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Topic: Win 10 Upgrade Info from Windows Secrets Newsletter |
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 5:39 am |
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Here is some info from the subject newsletter. It notes a problem with i7 CPU's however Microsoft just issued a microcode update for the i7's so that is probably no longer an issue:
Microsoft has begun its major push for Windows 10 on billions of PCs. If you're running Windows 7 or 8.1, there's a good chance you've had alerts for the new OS — on your system.
The mighty Microsoft marketing system is taking an entirely new approach to introducing the next Windows. Here are the facts, not the hype.
By now, most Windows users know that Microsoft has instituted a reservation system for downloading Windows 10, once it formally starts shipping this July 29. Getting Windows users to reserve a place at the Win10 launch table is a novel concept — as was the Technical Preview program that's been in place for the past few months. Although there are some good aspects to the reservation system, it also has problems and is simply unnecessary.
As you probably know by now, Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for all qualified Windows systems — i.e., mostly personal and "genuine" Win7 and Win8.1 machines — for a full year after its July 29 release. That's not exactly a short window for deciding whether you want the free upgrade. (Reportedly, if you miss that one-year window, you'll have to pay for the OS. And if you haven't updated from Win8 to 8.1, a necessary requirement for Win10, you're way overdue to do so.)
Contrary to some rumors, there will not be any sort of subscription fee after you upgrade. Microsoft will send free updates for the life of the OS.
Possibly the one useful aspect of the Win10 reservation system is that it runs a check of your system to see whether it's ready for the new OS. The "Get Windows 10" application that suddenly appeared on many Windows systems earlier this month includes a "Check my PC" option. As long as you've kept up on patches in Windows Update, updating to Win10 should be relatively uncomplicated for most current PCs.
There are numerous other, more minor changes (detailed in the Win10 Specifications page). For example, during the upgrade process, your anti-malware app will — in theory — be uninstalled and later reinstalled with the latest version. (It's unknown what AV apps this will work for.) The "Check my PC" function will also test whether third-party apps are compatible with Win10.
Upgrading to Win10 will remove a couple of Windows features you might rely on. For example, as noted in Microsoft's Win10 FAQ, Windows Media Center will disappear. In its place, we'll get a DVD-playback app so we can continue watching DVD-based movies on our notebooks. Also gone are Windows 7 gadgets, ostensibly replaced by the small universal-app tiles in Win10's new start menu. In truth, the loss of gadgets is a non-issue; as noted in an MS post, these applets are not secure and haven't been for some time.
Possibly the most important challenge for many Windows users will be the coming changes to Windows Update. The specifics are still somewhat vague, but on the Win10 specifications page, Microsoft states:
"Windows 10 Home users will have updates from Windows Update automatically available."
Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise users will be able to delay updates, using what Microsoft calls a "Current branch" or a "Long-term servicing branch." For the consumer versions of Win10, users will be able to delay update installs only by choosing when to reboot their systems — generally for a few days at most. There will be no option to hide updates, as we currently can in all versions of Win7 and Win8.
Again, the specifics are still to come. But as I understand it, any delay installing updates will apply only to nonsecurity fixes that we now see as "optional." Moreover, security patches may be automatically deployed at any time, not just on Patch Tuesday.
As someone who has watched the evolution of Windows patching over the years, I can well remember where we started — patches appearing any day of the week. (We also had to know exactly which patch needed to be installed before another patch.) Patch Tuesday was initiated to bring some predictability to updating, but the Internet and cloud services are effectively driving us back to continuous patching — at least for security updates.
Though it's clear we need faster and better updating, there's also concern that Microsoft is still sending out problematic patches. We can only hope that Microsoft rises to the occasion and fixes its patch-quality problems. Even at that, if the ability to defer updates is limited, enterprises will be slow to deploy Windows 10.
