Win 10 - unauthorized install

<p>Turned on my computer yesterday and a screen came up, in Windows, counting down to a Win 10 download/installation. I couldn't find a way to stop or cancel it, so I shut the computer down. I assume that the next time I turn it on, it will still be counting down.<br>

I do not want to use Win 10 for now. did not knowingly authorize an upgrade and do not want to have it installed and then have to roll back to Win 7 (the current system). Does anyone know how to stop this, given that I may only have a couple of minutes to do it? I am not a computer whiz, so would be very hesitant to try tinkering within the system. Can't imagine that I am the only one to have this happen.</p>

<p>I came home from grocery shopping the other day to a full install, which I had not requested -- no one else at home. Computer was locked up. Did a hard reboot, the same screen came up, wanting me to complete the installation. Finally said I wasn't me and was able to go through some steps I can't recall in detail, then they uninstalled. That took 15 or 20 minutes. I was waiting for some important messages, so was not amused. I made an effort to try and complain, but didn't find an avenue to do so. What is the difference between what they did and a Hacker? That it "was for my own good?" Not feeling very charitable toward those folks.</p>

<p>This may explain what/how it happened.</p>

<p>http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-windows-10-upgrades-get-more-sneaky-pushy/</p>

<p>The good news is that once the free upgrade period ends MS will probably stop this type of activity (I hope).</p>

<p>My PC was forcibly upgraded as well. Afterwards my SpectraView monitor calibration software was messed up (driver issue?) and my wireless Ethernet connection kept disconnecting. Very annoying.</p>

<p>You can roll back in the first 30 days after the upgrade. A nuisance as it may be, I'd let the upgrade run now, and then roll back - I think that leaves you with less risk than interrupting an upgrade halfway.</p>

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<p>My PC was forcibly upgraded as well. Afterwards my SpectraView monitor calibration software was messed up (driver issue?) and my wireless Ethernet connection kept disconnecting. Very annoying.</p>

 

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<p>I intentionally upgraded an older laptop from Win-7 to Win-10. The video card in the machine did not have a Win-10 driver (and none was available) so a generic driver was installed. For most text and graphic purposes it worked OK but just about all video apps were broken. Needless to say that machine is now back to running Win-7 and will stay that way.</p>

<p>These articles on PC World will be helpful<br>

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3043464/windows/windows-7-users-complain-of-unprovoked-windows-10-auto-upgrades.html<br>

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2998967/windows/how-to-block-the-windows-10-upgrade.html</p>

<p> </p>

<p>People just need to modify their Windows Update settings to prevent automatic installations of any updates. You might still see the pop-up nag, but no automatic updates. It's a couple of mouse clicks on Win 7, takes seconds. Then you can, as you see fit, manually indicate with updates you want to install over time. Really, this is a simple matter.</p>

<p>Matt, yes simple, but an unwarranted trespass! Scroom!</p>

<p>Forbes had an article on this. Seems that Microsoft changed the close out button to be "accept upgrade" instead of just closing the request window. So foul, Microsoft, so foul</p>

<p><a id="LPlnk251788" title="Cmd+Click or tap to follow the link" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/05/23/windows-10-dirty-trick-hits-windows-7-and-windows-8-users/?partner=yahootix#9f80d9778b05" target="_blank">http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/05/23/windows-10-dirty-trick-hits-windows-7-and-windows-8-users/?partner=yahootix#9f80d9778b05</a></p>

<p>Rich, thanks, clears up the mystery! S</p>

<p>I've downloaded and run a little programme called Never10. No more annoying nagging pop ups and dishonest Microsoft dialogue boxes conning you into "upgrading".</p>

<p>https://www.grc.com/never10.htm</p>

<p>I, too, was a victim of MS shenanigans. I leave my computer on all the time, and a came in one morning to find I now had Win10, thanks to the generous, all knowing people at MS. Everything rocked along fine for a couple of weeks, then the internet would take many minutes to load one page, if it ever did. I rolled back to Win7, but that didn't fix it. I spent four days with an MS rep connected to my computer to fix the problem. My wife's computer was similarly upgraded to Win10, but it's working fine for her.</p>

<p>Ironically, I tried the free upgrade to my W8.1 laptop. After about a dozen upgrade aborts, I gave up. I simply lost patience with the cryptic MS error codes. Forcing a W10 upgrade is like someone breaking into your house at night and leaving you with a pregnant kitty. My next computer will be a Mac.</p>

<p>That dialog box was NOT dishonest. Closing it just closed it. The reason the install happened for those people anyway was that those same people had their Windows Update settings set to automatically install updates. It's that simple. </p>

<p>Microsoft's periodic updates don't tell you if they are related to a Win10 upgrade. However you can check under "details" and hide upgrades you don't wish to implement. They keep coming back, but under different names. Microsoft doesn't seem to realize, or care, that computers are used to accomplish tasks other than surfing the internet.</p>

