Windows 10

[dmr]

Just like to point out that Apple can also be a bit naughty with their updates, and their updates often "break" some things which is bad as the whole Apple ethos was to avoid these issues by having a closed rather than open philosophy (no third party drivers etc). Apple have ever so slightly lost their way since they lost Steve Jobs.

 

.................Dave

[Machpoint005]

Just like to point out that Apple can also be a bit naughty with their updates, and their updates often "break" some things which is bad as the whole Apple ethos was to avoid these issues by having a closed rather than open philosophy (no third party drivers etc). Apple have ever so slightly lost their way since they lost Steve Jobs.

 

.................Dave

 

Is that causative or coincidence?

Personally I'd never touch an i-thing anyway.

[dmr]

Many years ago, I was an operating system consultant. I have retained a strong interest ever since.

 

Where WIN 10 excels is its ability to run on PC/Laptop, tablet and phone. Where it falls down is its inability to easily provide WIN XP/7/8 users with a similar look and feel, backwards compatibility (drivers), replacement of programs with Apps (with less capabilities) and the dreaded 'can't get rid of them' updates.

 

It rather sticks in my throat to say it, but I am happy with WIN 10 on my twin screen desktop. In the early days, I used to run 'Classic Shell' to make it look like older versions of Windows. However, I have now discarded it.

 

With my transformer laptop, I had a few early problems but now it is great. Swapping between Laptop and tablet mode is a doddle. It is simply a case of pulling the screen away from the keyboard and optionally pressing 'tablet mode'

 

The only downside I have found with WIN 10 in tablet mode compared to android or apple is a lack of Apps. Much Windows software remains to be converted but will still run.

 

 

 

yeah that classic shell was great, and I believe it even ran a bit faster. It was available on 7 but is gone on 10. I suppose as 10 has gone back to plain rectangular (no rounded corners and see through nonsense) there is less justification for the classic.

 

What gets me is the mixed visuals, some is still the old windows multi coloured style and some is this nasty new monochrome blue style. I did not buy a high resolution display laptop to work in clunky black and white like something from 20 years ago.

 

................Dave

 

Is that causative or coincidence?

Personally I'd never touch an i-thing anyway.

 

More than a co-incidence I suspect.

 

Apple is no good for me as my software customers are all PC based but Gillie is now totally Apple and it does look good. Her iPad is much nicer than the Android tablet that I had (and gave away). To get the real Apple benefit you do have to go all the way though, Macbook iPad and iPhone.

I put iTunes on my windows laptop and it was a disaster.

 

.................Dave

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Via the Windows Insider program I have now had sight of Microsoft's solution to the lack of control of updates on Win 10 Home. As from April this year there will be a setting that allows you to 'pause' updates for up to five weeks. In effect, this means that you can choose when updates are downloaded and installed (by switching the 'pause' off and forcing a 'check for updates' and then switching 'pause' back on). If you don't switch the 'pause' off in five weeks then WIN 10 will default to its normal behaviour.

 

Not sure if this applies to versions other than Home (i.e. WIN 10 phone, WIN 10 Pro etc.)

 

I guess the rationale behind this approach is that switching off updates permanently exposes you to viruses etc.

 

BTW this post comes from WIN 10 Home in tablet mode ...

[Señor Chris]

If you close your office 365 account it stops working, will they dare do that with windows in the future???????

 

I currently use Win10 without any kind of Microsoft account - you only need one to use the app store I believe.

 

One retro feature they have brought back though is the Blue Screen of Death - not seen that since NT4.

[Guest]

 

I currently use Win10 without any kind of Microsoft account - you only need one to use the app store I believe.

 

One retro feature they have brought back though is the Blue Screen of Death - not seen that since NT4.

Tell me about it... Had a few of those on 10 recently.

[WotEver]

BSOD=driver problem 99% of the time.

[Guest]

BSOD=driver problem 99% of the time.

I am sure that is correct, but what really peed me off is that the drivers were updated by Microsoft Corporation! Machine is OK now that I have installed factory backup of Win 8.

I wnet to the Acer website and downloaded their drivers to no avail. In fact I wasted three precious days of my life trying to make 10 work on a machine that was listed as bing suitable for 10. Updtaed the BIOS, everything I could find on forums etc etc. It was still a big no. Perhaps I will try it on the HP machine sometime; one of those days when I have lost the will to live

Edited January 31, 2017 by Guest

[WotEver]

I am sure that is correct, but what really peed me off is that the drivers were updated by Microsoft Corporation! Machine is OK now that I have installed factory backup of Win 8.

I wnet to the Acer website and downloaded their drivers to no avail. In fact I wasted three precious days of my life trying to make 10 work on a machine that was listed as bing suitable for 10. Updtaed the BIOS, everything I could find on forums etc etc. It was still a big no. Perhaps I will try it on the HP machine sometime; one of those days when I have lost the will to live

I've had problems with an Acer notebook that MS also said would be suitable. I only use it for occasional email and showing clients videos so it's not a huge problem but after upgrading to Win10 a peek into Device Manager showed an exclamation point next to a load of display drivers. MS had installed its own drivers and didn't like what it had installed! So I ran the Win8 Acer driver package, said 'Yes' to the query about replacing new drivers with old ones, and Device Manager was then happy. However I can't run Sketchup (it crashes with either sets of drivers) and if I tried I'd probably find other programs that don't run. Unfortunately I'm past the time limit to roll back to 8.1. Edited January 31, 2017 by WotEver

[dmr]

 

I currently use Win10 without any kind of Microsoft account - you only need one to use the app store I believe.