Reserving a Win10 download seems pointless
As has been noted in several Windows Secrets stories, there's no compelling reason to reserve a Windows 10 download. In fact, there are many good reasons not to. Yes, we can assume that Win10 will be stable and most of our key applications will work just as they do now on Win7 and Win8.1. But we should give third-party application vendors some time to tweak their applications. That's especially true of anti-malware apps. For instance, a Webroot thread notes that the app needs to be uninstalled and reinstalled with each Win10 build — and that will still be the case with the shipping version of Win10.
Moreover, the reservation system is not as simple as you might expect. To prepare Win7/8 systems for Win10, Microsoft has already released several related updates, some of them with vague descriptions. KB 3035583, for example, adds "capabilities for Windows Update notifications when new updates are available to the user." KB 2952664 for Win7 SP1 makes "improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows." And KB 2976978 for Windows 8.1 determines "whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed."
Other Win10-related updates for Win7 and Win 8 include KB 3050265 (Win7), KB 3050267 (Win8.1), and KB 3068708.
If you have no plans to upgrade to Windows 10 soon, none of those updates is needed; they can all be hidden. And if you decide to upgrade to Win10, say, six months from now, there will undoubtedly be new Win7/8 updates to help with that process.
Moreover, the reservation system isn't playing well with some computers, as noted in an MS Answers thread. The thread includes various fixes — including Registry hacks. But the best solution appears to be a set of batch files accessed via a Dropbox link. Again, see the aforementioned thread for the details.
There are also reports of issues with the Win10 compatibility-checking tool. It has erroneously warned some users that their systems would not support Win10. If you've overclocked your computer, the compatibility test won't run properly. If you've disabled Internet Explorer, you'll need to re-enable it for the Windows 10 upgrade. Also, if you're running an Intel Core i7 processor, the compatibility system reports that the CPU is not supported. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 6:43 am
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Thanks for the report, Jack.
As I noted elsewhere, the Check My PC thing reported that my Norton AV was incompatible with the Win 10 upgrade. Not surprisingly, Norton has actively been pushing the message that they are on top of it and will be ready for 10. |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 11:52 am Re: Win 10 Upgrade Info from Windows Secrets Newsletter
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| Here is some info from the subject newsletter. It notes a problem with i7 CPU's however Microsoft just issued a microcode update for the i7's so that is probably no longer an issue... |
Thanks, Jack.
I respect the Windows Secrets people and usually find the information they offer quite interesting and useful. In this case, they sound quite negative on the Win10 reservation thing, but I didn't see anything in their analysis that makes me all that hesitant to go forward with it.
I did run the compatibility thing again today, and although my CPU is an i7, it wasn't in the report - just the Broadcom drivers I mentioned in the other thread. Those don't concern me much and Broadcom has plenty of time to deal with it.
The way I look at it is, even if Win10 turns my PC into a paperweight, I'll still have a bunch of Android devices to use while MS gets it figured out. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 12:21 pm
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| I have two desktops with i7 3770 CPU's. Neither is flagged as being incompatible. |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 2:14 pm
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The nuances and details of the licensing, upgrade, and update processes remains up in the air and should become clear in the weeks after the actual release when millions of real users will no doubt be experimenting to find the gotchas.
As I understand it, ordinary home users like us will have some choice as to how long to delay updates, but can't refuse them indefinitely. You will be assimilated.
You will apparently be able to choose to be a member of a particular "ring", with the fast ring getting updates quickly and the slower rings getting them on a delay (weeks or months?). The faster rings that get the quick updates would be subject to a higher likelihood of a buggy update, while those in the slower rings would get revised updates that are free of the bugs revealed by the guinea pigs in the fast rings. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 2:41 pm
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| Mitch Drumm wrote: |
........ You will be assimilated .......
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all your bases are belong to us
I will be content to wait a little bit to see & hear what's what. I am SO TOTALLY not a power user and I do not need to be on any cutting edge. All I ask for is smooth computer operation with as little drama as possible. If I were smarter, I would just decline the upgrade and just run Win7 until it starts biting me. That's when it's time for a new rig. But I'm not smarter. |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 3:01 pm
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I can understand the "forced update" thing for security reasons, but if it applies to drivers as well, I expect some percentage of users will be spending time trying to get rid of a forced driver update that causes problems.
