Beyond Windows 7

[feetand nches]

Thanks

 

[groze]

That's the way I run my W10 Pro 1703 VM (using VMware Player on Linux Mint 18.3).

Not only do I not have to worry about MS' garbage code updates, W10 also can't send anything to them.


Ordinary users can't opt out of telemetry in W10.

Given the quality of MS' updates, it's obvious that they don't use telemetry data to improve W10 code.

Which leads to the inevitable question, "What is the data actually used for?"

lehnerus2000 if I am not mistaking the users do have choices. It can't be disabled but it can be restricted to the least amount of data sent. Sometimes it resets to the default after a new version is installed. Some people don't mind sharing. If I read the info correctly, It can't see https:// pages and it does tells your what the data is used for. I don't think Microsoft going to keep a list of adult websites you visit, unless you share it with them.

 

[lehnerus2000]

lehnerus2000 if I am not mistaking the users do have choices. It can't be disabled ...

As I said, ordinary users can't opt out (W10 Education/Enterprise users may be able to).

Some people don't mind sharing.

Apparently those users (according to MS) are too stupid to be able to tick a box to enable sharing, just like in Windows versions prior to W10 (MS may be correct on that point).

If I read the info correctly, It can't see https:// pages and it does tells your what the data is used for. I don't think Microsoft going to keep a list of adult websites you visit, unless you share it with them.

MS, who have a proven history of exaggerated and misleading claims, provide that info.
Remember that they also claimed (a few months after W10's initial public release) that it was being used on 400 million devices, yet the Stat Counting sites clearly showed that the number was, at most, half of what MS claimed.

As for 1809:

Microsoft's disastrous roll-out of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update was put into stark focus last week when published data showed its adoption was only an eighth that of its 2017 predecessor.

According to statistics gathered by AdDuplex, a Lithuanian company whose technology is embedded in thousands of Windows Store apps, Windows 10 October 2018 Update - 1809 in Microsoft's yymm labeling format - had been installed on just 6.6% of all Windows 10 systems by year's end.

...

Only Microsoft knows whether it was pushing too hard, too fast. From the outside, the upward trending line - every upgrade besting the one before it - hinted that Microsoft was lured into arrogance or lulled into complacency. (A sign of the former: Six weeks after 1803's release, the company boasted that it was the "fastest version of Windows 10 to reach 250 million devices.")

Windows 10 1809 adoption remains in the cellar | Computerworld​

Which takes us back to the question.

According to "W10 fan-persons", W10 Telemetry is an absolute necessity to ensure problem-free updates/"upgrades".

Remember how every update for Windows versions, prior to W10, totally hosed every PC that installed them?
I don't remember that and I bet you don't either.

Yet the historical record clearly shows, that despite billions of hours of W10 Telemetry, MS continues to release buggy updates/"upgrades".
In fact the 1809 "Upgrade" was so bad, MS voluntarily pulled it from their servers for ~2 months.

Anecdotally the 1709 "Upgrade" wouldn't install on my laptop or in my VM.
Since I have the rock-solid W7 (and Linux Mint) installed on my main PCs, it wasn't worth my time to download an ISO, perform 2 clean installs and reinstall all of my software.
It's certainly not worth doing it every 6 months.

 

[ceo54]

lehnerus2000 if I am not mistaking the users do have choices. It can't be disabled but it can be restricted to the least amount of data sent. Sometimes it resets to the default after a new version is installed. Some people don't mind sharing. If I read the info correctly, It can't see https:// pages and it does tells your what the data is used for. I don't think Microsoft going to keep a list of adult websites you visit, unless you share it with them.

You're mistaken, users don't have a choice in the matters of data collection. The people who don't mind sharing are not the techy ones, they fall more in line with the Instagram crowd accessing from their Android devices. You know kind of "click here, click there, find a partner" how many of these people are aware of the existence of CommandPrompt ? How many of these people know what the system registry is ?

Also, it's simply plain stupid to think that the telemetry data is necessary to improve the OS. Ever since the days of Windows95 the OS has been continuously improved without this "essential data".

And don't believe the numbers you find on some random blog. Microsoft is manipulating the numbers to deceive the people in thinking that most of the people use Windows 10 so it must be better then 7 or 8.

