Microsoft sets stage for massive Windows 10 upgrade strategy

[Borg 386]

Looks like it might turn into a real fight to keep your Win 7 or 8.1

"Over Thanksgiving weekend I started getting reports that the Windows Update 'AllowOSUpgrade' setting was getting flipped back on on a number of peoples' PCs, and it keeps re-setting itself at least once a day if they switch it back off," said Josh Mayfield, the software engineer who created GWX Control Panel. The tool was originally designed to make the "Get Windows 10" (hence GWX) applet go away after Microsoft installed it on consumer and small business Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs starting in March, then activated in June.

"This is new behavior, and it does leave your PC vulnerable to unwanted Windows 10 upgrade behavior," he said.

There's more to those updates than that, Mayfield argued. "They're telling [the PC's] Windows Update client that this computer can be upgraded to Windows 10," Mayfield said. "[The Windows Update client] is constantly checking settings several times an hour. It's fully aware of the Windows 10 upgrade."

The Get GWX updates and the more recent refreshes to Windows Update on Windows 7 and 8.1 are running in tandem, Mayfield said. "They're working together," he argued. "They're laying the groundwork for something."

That "something" is likely the next step in an unprecedented scheme by Microsoft to boost adoption of Windows 10.

Microsoft sets stage for massive Windows 10 upgrade strategy | Computerworld

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

 

[shadow2201]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

Mac? That's blasphemy!!!! Lol

 

[groze]

I must be good at choosing the correct updates not to install. Even though I did install a few of those update that was in the prevent windows 10 upgrade list, I personally see nothing wrong with them. I haven't had any signs of my windows 7 partition getting the windows 10 upgrade yet. I really don't need two windows 10 operating system.


I do have one way to prevent windows 10 from installing and/or upgrading. However, I don't know if it was a fluke or a protection feature provided by grub2 from Ubuntu or any of its flavors. I haven't tested this with the latest 10 upgrade or the latest Ubuntu release . If you have grub2 installed and you don't disable it. Windows10 will go through with the install but at the last or next to last screen it was say failed to install and it will go back to your previous build or operating system. Again this is my experience, you experience may not be the same.

Here is my setup

Primary Partition 1 windows 7
Primary Partition 2 windows 10
Primary Partition 3 shared (No operating system)
Logical Partition 5 Lubuntu 14.04.3 LTS with xfce 4 desktop (Yes, it still gets security & software updates)
Logical Partition 6 EXT3 (Test different Linux operating systems I think I am pretty much done with testing Linux distros.)
Logical Partition 7 Linux Swap

 

[Painter]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

Mac? That's blasphemy!!!! Lol

Dearest Lady of the Fitz ... watch out for incoming ordinance. A Lee attack is imminent - LOL.

As a member of the 'Windows Family' you expect some LOVE, but no longer if you are a W8 or W7 family member. The W10 branch of the family has executed the equivalent of a military coup - you are currently under occupation.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

Mac? That's blasphemy!!!! Lol

Once upon a time, not very long ago, I would have agreed. But, the average computer user isn't computer literate enough to know how to avoid the Win 10 and telemetry traps MSpy has been throwing at us for the past several months. While I detest Apple's walled garden, I do have to admit Macs are reliable and can be used without problems by anyone who doesn't need any special applications and specialized hardware.

 

[shadow2201]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

Mac? That's blasphemy!!!! Lol

Once upon a time, not very long ago, I would have agreed. But, the average computer user isn't computer literate enough to know how to avoid the Win 10 and telemetry traps MSpy has been throwing at us for the past several months. While I detest Apple's walled garden, I do have to admit Macs are reliable and can be used without problems by anyone who doesn't need any special applications and specialized hardware.

That's fair. I have no problem anymore suggesting Mac's to people, it's really a case by case basis. I have Windows 10 on all my computers, and so far I love it, but to each his/her own! If MS wants to spy on me, it's their loss cuz I'm a pretty boring person lol!

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

This campaign to try to force me onto Win 10 and to try to modify Win 7 to spy on me more than it already has been doing has done is to convince me that Win 7 and Office 2010 are going to be the last MSpy products I'll ever use. When non-computer literate friends ask me what computer they should buy, I now tell them to get a MAC.

Mac? That's blasphemy!!!! Lol

Dearest Lady of the Fitz ... watch out for incoming ordinance. A Lee attack is imminent - LOL.

As a member of the 'Windows Family' you expect some LOVE, but no longer if you are a W8 or W7 family member. The W10 branch of the family has executed the equivalent of a military coup - you are currently under occupation.

Win 10 hasn't occupied me yet and never will unless Nutella and MSpy do a complete policy about face.

 

[Layback Bear]

The last updates after checking I installed all of them.
Then I checked deeper into the system and found GWX installed again. Of course I removed them again.
Their was no information on studying the update that indicated GWX would come with them but it did in 3 places.

