Automatic updates: Microsoft adds double-edged sword clause in Windows 10 Home

[drjekelmrhyde]

The problem would be for users with low bandwidth connection.
For example, for work reasons I use to connect to Internet via the WIFI Spot on my cellphone. My cellphone's data plan is limited to 2GB per month to max speed (8Mbps), after that it is limited to 256Kbps (yep, that sucks!).
If Windows choose to install the updates when I am using the cellphone's WIFI Spot it will waste my cellphone's bandwidth.
Currently, in Windows 8.1 you can setup 1) that the WIFI connection is a metered, 2) Don't allow Windows Update on metered connections.
I hope this can be setup on Windows 10 too.

You can in the All settings under Network and Internet

 

[treetops]

When my inet is down I use my smart phones 3-4g, which is a little faster then dial up. This could give me some real hell. More importantly what if I am working and one of these updates crashes my work tools or disconnects from a client.

 

[GeforcerFX]

When my inet is down I use my smart phones 3-4g, which is a little faster then dial up. This could give me some real hell. More importantly what if I am working and one of these updates crashes my work tools or disconnects from a client.

read the comment above yours, u can set metered connection on your 3g.

There is a opt out of auto-updating, Buy Windows 10 Pro, with this being the last "big" windows release the extra for pro doesn't bug me. Personally I auto update anyways, but like everyone else here I hate the forced restarts, have ever since xp.

 

[Phillip]

Do you guys hear yourselves? You're literally trying to sell mandatory auto updates by stating that Microsoft will be doing huge beta testing, with great support, too!

Nobody cares that they are automatic. Even the fact that they occur in the background is perhaps not a major issue. What is objectionable is the fact that there is, at least according to this article, no opt out and no notification.

As someone who is dependent on OS and software stability (I'm a futures trader), unless Microsoft is going to reimburse me for a few thousand dollars in losses caused by an update interfering with the operation of my trading platforms, I don't care if the Microsoft Insiders are the greatest testing group in history. Stealth modification to the OS is a deal breaker. Period.

Windows 10 allows the user to actually pick a date ahead of time that they would like to install updates by default. In addition, you can postpone an update until a certain time, up to a month out. By default the time of installation is a completely innocuous 3:44am if my memory serves me right. These settings are also part of a much simpler Settings menu, far more accessible to the average user, then Control Panel has been. Since you are a trader you can set the updates to install after the market closes on Friday. IF there are any issues, you will have a whole weekend to address them. If you are part of a firm you can be sure that your on site techs won't be jumping on the Windows 10 bandwagon within the first year anyway. Everyone is waiting to see if it will blow up like Windows 8 did. So just stay where you are until you feel more confident.

As someone on the inside however, I have to say that when I have seen people submit bug reports on the Insider Hub regarding a update, they are soon fixed. If you have an entire legion of beta testers fixing the issues before they even reach you, exactly what is the problem you have? If you didn't already know the ENTIRE OS is almost completely based around those beta testers. Are you saying that you would use the OS they they have helped to perfect, but not the features? I guess I am just a little confused? What do you think is going to happen? Computers don't just spontaneously combust when they get an update. At least mine never has...

Finally, this is not the end of Windows 10. This is just the beginning. The beauty of this OS is that it will continue to change based on demands from users. The features that you are seeing now are by no means permanent. If you want change, you have to get involved in the program. If not, you will be simply subject to the changes that are made without you. I don't think anyone can complain.

End of Rant lol

 

[Guest]

"Do you guys hear yourselves? You're literally trying to sell mandatory auto updates by stating that Microsoft will be doing huge beta testing, with great support, too!



Nobody cares that they are automatic. Even the fact that they occur in the background is perhaps not a major issue. What is objectionable is the fact that there is, at least according to this article, no opt out and no notification.



As someone who is dependent on OS and software stability (I'm a futures trader), unless Microsoft is going to reimburse me for a few thousand dollars in losses caused by an update interfering with the operation of my trading platforms, I don't care if the Microsoft Insiders are the greatest testing group in history. Stealth modification to the OS is a deal breaker. Period."​

Pay attention. This is for Home edition. Or are you saying you will be trading from Home edition OS??

 

[OortCloud]

Not good, use Linux Mint instead

Oh god, not that...please don't make me resort to that...please....anything but that......

 

[deemon]

I see a very big problem should Hackers find away to Piggy-Back on the Automatic downloads. Come one, Come All, Easy entrance here?

Probably not ... they have to actually breach MS update servers first for this... and is this easy? I have no clue... but I doubt.

