I would suggest the upgrade. IMO Win10 is substantially better and easier to use than Win8.x. I'm personally a Win7 fan, and I found Win8.x unusable. But I've been working on Win10 for many months now and it's quite usable once you get used to it.

Also, the "Classic Shell" add-on program is a true life-saver for those of us who prefer the Win7 style UI.

[dayglored]

> What automatic updates?

Oh, c'mon Tom, have you been living under a rock for the past 6 months, or are you just trolling? Your uninformed questions are sounding increasingly inane.

[dayglored]

Hi CoadToad,

> This is what happens when society doesn’t discipline its children...they grow up to do irrational things like this thinking they are the most important issue for everyone else.

Interesting comment, but I honestly can't tell from context whether the "irrational things" you speak of are a) Microsoft's upgrade nagging, b) Windows users' complaints, or c) the other comments of the FR posters. Or something else...

[dayglored]

Oops, apologies for misspelling your handle.

Just curious, BTW, are you perchance a programmer or perhaps cryptographer by profession?

[CodeToad]

MS Nagware.

[dayglored]

> MS Nagware.

Ah, indeed. Heartily agreed.

The idea that their upgrade is more "important" than whatever you were doing when it popped up is a step past obnoxious. Just like a spoiled child interrupting a parent over and over.

[r_barton]

Follow the money. Windows 7 doesn’t have the “Microsoft Store”. Windows 10 does. There is money for Microsoft in the up-sell. That’s what this “upgrade” is all about.

[plain talk]

thanks for the info. I may take the plunge.

[CodeToad]

Both. Aerospace engineer.

[PraiseTheLord]

I am working on a half year old PC, and have never gotten ANYTHING from MS. Win7 — they still sell them. I bought it.

I have that auto update thing turned off — from the beginning.

Maybe I was supposed to register it or something — whatever.

[dayglored]

> thanks for the info. I may take the plunge.

The usual cautions apply, as for any major upgrade:

• Make a backup of your own files, data, documents.
• Make a full backup of your system, ideally an "image" backup e.g. Acronis or similar.
• Make a second full backup of your system as a spare copy, on a separate disk if possible.
• If you feel ambitious, do a practice "restore" from your full backup to prove it works.

Then do the Win10 upgrade. If something goes badly wrong, you can restore from the full backup. And if everything goes swimmingly, you have a couple backup copies of your important info.

[upchuck]

MS needs to be brought into court for a class-action suit.

BUMP!

[dayglored]

> Both. Aerospace engineer.

Very cool! I had a hunch from some of your past comments. I did LEO attitude control system component design engineering back in the 80's, mainly NASA projects, and later some sensors for geostationary communications birds. Fun stuff.

[CodeToad]

AF SPACECOM and NRO/NSA work. Some NASA.

[r_barton]

You should always have a set of full install media (cd’s or USB stick) so you can do a clean install of your operating system (Windows 7, 8.1 or 10) in case a restore doesn’t work.

Or have a complete set of restore disks or usb stick from your computer’s manufacturer.

I don’t believe a restore partition is good enough, because the hard disk can always become corrupted of fail.

You should also have a cd or usb stick with any drivers that the operating system doesn’t provide automatically. Otherwise you are at the mercy of a Microsoft whim.

[dayglored]

> I am working on a half year old PC, and have never gotten ANYTHING from MS. Win7 — they still sell them. I bought it. I have that auto update thing turned off — from the beginning. Maybe I was supposed to register it or something — whatever.

I assume you "Activated" it (or it came that way). So if you have Auto Updates turned off, yeah you're not getting bugged. OTOH, your system isn't getting the fixes for vulnerabilities, including the ones the bad guys use most frequently.

So I hope you don't get on the internet and surf websites with that machine.

Other than FreeRepublic, of course. :-)

[dayglored]

> You should always have a set of full install media (cd’s or USB stick) so you can do a clean install of your operating system (Windows 7, 8.1 or 10) in case a restore doesn’t work.
> Or have a complete set of restore disks or usb stick from your computer’s manufacturer.
> I don’t believe a restore partition is good enough, because the hard disk can always become corrupted of fail.
> You should also have a cd or usb stick with any drivers that the operating system doesn’t provide automatically. Otherwise you are at the mercy of a Microsoft whim.

Very good advice. Not having a Windows tablet myself, I don't know the exact procedures, but I imagine plain talk is familiar enough.

[Zack Attack]

- the most secure Windows ever built -

Yes folks. Want to stop getting those upgrade to Windows 10 nags? Install Windows 10 and it will block those annoying Windows 10 nag screens.

[rarestia]

You want the technical reason?

I’d guess that if that volume of programs aren’t working, you’re using stuff that’s 10+ years old.

The programming interfaces to the kernel, or the core of the operating system, have changed drastically since XP. Programs can no longer directly address the kernel due to security hardening at all levels of the operating system since the Vista days. It’s only gotten stronger over the years, and Microsoft can now boast a much more secure environment as a result.

If you’re so stubborn that you won’t migrate to newer platforms or upgrade the applications you use, you’d be better off on an off-network, older computer running XP. Do not, under any circumstance, or for any reason, EVER connect an XP machine to the Internet. EVER!

[dayglored]

>< Yes folks. Want to stop getting those upgrade to Windows 10 nags? Install Windows 10 and it will block those annoying Windows 10 nag screens.

I do believe you've found the secret!!