Windows 10

[MattPie]

New Windows 10 laptop last night. In the little I got a chance to use it, I like the interface for 10 a ton more than 8. It's not nearly as "hey look, I'm a tablet!". If it weren't for big brother, I think they'd have a solid hit. I still need to do the deeper privacy stuff, but I did turn off all the options during the initial setup.

[beerme1]

Touch laptop.

However, IE sucks and crashes several times per day and GC, while stable, is super slow.

On top of that, apps that I run in non-touch mode are not optimized and those that run in touch mode are not as intuitive

Printing is routinely a challenge

 

I'm sure most of issues come from my desire to run computer as a laptop not tablet, and preference to non-touch mode

 

Ah, I thought based on your comments it would be non touch. I agree about IE. Absolute pos. I have the favorites bar disappear frequently for no reason. Very aggravation so I'm hoping for a better experience with edge. but no extensions till later this year is making me think in addition to some other bugs of just waiting till the October update on 10

[Doohicksie]

Ack.  I just got upgraded at work to Office 2013.  So far the biggest change seems to be MENUS AND STATUS BARS IN ALL CAPS.  Really, Microsoft?

[MattPie]

Ack.  I just got upgraded at work to Office 2013.  So far the biggest change seems to be MENUS AND STATUS BARS IN ALL CAPS.  Really, Microsoft?

That is ugly, but in my mind the color choices of "White, Dingy White, and very light grey" leave a bit to be desired. I don't know why they even bothered.

[JJFIVEOH]

New Windows 10 laptop last night. In the little I got a chance to use it, I like the interface for 10 a ton more than 8. It's not nearly as "hey look, I'm a tablet!". If it weren't for big brother, I think they'd have a solid hit. I still need to do the deeper privacy stuff, but I did turn off all the options during the initial setup.

 

Yeah it's a real shame because I was relatively impressed it. One of the most important things to do is get rid of your Microsoft account (if you can)  because much of the privacy concerns are linked through your account 

[MattPie]

Yeah it's a real shame because I was relatively impressed it. One of the most important things to do is get rid of your Microsoft account (if you can)  because much of the privacy concerns are linked through your account

Skipped signing into a MS account initial setup. Win! :)

[ubkev]

It appears that my download is frozen.

 

Configuring update for Windows 10

60% complete

Do not turn off your computer

 

 

It's been at 60% for about 15 hours now.

[I am Defecting]

You're in computer hell ubkev. I had something similar happen one time, and it nearly drove me off the grid. You might need a new computer, unless you can get ahold of an amazing techie.

[darksabre]

It appears that my download is frozen.

 

Configuring update for Windows 10

60% complete

Do not turn off your computer

 

 

It's been at 60% for about 15 hours now.

Your computer isn't just frozen. It's gone full Han Solo.

[ubkev]

You're in computer hell ubkev. I had something similar happen one time, and it nearly drove me off the grid. You might need a new computer, unless you can get ahold of an amazing techie.

Oh well, I don't really use it anyway.

[I am Defecting]

The first stage of grief, buddy, is denial.

 

But it could be that your phone is a better replacement.

 

Voice recognition seems to be the big feature on Windows 10, and a lot of phones are ahead of Windows on that. It's a pain in the bought on pole, always make mistakes case in point.

 

Hell... if I got a pen and paper letter from anybody, it would be extra special. Maybe you're an actual man of letters.

[ubkev]

Seriously, I never use it. I pay bills on it once a month. I can use my wife's for that, or my phone. My laptop hasn't been mobile in about 2 years. It has to be plugged in or it turns off. It's pretty useless.

[ubkev]

Whelp, came home from work to find my computer rebooted and Windows 10 has not installed at all. it, I'll keep windows 7

[Huckleberry]

It appears that my download is frozen.

 

Configuring update for Windows 10

60% complete

Do not turn off your computer

 

 

It's been at 60% for about 15 hours now.

 

only one solution pal, restart your computer :D

Whelp, came home from work to find my computer rebooted and Windows 10 has not installed at all. ###### it, I'll keep windows 7

 

nvm it did it for you :p

[gregmo]

Fixed. I don't think MacOS is particularly touchy yet, and there's a slew of Linux desktops that are more traditional. I know that doesn't help most people, but with the short experience I had with a Windows 8.1 laptop (I boxed it up this morning to return it), I'm not thrilled with the prospect of running Windows past 7. If only my wife didn't need Photoshop I'd probably be able to switch to Linux full-time.

 

Which brings up something else: the laptop, with it's "Secure Boot" BS won't boot off anything other than the internal disk. I was going to install Linux on it before shipping it back to see how it ran but after an hour of poking around on Dell's support site and Google I couldn't find an obvious method to disable that nonsense. It seems that some systems it's just not possible, but I didn't look hard enough to know if that was the case for that system to be sure.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2901262/microsoft-tightens-windows-10s-secure-boot-screws-where-does-that-leave-linux.html

It's really bad that M$ controls hardware manufacturers, but they've been doing it for subtle ways for years.  According to that article, you're stuck with Ubuntu or Fedora for now on latest hardware where you can't disable secure boot.

 

I run Ubuntu (14.04) on my desktop and Linux Mint Mate (17.1) on my laptop.  I'm not a fan of the Ubuntu Unity interface and I got lucky on my desktop as I kept upgrading from an old version that originally had Gnome and it somehow keeps it around.

 

Has your wife tried "gimp" on linux as a Photoshop alternative?

[MattPie]

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2901262/microsoft-tightens-windows-10s-secure-boot-screws-where-does-that-leave-linux.html

It's really bad that M$ controls hardware manufacturers, but they've been doing it for subtle ways for years.  According to that article, you're stuck with Ubuntu or Fedora for now on latest hardware where you can't disable secure boot.

