Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Technical Help and How To's Windows 10

I just upgraded to Windows 10 this morning. I tried the new Windows Edge browser, but much to my annoyance, it wouldn't let me sign in here. Once I signed in with Chrome, Edge finally did let me sign in.

Has anyone else tried Windows 10? What was your experience?

I've been using Windows 10 and I like it. I have stuck with Chrome for most of my browsing, though.

One thing you should be aware of with this version of Windows; its default settings basically let Microsoft not only get a lot of data from you, they even let the company use *your* bandwidth to spread their updates. For more information, check out this link and this one.
Joy,
Lynn

I've been using Windows 10 for some days and I've been liking it. I was using Windows 7 and it has improved in speed and performance. I use Firefox and Chrome, so I can't say anything about their browser, though. I didn't know about these privacy issues, so thanks for the heads up, Lynn!

But I'm having a hard time believing that this is for free. Really? There is no catch? I'm worried that I accept it now and afterwards there are charges that I'm not aware about.

Andreia

Does it stay logged in here?

At first, it wouldn't log in at all. Then I logged in using Chrome, and it worked and stayed logged in.

This isn't the only site that seems to have a problem with Windows Edge. Some of the crafts forums my mom likes had the same problem when she updated to Windows 10.

My dad upgraded to Windows 10, and then found that his computer automatically restarted itself after he shut it down. He has yet to find a solution.

Has anyone else had this problem?

So, I checked out Windows 10 at Staples this morning. It looks like MS has realized that Windows 8 is horrible because us old folks don't like instant change. They've gotten rid of many of the things about it that drives me nuts at work. (It can't help that it's on a laptop with a touchpad instead of desktop with a mouse. That's just something I'll have to learn to deal with.) It's moved all the Apps to the the Smart button (Start button?). I'm sure there will be a way to make it look more user friendly (to me) if/when I have time to change the settings. I'm one of these people who believes in equality, even for my computer programs. So, it doesn't make sense that there should be various shaped boxes (with photos because modern people can't read apparently) for the different programs (which people now apparently call "apps").

Thanks, Lynn. Those were very insightful and informative articles. Good info to know.

I went in and changed the settings to protect my privacy. I have no faith in Microsoft's ability to keep out hackers.

Hey, does anyone know how to tell Windows 10 to stop turning off my Number's Lock whenever I shut down my computer? It didn't start doing it until I installed Win 10, so it must be to blame, right? It wreaks havoc whenever I'm trying to type in my passwords. I'm a 10-Key type of woman.

Huh...it does? /goes checking google/ That's...it looks like you're not alone out there. There's some tips out there about manipulating the registry to make numlock be turned on after you boot, but nothing about making Windows just *remember* the bloody setting

For instance: https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3gjcxd/numlock_disabled_after_booting_up_windows_10/

Disclaimer: I haven't tried that one yet, since I'm still on Windows 8.

Michael

Thank you, Michael. That was above my skill / understanding level. I'm just a humble classics major. (Think: Computing for Dummies level.) I went through all of my settings screens and could not find the one referenced in that link. So, I went and did my own research.

Apparently (not that I've had opportunity to try it), if one turns on one's computer, then hits the number lock key (on the log-in page) and then restarts one's computer, the computer is supposed to remember that you like the number lock key to stay locked. Sounds illogical to me (or just a one time fix). If a computer can do that from the log-in screen, why can't it do that from the desktop? In Windows 7, if I left my number lock on, it stayed on. (Same with cap locks, though I only use that rarely.) How is a new program supposed to make life easier, if it makes it more difficult? /rolls eyes/

Thanks for suggestion, anyway.

I'm finding that Windows 10 is much more user-friendly than Windows 8. When I replaced my old computer back in January, the new one came with Windows 8. It was very confusing, especially since I'd never encountered it before (the computers at work use Windows 7, and my old computer had XP). Now that I've upgraded to Windows 10, the computer is a lot easier to use.

At work, the tech department installed a new staff computer in the library to replace a dying one that uses -- you guessed it -- Windows 8. I promptly asked why they didn't just upgrade to Windows 10. The tech gave me an aggravated look and said they're working on it. Meanwhile, I'm teaching my co-workers to use Windows 8. It's amazing how much you learn when you're teaching somebody about something.

Well, I tried that trick with the number lock problem (restarting after pressing the number lock key on the log-in page) and it seemed to work this first time. Jury is still out on whether it will work next time.

