Windows 10 is about to drop at the end of the month. When the new OS comes out, it looks like Microsoft will be making some changes to its update policy. The ability to turn updates off entirely will be completely removed.
As Ars Technica points out, the new Windows 10 EULA includes a statement that implies users agree to “automatic updates without any additional notice.” Home users will also notice that they will have only two options for dealing with updates: installing them and rebooting automatically, and installing, then choosing when to update. Here’s the relevant section of the EULA:
Updates. The software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorised sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates. By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.
Emphasis added. Of course, until Windows 10 is officially released, anything could still change. It wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft announced a new policy for a product, then reversed the decision later. In fact, Microsoft hasn’t announced this at all, yet. However, given Microsoft’s new Windows-as-a-service approach, this may be inevitable. Most other software we use is subject to frequent updates, but the ability to permanently delay Windows updates has made it hard for Microsoft to keep its platform secure and up-to-date with other contemporaries.
Windows 10 updates to be automatic and mandatory for Home users [Ars Technica]
Comments
25 responses to “Windows 10 Home Updates Will Be Automatic And Mandatory”
domain admins around the world, don;t fret im sure their is a group policy haha
We all take a sigh with relief, until suddenly.
“Sorry, Windows Server 2012 R2 is not compatible with Windows 10, please upgrade to Windows 10 Server Edition”
Keep in mind this is for Windows 10 Home. I’m hoping this means I can setup a PC with a non-admin account for every day use and have the PC update itself with no admin input automatically.
From the linked article:
[Edit: Doh, accidentally replied instead of starting a new comment. I’m a tool… =( ]
No, Windows 10 Pro users will still have what M$ calls Critical Updates forced on them. Refer to the Windows 10 Wikipedia page. Other updates can be deferred.
I sense this forced updates issue may become a deal breaker for many, and M$ will have to back down for fear of Windows 10 become their first two-in-a-row OS failure.
It’s a dot-zero version anyway so this IT veteran will avoid it for now, and just sit back and watch the fun and games from July 29. 🙂
why? i have no issue with it.
however, unlike domain admins like you, i actually will be running windows 10 Enterprise instead of home edition, so i can approve updates at will.
There’s a massive problem with Automatic Updates, It also changes and installs Device Drivers for your Hardware. Automatic “Security Patches” aren’t so much of a problem, but when it changes “Drivers” that have already been installed via Manufacturers Drivers (e.g. Nvidia), with Windows Update Drivers, It can become a headache.
I have noticed in Windows 10 Insider Preview builds that you have the option to Uninstall Updates, but what happens then? Will it re-install the Update Drivers after you check for Updates again or automatically re-install them?
In Windows 7, device driver updates were in the Optional category and weren’t automatically installed with the Recommended Updates. I still think that this should be an included option for Windows 10 but they are not going this way.
Windows 10 does not give you access to BIOS on POST (Power On Self Test).
Forget about being able to boot from another hard drive, CD drive or usb device.
Looks like we/you are snookered.
Yer they’ve squirreled that away for some moronic reason. You can in fact access the bios, you have to disable fast startup in power options – not sure if this works on all versions or just enterprise.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/insider_wintp-insider_repair/windows-10-enterprise-i-cannot-get-into-the-bios/10562f96-f0c0-496e-927e-711dcb0c1938?auth=1
Thanks @joeyojo for the link.
Are they dumb or just plain stupid putting this in as default?
what????
windows doesn’t load until the BIOS or UEFI has palmed over startup to windows.
fast boot is the issue there, it bypasses some of the checks a computer does to get into windows quicker
Mobile broadband providers are going to love it when Windows decides it wants to do a few Gb of updates in a month without telling people…
Yeah this. When I’m getting charged $10 pet GB (or whatever the going rate is), I need to control updates, not some random third party.
Windows allows you to flag certain network connections as metered and it won’t download updates until you’re on an unmetered connection.
Elderly people won’t work this out though. So I think it’s still a pretty major concern.
And infants, too. There’s too many babies buying computers these days.
You can’t make everything be 100% suitable to 100% of the population.
The previous versions of Windows are set to automatically download updates too, so nothing different here.
The only difference is that you cant turn off the updates, which you could in the past but by default they were on.
Yer Im keeping well away from win10 until the dust settles. Personally i think you’re mad if you upgrade straight away on a machine that requires any productivity.
We’ve had months to try it out in the insider program, it’s not like it’s a blind switch. There aren’t any issues with productivity that I’ve seen so far, it’s a smoother transition than 7 or 8 was in my experience.
Besides, the Home edition is supposed to be as hand-holding as it can be, the majority of people who use it are computer illiterate.
If you’ve been using it via a beta program then sure go for it, you’ll probably do a fresh install – i should have clarified that i meant for people who have the option via windows upgrade – there might be teething issues, it won’t hurt to hold off for a week or two.
Caution is reasonable. I’m not expecting many day one problems, is all.
The sooner we can stop computer illiterate people from using computers, the better.
Since windows 3.1, I have delayed by 12 months installing any new OS and it has paid off.
Vista was never installed or WHS after the 2003 version (WHS 2003 still works ok).
Nowadays a NAS is cheaper to run than WHS.
Nobody else read this and thought “good, no more visiting relo’s who have 243 updates available”?
They need to go one step lower than Home and make a Windows 10 Idiot-Proof. No settings, no programs, no keyboard, just five pre-installed automatically updated apps – e-mail, everything you call ‘Facebook’ in one app, Internet, Office (For Kids) and Porn-Because-Even-Though-You-Use-This-PC-For-Work-You’re-Going-To-Find-A-Way-To-Break-It-Looking-For-Porn: The App. Throw a big plastic steering wheel on the front and some buttons that make computer sounds and it’d be perfect. =P
THIS!
Working in computer repair I see people every day that need this so much, needa sandbox the crap outa the porn app though
if that’s true someone will make a program that allows you to update any time you want about 15 minutes after windows 10 drops. as far as microsoft goes this doesn’t even rate when you compare it to the windows 8 menu