Windows 10 . Anybody downloaded it yet?

[chaz]

Most problems with Windows 10 arise from upgrading an existing computer from Windows 7/8 etc.  A new computer will come with Windows 10 pre-installed and should be absolutely fine.

 

We must hope that is true! Do you know from experience that this is the case?

 

Chaz

[RFS]

We must hope that is true! Do you know from experience that this is the case?

 

Chaz

 

MS reports that there are over 400m installations now of Windows 10, so one must assume it's not fundamentally flawed. There are 4 PCs in our household and all of these were updated to W10 from W7: two by update-in-place and the other two by a clean install.  The laptop is 4 years old, two of the desktops are 6 years old and the other a year old.  All the desktops were self-build and not bought with Windows pre-installed. I find W10 much better than W7.

 

The only issue I've had is with the graphics on my 6-year-old PC.  It has the on-board Intel version which Intel kindly decided not to provide updated W10 drivers for. Although the PC worked OK, there were some formatting issues. All that was needed was a separate Nvidia graphics cost costing about £25 which comes with full W10 drivers and all is now OK.

 

A clean install of W10 often solves many problems with upgrading.  I think it was a bold decision of MS to provide this upgrade path, and undoubtedly some people have had issues but I'm quite happy with the way mine upgraded.

[brigo]

Interesting article by Woody on the forced update over the last few days

 

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3160527/microsoft-windows/why-microsoft-forced-windows-10-upgrades-last-friday.html

 

Brian

[melmerby]

Just before Christmas my XP laptop expired on me and I picked up a new Lenovo with Win7 on it, on Ebuyer.

So when are you upgrading to Win10?

 

Keith

[melmerby]

MS reports that there are over 400m installations now of Windows 10, so one must assume it's not fundamentally flawed. There are 4 PCs in our household and all of these were updated to W10 from W7: two by update-in-place and the other two by a clean install.  The laptop is 4 years old, two of the desktops are 6 years old and the other a year old.  All the desktops were self-build and not bought with Windows pre-installed. I find W10 much better than W7.

 

 

 

It seems that there has been fewer problems worldwide upgrading to Win 10 than has the case with some other Windows OS updates.

 

Both my Desktops are self built, one from components (the old Athlon one) and one bought as a basic core i7 machine as a base and added SSD, extra HDD, Sound card, new high output PSU etc. neither had an OS and both work very well on Win 10

 

Keith

Edited January 24, 2017 by melmerby

[Siberian Snooper]

So when are you upgrading to Win10?

 

Keith

About 12 months after hell freezes over, at the current rate of progress. I aquired a pc which has a clean install of 10 on it, but so far I have not been brave enough to connect it up and switch it on.

[GoingUnderground]

Apart from when it heckles you for using Chrome as you browser.

 

'Oh Edge will improve your battery life by soooo much'

 

 

Sod Off.

 

Funny, that's just how I feel about the never ending adverts for Chrome, going on about it being secure and stable, on soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many websites.

 

My oldest desktop computer (originally Win XP, Athlon processor etc.) has upgraded just fine, via Win 7 where it needed a memory upgrade from 2Gb to 4Gb to function properly.

Running Task Manager shows that Win 10 uses less resources whilst running the same programs than Win 7 did.

It is also usually the second fastest when installing large Win10 upgrades, my ex Win 7 laptop with a much better spec is usually slower

The main problem with an old computer is insufficient USB sockets and SATA connections.

USB shortage overcome by using 2 USB hubs, can't do much with the lack of SATA as there is no more internal expansion room.

(I know you can get external USB-SATA devices)

 

Keith

 

I have upgraded 4 Windows computers and 3 Windows smartphones to 10.

 

1. A desktop with a 64 bit AMD Athlon that started life with Windows XP Pro, then upgraded to 7 Pro, and it's now on the latest version of 10 Pro. The only change from its original spec was a memory upgrade some time ago from 1Gb to 4Gb. It also has an SSD, but that was because the old HD was full, and that change was post the Win 10 upgrade.  It runs all my favourite programs, including a DOS one from the 1980s, using the VDOS emulator, and even Lotus Smartsuite.

 

2. A netbook with an Intel Atom CPU that also started out with Win XP. It too runs Win 10 Home without problems. Again the only spec change was to increase the memory to 4Gb and add an SSD to speed it up.

 

3. A 7" tablet that originally had Win 8.1, and a Win 7 laptop. Win 10 Home 32 Bit runs fine on it - it is better than many otehr tablets as it runs the full version of Windows 10 but is much more portable than the laptop or the netbook.

