Avoiding Force Feeding

[JackNaylorPE]

Given the number of puters in our SOHO, we have always purchased Pro versions of Windows. With the last build, wifie suggested that we didn't have to worry about here access to the network because when she's on, everyone else is asleep and no worry about having too many puters connected. It works.... most times, occasionally she gets a "too many connected" message.

So we saved $40 getting Win 7 Home instead of Pro and all was well enough. Now we are going to be subject to a force feed of updates if we upgrade her box to 10.

I have avoided a few negative mishaps by holding off a few days but the big one was when SP1 for XP broke every AutoCAD installation. I had calls from many firms who had their CAD staff sitting at their desks twiddling their thumbs for a cupla days which caused quite a financial ouchie.

With that in mind looking at our options....

a) Stay win Win 7
b) Do the "Anytime Upgrade" in Win 7
c) Do the "Anytime Upgrade" in Win 10


Anyone know what the cost is or have any knowledge with regard to differences between options ? From what I remember, it is $89.95 to do the Win 7 upgrade ..... looks like force feeding will give MS a revenue stream for Win 10 as users scramble to avoid force feeding .... seems off that a $40 savings will cost me $90 in the end. Or is it different for a OEM license .... it would seem, for $90, after the upgrade you should have a retail license.

 

[Trouble]

The best bet for a business environment is probably always going to be the "Pro" version.
How you go about it depends on you. You've got a year which puts you at next July 29th to still get a / the free upgrade, so it's not like you're under the gun or anything.
Personally I'd stick with Windows 7 for the time being and budget and shop it around as the time grows closer.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Well that's the thing .... in a SOHO (Home Office / Small Office) you have both. It's not about budgeting really, could easily have bought Pro from the getgo. It's about MS:

1. Eliminating the "Anytime Upgrade" program which was in effect at time if purchase just 2 months ago.
2. Forcing this new Force Feeding thing on us and gouging us for the upgrade (Win 10 Home => Pro won't be free

 

[Dipsy]

Forcing updates in the Home version and not in the Pro version seems to imply that Home version users are computer illiterates who can't be trusted to or are not smart enough to update their systems with the security and other fixes.

 

[Trouble]

I think it has more to do with security.
Like the update that was just issued today (a few minutes ago) which patch a security vulnerability which if left unpatched could impact Windows 10 computers (as well as most versions of Windows Computers) and then we'd end up with a lot of complainants pointing fingers at Microsoft for not patching such a serious vulnerability. Deferring updates can lead to serious issues and people deciding to do so are at risk.
I personally, don't particularly like the idea of forced updates and I don't know that there is a particular distinction between users on Home versus users on Pro, but that's where we find outselves at this particular point in time.

KB3074667
SOURCE: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3074667

 

[Trouble]

In keeping with the topic of updates (forced or otherwise).

“Software updates, for example, are the seatbelts of online security; they make you safer, period.”

SOURCE: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/go...geek&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

I would think that might also apply to Windows Updates as much if not more as it would to third party software (Adobe Reader/Flash, Java, Chrome, Firefox, etc., etc.)

 

[Dipsy]

I think that Microsoft should abandon the forced updates and instead have auto updates checked as default on install with the option to uncheck it. Conscientious users will check for updates and take care of their machine's security needs. Those who only poke the start button and hit the net will probably not even check to enable or disable updates and forced updates will present no issues for them unless a flawed one screws up their computer. The conscientious user on the other hand will note the waiting update and may decide to check it out before installing it on their machine. Penalizing Home version users is a bit heavy handed and overly protective.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

So much for making you safer ...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/07/17/windows-10-forced-automatic-updates/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/07/25/windows-10-automatic-update-problems/

50% of the non user caused IT problems I am forced to solve at user sites have involve some one allowing WU to install hardware drivers. Now, even before it's released it's causing havoc.

When I built that box in May, Anytime Upgrade was one of the reasons I figured we'd go with Home instead of Pro.... figured if it causes problems, just upgrade.... well MS quietly ended Anytime Upgrades.

 

[Trouble]

That particular article references hardware driver updates and I believe everyone knows that Microsoft should stay the hell out of updating hardware drivers on peoples computers, especially GPU drivers.
But in the mean time....
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930
Might come in handy.
I just had an issue where KB3047681 completely hosed my ability to adjust my Ethernet adapter's properties through ncpa.cpl
And that I can't abide.
Back to Windows 8.1 goes me.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Hear that ..... over the years audio drivers, backup software, network devices are among the major offenders. XP SP1 was the worst tho, messed up the AutoDesk licensing control and peeps couldn't use their $3500 programs for days.

As for the links, we won't go near 10 till probably the XMas - New Years window when the office shuts down. The Insider Preview method of stopping updates I expect will expire on the 29th.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

The avalanche continues .....

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/07/27/windows-10-automatic-update-security-problems/

"KB3074681 had no detailed information about what it contained but as it was classified as a ‘security’ patch it installed immediately and without warning to all versions of Windows 10 (Home, Pro and Enterprise) then promptly caused Windows Explorer to crash for a number of users.

And in reality bad updates will happen. Historically there have been some epic Windows patch meltdowns and Woody Leonhard at InfoWorld notes that: “40 or so” problematic patches have been released by Windows Update in 2015 alone."

http://www.infoworld.com/article/28...-microsoft-windows-auto-update-meltdowns.html

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2949622/microsoft-windows/windows-10-forced-updates-dont-panic.html

And now it turns out that even Windows Pro users will be force fed security updates. It seems that Pro users have the option to install new features, but not security updates which are the source of most problems.