Windows 10 is downloading without permission

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networkn

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#1388574 16-Sep-2015 15:28

MikeB4:
Michaelfjs: Is it just downloading the files, or is it doing the install was well (without asking)? Because the article only states that the files were being download, which is not too much of the big deal, unless you have limited bandwidth.

But I haven't seen any reports of it installing without permission.

Putting files on someones equipment without consent is a liberty and something that should not be done.

100% Agree. It's very poor form, I am concerned about the direction MS is headed. I didn't like Steve Balmer much but I couldn't see this getting past him. People would be claiming unemployment.

They needed to change, but it's gone from one extreme to another.

Sadly in my experience, W10 is the least STABLE OS I can recall since Windows ME. Vista had it's issues, but it's issues were mostly drivers.

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#1388578 16-Sep-2015 15:36

MikeB4:
Michaelfjs: Is it just downloading the files, or is it doing the install was well (without asking)? Because the article only states that the files were being download, which is not too much of the big deal, unless you have limited bandwidth.

But I haven't seen any reports of it installing without permission.

Putting files on someones equipment without consent is a liberty and something that should not be done.

But you did consent, by turning on windows update, you agree to let windows updates put files on your device (for the purpose of updating your computer).

I guess the issue is whether the files associated with Windows 10 can be considered an update or not, and it can be argued either way.

networkn

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#1388579 16-Sep-2015 15:41

Michaelfjs:
MikeB4:
Michaelfjs: Is it just downloading the files, or is it doing the install was well (without asking)? Because the article only states that the files were being download, which is not too much of the big deal, unless you have limited bandwidth.

But I haven't seen any reports of it installing without permission.

Putting files on someones equipment without consent is a liberty and something that should not be done.

But you did consent, by turning on windows update, you agree to let windows updates put files on your device (for the purpose of updating your computer).

I guess the issue is whether the files associated with Windows 10 can be considered an update or not, and it can be argued either way.

No it can't be argued either way. One is a new OS and the other are updates to an existing OS.

I don't think MS are acting in good faith by doing OS upgrades inside of Windows Updates.

There are LOTS of vendors who will not support their products under Windows 10, At all. This means you could potentially call MYOB and they could refuse to offer you support as you aren't running a "compatible" OS.

I believe MS have made an error that has allowed this, but unfortunately they are slow to act to "fix" it, and worse still aren't communicating.

They needed a good stable release and good communication to repair some of the damage that W8 did, and this hasn't been a good start.

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#1388580 16-Sep-2015 15:42

Michaelfjs:
MikeB4:
Michaelfjs: Is it just downloading the files, or is it doing the install was well (without asking)? Because the article only states that the files were being download, which is not too much of the big deal, unless you have limited bandwidth.

But I haven't seen any reports of it installing without permission.

Putting files on someones equipment without consent is a liberty and something that should not be done.

But you did consent, by turning on windows update, you agree to let windows updates put files on your device (for the purpose of updating your computer).

I guess the issue is whether the files associated with Windows 10 can be considered an update or not, and it can be argued either way.

Updating your current Windows version (say Windows 7) with hot-fixes is one thing, putting a new OS is another and I am sure it is pushing the "consent" too far.

gzt

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#1388748 16-Sep-2015 22:23

Michaelfjs:
MikeB4:
Michaelfjs: Is it just downloading the files, or is it doing the install was well (without asking)? Because the article only states that the files were being download, which is not too much of the big deal, unless you have limited bandwidth.

But I haven't seen any reports of it installing without permission.

Putting files on someones equipment without consent is a liberty and something that should not be done.

But you did consent, by turning on windows update, you agree to let windows updates put files on your device (for the purpose of updating your computer).

I guess the issue is whether the files associated with Windows 10 can be considered an update or not, and it can be argued either way.

The issue is Microsoft driving approx 4-6GB per machine. This is either evil, pain in the [species of equus], technical fail, or marketing. Pick one or more. This strategy has all the subtlety of a vogon bypass. End of story.

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#1388752 16-Sep-2015 22:30

Any of us that think we know more about appropriate patch or data distribution than MS are deluded. There will be perfectly reasonable justifications for it. We might not like it, they may not apply to us individually, and we may simply have not thought of the reasons yet...

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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#1388755 16-Sep-2015 22:49

I can well imagine that assement is correct. Microsoft may well have been in a corner with this one. But I suspect it was more a case of the alternative being unacceptable to the drive to market strategy.

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networkn

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#1388757 16-Sep-2015 22:53

Talkiet: Any of us that think we know more about appropriate patch or data distribution than MS are deluded. There will be perfectly reasonable justifications for it. We might like it, they may not apply to us individually, and we may simply have not thought of the reasons yet...

