Windows 10 item or malware?

[Texas Star]

I've been getting a pop-up large white panel onscreen that says Windows 10 wants to load new security updates on me and needs me to let them get 8GB from me to allow this

Past updates just take place when they want, often as the computer is being turned off. Why do they need this space from me?

Is this really a Windows 10 thing , or maybe malware or a virus?

This started here, but has since popped up on other sites.

Is anyone else seeing this panel? I selected Hide on the panel, or couldn't be here now. I can't just "X" out of it. I have to click More Info and then VERY rapidly click out of the page I'm on before tne panel can re-set. There's no Ask Me Later selection, as with some updates.

While the panel is onscreen, I can't even turn off the computer the normal way. All activity is blocked.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Some quick googling hasn't led to anything conclusive for me. Can you get a screen-shot?

If nothing else, I'd run malwarebytes and see if it uncovers anything.

 

[DBenn]

Not something I have ever seen with W10. I would do some serious malware scanning soon.

 

[ameridaddy]

Not something I have ever seen with W10. I would do some serious malware scanning soon.

I'd do the same thing.
I've never seen that pop-up.
Win10 does have a number privacy issues loaded from Microsoft; it took me a couple days to winkle them out of my wife's computer and turn them off. If not switched off, the default is for Microsoft to know too much about the owner IMHO.
There is also an option to switch off auto updates and pick (paraphrasing) "notify me of updates and let me choose". That's what I set on Win 10 and Win 7 so I can inquire on the web to see if that update has hidden problems before I say OK.

 

[Watchdog]

To the best of my knowledge, no Windows OS has ever used "large white pop-ups" to notify users of anything.

Windows will remind you that there are new updates...usually by a small white "balloon" in the lower right of your screen just above the task bar.

You have control over these notifications, how often you get them, etc. through Control Panel. You can specify that you want Windows to automatically download them if you wish.

I'm fairly sure any "security updates" aren't going to need 8 gigs of space, either. Windows updates are usually measured in megabytes, not gigs.

I'm thinking malware or spyware. Run whatever you run to get rid of it.

I'll add something about Windows updates, too. I have the "automatic download updates" function turned off. I want to see what Windows wants to add to my computer before I allow it...and I want to see if I really need it. Lots of times, it wants to download updates to programs I never use. It's pointless to waste space adding to a program that I never use.

Plus, in the past, some of their updates so totally screwed up my system that I had to go back to a restore point and put my computer back to how it was before I downloaded their silly updates.

So I'm always a bit leery of their little updates.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Don’t sound like a legitimate update.
That’s not how Microsoft or the security folks like Norton operate.

 

[RGVshooter]

What I would do is first go to your browser, either internet explorer or google chrome etc, and clean your browsers history. Then after you do that manually perform a full scan using windows defender. I don't use any 3rd party anti virus program, it isn't necessary. Windows defender is a anti virus/anti malware program.

A very good free program is CC cleaner. It will clean everything in one shot...

 

[GaryS]

Windows 10 told me that there was an update waiting and asked me if I wanted to do now, Later, or set a time. As I recall, the back ground was light blue and the lettering was grayish.

I thought I did the update yesterday when I selected "Update and Shut Down", but I was surprised this morning when I started the computer up to do a class and the computer took 15 minutes to finish the update.

I don't recall the nag screen telling me it needed anything and requesting permission. It just did it's thing.

All of which is to say I'd be very suspicious of anything that asked for the use of memory or storage on my computer. As always, read everything on that screen to be sure that you aren't agreeing to some crapware.

 

[RGVshooter]

Initially when first upgrading to windows 10, buying a new PC with windows 10 or if you haven't been online in a few weeks or months. Windows 10 will be doing a LOT of updating. Once it is all up to date, and I mean EVERYTHING, it actually runs pretty good.

If you really want peace of mind knowing that it's really windows 10 that wants the update, you can left click the "start" button (the little windows symbol on the lower left corner) Then go to "Settings" ( the gear symbol) then go to "Update & security". Up on top you'll see the updates.

 

[rwsmith]

I wouldn't do that.....

I wouldn't do that until I PROVED it was an actual Microsoft program, which I'm sure it's not.I haven't seen that. You can do actual Windows updates manually in the settings that will only update Window programs.