 

The 4th computer was a Win 7 64 bit laptop that had an AMD processor, AMD CPUs run hotter than the corresponding Intel processors. It was working fine under 10 with no problems, but ran into overheating problems unconnected with 10, (moral of story, keep the cooling ducts clean and vacuum them out occasionally if using your laptop in a domestic environment particularly.). It was replaced with a Win 10 laptop that has been working fine for over a year now. The only problem is that 10 will not let me install the ex-Vista drivers for my 12 year old colour laser printer on the new laptop, even though the same 64 Bit driver works absolutely fine on the desktop PC upgraded from Win 7. The 32 Bit versions of those same drivers work fine on the 2 machines upgraded from 7 or 8.1 to 10. Apparently the drivers file fails the security test now needed for new drivers under Win 10. Pity, but I've already been told when the printer broke down 2 years ago that if it breaks down again it will most likely be unrepairable as the majority of the spares/replacement parts for it are no longer available.

 

The phones are all working fine. The only addition was to fit a 64Gb micro SD card.

 

All of them are on the "Creators Anniversary (thank you for spotting my mistake) Update" a.k.a. version 1607 with the very latest monthly release 10.0.14393.693 that was published 2 weeks ago.

 

We must hope that is true! Do you know from experience that this is the case?

 

Chaz

 

Yes, in my experience it is true, see above.

 

So my personal experience of 10 is very good, but that's no comfort to someone who is having problems with their upgrade.

 

I find 10 very, very, easy to use and I can switch between my various machines, from classic desktop, to laptop, to touch tablet, and on to smartphone and not have to worry about different menu formats or layouts, etc.  No, I have no connection with Microsoft.

Edited January 24, 2017 by GoingUnderground

[Bill]

RFS, on 24 Jan 2017 - 05:45, said:

Start -> settings -> system -> about  will tell you which version you have.   Current version is 1607 which is the Windows 10 anniversary update (1607 = 2016 July).  Good news there's another one coming in April (1704) .....

 

My machine is very nicely running Version 1511 - whenever did that version happen? -

If you  and everyone else are on version 1607 then it is probably a very, very good idea for me to never upgrade my machine again. It is simply never going to work with all that time lag difference...

Now, Is there anyway of cancelling the  upgrade notices so that I am never tempted to give it another try.?.

Obviously 1511 is not going to be able to all of a sudden leap to 1704 and whatever 'so-called-threat' they have in store for us all next!..

Edited January 24, 2017 by Bill

[melmerby]

 It runs all my favourite programs, including a DOS one from the 1980s, using the VDOS emulator, and even Lotus Smartsuite.

 

Which version of Smartsuite?

I never managed to get version 3 (or was it 97) to run after Windows XP so I purchased Version 9.8 of 2002 from Amazon for £20 which runs fine on Win10 apart from the weblinked help pages (even one for the millenium bug!) which don't exist these days.

 

Keith

[RFS]

Interesting article by Woody on the forced update over the last few days

 

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3160527/microsoft-windows/why-microsoft-forced-windows-10-upgrades-last-friday.html

 

Brian

 

 

My machine is very nicely running Version 1511 - whenever did that version happen? -

If you  and everyone else are on version 1607 then it is probably a very, very good idea for me to never upgrade my machine again. It is simply never going to work with all that time lag difference...

Now, Is there anyway of cancelling the  upgrade notices so that I am never tempted to give it another try.?.

Obviously 1511 is not going to be able to all of a sudden leap to 1704 and whatever 'so-called-threat' they have in store for us all next!..

 

Bill - see Brian's post above for an explanation of why 1511 PCs are now installing 1607.

[RFS]

All of them are on the "Creators Update" a.k.a. version 1607 with the very latest monthly release 10.0.14393.693 that was published 2 weeks ago.

 

 

1607 is known as the "Anniversary Edition" whereas the "Creators Update" is coming in this April and will be version 1704. See https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features

Edited January 24, 2017 by RFS

[kevinlms]

Apart from when it heckles you for using Chrome as you browser.

 

'Oh Edge will improve your battery life by soooo much'

 

 

Sod Off.

While funny & I agree about the lack of interest in using Edge, I use Fire Fox & my PC has never complained about using FF. Sure it wants to default to Edge as a browser, but doesn't heckle.

[GoingUnderground]

Which version of Smartsuite?

I never managed to get version 3 (or was it 97) to run after Windows XP so I purchased Version 9.8 of 2002 from Amazon for £20 which runs fine on Win10 apart from the weblinked help pages (even one for the millenium bug!) which don't exist these days.

 

Keith

Version 9.7, see screenshot below.

 

DOS program Infomix SmartWare II and Lotus 1-2-3 version 9.7 running on Windows 10.

 

1607 is known as the "Anniversary Edition" whereas the "Creators Update" is coming in this April and will be version 1704. See https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features

Thank you - Senior moment. Have corrected my post.

