Stealth upgrades

If you want to upgrade to Windows 10 on your Windows 7 or 8.1 computer, you have until the end of July to do it for free. If you don’t want to upgrade to Windows 10, you really have to work at it.

This time they really mean it

Starting last July, Microsoft interrupted your work or play with “important” messages urging you to upgrade your computer to Windows 10. Until last month you could simply dismiss those messages by clicking on the red X to close the message Window.

At the end of May, though, a different message started popping up, informing you your upgrade was already scheduled, and demanding to know whether to proceed now or later.

That’s pretty aggressive, but it gets ruder still: Clicking on that X this time doesn't decline the upgrade, it simply dismisses the message. Hey! You just agreed to that upgrade! Just like installing any other potentially unwanted program.

https://support.malwarebytes.org/customer/portal/articles/1834873-what-are-pup-detections-are-they-threats-and-should-they-be-deleted-?b_id=6438

To stop this madness, you must click on the relatively tiny “Click here to change the upgrade schedule or cancel the scheduled upgrade.”

You have another chance to stop it

If you (or “Mister Nobody,” as my mother says) clicked on that red X, thereby giving your OK for the upgrade, you still have a chance to stop it. The upgrade will start, and eventually you’ll get to a screen that asks you to accept the license terms.

Decline the terms!

When you click on the button that says Decline, your computer will roll back to the previous version of Windows. This will take a little time, but if all goes well you will be right back where you started.

You can still get rid of it

If you miss that last opportunity to decline the upgrade, things will grind away for quite some time, and eventually you’ll have Windows 10. If you get past the anger and confusion of the Stealth Upgrade, you can go ahead and give Windows 10 a try. It’s different. There are many settings you should tweak to make sure it’s efficient and safe. But if all your programs still work and you can get your printer working again, you might like Windows 10 enough to keep it around. (“Hey, Mom! Look what followed me home!”)

You have 30 days to decide.

At any point within those 30 days you can roll back to your previous version of Windows.

• Click on Start | Settings | Update & Security | Recovery
• Click on Go back to Windows 7 or Go back to Windows 8.1 depending on your system
• Answer the survey question and click on Next

The rollback process uses a folder called Windows.old, stored in the root (C:) drive of your computer. This folder is created during the upgrade. Don’t delete that folder until you’re sure you are going to stay with Windows 10.

A year ago when Windows 10 was first released, it was rough around the edges. It’s improved a whole lot. I really like most of it, but the way Microsoft is foisting upgrades on people is disgraceful.

You can stop it from trying that again … at least for now

As soon as you roll back to your previous operating system, you’ll notice Windows Update beavering away on updating you to Windows 10 again. You can get a utility that will stop this, at least until Microsoft finds a way to defeat this utility.

GWX Control Panel is the most effective way to stop these upgrades right now. Get it here: http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/. But please, please, please READ THE USER GUIDE before you do anything: http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html.

The program is free, but the author welcomes donations.

Sponsor my bike rides to help kids with cancer

Has this column been helpful? Has any column here been helpful? Have you ever said to yourself, “Gee, Cate’s column is so helpful I wish I could do something nice for her?”

You can! Sponsor me in the Great Cycle Challenge! Follow this link: https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/CateEales.

Rides start counting for real June 1.

Thanks for your support. Any amount helps.

Do you need help with your computer? I'm here to help you and your home or business computer get along!

Cate Eales runs Computer Care Kelowna (http://computercarekelowna.com/) a mobile service helping home users and businesses get along with their computers. To arrange an appointment phone her at 250-764-7043. Cate also welcomes your comments and suggestions. Send email to [email protected].

You can read previous columns here: http://rlis.com/column.htm. If you'd like to subscribe to this column by email, please visit this link: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Sub=20618. It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the RSS Feed, click here: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml.

Links

What are PUP detections?

https://support.malwarebytes.org/customer/portal/articles/1834873-what-are-pup-detections-are-they-threats-and-should-they-be-deleted-?b_id=6438

GWX Control Panel http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

GWX Control Panel User Guide http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

Sponsor Cate in the Great Cycle Challenge https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/CateEales

Computer Care Kelowna http://computercarekelowna.com/

Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm

Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Sub=20618

RSS Feed: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml

 

 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.