back to article Microsoft deletes Windows 10 nagware from Windows 7 and 8

Microsoft has quietly excised Windows 10 free upgrade offers from Windows 7 and 8, aka the GWX.exe. PCs running Windows 7 or 8.x and Windows Update will silently delete the nagware, thanks to a new update dubbed KB3184143. “This update removes the Get Windows 10 app and other software related to the Windows 10 free upgrade …

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    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

      "Fixing it is a dark art."

      When I had to do this some week ago it seemed to consist of finding various interweb postings saying apply KB$Number and then finding a chain of MS support pages saying KB$Number-you-were-looking-for has been replaced by KBAnother-number-to-look-for.

      If it wasn't a dark art it was certainly an Adventure.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

        We're sorry, but your KB is in another castle...

      2. Wensleydale Cheese

        Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

        "If it wasn't a dark art it was certainly an Adventure."

        A maze of twisty passages, all alike.

      3. Captain DaFt

        Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

        "If it wasn't a dark art it was certainly an Adventure."

        Jumping through hoops, avoiding hidden pitfalls, only to be told, "the update you're looking for is in another KB$Number".

        Is Nadella secretly a frustrated plumber?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

      I'm waiting on 177 updates to install in Win7Pro on a dual-boot machine that was last updated roughly 3 years ago and has been running a screensaver in the other boot option since then because that's its purpose. Don't ask.

      So what about KB3125574 bundle that's supposed to help? I downloaded and ran it, and hours later had to decide to leave it overnight as it kept looking over things. This morning, it said the update was not applicable to this system or something.

      My only consolation is that it automatically finished checking for regular updates in the background and downloaded most of them in the meantime, so I've only been waiting just over an hour so far today.

      insufferable nonsense...

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

        >So what about KB3125574 bundle that's supposed to help?

        It does! However, if you are starting from Win7 or Win7-SP1 then you have some preparatory tasks to perform...

        This article gives a good overview to get your build up to May 2016:

        http://www.howtogeek.com/255435/how-to-update-windows-7-all-at-once-with-microsofts-convenience-rollup/

        However, I would take the advice given in the "recommendation suggestions" section of this post:

        http://windows-update-checker.com/FAQ/ConvenienceRollupKB3125574-Issues.htm

        and install any of the listed components, to save yourself work later...

        But yes I agree MS have lost something in recent years, with NT, W2K, XP you only needed the SP's to get a new install reasonably uptodate...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

          Thanks for the link.

          I eventually found out from the MS page that it required the April 2015 Servicing Stack update, which of course it didn't have-- and it's my own fault for not noticing & preparing in the first place. But my beef remains, in that it took [unknown? at least 2] hours to figure out that it wasn't going to happen. I'm a Funtoo user so I could almost not care if things to take a ridiculously long while but my machine always spends *mere minutes* deciding what to do. And now there's no need, that machine's done. I installed said KB anyway afterwards, so maybe next year if it gets rebooted again, things will be less awful. And I'll read the article because I still have a few other Win7 machines to deal with, though none now that had been left for that long.

    3. Bob Camp

      Re: Windows Update is unbelievably shit

      Try this:

      https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

      It has the fixes for Windows Update you need. I had the same problem but this fixed it. I can't help but think the Windows 10 offer messed it up somehow.

    4. Tabor

      Re: fixing it is a dark art

      I've had the same issue. It was easy to fix though, you just have to remember to chant "developers, developers, developers" BEFORE you rip out the rabbit's entrails. The other way around won't work in any case, but a cat instead of a rabbit should be fine.

  1. Anonymous Custard
    Pint

    No other action

    Microsoft's article says, advising that no action other than a restart will be required to do the deed.

    Oh I'm sure a few people will see some action as needed, such as a few beers to celebrate?

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: No other action

      Microsoft's article says, advising that no action other than a restart will be required to do the deed.

      Howver, I accidentially discovered on a system (Win7 x64) that both GWX Control Panel and CCleanup seemed happy with, Disk Cleanup identified a further circa 2.5GB of updates etc. that could safely be removed...

      So I would suggest having installed this update it is worth running Disk Cleanup - whilst 2~3GB isn't much space on a TB drive, on a limited SSD...

  2. Hans 1
    Windows

    >because Microsoft's previously said it won't reveal much about what's in its patches.

    Anybody find me an article where a Microsoft patch is dissected by Mircrosoft, any. You'll find none ... bloody canned statements since day 1.

    I like my debian, can go look up which lines were changed in the patch without too much hassle, if I so wish ... popcorn's ready for the next MS Update debacle :D

    As for free beers ? Have they removed the telemetry, yet ? no, thought not ... so don't rejoice, more's acomin'! Then again, the tramp on the Windows icon is drinking beer ... maybe that was meant ?

  3. wyatt
    Thumb Up

    My farther in law had a result against Microsoft. He decided to install Win 10, didn't like it so rolled back. Somewhere along the line, be it in Win7 or 10 his desktop became the 'cloud' desktop and sync'd everything to his cloud account.

    Problem was he'd just backed up his 64GB iPhone to his desktop and this got copied over, resulting in a nice bill from BT for going over this usage.

    He's argued this with MS and got a cheque for £100 off them to cover the bill (£52) and his time!

  4. msymons

    Does it also remove the shedload of windows 10 pre-install files?

    i wasn't allowed to remove them myself from my w7 pc. i'd quite like some of that space back

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: Does it also remove the shedload of windows 10 pre-install files?

      GWX Control Panel can do that through the "Delete Windows 10 Download Folders" and "Delete Windows 10 Programs" buttons.

      As you obviously don't have it installed, just download and use the standalone version.

