Another reason why you shouldn’t allow automatic updates on your machines. Numerous complaints from Windows users point to Microsoft using increasingly aggressive – and unethical – practices to force Windows 10 upgrades on users.
Over the past few months, we have seen Microsoft trying to automatically install Windows 10 on systems.
First, the update status for Windows 10 was changed to “recommended” from “optional” for Windows 7 and 8.x. This means an update will download and install automatically on some systems.
The company then released a security patch for Internet Explorer which contains adverts to Windows 10.
Microsoft’s own documentation states that the new security patch, “adds functionality to Internet Explorer 11 on some computers that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10″.
Because it’s a security update, removing it would mean lack of protection, leaving users with no option but to accept Windows 10 adverts.
Windows 10 Force Installation: Complaints Galore
Many users complained of Microsoft installing the OS on their systems – without consent – and without warning.
It’s doing this by hiding he decline button, making it difficult to abort the installation process.
Your only option is to “schedule it for later,” but restarting will immediately initiate the upgrade.
“Yep, went afk and saw this message box that said something like “Your update is ready! Restarting and installing in 13 minutes”. If I made myself a meal or watched TV, I would have had Windows 10. Oh, and the best part is how they hid the “Decline” button in the more info button.”
“Happened to me the other day. I’ve had W10 on an ultra portable for a few months and am fairly used to it, but this was my main work PC that I really didn’t want to change. I thought I’d disabled the upgrades, but obviously not well enough. Came down in the morning and all was done.”
It is concerning that a company like Microsoft has to resort to such tactics. Makes you wonder what else is being forced on us in the background without our knowledge.
Is it Microsoft or the “Recommended” Updates Causing the Problem?
On the other hand, it’s likely, that these Windows 10 installations have happened due to Windows 10 being a “recommended” update now. If a system is set to install all recommended updates – then Windows 10 is obviously going to be installed.
In fact, Microsoft had earlier reassured users that the actual update will not happen unless users give the green light, even though the update might download in the background.
“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.”
At this point, we can’t say for sure what kind of settings these affected users had, but whatever the settings, users would have preferred a heads up.
Yet another user says:
“Disable updates and don’t walk away from your computer still connected to the internet. That is when it gets sneaky. I have caught my computer twice trying to do what I have settings to prevent it from doing! If you are connected online but don’t have your browser on my own Win 7 has tried to download all the updates that I have UNCHECKED (one occasion) and another time it tried to update to Win 10, and that was over a month ago! So, don’t stay connected when you aren’t using the internet. Thar really seems to help!
Microsoft hasn’t yet responded to these complaints, if you don’t want to be at the receiving end of a Windows 10 update, read this thread to see how you can prevent your computer from auto updating.