The Windows 10 Free Upgrade

[Renato1]

With the last day of the free Windows 10 upgrade rapidly approaching (29 July), I spent the last week and a half upgrading four computers. My wife's computer was the most frustrating, taking about five days to finally get it done, after repeated failures - mainly because I hadn't realised that one of the programs on it was stuffing things up (namely the anti-malware Spybot - Search and Destroy).

The biggest issue with three of them was that after the upgrades, Windows 10 had replaced the graphics display adapter with a generic one, instead of the Nvidia or Intel ones that were there before - and the display either didn't look right or was half botched. This required downloading old drivers for them, and installing them in Windows 7 Compatibility Mode. Plainly it was useful to check what the Display Adapters were in Device Manager before doing the upgrade. Though Toshiba notebooks made things easy by having the display drivers available in the Toshiba directory, while the ASUS notebook required my hunting up two drivers.

Other dumb things that happened were that one of the computers wouldn't upgrade until I first did all the updates for Windows 7. Another one wouldn't upgrade either, but its Windows 7 was stuffed up in the process (and I hadn't set a System Restore point), so that I had to keep uninstalliing programs I guessed may be having an effect, until it finally upgraded - and I can't go back to Windows 7 if I wanted to, because it remains stuffed up.

That said, Windows 10 appears extremely impressive. I am amazed at how many old Windows XP and Windows 7 programs it does run, either in the new upgraded mode or by using Compatibility Mode - in stark contrast to another well known Operating System. And I like the way it doesn't force users into the new system - a right click on the Start Menu allows users to quickly find much of what they were used to (e.g, Device Manager and Control Panel) without having to learn the new ways imediately.

Have you had similar issues in doing the upgrade, or did it work fine for you first time?

Or have you procrastinated like I did, waiting till near the last minute before deciding whether or not to do the free upgrade?
Regards,
Renato

 

[Foreigner]

Thanks, good reminder for me and the IT consultant who works for me.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks for reminding me not to touch the upgrade.

A week and a half of your time? Your definition of 'free' must be different from mine.

 

[Renato1]

Thanks, good reminder for me and the IT consultant who works for me.

Yes, well it could be costly in the future when support finally ends for Windows 7.
Just tell him to create a Restore Point before doing the upgrade, in case things go wrong with the upgrade - and Windows 10 doesn't run crucial commercial programs on which the business depends - and it stuffs up Windows 7 so that one can't return the computer back to it's previous state (unless a Restore Point has been set).
Regards,
Renato.

Thanks for reminding me not to touch the upgrade.

A week and a half of your time? Your definition of 'free' must be different from mine.

Well I wasn't on the computers for a full week and half, mainly just wandering by to see how the upgrades were progessing over that week and a half. Sometimes, after six or seven hours, the upgrade was at 99% and nothing happened for numerous hours until either an error message was given, or the upgrade had then actually happened. Only on one computer did the upgrade/download continue from where the error had occurred - the other three started from scratch again, which took heaps of time. Though I did spend about a day and a half Googling why some upgrade's weren't working, and Googling how to fix things after the upgrades.

I wasn't going to touch the upgrade initially, until one of my IT friends said he'd done it without a single issue on his computer, and that he was very impressed.

Then a power surge stuffed my wife's computer's power supply, and when getting that fixed, that IT guy said that in terms of security and stopping viruses, that Windows 10 was an order of magnitude better than Windows 7.

So, the question is does one do the upgrade now and have an operating system that will be good for quite a few years yet (assuming it works well on one's computer), or stick to Windows 7 - where Microsoft will withdraw support at sometime like they did for Windows XP? They've already withdrawn support for Windows 8 and just told everyone to go to Windows 10.

Regards,
Renato

 

[Himeno]

The only reason my PC uses Win7 is because the XP disc had stopped working when I went to reinstall after a rebuild.
I have no intention of using Win10. Everything I have seen makes me not want it.

 

[RooFlyer]

>snip>
So, the question is does one do the upgrade now and have an operating system that will be good for quite a few years yet (assuming it works well on one's computer), or stick to Windows 7 - where Microsoft will withdraw support at sometime like they did for Windows XP? They've already withdrawn support for Windows 8 and just told everyone to go to Windows 10.
Regards,
Renato

As they say, each to their own. My own upgrade philosophy is that if its not broke, I don't fix it and I certainly don't let Microsoft 'fix' it unless all other options have been expended.

