Microsoft makes blocking Windows 10 'Recommended' update near impossible: Report

[Batu69]

Update: Microsoft's push to update existing Windows 7 and 8.1 users is now becoming a shove, according to a new report. But it now sounds like the situation may not be as dire as feared.

 

Microsoft has taken another step toward making the process of opting out of the automatic Windows 10 update even more convoluted and difficult, according to a new report.

I blogged just recently that Microsoft seemingly was clarifying its murky Windows 10 update process by adding an option to cancel the Windows 10 update to its dialog box prompt. Shortly after I wrote that, it came to light that Microsoft also quietly had changed the behavior of that prompt by changing the behavior of clicking on the red X -- which normally cancels an operation -- to signifying acceptance of the Windows 10 update.

 

But it seems the company is now going a step further and is removing the option to cancel the Windows 10 update from the dialog box prompt altogether, as reported on June 1 by The Register.

 

Instead of advising users they can cancel, reschedule or update immediately to Windows 10, the dialog box in the screen shot on The Register now advises users they can reschedule or start the update immediately. The Register reports that there's no more cancel option and no more Red X on the original prompt at all.

 

I've asked Microsoft is this behavior change is intentional, and if so, whether the company is continuing to claim that users are in control of when and if they update to Windows 10 (a claim which I'd say is false at this point). No word back so far.

 

Update: It looks like this was a false alarm, based on conversations I'm having with folks on Twitter and contacts within Microsoft engineering. It seems the only way to trigger the particular screen in The Register post is by opening Windows Update, Ok'ing the install Windows 10, accepting the EULA, and then getting this screen asking when you want to schedule that update. And once a user have accepts the EULA, the user has officially consented to the update.

 

That all said, I'm still not loving how Microsoft is handling this whole update situation.

 

As PCWorld recently reported, Microsoft's decision to push the Windows 10 update so hard has led to some users turning off updates on their Windows 7 and 8.1 machines. I've heard from some of my contacts that a number of Microsoft's own employees are angry about the direction Microsoft is taking on the auto-update front with Windows 10 and are complaining to Windows and other senior managers about the company's tactics.

 

Microsoft officials said last October that the company planned to make Windows 10 a Recommended Update for those with Automatic Updates turned on. Microsoft did so earlier this year. But at that time, Microsoft officials also said those with Automatic Updates turned on still could opt not to move to Windows 10 if they were prompted that they were eligible for the update. However, users have had to be vigilant to make sure auto updates wouldn't occur without their knowledge, and could stop the Windows 10 update by making sure they refused the EULA at the last possible moment, Microsoft officials said.

 

Some of my ZDNet colleagues think whining Windows users should just shut up and update to Windows 10. I disagree.

I like Windows 10 on my laptop. I updated to it immediately. But I didn't want Windows 10 on my working-just-fine-thanks Windows 7 desktop. To make sure I didn't have it foisted on me, I installed Never10. There are other steps users can take to try to stop Windows 7/8.1 from auto-updating to Windows 10, such as using GWX Control Panel or following Microsoft's own guidance for disabling the update.

 

I understand that once, as a consumer, I move to Windows 10, I won't have a choice any longer about taking regular Windows feature and fix/security updates from Microsoft. That's something Microsoft has made it clear I'm agreeing to when I use Windows 10. But when I bought my Windows 7 machine, there was no such agreement on my part.

 

Microsoft is supporting Windows 7 until 2020, and I am justified in staying on Windows 7 until that date while continuing to get security updates from Microsoft if that's what I want to do. Microsoft's heavy-handed update tactics are just making me dig my heels in further on this one.

 

Update No. 2: Microsoft has released an official statement on the matter:

"The Register report is inaccurate. The Windows 10 upgrade is a choice - designed to help people take advantage of the most secure, and most productive Windows. People receive multiple notifications to accept the upgrade, and can reschedule or cancel the upgrade if they wish."

 

My comment: Yes, technically, you still have somewhat of a choice. But Microsoft has made the choice nearly impossible to implement because there are way too many hoops and caveats for the average person to decide easily not to take the Windows 10 update.

 

Article source

[vibranium]

Quote

The Windows 10 upgrade is a choice

 

That is true in many cases maybe, yet for a lot of users, that is not true at all. Shame on you Microsoft.

[straycat19]

1 hour ago, Batu69 said:

The Windows 10 upgrade is a choice

 

They omitted one word in this sentence.  It should read 'the windows 10 upgrade is a poor choice.'