      See: http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

      I'm sure others here will provide details of equivalent tools and how to guides if you want full manual control.

      1. pxd

        Re: Does it also remove the shedload of windows 10 pre-install files?

        It's about time I mentioned the excellent job GWX Control Panel has done and continues to do for me on my 3 WIN7 PCs, after I installed it following a recommendation elsewhere on El Reg. (Like several earlier commenters, I don't think we've seen the last of this issue from MS.) I thoroughly endorse the suggestion made by Roland6. pxd

  5. Joey

    Windows 10 Software condemed by Which

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37431343

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Windows 10 Software condemed by Which

      You just posted this without bothering to read the previous comments, didn't you?

  6. Dave 15

    Windows 10 downgrades

    Yup, my machine 'updated' itself... the result half of everything didn't work, the settings were all destroyed, went back to foreign language and wrong keyboard etc etc

    And as for the latest versions of office... FFKS what do Microsoft not understand about I opened a word document so I can edit it, print it, read it... WHY OH WHY OH WHY do I now need to find different options in a pile of different places, click on 2 dozen different banners in order to do what I obviously wanted to do in the first place!!!!

    An opportunity for linux etc. to take over... if only that weren't just as bad

    1. Dr Spork
      Pint

      Re: Windows 10 downgrades

      > ...the result half of everything didn't work...

      Thanks for that! :) Reminded me of this. Ahhh... happy times, when it was still funny. Before Redmond became so desperately malignant.

  7. jasper pepper

    Well, that's just fine now isn't it.

    Except it isn't is it?

    If microsoft think this will restore their reputation they are going to be disappointed.

    The whole win 10 fiasco destroyed what trust remained in the microsoft brand.

    It really isn't good for business if your customers :

    a) Don't trust your brand.

    b) Think your brand ignores their needs.

    c) Use your products under sufferance.

    It leads to :

    d) Your products are only chosen as a last resort in the absence of a viable alternative.

    Of course, it will take a while but as with the once mighty IBM I think microsoft is destined to dwindle from industry giant to industry also-ran.

  8. bombastic bob Silver badge
    Facepalm

    so, is it SAFE to run 'windows update' again?

    So, is it SAFE to run Windows Update again? Or should I wait for the fallout?

    1. Bert 1
      FAIL

      Re: so, is it SAFE to run 'windows update' again?

      Yeah. Me too. I want to know this.

  9. Mystic Megabyte
    FAIL

    Win 8 rant

    Try this simple test of usability...

    Linux Mint: Press the Winkey and start typing "update", it will take you to the software update utility. The utility will tell you what each update will do.

    Windows 8: Do whatever you like, you won't find the update utility! Resort to Google, then find that the update utility just says "1.2 GB to download", won't tell you any other information and then also fails to download anything.

    1. pxd

      Re: Win 8 rant

      Having failed years ago to install Linux on an old laptop - never could find a driver to enable the external CD drive, or figure out how to mount the bloody device in the first place - I recently followed a suggestion in another comment here on El Reg, and installed Mint 18 Sarah plus MATE on an old WINXP desktop I was about to recycle. It was ludicrously easy; within an hour or so, I had a fully functional desktop running considerably faster than it did with XP, all drivers present and correct, fully updated; and I was off to look at the vast number of open software packages available for use. Mystic Megabyte's statement about Updates is spot on - updating the Mint PC was trivially easy, and fully explained; at the same time I was trying to take a former WIN8 PC back to WIN7, and spent hours and hours over a 2 week period, trying to crack the WIN Update issues described in other posts on this thread. After reading about a million posts from others with the same problem, I found that I could sneak up on the problem by only selecting 10 or fewer updates per session, but I tried all the other tips mentioned here and elsewhere, before finally succeeding. Now my only problem is deciding what to do with the no-longer-obsolete desktop. pxd

  10. A Nonny Moose
    Thumb Down

    Too late

    I can no longer trust any of the updates coming from Windows Update after this debacle.

    I haven't installed any of the monthly rollup updates as I don't trust them to not have all of the telemetry crap.

    I now only install the security related updates and only if I feel they're absolutely necessary after reading the KB page. If I didn't use my PC for gaming I'd probably be on Mint or something else by now.

  11. Herby
    Joke

    If it wasn't a dark art it was certainly an Adventure.

    You are in a maze of twisty little patches, all alike. Which one would you like...

    Yes, an adventure...

    Probably not a joke to those who have to administrate the silly machines.

  12. kryptylomese

    The problem isn't that Windows is shit (it is) and Linux is great (it is) - The problem is that Linux doesn't run every game out there so kids cannot see why Linux is so much better.

    This is changing but really who cares? Grown-Ups (Businesses) have voted with their investment in infrastructure and Linux is dominant without any doubt!

    Leave school now and start working in IT as a Microsoft "Engineer" and you may as well as chosen steam engine manufacturer as a career choice instead.

    The world really has moved on - thankfully!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Cloud cuckoo

      I always wondered about Linux users I think cloud cuckoo land comes to mind

  13. Stevie

    Bah!

    All well and good but windows update hasn't been working on my home edition since mid august, and doesn't work on a clean install of professional I did two weeks ago either.

    So I guess I'm stuck with the fucking mess.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Linux

      Re: Bah!

      Not necessarily

  14. the Jim bloke

    Thanks to GWX

    I finally tried Linux Mint as dual boot on my home desktop - then promptly wiped 2 windows laptops and installed it on them as well.

    Now, I only boot to Windows (7) when I need to use work related software, yes, you have to pay me to use it.

    There isn't a game enjoyable enough to compensate for the aggravation of microsofts poisoned system.

    This news will probably lead me to booting windows again and trying to get the update to happen, because at present, windows is a non-operating system.

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