Windows 10 . Anybody downloaded it yet?

[Reorte]

 

I stupidly left my computer running whilst I slept - that was last night...

And this morning?

I believe the "Pro" version lets you set inactive hours, and it'll only update during those. Which is rather missing the point that when I'm not using my computer it's switched off.

[melmerby]

 

I stupidly left my computer running whilst I slept - that was last night...

Do you not turn it off when you have finished using it?

I never leave a computer on over night. In fact apart from when they are updating I never leave them on when I am away from the keyboard.

 

Keith

Edited January 27, 2017 by melmerby

[melmerby]

I believe the "Pro" version lets you set inactive hours, and it'll only update during those. Which is rather missing the point that when I'm not using my computer it's switched off.

If you set Win10 to "metered connexion" it will only download during set hours.

 

Keith

[RFS]

If you set Win10 to "metered connexion" it will only download during set hours.

 

Keith

 

Think you have mixed up "metered connection" with "active hours".

 

With a metered connection W10 will not download fixes at any time until you positively go into Windows Update and check for updates. However, by default you can only set a metered connection for WiFi and not an Ethernet connection. To do the latter you can do a small registry hack - see https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/unable-to-set-metered-connection-in-windows-10/0f2c14ca-306d-4723-b920-6620c39430b3

 

Active hours does not stop W10 from downloading and installing updates, but will ensure it doesn't reboot during these times.

[melmerby]

Think you have mixed up "metered connection" with "active hours".

 

With a metered connection W10 will not download fixes at any time until you positively go into Windows Update and check for updates. However, by default you can only set a metered connection for WiFi and not an Ethernet connection. To do the latter you can do a small registry hack - see https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update/unable-to-set-metered-connection-in-windows-10/0f2c14ca-306d-4723-b920-6620c39430b3

 

Active hours does not stop W10 from downloading and installing updates, but will ensure it doesn't reboot during these times.

Sorry about that, more melmerby misinformation!

I mixed the two up.

 

Keith

[raymw]

My desktop and server are on always - helps keep the room warm. Sometimes, it seems the desktop turns itself off, but as I've a small ssd for the os, it is not much time to manually power up again. I tend to believe that failures occur at interfaces and change of state.

[melmerby]

My desktop and server are on always - helps keep the room warm. Sometimes, it seems the desktop turns itself off, but as I've a small ssd for the os, it is not much time to manually power up again. I tend to believe that failures occur at interfaces and change of state.

Sounds like a waste of leccy to me!

I've got Win 10 on an SSD for my main PC and it boots pretty quick from cold.

 

Keith

[GoingUnderground]

Thanks for that - I think my computer is still repeatedly failing to upgrade to 1607, after more attempts and wasted hours and nerve wracking tension than I can count - I even got Microsoft's rather pallid help on the phone - and they failed to diagnose the problem - That is what is fuelling my pessimism about being able to upgrade to 1704 - Are you able to offer me a guarantee that I will be able to upgrade? So far Windows Ten has been a soul destroying experience... By the way what does AFAIK refer too? Thanks..

I can't offer any guarantees, only my own experience which covers a range of PCs from a 6 year old low spec netbook to a mid range 1 year old laptop and all of them are running the latest version of 10.

 

As

Far

As

I

Know.

[raymw]

 

Sounds like a waste of leccy to me!

It's in use most of the time, get's backed up overnight, etc. Anyway, probably cheaper than paying for the results of thermal shock on components. Anyway, I expect it goes to sleep when I'm not looking, and probably when I'm not there I can't prove whatever it's up too, in a Schrodingering sort of way (and neither can anyone else.)

[RFS]

Hello! More views from the Windows Ten trenches... (its WW1 all over again - a battle of wills and wits, Me versus Microsoft..) It would seem that Windows Ten is no longer content with allowing me to ignore its wishes to update me.. It has now resorted to executive action..

I stupidly left my computer running whilst I slept - that was last night...

And this morning?

The black screen with the whirling balls of death were there to greet me..

How did that happen? It seems Windows Ten has ESP and knows when you aren't there and sneaks in and has another go at doing what by now has to be just about impossible on my machine - Updating to the next iteration of Windows Ten..

So it was back to the double switch on and off routine to get it to go back - as it euphemistically puts it - "To an earlier version of windows"..

Now Microsoft bills its product as "productivity Enhancing" - But I fail to see what is either productive or enhancing about a product that behaves as this one does...

 

If you happy to do so, you might find the answer to getting 1607 to install is to download the ISO file and do a clean install.  This usually fixes many issues. If you're still having update issues I would also check you have enough free space on your C drive, although the update process is supposed to check that first.

 

You can download the ISO from here - https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

 

As others have also mentioned, I too have a 60 Gb SSD as my dedicated Windows C drive and that works very well indeed.

Edited January 27, 2017 by RFS

[raymw]

I'm not too sure about modern ssd's, but the downside is that they do not age gracefully. With a hdd, you can see (via smart/whatever), when it is getting flaky, but afaik, an ssd just stops dead after so many writes. All it means, however, is you restore from your backup, or reinstall W10 if you've been strict in using it only for your OS, but fat chance of doing that.

