Save me from Windows 10!

[Fast_Ed]

What's the program I install to stop all this harassment?

I need to keep window's media center player!!!!

Also, where do you guys now get free software? Back when I used computers, you could go do download.com or cnet or something and look for programs for whatever you needed to do.. It seemed like a mostly-safe approach from a security perspective at the time. Is there no longer something like that?

Download.com is not CNET and full of ad-ware. When I need free software, I write it myself. J/K. What free software do you need?

You want the GWX control panel to handle opting out of the W10 upgrade as seen here: http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/ I already installed it on your HTPC.

You will probably need updates to this program going forward as MS keeps being sneaky* and turning things back on (like OS upgrades and such).

* edited for spelling

Thanks! Next step is to do this. Of course, my hard drive is full, so cleaning that up is the next step...

[kevm14]

Click here to clean up your registry.

[Fast_Ed]

There's nothing to click!

[Adam]

GWX Control Panel hasn't been able to keep up with MS's changing "methods" to get people to install Win10. Fortunately, they also added an official way to opt-out by setting some registry keys. Unfortunately, there are no easy MS supported mechanisms to do this.

Everyone's favourite cranky old man, Steve Gibson, has developed a utility to set these keys. It will even clean up the downloaded installation files if they are already on your machine.

https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

[kevm14]

Yeah I was gonna mention that if you didn't. I actually have no special W10 blocking software on my Dell or HTPC and so far so good. If I understand correctly, I may get a prompt that Win10 is going to install unless I do something, since I have Recommended updates selected. That could be an issue...

[Adam]

Yeah I was gonna mention that if you didn't. I actually have no special W10 blocking software on my Dell or HTPC and so far so good. If I understand correctly, I will get a prompt that Win10 is going to install unless I do something, since I have Recommended updates selected. That could be an issue...

Fixed.

Do you want Win10 on either of those machines?

[kevm14]

100% no on the HTPC, for obvious reasons. We haven't been watching TV on the desktop upstairs lately but I see no reason why I need to upgrade. I guess it's the Win 7 argument, but that system does everything I need it to do. And the Win 8 start menu is not a "problem" that I need to fix. When I am done with WMC, then I will upgrade. If it is still free.

[Adam]

100% no on the HTPC, for obvious reasons. We haven't been watching TV on the desktop upstairs lately but I see no reason why I need to upgrade. I guess it's the Win 7 argument, but that system does everything I need it to do. And the Win 8 start menu is not a "problem" that I need to fix. When I am done with WMC, then I will upgrade. If it is still free.

Remember that Win7 support ends in 2020. Also, they stopped issuing new licenses for Win8.1 Media Center. Just some food for thought.

[kevm14]

I just upgraded my Dell desktop. It took 45 minutes and was painless. Working on the VAIO now....nothing like doing it at the last minute. Today is the last day. Ends at midnight.