Did Not Want Creator's Update...someone accidently/unknowing hit update...Question? Help!

[Xmaiden2]

Oh what a happy Monday!
1 yr old Dell Laptop running Win 10 Ver 1607 Have not wanted to update to the Creator's Update (at least until I had time to learn more about any problems or undesired features - has never been time,) and had been opting each time recently to "Remind me Tomorrow" when the centered blue dialogue box with three choices...update now, schedule a time, and the one previously mentioned. The laptop is essentially mine, rarely do I let anybody else use it. And here is a great reason why...my nightmare. People use PC's, phones, tablets, etc., don't care to read, learn, heed best computing advice out there, don't care about security, safety, etc. I'm not a pro, am not as versed as so many minds in place's like TH, and other spots where good folks take their time, and use their knowledge / experience, to help those like me. I do the preventative, I do some dreaded troubleshooting, and when it is out of my league or I'm almost out of my mind...I scream HELP!

So, late last night before shutting down laptop, had to input some required info for new job. I wasn't sure what the question was requiring, a family member said, "here, let me see," and after a few minutes of looking at it, suddenly went "whoa!" The "whoa" wasn't related to the matter at hand...they turned the laptop towards me and said "I don't know what its doing." I no longer see my browser - I see the blue screen stating "restarting." Asked if they pressed something, hit the power button, gotten some type of prompt..."no, I don't think so." I took the laptop back, and then see that it is "installing updates" maybe a "this may take a while," then went on to the dreaded "updates installing...don't shut down" and when I saw it was on the dreaded 1% for quite a bit, I thought of something that sent up the red flag...the font was different, and in smaller print on the bottom of screen it stated that the device would restart several times. Immediately I thought, it has to be the Creators Update! I needed to be up on time for the new job...everything going wrong lately, and I knew at 2%, I had no choice but to let it go.

Checked this morning, and upon wake, it asked me to sign into OneDrive (which I do not use,) after minimizing that, there was the big "Welcome" and an open Edge tab "Windows Creators Update," "Get Started Now," etc., etc. Also noticed in the taskbar, the OneDrive icon, and Mail (which I never use the App...only access via web.)

Is there anyway to rollback & if so, will I lose any / all settings, shortcuts to info I wanted to take a look at, the all important Privacy settings, and probably things I can't think of at the moment - basically, getting it all (magically. half-hearted, LOL) back to the way it was before someone just thought to "click" without asking..."what's this?"

I just got the darn thing back from Dell after getting the MOBO replaced (a week shy of end of warranty,) just started new job, tending an ill family member & just can't think straight...not to mention, seems like there is always something to troubleshoot with my own or friends & families, devices - I did some searching, and I'm seeing things like 'Creator's Update rollback hell' and other mentions that seem to do more with updates from Win 8 to current CU, and other scenarios.

Any guidance or advice would be great! Thanks.

 

[Math Geek]

here is a tutorial on rolling it back. it's the wasy i have done it in the past. rather easy to do and i don't think the option has been removed from win 10 yet.

https://www.howtogeek.com/235474/how-to-roll-back-builds-and-uninstall-updates-on-windows-10/

 

[Shao__]

Just like you, I wanted to have "said" rollback since CU gave me gaming issues (Solved by now but still) and the options or where the button to press would be is gone and I've never been able since to find anything else on the internet that says rollback is possible. You're probably stuck with it like everyone else sadly unless someone has an old iso that goes as far back before the CU, I'm pretty sure those things would update eventually anyway.

here is a tutorial on rolling it back. it's the wasy i have done it in the past. rather easy to do and i don't think the option has been removed from win 10 yet.

https://www.howtogeek.com/235474/how-to-roll-back-builds-and-uninstall-updates-on-windows-10/

Trying to find said options, can't find it in the same exact menu's.

 

[Math Geek]

it is likely that it finally decided it was time and updated without your consent. you can only defer for so long and you may have finally hit the time limit. your friend may not have started it but was unlucky enough to have it in hand when it started.