All the more reason to get competent on an imaging application to bail you out. The new free version of Macrium Reflect just became available.
I have no idea how well Win 8.1 or Win 10 "revert" functionality works, but I've had good luck with System Restore in Windows 7. |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 3:05 pm
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| Jon Light wrote: |
| If I were smarter, I would just decline the upgrade and just run Win7 until it starts biting me. That's when it's time for a new rig. But I'm not smarter. |
Meh, where's your sense of adventure, Jon?
C'mon - live a little.  |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 3:06 pm
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I've been running the Win 10 "Preview" versions for some time. It does not crash and all my recording studio software and hardware run equally with Win 7 and Win 8.1. My main system is a dual boot Win 7 and Win 8.1 (on separate SSD drives). I will upgrade the Win 8.1 whenever the automatic update comes out. Win 7 will not be upgraded as I need Win 7 for a special application that will not work in Win 8/8.1.
I don't foresee the "Major Problems" that were experienced with older OS's such as Win 95, Win 98, Win ME, Win XP, Win Vista. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 3:33 pm
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| Dave Potter wrote: |
Meh, where's your sense of adventure, Jon?
C'mon - live a little. |
I saw a package of Melba Toastâ„¢ on sale at the market. It said "NEW! IMPROVED!"
I curled into a fetal position for three weeks. |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 18 Jun 2015 4:54 pm
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| I don't foresee the "Major Problems" that were experienced with older OS's such as Win 95, Win 98, Win ME, Win XP, Win Vista. |
Actually, I went through all of those except ME, and I experienced no major problems with any of them that I recall. |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 5:17 am
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Will the upgrade be like a new install? What I mean, will it wipe out all my programs/files/etc, as a new install, and how do I work through this?
Thanks...BF
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 9:20 am
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| Bill Ford wrote: |
Will the upgrade be like a new install? What I mean, will it wipe out all my programs/files/etc, as a new install, and how do I work through this?
Thanks...BF |
No, it is like adding a new service pack, but with a sometimes major impact on certain existing functions. Your data, preferences, settings and accounts should remain intact. Nonetheless, you should save them to an external drive or disk. You can export your files and settings using a Wizard pertinent to your version of Windows. Under Windows 7 and 8 it is called "Windows Easy Transfer." This utility must be run from an actual Administrator level account.
Rather than copying and pasting tons of details, I'll give you links to gather the information yourself. Despite the name Easy Transfer, it is somewhat complicated. Some items must be backed up using a different method, which is covered on this page at LifeHacker.com. The title is about exporting files and settings for a clean install, but it also works for an upgrade, should things to wrong.
There is another good article about using Windows Easy Transfer on HowToGeek.com.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 10:43 am
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I've been getting the new Preview versions as "upgrades" and so far all of the applications I have installed in Win 10 are carried over to the new versions.
I got two in the last two days. They released 10158 and the next day 10159.
Only issue is the length of time for a new version. Can take 3 or 4 hours to upgrade to a new version. I don't know if the length of time will also be in the RTM version. |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 2:07 pm
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Thanks, sounds like a, not so bad do..BF
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 2:31 pm
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I'm about to attempt to load Windows 10 Preview onto my spare computer that is still running XP. If it can take it I will play around and use it to test various programs I still need to use. Those programs do run on Windows 7, but sometimes need compatibility tweaking, back to various incarnations of XP.
My main concerns about the box are the MSI motherboard with only AGP video and the AMD processor. I will know shortly if it can install on that box.
Gotta burn a bootable DVD from the ISO...
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2015 11:26 pm
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It appears that Windows 10 won't install on my XP box. Sigh. I may just buy a new motherboard/RAM/CPU/Video combo, plus a touch monitor, later down the line, and just buy a retail copy of W10 when it becomes available.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 2 Jul 2015 3:10 am
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Wiz, I have a laptop with XP on it, tried to upgrade to 7, but it wouldn't go. It is a really old unit and for what I use it for, XP is fine, storing pictures on vacation, checking email away from home,etc.
