Bill

On the first install of Win 10 there was a colourful riot of utter nonsense in the start menu Images shown that were gathered form all the picture files.. Plus a load of other totally useless and unmemorable 'Apps' and games wantonly advertising themselves.. A true house of Babel.. Now its quite peaceful and utilitarian in comparison..

For those interested... Win 10 Wars continues... After 3 or 4 (I've lost count) reinstalls of Windows 10 on an original Win 7 machine.. Here is what you get - all the junk has miraculously vanished into the ether. And I didn't even have to try, the system simply Hari-Karis itself all on its sweet own-some! However - For how much longer I will even have this much of a start menu is pure conjecture..

Hey it's April second...

More news from the Windows Ten front.. on my ex windows seven machine The amazing start menu has vanished again.. At least what passes for a start menu - I don't get the full thing, fortunately.. The picture gallery has, to my great delight, vanished.. Plus all the commercial stuff - so there is a good side to this rather wildly flaky operating system.. The latest re-install had only lasted a week before it got upset by some program, key stroke or another. It behaves like a very personally involved person who takes offence at the slightest thing. And then disappears in a huff and locks themselves up in a room and refuses to come out.. Unless you promise to do something they want - like redecorate the entire house - they don't leave.. Reminds me of a few people I know and have known...

Yes thank you for the advice, practical knowledge and link - It worked a treat - I now have downloaded W10 to a USB.. I managed to fix the missing Start Menu/search Function/ Edge problem by going back two weeks to when it was still working and doing a reset. How long it will last is anybody's guess - I am keeping my fingers crossed..

I went online to the Microsoft website to download Edge.. The location only produced a docx file and no plausible functional download.. Next I tried to find a download of Windows Ten - many locations indicated it was possible.. But they all wound up on the same impossible to download page of the Microsoft Website.. It was -to say the least a very frustrating experience.. It was pretty convincing evidence that - Yes the party is over.. No more free downloads of Windows 10 .. ...... What a wrecking ball this whole experience has proved to be...!

Further update - Edge has now vanished without a trace - and just as I was getting to like it.. And.. No more free upgrades and support for Windows 10 - so it is now impossible to re-install unless I buy a copy for over 100 bucks.. ..... So I think I shall now have to bow to the inevitable and buy a new computer.. Which is probably what they wanted me to do in the first place. My instinct said "Don't upgrade to Windows 10" But curiosity has killed the cat ...

Well - That's it then - Windows Ten - which has been functioning Ho Hum since I reinstalled it for the third time three months ago.. is now up to its usual tricks. First icons vanished and sometimes reappear elsewhere.. Then when playing video the old buzz and jump routine returned - on and off.. And now - yes you guessed it - the Start menu has vanished for the umpteenth time. And no way is considering to return.. The question now then is.. Re-install Windows Ten and get it to limp along for another three months - if I'm lucky..? Put up with this lame excuse for an operating system in its current state of dysfunction ? Upgrade to Apple? Buy a new IBM style computer..? As a final thought - Maybe Windows Ten is not really meant to correctly upgrade on a windows 7 computer? Is it, then, designed to drive the hapless upgrader to distraction and force them to buy a new computer.? On which they will now have to run the new expensive subscription only software that is starting to infiltrate the app sphere.. This is the first time in my life I am beginning to think that conspiracy theorists are actually on to something.. I hope you are all having a much greater success with your love affairs with Window Ten.. Me - I'm looking for a divorce..

Brought to you from the ex- DDR...

I recently saw this on EBay and it raised a couple of smiles... http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOVELTY-ASHTRAY-CHICKENS-PLAYING-LEAPFROG-TOBACCIANA-GERMAN-RARE-/161961983919?hash=item25b5afbfaf:g:COsAAOSwGotWqqmu (Maybe it ought to be in the EBay section - but then they are a bit more train centric over there...)

