Microsoft has done it again.  In their efforts to force as many people as possible onto Windows 10 they hid a trigger to the GWX (Get Windows 10) app in what was billed as a Security Update to Internet Explorer released March 8, 2016 as KB3139929.  So this week we are getting calls from people because they are getting windows popping up saying things like “Windows will upgrade in xx minutes” with a countdown timer starting at 60 minutes, or if you select “I need more time” it will let you schedule it any time within the next 3 days – but it WON’T allow you to abort the install.  Even if you use task manager to close the window, it will just re-launch.

There is, however, a way around it.

First, go to Windows Update, click on Installed Updates in the lower-left corner, sort by installation date and look for 3139929.  Double-click on it and tell it to uninstall, then reboot.

Then, download and install the GWX Control Panel and turn off the updates and icon.

Per their website: “GWX Control Panel is free software that really works, is safe and easy to use, and gives you the option to re-enable the icon and upgrade notifications if you’re ever ready to move forward with Windows 10.”

It is distributed as a standard installer as well as a stand-alone application.   I recommend using the stand-alone application, which is directly available here:

http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/GWX_control_panel.exe

We have also mirrored the file here.

Of course, while these links are valid and the file is virus free as of the time of this writing, things can change.  Always remember to scan any executable file that you download, and if you don’t trust your antivirus use a service such as https://www.virustotal.com/

If your machine has already upgraded to Windows 10, remember that you have 30 days to revert to your original version of windows as long as your Windows.Old folder isn’t disturbed.