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Microsoft Downloading Windows 10 To Your Machine Anyway

Networkbandwidth, updates, windows 10Ophtek, LLC

Nov 2015

By now you will have seen the ‘Get Windows 10’ popup on your PC, but did you know that it’s being downloaded to your system even if you haven’t opted in?

Microsoft has decided to start installing Window 10 on systems and this, of course, is eating into people’s broadband usage, so it’s riled many consumers. It’s not the first time that Microsoft has ‘borrowed’ peoples broadband, so let’s take a look at this latest scandal in a little more detail.

Pushing Windows 10

Many users of previous Windows are more than happy with their current operating systems; after the criticism of Windows 8 it’s no surprise that consumers are a little reticent to trust Microsoft’s software.

Even though Microsoft is working hard to shout “IT’S FREE!” from every available rooftop, some people are still refusing the upgrade. However, it’s been discovered that Windows is prepping your system to accept the upgrade.

Microsoft is so confident that users will want Windows 10 eventually that they’re downloading it to a hidden folder on people’s systems. The folder – labelled ‘$Windows.~BT’ – is around 3.5GB to 6GB, so counts for a significant section of your hard drive.

It’s an intrusive move on Microsoft’s part and, given the recent spate of Windows 10 security concerns, highlights the software giant as being somewhat arrogant and out of touch.

Microsoft Responds

When questioned about this latest accusation, Microsoft has been keen to point out this being for the customer’s benefit:

“For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they’ll need if they decide to upgrade.”

Now, of course, almost all of us sign up to the automatic updates as we’re advised it’s the best way to protect the security of our systems. However, it feels as though Microsoft is exploiting this need for security to push their own products at the expense of their users’ choice.

How Do You Remove Windows 10?

Understandably, many users are unhappy with Microsoft’s underhanded tactics, so are intent on removing Windows 10 for good and taking back control of their system.

It’s not as simple as just deleting the ‘$Windows.~BT’ folder as it will just keep re-populating and using up more of your broadband allowance. However, it is possible by going through the following steps:

Go to Windows Updates and click on Installed Updates
Locate update KB3035583 as this is the update which downloaded Windows 10
Windows 7 users need to delete and hide this update along with KB2952664, whilst Windows 8 users should delete KB3035583 and KB2976978
Head to the root directory where your current Windows OS is installed and delete $Windows.~BT
Run ‘Disk Cleanup’ on your system and delete all ‘Temporary Windows installation Files’

Final Thoughts

Is it right to sneak a product onto everyone’s system through the patch management interface?

Despite most Windows updates installing new files on our systems the size has never been an issue. In this instance, however, Microsoft may have forced some users into unknowingly exceeding their broadband limits.

For more ways to secure and optimize your business technology, contact your local IT professionals.

Windows 10 Blows Data Caps and Gives Some Consumers Huge Bills

Networkbandwidth, windows 10Ophtek, LLC

Sep 2015

Microsoft’s Windows 10 claims to improve the PC experience, but the forced update is causing data caps to blow and creating financial chaos for its users.

No one likes to receive a huge bill for their wireless costs, so many consumers are furious that this is happening due to Windows 10’s automated update service. It’s not the first complaint that consumers have raised about Windows 10, but it’s certainly one of the most serious.

We decided to take a look at the situation to keep you informed about this latest headache to hit Windows 10.

What’s Blowing the Data Caps?

Many internet providers put in place a data cap on people’s subscriptions in order to provide a fairer use of the available bandwidth e.g. someone who downloads files 24/7 is going to use a lot of bandwidth and, therefore, slow down the connection for other users, so a data cap discourages users from hogging the bandwidth.

This is all well and good in normal circumstances, but Windows 10 has changed the playing field. The automated update service for Windows 10 is very busy at the moment and runs quietly in the background, so users aren’t even aware of its activity.

Due to the number of people rushing to sign up to Windows 10 coupled with the flurry of updates, users’ bandwidth usage is, unknowingly, skyrocketing and running up huge bills for consumers.

The Impact of Windows 10 Updates

The fees associated with exceeding bandwidth usage vary between ISPs and even countries, but some of the hardest hit customers are those in remote locations where internet access is already expensive.

Users in areas such as New Zealand have already received bills totaling $400 for just one month’s usage, so it’s no surprise to learn that this type of financial hardship is actually forcing users off the internet.

To add insult to injury, even the intial ‘free’ download of Windows 10 is also stretching many consumers’ bandwidth usage due to its 3GB size.

How to Counter the Data Usage

There are, however, ways to tame Windows 10’s hungry appetite for bandwidth, so let’s take a look at some of them:

The simplest solution is to roll Windows 10 back to the previous version of Windows you were using. This will immediately stop the automated updates.
By accessing the ‘Change Wi-Fi Settings’ in the start menu, users can enable a ‘metered connection’ in the ‘Advanced Options’. This makes sure that your system knows you’re running on a data cap and will ask permission before downloading any updates.
There are also certain manual changes you can make to driver updates through a special troubleshooting app released by Microsoft. However, this solution is recommended to advanced experts only.

Will Microsoft Weather the Storm?

This latest crisis to hit Microsoft’s newest installment of their flagship Windows product is certainly embarrassing, but teething problems are always going to be present in new software. With around 70 million downloads and counting, Microsoft certainly needs to ensure updates to counter this issue is resolved soon and with their users’ permission.