Free Windows 10 upgrade
Aug 26, 2015, 8:42 pm
#421
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,154
I'm under no illusions about my data privacy with anything, but that doesn't mean that I feel people should go into something blindly. And I did mention that a fair amount of some of the issues can be mitigated if you actually take the time to go through the options instead of accepting the default ones that microsoft foists on you.
As for performance gains, from what I've seen, I'm skeptical that there's any significant improvement for most things. I doubt most people would really find that they can tell the difference (actually, the biggest difference people might notice is if the install process does a pretty good job of cleaning up stuff while it installs so that you're closer to a new install - personally for upgrades I prefer a clean install anyways).
Like I said though, I don't think there's necessarily any reason to avoid it, but I just don't necessarily feel there's a huge reason to upgrade a perfectly functioning system just for upgrading sake. I definitely don't expect most businesses to jump on upgrading existing machines.
But by all means, if there's some feature in there that's compelling that makes one want to upgrade, I don't see any reason not to. At least it's not the steaming pile of crap that windows 8 started as.
As for performance gains, from what I've seen, I'm skeptical that there's any significant improvement for most things. I doubt most people would really find that they can tell the difference (actually, the biggest difference people might notice is if the install process does a pretty good job of cleaning up stuff while it installs so that you're closer to a new install - personally for upgrades I prefer a clean install anyways).
Like I said though, I don't think there's necessarily any reason to avoid it, but I just don't necessarily feel there's a huge reason to upgrade a perfectly functioning system just for upgrading sake. I definitely don't expect most businesses to jump on upgrading existing machines.
But by all means, if there's some feature in there that's compelling that makes one want to upgrade, I don't see any reason not to. At least it's not the steaming pile of crap that windows 8 started as.
Aug 26, 2015, 9:14 pm
#422
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 26,692
Aug 26, 2015, 9:18 pm
#423
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,692
1) Task Manager is still accessible through ctl-alt-del or by right-clicking the task bar. Once it's up, though, it looks different than it did in previous versions; to see the stuff you saw in old versions, click the "More Details" pull-down in the lower left corner. Apps and Processes appear immediately, and you can see performance details - actually more than you could in W7 - by clicking the Performance tab. It's a nice setup, really.
2) I don't care for the new Settings dialog, I prefer the old Control Panel. If you do, too, you can get it to show up on your Desktop. Right-click on the desktop and click Personalize, then click Themes, then click Desktop Icon Settings. You'll get a box that lets you turn on This PC (the new version of My Computer), Network, User's Files, and Control Panel. Those will all show up on your Desktop when you enable them.
3) You can access Device Manager from Control Panel, as before, but you can also create a shortcut directly to it on your desktop. Right-click on the desktop, select New, Shortcut. In the resulting box, past the following:
4) Cortana can kiss my grits. Right-click on the task bar and select Search, Hidden to hide that giant, screen-hogging search box.
5) Bonus: I don't like pinning stuff to the task bar. I like the Quick Launch toolbar from XP. So I bring it back - Right click the Taskbar, then select Toolbars>New Toolbar. In the Folder line, type or copy the location below.
2) I don't care for the new Settings dialog, I prefer the old Control Panel. If you do, too, you can get it to show up on your Desktop. Right-click on the desktop and click Personalize, then click Themes, then click Desktop Icon Settings. You'll get a box that lets you turn on This PC (the new version of My Computer), Network, User's Files, and Control Panel. Those will all show up on your Desktop when you enable them.
3) You can access Device Manager from Control Panel, as before, but you can also create a shortcut directly to it on your desktop. Right-click on the desktop, select New, Shortcut. In the resulting box, past the following:
mmc.exe devmgmt.msc
Click Next, give it a label of Device Manager, and bingo, you've got a direct link to Device Manager on your desktop. You can also drag it into the Start Menu if you prefer.4) Cortana can kiss my grits. Right-click on the task bar and select Search, Hidden to hide that giant, screen-hogging search box.
5) Bonus: I don't like pinning stuff to the task bar. I like the Quick Launch toolbar from XP. So I bring it back - Right click the Taskbar, then select Toolbars>New Toolbar. In the Folder line, type or copy the location below.
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
Click on the Select Folder button. The Quick Launch toolbar will appear; you can drag shortcuts into it, and you can right-click on it to turn off the title and text labels if you prefer.
