How can I expunge the Windows 10 upgrade scheduler component from my computer?

Question

I'm not yet ready to upgrade to Windows 10. Apparently, I or someone else inadvertently reserved the upgrade, so after the release, I got a prompt to schedule the upgrade. There wasn't a button to cancel it, only "do it now" or "do it in the future, up to 2 days from now". Since there wasn't even a close button, I scheduled it as late as possible, then proceeded to attempt to cancel the upgrade. Among other things, I cancelled the reservation, uninstalled the GWX update (KB3035583), etc.

I successfully got rid of the pending upgrade. However, the components that hook into the system to schedule a reboot to kick off the upgrade are apparently still there. This has two manifestations. First, every 2 days that scheduling window pops up again, giving me a 1-hour countdown and offering to either start immediately or reschedule for up to 2 days later. And if I'm not around when that happens, it will reboot, and then start rebooting by itself every 5 minutes in a vain attempt to begin the upgrade until I stop it. Second, it's hooked into Windows Update, giving me the yellow message about needing to reboot to complete update installation (or in this case, to upgrade), essentially locking me out of Windows Update entirely, and if I try to check for updates I get a popup telling me it can't check while an update is pending reboot. Since I did remove the pending upgrade itself, all these mechanisms just reboot the computer. I can click the "start upgrade" button all I want, all it does is reboot. I've been trying to figure out how to get rid of this for over a month, including tens of hours with 5 different useless Microsoft support technicians. Does anyone by any chance (MS dev?) know in depth how this mechanism works and how to uproot it?

Answer 1

It seems you need to uninstall this update from your system - KB3035583

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/214070-how-to-delete-microsofts-unwanted-windows-10-download-files

From the link:

In Windows 7, you do this by clicking on “Tools,” then “Folder Options,” and finally “Show Hidden Files and Folders,” as shown below. In Windows 8/8.1, click on the View tab and then select the “Hidden items” check box.

Once this is done, check your Windows directory for a directory named $WINDOWS.~BT. The icon may be translucent, since the folder is normally hidden, so check carefully. You can delete this folder if you wish, but doing so won’t actually prevent Microsoft from downloading the setup program again. Once the OS has decided that you’re going to install Windows 10, it’s downright pushy about having the data locally. The only solution, according to various sources, is to actually remove a specific Windows Update: KB3035583.

KB3035583 is described by Microsoft as installing “the Get Windows 10 app, which helps users understand their Windows 10 upgrade options and device readiness.” It can be uninstalled by navigating to Windows Update from within the Control Panel, choosing “Programs and Features,” and then selecting the “View Installed Updates” option. Remove this update and then delete the folder, and you’ll reclaim your lost disk space.

KB 3035583 can then be blocked from installing again by hiding the update from within the Windows Update setting in Control Panel.