Microsoft is making Windows 10 an automatic update next year

Scorpus

Posts: 2,159   +239
Staff member

Microsoft is making some changes to the way they deliver Windows 10 to consumers, following a successful three-month launch period where the operating system has been installed on over 110 million devices.

The first part of Microsoft's new Windows 10 update delivery system is to post the operating system in Windows Update as an 'Optional Update'. This makes it easy for people to update from Windows 7 or 8.1 by simply browsing through the list of available updates and selecting to download Windows 10.

While Windows 10 will soon be posted in Windows Update, the bigger change is coming in early 2016, when Microsoft will change its listing from an 'Optional Update' to a 'Recommended Update'. This will cause Windows 10 to be downloaded and installed automatically on every system where automatic updates are enabled.

The installer won't fully update your PC to Windows 10 without user intervention, and Microsoft is making it clear that you will be "clearly prompted to choose whether to continue or not". However the choice to make it a "Recommended" update will cause Windows 10 to be automatically downloaded, which may be an annoyance for those on limited bandwidth or download caps.

Microsoft is also planning to update the Media Creation Tool to create a universal DVD ISO or USB key that can facilitate an upgrade to any Windows 10 version: both 32- and 64-bit variants, and both the Home and Pro versions.

As for users of pirated Windows, Microsoft will be trialing a new upgrade process that's designed to get more non-genuine users purchasing Windows 10. After a pirate user upgrades to Windows 10, they'll see a button in the Windows activation menu that will send them to the Windows Store for one-click purchasing.

The new button for pirated users will first roll out in the United States, before Microsoft brings it to other nations.

Permalink to story.

 
I think its good that uneducated users are now outright told they can upgrade for free, but its annoying that it will download itself with little to no user knowledge prior.
 
And on a completely unrelated note, Google has all but confirmed their going to combine ChromeOS and Android, and that it will be available for testing on PCs next year.

If I had Microsoft stock I'd be dumping it.
 
Microsoft - Forcing whatever pet project we're currently on down your throats.

It's just a shame they always do it off the back of their very few successful products. Let's face it, Microsoft has done nothing innovative since Bill Gates left.
 
Microsoft - Forcing whatever pet project we're currently on down your throats.

It's just a shame they always do it off the back of their very few successful products. Let's face it, Microsoft has done nothing innovative since Bill Gates left.

Lets see, Cortana, Same OS across all devices, Holo Lense, XBOX One integration and streaming, the whole 9 Billion dollar surface program, the new Surface book laptop, I can keep going...

Nope nothing new since Bill left... LMAO!
 
All you have to do is hide the update, turn off automatic updates, and your all set, you can still not download it and upgrade if you don't want to. *face palm*
 
All you have to do is hide the update, turn off automatic updates, and your all set, you can still not download it and upgrade if you don't want to. *face palm*
You can't turn off automatic updates, not even in professional edition. The updates will still download and schedule a reboot. Your manual adjustment to automatic updates is manually setting a reboot schedule and even then you are limited as to the options that are available. There is no turning automatic updates off.
 
Lets see, Cortana, Same OS across all devices, Holo Lense, XBOX One integration and streaming, the whole 9 Billion dollar surface program, the new Surface book laptop, I can keep going...

Nope nothing new since Bill left... LMAO!

I said nothing innovative. All the things you listed were already done before microsoft. Holo Lense isn't even a product yet so I don't get how the hell you can call a product that's not even on the market yet innovative. I don't think you're the one who determines that.

I most certainly wouldn't call cortana innovative either. How many years did it take MS to get a crappy siri ripoff out the door? Yeah.

You say "Same OS across all devices" like it's an achievement yet it doesn't do anything for desktop, tablet, or phone users.

Seriously, XBone integration? "Yeah, everyone was really clamming for that" said no one ever. This isn't an innovation, this is just MS shoving another feature down your throat that does nothing.

Ah yes, surface. Last time I checked it's been 3 generations and they still haven't gotten crap market share compared to Apple. You're being FAR too generous calling the surface program innovative. Hey, at least the new surface looks good so maybe that'll turn into something good. Still far too early to call it innovative.

"I can keep going... "

I'd like to see you try. You throw around powerful worlds like Innovative on the simplest of things. I wouldn't be surprised if you called out DX 12 either, something that MS had to be kicked in the *** to even make.
 