Cheers - N

Communication is key. It's an area MS has been failing MISERABLY at for the past few recent years particularly. IF this is intentional, communication is required. If it was an error and they intend a fix, communication is required. If they have decided to mandatorily force upgrades, Communication is required. This gives people a chance to act accordingly.

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#1388759 16-Sep-2015 22:58

networkn:
Talkiet: Any of us that think we know more about appropriate patch or data distribution than MS are deluded. There will be perfectly reasonable justifications for it. We might like it, they may not apply to us individually, and we may simply have not thought of the reasons yet...

Cheers - N

Communication is key. It's an area MS has been failing MISERABLY at for the past few recent years particularly. IF this is intentional, communication is required. If it was an error and they intend a fix, communication is required. If they have decided to mandatorily force upgrades, Communication is required. This gives people a chance to act accordingly.

For you... Yes. For me, Yes. For most people registered and posting here... Yes.

For my mum, No. For my dad, HELL NO. For most of my friends and most users of windows? No.

If it's something a particular user cares about, there are trivially findable methods to control what happens with respect to the download of Win10.

Way, WAY too many geeks seem to think what we want is what the general public needs or wants. It's frequently not and we're usually too myopic to see it.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

gzt

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#1388985 17-Sep-2015 12:25

networkn:
Talkiet: Any of us that think we know more about appropriate patch or data distribution than MS are deluded. There will be perfectly reasonable justifications for it. We might like it, they may not apply to us individually, and we may simply have not thought of the reasons yet...

Cheers - N

Communication is key. It's an area MS has been failing MISERABLY at for the past few recent years particularly. IF this is intentional, communication is required. If it was an error and they intend a fix, communication is required. If they have decided to mandatorily force upgrades, Communication is required. This gives people a chance to act accordingly.

Imho it has been a developing situation and Microsoft have engaged in some sophisticated perception management along the way. It is clear that Microsoft could have chosen not to do it this way.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351

There is a July update that enables a registry key to prevent download.

Talkiet

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#1389007 17-Sep-2015 12:45

gzt:
networkn:
Talkiet: Any of us that think we know more about appropriate patch or data distribution than MS are deluded. There will be perfectly reasonable justifications for it. We might like it, they may not apply to us individually, and we may simply have not thought of the reasons yet...

Cheers - N

Communication is key. It's an area MS has been failing MISERABLY at for the past few recent years particularly. IF this is intentional, communication is required. If it was an error and they intend a fix, communication is required. If they have decided to mandatorily force upgrades, Communication is required. This gives people a chance to act accordingly.

Imho it has been a developing situation and Microsoft have engaged in some sophisticated perception management along the way. It is clear that Microsoft could have chosen not to do it this way.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080351

There is a July update that enables a registry key to prevent download.

They could also have chosen to deliver the upgrades by punchcards and carrier pigeon. Doesn't mean that it would be a better alternative.

I note there are some pretty sensible and wide ranging automatic exclusions from the automatic upgrade blocking (member of a domain being the biggie)

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

gzt

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#1389008 17-Sep-2015 12:45

By the way just to be clear none of my comments should be taken as ungrateful for Nathan's contribution. I feel just the opposite actually. Imho, Nathan is here in an informal capacity and not as a CSR for all things Microsoft does. I'm also really really happy this thread has remained focused on the issues.

networkn

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#1389013 17-Sep-2015 12:55

gzt: By the way just to be clear none of my comments should be taken as ungrateful for Nathan's contribution. I feel just the opposite actually. Imho, Nathan is here in an informal capacity and not as a CSR for all things Microsoft does. I'm also really really happy this thread has remained focused on the issues.

No-one is attacking Nathan and I suspect he understands that.

networkn

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#1389014 17-Sep-2015 12:55

I note there are some pretty sensible and wide ranging automatic exclusions from the automatic upgrade blocking (member of a domain being the biggie)

We have computers which are members of a domain where the ~WindowsBT Folder has turned up.

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#1389739 18-Sep-2015 14:58

Dratsab: I "reserved" a copy of Windows 10 as soon as the update for this feature came. I still haven't been upgraded (in fact I get messages a couple of times a week telling me GWXUX.exe has stopped working) - maybe reserving a copy is the way to avoid an upgrade?

Glad it's not just me - I have 3 PCs reserved and still waiting, and two upgraded (although one I had to use the Media Creation tool on because it was erroneously identifying as having an enterprise version of Windows when it fact it was Win7 Starter).

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