Windows 10

[JasonPratt]

I suppose they'll stop supporting Win 8.1 eventually, but by then I'll be looking at new computers anyway.

Still, if there's a way to reserve a free Win 10 for my computers, I'd be somewhat interested. I don't want to risk starting the update process to find out how, though!

[Staggerwing]

The Paranoid way: Clone your HDD, swap out the clone for the original, upgrade the clone to Win10, then put the original HDD back in. Now you have a Win10 license tied to your mobo.

The trusting way: Upgrade your rig to Win10, play with Win10 for a week or two, then revert your rig back to Win8.1 within 30 days using the revert option. Now you have a Win10 license tied to your mobo.

[Nefaro]

I finally gave in and updated my desktop PC to Win10, from Win7.

There is only one reason I felt the need to do so.  Future use of DirectX 12.  Which MS had originally said they would include on Win7-8, but  took it back after realizing it was a good way to push Win10.  I'm not sore about that in the least! <sarcasm>   

Frankly, I don't think Win10 has any real value over the Win7 I was using.  Other than the above mentioned manipulation forced up on us. 

Hell.. the surprising compatibility of most drivers & programs, after the switch, just proves to me that it's still mostly Windows 7 underneath.  Only with extra spyware, an annoying Cortana (which was quickly turned off), and a slightly different look.  ::)


MS still did the same shit they always do, in newer versions of Windows.  Further burying essential windows settings panels & options under even more layers of misdirection.  They add an extra click or two, and move a part of the path around, every damn time.  They're either trying to hide them or attempting to force you to use the windows search box and recall the control panel sections by name.    

Just getting stuff like the Windows Sound or Disk Management options via mouse clicks, in Win10, was pissing me off with fruitlessness.  I eventually started resorting to typing them in the damn Windows search box to get to it, and other settings like it.  Worse every time.  Still glad it's not as horrid as Windows 8.. what a piece of shit that UI was.  But they still left some of it buried, as they did with that one.

[WallysWorld]

With three days to go, I finally decided against the upgrade. Not enough positives to upgrade and I'm happy with Windows 7 and lastly with another three and a half years of Windows 7 support, I should have a new PC by 2020.

[Nefaro]

With three days to go, I finally decided against the upgrade. Not enough positives to upgrade and I'm happy with Windows 7 and lastly with another three and a half years of Windows 7 support, I should have a new PC by 2020.

That also factored into my decision to upgrade this one.

While it is likely that I'll build a new PC near the end of Win7 support, it also means that this one will become the new computer connected to my HDTV.  Which means it'll still get used on occasion, afterward.

It'll be used for a long time to come.  Still think the upgrade was just due to MS manipulating me into doing so, between Dx12 and future security updates.

[JasonPratt]

So, the wretched Win10 reminder thing has indulged in a new trick. After I declined the free upgrade during startup, by the way.

You know the reminder has its own little icon in the system tray at (usually) the bottom of the screen, over on the right with other startup item icons. Since it loads near the beginning, it has a tendency to move semi-randomly as other things load in; meaning that it's possible to click on it accidentally if you try to turn off or otherwise access certain icons (like the Steam icon) before loadin has finished.

That happened to me a few minutes ago. So the Win update (since I right-clicked on it) threw up a little menu window. You know the drill: "Get Windows 10" "Check your upgrade status" "Go to Windows Update" etc.

Naturally I didn't want any of those so I clicked elsewhere to get rid of the popup window.

It won't

go

away

!

I'm looking at it right now, while typing this. I've tried everything short of starting a game, which I can't do from steam because the menu section for "Learn About Windows 10" is active under the system tray bar!

Win10, y'all. Win10. Of all the Win10s in the world, Win10, you're the Win10iest. 

[Nefaro]

[MikeGER]

...yesterday eve  i gave in :-[   
(well, not after some final phone conference with my local leading IT-guru super-nerd friend about the pros and cons before )

there was no new terror that eve in Europe i had to watch unfold live over social and regular media, so i got bored and dared to terrorize myself with  "Let's try the upgrade ...and live with the fallout" 

  (this is not completely correct: we had a shopping center #Weserpark swapped by SWAT for a psychotic dangerous refugee escaped from an mental institution, a mosque raided by SWAT for a tiny tiny crack down on local islamists in #Hildesheim  ... and the best media ruckus of all: a burning suitcase which gave a puff when an spraycan inside 'exploded' a mile away from a refugee registration center in #Zirndorf  ...where the do-gooders leftgreen plus media were lusting to report about first 'rightwinger retaliations') ...welcome to the #Merkelsommer  (a political term on twitter) of 2016

and it looks like i am blessed and have seen no hassle so far beside adjusting to the new look and feel of W10

Against the MS spy activities i used a recommended free tool that let me switch all setting on one page and also give an explanation on every item to switch on/off

https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

so it saved me 130 bucks i would have to spend in the future and let the DirectX12-option supporting games roll in without a second thought   

knocking on wood for further testing my regular stuff 

[Staggerwing]

I'm not planning on upgrading my gaming rig soon but I've already upgraded my son's computer (all he does is watch youtube videos and browse Amazon) and the 'microform' computer I use to run my 3D printers (no financial stuff and web browsing is limited to Thingiverse and printing forums) and I do have to say that they both run smoothly.

My biggest gripe besides privacy concerns is, as mentioned above, that many of the system settings are buried deeply or are only accessed in non-intuitive ways. Want to check your device drivers for the first time? Good luck without first looking it up online.

[Barthheart]

Upgraded my rig this past weekend and so far everything's working fine.
Except that Edge doesn't play well with this forum's message buttons for images, youtube etc, or smilies...?

Turned off everything I could find for privacy, but will use Mike's link to search out more.  O0

[steve58]

Upgraded my wife's old laptop yesterday just so I could actually lay eyes on Windows 10.  Can't upgrade her current laptop since she uses it for work and Windows 10 may not play nice with some of the apps she needs.  Still debating about my rig...

[bbmike]

Upgraded my rig this past weekend and so far everything's working fine.
Except that Edge doesn't play well with this forum's message buttons for images, youtube etc, or smilies...?

Turned off everything I could find for privacy, but will use Mike's link to search out more.  O0

I found Edge to be more worthless than Internet Explorer. Still using Firefox and Chrome. Wait, wasn't that a Battlestar movie?

[Staggerwing]

Except that Edge doesn't play well with this forum's message buttons for images, youtube etc, or smilies...?

Chrome works fine w/ Win10.

[steve58]

Well, today is the last day (July 29) to "upgrade" to Windows 10 for free.  Been playing around with it a bit on my wife's old laptop.  Thinking I'll probably cave shortly and upgrade on my desktop.  I can always go back to Windows 7.  Wish me luck... ::)

[Nefaro]

Well, today is the last day (July 29) to "upgrade" to Windows 10 for free.  Been playing around with it a bit on my wife's old laptop.  Thinking I'll probably cave shortly and upgrade on my desktop.  I can always go back to Windows 7.  Wish me luck... ::)

Will they allow you to revert to Win7 after the free update period?


*I'd suggest checking whether your wife's "old laptop" is compatible with Win10.*

Was reinstalling Win7 on my laptop a few months ago and noticed, on the manufacturer's driver download site, a warning.  That my laptop's mainboard chipset and BIOS didn't support Win10.   There is an optional BIOS firmware update available, but it's listed "use at your own peril" type of thing and only for attempting Win10 on it.  ???

In the case of my laptop, I'm staying with Win7 anyway.  It's weak little GT640M video isn't going to be cranking gfx options up on anything fancy, so Dx12 (my only reason for upgrading, really) isn't needed on it.