So what happens after the year of windows 10 being a free upgrade? Or does this mean win10 will always be a free update for those with win7?
 
Microsoft - Forcing whatever pet project we're currently on down your throats.

It's just a shame they always do it off the back of their very few successful products. Let's face it, Microsoft has done nothing innovative since Bill Gates left.

Lets see, Cortana, Same OS across all devices, Holo Lense, XBOX One integration and streaming, the whole 9 Billion dollar surface program, the new Surface book laptop, I can keep going...

Nope nothing new since Bill left... LMAO!
Replace microsoft with apple
And bill gates with steve jobs there in the comment
Then everything is right.
 
Microsoft - Forcing whatever pet project we're currently on down your throats.

It's just a shame they always do it off the back of their very few successful products. Let's face it, Microsoft has done nothing innovative since Bill Gates left.

Lets see, Cortana, Same OS across all devices, Holo Lense, XBOX One integration and streaming, the whole 9 Billion dollar surface program, the new Surface book laptop, I can keep going...

Nope nothing new since Bill left... LMAO!

I guess he meant nothing new that's useful.
 
And on a completely unrelated note, Google has all but confirmed their going to combine ChromeOS and Android, and that it will be available for testing on PCs next year.

If I had Microsoft stock I'd be dumping it.
Microsoft has the business market, Apple has the graphic design and media market. What point would ChromeOS mixed with Android have as an OS? None. There is already multiple Linux distros for that.
 
All you have to do is hide the update, turn off automatic updates, and your all set, you can still not download it and upgrade if you don't want to. *face palm*
You can't turn off automatic updates, not even in professional edition. The updates will still download and schedule a reboot. Your manual adjustment to automatic updates is manually setting a reboot schedule and even then you are limited as to the options that are available. There is no turning automatic updates off.
Just change the group policy settings for it. Easy peasy.
 
All you have to do is hide the update, turn off automatic updates, and your all set, you can still not download it and upgrade if you don't want to. *face palm*
You can't turn off automatic updates, not even in professional edition. The updates will still download and schedule a reboot. Your manual adjustment to automatic updates is manually setting a reboot schedule and even then you are limited as to the options that are available. There is no turning automatic updates off.
you can defer updates on windows 10 pro (it will only install security patches)
and if you really want to stop updates you can do it on both Home and Pro by just setting the wi-fi connection you are on as "metered" in the settings. win 10 it will not download any updates on metered connections.

I seriously still have no idea why people dislike win 10. it's 10 times better than win 7 or 8 on every front. from how fast the networks connect to how well your RAM is managed. and it's better for productivity than win 7 by a lot.

if you are refusing to install win 10 because of those "privacy" concerns then I suggest you buy a tin foil hat. and if it's because of the apps then you have even bigger issues. you should seek a good doctor.
 
I seriously still have no idea why people dislike win 10. it's 10 times better than win 7 or 8 on every front.
Do you also feel as if everyone has the same desires?

And no Windows 10 is not better on every front. MS Edge is still a joke in progress. I still don't know what to think about Cortana's early inception and lack of experience (aka: programming). I know this is a tad irrelevant but don't even get me started on why someone would need to use a third party vendor to replace MS's choice of applications. On that front you may be correct in saying better, but I say not enough to compete.

Wanting your machine to work (not reboot in the middle of your project) the way you want it to work has nothing to do with security concerns. I can't imagine why you would bring up a tin-foil hat over a conversation of wanting to turn automatic updates off. And no setting your connection to a metered connection is not a fix that is a lie. And if enough people take advantage of it, that will be the next thing Microsoft takes away as an option.

Just because a large portion of the population can't be bothered to manage their own machine doesn't mean I can't. I get offended every time MS assumes I can't. And quite frankly I think you should as well. But then with an elite group like MS making so many mistakes (or at least their PR paints it as a mistake ) here recently, I can certainly understand why they feel no one else is competent.
 
So what happens after the year of windows 10 being a free upgrade? Or does this mean win10 will always be a free update for those with win7?

Nothing that comes from Microsoft is totally free. If I am not wrong, you will have to purchase the Windows 10 license after the 1 year free period is over.
 
