how do i COMPLETELY stop my computer from updating!?!?

Too bad you are wrong! Win. 10 is the most secured version ever. Win. XP is outdated with no security fixes.

Wrong about what?

• Are you telling me I did have problems with Windows versions I say I didn't?
• Are you saying I'm not annoyed by user accounts?
• Are you saying that tech/IT support people don't always assume this condescending tone and tell me to make sure I'm running as an administrator?
• Are you saying that Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly? or that they care?
• Are you saying that Windows 8 wasn't a complete disaster?
• Are you saying the new subscription, customer data collection, and cloud services aren't being foisted on us?
• Are you saying that MS isn't trying to push people to subscription services?  I still use Office 2010 quite happily, I'm sure that annoys the hell out of MS and that they'd much rather I paid them a monthly fee.
• Are you saying that MS isn't collecting data on it's "customers"?
• Are you saying they aren't trying to force us to use their cloud services?
• I can assure you that MS will eventually decide that Windows 10 updates will not be free any more.

As for XP I'm not using it, I don't care if the company I was talking about goes down in flames, they are a corporation just like all the rest, profits this quarter at all costs, next quarter doesn't exist yet.

As for Windows 10 being secure, I wouldn't know, I get far less use of my computer with Windows 10 because I spend a portion of my time trying to fix what each update breaks.

And don't tell me to go to the feedback hub, I've posted well over 100 times with no response from MS whatsoever.  I've also watched others that have posted on all the same issues I have, they haven't received any response either.

You wanna know the REALLY annoying thing?  Like I said, I haven't had to re-install Windows since the days of Windows ME.  The common fix after each update for Windows 10 seems to be to reinstall Windows, but they tell you to be careful because you'll lose all your applications when you do, you know, the ones I actually Wanted?

you realize thats like saying "you say your car started having a vibration because you put new tires on it? i just put new tires on my car and i dont have any issues, so how can yours have an issue?"

but i guess those on their ivory tower dont understand that a generic update does not work for everyone. but then again, i must not get it huh? WTH is there to get? get a new computer!? no thanks, dont need one. mine works just fine, until microsoft decides they want to update my audio driver to their "generic" one that doesnt work on my rig. so i then have to go through the troubleshooter to download the HD audio driver. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME! 

but i GET IT now (at least what your trying to say that is)! im supposed to just up and buy a new $350 motherboard every time microsoft decides they want to "update" my pc because my "hardware" is not compatible with their "software"!

if thats not "IT", then feel free to elaborate on what "IT" is then. because all i can think, is that your saying to go buy new hardware every time there is an issue, which is absurd. when their"software" causes my pc to have issues when it was working just fine the way it was, thats on them, not on my HARDWARE!

Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.

I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that assertion. Making daily system images has always been compulsory. All it takes is one wrong keystroke, one unfortunate configuration setting, one bad judgement ... to say nothing about one jolt of static electricity or a hard drive failure ... and your computer becomes nothing more than a paperweight.

If anything, Windows has become more reliable over the years. Since you've been using Windows as long as I have, you remember the days when the conventional wisdom was to reinstall Windows every year, when plug and play was 'plug and pray,' and "A fatal exception OE has occurred in VXD VFAT(01) ..."

Since you seem to think that I am a Microsoft supporter, let me disabuse you of that thought. Microsoft is an arrogant, aggressive, self-centered monopoly. Don't think that makes them unique. Neither Apple, nor Google, nor Microsoft give two cr*aps about you and me. But, I don't believe that posts in this forum from people who don't know how to use a computer in the first place (and don't think they need to) are in any way representative.

Personally, I've found that having a "steady state" operating system works quite well.  The last time I got a blue screen error before Windows 10 was with Windows ME.  The last time I had to reinstall Windows was also Windows ME if I remember correctly.  Windows XP, Vista, and 7 all worked fine for me.  The major complaint I've had for years it the stupid "user account" crap they force us to have on our computers.  That gave IT techs a new "go-to" way to blame the user, "be sure to do it as an Administrator".  Every time I hear that I want to strangle someone.  It would be different if we actually had a decent set of tools to actually configure user accounts.  You can (or used to be able to) get those tools for an extra $100.

I used to work for a company that had in around 100,000 computer users world wide, it varies between layoffs and hiring.  The last I heard, in 2016 I believe, they were still using Windows XP with no plans to move to Windows 10.  When your system has to be validated you can't have updates come in at random.  I haven't the faintest idea what they will end up doing (or ended up doing), personally, I don't care.

I completely agree with your assertion that Microsoft and others don't give a crap about us.  No corporation does.  They ONLY do things they believe will increase their profits.  Microsoft has a monopoly so they just do whatever they want to.  I participated in a market study for Windows 8 before it's release.  The results were overwhelmingly negative yet they released on schedule.  Now in fairness I don't recall who ran the market study but it had all the stupid tiles and crap.

I find the new model of subscription services, data collection on customers, and almost forced use of cloud services quite infuriating.  I'm sure it's profitable but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

I have used MS operating systems since the pioneer days of DOS 2.0. Windows for Workgroups - terrible. Windows 95/98 - terrible. Windows NT - basic but solid, and so on. Win10 is probably the most stable Windows operating system ever. 

I also used to be a staunch Microsoft supporter, much like you. Alas, the perpetual Windows 10 automatic update problems have affected my view. This is a qualitative assessment that is gradually creeping up on me and that I cannot back up with a quantitative analysis. Microsoft might claim that 999 out of 1000 upates go through without a hitch. In my position I often get that 1 out of 1000 PCs. It did not happen under Windows 7. Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.

Windows 7 was the most stable I've used.  A version I was deprived of in the middle of the night.

I have used MS operating systems since the pioneer days of DOS 2.0. Windows for Workgroups - terrible. Windows 95/98 - terrible. Windows NT - basic but solid, and so on. Win10 is probably the most stable Windows operating system ever. 

I also used to be a staunch Microsoft supporter, much like you. Alas, the perpetual Windows 10 automatic update problems have affected my view. This is a qualitative assessment that is gradually creeping up on me and that I cannot back up with a quantitative analysis. Microsoft might claim that 999 out of 1000 upates go through without a hitch. In my position I often get that 1 out of 1000 PCs. It did not happen under Windows 7. Maintaining a system partition image was an optional extra in those days. It has now become compulsory.