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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → windows 10
When I went too my laptop today I had a little message with the windows flag asking do I want to get windows 10. Have any of you got this?
Not me Dino.... but then I run linux on most of my PCs. Will have to check the portables though, they are 8.1 and arre eligible for the upgrade. That is once I charge the batteries..... not used as often I suppose. The downside of being retired and staying close to home where smaller and lighter is not a requirement.
I did hear that it was coming very soon though!
There's been a flurry of articles coming across the news feeds for 2 days. If you're running 7 or 8.1 it should be a seamless transition, if you choose to download it. It's free for the Home Edition but the Pro version will cost you something. If you decide to take them up on their offer to switch you have to do it by July 2016. After that you will have to buy it.
Here is the first article I came across when I went looking for it.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly … windows-8/
Thanks for the link, Uncle Joe ...
It would seem from the article that this "upgrade" is more for Microsoft's benefit than the consumer's. I for one like a couple of the features which will be removed, and don't like the stated intention that they'll be in full control of upgrade probes that I receive from them. I have Windows 8.1, and although it has a few glitches (like retaining Print Driver settings) it's preferable to opening the door for more down-my-throat marketing.
Now the dilemma will be, that if a person decides not to upgrade to Windows 10, how long before Windows 8.1 users will have software services eliminated?Microsoft has become extremely wealthy with this donkey-and-carrot marketing strategy ... drives me nuts.
And Window 10 is software as a service. It's free for the first year and carries an annual subscription fee after that. No thanks. That may be enough to push me to Apple or Linux.
And Window 10 is software as a service. It's free for the first year and carries an annual subscription fee after that. No thanks. That may be enough to push me to Apple or Linux.
Maybe. Microsoft states “once a qualified Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it up to date for the supported lifetime of the device, keeping it more secure, and introducing new features and functionality over time – for no additional charge.” And "eventually" there will be no more numbers. You'll just have "Windows" not "Windows 10" or "Windows 8.1" - at which point it sounds like it will transition to a subscription product (likely a paid subscription product as Zurf states). However, this probably won't happen for a few years (each new release has been about 3 years - so you my guess is Windows 10 will be fine for 2-3 years). My guess is that when it does, it will be priced comparably to outright buying an OS - for example, if you have Windows 7, you can upgrade to Windows 8.1 for a cost - or you can buy a new machine that includes Windows 8.1. My thought is the subscription service will probably be "free with a new computer" for a year - or an upgrade you can purchase for a monthly or annual fee (no different in price than what you'd currently pay to upgrade now from 7 to 8). Difference being that it'll probably only be good for a year rather than the typical 3 years between OS upgrades (hopefully this means it will be cheaper than an outright upgrade too).
So - my thought is that it's not a new sneaky ploy, just a different way to go about upgrading - and pushing more people to upgrade (there's a lot of people still using Vista - crazy, but true).
Of course, there's always a few options out there for free operating systems. 
True computer techies love them.
In other news... I bought a new laptop yesterday! I'm so happy to have a machine that works properly again! Yay!
I am running Windows 7 home premium on my Dell laptop my understanding was it was a free upgrade with no strings attached not sure what to do now I also have a backup Dell running xp no upgrades but good security I think it depends on how much more for the upgrade if I like it.
ps. I also have a vista desktop lol it's in storage
I have windows 7 and an old xp also a windows dinasor millinum desktop. I also have a Mac mini Ipad and a androuid tablet. I like the android the best its fast and simple,I am going to sell the Ipad soon it is only a few months old.
On another note: My semi-resident computer guru (eldest son), has been running the beta as a tester for Microsoft for awhile now. He's pretty much of the opinion that 10 is not that big an improvement over 8.1 at this stage. "Ive been running it in a virtual machine because it is not stable enough to trust as a sole OS on any piece of hardware I depend on.". So that begs the question of "will it be ready by the July 29th scheduled release?" To which I get a maybe...... "give them a few months to get everything patched & we'll see".
