As we have been reporting, the Windows 10 update is causing some problems and people might want to wait a few months before upgrading. If, however, you accepted the “invitation” of Microsoft to update, you may be forced to. Unless you can stop it.
We previously reported on a procedure offered by Wired, but that did not work. The following procedure from SuperSite for Windows did seem to work. Having tried it, it removed the Windows 10 upgrade icon from the task bar.
The update is KB3035583 and has to be removed.
We will present the steps from the article, but you may wish to check the article for the graphics.
1. Open Windows Update through the search.
2. Click on the Installed Updates link in the lower left corner of the window.
3. In the Search box in the upper right corner of the new window, type in KB3035583.
4. The update should be the only one to appear. Click on it and agree to remove the update.
You will have to allow the system to re-boot. I do still get a box that states that the Windows 10 download failed when I bring up the Windows Update. Hopefully this information will help.
Today is the big Windows 10 upgrade. I have decided to wait a few days and research any problems. GIZMODO Review says that the it may be a risky upgrade and it is not easy to revert to Windows 8.1.
If your computer is working fine, you might want to turn off automatic updates for a few days and install only hardware and security updates. Wired has a procedure to make sure you do not upgrade right away.
Anyone having a good, or bad, experience are welcome to comment on this article.
We suggest that you back-up your computer system, or at least important files, immediately. If you have not created a restore disk, we suggest you do so immediately. Consult your manual or check the website for your computer system to see how to do this. If your computer stops booting properly, you may need the restore disk(s) to return your computer to factory condition.
Although the official Windows 10 upgrade is supposed to start July 29, Forbes is reporting that it may already be causing problems; including stopping computers from booting. Gordon Kelly also reports that the Microsoft Windows 10 upgrade cannot be stopped. He quotes Microsoft:
The software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorized sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates. By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.
The flaw apparently is due to an update for a Nvidia graphics card driver which interferes with the operation of the graphics card and may cause PCs to stop booting entirely. This flaw may mostly effect multi-screen users.
The obvious security suggestion right now is that you should immediately back up your system and conduct a daily back-up until Microsoft forces Windows 10 onto your system. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
Reviews from those using beta copies have been positive, but have continually noted bugs. It is reported that most of those bugs are fixed, but this may be a prelude to other drivers not ready ready for the roll-out.
Computerworld reported last week that you might want to wait to upgrade for several reasons. Author Preston Gralla writes that you have a year to upgrade from the release date of July 29. According to the Forbes report, this might not be true.
Gralla does suggest that if you are happy with your Windows 7, you might want to avoid upgrading all together. He points out that the whole object of Windows 10 was to replace Windows 8 which removed the familiar START menu. You already have that in Windows 7.
In addition—as with any Microsoft upgrade—new drivers might not be available for the peripherals you might have installed, such as printers or scanners.
{It is our understanding that the Windows 7 upgrade to Windows 10 is not automatic, but this might not be true. Back-up your system, at least important data, just in case.}
According to an article on c|net, the Windows 10 PC build 10240 is the final build for Windows 10 before its release date. Beta testers are still testing and reporting on the build. Lance Whitney writes:
Microsoft needs to hit a home run with Windows 10, not just to make up for the debacle of Windows 8 but also to prove that it can still create an OS that generates appeal, excitement and demand among users. …
But even if Windows 10 isn’t 100 percent bug-free and rock-solid come next Wednesday, that doesn’t spell doom and gloom for the latest version. …
The problem is that Microsoft has gained its “appeal” by making deals with computer manufacturers over the years by giving special deals for their software to be used on those computers. Microsoft only provides the operating system itself and, understandably, is not concerned with any proprietary drivers which might be included by hardware manufacturers. Much less games and other software.
Microsoft passed its original June estimation for release of Windows 10. It appears to be set for the July 29 release of the new operating system. So much so that you might have even got a notification to reserve your copy today.
I know this because my system began dragging this morning for no apparent reason. A notification appeared on my task bar alerting me to reserve my copy of Windows 10. I clicked it to get the window in the graphic above which led me to the window following.
If you are operating in Windows 8.1, a notification should have appeared in the notification section of your task bar to the right. This notification is to reserve your copy, not to download it. You will be notified when the installation files have been added to your system. You can proceed with the installation anytime thereafter.
For devices running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update with Windows Update enabled, the app shows up automatically as a Windows icon in your system tray at the bottom right-hand side of your screen.
The only requirements are that a) your device is compatible, and b) you’re running genuine Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows 8.1 (Update).
Windows 10 is designed to run on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs. That means your device is likely compatible and will run Windows 10.
There are many theories as to why Windows 10 and no Windows 9. The fact is, however, that Windows 10 will be the newest upgrade to the Microsoft operating system.
The upgrade is absolutely free and will be available to those using Windows 7 SP1 or later. This is probably because Microsoft is rather red faced about the worse operating system since Vista. Microsoft is hoping to correct many of the terrible features of the Windows 8 operating system. If the videos produce on line are any indication, they may have succeeded.
