Windows 10 just swooped in and took over my computer without any prompting from me.

[Blue_In_AK]

I was actually right in the middle of posting something to DU when the computer shut off and came back on to install the upgrade. Have I been assimilated? Do I need to be afraid?

I'm on my iPad now, afraid to go into my office.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I think there are ways to get rid of it, but you will probably need help.

I've been meaning to get my laptop in to my computer guy and I keep procrastinating!

He already got rid of it on my desktop via remote access. I love my IT guy!

Good luck.

[arcane1]

2. I heard they were going to include it in their automatic updates.

I turned that shit off immediately after reading that! I think I'll eventually have no choice, but I'm keeping that Windows 7 partition if at all possible!!

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Every time that prompt would come up,

I would shut it down. I'm kind of irritated that Microsoft chose to override me. I guess I'll give it a look, but I might have to get my computer guy to take it off if I hate it too much.

[steve2470]

4. you can go back to your old OS....

If you search in Settings, there should be a thing to click to do that. I'd have to look it up.

[Worried senior]

11. On advice of my Centurylink

support person we installed win 10 because there were issues with win 7 and he said this would take care of it.

Needless to say it didn't, I didn't have enough ram but after installing I wanted to go back. Couldn't because the message said some files were missing and it wouldn't be able to re-install Win 7.

I've had plenty of problems with this and part of it is drivers not updated and Dell so far has done nothing to fix that problem and probably won't because the computer is six years old.

I asked about using the win recover disk that came with the computer and they said that wouldn't work to re-install 7 as it doesn't want to revert to older os.

[steve2470]

5. this article should help you

http://www.howtogeek.com/220723/how-to-uninstall-windows-10-and-downgrade-to-windows-7-or-8.1/

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Thank you.

I'm going to mess around with it for a few days and see if I like it, but it's good to know I have the option to go back if I want.

It seems like they include a lot of stuff with it that a desktop PC doesn't need.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Steve, I was able to revert back to Win 7

with no issues, but I'm still getting those prompts saying they'll be hitting me again. Is there a way to get rid of it altogether, or am I just going to have to resign myself to the fact that I will ultimately be assimilated?

[steve2470]

13. you can install GWX Control Panel which I think gets rid of the prompts

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

You can download it from there. If that isn't enough, I'll do more research. Good luck Blue_In_AK!

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Thanks so much for your help.

It was so comforting to see my Win 7 back just the way I left it. I'll try this GWX thing.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. I tried to do that,

but it wanted a password and I don't have one. I've had to take my computer in to my pro because my computer got totally messed up, I couldn't get back to my pictures or anything. My computer guy said that after this year, Microsoft will charge everyone $99 a year to use Windows 10, which is why they're trying to make everyone install it now. Is that your understanding, too? If that's the case, it almost seems illegal, like some kind of bait and switch.

I'm so pissed off right now. He's not even sure he can get my pictures back. Luckily all the ones from previous years are on external hard drives, but everything I've photographed since January could get lost. Grrr...

[steve2470]

16. Sorry to hear about your computer!

I hope you get your photos back. About the $99 a year thing, my understanding is that if you switch out your motherboard and/or processor, you will have to buy another copy of Windows 10. I've also read that roughly every 4 years, they will force everyone to buy a new license for $99 or whatever they are charging at that time.

Good luck with your computer!

[earthshine]

7. I think of W10 as a virus of which MS is trying to infect my systems.

The sheer nerve of them to not give people an easy way to opt out of this!

Microsoft has been way too pushy. Obviously, they want to spy on you, gather your data, and sell it.

Right now what they're uploading from the computers is relatively benign. I do not expect that trend to continue, and I am proactively dealing with it. It's none of their damn business what's on my computer or whose services I use.

This is a whole level worse than the type of spying that Google and Apple do if you are a PC user. (For phones it's probably about the same.)

If I'm going to have to see ads, I want them related to the product I'm viewing in a generic way. I do not want any personally targeted advertising sent to me.

These two free products seem to do the trick.

GWX control panel - block W10 from infecting your W7 or W8.1 machine.

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Spybot Anti-beacon - stop telemetry uploads from W7, W8.1, and W10.

https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

[Blue_In_AK]

8. Thank you.

I wish I were more computer literate. I really have very limited uses for my PC, mostly photo editing and occasional internet surfing, but I do most of that on my iPad. It just seems like they've loaded up this 10 with a million things that I will never use.

[earthshine]

9. The "free upgrade" to W10 is supposed to expire sometime in June or July.

So, if this is desirable, one has until then to get it.

But, I fully expect the level and types of telemetry uploads to increase severely over time afterward.

By then, people will be locked into W10 without being able to back out. Lambs to the slaughter.

I am a computer professional and have reasonable expertise with Windows. Microsoft has managed to incur my wrath with Windows Vista, W8, and W10. W7 was MS's attempt to fix Vista and stop the massive movement towards Mac computers that was created by Vista.

I administer a bunch of systems. For most, we are running a modified Windows 8.1 (to make it act like Windows 7) and absolutely no "store" apps. Who needs 'em?

Don't feel bad about what happened, or somehow think it's your fault. On the Thom Hartmann radio show today he described that this happened to him. It wrought sheer havoc upon him and his ability to do work. He said in plain terms he's going to figure out how to abandon Microsoft sooner rather than later.

Good luck to you.

[Mnpaul]

10. Same thing happened to Thom Hartmann today

it took out his Youtube streaming. They refused to approve the agreement at the end and it uninstalled. He in now looking into a linux distro.