Windows 10 Is Costing Me (and I Didn't Upgrade)

me too, Loree.

Here is a way to stop it if you don't want it.

http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/how-stop-windows-10-upgrade-downloading-your-system

I had to restore my husband's work laptop back to 8.1.

Loree, that was no good policy from Microsoft, I agree. Btw your link is not safe according to my McAfee security program...

Well, it's Forbes Magazine site. There are other articles if you Google it.

I wish I would have had an option to stop it *before* it sucked up all my data...

Lutz, the link is safe according to Avast. Thanks for the info, Loree! Is this also true for 8.1?

a major upgrade is already planned for October (likely called ‘Windows 10.1’) and the initial release is far from bug free.

Avast is on a Mac, right?

Anyone can download Avast I have a PC

http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus-2015/3000-2239_4-10019223.html

Ah, okay, Jessica. Well back to the main message of the op. We all hate this "World-domination" style of big companies, forcing things on us we did not asked for.
However I asked for it, and the installation went very well, lucky me...

Jessica, I don't know if they're doing it to Windows 8 users. In fact, the article says it only does it if you click to reserve a copy, yet I never clicked that. It started about 3 days ago. Apparently a new thing. I'm more than a little P.O.'d about it.

"...forcing things on us we did not asked for...."


Falls right in line with "...we need to pass it to see what's in it...", sort of things. ;)

Loree, have you been able to locate this file and stop it?

Marlene, I located it, but it's too late. It's already downloaded. 4.9GB

Windows 10 is stealthily dowloading to computers over days or even a week so Microsoft can distribute it more smoothly.

Wonderful automatic opt in.

I am continually stunned by the arrogance of software companies.

. morning Loree . . . so sorry to learn this is happening to you . . . I reserved it when I first received the email notification from microsoft . . then researched it extensively and decided not to download it . . glad I didn't . . I posted a link on my discussion forum on how to remove it http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=2027923

How to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to Windows 7 or 8
Did you upgrade to Windows 10 and regret it? You can go back to your older operating system in a few clicks. http://goo.gl/GIjY1G

I'm not removing the folder because I'm afraid it will download again and cost me another 5GB of data...

I didn't consider that, Loree....sigh.

I thought that might explain why my internet was real slow yesterday but I don't have that folder. I have auto updates disabled though so maybe that's why they haven't snuck it onto my machine.

To think some committee of nerds in some conference room thought this was a brilliant idea. These tech companies need to get out of their bubble once in a while.
...

Maybe park at a library or other free hot spot for an afternoon.

"Wonderful automatic opt in"

That seems to be the thing with sites today - even a certain POD site we all know and love :-)

Glad I have a Mac

Can you opt out if it's not already downloaded? Hubby has a PC laptop that probavly hasnt been done yet.

Bookmarking this discussion as I have a sinking feeling I'm gonna need it :/

They haven't forced it on me, they gave me the option to dwnload it whenever I want. Pop up reminders do show fequently though. I did download it and it worked fine at first, but the next day It said I was not connected to he internet. All my wifi devices were working so I knew there was no problem with the internet itself. So I reverted back to windows 8 and it was working again. There are no windows 10 updates available for my motherboard right now, so it must have been a compatability issue. I will wait and see if a mobo update becomes available before I download it again. I'm not buying another one just to run windows 10.

Point of clarification - Windows 10 did not *install* on my pc. It only downloaded all the files for installation so that if/when I decide to upgrade, it won't have to be downloaded in its entirety. My pc is still running Windows 7. It would have been nice if I had an option to decide *when* to download so that it could be done over a free connection rather than having to pay for the data.

Following this, too, for future reference.

i don't like this whole - free and forcing you to use it just in case. i only have so much on space on my drive and it eats up bandwidth. i wonder if there is anyone we can complain too.. we don't want the software, it shouldn't just update it or download.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Sharon, thanks very much for the link. I will save it for when support for Windows 7 is gone, hopefully down the very long road.

Here is another link from a day ago. I had read elsewhere that the default for Windows 10 is opt-in for numerous features, including some that create Big Brother privacy issues. The comments below the article are also interesting - apparently there are hidden opt-out options as well. From the quick perusal I did, you should NOT use the express settings during setup. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489212,00.asp

Use the link Georgiana posted above to prevent the download.

"Here is a way to stop it if you don't want it.

http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/how-stop-windows-10-upgrade-downloading-your-system

I had to restore my husband's work laptop back to 8.1."