 

For years the consensus has been you don't mess with a perfectly operating system.  This not only goes for the OS but for the software installed on it also.  Lots of upgrades remove or add functionality that the user doesn't want so once you have a version you like and are comfortable with there is no need to upgrade.

 

I have seen a lot of systems that the users were duped into upgrading to Windows 10 and the 30 days have passed so they can't rollback their systems.  And the systems as they are will not run their favorite software or games (Yes seniors play games.  One 87 year old gentleman is still playing Microsoft Flight Simulator on his Windows 7 system with complete hand and foot control systems.  He was a pilot once but can't actually fly anymore so he spends hours flying around on his computer.  Windows 10 hosed his system and he was actually crying when we went to his house to assist him with a rollback. Microsoft should be real fucking proud of themselves.  And he isn't the only senior I have seen frustrated to the point of tears because of this shit.)

 

I had to redo my bumper sticker.  It now reads "Top 5 Terrorist Organizations Threatening the US  1.  Microsoft  2. Daesh  3. Taliban  4.  Al Qaeda  5  DNC"

[VileTouch]

46 minutes ago, straycat19 said:

 

For years the consensus has been you don't mess with a perfectly operating system. This not only goes for the OS but for the software installed on it also.

if that was true there would be no upgrades to anything. because, technically, everything is a system. if an upgrade exists, by definition it's because the older one is not "perfectly" any more.

 

the difference between 7 and 8.x is big. but it was flawed in more than one way. 10 is what 8 was supposed to be but they decided to do away with versions and roll out this one instead.

 

looking at the OS as just a desktop or as a start menu/start screen with pretty (or ugly) buttons is shortsighted. it's like judging a computer by the wallpaper. or a car by it's color.

 

[Ryrynz]

3 hours ago, straycat19 said:

 

They omitted one word in this sentence.  It should read 'the windows 10 upgrade is a poor choice.'

 

 

Ridiculous statement, such a blatantly short sighted and far sweeping statement is wildly inaccurate. I'm perfectly happy with all three of my machines on 10 and I have yet to hear a single complaint from any of the hundreds of customers that have purchased windows 10 machines in my city from the retail store at which I work. Don't mess with a perfectly good OS? Windows 7 or 8 is not "perfectly good" at all.

See Karlston, this is the sort of shit I was talking about, and you liked his post?... c'mon.
 

1 hour ago, VileTouch said:

if that was true there would be no upgrades to anything. because, technically, everything is a system. if an upgrade exists, by definition it's because the older one is not "perfectly" any more.

the difference between 7 and 8.x is big. but it was flawed in more than one way. 10 is what 8 was supposed to be but they decided to do away with versions and roll out this one instead.

looking at the OS as just a desktop or as a start menu/start screen with pretty (or ugly) buttons is shortsighted. it's like judging a computer by the wallpaper. or a car by it's color.

 

Welcome to the club. Congratulations on being yet another voice of reason.

[Helio2k]

3 hours ago, Ryrynz said:

 

Ridiculous statement, such a blatantly short sighted and far sweeping statement is wildly inaccurate. I'm perfectly happy with all three of my machines on 10 and I have yet to hear a single complaint from any of the hundreds of customers that have purchased windows 10 machines in my city from the retail store at which I work. Don't mess with a perfectly good OS? Windows 7 or 8 is not "perfectly good" at all.

See Karlston, this is the sort of shit I was talking about, and you liked his post?... c'mon.
 

Welcome to the club. Congratulations on being yet another voice of reason.

Thank You,

It's great to hear that a lot of people can break the chains and see the future. All those people that are afraid of change always bitch and wine about how the old OS is such an great OS, please remember that when Windows 7 came out it was the same argument XP is the KING and oh! why did Microsoft released this Shitty OS, This simply is Taxing and exhausting to read. Please get with the Program and Follow Microsoft vision or go get yourself a Mac and see how Apple will treat you.

Cheers.

[Conley Powell]

     I wonder how long people like VileTouch, Ryrynz, and Helio2k sang the praises of Vista after sensible, honest people realized that it was worthless trash.

     Ryrynz says, "I have yet to hear a single complaint from any of the hundreds of customers that have purchased windows 10 machines in my city from the retail store at which I work". It's not nice to tell fibs, Ryrynz. But if you're going to do it, make them fibs that someone might believe.

