how do i stop downloading and installing windows 11

Merry Christmas to you Susan! Once again, not the best Christmas, but I'm always hopeful for a better year.

I am stubborn like you are in so many ways. I have read so much about downloading, pending, installing, deleting that I'll probably dream about it tonight. Makes me angry that we are powerless. On the upside, maybe in the months to come we'll look back at this Windows 11 fiasco and laugh about it. At some point, everyone will be running Windows 11.

Besides my Window 11 pause hell I'm in, since the Printer nightmare update of Sept. 14th, none of my other laptops can share my main computer. I have finally given up as of yesterday after what I read. Microsoft is not going to spend anytime on this one and the focus is now Windows 11.

Hang in there. Keep pausing.

Screwed is right, there it is again, wanting to update to Windows 11. I've used the Advanced pause till 28th January while I try to remove any trace of Windows 11.

I searched Microsoft support Canada and found phone/email/on-line chat. I used the chat and it was very quick. I will have to try again today.

I am more stubborn than smart.

I do not want to mess with the registry unless I really must.

The Staples store tech suggested I contact Microsoft who have a liability to remove this unwanted software - and to keep persisting.

I shall continue to post my progress or lack thereof!

Merry Christmas Susan

I feel your angst. You've even gone further than I would have. It does appear Windows 11 is going to try to install again and you'll be faced with either installing it or back to the hell of pausing all the time.

There is a phone number for Microsoft support?

I've not let the installation happen yet, but I will let you know. I have read that other people experienced what you are experiencing where they went back to Windows 10, but here comes Windows 11 again. I think we are screwed.

HI PortlandMT, I'm 74 and find all this really annoying too. This is a long story, you may have a different experience.

Before trying to download Windows 10 as directed I removed the 'pause on update notifications' I'd put on in settings.

I was surprised to get someone on Microsoft Support Chat within about 2 minutes. I told him the issue and he said just use that link to download Windows 10 and it would be fine.

I did that, there were some glitches along the way, I needed to make more room on c: and and have extra temp. file with 11GB on an external USB drive. Then Windows 10 downloaded for an hour or so.

I restarted and immediately it started again with "working on updates" but stayed at 0%. I left it for 3 hours then had to actually power off because CTRL/ALT/Delete didn't do anything.

I waited a minute or two and turned on power,. Message was "insert external storage device" so I removed and replaced the USB. Then it said "to skip disk check hit any key within 10 seconds".

I had no idea what that meant so I hit a key and then saw "undoing changes on your computer" which took no time at all.

Restart and I was briefly back in Windows 10 with Windows 11 busting to install!!!

So back where I was before.

I considered for a while then decided to allow Windows 11 to install and start the process all over again using the Windows 10 download link.

This time it was smooth and when it got to that message about skip disk check I didn't and let it run.

Another restart and I seem to have Window 10 without any Windows 11.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

On Settings page- Windows Updates

"Error occurred"

"There were some problems installing updates, but we'll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0xc1900130)"

And in update history it says "Upgrade to Windows 11 failed to install 23-12-2021".

So it looks like I may get further attempts.

I hope I can fend them off.

Let me know how you do if you try this and don't hesitate to try the Microsoft Support Chat, it was really fast today.

Susan

Now I understand! Thank you for clarifying that specifically.