Windows 10

[CarverED]

I downloaded Windows 10, and for me it's been nothing but trouble. My HP printer stopped working. I tried downloading a Windows 10 driver for my HP printer. HP downloads a driver but when I try to load it it says it for Windows 8. Tried to reload my HP software and it won't run because it is for Windows 7. I even tried to buy a new printer, but every printer in the stores now are not compatible with Windows 10.Tried to restore to Windows 7 and it says I must have a disc with EVERYTHING because I will lose it all. Sound cards, video card, you name it, about 30 items I will lose. Even if I had it all, it would be a nightmare tying to reinstall it all. Windows 10 for me was a bad move. I have an Apple laptop and will stick with it. I should have know better after years of Microsoft's screw ups.

[halfdome, Danny]

I found that every time I shut the thing down and restarted it something else for Windows 10 updated or installed.
This has been going on ever since I posted that it installed without my consent.
Who knows, your printer problems might rectify itself over time.
I have an HP printer too and it works with Windows 10.
Somehow I have to get rid of the dumb a** app? "TV & Movies" as it runs interference with my photos so I have to right click to open them with another program.
Danny

[tony.latham]

Keep this thread alive!



I've been enjoying it from my Macbook.

Tony

p.s. My post isn't intended to mock anyone that is having a computer problem. Any bad computer day is a bad day, no matter what platform you're running.

[BigGoofyGuy]

I have been surfing the web with my Chromebook from Samsung.

I also have a Windows 10 computer. It was a Windows 8.1 computer but it was upgraded. I had to reload my printer a couple of times to get it to work. There are times the video won't play at times. Fortunately I use the Chrome browser instead of Internet Explorer or Edge.




I have been checking out ReactOS. http://www.reactos.org It is still being developed. It is an open source clone of Windows.

I also have been using eComStation. http://www.ecomstation.com It is an updated version of OS/2 Warp by IBM.

I am watching Blue Lion by Arca Naoe. http://www.aracanoae.com

[daveesl77]

Linux Mint Mate 17.3 or Ubuntu Gnome or Zorin Linux. Free, fast, powerful, tons of apps, will run about 80% of windows programs, not a big concern on virus. Add in Virtualbox, create a windows virtual machine if you need a win program that linux can't run. Or dual boot. Just spent 2 hours getting my neighbor's Win 10 free upgrade working to where it almost works half as good as it did under Win 7. Added in one of my prebuilt virtual Linux Mint Mate machines for them to use, they seem to love it and want me to replace Win 10 with Linux. I told them I'd set it for dual boot just in case they want to go back to the dark side.

dave

[wagondude]

Linux Mint Mate 17.3 or Ubuntu Gnome or Zorin Linux. Free, fast, powerful, tons of apps, will run about 80% of windows programs, not a big concern on virus. Add in Virtualbox, create a windows virtual machine if you need a win program that linux can't run. Or dual boot. Just spent 2 hours getting my neighbor's Win 10 free upgrade working to where it almost works half as good as it did under Win 7. Added in one of my prebuilt virtual Linux Mint Mate machines for them to use, they seem to love it and want me to replace Win 10 with Linux. I told them I'd set it for dual boot just in case they want to go back to the dark side.

dave

1+...I set my old Windows 7 laptop up as a dual boot with Zorin OS. I rarely boot into windows now. I have a really nice Win 7 desktop that I want to set up with Zorin when my wife decides she is done with it. She decided to get a win 10 box to replace it instead of just cleaning it up. I hate throwing away perfectly good computers just because the are a few years old. When will we stop being so wasteful?

[RAYVILLIAN]

I'm currently on an old win 7 desktop that the hard drive died on running xbuntu 15 from a 64g usb drive. Want to go on vacation just pop the drive out put in the laptop and I got the same computer as the desk top. Runs great for 99% of what I do. got it running Skecthup too. I have a windows 7 lap top that the only thing i do on is upgrade the virus software every couple days.

Gary

[daveesl77]

One of the side projects I do is to take older computers that people don't want (give aways), zero write the hard drive to delete all old data, test all of the mechanicals and electronic parts, then install a modified Mint Mate 17.3 Linux. I add in a universe of educational software, some neat desktop stuff and my security system. I then give these away to disadvantaged kids in the area at the high school level.

The kids get a fairly fast, stable, secure computer with a cool desktop that they aren't ashamed of. The people who donate the old equipment get rid of something they don't want but know they are helping someone needing a bit of help. I get the satisfaction of bringing these old systems back and giving them a purpose. The community wins as the only condition of the giveaway is that the student receiving the computer must give 5 hours of their time doing some kind of helpful project, whether around the school, their neighborhood, their town. So far I've resurrected and given away 8 computers this year and have 2 more almost ready to go now.

Linux makes this all possible.


dave - the Elf Geek

[Socal Tom]

I have a server running Arch linux. Its an older core2duo system, I think it originally came with windows 95. Its headless, but I have the xfce4 desktop running with xrdp and I remote in to do things. Its remarkably snappy given how old it is.
Tom

[jstrubberg]

Linux is great and I enjoy tinkering with it. I'm currently borderline obsessed with the raspberry pi, which natively runs a version of Debian linux. I've got three of them now, two running as media centers for our two televisions and a third running as an old arcade emulator, allowing me to play Donkey Kong, Pac Man, etc.

