KB3035583 Installing Windows 10 using Windows Update?

Gerry, you are simply wrong!  Your statement about what this thread is not correct.  I am the initiator of this discussion thread that I started last April when this Windows 10 malware push started.  Re-read please.  Repeated below.

If you would like to start a discussion thread about how great Windows 10 is and why everyone should simply allow the change to take place and accept it because it is "progress", then that is your choice absolutely.  I have little doubt you will attract other participants who will find your views compatible with theirs.  However, your numerous additions to this particular thread are largely not attractive to the many who have participated.

The central issue I raised in this discussion thread is how to prevent Microsoft from changing our and I emphasize our PCs into something we did not buy or want. 

It is critical that we keep in mind that people buy computers with a lot of good hard-earned money. They expect those purchases to be of value and usefulness to us as they define that for years to come.  It is their property.  The fact that it comes with a Microsoft Operating system is a feature of that purchase.  Changing that feature in a major way such as Win10 is like having Ford replace your automatic transmission with a manual one without your permission or your knowledge is just not acceptable to most people.  It is certainly not acceptable to me or my clients and I suspect a lot of millions of other people .

I have been a rabid supporter of Microsoft for 30 years now and have been able to set aside their numerous miserable failures in favour of the really good ones -- Like Windows 7.  In the last 6 months I have turned into a technical guy who is becoming good at finding the right way to protect our purchases from Microsoft's scandalous, unethical and self-serving short-term profit strategies.

I must admit that I have no idea whether there is a future for Windows that I and many hundreds of millions of Windows PC owners will find acceptable after January 2020 when "support" dies for Windows 7.  I can only hope that by that time, Windows 10 will have failed to at least the extent that a probably new Microsoft management team will do something useful.  OR, very faint hope, a useful competitive product will make it to market.

I believe the common industry view that people just don't want PCs any more is absolutely incorrect.  The reason PC sales are not good is simply because when Joe public walks into his local WorstBuy and looks for a new PC, is told that Windows 10 is it, finds that something he just does not want to invest his hard-earned money in, he then looks around and buys an iPhone or iPad or both (or Android equivalents) with the intention of keeping his old PC running but using it far less.

By the way, I just must point out that a large number of my friends don't even know about this whole Win10 fiasco because they simply do not use Internet Explorer.  Microsoft will not even attempt the malware push if the PC does not have IE11 installed.  So switching to Google Chrome is an effective anti-Microsoft malware prevention strategy.

The start of this thread:

Would you please tell me how to prevent the installation of KB3035583 in my computer and if it is already installed, how to remove it?  Also, are there other updates that we need to be concerned about that enable this behaviour?

KB3035583 now appears as an Important update in Windows Update and is checked which means it will be automatically installed if the user does not uncheck it.  If automatic update is set, it will install without intervention.

There are credible articles that say that Microsoft either has installed or will install changes to my computer that will enable Microsoft to use it as an advertising platform and then install Windows 10 without first obtaining an informed decision to do so.  I truly hope this is not true.

On behalf of my clients and their 162 Windows "consumer" computers, I must tell you that we do not grant Microsoft or any other vendor the right to do this.  When other Windows players do this, we regard it as malware and take great care to remove it.

Microsoft got to where it is today by selling Windows.  We have spent decades learning how to use Windows and billions of dollars buying Windows computers and Windows software.  We own these systems.  They are ours, not Microsoft's.

Windows Update has earned a huge trust.  We trust Microsoft to use Windows Update to keep our computers safe and secure.  When Patch Tuesday comes along we install all the updates that Microsoft says are "important."  We assume those to be either plugging a security leak or fixing a software error.

We all hope Windows 10 will be something we will want.  We will carefully review and consult trusted advisors before we install Windows 10.  We have seen Windows 8 and rejected it.  Windows 8 is a bad product we did not choose.

Automatically installing Windows 10 on our computers would be a severe abuse of a well-earned trust.  Changing our computers to enable them to become advertising platforms is also an abuse.

I hope you feel better for your rant. Like you I do not approve of Microsoft's marketing strategy. However, unlike you I do not believe in tilting at windmills.

Jerry,

You state that you do not approve of Microsoft's marketing strategy. Might I also assume that there are current aspects of Windows 10 that you also do not approve of.

Why not voice your disapproval? Why not tilt at some windmills? Why not inform those who are not very computer savvy of the problems, pitfalls etc that are currently in Windows 10? Why not give Microsoft some public feedback? (Perhaps you already have spoken out about the many Windows 10 issues ... but your statement that you do not believe in tilting windmills implies that you do not think giving Microsoft feedback, or educating customers who are not computer savvy, is worth while).

Customers not tilting at windmills is actually what Microsoft depends on ... it is part of Microsoft's strategy .... they are depending upon their customers just accepting their marketing strategy and just installing Windows 10 with no complaint (with no tilting). With little or no push-back from their customer base, Microsoft has no incentive to change their current customer-unfriendly Windows 10 strategy (which you stated that you do not approve of).

Microsoft needs to have Windows 10 running on a billion PCs in order to begin implementing their Software as a Service strategy. We customers might not have much leverage with Microsoft when it comes to the functions, features, quality, support, and marketing strategy for Windows 10, but we do have some leverage in when (or even if) Microsoft can reach Windows 10 critical mass (i.e., a billion PCs). We can still choose to install or not install Windows 10 (although the trickery and coercion being used by Microsoft to get Windows 10 installed is difficult for many customers to deal with).

You mentioned that "To discuss requires opposing viewpoints." ... that is very true. But with respect to Microsoft's marketing strategy (and perhaps with Windows 10's current issues) your viewpoint is not so much different that others posting in this thread. It seems that the only opposing viewpoint is whether or not it is worth while tilting at the Microsoft windmill. I submit that the only way Microsoft will listen to customer's feedback on their current strategy (which I think we all agree needs improvement) is if we tilt a few windmills. Why not join us .... what have you got to loose?

Yes there have been some interesting developments over the years, not all have benefited the consumer.

Andrew

I hope you feel better for your rant. Like you I do not approve of Microsoft's marketing strategy. However, unlike you I do not believe in tilting at windmills.

Your statement Forgive me if I am wrong , but this thread was for people who don't like it ,nor want itis not correct. It is a thread to discuss whether to remove and / or prevent the installation of KB3035583 and similar updates. To discuss requires opposing viewpoints. That is what you have.

Since you're so interested in the subject, look into the subject of how monopolies and near-monopolies behave.

I learnt all about that as part of my professional training over 50 years ago!

50 years ago, in my part of the world, there was one company offering telephone service. 40 years ago, in my area, there was one company offering an alternative to rooftop aerials to receive television signals.

Neither of those monopolies still exist, but both companies do, because (following their respective unsuccessful efforts to prevent competition) they learned to be competitive. As Microsoft continues its current course of offering fewer (if any) choices to consumers , other companies and products will inevitably fill that void.

As others have already learned, the "one ringy dingy" approach just isn't a good way to treat your customers in the long run.

The moment a company believes itself to be invincible is the moment it begins the process of proving itself wrong.