Windows 10: How do I prevent the Win 10 upgrade?

I hope you will not postpone using the Never10.

 

OK, status update:
-User data backup is current. It runs nightly.
-KB3035583 uninstalled
-Directory containing KB3035583 files in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download moved elsewhere
So KB3035583 won't be able to reinstall
-Windows Update set to ask me before downloading and installing
Will stay that way until at least 7/29. Switch back to auto only when the coast is clear.
-C:\ has been searched in its entirety, $Windows.~BT is not present
-C:\Windows searched in its entirety, gwx.exe is not present
-System restore checkpoint saved
-Entire registry exported and saved as a backup
-Never10 run to disable the Win10 update
Opened Regedit and confirmed that it added the two keys to disable the update
It did not offer to delete the Win10 files, correctly since the $Windows.~BT directory doesn't exist
-Another system restore checkpoint and full registry backup made after running Never10

I haven't done an image, because this is a working system and things are changing on it all day.

That's about all I know to do for now. As I continue to learn, maybe I'll do more. For sure, I'll check daily to see if MS has managed to download any of the Win 10 related stuff despite all this. Will do the same for my portable workstation when it gets back from Toshiba with Win 7 after replacement of the SSD that the auto-install of Win 10 killed.

 

Thank you for the follow-up.
Good luck.

 

OK, just a quick status report after my first night of powering down, then back up in the AM.

Shortly after powerup, Windows Update checked for available updates for me to download. It found that I didn't have KB3035583 and recommended that I download and install it. Uh no, I think not...

As part of my new daily routine, I have searched C:Windows for gwx.exe and C:\ for $Windows.~BT, as well as searching installed updates for KB3035583. None found.

I'll keep up this routine at least until 7/29, and then see how the situation develops then. Ultimately, I'll get back to auto updates, but not until there's consensus that it's safe.

 

Seems like you have situation under control.
I sure hope Never10 does what it claims to do, because I will be recommending it to my alumni.

 

It will likely work until a new version of GWX App is released. *Wink

 

OK, another question.

Searching under C:\Windows finds multiple subdirectories with GWX.exe and what appear to be related DLLs, etc. These are all under /Windows/winsxs. The create dates on these directories are as recent as 4/26/16, with the oldest dating to March 2015. If I understand correctly, these are previous versions that have been superceded. Various web sources suggest that using Windows Disk Cleanup "may" clear out dead stuff in winsxs. I'm wondering if I should run it - my inner conspiracy theorist wonders if it will just restore the most recent version. Otherwise, does anyone know if it's safe to just leave them?

 

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

just run that command to clean out the old (superseded) files from winsxs folder

 

I have been trying to shut off Win 10 Updates for customers. The KB3035583 removal I thought would be a permanent fix. To hear its getting reinstalled is not good. At this point for "Industrial" users having to "For Sure" stay 7. Clone your drive. Its simple and cheap insurance. Do a Binary Copy. Looks like the guys in Redmond are going to shove Win 10 no matter what. I am getting so many customers coming in that swear they didn't enable the upgrade and now their system is hung or in the loop of death.

 

To be clear, it will reinstall if you leave updates set to "auto". I've set mine to "ask me before downloading and installing". It is recommending installation, but so far hasn't gone ahead without my permission. The recent attempt to reinstall after removal was when I inadvertently left updates on "auto".

My wife has an expensive portable graphics workstation. It was running fine on Win 7, prior to the upgrade. She was waffling on whether to upgrade and kept postponing it, but it slipped her attention and installed. Wounded the SSD. Everyone says, "oh, your drive just failed." Nope, it was fine the afternoon before, then started throwing error messages warning of impending drive failure literally within one minute of the first Win 10 boot. I don't buy it, that's way too big a coincidence. The web is full of stories of people with SSD issues after the update. We downgraded to Win 7, but the error messages persisted. The computer is now winging its way back for a warranty replacement of the drive.

I'm sure this message will earn me the derision of the Win 10 faithful. I don't care. We're out a lot of time to repair a daily business tool. And I'm going to do everything I can to keep Win 10 from installing on my otherwise stable and usable PC, which I use to earn my living. <Rant Mode Off>

 

Hi,

I must say from a business & financial point of view, I wholeheartedly agree.

However from a system usage point of view 10 is better, it's like stepping from Windows 3.11 to windows 95 to 98 & then to Windows XP, Vista & even 7 (Forget 8, Sorry).

So, in my opinion, if it's not broken don't fix it!

 

I'm no Luddite. For 17 years, I earned my living as an IT pro. I started with mainframes, got into PCs at DOS 2.6 and have happily upgraded every step of the way. My next new PC will be Win 10, and I'll be fine with that. But not this one, nor my wife's when we get it back, if I can help it. After a lot of "upgrades", I've found time and again that there's less disruption to leave a PC on the OS it was delivered on. We both earn our livings with these PCs, and an hour spent recovering from a troublesome OS upgrade is an hour we can't bill our clients. End of story.

 

Specifically, what are the 6 keys?

And the KB numbers that were issued to get around the key changes?

 

here is a registry block to prevent the upgrade from 8.1 written by Brink

so far has always been working for me..

or GWX Control Panel - I have used the stand alone just to block the upgrade... The installer also has a monitoring feature.. Have not had to use it after the initial blocking
Ultimate Outsider - Software Downloads

I have used both with good results, so far...

 

You can install all your updates, and use the tutorials below to disable the "Upgrade to Windows 10" update with no worries.

Upgrade to Windows 10 Update - Enable or Disable in Windows 7 or 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums
Get Windows 10 Icon - Remove from Taskbar in Windows 7 and 8.1 - Windows 10 Forums