Microsoft is alienating part of its customer base
Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system is a success if you look at the operating system's growth and the use figures that Microsoft releases every now and then.
Windows 10 is doing pretty well right now but it has yet to be determined whether the growth of the operating system has been fueled largely by the free upgrade offer, and if it can stand on its own when the free upgrade offer ends on July 29, 2016.
I know users who are perfectly happy with Windows 10. While you can criticize the operating system for its privacy issues or removed features, the general consensus seems to be that it is a step in the right direction when compared to its predecessor Windows 8.
I also know users who dislike Windows 10 and don't want any part of it. This may come from privacy issues or missing support for specific programs, features or hardware components, and those are all valid reasons for not wanting to upgrade.
Probably the main reason why users don't want to upgrade to Windows 10 is Microsoft's aggressive approach in promoting the operating system.
Most did not mind the Get Windows 10 upgrade offer that Microsoft displayed initially on devices running Windows 7 or 8.1 as it was thought to be a one time thing at that time.
Problems began when the offer was repeated and changed multiple times throughout the short span of the operating system's availability.
Microsoft does not honor user choice
Microsoft does not honor user choice. Users who say no to Windows 10 -- and not scheduling the upgrade or accepting its download or installation should count as a clear no -- should not be bombarded with additional and modified upgrade prompts.
Apart from throwing multiple prompts at users who clearly did not want their device to be upgraded to Windows 10 the first time Microsoft asked, it is the "how" that is infuriating users.
Windows 10 upgrade prompts are changed all the time which confuses users as they have to find the one -- often hidden or obfuscated -- option to say no to the upgrade.
Hitting the close button of the upgrade prompt window worked previously, but it won't work in the latest version of the prompt for instance. If you don't pay close attention to these prompts, the likelihood is there that you will end up with Windows 10 installed.
Those are borderline malware tactics to get users to upgrade.
Even experienced users are at a loss, as hiding the updates that are responsible for displaying the Get Windows 10 offer is nothing but a temporary solution.
In fact, besides security updates, the updates that Microsoft appears to publish the most for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are updates that prepare the operating systems for the upgrade to Windows 10, or push a new version of the Get Windows 10 prompt on those systems.
Some users helped themselves by disabling all updates as Brad Chacos notes over at PCWorld. That option is dangerous if security patches are not downloaded and installed manually when they are released.
While user systems may be safe from being upgraded to Windows 10, since updates that push the new operating system are not downloaded and installed anymore, users will have to spend time downloading and installing security updates manually.
Note: The best option to block Windows 10 on a device running a previous version of Windows is to either use software like Never10 or GWX Control Panel, or configure the system manually for blocking Windows 10.
The main issue for many Microsoft customers who use Windows is that the company does not accept no when it comes to Windows 10, and that its tactics to get users to upgrade to the new operating system are anything but customer friendly.
Many hope that the situation will change once the free upgrade offer expires at the one-year anniversary of Windows 10's public release but Microsoft has not confirmed that this is indeed the case. Microsoft could easily change the free upgrade offer to a discounted upgrade offer prompt instead, but that would probably be more user friendly considering that money would need to change hands.
Another interesting question is how alienated customers will react when they have to pick another operating system, for instance when buying a new PC or the current operating system expires.
Now You: Is Microsoft doing itself a favor here?
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help