Windows 10 is now a ‘recommended update’ that starts automatically
Operating system upgrade will download automatically if automatic updates are turned on
CBC News Posted: Feb 02, 2016 1:32 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 02, 2016 2:47 PM ET
As of Jan. 4, Microsoft said Windows 10 was active on over 200 million devices. (Mike Segar/Reuters)
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Microsoft is ramping up its push to get Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users to upgrade to Windows 10.
If you haven’t already downloaded Windows 10, your computer may do it for you automatically as soon as this week.
Microsoft has made Windows 10 a “recommended update,” for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users, the company confirmed today.
Users who had previously reserved the upgrade will be targeted first, the company said in a statement emailed to CBC News.
“The new experience has begun to roll out in a phased approach to more Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 customers, although we do not have any information to share at this time with respect to individual regions.”
Previously, the newest version of the Windows operating system was an “optional” update.
Recommended updates are typically downloaded and installed automatically if automatic updates are enabled. Because such updates are often security patches and fixes, they are enabled by default. Microsoft strongly recommends allowing automatic updates.
In the case of Windows 10, users will be “clearly prompted to choose whether or not to continue,” before the process completely changes the operating system of their device, Microsoft assured users in a blog post in October. That was when the company first announced that Windows 10 would become a recommended update in the new year to make it easier to upgrade.
If you’re not ready to upgrade, you might want to read any box that pops up on your screen extra carefully before hitting “yes.”
If you decide you don’t really want Windows 10 after it’s already been installed, you will still be able to roll your device back to your previous operating system for the first 31 days after the upgrade, Microsoft says.
In its October blog post, the company said users worried about exceeding their internet provider’s download limits could turn off automatic updates, but the company “strongly discouraged” that for security reasons. Free until July 2016
Microsoft made Windows 10 available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users in July 2015. It will continue to be free for those users until next July 2016.
The company aims to have Windows 10 installed on a billion devices within the next three years, Myerson said at the company’s annual Build conference in San Francisco in April.
As of Jan. 4, Microsoft said Windows 10 was active on over 200 million devices. In January, Windows 10 was installed on 13.7 per cent of PCs connecting to the internet – putting it ahead of Windows 8.1’s 11.7 per cent, but still far behind Windows 7’s 46.7 per cent worldwide, reported the web analytics firm StatCounter Monday. The company logs the operating system of devices that visit more than three million websites that have its free visitor-counting app installed.
My computer is good for several years at best and I bought it with windows 7 so stop rushing me as you will force me to use Windows 10 on the next one anyway at which point you will pushing me to use the next bothersome upgrade.
I am busy and have no desire to chance losing reliable software…
Thank you
My surface pro 3 is running 8.1, I upgraded it and it took half my hard drive memory. I went right back to 8.1. It sucks in the tablets. My tablet went loony after upgrading. I am going to be pissed if this upgrades on its own.
Look at your download history for the installed updates.
You should find an update #KB3035583
This is the update that tells your system to accept the Win10 download. DELETE IT, and you should not have any more attempts to install Win10.
I did that back a few months ago and they changed the number and back it came but I’m just ignoring it and trying to stick with 7 for now if my computer lasts. :shock:
10 brought a virus and whatever else into my newer PC, it was really screwed up, took 2-3 days getting it back up and running. My wifes is on 10 and fine but I won’t do it again. Hers is my old PC and my backup, thank god it was okay I was busy when it happened.
Windows 10 is great on computers. All ny computers are upgraded to 10. Just tablets is what does do good with 10. Most of them don’t have the memory to handle it. The 2 n 1’s at ok. My surface pro only has 54G hard drive. I have it under windows 8.1 and have 29.8G. If I upgrade to 10 it goes down to 18G. Don’t want to eat up all my memory.