 

[deemon]

Probably stupid question but can't you just block it with the firewall?

why would you block security updates? seriously?

 

[cliffordcooley]

You must be implying MS will have greater security in their servers than they do in their OS.

 

[noel24]

Pay attention. This is for Home edition. Or are you saying you will be trading from Home edition OS??

Another boy from America (or other rich country) who looks at the subject of IT from a point of his fat wallet. There are other places in the world outside the US, where GDP and wages are several times smaller, still people live there like any other place. And they use their private computers for small business, cause they would never consider buying dedicated server until they reach level of revenue that can justify writing it off their tax. Imagine a freelancer on a tight schedule who is unable to meet his deadline cause his machine tripped on him on Sunday evening? That happened to me in the past, not OS fault, but still the less points of failure, the better. That can happen in NY or LA too, by the way.

 

[Darth Shiv]

This will be sorted. The services can be targeted and disabled.

 

[Darth Shiv]

Probably stupid question but can't you just block it with the firewall?

why would you block security updates? seriously?

Because Microsoft provides Skype (spyware and adware), Bing, OneDrive, Diagnostics Tracking Service (which is a keylogger) and show stopper bugs in their important updates now. Who wants that automatically?

 

[Darth Shiv]

I see a very big problem should Hackers find away to Piggy-Back on the Automatic downloads. Come one, Come All, Easy entrance here?

Probably not ... they have to actually breach MS update servers first for this... and is this easy? I have no clue... but I doubt.

DNS poisoning and ssl cert breach.... Most likely governments have the resources. If not that, hack msft.

 

[Dextruction5]

Except for security patches and Defender definitions I expect to have control what and when I update on my PC. Don't need new Edge, Skype, face recognition, won't need Cortana (I seriously doubt they would deploy it for my native language, still probably the whole World gonna have it on their HDDs and small SSDs alike. Had BSODs caused by M$ updates and driver/software incompatibilities that M$ Update tried to ignore in the past by downloading most recent driver. I believe, that's how I've learned of the 'let me choose to download and install' option few years back. Hacks will be out in a month or so, if not, Windows 7 will be my last Windows. My PC, my castle...

Nah, Microsoft devs are too dumb to actually put this into the os code, will probably be some crappy registry entry, like the automatic restart after updates on iwndows 8, which can be stopped just by deleting a registry key. Microsoft think that testing it on their guinea pigs (windows insider programme) will make it better, but using their own testers hasn't helped up to now, so hey will probably reverse their decision, like many of the things on the Xbox One, which caused backlash.

 

[risc32]

Everyone please try and remember that this version of Windows is not like previous versions. The entire Windows Insider Fleet will receive these updates a month before the average person. That is 4.5 million people submitting bug reports and perfecting the update before it reaches you. No other OS before WIndows 10 has run as well as the Windows Insider program. I am a Insider and have personally seen Microsoft respond quite quickly to user feedback when given. I know that it can be hard to let go of the past, especially when MIcrosoft doesn't have the best track record with these things. However, when they say that this a NEW OS they really do mean it. There has never been anything like what they have made.

5,000,000+ Windows Insiders with a wide variety of machine types will be testing these updates and features BEFORE the general public ever see's them. Not just a small group of internal Windows Testers like in the past. This is why this new update policy is nothing to worry about from a stability standpoint.

Do you guys hear yourselves? You're literally trying to sell mandatory auto updates by stating that Microsoft will be doing huge beta testing, with great support, too!

Nobody cares that they are automatic. Even the fact that they occur in the background is perhaps not a major issue. What is objectionable is the fact that there is, at least according to this article, no opt out and no notification.

As someone who is dependent on OS and software stability (I'm a futures trader), unless Microsoft is going to reimburse me for a few thousand dollars in losses caused by an update interfering with the operation of my trading platforms, I don't care if the Microsoft Insiders are the greatest testing group in history. Stealth modification to the OS is a deal breaker. Period.

Listen to Yourself, I'd rather not have security patches as tested by over 5 million people. I'm so scared that one will cause a hiccup in my PC that I'd rather stay open to hacks....

 

[davislane1]

Windows 10 allows the user to actually pick a date ahead of time that they would like to install updates by default. In addition, you can postpone an update until a certain time, up to a month out. By default the time of installation is a completely innocuous 3:44am if my memory serves me right.

This is at odds with the article.