BF
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 30 Jul 2015 8:29 am
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I have downloaded "Macrium Reflect" free version. Is this a good program, or is there a better clone/mirror program out there? Also, is it better to clone, or image?
Thanks, BF
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 30 Jul 2015 9:13 am
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Bill;
There are several criteria a PC must meet to allow Windows 10 to install. One is video hardware that accepts/runs on DirectX9. Another is the processor itself. You can have tons of RAM, but if the CPU doesn't contain two particular technologies, it's a no go. That's what happened to me with my 9 year old XP box.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 2 Aug 2015 9:36 am
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10 is downloaded,up and running with no problems. There are a few things to sort out, as with all upgrades and new programs. Thanks for all the help and advice.
BF
Edited to say...No programs or files lost.
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 2 Aug 2015 11:46 am
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| Bill Ford wrote: |
I have downloaded "Macrium Reflect" free version. Is this a good program, or is there a better clone/mirror program out there? Also, is it better to clone, or image?
Thanks, BF |
It's a good program. Arguably the best consumer imaging program. The paid version has a few features you probably would not need.
For certain tasks, you could use either cloning or imaging. For others, you'd be best advised to try one or other, at least as a first attempt.
Cloning: typically used when everything is running fine and you just want to move to another hard drive. Cloning is not the best idea for "backup" purposes and typically "copies" the ENTIRE contents of the drive to some other drive. If the cloning works, that new hard drive would be immediately bootable.
Imaging: the preferred method for "backup" and would be used when disaster strikes, but can also be used to move to another hard drive when everything is running well. Done on a partition-by-partition basis, so you can make images of one, some, or all partitions on a drive. The image files aren't of much use until they are formally "restored"--a separate and distinct process. You have to make a "recovery" disc to boot your PC in order to do the restore and get you back up and running after a disaster, so you need to CONFIRM that the recovery disk will in fact boot your PC. If it won't, you can't restore, and your so-called backup plan has failed. |
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2015 2:06 pm
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I have been using Acronis True Image for both cloning, imaging and also file and folder backups. I have used most versions released over the last 6 years, or so. Some have had features I liked and disappeared with subsequent releases. Others added new features I came to like.
Fancy features are merely a Userland convenience to me. I know that if I do something bad to a file or folder that was backed up, I can run a few clicks on the backup file and extract/restore a good copy. Ditto if I buy a new larger hard or SSD drive. The cloning always works the same, just with recognition of newer drive types and sizes. Restoring images is only done if my hard drive begins to fail, or if an experiment goes bad, or malware invades my well-protected setup (thankfully, it hasn't happened in years).
One "feature" of Acronis that I do use now and then is called "Try and Decide." It establishes a virtual machine clone of my operating system drive. I can use it to test possibly malicious installer files, or to try out software that might not work with other software already installed, or to test a trial version of a program. Sometimes those trial programs don't fully uninstall, even on the same day. With Try and Decide, I can do as I wish, then either make the changes permanent, or revert to the previous good setup. All this is done in seconds once you learn your way around it.
_________________
"Wiz" Feinberg, Moderator SGF Computers Forum
Security Consultant
Twitter: @Wizcrafts
Main web pages: Wiztunes Steel Guitar website | Wiz's Security Blog | My Webmaster Services | Wiz's Security Blog |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 3 Aug 2015 2:29 am
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I used to use Acronis. It failed me twice trying to restore from backups (the backups were previously verified good) and it didn't get a third chance. Even the Linux rescue disc wouldn't work, but the WinPE did.
I now use Macrium Reflect (Paid version). The free version is probably good for many but if we don't support (buy) the products eventually they will disappear. |
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Dave Potter
From:
Texas
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Posted 3 Aug 2015 7:43 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| I now use Macrium Reflect (Paid version). The free version is probably good for many but if we don't support (buy) the products eventually they will disappear. |
Agree. Programmers have to eat just like everyone else. Plus, the "free" stuff usually doesn't have the functionality I want and need. |
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