Preventing Windows 10 from installing on your computer

KC9NRN

If you're running an older OS like Windows 7 or 8.1 and don't want to upgrade to Windows 10 you can download the GWX Control Panel and disable the Windows 10 upgrade and Upgrade Icon. 

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

You can choose to use the stand alone which runs once (just to make the change) or the installer which installs the control panel for making changes more than once. 

The easiest way when the control panel comes up is to choose 

"Click to disable Get Windows 10 App (remove Icon)"
"Click to prevent Windows 10 Upgrade" 

You won't be bugged any longer, unless Microsoft comes up with another sneaky way of pushing it.




If you want the full guide click this link.
http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

Greg N8GD

A newer, easier, and more reliable way of preventing Windows 10 upgrades is to use Never10 from Gibson Research.

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

Gibson research is well known in the security field, and, although Windows 10 isn't really under the area of PC security, Gibson did the research and found that a simple registry tweak reliably prevents the Windows 10 upgrade - certainly simpler than the GWX Control Panel and most likely more reliable.  The program runs to make the registry change, but does not install itself on your PC.  It's been mentioned on this forum previously by folks in the know like Howard, KY6LA.

Greg - N8GD

KC9NRN

Do we really need to cut down the GWX panel that you haven't used? You have a choice of stand alone or install, as for reliability millions have used it.

I'd like to note however that Gibson last updated that in April of 2016, as did GWX, lets be accurate as assumptions help nobody.

Choices are great, Gibson does awesome work and I use his products, I believe both work well without knocking either of them. 

Greg N8GD

I HAVE used GWX Control Panel on many systems and found that Never10 is much simpler to implement.  I'm not bashing the product, just mentioning another that might be a better fit for the less computer savvy Flexers.  Besides, it's pretty difficult to update a fix that inserts a single key into the registry!

Greg - N8GD

Michael Coslo

Then again, at the end of this month, all of that will go away - I hope, as the free switchover ends.

KC9NRN

Michael,

We'll see! Hopefully they don't try something else in August where it ends up as a "Windows Update" where whatever you used to block it before means nothing. 

KY6LA_Howard

Having used both GWX and Never10...

I switched all the systems I support to Gibson's Never10

Much easier to install and use..

BTW.. I seriously doubt that MS will stop giving away W10 at the end of July..

W10 is already a huge revenue source for MS selling your data and it looks to be even better revenue source once it forces users into the software as a service annual fee model... 

So Bottom Line; they will keep on giving it away now to force you to spend money later.

KC9NRN

Well for me the computers I support prevent Windows 10 via Group Policy so they get it and log in. Which ever method people use be it Gibson or GWX both are equally good at blocking Windows 10, very easily. Not sure why somebody would switch from one to the other but hey, whatever floats your boat.

Greg N8GD

One of the problems I had with earlier versions of GWX Control Panel (prior to Never10's appearance) was that, according to the author, turning off Windows Updates was necessary to assure that the GWX app wouldn't reappear in the notification area.  If I had Windows Updates ON, the GWX icon would reappear from time-to-time in the notification area.  I really didn't want to turn off Windows Updates due to needing security updates (both for the OS and Defender), so I would leave the updates setting ON and have to daily monitor if the GWX icon was appearing.  It wasn't actually going to install the Windows 10 upgrade, but the mere fact that the icon was in the notification area bothered me from the standpoint that users might click on it and go ahead with the upgrade.  This was in an accounting office where security is important, but upgrading to Windows 10 wasn't doable until their tax software vendor approved it.  They now run Windows 10, so it's a moot point.  I did find Never10 to do the job more easily and cleanly without all the configuration screen mess, and I NEVER saw the GWX icon again.  I easily did the Windows 10 upgrade from a DVD produced from an .iso image and never did re-enable the upgrade from Never10 - it worked just fine without any intervention by me.

Greg - N8GD

Bill W2PKY

I am saving my Win 7 Pro installation discs. LOL

Greg N8GD

Actually, one of the best ways to cover your options with Windows 10 is to go ahead and do the upgrade (I would suggest doing an image backup first, just in case).  After 10 is up and running, it can be rolled back to your prior Windows version.  Windows 10 saves your previous Windows OS and you can restore to that older version withing 30 days of the Windows 10 upgrade.  Why would you want to do that?  Well, as long as you have installed Windows 10 once, Microsoft's validation servers keep a record of your PC's hardware signature and use that to validate any future Windows 10 installations (minor changes such as replacing a failed hard disk should not alter the signature enough to require a new product key/validation).  Windows 7, for example, will no longer be supported after 2020, so you might want to consider using this trick to reserve your Windows 10 upgrade well after the July 29th cut-off for the free upgrade.  Of course, you might end up buying a new, replacement PC before 2020, or Microsoft may extend the "free" upgrade.  This is just one method to have it both ways without having to pay for the OS upgrade to your existing PC down the road.

Greg - N8GD

KC9NRN

Hmmmm, I never had to turn off Windows Updates but I can see the problem it brings. For the company I work at I implemented a GPO and we haven't been bothered since. For customers and friends I used GWX with no issues, I tried the Gibson product on a recent Windows 7 rebuild this morning and it worked nicely and easily.

Greg N8GD

Group policies work for Windows Professional and higher versions, but aren't available in "Home" versions, as you probably know.  Something simple to get the job done like Never10 is ideal for those who don't want to get slammed with an unwanted/unexpected upgrade but don't have the technical know-how to use more complicated solutions.  I thought MS made a really bad move when they managed to 'trick" folks into upgrading via the GWX icon when they just "X"ed out of it.  I'd like to give them benefit of the doubt that it was a programming/implementation mistake, but it's hard for me to fully accept that.  Remember, it's all about money, and when that's the case, things get real serious!

Greg - N8GD

KC9NRN

Agreed, 1000%. Also, I should have separated my post between home and work where Pro or Enterprise is used.