Windows 10

[tinyitx]

I will build a new system very soon (within a month or so). I have finally decided to go with Windows 10, after avoiding it as long as possible.

Would anyone please give me some heads up tips on installing? Would it be very similar to installing Win7? Heard that one needs to open an account with Microsoft beforehand in order to finish the installation online?
Could someone point me to a link that contains a detail step-by-step installation walkthru?

How about subsequent maintenance? Any setting needs to be adjusted/disabled? telemetry? defragmentizing SSDs? stopping the auto driver updates?

All comments/advices are welcome.
Thank you.

 

[el01]

The Windows account isn't really necessary, but it's a pain in the butt to create other user accounts since MS wants you to use MS accounts. It's hidden under a maze of menus.

https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/feature-installing-windows-10-pictorial-walkthrough

You can skip MS account creation.

I would turn most of the data sending off, stopping auto updates AND auto driver updates, and just turning everything relating to sending data off.

Also, delete ALL the bloatware: do I NEED CANDY CRUSH SAGA???? I don't, I don't think you do either.


This is why I like Linux

 

[tinyitx]

I did investigate the possibility of using Linux instead. At this moment, it is still not feasible as I think most major games do not support Linux. Even though I am not as an active gamer as I used to be, I still play some games. Additionally, I am getting old and really wish to stick with things with familiarity, ie avoiding hassles if possible. (You will know what I mean when you get beyond 50).

In general, is Windows, as of October 2018, still as 'buggy' and 'troublesome' as it was when it first came out?
What do people in this forum think?

Particularly, after doing the initial installation, do I just let it auto update to version 1809 (Oct 2018)?

 

[Choidebu]

IMO win10 is good.

Just one thing though.

Freaking auto updates breaking your settings. Like, file association and firewall rules. Like wtf.

 

[el01]

I did investigate the possibility of using Linux instead. At this moment, it is still not feasible as I think most major games do not support Linux. Even though I am not as an active gamer as I used to be, I still play some games. Additionally, I am getting old and really wish to stick with things with familiarity, ie avoiding hassles if possible. (You will know what I mean when you get beyond 50).

In general, is Windows, as of October 2018, still as 'buggy' and 'troublesome' as it was when it first came out?
What do people in this forum think?

Particularly, after doing the initial installation, do I just let it auto update to version 1809 (Oct 2018)?

Not as much, but just last night things were being weird to me. The Windows menu didn't allow me to search until I opened Task Manager.

Otherwise, if you program, I would upgrade to the latest build. If you don't, you might as well.

I think AMD drivers are kinda slow on Windows, taking a long time to launch the menu and longer times to change settings. Maybe it's just my PC.

Finally, task manager becomes unresponsive randomly. Yeah, it's bad.

 

[SumGhai]

I don't find the OS really all that bad, and I've managed to avoid creating a MS account each time I've installed Windows 10. I thoroughly enjoy the metro-style Start Menu combined with the traditional Start Menu list. It keeps my desktop clear of shortcuts and icons so I can enjoy my desktop background if I'm not doing anything. I haven't had many problems with the OS, aside from Windows Update, and I disable as much of the telemetry settings as I can.

IMO win10 is good.

Just one thing though.

Freaking auto updates breaking your settings. Like, file association and firewall rules. Like wtf.

I've been running Windows 10 Pro since release and I use the Pro version's ability to delay version updates for up to a full year (security definitions updates can be delayed up to 30 days). My problems have mostly been with version updates (especially big ones like the Creators Update or the Anniversary Update) that haven't had all their bugs and kinks worked out until several updates afterwards. Switching to the "Semi-Annual Channel" instead of "Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted)" has also helped alleviate my problems with Windows Update. I don't think these settings are available in Windows 10 Home though, but don't take my word for it. Being able to delay big build updates for a full year is fantastic, and I can go grab them if I really want to when the bug fixes are available.

I built a new system with Windows 10 Pro recently and ran into I think two small matters that might save you a headache if you run into it.

When you're in your privacy settings on Windows 10 and you're turning off all these different permissions, make sure that you keep "Allow apps to access your microphone" set to "on" if you use Discord or in-game voice comms. As of April 2018, "apps" in Windows 10 refers to all applications installed on your computer and not just Microsoft Store Apps. I believe this applies to all other settings like Camera permissions, so set them according to what you'd like.

Perform all your Windows personalization (changing desktop backgrounds, choosing colors, reorganizing the start menu, etc.) before adjusting time & date settings in Windows on a new system, or after your system "catches up" to the newly adjusted current date/time. There is a conflict in Windows that prevents you from saving personalizations between reboots if you adjust your date/time. For me, it fixed itself after the difference in time has passed. I adjusted the time by 3 hours, so I had to wait 3 hours or so before personalization settings were saved. It's a small bug but once you know it you can work around it.

 

[tinyitx]

Thank SumGhai, el01 and Choidebu for responding. Yours tips and suggestions are very much welcome.