 

[bendipa]

As someone who has tried Windows 10 for 2 years and scrapped it completely please allow my input, based on my own experience. Windows 10 is an exercise in frustration, don't take my word for it, read some of the articles from How to Geek. Even noteworthy Windows diehards like Leo Notenboom have castigated Windows for their feeble efforts to make a decent workable OS out of Windows 10.
Windows 10 has become what the Linux world calls a rolling distribution. Which means no new release, just ongoing updates. Some Linux distro's handle this well, others not so well, but all do it better than Microsoft.
After 2 years of frustration and problems with Windows 10, I sold my last Windows 10 laptop and bought a
MacBook which I have been using for one month. My only regret it that I ever went with Windows in the first place. I am posting this using my old trusty Windows 7 laptop, slow as snails but rock solid stable. I would stay with Windows 7 forever if they would support it (which they wont). Given Microsoft's arrogance and disdain for the end user, there is only one option for computer life after Windows 7, it's called Mac.
Most of the computer users in my immediate family have already switched and even the diehard Windows fans are considering it. Windows 10 is the best thing that ever happened, for Linux and Apple.

I have never found W7 slow, not even on my 2012 Dell desktop running an HDD. I think W7 was the best OS MS ever devised, and have no intention of upgrading to W10. It has always worked well and been stable, unlike older MS systems.

However in preparation for the cessation of MS support from 2020, I made the dual-boot switch to Linux Ubuntu a year ago, which I can recommend. No more concerns about licences, viruses, defragmenting, support cessation, hardware compatibility, etc. Linux looks after its users, and their software is licence-free. It's not all perfect, eg there can be issues with Nvidia GPUs as some have found, but nothing that can't be solved. After a year I can do almost anything that I could with W7. There is a serious learning curve involved, but it's worth the effort, eg just learnt how to encrypt (and decrypt) my files successfully over the past week using the excellent GnuPG (also available for Windows).

I will continue to use W7, but less frequently, as I have a couple of useful apps that work well with it, for which I haven't yet found the Linux equivalent. For those who are worried about security post 2019, worry not. As long as you have some form of AV that you can scan regularly for viruses you should be okay. I will use Malwarebytes (free) and Kaspersky Rescue Disk (on a pen drive) as my AV scanners. If neither of those find anything sinister I'll assume my W7 is clean. Also ensure you have a good software firewall installed (plenty of good free ones), and of course back up your data files regularly.

So I say carry on with W7 and don't be persuaded by the fear-mongers.

 

[ShadouFox]

As someone who has tried Windows 10 for 2 years and scrapped it completely please allow my input, based on my own experience. Windows 10 is an exercise in frustration, don't take my word for it, read some of the articles from How to Geek. Even noteworthy Windows diehards like Leo Notenboom have castigated Windows for their feeble efforts to make a decent workable OS out of Windows 10.

I don't know how they could do something like this. They already demonstrated they can make something lots of folks out there think highly of and like to use. They had ten years so how could they screw Win-10 up so badly? Was Win-7 a serendipitous accident? Is it because Microsoft doesn't care because they don't have to?

My only regret it that I ever went with Windows in the first place. I am posting this using my old trusty Windows 7 laptop, slow as snails but rock solid stable. I would stay with Windows 7 forever if they would support it (which they wont). Given Microsoft's arrogance and disdain for the end user, there is only one option for computer life after Windows 7, it's called Mac.
Most of the computer users in my immediate family have already switched and even the diehard Windows fans are considering it. Windows 10 is the best thing that ever happened, for Linux and Apple.

There are more options than that.

* Say "T'hellwiddit" and keep on running Win-7. Stay off porno sites and don't click dubious links and you should be OK.
* Linux
* The BSDs

"Windows 10 is the best thing that ever happened, for Linux and Apple",

Win-10 is Windows-ME redux. This time, Linux has gotten a whole lot easier to use. No more having to hack xconfig files to get X up and running. Everything just works these days.

 

[msalton1]

So it's been close to a year ago that I originally posted this thread, and I'm now ready to move (albeit at the last minute). I've posted a few threads in the hardware forum regarding new motherboards that provide win 7 support and plan on getting all necessary updates.


Regarding updates, in the past year, is there an easier way to approach the updates? Megahertz07's link (here) seems to provide a fairly simple way.


The last time I attempted a new install, I did run into a few troubles, but was able to (with the help of guys in this thread) get it done.