Be aware that linux is a 90% solution. What I mean by that is that linux will do 90% of what 90% of users want to do without a hitch. You will constantly run into small problems, though. Scanners that you can't get drivers for, odd printing issues, things like that. If you like to tinker you can get past these problems. For the mainstream PC user, it can get very frustrating.

[jstrubberg]

For those of you struggling with Windows 10, if it's been less than 30 days since you upgraded Microsoft has a utility to roll you back to your previous operating system.

You can find the utility at Settings > Update & security > Recovery. Then select either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, whichever you upgraded from. WIndows 7 is being supported through 2020, so don't feel like you have to live with a new operating system today.

[mikeschn]

I give up... my computers are becoming windows 10, one by one... I use start10... it helps a little bit. I just converted another machine to windows 10 tonight,, because the 8.1 OS that was on it couldn't handle the 4K monitor. I'm guessing I got a bad driver, because typically I can run a 4K monitor on 8.1.

I also have a both a laptop and a desktop running linux, but once I veer away from the mainstream applications, I run into problems. The biggest problem is not being able to find a robust alternative to autohotkey. I am using autokey, but the script trashes my paste into emails...

Linux is nice though... I was using Zorin for a while, and now I'm playing with Linux Mint and changing themes...

You know what's funny? I am a computer user at heart, but I do have an iPad for reading in the evening... I never have to fight with the iPad... yea, I know, not a fair comparison...

So where was I? Oh yea, if you're not happy with Windows 10 out of the box, try start10. It makes it much more like Windows 7.

Mike...

For those of you struggling with Windows 10, if it's been less than 30 days since you upgraded Microsoft has a utility to roll you back to your previous operating system.

You can find the utility at Settings > Update & security > Recovery. Then select either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, whichever you upgraded from. WIndows 7 is being supported through 2020, so don't feel like you have to live with a new operating system today.

[Socal Tom]

I give up... my computers are becoming windows 10, one by one... I use start10... it helps a little bit. I just converted another machine to windows 10 tonight,, because the 8.1 OS that was on it couldn't handle the 4K monitor. I'm guessing I got a bad driver, because typically I can run a 4K monitor on 8.1.

I also have a both a laptop and a desktop running linux, but once I veer away from the mainstream applications, I run into problems. The biggest problem is not being able to find a robust alternative to autohotkey. I am using autokey, but the script trashes my paste into emails...

Linux is nice though... I was using Zorin for a while, and now I'm playing with Linux Mint and changing themes...

You know what's funny? I am a computer user at heart, but I do have an iPad for reading in the evening... I never have to fight with the iPad... yea, I know, not a fair comparison...

So where was I? Oh yea, if you're not happy with Windows 10 out of the box, try start10. It makes it much more like Windows 7.

Mike...

For those of you struggling with Windows 10, if it's been less than 30 days since you upgraded Microsoft has a utility to roll you back to your previous operating system.

You can find the utility at Settings > Update & security > Recovery. Then select either Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, whichever you upgraded from. WIndows 7 is being supported through 2020, so don't feel like you have to live with a new operating system today.

There was a little bit of a learning curve, but I like windows 10. Its been pretty stable. I'm the family IT guy, so using file history to backup files has made maintenance easier. All three of our computers backup to a NAS that I have set up, then I just back that up monthly. Cortana is a waste, but otherwise Its worked well for me.
Tom

[Gold5one]

I have kept all my computers on Win 8.1 by just turning off all Windows updates. I have 4 laptops, one Gateway All-in-One desktop w/22" screen and my little Intel NUC micro computer. I just bought a really nice HP Envy 5642 printer at Walmart for $25. Looks like they cleared out the stockroom, as the box had some damage. The software disk was for Win 8.1, so I had zero issues setting it up. Come the 1st of Aug, I can turn Windows update back on and not have to worry about Win 10 taking over my computers.

[troubleScottie]

I got caught by the MS "you need to say No not just close otherwise it will install" upgrade.

Granted it was a new leading edge desktop computer -- 3 months old, i7, 16G RAM, etc. Went from Windows 7 to 10. I had upgrades to 8 and 10 in the box when I bought it.

After a shaking start -- it got in some near infinite loop when doing a restart after the upgrade. Finally got brave and shut down the machine and it started up fine. Being a new machine, and since most of my serious software is open source, everything loaded or was reloaded and is working well. Granted most of the software is NOT really old -- most is the latest version of what I have been working with for years.

My favorite programming editor (last official version/upgrade was at least 9 years ago) runs fine. My Quicken ( 12 years old ) runs fine. My old (10 years??) flatbed HP G4050 runs fine after re-installing the support software from HP. I believe HP had a specific Windows 10 version, but I could be wrong. My old USB direct connect HP printers seem to work. The newest network enabled HP printer is fine. Several external USB 2/3 storage drives all run well.

My only serious issue is my mouse/keyboard switch is a little flaky. I have 2 other machines and like to switch between them. There are enough cables and clutter on my desk.

No particular issue other than the interface is different. Office 2016 is different also, so added confusion. I can see no particular reason to not use it. Not really bleeding edge anymore.