I do plan to get the Pro version instead of the Home version, in order to get more control of what can be enabled/disabled.

This auto update (both Windows itself and device drivers) can be disabled, can it not?

Another issue, I dislike the default desktop and would try to 'convert' it to look like Windows 7 as much as possible. Any ideas? Or, just give me a link about how to do the needed cosmetic work.

Lastly, are you guys all using Build 1809 now?

Thanks again.

 

[rfarmer]

Another issue, I dislike the default desktop and would try to 'convert' it to look like Windows 7 as much as possible. Any ideas? Or, just give me a link about how to do the needed cosmetic work.

I use Stardock Start10 which gives me a Win 7 type start menu, which I still prefer to the Win 10 one.

 

[el01]

Thank SumGhai, el01 and Choidebu for responding. Yours tips and suggestions are very much welcome.

I do plan to get the Pro version instead of the Home version, in order to get more control of what can be enabled/disabled.

This auto update (both Windows itself and device drivers) can be disabled, can it not?

Another issue, I dislike the default desktop and would try to 'convert' it to look like Windows 7 as much as possible. Any ideas? Or, just give me a link about how to do the needed cosmetic work.

Lastly, are you guys all using Build 1809 now?

Thanks again.

I'm apathetic and didn't know about the update until today, so I'll update over the weekend.

Disable updates:
https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/disabling-automatic-updates-how-to.html

Disabling driver updates:
https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/disable-automatic-driver-downloads-on-windows-10

Also, press F for the pre-loaded Windows 7 music, themes, and other media. NINJA TUNA FTW!!! (also the giant flying turtle background)

 

[SumGhai]

Thank SumGhai, el01 and Choidebu for responding. Yours tips and suggestions are very much welcome.

I do plan to get the Pro version instead of the Home version, in order to get more control of what can be enabled/disabled.

This auto update (both Windows itself and device drivers) can be disabled, can it not?

Another issue, I dislike the default desktop and would try to 'convert' it to look like Windows 7 as much as possible. Any ideas? Or, just give me a link about how to do the needed cosmetic work.

Lastly, are you guys all using Build 1809 now?

Thanks again.

The auto-update stuff can be disabled yes. There's lots of guides out there on how to disable it, so I'd recommend checking it out if you want it.

If you're talking about that aero-style cosmetic, then I'm not sure how you'd get that back. Otherwise as suggested earlier Startdock's Start10 is a good place to...uh...start.

I run Build 1709 on my laptop and am currently running 1803 on my desktop. Something I did run into however after making my earlier post is that with build 1803 the Nvidia driver crashes with the GTX 760 installed. Didn't have this issue with the 1070 Ti. Still looking into fixing this.

 

[tinyitx]

Today I encounter my first headache with Windows 10 Pro. I installed it (Build 1803) fresh about a month ago.
This morning, after booting up, Core Temp is gone. No trace of it anywhere including the Install/Uninstall program list.
After some searching in the net, this problem turns out to be quite common but it usually happens when a major Windows update is done. What is frustrating is that I have done no such update.
What is more frustrating is that it seems there is no pattern of it and there is no solution.

Anyone has anything to say? You guys have experience of this problem?
Any fix?
Core Temp is a little program and I can easily download and reinstall again and spend just a minute or two to reset the settings. But I am afraid that Windows 10 will, one day in the future, uninstall a 'major' program which will take me hours or days to reinstall.

Any feedback is welcome.

Edit:- I like to have temp of CPU cores displayed in the taskbar. Anyone using something else other than Core Temp?

 

[rfarmer]

Today I encounter my first headache with Windows 10 Pro. I installed it (Build 1803) fresh about a month ago.
This morning, after booting up, Core Temp is gone. No trace of it anywhere including the Install/Uninstall program list.
After some searching in the net, this problem turns out to be quite common but it usually happens when a major Windows update is done. What is frustrating is that I have done no such update.
What is more frustrating is that it seems there is no pattern of it and there is no solution.

Anyone has anything to say? You guys have experience of this problem?
Any fix?
Core Temp is a little program and I can easily download and reinstall again and spend just a minute or two to reset the settings. But I am afraid that Windows 10 will, one day in the future, uninstall a 'major' program which will take me hours or days to reinstall.

Any feedback is welcome.

Edit:- I like to have temp of CPU cores displayed in the taskbar. Anyone using something else other than Core Temp?

Windows 10 is an odd one for sure, plagued with many issues. I am on build 1809, manually updated in October and haven't had any of the known issues. This is the build causing data loss, I backed up my document folder when I heard about this but haven't had anything disappear from my folder. Also never had any issues with programs uninstalling themselves.

Lot of known issues with Windows 10, but they also appear to be random.

 

[riposte]

Edit:- I like to have temp of CPU cores displayed in the taskbar. Anyone using something else other than Core Temp?

Try ThrottleStop. Create a Task Scheduler to make it autostart everytime you log in