Now I must add, that I have been a dedicated Windows user since 3.1.... the only reason I don't have it on anything other than a recently purchased notebook, is that when my mainboard died.... Windows would not validate my 7 Pro on the new rebuild. I already ran Linux on my laptop because the lower overhead increased battery run-time, and frankly does everything I was using my lapotp for as well or better than the Vista it shipped with.
There were some applications that I used on my desktop that only run in a Windows environment (at that time) and 7 Pro was a good stable horse to saddle with those kind of chores. Now I'm retired, and that nag is out to pasture (pretty much same as me)..... my "workload" has changed and I don't feel the need to hang in there with Windows running the circus. Not really comfy with the "cloud based" Office suite (365), don't really like the "subscription" business model, with little or no control over what gets put into my hardware and when (without full disclosure about what it's doing in there and why I need it in the first place). If you open your Windows Task Manager and scroll through the list of running applications and services, it's scary what all is going on in there! Then check the Commit load on your resources and ask yourself why "with 4 cores and 8 Gigs of Ram, a fifth of a terabyte of swap file space..... you can still toast marshmallows on the CPU cooler!?!" While ONLY reading the forum on Chordie.
I'm not bashing Windows here, just saying that for the things I do..... Linux just works!
You know, when I was shopping this time, I did glance at Macs a few times. I just wasn't interested in paying the costs they want for SSD's (option on Windows machines, pretty much a requirement on portable Macs). Not that it wouldn't be useful mind you, but it really cranks up the price. Their displays are overkill too. It does make me wonder a few things. Like, does the Mac OS really not hog resources as much as Windows... or does it just get away with it better because of the hard drive they put in their systems? I like options and I like configuring to my needs/price. If I could have afforded a Mac or a Windows machine with an SSD, I would have done it. But... well... I just don't NEED it (at least, I know I don't need it with Windows and it's not an option on today's Macbooks). Oddly, a small SSD would be eaten by the Windows operating system, making the whole point kind of useless (then I would NEED an external drive and there goes the whole portability factor). I didn't look that far into the Mac OS.
For the record, I've got a pretty rocking machine. It just doesn't have SSD or an ultra display. IPS 1920 X 1080 is more than sufficient, thank you very much. I have a laptop with similar specs to the iMac, but portable and the ram is upgradeable, and it can be used as a giant tablet, and ...touchscreen ...fancy light up keys ... other silly things...
Anyway... I use Google Docs or Open Office. Office 365 has been a waste of money for years in my opinion. Everything is going cloud based. I suggest making friends with Google Docs. I'm required to use it for work. Honestly, if I were just getting a laptop for what MOST people use them for (internet browsing, emails, occasional letter writing, a couple low end time passing games, etc) I'd get a Chromebook and save hundreds towards a new guitar! If you're going to edit music though, well, that's another story of course.
Android (chromebooks) are "subscription based" models - only they don't charge you (yet, maybe never... but one can only guess).
Linux - probably a viable solution. Maybe too much work for the average person that wants to just turn it on and go (can't buy a machine with it preinstalled). I can't recall, but I think there was a learning curve with it when I was reading about it before?? I'm considering installing it on the old desktop, maybe it'll speed it up. I suppose, for those with an extra laying around, it's worth playing with to compare. Doug, is Linux as simple to use as a Mac or Windows OS? Teach us oh wise one. There's clearly a few people here considering it over upgrading to Windows 10. I'll be upgrading my new laptop to 10, but the desktop is almost ready for the garbage heap, and it really shouldn't be. I'd love to revive it if possible. A new OS might just do the trick.
On the subject of Windows 7 I am experiencing a "Black Screen of Death" on boot it lasts sometimes for over a minute any ideas you pc gurus?
My Dell N5050 is about 2 years old any advise would be appreciated
I have not got that yet,but sometimes mine will take forever too shutdown.
It could be soooo many things Russell. I personally would start with downloading a copy of malwarebytes onto a thumb drive (USB stick) if available from another computer. Then try to boot into safe mode and pray (pres F8 I think on a Dell while booting up for the advanced start up options). If it works, run malewarebytes removing anything malicious. Then run it again to make sure everything's gone. Try to reboot normally and pray again.
