Windows 10 Upgrade Experience

[telcoman]

There are some quirks. I came across one the other day, can't remember what it was, somethign to do with networking, but a search on the web showed I had to put a setting to the exact opposite of what it tells you. There are 3rd party apps to change the start button so it acts like windows 7.

 

Also on my home pC I have lost the Master boot record. That hpapend just as I was walking out the door for my 6 month winter sojurn. I will have to deal with that when I get back. One reason to save the install files for win 10.

[budeneighe]

The windows recovery mode will rebuild it for you. It is accessed from an install DVD or your recovery disk/drive. (you made one, didn't you?)

 

There are also some utilities, like Partition Magic, easeus todo backup partition manager that will rebuild it and many others.

[telcoman]

Nope. but I can create one off my laptop probably. Never thought of using partition magic. When I did the acronis backup after upgrading I never backed up the MBR section for some reason. I was literally headed out the door so did not have time to play wth it, I just shut her down.

[Jack Mayer]

So far, no one platform does it all for me. Maybe I am just a masochist but when I get tired of being beaten up by one platform, I switch to another one for awhile to heal and let the bad one evolve. That does not mean I like it, just that I am motivated by it.

 

 

My strategy as well. Frankly, as much as people bash Google, the Android platform is pretty good. I've really had zero issue with it. I keep trying to settle on one platform....MS or Android, but it is difficult. MS has great tools in Office, and has some/most of the stuff that Google has. But outside of the Office applications it simply does not work as well as Google ecosystem. So I use mainly Google Drive apps now. They do everything I need - pretty much. Almost all my stuff is in the Cloud these days. I'm not using sophisticated application features. And I now use Drive for almost all my storage. I pay the $2/month for the 100Gig+ and that is working well for me. I tried the MS Onedrive but it simply did not work as well as the Google stuff. It does not synch well between devices and since I move between them a lot it did not work well for me.

 

I also now use Google Keep instead of Evernote or OneNote. It is not as sophisticated, but it works flawlessly. And does everything I need. Again, it is fluid between environments. I'm looking for TROUBLE FREE solutions that I do not have to debug or manipulate. Google is more and more providing these.

 

One other thing....after many years of fighting the Apple iTunes stuff I have moved everything over to Google music. I still buy from iTunes because they have more music....but Google Music automatically uploads off my iTunes library if I buy from iTunes instead of Google. More and more I buy first from Google and only go to iTunes if they don't have it. I have 49K (yes, 49,000+) songs in Google Music. And I can play them everywhere I like that has connectivity - from every device I own. I also download playlists to devices - like Danielle's tablet she uses to teach linedancing. It all works great.

[RV_]

Jack,

I never used iTunes, tried it once ten years ago and it was too bloated. That was back in 2005-7 time frame. iTunes also loaded QuickTime which was a malware magnet in the Windows version. That was back when I was deciding how best to rip all my music. I ended up just using Windows Media player and that worked out very well. But to rip my over 3000 music CDs, mostly best of and collections sets, took 3-10 hours a day for a month. I've procrastinated another five years in ripping my family videos from around the world and underwater for our Red Sea dive trip back in 1996 off Hurghada Egypt. That is because I know I will do them in a glut and watch each as they need to be copied to DVD in real time, each is a Hi8 120 minute tape recorded at the high speed for quality. I use Amazon for any music or video downloads I want as they are accessible to all my devices anywhere I can connect. I did get a deal on the high end Kindle Fire HDX 7" for 1/4th the price from someone that got it as a gift. So now with my Prime account I can download one movie at a time to watch when offline. I also use it as my reading kindle because I never read outdoors, usually in the house or in a doc's office and other places.

 

Jack,

Good news for you today as Google is working to answer the Android or Chrome OS debate. Here's an excerpt:

 

"Alphabet Edges Toward Settling the Android or Chrome Question"

 

"For years, Google, now known as Alphabet, has supported two operating systems on two very different tracks: Android and Chrome. But now the company is nodding in the direction of Android.

 

Google is working toward allowing its low-cost Chromebook computing devices to work on the popular Android operating system. The work will take place over the next year, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Google is not indicating it plans to stop development of Chrome OS, but making Android work on Chromebooks opens the door to one of the few products that Chrome OS, the lesser-known operating system, had to itself.

 

Chrome OS should not be confused with Google’s popular Chrome web browser.

 

News of the shift was first reported earlier Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.

 

The first Android operating system for mobile devices was introduced about seven years ago as a direct competitor to Apple’s iOS mobile operating system. Since then, it has become the most widely used operating system in the world. Its development was led by an executive named Andy Rubin, who went on to lead much of the company’s robotics efforts before leaving Google last year.

