How to stop/prevent windows 10 from annoying me permenantly

iamgenius

Senior member
Jun 6, 2008
826
113
106
Hi to all,

I know this probably has been beaten to death in here and in other places, but there might be something that applies only to specific cases. I bought a laptop that came with windows 8.1 ( I prefer 8), and as you know since this free windows 10 thing started, windows update has been annoying me to upgrade to windows 10. I know some might disagree, but it did do things without even prompting me. I came one time to see my laptop starting the installation process which I had to stop by turning the laptop off.

Regardless, what should I do to prevent windows 10 from irritating me while allowing other updates to install? The prompt keeps coming back even If I end its process in task manager. What is the most efficient way?
My home machine has windows 8 in it, and it prompts me to upgrade to 8.1 from time to time (less aggressive of course) but I click cancel all the time. It doesn't ask me to upgrade to 10 although it should, right?

I don't know but it feels like MS want to force windows 10 onto you...........I wander what the reason is for this.

Thanks.
 
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JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,986
3,321
126
It would probably help if you sent free iPods to the Microsoft windows 10 update team........
 

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
21,073
16,302
136
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3080351

For non-Enterprise versions of Windows, the notification icon can be suppressed through the Windows registry. To do this, set the following registry value:

Subkey: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Gwx
DWORD value: DisableGwx = 1

Without any other measures, this has worked on every machine I've used it on; no Windows 10 upgrade notifications / offers / attempted installs.

----

However, I'm not aware of any good reason to avoid installing the update to take it from Win8 to Win8.1.
 
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mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
21,073
16,302
136
Thanks, I will try that now. If I upgrade to 8.1, it might then ask me to upgrade to 10

Make sure that registry entry is still there after the update, if it is, then it won't mention Windows 10.

PS - after putting that registry entry in place, the computer needs a restart for the policy to take effect.
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
If you're running 8, you might find that 10 is faster, more secure, more usable, more refined and has a real start menu. I'd consider upgrading.
 

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
21,073
16,302
136
Yes but on 10 you have ZERO privacy!!

I can attest to this: My computer upgraded itself to Win10 overnight, and when I woke in the morning, all the walls of my house were gone and I had like fifteen cameras pointed at me in bed. Disgraceful!

I completely agree with your "zero" figure.
 

SimMike2

Platinum Member
Aug 15, 2000
2,577
1
81
If you're running 8, you might find that 10 is faster, more secure, more usable, more refined and has a real start menu. I'd consider upgrading.
Can't give up Windows Media Center is my reason for not upgrading.
 

monstarvb1

Junior Member
Mar 9, 2016
17
0
0
I would assume the paid version, for those who didn't get the free upgrade, is exactly the same. Instead of you owning Windows to use for your enjoyment, Win 10 is now used for MS's enjoyment and it owns you. That is MS's new business model.
 

iamgenius

Senior member
Jun 6, 2008
826
113
106
Sorry for not commenting back. This never 10 utility is nice. It just works. Thanks for everybody who contributed here.
 

Newbian

Lifer
Aug 24, 2008
24,779
882
126
Yes but on 10 you have ZERO privacy!!

Absolutely not true as you only have to disable like 4-5 options in the system settings to stop this and it takes less then 10 seconds to do so.

I guess some think win 8 was all about privacy also. ;)