In that advanced start up screen, you should see other options as well - like running diagnostics - you could have a bad hard drive, corrupt bios, etc
It could be that the user profile is the issue. Again, booting into safe mode will have to be an option. Create a new admin profile, there's some additional steps that aren't jumping out at me... trying to remember what I've gone though. But if it's a corrupt profile, you might be able to still save the computer.
I think there might be a few more options to try - system restore points and such. Finally attempting a full OS overwrite/reinstall as a last resort (hopefully you have your disk still!).
Honestly... I stopped buying HP computers because I had this happen to me twice and my conclusion was that the motherboard died on both. I'd get the computer working for about 3 days, and then the SAME issue would start again.
Let it be known, Amy is awesome at frying motherboards (or the motherboards HP uses suck... I wonder if the motherboard I had to replace in my fridge was made by the same company HP gets theirs from... hmmm... or maybe it is all me)
Doug probably knows a LOT more than I do about these things. I'm a self taught "geek-mom" - not a real true awesome geek. 
But yeah... my last computer, I was sure it was the hard drive that had failed. Bought a new one. Bought the new OS outright (windows 8 in fact - my computer was also running 7 at the time, I believe), only to find out THAT didn't fix things either. $300 later, I STILL needed to buy a new computer (that's when I went to a tablet and managed for the past few years on an old desktop).
NOTE... if you get to that point don't just toss the computer - strip out the hard drive and ram. They could be useful in updating one of your other machines! Ram is really easy to upgrade (if it's compatible). Buy an external dock/bay/drive holder for your extra hard drive to use as a system back up or file back up. It's good to have pieces parts on hand sometimes. OR - at least physically destroy the hard drive before trashing it. All your saved info. is still on the disk. If you use it in an external drive, you can most likely get everything off it pretty easily.
It could be soooo many things Russell. I personally would start with downloading a copy of malwarebytes onto a thumb drive (USB stick) if available from another computer. Then try to boot into safe mode and pray (pres F8 I think on a Dell while booting up for the advanced start up options). If it works, run malewarebytes removing anything malicious. Then run it again to make sure everything's gone. Try to reboot normally and pray again.
In that advanced start up screen, you should see other options as well - like running diagnostics - you could have a bad hard drive, corrupt bios, etc
It could be that the user profile is the issue. Again, booting into safe mode will have to be an option. Create a new admin profile, there's some additional steps that aren't jumping out at me... trying to remember what I've gone though. But if it's a corrupt profile, you might be able to still save the computer.
I think there might be a few more options to try - system restore points and such. Finally attempting a full OS overwrite/reinstall as a last resort (hopefully you have your disk still!).
Honestly... I stopped buying HP computers because I had this happen to me twice and my conclusion was that the motherboard died on both. I'd get the computer working for about 3 days, and then the SAME issue would start again.
Let it be known, Amy is awesome at frying motherboards (or the motherboards HP uses suck... I wonder if the motherboard I had to replace in my fridge was made by the same company HP gets theirs from... hmmm... or maybe it is all me)
Doug probably knows a LOT more than I do about these things. I'm a self taught "geek-mom" - not a real true awesome geek.
NOTE... if you get to that point don't just toss the computer - strip out the hard drive and ram. They could be useful in updating one of your other machines!
whew! thats a load to try and it is a Dell not HP I honestly do not think I could do most of what you suggest but as a last resort I do have a geek friend who is a wiz on this stuff I will show him your post and get his opinion perhaps there is something that will jump out thanks
Amy you just boggled my mind!!!
Russell, I bet you could do this. You are pretty savvy with video and such! Lol. Dell uses crap parts like HP does, unfortunately. If you decide you want to try it yourself, shoot me an email and I can give you more detailed instructions 1 step at a time.
Dino... I try not to let the geek slip out too much. Ha ha! Most people just look at me a little crazy when I do.
As for Windows and Mac, the story about Mac's better software design was generally true back in the day. They needed to be because their components weren't able to run anything more. IBM used far, far better quality components. So it was a difference of opinion in where to put the slop.
I expect these days that things have gotten a bit more complicated.
On the subject of Windows 7 I am experiencing a "Black Screen of Death" on boot it lasts sometimes for over a minute any ideas you pc gurus?