 

Google introduced Chrome OS about a year later, surprising some who wondered why the company needed two operating systems. Interestingly, its early development was led by Sundar Pichai, who is now the chief executive of the part of Alphabet that is still called Google. Chrome OS has gained a following in academia but very few other places. According to IDC, a market research firm, about 3.9 million Chromebooks were shipped to the American education sector last year.

 

If Google should drop the Chrome OS, it will follow in the footsteps of Microsoft. The latest version of Microsoft’s flagship Windows operating system is meant to run on both PCs and mobile devices. Apple still supports separate operating systems for mobile devices and PCs."

 

That whole article with live links and related stories in the NY Times can be found here: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/29/alphabet-edges-toward-settling-the-android-or-chrome-question/?emc=edit_tu_20151030&nl=bits&nlid=36852580&_r=0

 

I find that doubly interesting because the new cheapie mini desktops and tablets out of Asia like my little HTPC for $99.00 I bought a few months ago and just recently got around to hooking up and reviewing here. The thrust there is to have the latest Windows version, now 10, and dual booting to a recent version of Android as well out of the box. They were using the Atom Z3000 series tablet mobos and 32/64GB SSD with 2GB of RAM, and now they are preordering tablets with the same screen hardware as the Apple retina iPads and Windows 10/Android dual booting now with the X5 8000 Atoms SoCs.

 

I am selling my Voyo here locally and getting one of those to play with. I didn't think about Windows 10. BTW if anyone is thinking about one of them, I caution that they require some tweaking to get the boot screens to be in English but it really isn't any big deal.

 

Anyway, Chrome OS dual booting with Android on their Chromebooks is on the heels of the Windows/Android tablets and tablets minus screen streaming devices.

 

These are what I needed when we were full time. A desktop hidden behind the TV connected via HDMI cable, and with a 64 GB SD card as well as a 64 GB flash USB drive in it as I have making storage total 192GB with the SD cards and USB drives I already have. For the TV I have the Channel Master OTA DVR and the Voyo has a Thermaltake external USB 3.0 drive dock attached. That is another reason I am selling it, no USB 3.0. I decided to go all 3.0 a couple of years ago and opted not to use any Thunderbolt devices as only my desktop has a Thunderbolt port.

 

I was not thinking in terms of keeping the Voyo Mini, so ignored the USB type. I do not need or want the Android dual boot either, but to get the preorder direct from China prices I may have to opt for dual boot.

 

For those following the assault of malware on Android, which, like Windows, usually by user unsafe practices, I am not sure if I had a Chromebook that I would want that. Just like when Apple reached a larger base they came under attack with successful installations of malware and botnets, we all know that the criminals will go after any large user base with the large money and identity numbers to try to cheat or steal. I considered Chrome OS in a Chrome book but the need to stay connected bothered me. I know, I'm a luddite and prefer not to have ads targeted towards what I like because I prefer to opt out of any data collection/surveys/info for free software schemes like Alphabet/Google programs. That not a criticism Jack, just my preference. I also did not like cloud storage for a bit, and am just now organizing mine to be minimal but accessible to all my devices, which is easier because they are all MS including phones.

 

I have enough to do with one OS to play with and have little time for it. Personally I would move to Android exclusively if I were angry with MS or tired of upgrades and the issues. All OS' have them. Android too. The difference is with Apple or MS products all the updates for security and performance come at the same time, from one parent company, and no groups delayed by third party vendors like Samsung, HTC, and all the other vendors. My ASUS, HP, and Dell systems don't all have to wait for each vendor to decide if they are going to support it or I have to buy another Phone/computer/tablet to get the latest like Android's fractured update upgrade relationships with us the end users have been.

 

I really liked my Samsung Galaxies until Samsung waited a year to upgrade them one step and no more. My wife's last Samsung Galaxy 3G smartphone was Android 2.3 and was not supported. That was a one year old phone! MS gives a ten year support cycle an so far has provided upgrades to 8.1 and 10 to Windows 7 machines free, and with few problems relatively speaking with the giant hardware base and combinations they deal with worldwide. Apple, as the next largest has had issues with both their phone and computer OS' on release despite having 100% control of their hardware and OS!

 

THat is why I like and prefer MS. IT is a giant company, and like all of them have made some missteps in dealing with competition, as all of them have. But they are the first with a united ecosphere where my tablets run the exact same OS as my desktops, and temporarily my two laptops.

