Windows 10

[Donnywolf]

Hi my Techno advisors

I am being "hounded" already to download or at least pre register for the upcoming change to Windows 10

I was on Windows 8 and then they "hounded" me to go to 8.1. I resisted for months as I was happy as I was .... but then one day the PC just said Downloading 8.1 even though I had not said I wanted it unless they sneaked my approval by default

So I am wondering firstly is 10 going to be "better" than 8.1 ? I don't do much in truth just E-mail and your average browsing Google Maps and that kind of stuff so would this enrich my life ?

Then secondly will I get a choice in the long run or will they manage to swap everybody anyway - so that resistance is futile ? They may pull the Plug on 8 and 8.1 and leave people no choice

Any thoughts / pointers very welcome as usual

[IC1967]

Don't bother. They can't force you to upgrade.

New operating systems are notorious for causing lots of problems. I wouldn't even think of upgrading to it until it had been out for at least a year to give them chance to get all the problems sorted.

I'm still with Windows 7 and it does everything I need. From what you've said, you don't use your computer that much so ignore the marketing hype and stick with what you've already got.

IC1967

[RobTheRover]

10 will be a lot better than 8.  Not only is the Start button back, it also allows for desktop virtualisation.  It allows you to create a brand new verison of the desktop (i.e. running apps, etc) whenever you want, so if you are say doing some proper work (for work) and also want to have Viking Chat, the OS and Facebook running, you can create a separate desktop for each so you can focus on one or the other fully.  Various Linux distros have offered this for quite a while (Ubuntu in particular), so its nothing new in computing terms, just takes a while for Microsoft to rip everyone else's ideas off.

Win10 is a free upgrade for a year.  If you resist beyond the year and then decide to buy it, you will have to pay for it.

One thing to bear in mind is that by taking Win10 you are authorising Microsoft to install every single update they release for it.  For most users that wont be an issue, but for some who would rather be selective there needs to be given some thought to that before upgrading.

For what its worth, I've preregistered every Win8.1 and Win7 device in the house as I'm a tight Yorkshireman and the "owt for nowt" draw was just too much.

[swintonrover]

Don't bother. They can't force you to upgrade.

New operating systems are notorious for causing lots of problems. I wouldn't even think of upgrading to it until it had been out for at least a year to give them chance to get all the problems sorted.

I'm still with Windows 7 and it does everything I need. From what you've said, you don't use your computer that much so ignore the marketing hype and stick with what you've already got.

IC1967

I agree with you. And now I'm terrified.

[RedJ]

10 will be a lot better than 8.  Not only is the Start button back, it also allows for desktop virtualisation.  It allows you to create a brand new verison of the desktop (i.e. running apps, etc) whenever you want, so if you are say doing some proper work (for work) and also want to have Viking Chat, the OS and Facebook running, you can create a separate desktop for each so you can focus on one or the other fully.  Various Linux distros have offered this for quite a while (Ubuntu in particular), so its nothing new in computing terms, just takes a while for Microsoft to rip everyone else's ideas off.

Win10 is a free upgrade for a year.  If you resist beyond the year and then decide to buy it, you will have to pay for it.

One thing to bear in mind is that by taking Win10 you are authorising Microsoft to install every single update they release for it.  For most users that wont be an issue, but for some who would rather be selective there needs to be given some thought to that before upgrading.

For what its worth, I've preregistered every Win8.1 and Win7 device in the house as I'm a tight Yorkshireman and the "owt for nowt" draw was just too much.

1) how do I get it?

2) will it wipe my computer?

[Donnywolf]

1) There should be a Windows logo in the bottom right of your Task bar if you are eligible for the "free upgrade". You then just say "yes" and get it on its launch day

2) I have no idea hence my opening post

[Muttley]

The free offer is only open for 12 months, so you will need to take the upgrade by the end of July 2016, but as others have said it is probably worth waiting until they have sorted some of the inevitable early issues out - they issue what they call "Service Pack" updates to fix the bugs. I would expect at least one Service Pack to be issued within the next year.

Having said that, if you're only a light user, you probably won't notice the minor bugs that need fixing.

RedJ - no it won't "wipe" your computer.

[BobG]

I'm still running XP. Lol. I know. Reckon I will have to pay for this new thing? Damned if I want them installing all sorts of unknown crap on my machine though. If they get DRM stuff on, for example, I'll be completely snookered. Maybe it's time to abandon Microsoft altogether?

BobG

[Dagenham Rover]

I'm still running XP. Lol. I know. Reckon I will have to pay for this new thing? Damned if I want them installing all sorts of unknown crap on my machine though. If they get DRM stuff on, for example, I'll be completely snookered. Maybe it's time to abandon Microsoft altogether?

BobG

You wouldn't believe what business systems still run XP

[BobG]

Bring back 3.1.1!!!!

BobG

[RedJ]

My computer at work still runs on XP, funnily enough...

Back on point, I don't have that get windows 10 app. Any ideas?

[Muttley]

My computer at work still runs on XP, funnily enough...

Back on point, I don't have that get windows 10 app. Any ideas?

