| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident of Windows 10 automatically installing on users' PCs without permission has happened again within the same organization, Microsoft. Users reported experiencing the forced upgrade to Windows 10 without explicit permission, leading to frustration and disruptions in their work [41546]. Microsoft had previously faced criticism for aggressively pushing users to upgrade to Windows 10, and this incident indicates a recurrence of such issues within the company's software update practices.
(b) The incident of Windows 10 automatically installing without permission has also affected users across various organizations, including doctor's offices, dental practices, B&Bs, roofing companies, and gaming sites. Reports indicate that users from different sectors have been impacted by the unexpected Windows 10 upgrades, causing confusion and disruptions to their daily operations [41546]. This widespread occurrence of the software failure incident highlights the broader impact of Microsoft's update strategy on users from diverse industries. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without permission. This issue arose after Microsoft changed the Windows 10 upgrade from "optional" to "recommended," making it automatically download to users' computers if they had Windows Update set to 'install all recommended updates' [41546].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the same article. Users complained that Windows 10 was automatically installing without their explicit permission, disrupting their work and causing frustration. Some users mentioned instances where the upgrade led to issues like asking for a login password set years ago, disrupting access to shared folders, and causing confusion among users [41546]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily within_system. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without permission, causing disruptions in their work and leading to frustration [41546]. Microsoft, the developer of Windows 10, insisted that the upgrade would not automatically install without explicit permission and suggested that users who saw Windows 10 installed unexpectedly might have pre-selected to upgrade to the new operating system [41546]. This indicates that the failure originated from within the system, specifically related to the Windows 10 upgrade process. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- Windows 10 automatically installing on Windows 7 users' PCs without permission, seemingly without asking [41546].
- Microsoft changing the Windows 10 upgrade from "optional" to "recommended," leading to automatic downloads for users who have Windows Update set to install all recommended updates [41546].
- Microsoft insisting that Windows 10 will not automatically install without explicit permission and suggesting that users who see Windows 10 installed unexpectedly might have pre-selected to upgrade to the new operating system [41546].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- Users may have unwittingly clicked or tapped on the 'accept' or 'OK' button, potentially triggering the Windows 10 upgrade process [41546].
- Some users may have pre-selected to upgrade to Windows 10, leading to unexpected installations [41546]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is not directly related to hardware issues. The incident primarily revolves around Windows 10 automatically installing on Windows 7 PCs without explicit permission from users. This issue is more about the software behavior and the upgrade process rather than hardware-related failures [41546].
(b) The software failure incident is primarily attributed to software-related factors. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without their consent, leading to disruptions in their work and causing frustration. The incident highlights issues with the Windows 10 upgrade process, user interface elements, and the lack of clear warnings to users about significant changes being made to their computers. Microsoft's aggressive push for Windows 10 upgrades and the change in the upgrade status from "optional" to "recommended" are key software-related factors contributing to this incident [41546]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is non-malicious. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without their permission, leading to frustration and inconvenience. Microsoft insisted that Windows 10 will not automatically install without explicit permission and suggested that users who saw Windows 10 installed unexpectedly might have pre-selected to upgrade to the new operating system. Additionally, users may have unwittingly clicked on the 'accept' or 'OK' button, indicating that the installation was not malicious but rather a result of user actions or system settings [41546]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident of Windows 10 automatically installing on Windows 7 users' PCs without permission can be attributed to poor decisions made by Microsoft. Microsoft changed the Windows 10 upgrade from "optional" to "recommended", meaning that if users had Windows update on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 set to 'install all recommended updates', the Windows 10 upgrade would automatically download to a user's computer [41546]. This decision led to users feeling that the upgrade was forced upon them without explicit permission, causing frustration and confusion among users. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. Therefore, it is unknown whether the incident was due to contributing factors introduced due to lack of professional competence by humans or the development organization.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is evident in the article. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without permission, leading to disruptions in their work and causing frustration. This automatic installation was not explicitly authorized by the users, indicating an accidental introduction of the software update without explicit consent [41546]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in the articles can be categorized as a temporary failure. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without permission, causing disruptions in their work and leading to frustration. This incident was not a permanent failure but rather a temporary issue caused by specific circumstances such as Microsoft's aggressive push for Windows 10 upgrades and potential user interactions like unwittingly clicking on prompts or accepting upgrades without realizing the consequences [41546]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, timing, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles can be categorized as a crash. Users reported that Windows 10 was automatically installing on their PCs without permission, causing their systems to abruptly close all programs, log them out, and start the upgrade process, disrupting their work [41546].
(b) omission: The incident can also be classified as an omission. Users mentioned that Windows 10 upgrades were happening without their explicit consent, indicating an omission of the user's decision-making process in initiating the upgrade [41546].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident can be considered as untimely. Users reported that the Windows 10 upgrades occurred unexpectedly and often in the middle of important tasks, causing frustration and inconvenience [41546].
(d) value: The incident can be seen as a failure related to value. Some users experienced issues after the upgrade, such as being asked for login passwords they had not used in years, which disrupted their access to shared folders and caused confusion, indicating a failure in the correct performance of the system [41546].
(e) byzantine: The behavior of the software failure incident does not align with a byzantine failure as there were no mentions of inconsistent responses or interactions in the articles.
(f) other: The incident can be characterized as a failure related to user control. Despite Microsoft's claims that users have control over the upgrade process, many users felt that the upgrades were forced upon them without explicit permission, leading to a lack of control over their own devices [41546]. |