I only change operating systems when I buy a new computer. So when I get my next laptop (expected in a couple of years) I'll see what the Win10 experience has been and if nothing special I'll see if I can get a machine with an included downgrade to Win7. If not, then I guess I'll go Windows 10, by which time hopefully at least a fair few of the systemic bugs and security weaknesses would have been found.

 

[moa999]

have upgraded all my home and family PCs to Win10 within about a month of it coming out..

Definitely need to ensure that all Win7 updates are up to date before doing it, but all went smoothly.
Thinks its a much more polished OS and love the 'search' bar

 

[Daver6]

I'm certainly no Microsoft fan boy, but Windows 10 is by far their best OS yet. As long as your hardware isn't ancient, it really shouldn't be too much of a problem upgrading, but of course YMMV.

 

[anat0l]

I'm surprised sometimes when I don't see the upgrade process go smoothly.

My laptop started at Windows 8 (and then 8.1) then up to 10 and it was pretty smooth. All that needed to be tended to was Spybot Search & Destroy, which after a little bit of fiddling was back to normal. In fact, on a couple of computers, I've uninstalled it as I think Malwarebytes seems to do the job sufficiently along with Windows Defender.

Drivers were pretty much all fine, hardware still worked, all software still ran OK, computer didn't get bogged down speed-wise (after a couple of reboots post-setup). Definitely runs better than Windows 8 or 8.1, and better than 7, although agreeably there was nothing patently wrong with Windows 7, except that security might be an issue once the cycle of support finishes up.

Probably one of the most divisive differences between 7 and 10 is the latter's forced automatic installation of at least critical updates. Luckily for me, the feature has never caught me short operationally and Windows always gives me a non-intrusive manner of deciding when I want to restart to install the (remaining) updates.

Also upgraded to version 1511 just fine as well, cf. a couple of other systems where for some odd reason it needed 2-3 attempts to get the update on. Very weird.

Anniversary update is coming out soon, so will be interesting to see how well that installs, and what that brings.

 

[Renato1]

The only reason my PC uses Win7 is because the XP disc had stopped working when I went to reinstall after a rebuild.
I have no intention of using Win10. Everything I have seen makes me not want it.

I know how you feel - I still have XP on my main desktop, and two Notebooks (not counting this one I'm typing on, which belongs to my wife). It still does pretty much everything I want it to do.
Regards,
Renato

As they say, each to their own. My own upgrade philosophy is that if its not broke, I don't fix it and I certainly don't let Microsoft 'fix' it unless all other options have been expended.

I only change operating systems when I buy a new computer. So when I get my next laptop (expected in a couple of years) I'll see what the Win10 experience has been and if nothing special I'll see if I can get a machine with an included downgrade to Win7. If not, then I guess I'll go Windows 10, by which time hopefully at least a fair few of the systemic bugs and security weaknesses would have been found.

That's one way to do it. I rarely change computers or laptops. I find it easier to change hard drives and RAM, though changing motherboards I think is pretty much a waste of time.

Downgrading to Windows 7 may not be possible without expert help. Basically, new computers use new drivers which may not work with Windows 7. Then one would need to make sure that all those specialty programs that stop Laptop's from over heating, or overheating after hibernation still work. Else you might fry the computer.
Regards,
Renato

have upgraded all my home and family PCs to Win10 within about a month of it coming out..

Definitely need to ensure that all Win7 updates are up to date before doing it, but all went smoothly.
Thinks its a much more polished OS and love the 'search' bar

Very interesting. thanks.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Daver6]

I know how you feel - I still have XP on my main desktop, and two Notebooks (not counting this one I'm typing on, which belongs to my wife). It still does pretty much everything I want it to do.
Regards,
Renato

When I read that I just think its like knowing the bad guys out there have the keys to your house and you choose not to change the locks.

 

[Renato1]

I'm certainly no Microsoft fan boy, but Windows 10 is by far their best OS yet. As long as your hardware isn't ancient, it really shouldn't be too much of a problem upgrading, but of course YMMV.

Thanks for your insights. So far the best thing about Windows 10 is that I can right click the Start Button and find all the commands that I'm used to. I'm still running lots of ancient hardware, which I'm not upgrading yet. If I have to, I have Windows 8 that I can install.
Regards,
Renato

I'm surprised sometimes when I don't see the upgrade process go smoothly.

My laptop started at Windows 8 (and then 8.1) then up to 10 and it was pretty smooth. All that needed to be tended to was Spybot Search & Destroy, which after a little bit of fiddling was back to normal. In fact, on a couple of computers, I've uninstalled it as I think Malwarebytes seems to do the job sufficiently along with Windows Defender.