MS has decided you have no option anymore and if they feel like it, they will update windows ANYTIME they feel like it. you don't own windows anymore, you are only allowed to use your pc as a way for MS to data mine everything they can on you. it's not about your pc anymore but rather the data they can collect on you.

and shao, could be a number of reasons such as how long the update has been there, or it may be that MS has simply removed this as an option. i run the beta versions so can't look at the new CU to see how it looks. the beta one looks a lot different and a lot is missing/adjusted for our use non-public use

 

[Corwin65]

You've never "really" owned windows.

 

[Xmaiden2]

First I must say Math Geek...your Avatar provided the best laugh I've had in a bit. Boy, did I need that. If only I could recreate that look every time something goes wrong, having a bad day or just want to freak people out!

Thank you for the tutorial...the laptop is in the process of restoring to the previous version as I type. In fact, mission completed! I am just looking at the update history to see if there is anything there to discard for the moment - or not.

And I agree with all of three of you (thanks all for responding - and so quickly. The best of mankind, doing something for someone else when you don't have to! Pats on the back for all of you,) MS had really lost the last strands of 'likeability' when they were obnoxiously forcing the prep files for Win 10, onto 8.1 devices. If I remember correctly, I had just retired a 15+ year old Dell XP (would loved to have saved that,) and purchased a 'modern' PC running 8.1, just as MS was getting pushy (pun intended.) While I was reading all the venting and anger on line about the obtrusive reminders to line up for the "free" update for Win 10, I went quite a while with nothing. It wasn't until shortly before the deadline that an icon ended up in the system tray, and then the tricky, sudden pop-up....just one accidental click away. I was ready for all sneaky tactics, and luckily didn't fall victim by closing the dreaded red "x" stunt. I had a long running subscription to a tech mag, kept up with tech news & security via reliable sources, and indeed was not liking what I was seeing about the future with MS - less control for the user - more info for big brother. I feel like all the years of avoiding popular sites (heavy tracking, data mining sites, etc.,) not making purchases here & there, no social media (old school) and a few other practices, have now all been in vain.

I wasn't thrilled when I needed a laptop suddenly last year, and was introduced out of the box with Win 10. I 'deal' with it (begrudgingly) because of the mobility but, prefer to do as much as I can on the 8.1 desktop. I've fallen behind on really reading up on anything post Anniversary Edition thus, trying to hold off on the CU. Guess I best catch up and be ready.

One last opinion question before I bid my final thanks....given the choice of sites & services via the web versus an App, which are you all more inclined to use? I don't use Apps...possibly not enough knowledge but, if my understanding is correct, they want everything, except for you first born & kitchen sink. I get baffled looks (or is that Math Geek's avatar???) when I pull out my non-iPhone, and go directly to a website, rather than a downloaded App. I just don't get the App obsession when I have a browser open and can go right to a site.

 

[Math Geek]

apps on a phone/tablet is generally about ease of use to me. i use some and others i don't. depends on what they hope to get from me when i use it.

as for MS store on win 10, the apps vs programs is simply a money thing for MS. they get a cut of every dime spend in the store and nothing for a windows program someone sells elsewhere. it's that simple really. its why all the pay to win "free" games are on there right away, while many other companies avoid them at the moment.

i personally only use the beta version of win 10 through insider program. and that's only on a test system. i'm working on a stripped down win 10 which i'll use once i get it done and tested. i did it with win 7 years ago and will do it for win 10 now as well. gonna rip out all the stuff i don't want like data mining, cortana and all those apps they start on it. most importantly will be the update feature. will totally remove that as well

 

[Colif]

One problem with staying on an old build of Win 10 is the way Microsoft offer support. They are only ever going to support the last 2 released versions, currently that is CU & the Anniversary edition, but shortly they plan on releasing the Fall creators Edition.

Its not a big deal really, just means they will insist you update PC if you ever ask for their help. If you can live without that, its up to you.

 

[Math Geek]

i know for the beta builds, eventually older versions won't even boot anymore. they give a lot of notice but after a while it won't let older versions boot at all. no idea if that is done for public releases but i've had it happen to me a couple times on insider builds. they come out so fast, the disabled ones are usually a dozen or more builds old but eventually every older build gets diabled