A better blocker is available to shield you from coerced 'Get Windows 10' updates

[RV_]

If you are waiting for the proverbial Service Pack 1 (Windows 10 SP 1) to come out before upgrading, be aware that MS does not name or claim SPs anymore. Microsoft is rumored to be releasing "Threshold 2" update, which you can consider about like having Service Pack 2 in 8 days. If you have Windows 10 and are on a limited data program you might want to be at a Starbucks or other fast free connection by noon on the 10th local time. I have found MS updates days are not available her in Central time until a few minutes after noon.

 

For those with Windows 7 or 8/8.1 who do not want to upgrade to Windows 10 yet or claim to not want it at all, read on for a possible defense against the update slipping in.

 

Apparently there is a new tool designed specifically to block the newest attempts to install it on people's machines despite their not really wanting to upgrade. Woody Leonhard wrote it up today and published the article over on Infoworld:

 

Excerpt:

 

"The updated GWX Control Panel can help if your Win7 or 8.1 PC insists on upgrading you to Windows 10.

Josh Mayfield, the guy behind GWX Control Panel, has just released an update for his package that protects users from coerced Windows 10 updates. He's found a few new tricks to delete the 6GB-or-so folder that Microsoft may have put on your PC without your knowledge or permission. He's also found a new way to detect and remove hidden Windows 10 installation files that may be in the $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS folders."

 

The whole article with working links to GWX Control Panel is here: http://www.infoworld.com/article/3000299/microsoft-windows/a-better-blocker-is-available-to-shield-you-from-coerced-get-windows-10-updates.html

 

If you want to go directly to GWX go here: http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

 

I have not used these programs, do not want to use them as I am likely upgrading the rest of my machines to W10 after the November 10th updates if Threshold 2 is indeed part of this month's updates cycle. I found the major update to 8.1 in the last year to have really improved 8.1.

 

Regardless of whether you like Microsoft, or not, many folks want to upgrade to Windows 10 ASAP while others, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is a discomfort with any change, want to hold off on making that major change to their systems. I am eyeballing my wife's less complex desktop and Windows tablet as she uses them and asks me for help. So far, she has had no operational issues as I had hoped. She being the non techie was always last to get new versions as I learned them. However with all the claims of it being an improvement over 8/8.1 from the majority of folks who actually did the upgrade, and their claims that it is indeed more Win 7 than 8 and the best of both, I decided after testing that premise, and finding it true on my test laptop, I upgraded hers and let her know she had only a month for me to be able to revert her machine to 7. She has it on both her tablet The Dell Venue 11 Pro, and her HP tower desktop, and loves it. Trust me if it were difficult she would be all over me to revert it.

 

Windows 10 is very natural feeling for me too, except that I keep going to the right for the charms bar when I am on her machines and on my rarely turned on laptop. My desktop and Hybrid tablet are both running Windows 8.1, That will change when I see Threshold 2 out and stable - that's when I green light my main desktop upgrade. I will also upgrade the hybrid at that time, or when I have a buyer for it, whichever comes first. When I sell the ASUS T200, I want to do a full factory restore and then a Windows 10 clean install on it for the new owner. I am still deciding on my replacement tablet or hybrid. I'll be going with an MS Surface 3 128/64/4, or possibly a Surface Pro 3 with a very substantial discount. I want my next Tablet to be native Windows 10. However, I just got very interested in the Surface Pro 4 since playing with one yesterday at Best Buy. My sweet spot for tablets has been 11.6" with an acceptance of 10.8" like our Venue 11 and the Surface 3 both are.

 

My main desktop is a native Windows 8 that had been upgraded to a Windows 8 Pro, and then to 8.1. It is under warranty so if the update really messes my system up, I can get it repaired under warranty and try with a clean install.

 

So those are my reasons to delay the 10 upgrade on two machines we have. Eventually I will upgrade all.

 

But with all the brouhaha, and the "mistake" MS made to force the upgrade for a couple of weeks now fixed, it will likely be in the next few weeks that I upgrade the two remaining 8.1 machines to 10. I do like the mix of Windows 7 & 8/8.1 like features, and the touch features on our Venue 11 Pro native Win 8 tablet which has run Windows 10 for a month with no problems.

 

I am really excited about the Surface Pro 4, man is it ever light and balanced. Not so much with the price. But I have the money set aside from selling two Windows tablets, and my old i5 backup Lenovo Win 7 desktop. That and the money from selling the ASUS T200 hybrid I have now will put me well over the price of an 15 128/4 Surface Pro 4. But if I get a super deal on the 11.6" Surface 3 Pro or the 10.8" Surface 3 used, I will go that route.

 

I am really impressed with the strides made to date in Windows tablets.

 

Have fun with them! Remember, it's only ones and zeros.