     Helio2k says, "Please get with the Program and Follow Microsoft vision". That's both laughable and revolting.

[steven36]

9 hours ago, Conley Powell said:

     I wonder how long people like VileTouch, Ryrynz, and Helio2k sang the praises of Vista after sensible, honest people realized that it was worthless trash.

     Ryrynz says, "I have yet to hear a single complaint from any of the hundreds of customers that have purchased windows 10 machines in my city from the retail store at which I work". It's not nice to tell fibs, Ryrynz. But if you're going to do it, make them fibs that someone might believe.

     Helio2k says, "Please get with the Program and Follow Microsoft vision". That's both laughable and revolting.

Almost every version of windows fanboys do this  it goes back way farther  then vista

 

Here's a article that is from the year 2000 were some fanboy is promoting Windows ME

http://winsupersite.com/article/windows-95/windows-millennium-edition-windows-me-reviewed-127379

 

When people try to promote something it ether one or 2 things

1. There being paid or bribed  to promote it.

2. Or They use it so  they think the whole world will want too use it  because they do , witch all trough history has never been the case

3 . IDGAF  what you use  i run a selfish program based on my needs only not the worlds and Windows 10 cant do nothing for me that Vista x64 -Windows 8.1 could not do

 

By the way Vista SP2 was not that bad by the time it came out all programs were compatible  for it if you had a PC that could handle it . But it already had  bad stigma like Windows 8 does and never succeeded witch many promoted it  on this very site  and now Windows 10 has the worse stigma of any O/S  they ever made.  if it becomes a paid upgrade it may become dead in the water like 3 times before for Microsoft in this century .  And its easy not to take windows 10 upgrade on on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 just dont install GWX and get Windows 10 updates and it dont offer you windows 10 let alone try to update you too it.

[VileTouch]

15 hours ago, Conley Powell said:

     I wonder how long people like VileTouch, Ryrynz, and Helio2k sang the praises of Vista after sensible, honest people realized that it was worthless trash.

     Ryrynz says, "I have yet to hear a single complaint from any of the hundreds of customers that have purchased windows 10 machines in my city from the retail store at which I work". It's not nice to tell fibs, Ryrynz. But if you're going to do it, make them fibs that someone might believe.

     Helio2k says, "Please get with the Program and Follow Microsoft vision". That's both laughable and revolting.

in fact Vista was a very solid improvement over XP. it introduced the search bar in the start menu, but it also improved kernel security, improved tcp/ip, decent power management, true 64 bits ...directx 10, for crying out loud!,XPS, automation, much better support for portable devices, native support for wi-fi devices...a lot of things!

 

unfortunately, it was not very well optimized out of the box (SP0), and it really needed an above average computer (for that time) to work well. so for you retrograde b...people it was nightmare!, you needed to get rid of your pentium 4 processors and your ddr1 memory and your 40gb/5400rpm disks. you also needed some kind of gpu acceleration because of glass ui. (d3d surface everything at the os level)

 

so yeah, i can see why you think vista was worthless, but i did some very good business optimizing and trimming down people's os. and i kid you not, it was blazing fast afterwards!, so much so that i didn't feel the need to upgrade  my workstation to 7 until well after SP1 was out. (the apis were not quite there yet)

[WALLONN7]

6 hours ago, VileTouch said:

in fact Vista was a very solid improvement over XP. it introduced the search bar in the start menu, but it also improved kernel security, improved tcp/ip, decent power management, true 64 bits ...directx 10, for crying out loud!,XPS, automation, much better support for portable devices, native support for wi-fi devices...a lot of things!

 

unfortunately, it was not very well optimized out of the box (SP0), and it really needed an above average computer (for that time) to work well. so for you retrograde b...people it was nightmare!, you needed to get rid of your pentium 4 processors and your ddr1 memory and your 40gb/5400rpm disks. you also needed some kind of gpu acceleration because of glass ui. (d3d surface everything at the os level)

 

so yeah, i can see why you think vista was worthless, but i did some very good business optimizing and trimming down people's os. and i kid you not, it was blazing fast afterwards!, so much so that i didn't feel the need to upgrade  my workstation to 7 until well after SP1 was out. (the apis were not quite there yet)

 

@Conley Powell I kindly ask you to add my name to your list in your future comments on the subject Windows Vista. I agree in gender, number and level with the @VileTouch comment quoted above. I just do the addition: There were people, and were not a few, who "bought" the third-party idea, in which was said that Vista was bad and blah blah bah, just like the Pied Piper led rats through the streets...
You, like others, have the right to dislike Windows Vista totally assured. But don't rely on it to question why others liked / like it...