[RFS]

I'm not too sure about modern ssd's, but the downside is that they do not age gracefully. With a hdd, you can see (via smart/whatever), when it is getting flaky, but afaik, an ssd just stops dead after so many writes. All it means, however, is you restore from your backup, or reinstall W10 if you've been strict in using it only for your OS, but fat chance of doing that.

 

I have had a Sandisk 60 Gb SSD as my Windows C drive for over 3 years now on my most heavily used PC.  Their reporting tool reports its life left as 99%.  As it's only little more than 60% used I think it will easily outlast the PC.  I do not see this as a downside given the vast improvement in speed I get. 

 

Main drive is a 2Tb Seagate and I do an image backup of the SSD to this at least once a month (takes 3-4 minutes) - especially before any major updates. If it failed completely, I'd just install a new one and do an image restore.

Edited January 27, 2017 by RFS

[melmerby]

 With a hdd, you can see (via smart/whatever), when it is getting flaky,

Not always true. Smart isn't perfect at diagnosing problems.

I have a modern Sata HDD with smart that stopped working on one PC. It caused it to freeze when booting, even though it's not the OS disk.

SMART reckons it's OK.

Plug another similar SATA disk into the port instead and the PC boots up just fine.

 

Keith

Edited January 27, 2017 by melmerby

[melmerby]

I have had a Sandisk 60 Gb SSD as my Windows C drive for over 3 years now on my most heavily used PC.  Their reporting tool reports its life left as 99%.  As it's only little more than 60% used I think it will easily outlast the PC.  I do not see this as a downside given the vast improvement in speed I get. 

 

Main drive is a 2Tb Seagate and I do an image backup of the SSD to this at least once a month (takes 3-4 minutes) - especially before any major updates. If it failed completely, I'd just install a new one and do an image restore.

My Mushkin has a 3 year Guarantee which is better than most HDDs, it also has a MTBF of 2 million hours

My Seagate Barracuda purchased around the same time is only 2 years warranty.

 

Keith

[Bill]

And now for the grand finale - as this will probably be my last post concerning Windows Ten..

Microsoft - with the Windows 10 upgrade path and its so called tech support 'technicians' have finally killed my computer..

RIP Goliath - We had some good times...

I used to love computing - but Microsoft has finally managed to ruin the fun..

What is sad is no more Internet explorer..

Its the only browser that worked for me on eBay..

With edge - it is load pause - play some ads  - then let you go on..........eventually

Windows ten, it would seem, actively tries to slow down Firefox to make it fizzle fox..

And I have yet to master the dark occult secrets of chrome..

So if anyone knows how to get explorer to work on a dedicated Windows ten platform?

( tried to install it and thought I had succeeded but when I rebooted - it had vanished..)

[RFS]

And now for the grand finale - as this will probably be my last post concerning Windows Ten..

Microsoft - with the Windows 10 upgrade path and its so called tech support 'technicians' have finally killed my computer..

RIP Goliath - We had some good times...

I used to love computing - but Microsoft has finally managed to ruin the fun..

What is sad is no more Internet explorer..

Its the only browser that worked for me on eBay..

With edge - it is load pause - play some ads  - then let you go on..........eventually

Windows ten, it would seem, actively tries to slow down Firefox to make it fizzle fox..

And I have yet to master the dark occult secrets of chrome..

So if anyone knows how to get explorer to work on a dedicated Windows ten platform?

( tried to install it and thought I had succeeded but when I rebooted - it had vanished..)

 

IE is there on Windows 10 - you don't have to specifically install it.  I use it all the time and never use Edge so I don't know what your problem is. You can click the start button, scroll down to Windows Accessories, expand that then right click on IE, then more, and select "pin to taskbar".  It's then there whenever you need it.

[melmerby]

Windows ten, it would seem, actively tries to slow down Firefox to make it fizzle fox..

So why does my Firefox work perfectly?

 

What is sad is no more Internet explorer..

I also have IE and that also works perfectly.

 

Keith

 

This post was using Firefox 51.0.1 32 bit

Edited February 12, 2017 by melmerby

[melmerby]

And this is with Firefox 51.0.1 64 Bit

 

Keith

[kevinlms]

And now for the grand finale - as this will probably be my last post concerning Windows Ten..

Microsoft - with the Windows 10 upgrade path and its so called tech support 'technicians' have finally killed my computer..

RIP Goliath - We had some good times...

I used to love computing - but Microsoft has finally managed to ruin the fun..

What is sad is no more Internet explorer..

Its the only browser that worked for me on eBay..

With edge - it is load pause - play some ads  - then let you go on..........eventually

Windows ten, it would seem, actively tries to slow down Firefox to make it fizzle fox..

And I have yet to master the dark occult secrets of chrome..

So if anyone knows how to get explorer to work on a dedicated Windows ten platform?

