Windows 10 taskbar icon removal for Win 7 and 8

**John Wagenseil** · #1 06-10-2015, 04:32 PM

Microsoft has downloaded a nagware program to the taskbar of Win 7 and 8 users, which pushes upgrading to Win10. Early adapters are risking the stability of their system, which can be avoided by waiting until the software has been thoroughly consumer tested and the worst bugs removed. So far one of the announced new features of Win10 is that home users will have less control over update installations than will the users of professional or business packages.
John Dvorak had written a couple of interesting articles on Win 10 which are posted on his PC magazine blog. He seems to think that MS push to upgrade to Win10 is the tip of the wedge for MS going from a purchase model for its software to a subscription model where the user will have to pay monthly rental fee for the software or risk having thier computer bricked if they do not pay up.

If you do not want the intrusive Win 10 upgrade reminder on your task bar, search "Remove Windows 10 upgrade icon" or similar phrase.

This site is one of many that shows you how to remove it. Unfortunately, it will come back when MS sends out another set of updates.

How To Hide/Remove/Disable "Get Windows 10" Update Icon

One option to avoid getting this intrusive addition to your desktop is to use the control panel to change your update settings from automatic, to "Download updates but let me choose whether to install them", and when ever you are notified you have updates to install, uncheck "Windows update (KB3035583)".

**Ponytail** · #2 06-11-2015, 02:38 AM

Please don't start a "let's beat-up Microsoft" thread.
There are other and better places for that.

so many bad opinions about Ms but still so many users.... why?

**airdave** · #3 06-11-2015, 11:12 AM

"monopoly"

...
thanks for this info John...I am fixing things right now (on a laptop)
and will avoid the update on my main PC when it appears.

**murphyaa** · #4 06-11-2015, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airdave

"monopoly"

...
thanks for this info John...I am fixing things right now (on a laptop)
and will avoid the update on my main PC when it appears.

new Windows computer = $300+

new Apple computer = $1600+

**airdave** · #5 06-11-2015, 01:17 PM

reminds me of 40 years ago...when video tape machines appeared on the market.

The original, Sony Betamax video cassette recorder worked perfectly.
The beta cassette and tape design was far superior to any other tape format.
It became the industry standard for TV and News.

I bought one of the first beta machines, and was a devout beta user for years.

Then along comes JVC and their absolute crap VHS design*...
and they flood the market with millions of inferior machines
at rock bottom prices ($1000 beta vcr versus $300 VHS vcr)
and before long, they completely drove the better Beta systems out of the market.

Granted, years later, VHS manufacturers copied the Beta machinery and improved their format, but not before monopolizing the market.

*I have probably replaced a dozen VHS machines over the years.
And yet, I still have (today) the very first BetaHiFi(stereo) machine I bought.
(its a Toshiba, and was only my second Beta machine).

**murphyaa** · #6 06-11-2015, 01:26 PM

I've used an I-Mac before, and it was easy to learn, and crashed a lot less than a my windows computer. If I could afford one, I'd definitively be a mac user. And probably spend less time on her complaining about dead laptops (just got another one...touchscreen this time).

**Kevin WS** · #7 06-11-2015, 04:07 PM

John. Thanks for the info. Appreciated.

Willem. Why is it so widely used? Because it comes preloaded on most manufacturers machines, and the average user does not have the foggiest idea of how to install an alternative. Now (very hypothetically) if machines came without an operating system, and the user then had to buy one, I wonder if the use of Windows would not be dented a little?

**airdave** · #8 06-11-2015, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin WS

John. Thanks for the info. Appreciated.

Willem. Why is it so widely used? Because it comes preloaded on most manufacturers machines, and the average user does not have the foggiest idea of how to install an alternative. Now (very hypothetically) if machines came without an operating system, and the user then had to buy one, I wonder if the use of Windows would not be dented a little?

yeah!!!!
and a lot more people would understand a lot more about how it all works
and why it is broken again!

**imavingalaughaswell** · #9 06-11-2015, 04:25 PM

Guys ..
If the icon does come back (every restart mine returns)...

1 Right click on the little arrow (on hover reads "Show Hidden Icons")
2 Click "Customize Notification Icons" and a window will pop up
3 Look for GWX in the list (GWX stands for Get Windows X)
4 Use the drop down arrow option to change to "Hide Notifications And Icon"
5 Click "Apply" and close down the window..

Done

You may need to repeat these steps each time you start your P.C ..

Hope this helps

**airdave** · #10 06-11-2015, 04:32 PM

Refer to the instructions posted in the first post of this thread.
It explains how to not only turn off the icon,
but kill the process, remove the files, and reverse the related update from Microsoft.

You will also need to find and hide the update from reinstalling on your computer.
(Very simple in the Update manager)