Aug 26, 2015, 9:21 pm
#424
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,906
I have multiple W7 machines... 2 desktops and 4 laptops... I am going to throw the switch and upgrade one of the laptops. Look, if I read the tea leaves correctly, W10 is the last OS that MS plans to put out... it will be upgraded incrementally over time. So how can one continue without it?
Aug 26, 2015, 9:25 pm
#425
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
I have multiple W7 machines... 2 desktops and 4 laptops... I am going to throw the switch and upgrade one of the laptops. Look, if I read the tea leaves correctly, W10 is the last OS that MS plans to put out... it will be upgraded incrementally over time. So how can one continue without it?
There's a graph on early adopters, laggards etc
Aug 27, 2015, 4:41 am
#426
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Exclusively OMNI/PR, for Reasons
Posts: 4,188
Actually, I DO shred all of my paper records.
In today's economy, it's a lot of extra effort to keep your info off of someone's server; at the very least, your CC info is on the CC company's server, which is vulnerable to hacking.
Data security is not about locking your data up so securely that you can't even read it yourself. It's about managing where, when, and to what extent your data is exposed. Certain exposures are unavoidable, but others are easily avoidable, and so I turned off all of those "tell MS everything about me and my computing habits" settings in W10.
I have some good news for you: A lot of that stuff is still there! It's just not as convenient to use any more.
1) Task Manager is still accessible through ctl-alt-del or by right-clicking the task bar. Once it's up, though, it looks different than it did in previous versions; to see the stuff you saw in old versions, click the "More Details" pull-down in the lower left corner. Apps and Processes appear immediately, and you can see performance details - actually more than you could in W7 - by clicking the Performance tab. It's a nice setup, really.
In today's economy, it's a lot of extra effort to keep your info off of someone's server; at the very least, your CC info is on the CC company's server, which is vulnerable to hacking.
Data security is not about locking your data up so securely that you can't even read it yourself. It's about managing where, when, and to what extent your data is exposed. Certain exposures are unavoidable, but others are easily avoidable, and so I turned off all of those "tell MS everything about me and my computing habits" settings in W10.
I have some good news for you: A lot of that stuff is still there! It's just not as convenient to use any more.
1) Task Manager is still accessible through ctl-alt-del or by right-clicking the task bar. Once it's up, though, it looks different than it did in previous versions; to see the stuff you saw in old versions, click the "More Details" pull-down in the lower left corner. Apps and Processes appear immediately, and you can see performance details - actually more than you could in W7 - by clicking the Performance tab. It's a nice setup, really.
2) I don't care for the new Settings dialog, I prefer the old Control Panel. If you do, too, you can get it to show up on your Desktop. Right-click on the desktop and click Personalize, then click Themes, then click Desktop Icon Settings. You'll get a box that lets you turn on This PC (the new version of My Computer), Network, User's Files, and Control Panel. Those will all show up on your Desktop when you enable them.
3) You can access Device Manager from Control Panel, as before, but you can also create a shortcut directly to it on your desktop. Right-click on the desktop, select New, Shortcut. In the resulting box, past the following:
mmc.exe devmgmt.msc
Click Next, give it a label of Device Manager, and bingo, you've got a direct link to Device Manager on your desktop. You can also drag it into the Start Menu if you prefer.
4) Cortana can kiss my grits. Right-click on the task bar and select Search, Hidden to hide that giant, screen-hogging search box.
5) Bonus: I don't like pinning stuff to the task bar. I like the Quick Launch toolbar from XP. So I bring it back - Right click the Taskbar, then select Toolbars>New Toolbar. In the Folder line, type or copy the location below.
%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
Click on the Select Folder button. The Quick Launch toolbar will appear; you can drag shortcuts into it, and you can right-click on it to turn off the title and text labels if you prefer.
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Open it, and behold the wonders inside
You can actually use anything you want instead of the "GodMode" portion of the filename, but I prefer the classic
Last edited by Dodge DeBoulet; Aug 29, 2015 at 6:02 am Reason: kids these days have no idea what a "directory" is - and quoted in-line
Aug 27, 2015, 8:57 am
#427
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,544
My first real annoyance...
I have three Google e-mail accounts (one real Gmail, two Google Apps). Using the Mail app, none of them can send e-mails out. They just get stuck in the Outbox. No problems receiving. No problems with calendar integration (which is awesome).