Perhaps they were photographed going through a station at speed? Fast Lima Coaches... Make one wonder though... I am currently bidding on an item on German Ebay.. The item is going to go for big money.. probably silly money on account of its rarity So far there are twelve bidders.. Most have ratings in the 1000's so they are all to a person experienced bidders. They know the score... So far as each bidder has joined the auction they have bid up the previous bidder by around a Euro.. At the moment the price has yet to reach the 20 mark.. Each person is tossing in their ante before the game begins It is fast becoming like a Sergio Leone movie... or The Shoot out at the OK corral (...As all fire at once in a grand 'snipe') As the tension builds, one wonders, who will be the first to break from the pack? It's madness... But its also fun.. It'll be worth every euro I eventually blow... (The item has a real value of about Euro 40 - no way is this going to come to rest there. With this kind of firepower assembling it will be somewhere well over the 200 Euro mark) I'll keep you posted.. Some experiences are priceless - EBay - its like having your own Las Vegas - Where you can't lose everything and get to go home with something...

They can't bear to leave you alone for a minute. Microsoft has a special department where they produce updates that terminate in infinite loops to destroy the sanity of their customers. ISIL, Donald Trump, the Ayatollahs, Putin and Kim whatever, pay them handsomely them to do this... They want to destroy your mind and your computer... Its the Stockholm syndrome all over again.. Then you'll have to buy another computer and another and another... and so on ad infinitum.. They not only want customers for life but also the life blood of their customers.. Its a conspiracy I tell you - Run, run before its is too late.. Have a nice day

Thanks for the advice However - I decided one more try! Last night, overnight I re-installed windows 10.. In the morning I was welcomed by a still functioning computer.. (Sighs of relief....) All one had to do was sign in - then wait a bit through a series of "informative" blue screens. Then it was all good to go. Start menu has returned - but minus all those pictures gleaned from the hard drive. Now, I wonder where they all went? ........ Meanwhile I'll count the days until the start menu does another vanishing act!

Thanks for the suggestion - I suppose I could try - Don't answer but How does one do that?

Back to square one - No start Menu! Again, again, again... Seems my computer has decided to reject it! So Instead of spending decades on the phone, etc., with Microsoft's charming agents... I shall just have live without it until I retire the current computer... How? Just right click on the start menu and most of its dysfunctionality re-appears as a language only menu.. My best advice for Windows Ten - is to wait until you need a new computer. Then you won't have to upgrade..

I don't think he can respond, as much as he might want to. As supplier to Kernow of the O2s they are marketed under Kernow's brand. He would probably be interfering and in breach of who knows what arcane contract laws. But Kernow probably could.. . Then Then instead of magnahesion here is a really, really bad idea for someone to shoot down - get a Hornby 2 BIL and re-body it to suit as a banker??? (Or stick a black beetle under a standard coach?)

This made me smile... https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1443096755958660 (Sorry it's on Facebook - trying to find another link..)

I'll go down to the harbour and take a look - Someone I know down there might even remove the container so I can have them all...

Thank G-BOAF - that resolves that matter - it just seemed odd.. The discovery and learning process goes on forever.. Dave's attention to design detail is extraordinary and he deserves a medal.. Here is a photo or two.. showing the line

Point taken - It has been my experience in life however that if it happens to me then everyone else seems to have the same problem. I am not unique - so I was applying the rule of Bill... Also as stated in the post it is solely my opinion - and carries about as much weight as someone stating the world is flat... I had already written to Kernow as stated in an earlier post #781 Well I found a simple, non-invasive way to alter the back to back - and its running much better.... Get two nut drivers with a small size head attached - place either side of the wheel over or as close to the axle as possible and then push...firmly... And the wheels reset to the correct back to back. So.. The problem is as Bill Bedford described and salute his vastly superior experience. It still does not care much for the Peco medium LH point when turning left but at a prototypical speed for entering a siding it stays on track..