As someone on the inside however, I have to say that when I have seen people submit bug reports on the Insider Hub regarding a update, they are soon fixed. If you have an entire legion of beta testers fixing the issues before they even reach you, exactly what is the problem you have? If you didn't already know the ENTIRE OS is almost completely based around those beta testers. Are you saying that you would use the OS they they have helped to perfect, but not the features? I guess I am just a little confused? What do you think is going to happen? Computers don't just spontaneously combust when they get an update. At least mine never has...

I don't think I can state my concern more clearly: mandatory updates have the potential to significantly disrupt my business. It doesn't matter how quickly an issue gets fixed if the problem comes with a $1,500 discovery cost. In fact, that would actually make my computer spontaneously combusting the cheaper alternative.

Finally, this is not the end of Windows 10. This is just the beginning. The beauty of this OS is that it will continue to change based on demands from users. The features that you are seeing now are by no means permanent. If you want change, you have to get involved in the program. If not, you will be simply subject to the changes that are made without you. I don't think anyone can complain.

End of Rant lol

Look, dude, I understand what you're trying to do here. But no amount of generic sales pitching is going to convince any skeptic on this website that taking control away from end-users is somehow a positive.

You say Win10 is all about listening to feedback? Here's your feedback: lose the mandatory updates.

Pay attention. This is for Home edition. Or are you saying you will be trading from Home edition OS??

If I were to upgrade to Win 10, it would likely be the Home Edition. Pro is only worth it for me after the price drop.

Listen to Yourself, I'd rather not have security patches as tested by over 5 million people. I'm so scared that one will cause a hiccup in my PC that I'd rather stay open to hacks....

I'm going to be hacked through NYMEX data feeds (the only exposure my Windows OS has to the web)? I don't think that's a problem Microsoft can solve.

 

[Guest]

As long as the updates are ONLY for Microsofts security updates and other core components then the policy is fine...what will make Windows10 a no go for me is if the updates include the optional items like graphics drivers and sound card drivers. I have had plenty of issues with optional drivers installing that break my ability to play certain games and in no way shape or form do I want the unwanted driver updates crammed down my throat.

 

[AJJones]

I see a very big problem should Hackers find away to Piggy-Back on the Automatic downloads. Come one, Come All, Easy entrance here?

So you're saying we will have a problem as someone learns for to HACK MICROSOFT? (not saying that it is impossible), but if they hack Microsoft and piggyback on the updates, then there isn't anything a common home user can do to stop said hacker. Automatic updates or not... Because said hacker would easily be able to beat a home firewall if they can beat Microsoft's firewall and install their own programming onto an Automatic Update...

 

[dusseldorf]

I vote classic Microsoft blunder #25679 -- will last for a year or three, while ignoring 1000s of legitimate complaints -- then will finally open their eyes after an absurd amount of time that there really are legitimate reasons to disable it. Solution: let advanced users disable it, while making it very difficult for low-tech people.

 

[Jack Meoffski]

Move over to Linux Mint or Ubuntu people!

 

[Peter Farkas]

Before you know it, Microsoft will tell you that you cannot update your computer unless you take your prescribed mood-enhancing pill that makes you the happy worker, happy camper and happy robot the Big Brothers of the Global State want you to be. (And, yes, it is coming.)

someone is watching too many conspiracy theory movies..

 

[Peter Farkas]

I see a very big problem should Hackers find away to Piggy-Back on the Automatic downloads. Come one, Come All, Easy entrance here?

So you're saying we will have a problem as someone learns for to HACK MICROSOFT? (not saying that it is impossible), but if they hack Microsoft and piggyback on the updates, then there isn't anything a common home user can do to stop said hacker. Automatic updates or not... Because said hacker would easily be able to beat a home firewall if they can beat Microsoft's firewall and install their own programming onto an Automatic Update...

They dont need MS automatic updates to reach you... There are already many ways to do that starting with your ISP and Google, Apple, etc... Microsoft AA is just another opportunity but not the only one.
Have you asked why you need so many flash and Java updates on a regular basis?

 

[treetops]

read the comment above yours, u can set metered connection on your 3g.

There is a opt out of auto-updating, Buy Windows 10 Pro, with this being the last "big" windows release the extra for pro doesn't bug me. Personally I auto update anyways, but like everyone else here I hate the forced restarts, have ever since xp.

If it has forced restarts I'll wait until its patched out or virtual machine it to take a look. I simply cannot use windows 10 if it restarts on its own. I know I can buy pro but the start menu looks like crud anyways.

 

[Darth Shiv]

Move over to Linux Mint or Ubuntu people!

Sadly not a real alternative.

 

[Jack Meoffski]

Sadly not a real alternative.

Ya maybe for the slower people who cant do more than point and click with a mouse.