My Dell N5050 is about 2 years old any advise would be appreciated
My wifes laptop experienced the "Black Screen of Death" a few weeks ago and after spending a few hundred dollars for repairs the ungrateful thing went "black" permanetly, so for a few more hundred dollars she now has a new computer. I know nothing about computers and thats not likely to change, if I can't fix it with a wrench, screwdriver and bigger hammer I'm out of luck.
Russell, I bet you could do this. You are pretty savvy with video and such! Lol. Dell uses crap parts like HP does, unfortunately. If you decide you want to try it yourself, shoot me an email and I can give you more detailed instructions 1 step at a time.
Dino... I try not to let the geek slip out too much. Ha ha! Most people just look at me a little crazy when I do.
Thanks Amy for the offer and encouragement I was thinking what about a remote fix pc to pc is that a possibility?
I have had H.P. and a Dell they have always been good,both are top rated in the industry.
Thanks Amy for the offer and encouragement I was thinking what about a remote fix pc to pc is that a possibility?
Does it start at all? Generally, "black screen of death" means that you can't get logged in at all, which would mean we couldn't connect remotely.
Russell have you checked with the groups online for that Dell model,they do have groups that help one another. I have seen them for all my computers ,you may want to give it a try
Russell_Harding wrote:Thanks Amy for the offer and encouragement I was thinking what about a remote fix pc to pc is that a possibility?
Does it start at all? Generally, "black screen of death" means that you can't get logged in at all, which would mean we couldn't connect remotely.
the black screen took 2 minutes today to boot it will boot sometimes in 10 sec. sometimes 30 secs. it varies but it will boot eventually and I am on it now.
Russell have you checked with the groups online for that Dell model,they do have groups that help one another. I have seen them for all my computers ,you may want to give it a try
dino yes i have but i would not attempt some of the command prompts or mess with the registry i am not that confident I may wind up killing it altogether
Greetings All! First off, I'm not a full blown certified PC Tech...... Juat a hobbist with some miles on. The first hard drive I came in contact with was the size of a top-load washing machine and would store a massive 10M of data!! processors were running @ 7MHz and "Downtown" was a mega-hit (Petula Clarke for you historians).
Amy, You are not responsible for fried main-boards, and they are not brand specific! It's not a curse, it's capacitors that either reach their end of life, or have experienced power surges over time and finally surrendered. Really! just about every one that I have had fail,or have changed out for folks had blown/overheated/swollen (pick one) capacitors on it. Storms, surges, heat, or just bad power supplies kill them.
As for SSD drives, the failure rate for them over "spinning rust" is too high vs cost to justify refitting just yet. In devices that depend on batteries, like tablets, convertables, & laptops they substantially extend battery runtime (mainly because spinning motors eat electrons). Also newer hard drives have read/write speeds that still beat the fastest SSDs, with very good reliability, and if you don't trust the one you are running, they are affordable to install a second drive and set up a "mirror" array so if the main fails everything is also on the second. External drives are great for backing up essential data and your documents/photos/music will be saved if something catastrophic happens.
If you would like to try Linux... you only need a blank 2Gb USB drive and visit the Ubuntu homepage for instructions on how to make it bootable and download the 14.04 version (that is last year's release & stable). You get the option of either installing the OS, or "test driving" it from the thumb drive without formatting or abandoning your existing OS...... bear in mind that it is always a good idea to backup your files before doing anything that you might click wrong and start a process that may lose you something!
Anyway, the Linux OS will run off the thumb drive and might be a little slower than if it was actually on your hard disk, but you can play around in it and get a feel for using the software without commitment or cost (Ubuntu is free!). It really is kinda like a cross between Mac OS and Windows with everything running in a GUI (unless you really like "command" in which case "terminal" will feel familiar....exit). All needed drivers are packed in the kernel (so you don't have to hunt them down) and it includes Firefox as default browser along with a few apps (but no "shovel-ware" ie: trial apps with nag screens etc).
Russell, BSOD? do you have the delay before or AFTER the "Windows Splash Screen"? Where it "hangs" in the sequence helps finding what kind of issue might be slowing your startup. Please Advise.
Doug
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