win8.1 forced upgrade

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:09

hi

anyone else experiencing the win8.1 update nudge that displays a ribbon add across the middle of the screen? Usually this says update and restart within 1,2,3,4 or later hours.

I've now had it forced on me with only the option of 1,2,3 or 4 hours but not the option to postpone indefinitely.

ED209 · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:37

i have a windows 8.1 laptop but not noticed it, how long has it been happening for as i know my windows 8.1 laptop went through quite a big update this morning

Harl0 · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:41

Should you not be applying updates when possible?

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:44

Harl0 said:
Should you not be applying updates when possible?

You could say that about anyone on w7 but surely it should be the owner's choice as to when they upgrade to the next version of windows.

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:45

ED209 said:
i have a windows 8.1 laptop but not noticed it, how long has it been happening for as i know my windows 8.1 laptop went through quite a big update this morning

I'm on w8 so it is now trying to force me on to 8.1 so you will be fine if you're already on 8.1.

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 14:50

I've nothing against 8.1 but since i know i need to clear my whole system down and do a complete reinstall, I was going to do this at a time that suited me. If it's forced upon me it's a waste of time as I will still need to clear my system down and do a complete reinstall of everything anyway.

The way this Windows 8 is at the moment is no better than malware, to take over a system and render it inoperable unless you agree to the upgrade is shameful.

Imagine if I were in the middle of a days work with a deadline to meet, that's why it's meant to be the user's choice.

this_is_gav · 20 Jan 2015 at 15:39

Just do a system backup and install the update while you're out or something. If something doesn't work, restore the image from the backup.

SciNeT · 20 Jan 2015 at 15:59

Windows 8.1 was an update for me, (from Win 8) not a fresh install, or do you mean you have planned to reinstall Windows for another reason.

Also I believe Windows 8 no longer updates, Win 8.1 is required for continuation of this, might have remembered that bit incorrectly though.

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 16:10

SciNeT said:
Windows 8.1 was an update for me, (from Win 8) not a fresh install, or do you mean you have planned to reinstall Windows for another reason.

Also I believe Windows 8 no longer updates, Win 8.1 is required for continuation of this, might have remembered that bit incorrectly though.

I have never done an in place upgrade of a Windows OS as I don't believe in doing it that way. As it happens I know a lot of stuff needs doing to my PC so I already planned to strip it down, clean it, remove an old drive which is failing, wipe the other drives and start again from a fresh install, albeit this may have to be XP, then W8 and then an update to 8.1 along with latest drivers etc.

W8 should still have update support, I would imagine w7 still does too, so there shouldn't be any need to upgrade to w8.1 from a security updates perspective. I have all the security updates for w8 so I can't be any less secure than someone running w7 or even earlier.

I found an article on eightforums.com that explained removing KB2871389 and have now hidden that update in the Windows Update screen to stop it redownloading. Also now changed Windows Update to stop being automatic but instead ask me first. Not sure if they can still force it through but shall see if I get the ribbon reminder across the screen when it takes over the system with the only option to proceed with the update.

fingers crossed

KIA · 20 Jan 2015 at 19:19

Did you tell it to download 8.1 at some point?

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170232-disable-the-81-update-notification-in-windows-8/

Windows 8.0 will be supported until 12/01/16.

thenewoc · 20 Jan 2015 at 19:41

KIA said:
Did you tell it to download 8.1 at some point?

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/170232-disable-the-81-update-notification-in-windows-8/

Windows 8.0 will be supported until 12/01/16.

No, absolutely not since I'm too busy renovating my home, so it's been on my radar as something I would need to do but something I wished to do in a controlled manner when I could address a number of things that need doing with my system. Whenever I've been presented with the ribbon type popup across the middle of the screen it has always had the option to choose 'Later' and that has been the way it's been dismissed. However, when this presented itself today, the option to choose 'Later' had been removed. I actually couldn't do anything with my system, if I tried to access the Task Manager it wouldn't let me switch focus to anything else, even the charms bar power option to select close down wasn't possible to reach. I had to close my system down in a non controlled way to regain control. After rebooting, I would get 10 or 15 mins or so before it would pop up with the upgrade prompt again where I would no longer have control of my system unless I rebooted again.

However, since removing the KB2871389 update and hiding it from within Windows Update it has stopped prompting me, for now at least.

Ohlawll · 20 Jan 2015 at 20:45

I am unsure as to why you would not just let it upgrade to 8.1. It doesn't delete anything and your account and documents remain? I cant see any benefits to stay with standard windows 8.

Ronald · 20 Jan 2015 at 21:25

I see a lot of reasons to upgrade actually. I just spend a few hours back on 8.0 and it is dreadful compared to 8.1.

(Microsoft wouldn't let me download an 8.1 iso using the 8.0 serials, later found there is a download tool that does it)

thenewoc · 22 Jan 2015 at 11:02

Ohlawll said:
I am unsure as to why you would not just let it upgrade to 8.1. It doesn't delete anything and your account and documents remain? I cant see any benefits to stay with standard windows 8.

I'm just old fashioned I guess and don't like doing in place upgrades rather than a fresh install. I think the former is space wasting and I like to keep a lean system drive when setting up a new OS so that I can create an optimal drive image.

thenewoc · 22 Jan 2015 at 11:05

Ronald said:
I see a lot of reasons to upgrade actually. I just spend a few hours back on 8.0 and it is dreadful compared to 8.1.

(Microsoft wouldn't let me download an 8.1 iso using the 8.0 serials, later found there is a download tool that does it)

As I said above I have nothing against upgrading to 8.1, but it's not convenient for it to be forced on someone when I know I could do with wiping my system and starting again from fresh. Would be pointless having the disruption of doing it twice.

However, since removing the KB2871389 update and hiding it from within Windows Update it has stopped prompting me, for now at least.

ubersonic · 22 Jan 2015 at 11:30

thenewoc said:
I have never done an in place upgrade of a Windows OS as I don't believe in doing it that way.

thenewoc said:
I'm just old fashioned I guess and don't like doing in place upgrades rather than a fresh install.

The W8.1 update isn't actually a new O/S install, it's basically W8 SP1, they have just started classing service packs as increments of the O/S like Apple do (I.E OSX 10.8.1) , hence why it's badgering you over it because it considers it highly important but of minor inconvenience.

ED209 · 22 Jan 2015 at 11:36

when you update to windows 8.1 it downloads a 3.62GB file and then installs.

i did a factory reset on my windows 8.1 laptop which pushed it back to windows 8 which came with it and then had to install a load of updates first before 8.1 was on the store to update too.