Windows 10 Has Infected My Computer! Protect Yours Now.

1. 89

   Kylyssaposted 8 years ago

   So I've been getting the Windows 10 pop-ups for the last several months and I've been clicking the "no thanks" button on every one. This morning, I wiggled my trackball to wake my PC from sleep mode and fracking Windows 10 had installed itself and only needed me to press the accept or decline button. I hit decline but it acted like it had already fracking installed Windows 10! Then my screen went black and just sat there, black with my cursor an arrow on it for ten minutes.
   
   So I pushed the power button in to do a restart. When my computer rebooted it said it was restoring my previous operating system. It took quite some time.
   
   My screen looks all wonky now so I decided to do a system restore. My restore points have been erased!!!!
   
   Apparently, you can avoid getting your computer infected with Windows 10 by turning off Windows updates. I read that you can restore your computer to an earlier date, but you have to keep setting restore points before your computer is infected with Windows 10. I don't know if that's true because I had restore points set prior to the involuntary installation.
   
   Anyway, if you don't want your computer to be forced to install Windows 10 without your permission, look into it because you can't get rid of it completely without wiping your hard drive and starting over. Darn it, now I have to find my Windows disks so I can have a functional computer again.

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   1. 0

      Cissy1946posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I had the same problem a while back with the install but not after I declined and rebooted. Then I didn't get the notices to get a 'free' download of 10 for a while. Now I get the notices again but there isn't an X to close the box with so I just open TaskManager and shut it off there.

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2. 87

   Kailua-KonaGirlposted 8 years ago

   When it self-installs you can roll it back to the previous version of Windows you had before the installation, but be quick about it as your time is limited.

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   1. 89

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I immediately made it do the rollback after it infected my computer but the "restored" version was with my settings messed up and my system restore points deleted.
      
      What are some good Windows alternatives? I haven't played with any in a long time so I could use some input. I enjoy the Android operating system on my tablet but it isn't compatible with the sound, video, and image editing software programs I use most.

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      1. 0

         Cissy1946posted 8 years agoin reply to this

         You could go to a Linux operating system or an Apple. Both will require some retraining on your part and your software will not be compatible but it wouldn't be Windows. You can actually download Linux on the same computer as your Windows and learn to work with it before removing Windows. I downloaded ubuntu onto my old desktop but haven't spent a lot of time with it yet. But, bottom line is that the software you use on Windows won't be compatible with anything but Windows.

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         1. 89

            Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Thanks for your response.
            
            Windows 7 won't be supported forever so I'll have to get a new OS fairly soon whether it's compatible with my editing software or not. Since the software I currently use won't be compatible with Windows 10, either, there's no point in continuing with Windows if I'll have to buy new software anyway.
            
            I don't like any software that acts like malware and installs itself without checking for or allowing me to check for compatibility issues. I'm the only one who gets to make decisions about what operating system I use and Microsoft has shown it isn't compatible with that philosophy. So I'm looking for something new.

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            1. 0

               Cissy1946posted 8 years agoin reply to this

               You have to change your automatic updates settings. You usually have 3 choices, one that says to update automatically, one that says notify you and only update when you agree, and one that says never update. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER select update automatically.
               
               You really might want to look into Linux. It's free so if you don't like it you won't be out anything but time. I'm including a link to their website.
               
               https://www.linux.com/

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               1. 89

                  Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  I had my computer set to notify me of updates and to only update when I agree. I even hit decline, but Windows 7 was uninstalled from my device anyway. The rollback replaced my functioning, genuine copy of Windows 7 with a non-functioning copy of Windows 7. That's why I'm calling it an infection.
                  
                  Thanks for the link. I haven't played with Linux in twenty years, but I think it's time to.

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3. 83

   FatFreddysCatposted 8 years ago

   (shrugs) I was an early adopter of Windows 10, I took the free download as soon as it became available...I like it just fine. No complaints so far....

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   1. 82

      Dr Billy Kiddposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Ditto. Windows 10 is fun.

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   2. 89

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sure it's great if you don't have any software or hardware that won't work with it. It's not so great when your operating system has been changed to one on which your video, audio, and image editing software won't work and you can't use your best quality scanner with it.

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4. 89

   theraggededgeposted 8 years ago

   It's easy to alter your update settings to prevent it. It's because it's an 'update' and you have probably got updates set to automatic.
   
   I decided not to install it for ages (I originally did and then rolledback) but did it last week, changing all the privacy settings to 'get lost'. I researched everything I had a question about and then, on balance, decided to go with it. I don't use a Microsoft account to log in either - you have to keep your eye open for the option to sign up with email instead (always select 'custom' when installing anything). Laptop's running much better. I'm putting it on my daughter's laptop as we speak.
   
   I looked at Linux and it seems like a very steep learning curve, plus I wasn't sure if my lovely, much used and heavily relied upon, Scrivener would work in Linux.

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   1. 89

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm glad Scrivener still works in Windows 10 for you. Windows 10 is incompatible with my versions of video editing software, image editing software, audio editing software, and my most versatile, largest bed, best quality film and photo scanner. 
      
      My current solution will likely be to disconnect the Windows 7 computer from the Internet and just use it for editing and scanning, transferring my finished projects using USB drives.
      
      Maybe it will be a good thing because I'll have to use a different device to get online and I won't have much ability to screw around when I ought to be working on a project.
      
      I had my computer set to notify me of updates and to update when I agree. I even hit decline, but Windows 7 was uninstalled from my device anyway. The rollback to Windows 7 sort of worked, but I still had to do a reinstall to get a working version of Windows 7 again.

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5. 78

   Say Yes To Lifeposted 8 years ago

   I understand rather than decline, you should just close the window by clicking the X.  But now that the damage is done, you probably should take your computer to a professional to get that cleared up.

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   1. 89

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      There's really nothing for a professional to clean up. I've reinstalled Windows 7 and it works just fine. I've shut off updates entirely, but I don't feel certain that actually means anything. If Microsoft just went ahead and deleted my operating system without my approval when I had my updates set to require approval, who is to say they won't just ignore my settings in the future as they did in the past?
      
      The problem now is that Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 soon. That means they'll stop creating updates to Windows 7. It will only be a matter of time before hackers exploit Windows 7 vulnerabilities and Microsoft stops creating fixes to limit the damage they can do.
      
      Between the soon-to-expire support and the possibility that Microsoft will just reinstall Windows 10 whether I want it to or not it just means I can take my old desktop offline and find an operating system that won't install things on my device without my permission to use online.

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      1. 78

         Say Yes To Lifeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         I think you should discuss this with a professional,

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      2. 89

         theraggededgeposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Microsoft isn't planning on ceasing support for Win 7 until January 2020.
         
         http://www.pcworld.com/article/2462643/ … -year.html
         
         Don't forget there are many people still using XP and Vista (me, for one on my old laptop).

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         1. 89

            Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I'm glad to learn Microsoft plans to support Windows 7 for so long. That information lets me know I can take as long as I need to find a new operating system. Thank you for sharing. I'll probably have new software and a new scanner by then.

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6. 60

   paradigmsearchposted 8 years ago

   I am likewise fine with Windows 10. And the critter has to be a whole lot safer than the earlier versions as far as malware and such. I basically just use my computer as an internet terminal, so I consider Linux to be equally fine and dandy. In fact, one of these days I'm going to work up the energy to split my drive between Windows and Linux.

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