Edited January 25, 2017 by GoingUnderground

[GoingUnderground]

My machine is very nicely running Version 1511 - whenever did that version happen? -

If you  and everyone else are on version 1607 then it is probably a very, very good idea for me to never upgrade my machine again. It is simply never going to work with all that time lag difference...

Now, Is there anyway of cancelling the  upgrade notices so that I am never tempted to give it another try.?.

Obviously 1511 is not going to be able to all of a sudden leap to 1704 and whatever 'so-called-threat' they have in store for us all next!..

 

1607 was early August last year.

 

Microsoft are still releasing security and other updates for 1511 AFAIK. What makes you think that a PC running 1511 can't go to 1704. Microsoft is adding functionality in the newer versions, not rewriting 10. No one complained when Win 98 SE (second edition) with its additional functionality replaced Win 98, and the evolution of 10 is similar to that, except that these incremental changes to 10 are FREE.

[melmerby]

Version 9.7, see screenshot below.

DOS program Infomix Smartsuite II and Lotus 1-2-3 version 9.7 running on Windows 10.

 

Are you sure that isn't 97? I don't remember a 9.7.

 

For something really ancient try this:

 

Started on BBC model B converted to PC (faithfully) many moons ago and working on Win 10!

 

Even has the mode 2 graphics and BBC sound.

 

Keith

[Bill]

GoingUnderground, on 24 Jan 2017 - 18:28, said:

1607 was early August last year.

 

Microsoft are still releasing security and other updates for 1511 AFAIK. What makes you think that a PC running 1511 can't go to 1704. Microsoft is adding functionality in the newer versions, not rewriting 10. No one complained when Win 98 SE (second edition) with its additional functionality replaced Win 98, and the evolution of 10 is similar to that, except that these incremental changes to 10 are FREE.

 

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..

Edited January 26, 2017 by Bill

[vitalspark]

Much of what I read on this topic reassures me that I was well advised to stick with Windows 7 which is totally reliable and without vices.

 

My only concern is that my current laptop is not likely to last forever - what happens when it finally pegs it?

 

Chaz

 

 

You buy a Macbook and wave goodbye to all this nonsense.

 

Its cheaper in the long run as you will still be happy with it long after the next PC has bitten the dust or been binned in frustration.

 

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

It amazes me that people continue to put up with this.

 

Dave.

[laurenceb]

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..

As Far As I Know

[chaz]

You buy a Macbook and wave goodbye to all this nonsense.

 

Its cheaper in the long run as you will still be happy with it long after the next PC has bitten the dust or been binned in frustration.

 

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

It amazes me that people continue to put up with this.

 

Dave.

 

Dave, I have to say that I am tempted to do just that. Although I am very happy with Windows 7 I see the trouble Sue has with Windows 10. On a few occasions recently her laptop has just refused to start up properly, or at all. She also doesn't like Ten, even when it works. I'm not keen to join her in using an operating system I don't like.

 

Chaz

[30801]

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

Foxconn make operating systems? who knew.

[beast66606]

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

 

And why they can therefore charge an arm and several legs and get away with it.

[Reorte]

You buy a Macbook and wave goodbye to all this nonsense.

 

Its cheaper in the long run as you will still be happy with it long after the next PC has bitten the dust or been binned in frustration.

 

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

It amazes me that people continue to put up with this.

I put up with it (although try to avoid as much as possible) because I play games on my computer and you're rather limited doing that without Windows, alas. That's why I'm wondering if I might have to put up with Windows 10, since I'm considering a new pile of hardware. Sure, it's not a serious use of a computer but we've all got our hobbies (wouldn't be on this site otherwise!)

[melmerby]

You buy a Macbook and wave goodbye to all this nonsense.

 

Its cheaper in the long run as you will still be happy with it long after the next PC has bitten the dust or been binned in frustration.

 

You will come too appreciate the reasoning behind the operating system being written by the same company that manufactures the hardware.

 

It amazes me that people continue to put up with this.

 

Dave.

Here we go again! More Mac twaddle.

 

My oldest PC is now 12 years old, is running Win10 perfectly and apart from a new Hard drive due to a failure and some extra memory hasn't been a problem.

I bet there are plenty of Macs that have bitten the dust in that time.

 

Also the same old chestnut about the manufacturer.

Apple don't manufacture anything.

A Mac has the same internal components as a PC, made for Apple by the same people who supply the Windows PC market.

 

Keith

Edited January 26, 2017 by melmerby

[Butler Henderson]

Seems like most things to be a few that are vocal re W10 problems that mean its problematic for everyone .

[Bill]

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...

Edited January 27, 2017 by Bill