 

[FerchogtX]

Geez!!! Why don't they give up already? This really makes me wonder what more intentions are behind this W10 invasion...

 

[torchwood]

i just deleted the gwx files

Roy

 

[Berkey]

Geez!!! Why don't they give up already? This really makes me wonder what more intentions are behind this W10 invasion...

$$$$$$

Remember when people using chrome used to get the ole "you must not care about privacy" and "why use a browser that sells your browsing info and collects data"? Funny how you mention that and windows 10 in the same sentence an it's immediately "no, no, its collecting data for the greater good of the OS and for your experience"

:roflmao:

MS wants as many non-tech people to accidentally upgrade or get as many of the "I don't care what is on my computer, as long as I can surf the web" folks so the legalized malware that is Windows 10 can start the data mining, which is where the big bucks are.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Geez!!! Why don't they give up already? This really makes me wonder what more intentions are behind this W10 invasion...

$$$$$$

Remember when people using chrome used to get the ole "you must not care about privacy" and "why use a browser that sells your browsing info and collects data"? Funny how you mention that and windows 10 in the same sentence an it's immediately "no, no, its collecting data for the greater good of the OS and for your experience"

:roflmao:

MS wants as many non-tech people to accidentally upgrade or get as many of the "I don't care what is on my computer, as long as I can surf the web" folks so the legalized malware that is Windows 10 can start the data mining, which is where the big bucks are.

While that is true, it's more to boost M$ "sales" figures and market share, which were dismal for 8.x, so their stock will become more valuable as quickly as possible

 

[Berkey]

Geez!!! Why don't they give up already? This really makes me wonder what more intentions are behind this W10 invasion...

$$$$$$

Remember when people using chrome used to get the ole "you must not care about privacy" and "why use a browser that sells your browsing info and collects data"? Funny how you mention that and windows 10 in the same sentence an it's immediately "no, no, its collecting data for the greater good of the OS and for your experience"

:roflmao:

MS wants as many non-tech people to accidentally upgrade or get as many of the "I don't care what is on my computer, as long as I can surf the web" folks so the legalized malware that is Windows 10 can start the data mining, which is where the big bucks are.

While that is true, it's more to boost M$ "sales" figures and market share, which were dismal for 8.x, so their stock will become more valuable as quickly as possible

Oh, no doubt. I wonder how deceptively downloading the GWX folder to millions of machines affected their "numbers". Did that count as a download for windows 10, or does one have to actually upgrade fully in order to count?

 

[scr]

MS is so desperate to push 10. Maybe if they had come up with something worth the change to 10 they wouldn't have to resort to such tasteless clandestine measures. "No I don't want 10" should be the end of it.

I wonder if the push will slack off when they start charging for it. That can't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

 

[michael diemer]

No problems on this computer. Oh, wait, I'm on Linux. Matter of fact, I'm on Linux every day of the month, except when I upgrade W7. And then I am extremely careful what MS malware I allow on my computer. Unfortunately, my wife still uses W7. So she may take a hit. If so, I'll just reinstall W7, and start teaching her Linux.

 

[Indianatone]

Windows 10 has a low uptake so far considering it is free most users are happy to stay on 7. Those who end up on 10 in many cases go back to 7 or even 8.1. Frankly and I said this before it was released they can't even give Windows 10 away the average user just wants to get on with what they do. The PC market unless buyers can purchase 7 will be in the biggest slump this holiday season and Macs will have triple digit market share increase. It is all Sadella the Microsoft Morons fault. Turned a OS into a product that no one wants or frankly needs. In less than 12 months he'll be leaving Microsoft along with wizard hair world cruise boy and ex marine who should have stayed a marine Terry Myerson. I know I am right I read the bits and bytes.

 

[matfx]

Must be some big money behind these Windows 10 upgrade aggressiveness, which is unfair to consumers.

 

[lehnerus2000]

"Legal" Ransomware

I have disabled the Windows Update service on my PCs and VMs.

Presumably there will soon be an Windows Security Update that stops people from doing this, otherwise MS won't be able to force them onto W10.

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

Unfortunately, my wife still uses W7. So she may take a hit. If so, I'll just reinstall W7, and start teaching her Linux.

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).

I wonder if the push will slack off when they start charging for it. That can't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned.

I wouldn't be surprised if MS continues to auto-upgrade PCs and then "bricks" them because the owner hasn't paid.

If anyone tries to sue, MS will just claim that they must have agreed to the EULA or it wouldn't have happened (just like they are doing right now).

"Legal" Ransomware.

 

[GEWB]

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).

Linux Mint Cinnamon is very nice, too (I prefer it over MATE).

I'll keep a Win 7 build for my photo/video software that is paid for and for RoboHelp should I decide to do some contract work in the future.

Regards,
GEWB