Nothing that comes from Microsoft is totally free. If I am not wrong, you will have to purchase the Windows 10 license after the 1 year free period is over.
If you haven't previously upgraded for free. Once upgraded Windows 10 is yours for the life of the device.
 
you can defer updates on windows 10 pro (it will only install security patches)
and if you really want to stop updates you can do it on both Home and Pro by just setting the wi-fi connection you are on as "metered" in the settings. win 10 it will not download any updates on metered connections.

I seriously still have no idea why people dislike win 10. it's 10 times better than win 7 or 8 on every front. from how fast the networks connect to how well your RAM is managed. and it's better for productivity than win 7 by a lot.

if you are refusing to install win 10 because of those "privacy" concerns then I suggest you buy a tin foil hat. and if it's because of the apps then you have even bigger issues. you should seek a good doctor.

I have been using Windows 10 as an insider for a long time now. I concede that Windows 10 may be superior in a lot of technical ways. And I know this is superficial but there's something about the Windows 10 UI I just can't get used to. Aside from that, the tin foil hat comment is a little over the top. If you caught someone going through your mail in your mailbox and it wasn't the postman would you run outside and ask them what the hell they think they are doing? Or would you like us to believe your reply would be, "sure, go ahead, I have nothing to hide?"

Exploiting every customer's personal information by default might be okay if it's open and transparent. But the customer should be in control of it. Sure you can spew off 10 bullet points about why Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 but as I type this on my Windows 7 system I don't encounter many scenarios where I say, dammit I cant do that on Windows 7, let me switch systems. So from a realistic practical everyday use scenario, Windows 10 is just not that compelling.

Microsoft is pushing Windows 10 on people harder than anything I've ever seen in the past. It wreaks of desperation. If it's so popular, let people chase it, let people come searching for it. Stop bashing them over the head with it. I don't see people demanding Windows 10. I see it infecting the nation like a slow moving virus by default because it's free. That's the "only" reason I have installed it on a second computer. Because it was FREE.That's it.

I'm sorry but Windows 10 is "not" the pinnacle of Microsoft's Window line of releases. It just....isn't. It's better than Windows 7 in some ways and yet worse in others. That's why it will NOT go down in history as the greatest Windows release ever. You have to get everything right for that accolade. Windows 7 was the pinnacle at the time of it's release. End of story.

Please explain how Windows 10 makes you so much more productive?
 
Last edited:
All you have to do is hide the update, turn off automatic updates, and your all set, you can still not download it and upgrade if you don't want to. *face palm*
You can't turn off automatic updates, not even in professional edition. The updates will still download and schedule a reboot. Your manual adjustment to automatic updates is manually setting a reboot schedule and even then you are limited as to the options that are available. There is no turning automatic updates off.

What OS are you running? In Vista and 7 you can choose to check for updates but you need to approve to download them or even not checking for updates at all. Idk what options XP has, but if you are still running XP in 2015 then you have problems...
 
Lets see, Cortana, Same OS across all devices, Holo Lense, XBOX One integration and streaming, the whole 9 Billion dollar surface program, the new Surface book laptop, I can keep going...

Nope nothing new since Bill left... LMAO!

I said nothing innovative. All the things you listed were already done before microsoft. Holo Lense isn't even a product yet so I don't get how the hell you can call a product that's not even on the market yet innovative. I don't think you're the one who determines that.

I most certainly wouldn't call cortana innovative either. How many years did it take MS to get a crappy siri ripoff out the door? Yeah.

You say "Same OS across all devices" like it's an achievement yet it doesn't do anything for desktop, tablet, or phone users.

Seriously, XBone integration? "Yeah, everyone was really clamming for that" said no one ever. This isn't an innovation, this is just MS shoving another feature down your throat that does nothing.

Ah yes, surface. Last time I checked it's been 3 generations and they still haven't gotten crap market share compared to Apple. You're being FAR too generous calling the surface program innovative. Hey, at least the new surface looks good so maybe that'll turn into something good. Still far too early to call it innovative.

"I can keep going... "

I'd like to see you try. You throw around powerful worlds like Innovative on the simplest of things. I wouldn't be surprised if you called out DX 12 either, something that MS had to be kicked in the *** to even make.
XBone can be uninstalled from 10 using the built in uninstaller, I know, I've just done it, along with a raft of unnecessary included useless apps. Although some do reinstall themselves again I.E One Note and Maps, they're are the only ones I've come across. XBone and the Store are permanently gone.
 
Last edited:
Back