Microsoft scrubs Windows 7 PCs of upgrade nagware

Microsoft has begun yanking the long-lambasted "Get Windows 10" nag software from cheap windows 10 pro and Windows 8.1 PCs, according to an assistance document.

The document posted to Microsoft's site Tuesday said that the organization was fulfilling a pledge it would take away the promotional code and content after the free Windows 10 upgrade offer expired at the end of July.

Served to Windows 7 and 8.1 users via Windows Update, the removal process strips seven previous updates which were force fed starting in early 2015. "This update removes the Get Windows 10 app along with other software associated with the windows 8.1 professional free upgrade offer that expired on July 29, 2016," the accompanying support document stated.

The most notable, and noticeable, from the seven earlier updates installed the "Get Windows 10" app -- shortened to "GWX" -- that was first accustomed to "reserve" a duplicate of the free upgrade, but then later morphed right into a pest that, after numerous refreshes by Microsoft, wound up self-scheduling upgrading without user approval.

During the final months of the one-year upgrade offer, buy office 2013 professional plus pushed its promotions towards the limit, and beyond, by duping users into thinking that they had rejected the upgrade when, actually, they'd unknowingly authorized it.