Drivers were pretty much all fine, hardware still worked, all software still ran OK, computer didn't get bogged down speed-wise (after a couple of reboots post-setup). Definitely runs better than Windows 8 or 8.1, and better than 7, although agreeably there was nothing patently wrong with Windows 7, except that security might be an issue once the cycle of support finishes up.

Probably one of the most divisive differences between 7 and 10 is the latter's forced automatic installation of at least critical updates. Luckily for me, the feature has never caught me short operationally and Windows always gives me a non-intrusive manner of deciding when I want to restart to install the (remaining) updates.

Also upgraded to version 1511 just fine as well, cf. a couple of other systems where for some odd reason it needed 2-3 attempts to get the update on. Very weird.

Anniversary update is coming out soon, so will be interesting to see how well that installs, and what that brings.

Thanks yes, the automatic update issue is a problem for people accessing the internet solely using dongles. One computer I upgraded was for a friend - who used to regularly bring it over to my place to do the Windows 7 updates, because she didn;t have home internet but was using a Virgin Mobile dongle. And update could conceivably use up all her data allowance.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

When I read that I just think its like knowing the bad guys out there have the keys to your house and you choose not to change the locks.

I don't connect my main desktop to the internet. Plus use of antivirus, firewall and spyware programs are like putting some locks on the doors.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Daver6]

I don't connect my main desktop to the internet. Plus use of antivirus, firewall and spyware programs are like putting some locks on the doors.
Regards,
Renato

Just keep in mind that none of those will protect you against a security flaw which has been patched. If you aren't connected to the internet though, its not really such a problem then.

 

[RooFlyer]

Downgrading to Windows 7 may not be possible without expert help. Basically, new computers use new drivers which may not work with Windows 7. Then one would need to make sure that all those specialty programs that stop Laptop's from over heating, or overheating after hibernation still work. Else you might fry the computer.

Nonsense. Last laptop I bought (a Sony) had Win8 and Win7 installed, and I chose the one I wanted. Then it un-installed Win8 (good riddance). This was in the US though; likely not available in smaller markets like Oz.

 

[serfty]

I've been doing a similar process, one box is getting real frustrating with three failures so far - I have had to restore my backup image each time as the auto restore back to win7 is not 100%; I am hopeful for this weekend.

I do run a post install script to remove Cortana and much of the [-]spyware[/-] "analytical applications" that comes with Win10.

 

[Renato1]

Nonsense. Last laptop I bought (a Sony) had Win8 and Win7 installed, and I chose the one I wanted. Then it un-installed Win8 (good riddance). This was in the US though; likely not available in smaller markets like Oz.

Reverting to an earlier OS when the manufacturer has gone and done all the work for you is one thing. But if the manufacturer hasn't, it will not be as easy as you say and require someone who is very tech savvy to do it.

Some years ago I bought a laptop when Windows Vista had been in for a while.
I decided it was running too slow on the laptop, and decided to also install XP in dual boot mode. So I searched the internet and found a chap who had done all the work for that particular model laptop, to make sure it worked properly as an Acer laptop, and didn't get overheated. These all required eight or nine significant bits of Acer software from earlier models. Had I just installed XP, I may well have damaged the computer, and had none of the handy computer specific programs.(Note, with XP installed, the laptop then worked like a rocket).
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

I've been doing a similar process, one box is getting real frustrating with three failures so far - I have had to restore my backup image each time as the auto restore back to win7 is not 100%; I am hopeful for this weekend.

I do run a post install script to remove Cortana and much of the [-]spyware[/-] "analytical applications" that comes with Win10.

Maybe try what I did - uninstall lots of programs like anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, Skype - and any other program that does things beyond sitting around waiting for it to be fetched. While I had Acronis True Image on two of those computers, the Windows 10 upgrade only asked for one of them to be uninstalled.
Regards,
Renato

 

[serfty]

Hmmm .... I'll look at removing Acronis ... it had not been an issue with the others.

 

[Renato1]

I had a friend over yesterday, and I was telling him about the Windows 10 upgrades I did.

He stated that at the last job he worked at three months ago, there were three guys in their office, and each had a Windows 10 computer. And that Windows 10 drove him batty - things that he could do in 10 seconds in Windows 7 was taking him 5 frustrating minutes trying to figure out how to do in Windows 10.

I said - "But Windows 10 is easy - hardly any different from using Windows 7 - you just right-click on the Start button, and lots of the Windows 7 commands that you are used to show up."

He looked at me dumbfounded - "How come nobody told me this before!"
Cheers,
Renato