<p>I downloaded an application which quashes the endless Win10 nagging. If that fails, I'm moving to Mac rather than submit.</p>

<p>Matt has it right, I think. When the computer is set for automatic updates, it updates automatically. To ask first wouldn't be automatic, it seems to me.</p>

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<p>I downloaded an application which quashes the endless Win10 nagging. If that fails, I'm moving to Mac rather than submit.</p>

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<p> <br>

You're in for a surprise. I can't wait for my mbp to die or get too slow and get rid of it. <br>

<br>

Not cool to have it forced on you, but why the reluctance to get W10? It hasn't auto downloaded onto my htpc but on my desktop, I went for W10 s soon as possible and find it's the best os yet from Windows. And safest. Just from a security stand point alone, I think it should be used.</p>

<p>Eric -- too many reports of things not working, needing new drivers, etc. I ought to time it and make notes, but nearly every time the big M does their regular updates, things run slower and I have more issues with things locking up. I'll likely wait till I get the new small laptop I'm planning to buy before I allow myself to be forced into 10. My primary system will stay as is.</p>

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<p>but why the reluctance to get W10?</p>

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<p>1. In my case only 1 of 3 systems functioned adequately after installing Win-10. The other 2 had to be rolled back to the previous version due to missing or malfunctioning drivers.</p>

<p>2. I want to decide when and what updates will be installed. MS makes you jump through hoops to control this with Win-10, easily done with prior releases.</p>

<p>3. 'Big Brother' approach MS is taking with users of Win-10. To get full functionality you have to set up a MS account - thanks but no thanks. Also all the privacy settings in Win-10 are set to 'share everything about me' and there is no single place to change that. One has to navigate a myriad of options and settings to keep MS from knowing everything I do on MY machine.<br>

<br />4. The U.I. is designed by a group that seems to think that all computer users use 'touch' devices - YUCK!<br>

<br />It's a long time past 1984 but MS doesn't see to realize that.</p>

<p>From experience <strong>IF</strong> your computer shipped with Vista or XP you <strong>will</strong> have problems with Win10. If your computer shipped with Win 7 you might have some problems. If your computer shipped with Win 8 or Win8.1 then Win 10 will run fine.<br>

<strong>IF </strong>your hardware ran fine on XP or Vista and ran on Win 7, 8 or 8.1 in compatibility mode then it likely will not run on Win 10. Win 10 is no more difficult to change settings in than previous versions. Right click the Start button the access the link to the Control Panel.<br>

Once you have Activated the product you can change your login to a local account and turn One Cloud off. You have to sign in to your Microsoft account to download from the Windows Store and for full features of the bundled aps.</p>

<p>I did a clean install of Win 10 once activated on my PC's after the warranty ran out on them. Its been smooth since.</p>

<p>PC World has a lot of articles on Win 10 http://www.pcworld.com/search?query=windows+10&submit=search<br /><br>

The articles on Tips and Tricks are well worth the read.<br /></p>

<p>I keep getting this 'reminder' too, but in the top right corner of the reminder is the usual 'X' to close the window. Click on this and problem is solved. I never leave my pc running unattended anyway - if I do need to do so, I close the lid, which hibernates everything.<br>

Someone asked why the reluctance to upgrade - for me, two reasons. One is that after the universal acclaim for its products for many years now, I am extremely wary of upgrading anything until some other poor individual has given it a thorough test and either the bugs have been ironed out or a patch (or several) have been issued (remember Win 8, soon being replaced by Win 8.1 ?).<br>

The other is that I object most strongly to being forced to do anything I am not convinced is totally for my benefit - the word 'free', from a software vendor, sets automatic alarm bells ringing !<br>

Tony</p>

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<p>- the word 'free', from a software vendor, sets automatic alarm bells ringing !</p>

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<p>"Yes there are the slider(s) - to control how much info you want to pass - but we do not even know for sure if the user interface component is connected to anything" - me to an information security expert at an exhibition, fall 2014.<br /> "And there is even the keystroke logger turned on by default in the Win10 operating system" - me continuing.<br /> "Passwords are known to have been leaking to MS starting from, at least, Win7" - his response.</p>

<p>My guess is that there will be some additional time to let still more people to make the "free" update ;-)</p>

<p>I have done my rollback exercise some 10 months ago, as I was not carefull enough at that time.</p>

<p>How strange that Microsoft's fabled generosity does not extend to free Windows 10 upgrades from the buggy Windows Vista.</p>

<p>Didn't read the whole thread, but in case it wasn't mentioned <a href="http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/">GWX</a> is all you need.</p>

<p>Follow up to my post: started up the computer and the Win 10 download clock didn't immediately reappear. Downloaded GWX and ticked the appropriate boxes. Turned off auto Windows updates (the only ones that I had been allowing) also. Hopefully that's end of the story. Thanks for everyone's input.<br>

Add me to the list of Microsoft haters.</p>