PS: They probably want you to give them permission to install something really nasty that will be very difficult to get rid of. Now that I HAVE seen.

PPS I would look through your apps to see if anything 'funny' is installed. If not there do a deeper search for things that might have been attached to downloads. I HATE offers of new search engines because they always want to make it your home page and send you places you don't want to go.

 

[ancient-one]

It is not Microsoft, it is Malware. I bit once and my daughter helped me get rid of it. The same thing happened again and I turned my computer off. The screen said do not turn your computer off and gave a phone number that is supposedly Microsoft but it's not.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Plus, in the past, some of their updates so totally screwed up my system that I had to go back to a restore point and put my computer back to how it was before I downloaded their silly updates.

It really plays havoc with my Bluetooth settings. Just about every time I get an update I have to go into settings and change a bunch of stuff. You would think all those bright over paid geeks could figure this out but apparently they can't.

If I had to depend on Win 10 in battle I'd be dead.

 

[DWalt]

One thing to be wary of is downloading "free" software. I don't trust any of it. It can contain all sorts of malware, adware, and/or spyware.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I'll add something about Windows updates, too. I have the "automatic download updates" function turned off. I want to see what Windows wants to add to my computer before I allow it...and I want to see if I really need it.

Which version of Windows 10? How did you do that? As far as I know they took that option away unless you're on a metered service & then they still force "important" updates to you.

.

 

[Watchdog]

If I had to depend on Win 10 in battle I'd be dead.

I wouldn't touch Windows 10 with a ten-foot pole.

I'm still running Windows 7 Home Premium and doing just fine without any further updates. Don't think I've run any updates in a year or so. IE has been a thing of the past for me for years. Browsing with the latest version of Firefox...whatever number it is this week.

 

[LVSteve]

Windows 10 is some of the most profitable malware/snoopware there has ever been. Think you own the copy on your computer? Go read your EULA, Bill Gates says otherwise.

Microsoft is desperate for .gov to adopt Win 10, but my DoD IT buddy says it's not happening anytime soon. The .gov IT folks keep on finding unacceptable practices in Win 10 and Microsoft are whining about having to rewrite lots of their spyware code. Of course, Bill says those functions are to "maintain the customer experience" or some such guff. Yeah, right.

 

[GaryS]

This is not exactly breaking news. Since the first version of DOS was sold by MS, it has been licensed, not actually sold. That extends through all MS products, and many other software brands.

Here is some other shocking news. You do not own a seat at your favorite your favorite sports arena. You have a "license" that allows you to use that seat when there is a game in progress.

About 12 years or so ago, my mother had one of those stair lift things in her condo. Actually, it was on one of the common stair ways (the back one) in her building. It was a PITA to get both the condo association and the town to sign off on the permits.

A couple of years later, another lady moved in across the hall from my mother. She asked my mother if she could use the stair lift, and my mother asked me. I was disinclined to say now, but the condo association stuck their noses in and pressured mom to agree.

As it happened, I was on an administrative assignment at work and worked for a lawyer. I was concerned about liability and also damage to the equipment. I asked the lawyer and he told me that the best way to do it was to draw up a license agreement for the lady to sign. He even drew one up for me.

I learned quite a bit about how that works from what he put in it. The other lady's son wasn't keen on the idea, but I told him that she had to sign it or she could try to get the condo association to agree to allow her to put a second one in on the main set of stairs.

As a result, she got use of the lift, paid for the annual maintenance, and agreed to hold my mother harmless if anything happened.

Which in a nutshell is how license agreements work.

Windows 10 is some of the most profitable malware/snoopware there has ever been. Think you own the copy on your computer? Go read your EULA, Bill Gates says otherwise.

Microsoft is desperate for .gov to adopt Win 10, but my DoD IT buddy says it's not happening anytime soon. The .gov IT folks keep on finding unacceptable practices in Win 10 and Microsoft are whining about having to rewrite lots of their spyware code. Of course, Bill says those functions are to "maintain the customer experience" or some such guff. Yeah, right.

 

[kwselke]

I'm not using Win-10, but if I were getting a pop-up like that in Win-7 and I was suspect of it; I'd close all programs, open Windows Update, and check for updates. Windows Update runs automatically for me and occasionally asks me for permission to install or reboot, I can also manually check if updates are available and what they are. The update process is independent of browser use. It never hurts to run a scan with the free version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.