Since Windows 10 was launched last year, Microsoft has been employing increasingly dirty tricks in order to force Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users into “upgrading” to the new operating system, evolving from gentle harassment to misleading pop-ups, repeatedly pushing upgrade-related Windows Updates, with the latest tactic being to sneak the software in as a “recommended update”.
While Windows 7 and 8.1 users are entitled to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, the update is meant to be optional. Microsoft, though, now seems happy to violate Windows users’ agency by removing that choice. The new iteration of the “Get Windows 10” (GWX) window now displays the date upon which Microsoft has decided to upgrade your system to Windows 10, offering no obvious way to opt out, only delay the installation date (below, courtesy of PCWorld). Worse still, closing the window by clicking the X in the top-right corner does nothing to prevent the update, as it did with the previous “Upgrade now” or “Upgrade later” GWX window. The only way to stop the installation entirely is hidden within the reschedule option – a fact that the GWX pop-up does not explain, nor does it state that closing the window will not stop the installation.
Many readers who want to stick with Windows 7 or 8.1 are likely to be using facilities like GWX Control Panel (my personal favourite) or Never10 to prevent Microsoft’s insidious Windows 10 upgrade tactics. If you’re not already, and don’t want Windows 10, either will save you a lot a trouble. Otherwise, you’ll have to ride this wave until Microsoft pulls the free upgrade in July. It’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft escalates its Machiavellian GWX scheme between now and then.
You’re all missing an important point. Go into Windows Updates. Find the update to windows 10. Uninstall it, hide it, and reboot. Tell windows to never remind you of this update. It’s worked a hell of a lot better for me than your “personal favorite.” Maybe next time, instead of directing people to third party software, you give them the direct rout to a simpler solution?
Wesley. The update KB has changed in the past, and moved from a suggested update to recommended too. Also, most users don’t even ever visit the updates control panel. Never10 is a tiny >.5mb file, no install, and uses group policy manager (the Microsoft approved way for enterprise) to not only prevent Windows 10 from installing, but also instructing Windows to delete the 3.5gb of Windows 10 bits on your system. Never10 is so elegant, I have to agree with the writer.
There is a number of patches Microsoft hides the Windows 10 update tool under, and they have been released numerous times again, so that hiding them does NOT work. I have been using GWX Control panel, and it works great, but due diligence is still needed so these dreaded patches don’t install. Microsoft IS passing a line because if one tells to NOT install windows 10, it should be a NO.
Windows 10 won’t install until you accept the EULA for that computers ID. If you have installed it before and have accepted it previously then it may auto-install, but there is measures like GWX Panel to prevent it running which you mentioned.