 

I'll see how much they interface when Win Mobility (Phone) 10 updates on our Lamias come out in the next few weeks to month.

[Jack Mayer]

I'm now getting REAL close to booting out (meaning getting off) W10.

 

Not only is the wifi so crippled that it is incredibly annoying, but it is now locking up on me. I have done NOTHING to tweek it other than forcing all connections to be metered so they will not download their crap on it. I swear, MS must be trying to commit suicide. They do not seem to test much of anything. This is a brand new machine with a Native W10 install and they cannot get it right.

 

Yet my Androids just truck along without any issues. I've been doing almost all of my writing on Doc now (Android). Not because Word is not good and reliable, but I just don't need its features. I'm now taking a SERIOUS look at if I can get by on JUST Android. I'm about fed up with Windows.

[k4rs]

Jack, I feel much the same as you. MicroSloth has done NOTHING in the last few years that makes me want to continue using their products. Between their ineptitude and Big Brother polices, I have lost all faith in the company.

 

I am happily spending about 98% of my computing time running Linux. The only reason I have a computer with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 installed is so I can stay current and be able to help others who are reluctant to make any changes in their operating systems.

 

Safe Travels...

[Jack Mayer]

Roger, I actually like W10. But they are making its USE so hard on me that I'm annoyed no end. In contrast, my Android systems just work. I'm not looking to be a computer HOBBYIST. I made a career of computers.....I don't need them as a hobby! I just want it to WORK RELIABLY without me fiddling with it constantly.

[RV_]

Roger, I know you have found a home with Linux.

 

Jack,

I honestly haven't been having problems with any of the upgrades since 8.0. I did all but the first as auto upgrades not clean installs.

I'd heard that 10 was not as smooth with some tablets but I've had no issues there either. Yesterday I had a system image fail on Lynn's desktop, twice it stalled and stopped. OK I had picked up two new Syba dual docks that did clones without turning on the computer. Very fast reading and writing to them. But it failed on the image using Windows 7 image program which is still on 10. I swapped it out for my old Thermaltake single USB 3.0 dock and used the same USB 3 cable. The image was created in 20 minutes and no issues. Obviously the Syba has a conflict. Some would say Windows does not work with a peripheral when in fact the vendor drivers may just be a part of, if not all of, the problem. I am going to buy either a MS Surface3, Surface Pro 3, or dang it spend too much and get a Surface 4.

 

I am not a computer repair professional like I was once. But I guess computers and gadgets are my hobby. But I rarely have anything come up that was not me doing something I knew better than to do. For example, that image that failed, I had already started it when I realized noooooo that was my only Windows 7 restorable image!!! I overwrote the only image I had with all the programs and updates and SP1 and 2 etc already done!!! Then I remembered I kept the original drives intact as my clones for her desktop and my old Toshiba laptop I refurb'd.

 

Whew! But see that was me not MS. All I had to do was rename the old image and let the new one create without erasing or overwriting the old one. Or simply swap Hard drives. Then I checked and I had saved that image too on a 1 TB portable drive.

Other than my own brain farts, I've had amazingly few irritations with 8.21 or 10. However my Dell All in one will be a bear. Dell replaced it three times for USB issues and power drop outs. The last time they loaded Window 8 home. I didn't notice it until I reconfigured and loaded the whole thing! Fortunately I had two Windows 8 Pro licenses left that were taken off the computers and factory restored to 7 for those two machines. Microsoft techs had to remotely come in and configure the upgrade to Pro and that took several hours. I shudder to think of the issues with a transition to Windows 10. Three activation keys floating around on it.

 

Jack they have the new models of the dual boot from the factory tablets with the same screen as the Apple retina, and others that are just 1080, now with Windows 10 and Android something for from 99-250 bucks. I got the Voyo micro desktop with Windows 8.1 and Android 4.4. Gear Best has them. I have to be careful not to overlook it when updates day comes around or the interim ones.

 

The Voyo threw me for the first few days as I thought the power switch was bad. It turns out it is exactly like my ASUS and not like my Dell tablets. It literally is a tablet with no screen, with the Z3735 64 GB SSD 2GB RAM. I learned that like my ASUS T200 there is no haptic buzz letting me know it turned on. nor is there a screen like the ASUS that will blink when I have held the button long enough for it to boot, just 2-3 seconds. I was just pressing it and the light came on then went out.. I went through that for a few days until I did a head slap and treated power on like the ASUS and it was fine.

 

That kind of stuff that are my brain farts are all I have that fails, or hardware drivers like the Syba dock. I did have to uninstall;ll and reinstall Speccy but not CCleaner after the upgrade to 10.