Anyone else see this issue?
I have three Google e-mail accounts (one real Gmail, two Google Apps). Using the Mail app, none of them can send e-mails out. They just get stuck in the Outbox. No problems receiving. No problems with calendar integration (which is awesome).
Anyone else see this issue?
Aug 27, 2015, 11:51 am
#428
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA 2MM - UA 1P / Hyatt Diamond - SPG Plat / Hertz 5* - Avis 1st
Posts: 3,886
I am impressed, seriously, that your company has such a commitment to security that they would successfully deploy such a policy.
Aug 27, 2015, 11:58 am
#429
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,544
Aug 30, 2015, 10:28 am
#430
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Exclusively OMNI/PR, for Reasons
Posts: 4,188
For those that have lamenting the lack of a reasonably convenient "clean install" upgrade option for Windows 10, a solution has been found. Previously one had to upgrade the existing 7/8/8.1 OS, then perform the clean install. If you have multiple machines to upgrade, this can be very time consuming.
By extracting and running an executable included on the Windows 10 .iso image, though, you can generate the necessary license ticket just before scrubbing the PC in preparation for the clean install.
Here's the link.
By extracting and running an executable included on the Windows 10 .iso image, though, you can generate the necessary license ticket just before scrubbing the PC in preparation for the clean install.
Here's the link.
Aug 30, 2015, 6:41 pm
#431
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,620
I have a mobile broadband card built into my laptop, has anyone found a way to connect directly from the Wireless Networks Icon in the lower right hand bottom of the screen?
Also, has anyone figure out how to tell what type of Network (be it Wi-Fi or Cellular) one is connected to?
Under Windows 7 I was able to connect connect directly from the Wireless Network Icon as well as hover over any network (be it Wi-Fi or Cellular) and see what type (N/G/AC/LTE/HSPA0 of Network I am connected to.
Otherwise I have to say that I do like some of the features of Windows 10 and now that I am learning the shortcuts and how to do certain things it is not feeling as painful as it once did.
Also, has anyone figure out how to tell what type of Network (be it Wi-Fi or Cellular) one is connected to?
Under Windows 7 I was able to connect connect directly from the Wireless Network Icon as well as hover over any network (be it Wi-Fi or Cellular) and see what type (N/G/AC/LTE/HSPA0 of Network I am connected to.
Otherwise I have to say that I do like some of the features of Windows 10 and now that I am learning the shortcuts and how to do certain things it is not feeling as painful as it once did.
Aug 31, 2015, 12:49 pm
#432
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,332
For those that have lamenting the lack of a reasonably convenient "clean install" upgrade option for Windows 10, a solution has been found. Previously one had to upgrade the existing 7/8/8.1 OS, then perform the clean install. If you have multiple machines to upgrade, this can be very time consuming.
By extracting and running an executable included on the Windows 10 .iso image, though, you can generate the necessary license ticket just before scrubbing the PC in preparation for the clean install.
Here's the link.
By extracting and running an executable included on the Windows 10 .iso image, though, you can generate the necessary license ticket just before scrubbing the PC in preparation for the clean install.
Here's the link.
Sep 1, 2015, 9:36 pm
#433
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
Has anyone tried upgrading a MBP Retina running Boot Camp, either through the upgrade process or using a fresh install? What's your experience been like? I updated the Boot Camp support software, installed the latest drivers, updated (then uninstalled and reinstalled) Chrome and Firefox, but the computer really bogs down whenever I have more than a few browser tabs open.
Normally I'll never upgrade an OS and just install fresh, but the upgrade route was seemingly required for licensing purposes. But if the same thing is going to happen all over again, I'm just going to reinstall Windows 7.
Normally I'll never upgrade an OS and just install fresh, but the upgrade route was seemingly required for licensing purposes. But if the same thing is going to happen all over again, I'm just going to reinstall Windows 7.
Sep 4, 2015, 4:14 am
#434
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Exclusively OMNI/PR, for Reasons
Posts: 4,188
Thought I'd loop back around on this issue. It wasn't strictly a MS problem; it was some interaction with Kaspersky 2016. Kaspersky issued an update within the last few days that resolved it.
Sep 4, 2015, 8:00 am
#435
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