 

One retro feature they have brought back though is the Blue Screen of Death - not seen that since NT4.

 

Have used 10 for just over a year and not a single BSOD and just one "freeze" but this was a new laptop rather than an upgrade from an earlier windows.

What it does do is say "windows has encountered a problem and needs to restart" and immediately restarts losing much of what I was doing. Just as destructive as a BSOD.

 

Vista64 was the ultimate BSOD nightmare for me.

 

.................Dave

[Guest]

I've had problems with an Acer notebook that MS also said would be suitable. I only use it for occasional email and showing clients videos so it's not a huge problem but after upgrading to Win10 a peek into Device Manager showed an exclamation point next to a load of display drivers. MS had installed its own drivers and didn't like what it had installed! So I ran the Win8 Acer driver package, said 'Yes' to the query about replacing new drivers with old ones, and Device Manager was then happy. However I can't run Sketchup (it crashes with either sets of drivers) and if I tried I'd probably find other programs that don't run. Unfortunately I'm past the time limit to roll back to 8.1.

Sounds not unlike my experience. Luckily (or I prefer to think "wisely" ) I made a backup of the machine OS at new on an old laptop hard drive. This meant I could boot it from a recovery pen drive, then zap it completely, reinstalling the Win 8. Worked a treat.

As an aside, I have an HP Envy which I was given as it would not reload the OS without official recovery discs (locked in the BIOS, about 80 quid from HP for discs..) I tried many times to get Windows 7,8 or 10 on it, using every trick I could muster, but alas no good. I ran Ubuntu on it for ages which was very fast indeed (I like Linux a lot.). Recently for the hell of it I tried the Acer backup on the HP. Lo and behold it worked first go and the HP is now dual boot, which is very useful for me. Just had to change the drivers (dead easy as HP site installs a bit of software that does the job for you.) Also the HP is a very nice laptop, but 12V chargers are expensive and only seem to be available from USA, so I use a tiny inverter (20 quid, 100watts) on the boat to charge it when moored. Not the most efficient way I know, but there we have it. OK when we are on the move as the main inverter is on for the fridge anyway.

[Señor Chris]

12V chargers are expensive and only seem to be available from USA

 

Got mine from Maplin:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-auto-voltage-carair-laptop-adapter-with-1a-usb-socket-12-charging-tips-a83la

 

or cheaper still:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-in-carin-air-laptop-adapter-with-usb-socket-1a-with-6-charging-tips-a19jt

Edited January 31, 2017 by Señor Chris

[Guest]

 

Got mine from Maplin:

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-auto-voltage-carair-laptop-adapter-with-1a-usb-socket-12-charging-tips-a83la

I have a similar one from Maplin which is excellent and has served me very well over several laptops. Sadly the HP is an oddity in that it has a three wire sytem on the low voltage side, and seems to only charge from a dedicated charger.

Does this one in your link support these HP machines? If so I am very interested. Thanks

Edit just looked at the downloaded PDF for your first link, and it would appear they do a special plug with a chip built in for the HP, so i will make further enquiries. Cheers for link.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Guest

[Señor Chris]

Don't know I'm afraid but when I bought mine, I took the machine in to the shop so I could make sure it worked before buying.

[Guest]

Don't know I'm afraid but when I bought mine, I took the machine in to the shop so I could make sure it worked before buying.

Looks like the first link you posted prob. does support the HP. Will take the laptop in to our local Maplins as you suggest. Many thanks for this.

[dmr]

I have a similar one from Maplin which is excellent and has served me very well over several laptops. Sadly the HP is an oddity in that it has a three wire sytem on the low voltage side, and seems to only charge from a dedicated charger.

Does this one in your link support these HP machines? If so I am very interested. Thanks

Edit just looked at the downloaded PDF for your first link, and it would appear they do a special plug with a chip built in for the HP, so i will make further enquiries. Cheers for link.

 

Ive got the posh HP envy laptop with the power connector with the blue inner sleeve, it is a 3 wire system. Spent ages on the www trying to find how to connect it to a Maplin style 12v psu. Conclusion was to simply join the spare wire to the positive. This sort of works but you have to plug the connector in slowly, wiggling as you go, and then never push it fully home. Has worked fine like this for a year though I try not to unplug it too open. Reckon its a case of getting the two inner wires to connect in the correct sequence.

 

...............Dave

[Guest]

 

Ive got the posh HP envy laptop with the power connector with the blue inner sleeve, it is a 3 wire system. Spent ages on the www trying to find how to connect it to a Maplin style 12v psu. Conclusion was to simply join the spare wire to the positive. This sort of works but you have to plug the connector in slowly, wiggling as you go, and then never push it fully home. Has worked fine like this for a year though I try not to unplug it too open. Reckon its a case of getting the two inner wires to connect in the correct sequence.

