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Ben Funk over on TechReport has linked to a Terry Myerson blog post where he states that in early 2016, the "Windows 10 Upgrade" update will be changed in status from "Optional" to "Recommended". Therefore, if you haven't changed your Windows 7 system from automatically installing updates to manually notifying, but not installing, now is a good time to make that change, and audit every single "patch" you see. There have already been reports of users unknowingly experiencing ISP bandwidth overages due to downloading a massive 3 GB file due to the "Optional" update that was not requested, but Microsoft seems to be throwing caution to the winds.
In the blog post, Myerson has this statement: "Depending upon your Windows Update settings, this may cause the upgrade process to automatically initiate on your device. Before the upgrade changes the OS of your device, you will be clearly prompted to choose whether or not to continue. And of course, if you choose to upgrade (our recommendation!), then you will have 31 days to roll back to your previous Windows version if you don't love it." Historically, Windows has been far cleaner to install on a blank disk than to upgrade in place, so this sounds like a recipe for many support calls. There also seems to be no backtracking on any of the privacy concerns, or perhaps taking the "zero telemetry, selective update install" functionality promised (but not yet delivered) to Enterprise customers, and extending it to consumer licensees who value their privacy.
(Score: 4, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Saturday October 31 2015, @08:20AM
I wish I could say this doesn't affect me. I've cut everyone else off of free tech support, but the wife has a Win7 machine. She's been having problems with it, I went trouble shooting today. It seems that her cheap-assed video card was the source of the problems. Upgraded to a GTX 460, it's like a new machine. Of course, since I'm on it, I'm looking at everything else. Rootkit scan is running right now, all kinds of moderately bad malware cleaned up, CCleaner and System Cleaner both run. Before I leave it, I'll see about disabling that Win10 nonsense.
*sigh*
The latest and greatest driver for the GTX refused to install on Windows. She was all worried, she wasn't getting the latest. She stopped worrying when I told her that my own video driver is three versions behind current, because current version just won't work properly. Told her I kept my kernel at 4.1 for a couple months, because 4.2 only caused me problems. She stopped fussing, and downloaded the same version driver that I'm using.
We had a conversation here this week, about the endless upgrade/update cycle. Windows users especially seem to demand the latest version for everything!
Anyway - I anticipate another hour or more before I can put her machine to bed. Screw Microsoft.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 31 2015, @08:35AM
Anyway - I anticipate another hour or more before I can put her machine to bed. Screw Microsoft.
uh, Runaway, not really my place to say anything, but perhaps you're doing it wrong? Putting _her_ machine to bed and screwing _Microsoft_? We must have priorities. But maybe it is time to consider whether a woman who must have Windows is really worth the trouble. Myself, I am torn. At least she is not buying Gucci and Apple.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 01 2015, @12:23AM
My wife was going down that road. I put an end to it. She gets to keep her games. I am the admin on the box.
Run your wife as a lower privileged user. It nails 90% of the junk out there.
I do this to *all* the machines I touch with windows on it. Most people do not even notice. The few that do I walk them thru using the admin user and when to use it. Never hear from them again unless it really goes sideways.