Microsoft sets stage for massive Windows 10 upgrade strategy

Lady Fitzgerald · 09 Dec 2015

lehnerus2000 said:

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Lady Fitzgerald said:

When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

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IMO, if you are a Windows user you would probably be better off swapping to a Linux Distro (e.g. CentOS, Linux Mint MATE and even Ubuntu) rather than OS X.

Things like the GUI elements and keyboard shortcuts are mostly identical to the Windows ones (at least the ones I use are)...[/QUOTE]

I plan on switching to Linux eventually (maybe sooner at the rate MSpy is going downhill) and running Win 7 in a VM but, for average computer users, OSx is easier for them to learn and use and MAC machines are reliable. Everyone I suggested switching to MAC have been happy with the switch.

CarlSD · 09 Dec 2015

Hi, everyone.

Yes, it is becoming a real battle to keep Windows 7 these days, isn't it?

I did a clean install of Windows 7 Professional just last week and what I have done is install all of the post SP1 security updates and then all of the optional/recommended updates up until the start of this year.

Then, I went through the rest of the optionals/recommendeds one at a time and checked them all out carefully. I think the only ones I installed were time zone updates. The rest are hidden and will stay hidden. I also have GWX Control Panel and Spybot Anti-Beacon which I check daily to see if any of the settings have "mysteriously" changed.

I will also do Macrium Reflect images before installing any Win 7 updates from now on. Automatic updates are turned off and will only be turned on when I need to check for updates. I run Windows 7 from a standard user account and "allow all users to install updates" is turned off in Windows Update settings so presumably only an Administrator account should be able to install updates.

I do have Windows 10 Home (dual boot with Linux Mint) on a 2nd SSD inside my PC tower, they're both powered all the time and I just change the SATA cable from one to the other as needed, after shutting the PC down and switching the power off, of course.

I wonder if MS will leave my Windows 7 Professional alone since I did do an upgrade to Windows 10 Professional a few months back but decided to keep 7 (since I paid $200 for it back in April when I bought a new motherboard). Probably not, since the W10 recommended/optional updates did appear in the list of updates after my clean install.

The Windows 10 Home I'm using on the second HD was an upgrade (then clean install) from Windows 8.1.

groze · 09 Dec 2015

Just a side tip if you go to Linux, some Linux distros hal is not available but you may need to install it using an unofficial 3rd party ppa. I would recommend installing Google Chrome and not Chromium until html5 take hold. This has the newest flash which is also supposedly sandbox.

lehnerus2000

Can you watch Netflix, and Amazon video on Linux?

ThrashZone · 09 Dec 2015

I believe all one needs is a ruku :)
https://www.roku.com/

matts6887 · 09 Dec 2015

See; this is one of the many things I hate that microsoft is doing. IMO it is a invasion or privacy(sort of anyway) to try and what seems "force" people to upgrade to 10 even if they dont want to. Just the fact that they are doing this among many things is in fact a huge turnoff. I could go on and on but I think this has been conveyed by several others above as well.

CarlSD · 09 Dec 2015

I was reading a Windows article online last week (can't remember where) and someone is gathering signatures for a petition to start a class action lawsuit against MS for the way they are trying to force W10 onto W7/8 users.

I thought about signing it but decided not to bother. I'll just keep being vigilant about W7 updates like most of the members here are doing and the day MS 'sneaks' W10 updates into a W7 security update will be the day Windows Update gets turned off for good. I'm guessing a lot of other people will do the same then we'll end up with a lot of insecure W7 systems online.

Then, I will probably spend most of my time using my W10/Linux Mint drive... 99% of it in Linux, I'm sure. The only real reason I have W10 at the moment is so I can be familiar with it so I can help family and friends with computer problems if they have W10 (yep, I'm the unpaid help guy around here).

So much for MS's concerns about computer security. Once upon a time one could install all Windows Updates (security and optional/recommended) without needing to check them out first. Those days are now gone.

Brds7t7 · 09 Dec 2015

Like Lehnerus2000, I've also disabled the Windows update service on my systems now. Some may call me foolhardy for doing so and I really don't care. I have enough backup strategies for all my systems to get me out of any issues. In my opinion, the Windows update service is becoming more of a hindrance than a benefit to me.
This cat and mouse game with MS has become tedious now. I'm fed up of checking settings, group policies and registry entries just to see if they've changed. Fed up of looking for folders to appear in case it's started downloading the installer.
It's clear Microsoft are only going to get more aggressive with the 10 upgrade from now on.

I will switch the service back on once a month after every patch Tuesday, Image my C: drive, do the security updates, .NET and Office 2007 updates and then disable the service again until next months patch Tuesday, repeat, repeat, etc.
I don't want the WU service constantly running anymore.

Maybe things might die down after July 2016 when the free upgrade offer expires, and if that's the case, I'll consider switching WU back on permanently.

This is not me advising people to switch WU off. But for me, it's become nothing but a pain in the backside! I'd rather spend an extra few minutes a month than have WU constantly running only to find Windows 10 auto-downloaded and taking up space on my HDD.

Microsoft.... I DO NOT WANT WINDOWS 10!! Please get this into your arrogant, pig-headed, thick skulls!

Rant over... Aaaaand breeeeeeathe!

ThrashZone · 09 Dec 2015

I imagine the free 10 will never really expire

kkehoe · 09 Dec 2015

Tried 10, wasn't thrilled, and reinstalled 7 on 11/26. I hid the 4 known "telemetry" updates and set the DisableOSUpgrade value in the registry. WU is on and set to notify.

So far no sign of sketchy updates, GWX, or the install bits being silently downloaded.

Kevin

tjg79 · 09 Dec 2015

I tried 10, but I'm back on 7 now. I have a six year old Intel motherboard and Intel's not supporting 10 on old boards. It was too much of a hassle trying to find suitable Intel drivers and I'm not sure that the MS supplied drivers are offering full functionality. My 10 upgrade install was buggy. My 10 clean install became toast when I installed the wrong version Intel RST driver. Hence, back to reliable 7 which is their pinnacle of design IMO. If you have an old motherboard, you're better off with 7. Also, 10 is not as good as 7 for performing all the usual PC maintenance tasks IMO.