Never10: A new tool for turning off Microsoft's Windows 10 update
As complaints from users about their Windows 7 and 8.1 machines auto-updating to Windows 10 without them wanting this to happen, another option for blocking the update is now available.
Steve Gibson, the well-known software developer and founder of Gibson Research has developed a new free tool called "Gibson's Never10." (Thanks to Paul Thurrott for the link to the new utility.)
Never10 disables the automatic update but does allow users to reenable it if they choose.
"The elegance of this "Never 10' utility is that it does not install ANY software of its own. It simply and quickly performs the required system editing for its user," says Gibson on his page about the new utility.
"Using this utility, inexperienced users will be able to easily use Never10 themselves, while advanced users will likely appreciate that fact that no additional software is installed and will be able to refer friends and family, whom they support, to this easy-to-use utility," Gibson notes.
Microsoft published instructions for disabling the Windows 10 update earlier this year, but its guidance was not designed for "normal" users, as it required registry edits.
Never10 isn't the first utility designed to block the Windows 10 update; there's also GWX Control Panel.
Earlier this year, Microsoft made good on its plan to start pushing Windows 10 to Windows 7 and 8.1 users as a recommended update. A number of users who have the Automatic Update/Recommended turned on have said they've been surprised to discover their machines have updated or nearly updated to Windows 10. (Users can roll back to Windows 7/8.1 by declining the End User License Agreement and/or after Windows 10 has installed itself within a 30-day window.)
As I've said before, I am a fan of Windows 10 on my laptop, but I don't want it on my older, soon-to-be-retired Windows 7 desktop. And I think I should be the one who decides when/whether I want Windows 10, not Microsoft.