So, is the same process required? If I download all the updates (as in the linked thread), is it easiest to figure out how to slipstream the updates into an install disk or just trudge through the update process?


Thanks for any help (including from last year...).

 

[feetand nches]

Has anyone started a thread dedicated to 0Patch?

 

[file3456]

ASUS select win7 in the dropdown - win7 bios, audio, lan,usb, chipset,sata
H310M-E R2.0 | Motherboards | ASUS USA

View attachment 406376


Gigabyte, example:

View attachment 406375


No graphics drivers- separate graphics card needed.

I don't have this motherboard, but just wanted to update and say now Gigabyte is only offering BS Win 10 drivers. That's a crock of s*%#.

 

[msalton1]

I don't have this motherboard, but just wanted to update and say now Gigabyte is only offering BS Win 10 drivers. That's a crock of s*%#.

The Asus Z370 boards have Win 7 drivers. The two Tuf Z370 Gaming plus boards I ordered came in today. I'll order RAM and CPUs when I have time. But if you want one, you better move fast. The Z370 boards are becoming hard to find.

As mentioned above, I also ordered an ROG Strix 370Z-H, which is a better board, but I'm not sure how a win 7 install will go on that one.

I've also decided I'm going to build a win 10 machine with one of the latest chipset boards on a test bench and just play with it. Some say you can defeat the Telemetry issues and delay updates for up to a year.

 

[file3456]

Wow, 5 year warranty. I'm not even sure if my current MOBO has that or not. Have to look. I just built this desktop two years ago, so I'm not really in the mood to change MOBOs. Now a wrench is in the gears with a new Flight Simulator coming out and that may only work in 10. So now I'm at a stand still on whether to get a 300 series chipset MOBO and continue to use 7 like I want to, or go with what I want to do and buy a nettop, load in Pfsense, block M$ ASNs, and watch my LAN with a Plunder Bug for any BS telemetry that shouldn't be there. But, in order for this new Sim to work is that it uses the Bing cloud, so I need to see what ASN that uses and whitelist it and watch my LAN for telemetry crap. I'll also roll Shutup 10 or something else since I'll be using my VPN as I always do from time to time.


All this for a damn computer. Gone are the days it seems where the acronym PC really meant something.

 

[msalton1]

Wow, 5 year warranty. I'm not even sure if my current MOBO has that or not. Have to look. I just built this desktop two years ago, so I'm not really in the mood to change MOBOs. Now a wrench is in the gears with a new Flight Simulator coming out and that may only work in 10. So now I'm at a stand still on whether to get a 300 series chipset MOBO and continue to use 7 like I want to, or go with what I want to do and buy a nettop, load in Pfsense, block M$ ASNs, and watch my LAN with a Plunder Bug for any BS telemetry that shouldn't be there. But, in order for this new Sim to work is that it uses the Bing cloud, so I need to see what ASN that uses and whitelist it and watch my LAN for telemetry crap. I'll also roll Shutup 10 or something else since I'll be using my VPN as I always do from time to time.

A 2nd build may be a way to go. Know any sites or guides dedicated to hardening defenses for Win 10 (and known for good information)? I've looked at shutup10, but I've also read that anti-(win10) spy apps can cause problems.

 

[file3456]

Check out this link. Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools - gHacks Tech News

 

[msalton1]

Check out this link. Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools - gHacks Tech News

The closet they have to a 'cheers' icon.



(d)

 

[freeagent]

Is win 10 still the privacy crippled dumbed down smartphone-like OS it was when I tried it (pre-release)?

Can the settings be secured to maintain privacy and security? Can one get under the hood?

I'm rambling. Is win 10 "doable" for us diehard win 7 users? What are others here planning after it's over?

I too was a diehard Win7 user and fan. This is my upgrade story.

Back when the first free W10 upgrade period was available, I did upgrade my old Toshiba laptop to win10, just to play with. That was the W10 home version and I didn't like it. Some things like Mail and Edge were hopeless and it seemed to be designed for touch screens. Anyway, I hardly used it. Later, my wife's computer died, so I gave her this spare. It is quite an old Toshiba with only 4Gb and has an Athlon processor. Not long after I gave it to her, a Windows update killed it (and other computers that used that processor)! It was a month or two before MS issued an update that did not kill Athlon computers. Since then, it has worked fine for her.