 

I run Ubuntu (14.04) on my desktop and Linux Mint Mate (17.1) on my laptop.  I'm not a fan of the Ubuntu Unity interface and I got lucky on my desktop as I kept upgrading from an old version that originally had Gnome and it somehow keeps it around.

 

Has your wife tried "gimp" on linux as a Photoshop alternative?

 

That hardware went back (Dell Inspiron 5000 15 (AMD A10 version)). We've bought a Dell Inspiron 7000 13 now, which seems to be a much nicer piece of hardware. It was pre-loaded with Windows 10. I'd say if it wasn't for the privacy stuff, Windows 10 is at least as good as Windows 7. It's nowhere near the disaster of the Windows 8 interface. I did check the floor model that I can enable legacy boot and whatnot before buying.

 

As for GIMP, I asked the same question. Yes, she's used it but made the very good point that's not that similar to photoshop in terms of interface and capabilities when you get deeper into it. Kind of like saying Linux and Windows are the same because you can browse the web and look at pictures with them. In any case, it's not a fight I'm going to pursue. :)

[JJFIVEOH]

Fixed. I don't think MacOS is particularly touchy yet, and there's a slew of Linux desktops that are more traditional. I know that doesn't help most people, but with the short experience I had with a Windows 8.1 laptop (I boxed it up this morning to return it), I'm not thrilled with the prospect of running Windows past 7. If only my wife didn't need Photoshop I'd probably be able to switch to Linux full-time.

 

Which brings up something else: the laptop, with it's "Secure Boot" BS won't boot off anything other than the internal disk. I was going to install Linux on it before shipping it back to see how it ran but after an hour of poking around on Dell's support site and Google I couldn't find an obvious method to disable that nonsense. It seems that some systems it's just not possible, but I didn't look hard enough to know if that was the case for that system to be sure.

 

There's not a way to disable secure boot in BIOS? 

[MattPie]

There's not a way to disable secure boot in BIOS? 

 

Apparently, some systems do not let you into the BIOS. Or at least you need to do some magic to do it. The Dell 5000 did not give me an obvious method. Guides for other Dell systems would say, "Hit F2 at boot" which did nothing, or "Go into the recovery options in Windows 8 and ...." which I'd do but there still wasn't a BIOS setting in recovery boot like the instructions said. I'm guessing there may be some jiggery-pokery that may have worked on that model, but for other reasons I didn't keep the system long enough to find out.

[JJFIVEOH]

Apparently, some systems do not let you into the BIOS. Or at least you need to do some magic to do it. The Dell 5000 did not give me an obvious method. Guides for other Dell systems would say, "Hit F2 at boot" which did nothing, or "Go into the recovery options in Windows 8 and ...." which I'd do but there still wasn't a BIOS setting in recovery boot like the instructions said. I'm guessing there may be some jiggery-pokery that may have worked on that model, but for other reasons I didn't keep the system long enough to find out.

 

That's odd. Sometimes it's also the 'delete' key, also the F12 will put you into a boot menu and sometimes there is an option in that menu to take you right into BIOS.

 

Seems like computers are getting to be less and less accessible nowadays. Before you know it they'll just be glorified tablets.

[Doohicksie]

Seems like computers are getting to be less and less accessible nowadays. Before you know it they'll just be glorified tablets.

 

Yep.  That's pretty much the way we're going.

[darksabre]

Aaaand my laptop is jacked up. When I sign in I receive an error saying that Start Menu and Cortana are not working, and the only option I have is to sign back out. Wonderful.

Restarted the computer and now it's fine.

 

That was pointlessly annoying. 

[Drunkard]

Aaaand my laptop is jacked up. When I sign in I receive an error saying that Start Menu and Cortana are not working, and the only option I have is to sign back out. Wonderful.

Restarted the computer and now it's fine.

 

That was pointlessly annoying. 

 

 

I have no plans to update to Windows 10 but it's amazing how many glitches and errors can fix themselves with a re-boot. I was the IT and Accounting Manager at a sheet metal fabricator for 4 1/2 years with almost no IT background whatsoever. Luckily for me rebooting fixed a bunch of problems for everything from computer and laptops to laser cutters, punch machines, a faro measuring arm, and even a half million dollar robotic press brake.

[MattPie]

I have no plans to update to Windows 10 but it's amazing how many glitches and errors can fix themselves with a re-boot. I was the IT and Accounting Manager at a sheet metal fabricator for 4 1/2 years with almost no IT background whatsoever. Luckily for me rebooting fixed a bunch of problems for everything from computer and laptops to laser cutters, punch machines, a faro measuring arm, and even a half million dollar robotic press brake.

 

[darksabre]

I have no plans to update to Windows 10 but it's amazing how many glitches and errors can fix themselves with a re-boot. I was the IT and Accounting Manager at a sheet metal fabricator for 4 1/2 years with almost no IT background whatsoever. Luckily for me rebooting fixed a bunch of problems for everything from computer and laptops to laser cutters, punch machines, a faro measuring arm, and even a half million dollar robotic press brake.

 

I was almost angry about it. I mean seriously, it's 2015 and we're still turning things off and turning them back on again.  :lol:

[Drunkard]

 

Funny stuff. If I had seen that video back in those days I would have just sent it out to everyone in a company wide email. It literally solved like 75-80% of the problems people would call/email me about. Over time I picked up some other basic tricks for other small problems and every now and then there was an actual hardware/software problem that I would have to call actual tech support with for whatever computer or piece of equipment that was having problems. One of the first things I would tell them was that I've rebooted "it" several times before they could even advise me to because I assumed that's step 1 of the troubleshooting guide to anything and everything.