( tried to install it and thought I had succeeded but when I rebooted - it had vanished..)

I don't know why FireFox has stopped working for you, it works just fine for me. I avoid using IE if at all possible & as for Edge...

[melmerby]

Further to my above post this is with IE11, as present in Win 10.

I never use Edge.

 

Keith

[OldSutt]

Currently using Opera 43 on W10 64 bit. No problems except sometimes seizes on a download of a file, which can be downloaded with Edge, curious???

[raymw]

My default browser is firefox, but I've disabled scripts and flash and use an adblocker  add-on. If I come across a website that I'm interested in, but it doesn't display because the author has used browser features I've disabled, then I cut and paste the address into edge.. I have internet explorer home page permanently set to the bbc iplayer. All work fine on the various w10 machines I use - desktop, laptop, tablet.

[Trevellan]

I must admit to being quite disappointed with some of the seemingly smug posts on this thread. If your browser is working fine, then good for you. However, W10 is proving to be a mixed blessing for some of us and I know several highly experienced IT people who won't touch it in its current form. I find it is often intrusive and has a habit of running what should be background tasks when I am working to a deadline. Disk and/or CPU usage rises dramatically and slows down any applications I'm trying to work in.

 

It would seem some contributors are forgetting that we are using different machines that will be set up differently. It is also important to remember that some applications can conflict with others and this has been the case for as long as I've been using computers, now 30 years plus. This can manifest itself in different ways, including system crashes, freezes or slow running. My experience is that PCs will be stable and reliable for a period, but then software updates create problems which have to be addressed before the previous happy state can be restored.

 

My office PC was "upgraded" to W10 some time ago, but I have seen little improvement over its predecessor. As for browsers, I use both Firefox and Chrome, sometimes simultaneously. Firefox is the default, but sites such as RMweb run better in Chrome (on my PC). Recently, I have experienced a number of problems with internet and email. For example, Firefox has noticeably slowed for no obvious reason, so I have sympathy with some of the previous comments.

 

I think one of the main problems with W10 is that it tries to be all things to all people and many of its features seem to be aimed at tablet users. Frankly, I'm not interested in fripperies, like their choice of picture on startup. All I want is a stable office platform for my PC which allows me to work efficiently. In all honesty, I still believe that Windows 98SE was the last iteration that gave me what I wanted. This clearly won't be a popular view with some contributors, but this is my reality.

[Jol Wilkinson]

I must admit to being quite disappointed with some of the seemingly smug posts on this thread. If your browser is working fine, then good for you. However, W10 is proving to be a mixed blessing for some of us and I know several highly experienced IT people who won't touch it in its current form. I find it is often intrusive and has a habit of running what should be background tasks when I am working to a deadline. Disk and/or CPU usage rises dramatically and slows down any applications I'm trying to work in.

 

It would seem some contributors are forgetting that we are using different machines that will be set up differently. It is also important to remember that some applications can conflict with others and this has been the case for as long as I've been using computers, now 30 years plus. This can manifest itself in different ways, including system crashes, freezes or slow running. My experience is that PCs will be stable and reliable for a period, but then software updates create problems which have to be addressed before the previous happy state can be restored.

 

My office PC was "upgraded" to W10 some time ago, but I have seen little improvement over its predecessor. As for browsers, I use both Firefox and Chrome, sometimes simultaneously. Firefox is the default, but sites such as RMweb run better in Chrome (on my PC). Recently, I have experienced a number of problems with internet and email. For example, Firefox has noticeably slowed for no obvious reason, so I have sympathy with some of the previous comments.

 

I think one of the main problems with W10 is that it tries to be all things to all people and many of its features seem to be aimed at tablet users. Frankly, I'm not interested in fripperies, like their choice of picture on startup. All I want is a stable office platform for my PC which allows me to work efficiently. In all honesty, I still believe that Windows 98SE was the last iteration that gave me what I wanted. This clearly won't be a popular view with some contributors, but this is my reality.

Trevallan,

 

I have been fortunate that my pc converted to W10 without problems, but like you, I don't like being told how I should live my life. A pc is simply a tool for doing work and communicating with others. It isn't, or shouldn't be, a platform for others to decided what I should do, watch, etc. But then that's a form of advertising, which is how many "free" sites operate. And to do that they want to "understand" the target audience. So these machines have become "harvesters" of our personal information.

[kevinlms]

I must admit to being quite disappointed with some of the seemingly smug posts on this thread. If your browser is working fine, then good for you.

Don't sure that its correct to accuse everyone as being smug, if their Win 10 works. I have no idea why Win 10 seems to work for some people and not others. In my earlier post, I said that FireFox works just fine, which it does, nothing more was intended.

 

Now if my old Vista PC updated its patches, I'd be happy, but it just sits there for days, allegedly updating, with nothing seemingly happening. A couple of reboots and then it mysteriously updates, within a couple of hours. I'll be installing a version of Linux on it soon, since support for Vista ends soon.

 

XP was another good operating system, that almost always, just worked.