Have a look at http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-10-faq

[BobG]

XP is excluded.

Bob

[RobTheRover]

XP is out of support and is extremely vulnerable to malicious code.  You should really upgrade to Win7, at the very least.  I could "help" you with that if you were a bit more local, Bob. <cough, cough>

Only W7 and W8 are supported with free upgrades to 10.  I have 4 laptops running win 7 or win 8.1 (plus a Win8 tablet) so I'm going to take 10 on one of the older ones and give it a blast before committing to the others.  What I've seen of 10 looks good (although the Start button is a cross between the win7 start button and the Win8 "Metro" app skin, and "Recent Documents" seems to have been consigned to the IT bin in the sky).

[BillyStubbsTears]

RTR

Problem with owt beyond Win7.x is that you have to re-install all the software on your PC.

I regularly use 20-odd year old mathematical analysis software which is perfectly fine for my purposes, but which would cost £2k for a new licence with all the bells and whistles that I really don;t need. But, as I don't have the original installation discs, I wouldn't be able to install it on a Win 8-10 OS machine.

So I'm playing the dug-in-heels onld man, refusing to upgrade.

[Rios]

RTR

Problem with owt beyond Win7.x is that you have to re-install all the software on your PC.

I regularly use 20-odd year old mathematical analysis software which is perfectly fine for my purposes, but which would cost £2k for a new licence with all the bells and whistles that I really don;t need. But, as I don't have the original installation discs, I wouldn't be able to install it on a Win 8-10 OS machine.

So I'm playing the dug-in-heels onld man, refusing to upgrade.

You need this - http://www.howtogeek.com/213145/how-to%C2%A0convert-a-physical-windows-or-linux-pc-to-a-virtual-machine/

Create the image of your current machine, move it elsewhere and then upgrade to Win10.  Then install VMWare or VirtualBox and run your created image of Win7 and decrepit software in the VM.  Has the added advantage of you being able to keep a copy of the VM as a backup too.

[Rios]

As for Win10 itself, if you have a newish machine that you think you're going to keep for a long time (five years for Win7, seven years if Win8.1) then it's worth doing.  If your machine is a few years old or is already underpowered then it's not worth doing.  Extended support for Win7 runs out in 2020 and Win8.1 in 2022.  Those OS's will be fine until then and will outlast the life of most of the cheap, craply made laptops and desktops on the market.

From the developer previews Win10 looks to Win8 like Win7 was to Vista.

[jucyberry]

I'm just praying it will be better than 8.1, my laptop hasn't worked properly since I updated it from 8 and I have tried everything I can think of even taking everything off and going back to a factory reset.

[Muttley]

I'm just praying it will be better than 8.1, my laptop hasn't worked properly since I updated it from 8 and I have tried everything I can think of even taking everything off and going back to a factory reset.

Not sure how you thought that would help 

[jucyberry]

I thought the shock would kick start it......   

[Dagenham Rover]

 

[Donnywolf]

Good advice all round as usual

I have just read "preparing your PC for Windows 10" and seeing what it involves I have decided .... bugger it .... leave well alone and stick with what is currently working !

[German Rover]

I'm still running XP. Lol. I know. Reckon I will have to pay for this new thing? Damned if I want them installing all sorts of unknown crap on my machine though. If they get DRM stuff on, for example, I'll be completely snookered. Maybe it's time to abandon Microsoft altogether?

BobG

You wouldn't believe what business systems still run XP

The British Army still works on XP

[Rios]

I'm still running XP. Lol. I know. Reckon I will have to pay for this new thing? Damned if I want them installing all sorts of unknown crap on my machine though. If they get DRM stuff on, for example, I'll be completely snookered. Maybe it's time to abandon Microsoft altogether?

BobG

You wouldn't believe what business systems still run XP

The British Army still works on XP

The British Government paid Microsoft over £5m to extend updates to XP when the normal ones ended last year... that's just lapsed and they haven't extended it further so you'd think they've upgraded to Win7 by now... probably.

Anyone still running XP will get battered eventually.  Still running XP now is a bit like going on the M62 on a space hopper.

I've just installed Win10 on my work laptop.  To be honest it's fine, the only bits that don't work are the ones where I've tried to be too clever for my own good.  It even goes away and downloads the correct drivers for the ones that don't work properly.  I can't find anything that doesn't work (even our ancient crappy BCM phone software that's runs on java worked first time!) although the new Edge browser is a bit too modern and I've quickly binned it in favour of Firefox and reinstating IE11.

[RobTheRover]

I've just upgraded one of my laptops too, Rios.  Like you say, its fine.  I quite like the new start menu with the live tiles too

[Glyn_Wigley]

Does anybody know if you can get rid of the tiles that you're not going to use? That's what I really hated about Windows 8, all the those tiles clogging up the screen and I don't use most of them.

[Dagenham Rover]

I think you can just right click and then either uninstall or delete from start menu

[RobTheRover]

Right click and select unpin

[RedJ]

I still haven't even got the f**king option to upgrade...

[RobTheRover]

Are you running Windows 3.1.1 still?