 

...............Dave

Interesting, thanks for info.

I tried it on the existing Maplin supply but of course it won't work with two wires! I then read a resistor can be used but never tried it. Will give it a try as you suggest next time I'm on the boat.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Guest

[smileypete]

Hi everybody. I am using windows 10 on my laptop via EE dongle. I have 4 gig a month of data but windows downloads updates automatically and this takes a big chunk of my data at times. Anyone found a way to disable it that's fairly idiot proof? Thanks.

Try oosu10 from o&o (google will find it)

Edited February 7, 2017 by smileypete

[Jambo]

My laptop (Dell XPS13) has both a conventional laptop charging socket and USB C with Power Delivery. Due to me leaving my conventional laptop charger at my parents after Christmas I switched to USB C and I love it. The PD spec is for 3A @ 5V and 5A at 12V and 20V which is pretty amazing.

 

I've had a quick search but haven't seen a 12V to USB C socket that can deliver 5A at 20V but I'm looking forward to them being released.

 

ETA: all laptops should gradually transition to USB C over the coming years so, as they were for mobile phones, the days of having a multiplicity of different chargers will hopefully be over (with the exception of Apple who will of course continue to fleece their customers as normal).

Edited February 7, 2017 by Jambo

[smileypete]

Looks like Targus do one; APD39EU.

Sit down before you google the price!

 

ETA appears that Belkin do a cheaper one, F7U004bt04-BLK. Looks like you want 'USB-PD' standard.

Edited February 8, 2017 by smileypete

[Jambo]

Good find! That Targus one might have just enough grunt to power my laptop.

 

Now I just want some nice and stylish wall mounted USB-C PD sockets rated at the full 5A

[Ratkatcher]

The HP laptop I bought last Summer came with Windows 10 already installed, I played with this 'new' operating system for about a month before deciding (after many registry hacks (and a few re-installs) to try to get rid of its desperate need to call Microsoft to have it's hand held, whilst playing kiss and tell at the same time) that Microsoft's new baby had to leave home!

I installed Opensuse and Windows 7 on the laptop as a dual boot system (the W7 install was the most difficult, but that is another story) and everything works just fine.

Just backing up catweasel's comment earlier about Linux as a Windows replacement, Mint, Ubuntu (and its family) and Opensuse (and a few others) are mature enough as Operating Systems to transition from Windows with only a little effort, normal users are very unlikely to have to resort to using command line instructions nowadays and the desktop environment can even look a lot like a version of Windows if required. (We won't mention that Apple OS X is essentially Linux with a pretty wrapper and has been adored by Apple users for how easy it is to use!)

Unless a user HAS to use an application that will only run under a version of Windows the transition to a Linux system is far easier now than ever before, and it is free - for everyone

[rusty69]

27 minutes ago, Ratkatcher said:

Unless a user HAS to use an application that will only run under a version of Windows the transition to a Linux system is far easier now than ever before, and it is free - for everyone

WINE is also an option if windows programs are required, but as you say it may not run All windows programs . It may have already been mentioned. 

Edited March 9, 2017 by rusty69

[Robbo]

On 07/02/2017 at 12:11, Jambo said:

My laptop (Dell XPS13) has both a conventional laptop charging socket and USB C with Power Delivery. Due to me leaving my conventional laptop charger at my parents after Christmas I switched to USB C and I love it. The PD spec is for 3A @ 5V and 5A at 12V and 20V which is pretty amazing.

 

I've had a quick search but haven't seen a 12V to USB C socket that can deliver 5A at 20V but I'm looking forward to them being released.

 

ETA: all laptops should gradually transition to USB C over the coming years so, as they were for mobile phones, the days of having a multiplicity of different chargers will hopefully be over (with the exception of Apple who will of course continue to fleece their customers as normal).

Apple tend to stick one standard for alot longer than any other makes.  The old iPod cable was around for a lot longer than the multiple USB cables you needed for mobile devices and now the lightning cable is standard for all their mobile devices.   Their laptops have all used one type of power connection for almost a decade (and it's actually a shame they now don't still use it) and are now going towards the USB-c standard. 

[hounddog]

2 hours ago, Robbo said:

Apple tend to stick one standard for alot longer than any other makes.  The old iPod cable was around for a lot longer than the multiple USB cables you needed for mobile devices and now the lightning cable is standard for all their mobile devices.   Their laptops have all used one type of power connection for almost a decade (and it's actually a shame they now don't still use it) and are now going towards the USB-c standard. 

I've spent over £60 on lightning cables over the past few years, they all break easily. On the other hand I have (just) wrapped up a bundle of 6 surplus micro USB. I could buy a micro USB for around £3 the cheapest lightning cable I know is £14. Apple lock out cheap eBay lightning cables.

Apple seriously piss me off with overpriced fragile proprietary cables.

Although I think I might have cracked it, with the help of Waitrose of all people - they sold me a Belkin cable which is essentially a micro usb with a plug on adapter for lightning so, hopefully, I won't have to buy another every again (if the cable goes, I'll use the adaptor on a cheap micro USB)