After Canada Customs collected some £17.00 in taxes and fees when it was delivered - I am not too happy in sending it back. Now, usually if I have a problem with something it is nearly always systemic... Like Mazak rot in my Hornby T9 - If I have it then probably 50% to 90% of all owners have it. So I suspect there was a problem in the manufacture that applies to most if nearly all the models... at least 50% probably greater. It was designed to be an exceptionally smooth runner and someone not used to that might not notice. Especially if they only run it full tilt around a layout or have a plank with more prototypical curves.. So in my opinion - there is a systemic problem here... But I stress its only my opinion... and may not be confirmed by the facts.. Whatever the case It needs to be brought to light. It can only benefit everyone , including manufacturer and supplier, in the long run. Hiding or lessening the truth for any reason has never ever been good for anyone..

Thanks this a useful understanding of the problem - but easier said than done - Do you have any recommendations on how to do it without damaging the model.?

Well - The O2 arrived today.. On surface inspection it is a truly lovely little model to look at. The level of detailing is extraordinarily fine - Well done Kernow and Dave.. However.. A brief examination and a short test revealed four points of concern.. (1) Very minor but the decorative front coupling hook had fallen off in transit and lay on the bottom of the Box.. (2) There are what appear to be moulding lines running along the length of the tanks. These appear just below the BR emblem. Now they may represent some feature of the O2 that I am not aware of - in which case fine... But they, well, show... Of major concern... (3) When running around the track it is definitely binding and thus dragging around the corners. (The curves on this layout are mostly 4th and 3rd set track type atlas code 100..) At creep speed it halted.. At slow speed it was halting.. at moderate speed there is perceptible slowing.. At fast just a sense of grinding around the bends Upon examining the back to backs of all the wheels. The front drive wheels were too far apart by about 1/2 mm and so were the rearmost wheels. Now I am not sure how to fix the back to back issue without (a) Completely disassembling the model (something I would rather not do as something is bound to get broken) or (b-) Trying in-situ and irrevocably damaging it in some way... Any suggestions? (4) Derailing so far has not been a big issue... 19 times out of 20 the front wheels derails on a certain Peco medium left hand turn-out when turning left. For some reason the foremost wheels jump or ride up on the check rail and they come off the track.. This is the only Loco (and I have many both OO and H0) that has this issue with this turn-out (this might have something to do with the back to back issue, and will disappear if and when fixed.). Over some of the other points its a wee bit too 'bouncy' for my peace of mind but it does not derail.. Its a pity. Much of the enjoyment of running a model railroad comes from locomotives that behave well and predictably... So I do hope the running issues at least can be corrected... I'll post some photos later on in the day.. A bit sad really.. My suggestion to Kernow is that before sending out any more O2s they check the B to B on every single model in stock and fix them.. P.S. I have written to Kernow advising them of this problem - although by now they are probably well aware of it...

There is some Tillig Elite Code 83 track on my layout including a H0/H0e crossover. When my O2 arrives - which I hope is soon... (It is hard to know these days as Canada Post, for some unknown reason, has stopped tracking registered parcels!) ... It will be given a thorough workout over this part of the layout.. I really don't expect there to be any problems at all. In my opinion a review is a review - any experienced operator of a model railway can do one - just because it appears in this or that magazine is the luck of the draw. And to tell you the truth I have stopped being over concerned or too fussed about whether or not a particular model engine works as advertised or not. (I stopped being concerned when my Hornby T9 fell apart from Mazak rot - (And I am still waiting for them to get back to me...) If it runs well it'll get a lot of use - And if it performs badly? - well then it won't get used and I won't be that bothered....

These coaches are looking very good... Bachmann need to get a move on with their birdcage stock or they'll miss out. I am an 'atmospheric' modeller rather than a having a need for absolute precision in all things. For me a layout needs to evoke the feelings of times gone by and as such - some 'old looking' SR coaches are a must. These will make excellent candidates. They promise to be superb. Well done (so far!) Hornby..