Apps will now be adjustable in size and you can use them while remaining in the desktop. You will be able to snap up to four windows in place on your screen and swtich between them simply by selecting them. They will have the familiar “X” on the right side of the menu bar at the top like any other program or application. You simply click on it to close it out. Instead of having to go to the “Apps Page” to start an app, you will be able to pin it to the Windows Start menu button on the desktop. There are a myriad of other proposed improvements. Some have been tried in the beta copies and some may not make it into the final version.
The Q&A page goes on to explain that it could take up to an hour to complete the installation on older systems. On newer systems, it could take as little as 20-minutes. They recommend that you plan for an hour. It is also a good idea to back up any important data whenever installing any upgrade this massive.
After you reserve your upgrade, you can confirm whether or not your device is compatible with Windows 10.
Between reservation and when your upgrade is ready, the files you need for the upgrade will be downloaded to your PC to make the final installation go more quickly. Then, when your upgrade is ready after July 29, 2015, you get a notification that lets you get started with your upgrade.
Get Windows 10 is an app that’s designed to make the upgrade process easy. It checks to make sure your device is compatible, and it reserves your free upgrade; it also has information to help you learn about the features in Windows 10.
It will be interesting to see if, this time, Microsoft lives up to its own hype.
Do you hate Windows 8.1? You are probably not alone. But the hate may be over. The constant switching from the Desktop screen to the App screen is coming to an end with Windows 10. That is the good news. The other news might not be so welcome. The upgrade might be free and it is right around the corner.
Windows is apparently so set on limiting piracy that they originally intended to give Windows 10 free to anyone who is currently operating Windows 7 to the terrible 8’s. Also those who purchased a Microsoft phone. ZDnet is reporting that is a big maybe. The gist of the article is that it all depends on where you obtained the copy of that Windows that you are using. It appears that if you are operating an OEM machine—a manufactured computer that you purchased with an aforementioned version of Windows on it—you will get a free upgrade to Windows 10.
If you built your own computer, you should be okay so long as you obtained a “genuine” copy of either Windows 7 or 8.1.
I was forced into Windows 8.1 by a traitorous computer running XP that turned on me and failed. With some practice I was able to move around Windows 8.1 with a certain amount of comfort. Not with like, mind you; just comfort. I found a function to add features to Windows 8.1—quite by accident. When I tried it, I received the window in the following Figure to the left. The bottom of my PC did not have the Microsoft XXXX-XXXX-XXXx-ad naseum key required by Microsoft on the label. I searched the computer system information and found the only key I could find. I pressed the I Already Have a Key button and my key was not accepted in the Window that resulted shown in the Figure to the right. Adding new 8.1 features was not that critical, at that point. I am still busy trying to relearn yet another Windows operating system while attempting to continue getting other work accomplished. My only purpose was to see what cool 8.1 features I was missing. It begs the question, however, if my operating system is “genuine” enough to qualify for the free Windows 10.
Originally Microsoft intended to distribute this free Windows 10 through a normal update. If you recall, manufacturers had an agreement with Microsoft to upgrade their recently sold XP machines to Windows 7, if you did so within a specified time frame. While some may get the new upgrade, others may not. At least not without some difficulty. The big losers appear to be large corporations.
Another problem that has surfaced is for those who add alternative operating systems such as Linux or even previous versions of Windows to their machine. This applies only to OEM machines and not to home-built machines. The complexity of the issue is beyond the scope of this article and may be found at ARS Technica. Essentially Microsoft is working with OEMs to lock out the ability to incorporate alternative operating systems into the OEM machine. This is a nerd-exclusive subject that should not bother the average user.
Many people do not create a restore disk when prompted to do so. When their hard drive crashes and they have to replace it, they are surprised when they put in the new hard drive and it does not automatically come up like it did when they bought it. There is a reason for the restore disk, folks. My concern is that if my hard drive crashes five-years from now and and I use the restore disk that I created because I am smart, will I still be able to upgrade to Windows 10? (Or Windows 12, by that time)
Another concern that I have is software. I have some older software that blistfully resides in my Windows 8.1 machine. Thus far I have been surprised to find only one that does not. Will the new Windows 10 wipe out the remaining remnants of XP programs?
The issue to the average user is what the new Windows will look like and how it will act. For those who were frustrated at having to learn a whole new Windows, the bad news might seem that you will have to learn a new Windows. In reality, however, you will be learning an update of the old Windows. The Windows Start button is back!
When you press the Windows Start button on the taskbar, you will not be treated to the Apps page. You will get, well, a menu. The menu, however, is different. The Apps will be included in the menu. They are customizable as they are on the Start Page in Windows 8.1.
Users of the Beta versions are giving Windows 10 good reviews. Not rave reviews, yet. But good reviews. It appears that Microsoft is committed to handing out the new Windows 10—Internetally speaking—to Windows 7 and 8.1 users for free as long as you upgrade within a year from the date of the release of Windows 10. The latest on the release date is simply sometime this summer. Some are saying as early as June.
If any of this is distressing you because you love Windows 8.1 and cannot do without it, you might want to consider seeking professional attention.
Although the official 