[steven36]

3 hours ago, WALLONN7 said:

 

@Conley Powell I kindly ask you to add my name to your list in your future comments on the subject Windows Vista. I agree in gender, number and level with the @VileTouch comment quoted above. I just do the addition: There were people, and were not a few, who "bought" the third-party idea, in which was said that Vista was bad and blah blah bah, just like the Pied Piper led rats through the streets...
You, like others, have the right to dislike Windows Vista totally assured. But don't rely on it to question why others liked / like it...

Still  regardless  Microsoft pushed out a o/s at the point when everyone was using  old tech and it would not run on XP boxes and software developers only made mostly x86 programs back then .  And  never ever came close too all the people who used XP . 

 

 

Its like Windows 8 witch  was better than Vista  because it ran on windows 7 boxes and all programs worked for it ..But it not having a baked  in start menu  was windows 8 down fall . So its all in the past and they will never  be able too sell these O/S  By the the time I bought a Vista PC, SP2 And Windows 7  was out  and it was too late for Vista too be a success , Vista sold so bad that Microsoft  sent everyone a free Windows 7 DVD  who bought Vista PC  after Windows 7 came out to get them out of stock so I didn't have to run it but tell free Windows 7 came trough the mail,  about 2 weeks.

 

Could of , should of, would of is just farting in the wind and doesn't  count when it comes from a company that is only about making a profit..Vista was a complete flop , Most people I knew that ran Vista were from the Warez  boards  were they pirated it . But trying too feed people   that windows 10 has any features most  people really need over other O/S is pure BS . Every since windows 8 its started to become bloatware . All Windows 10 is Windows 8.2 beta with adware  and more not needed bloatware crap it's hybrid PC, Cloud , Phone. I don't need nothing but a PC to access the internet and do what i like for 15 years . I dont need no Hybrid mess to do it. No one is buying Windows 8.1 pcs too upgrade to windows 10  and they are not selling many Windows 10 Pcs ether its all a  fosod were they are forcing upgrades or they just gave up to the pressure many who dont want it and only very few installed on there own free will  but they still never sold shit, it was forced on the masses and free. Thats why i say if it ever they ever do away with free upgrades after all this crap they pulled no one will buy it much.

 

Only way they will ever get my business again is to make a  slimier windows  thats just a pc  or its viva Linux for me.  

[Conley Powell]

     Just what I expected. Microsoft wasn't at fault; Microsoft is never at fault. (Remember the "Microsoft vision"?) It was the computers that were at fault!

[steven36]

1 hour ago, Conley Powell said:

     Just what I expected. Microsoft wasn't at fault; Microsoft is never at fault. (Remember the "Microsoft vision"?) It was the computers that were at fault!

The big difference in Vista or any other Windows before Windows 10 is Microsoft didn't force it on you . It was not free  for a year only windows 7 was free while vista pcs were still in stock only if you bought a new unit and they had a giveaway for education . But to most it was not free . Microsoft was really generous with XP users they gave them 12 years of updates and in that 12 years they were never  forced to upgrade nether were Vista users forced to upgrade it was once they stopped updating Windows XP  and they put Satya Nadella in 2014 in charge  that Microsoft stop being nice and wanted to be like big daddy Google  that it become a  company the masses cant trust..

 

I dont really miss windows XP , Vista and Windows 7 it was not tell windows 8 tell they made a O/S that had needed drivers and stuff built in to hook up wifi and stuff i dont miss haveing to hunt for Drivers now days even most Linux distros hook right up to my wifi  even from a live DVD but older windows i have to serch for drivers and crap so they are some benefits to using Windows 8.1 its less hassle. I tested  Windows 10 its not no better than Windows 8.1 with classic shell start menu. Most who say Windows 10 is better than Windows 8.1 never used Windows 8.1  they used Windows 7 were it had some problems that were fixed in Windows 8.1 before Windows 10 existed. I got friends  who used windows 8.1 and they use windows 10 now because they game to get DX12 and still say windows 8.1 was a good stable O/S so stop saying windows 8.1 was bad more BS .Windows sells based on sigma  regardless, being free want sell it,  only if people want to buy it will they sell it.