I only wish I had known about it before.

I wonder if it works like other Windows updates that you can allow to install and download automatically or do it manually.

^ Jessica, it's all in the link I posted - and no, it does not re-download if you do this -:

If you are using Windows 7, locate the following updates: KB3035583, KB2952664, KB3021917
If you are using Windows 8, locate the following updates: KB3035583, KB2976978

Right-click one update after the other and select uninstall from the context menu.
Select Restart Later when the prompt appears and remove all updates first from the system.
Once done, restart the computer to complete the process.

When your OS attempts to download those KB updates again, you click "hide" - you won't be bothered by windows 10 again.

Do NOT permit automatic updating - select "notify me and let me select" - words to that effect.

If it's already downloaded or is set to download you can manually take permission of the folder yourself inside explorer - by taking system rights away from the GWX.EXE folder and granting them to yourself.

Conversely, if you want Windows 10 and it isn't downloading for you as yet - launch Command Prompt in Administrator mode and enter the following command: wuauclt.exe/updatenow. That should trigger the Windows 10 download.

Finally "got mine" on this.

This might just be what I need to justify a Mac.

Over an hour and a half lost time while it went through all its crap and now my os is slowed WAY down

Hmm I loved that it downloaded it in the background. Made the switch go so much faster for me. Click....click....install. Windows 10!

I do understand the frustration if you are on metered data though.

JC, it might be the coffee industry that is behind this slowing down os software... They want us to drink more coffee while waiting...

Glad I have a Mac, but my work computer (Windows 7) did an automatic update yesterday while I was at the office. Good thing it was there, my wifi was down at home and I was also using my hot spot on my work phone. That really sucks, Loree. Fortunately, my wifi has been fixed (we'll see - very long disturbing story over a 2-year period), so I'm not using data today. I see that little "Get Windows 10" thing on my toolbar, but can't go there, there's too much software i work with that won't work with 10.

JC - once you go Mac, you'll never go back.

Thomas, I agree that it's a good idea to download in the background so the install won't take as long. But, there should be a prompt so you can choose when you want the download to happen. Not just for metered data, but it also slowed my internet connection to a crawl while it was going on. I have a friend who actually went out and bought a new router because his internet was so slow and it turned out to be Windows 10 downloading in the background.

Oh I have high speed unlimited wireless, It is the hour of lost time WHILE it installed something I do not now nor will want ANY time in the near future.

To me....and I worked in computer/internet/phone support for years, this is one of those classic deals where its impossible to make everyone happy.

If you had decided not to download until install, you get complaints it takes too long.

If you decided to prompt to download, you would get complaints that it is prompting you.

Anything you do, you make someone unhappy.

Of course I have a fast internet speed, but I never even noticed. I spose if you are on a slower connection and it takes longer maybe it would have effected things.

Sorry you had bad luck JC, I've got 10 on my machines and so far I have really enjoyed it, I don't notice any performance difference really.

When I bought my newest HP laptop a week or ten days ago, I asked the tech to streamline the machine and take off all of the crap that the factories usually put on new systems. He told me that that was especially important with Windows 10 because there was some problems with the OS that eat resources. I did not pay that much attention to what exactly he said those problems were, I just told him to fix it and be ready to strip off 10 and reinstall 7 if I don't like 10.

That new laptop is sitting on my desk back at the office, still in it's box while I am out running around the country side for a few more days. I wall tare into it when I get home and see if it is going to work for me.

Knowing me, the first glitch I see, 10 will be gone and 7 will be reinstalled. I have very little patience with Microsoft junk. I have my wife using Air Macs and I am going to change over myself one of these days.

I had so little faith in 10 that I bought a new version of 7 at the same time I bought the new laptop. Ye of little faith. lol

Microsoft has never put anything on the market that was not full of bugs, flaws and other junk. Their philosophy is to get it sold, get the money and we will fix it latter, if we can. If not, we will string them along until the next upgrade. Been getting away what that since day one.

Thomas, you are obviously a tech guy. Isn't it a shame that Microsoft puts out crap that only tech guys make work with little or no trouble?

What if you had to learn to change the timing chain on your new cart just to get it home form the dealership? How many cars would get sold?

Microsoft marketing has always been morally corrupt and intellectually bankrupt. And yet the world made them the biggest business success in the history of the world! Oh the irony!