For my own Lenovo, I was more cautious. I cloned my Win7 Pro to a spare drive and removed it. Then did a W10 upgrade to existing drive. I forget the details, but I ran into problems that I could not resolve. Eventually did clean W10 install. Other than some testing never used it. It was on an SSD, which was a waste, so eventually I cleaned it and used it on my wife's computer. So now I only had Win7 on Lenovo.

Over the holidays, with upcoming demise of Win7 support, I decided that maybe I should again try Win10. I again cloned my Win7 and put it aside. Then did an upgrade to Win10 (No problem with licence because I had done this when upgrade as free). Then I put the Win7 drive back in and was able to dual boot from BIOS.

Ran into some minor blips, but not much. I hate to admit it, but I have now chosen Win10 as my main OS It seems to boot up faster and so far I have not been able to find anything else to complain about Everything works as before and I like the fact that Defender now provides solid protection. I have not moved my Malwarebytes premium licence over yet, because it is needed on Win7 until I have to abandon my trusty old OS

 

[Barman58]

If you need to complete your journey to the dark side you could do worse than taking a look at our sister site Windows 10 Help Forums all the tutorials and advice for your new adventure are there - You will need to create a new account but it may be possible to set up your same username as here

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

If you need to complete your journey to the dark side you could do worse than taking a look at our sister site Windows 10 Help Forums all the tutorials and advice for your new adventure are there - You will need to create a new account but it may be possible to set up your same username as here

 

[freeagent]

If you need to complete your journey to the dark side you could do worse than taking a look at our sister site Windows 10 Help Forums all the tutorials and advice for your new adventure are there - You will need to create a new account but it may be possible to set up your same username as here

BTDT some years ago

 

[msalton1]

I too was a diehard Win7 user and fan. This is my upgrade story.

Back when the first free W10 upgrade period was available, I did upgrade my old Toshiba laptop to win10, just to play with. That was the W10 home version and I didn't like it. Some things like Mail and Edge were hopeless and it seemed to be designed for touch screens. Anyway, I hardly used it. Later, my wife's computer died, so I gave her this spare. It is quite an old Toshiba with only 4Gb and has an Athlon processor. Not long after I gave it to her, a Windows update killed it (and other computers that used that processor)! It was a month or two before MS issued an update that did not kill Athlon computers. Since then, it has worked fine for her.

For my own Lenovo, I was more cautious. I cloned my Win7 Pro to a spare drive and removed it. Then did a W10 upgrade to existing drive. I forget the details, but I ran into problems that I could not resolve. Eventually did clean W10 install. Other than some testing never used it. It was on an SSD, which was a waste, so eventually I cleaned it and used it on my wife's computer. So now I only had Win7 on Lenovo.

Over the holidays, with upcoming demise of Win7 support, I decided that maybe I should again try Win10. I again cloned my Win7 and put it aside. Then did an upgrade to Win10 (No problem with licence because I had done this when upgrade as free). Then I put the Win7 drive back in and was able to dual boot from BIOS.

Ran into some minor blips, but not much. I hate to admit it, but I have now chosen Win10 as my main OS It seems to boot up faster and so far I have not been able to find anything else to complain about Everything works as before and I like the fact that Defender now provides solid protection. I have not moved my Malwarebytes premium licence over yet, because it is needed on Win7 until I have to abandon my trusty old OS

Glad to hear your experience has been good. My major concerns regarding Win 10 are the numerous update issues (the perils of a "rolling distribution") and, just as important, the privacy issues. Both are biggies. And to date, amongst users who are concerned with these (privacy) issues, I haven't heard positive, indisputable feedback that suggests that the privacy issues can be nailed shut. There are apps that claim to do so, but that doesn't convince me. I suppose more than one tech-savvy source, along with advanced user comments definitively stating that the telemetry and privacy violations are defeatable would be a good start.

 

[freeagent]

Rolling updates are bad when they get them wrong. But in principle, it's nice to know that our OS is kept up to date. Didn't we always get updates when needed with previous versions?
Eventually, I guess when they reached their limit a new Windows version was issued. I think I have owned every one since a very early one that ran on an Apple ][e !

Privacy issues? With an Android phone and Google/Chrome, isn't it a no-win situation? I have a VPN - maybe I should actually use it

You at least got me to Google (????) the subject. I see some links upthread. I found this one: How to protect your privacy in Windows 10 | Computerworld Too much to take in right now, but I will get to it.