Well, I'm very unhappy that it chewed through 5GB of paid for data without asking me first. I figure Microsoft owes me about $30 in data charges. Not to mention the inconvenience of slowing my connection. And I never clicked on "reserve a copy" or "upgrade." I don't intend to upgrade until I have no other choice. (And my former career was IT Director.)

Floyd I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Sure they aren't perfect, but its important to see the PC ecosystem for what it is, and that is a giant open melting pot of different companies trying to build things that work together, and for the most part they do. I don't think the timing belt analogy is good, that would be akin to changing parts inside your machine. Changing the oil would be good though, as PC's (and Macs to a lesser extent) require maintenance. You should go through and uninstall old programs, update the ones you do use, clean and organize files etc etc etc. Problem is most people don't ever do any and then they have problems. Some people also buy smart cars and try to pull trailers with them....that doesn't work well either.

If you want to point a finger for bloatware that comes on most commercial PC's anymore (which I agree is bad)....point it at the manufacturers. They are at fault for that, not Microsoft. A new install clean version of Windows has always worked very well for me. There is a reason 95% of the worlds computers run in Microsoft OS's. Cost is a huge reason, business capability (and networking) is another. I really don't think that they would have risen to and maintained that market share if their product was so blatantly bad.....but that is just my opinion I guess.

For what its worth I love windows 7 too, much better than 8. 10 has worked well for me so far too. But yeah, I am a big nerd, so maybe I am jaded. I built my first computer when I was 14....neon lights and all! lol

Loree I can sympathize in your situation, I would not be happy if it was on my data plan either. However in my circumstance with a fast non metered internet connection it was really a seamless transition. Different strokes I guess.

I knew that there must have been a catch somewhere! I'm not a conspiracy theorist but what giant company gives away anything free to the masses? I do not ever remember any new versions of windows being a free upgrade before or am I just getting senile?

While you can't make everyone happy don't just randomly shut down my machine for an hour while you make it more "convenient" to upgrade should I actually choose to do so someday. Hey, IF I decide to upgrade THEN I can take the time it takes.

Here was my workflow that started a few weeks back.

Art consulting company buys license for one time printing of eight large prints.

Art consulting asks if Jordan Hare Stadium can print at 60 inches because that other stadium across the state is printing at 60 and we ALL know in the state of Alabama both schools MUST be on equal par when displaying images in a public place where both fan bases must be satiated.

That meant seeing if I could upsize the image. (Yes, I will do it on a case by case basis.) OK, it kind of worked the first try but I needed to do a better job on it.

OK, so last night I had to go find the original TIFF file on my external, then slowly upsize it just a little at a time. I got all that done last night.

This morning's plans were to get up at 0600, edit the upsized tiff, selectively color the AU on the image, save it as a TIFF, download Dropbox and send it to the AC firm.

No worries, I should be done by 0700 or perhaps 0800 at the latest.

Enter auto update mode, which literally tied up my computer for an hour and a half. so I didn't even get to start until after 0730. Now I no longer have time to hit the gym before the day job. Is that a huge deal? No, not in the big scheme of things but it is MY time and the A hat's at Microsoft should not just intrude on it at their leisure.

I guess I am pretty much done with that rant.

Wait it AUTO updated to windows 10? It shouldn't do that. You should have to initiate it.

When you first start up a computer it will ask you too if you want the regular windows updates to install automatically, or if you want it to notify you and then you choose when to install. I do the latter.

A little bit of a long read, but just saw this article concerning Windows 10 and activation rules:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-quietly-rewrites-its-activation-rules-for-windows-10/#ftag=YHFb1d24ec?ref=yfp

I am not talking about the bloatware (great name!). That too is a problem but a different one. I am talking about when the tech tells me there are problems with 10, straight from Microsoft, that should be removed to maximize the performance of your system. He explained exactly what it was but like I said, I did not pay that much attention. When I get back and have a chance I will try to get an explanation that I can pass on.

Oh, it didn't install 10, it just decided to give me 17 updates that included the stuff just in case.....

OR, it gave me 17 updates for no reason at all. Since I restart my computer daily they were NOT there yesterday.

I have never experienced a problem from having my auto updates for Windows turned off.

.........yeah and I had a store employee tell me that the kit lens that came with the consumer Canon camera was the best because "That is what they put on all the new ones, and it will do everything."

My point being that the software engineers working at Microsoft probably know a thing or two more about how it works than the tech at the computer store....or me for that matter.

How do I do that Floyd?

... bummer ... yes, I have always disabled "auto-install" ... glad I'm on a Mac. < : o