I agree. Win 10 is better than Win 8; just like MoS is better than Superman Returns. It doesn't right all the wrongs, and there will probably be things about it I will hate, but for the most part I enjoy it more.

How is everyone getting Win 10? I'm still on the stupid waiting list!

I signed up for the free copy of Win 10 on my desktop computer and then later on with the laptop (my husband uses). Then I noticed that it was on the laptop. My husband said, "yeah, that downloaded this past weekend. It took forever!" (okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration.) I wondered why his laptop downloaded his Win 10 before mine, when I signed up first. So, I went back to my desktop, clicked on the little windows symbol on my task bar / icon bar (over to lower right hand side by the clock). It automatically downloaded Win 10. I guess it was waiting for me to ask a 2nd time. /roll eyes/ I thought it was going to let me know when I could. (silly me) So, naturally, I freaked because I hadn't backed up my Word writing files since I had bought my flashdrives a couple of weeks ago. So, I stuck in my flashdrive and updated it with my new content. (Thankfully, it still let me do this as it was prepping my computer for download.) I have to agree with my husband that it did take a while (several hours), but I had a 2 foot zucchini I was making into bread and muffins for the winter. (6 batches later, I've still got some zucchini left.)

Sorry for the long story. Apparently, I tend to run on when telling a story. Forgive me.

The short version: Try clicking the Windows 10 link on your task bar again. Maybe it gives preferential treatment to those who ask more than once.

A 2-foot zucchini?! That would make a lot of zucchini bread. (I'll admit it; I'm more impressed with the zucchini than with Windows 10.)

2 foot zucchini? Geez!

I keep checking the little windows icon on my tool bar and it keeps telling me that I'll be informed when it's ready for me. *Sigh*

A two foot zuke is impressive in size, but I've found that the larger zucchinis tend not to be as tender or as sweet.

There is a way to "jump to the head of the line" with Windows 10, but involves tweaking the registry -- that's something you don't want to do unless you feel really comfortable with the admin side of Windows. If you do something wrong, you could mess up your computer big time. (Such that if you don't remember how to undo the change and if you haven't backed up the registry, you might need to wipe your disk and reinstall Windows and everything else.)

Joy,
Lynn

Lynn, I'm a computer moron, so I'll have to wait.

Apparently, that quick fix for the number lock key was temporary as I feared it would be. It worked that one day, but the next day it was back to being turned off when I turn my computer on. I don't understand the concept of making a program that turns off all of your settings every time you turn it on. Does a car with electronic seat adjustment move it back to factory specs every time you turn off your car? No, it leaves your seat exactly where you left it!

Actually ... I drove a rental car that moved the seat back every time I opened the door. I had readjust it every time, which was a royal pain in the keister. It was a semi-luxury car, too (or so I was told by every man at work, because they all had to stop and stare at it in admiration). I was really glad when my nice, normal Ford Focus was fixed and I could go back to driving it.

Sounds like it was memorized for a specific person (who wasn't you). My Suburu's seat adjustment is a more basic model than that. It doesn't adjust per person, but it's electronic as opposed to a bar under my seat, which is nice since my husband is a good 4" taller than me. I like not having to bend in half and reach between my legs every time I drive the car after he does (and I'm sure he's more than happy not to have to squeeze his face against the steering wheel to reach those stupid adjustment bars).

I double checked my number lock feature again last night. Resetting it by pressing number lock and restarting my computer. It seems only to work for that one time. If I shut down my computer (as is recommended for the health of one's computer and one's electricity bill), my number lock preference is once again forgotten. Darn annoying, that.

Actually, shutting down the computer for the computer's health is old advice and doesn't apply any more. And if you put your computer into "sleep" mode, you won't be using anywhere near as much power as you would if you kept it "on," but you can start up faster and your num lock preference would probably hold. I would still power off every now and then, since that will help free up memory that programs hadn't released properly, but you needn't do it every night.

Joy,
Lynn

Kay. So I just found this thread after closing the little popup box that's begging me to sign up for Windows 10... Could anybody tell me if it's worth it to download? I've heard they fixed a lot of the problems that were in the beta and that it's more like Win7 than Win8 (which is because Win8 sucked).

However. I haven't found anything about it that makes me want to change over my Windows 7 laptop. If I'm gonna switch over, it had better be worth it. Otherwise, I'll keep my current OS.

Chances are, most of Windows 10 is already downloaded onto your laptop. Microsoft has downloaded the Windows 10 files onto devices running earlier versions of Windows so that the installation process (should you choose to accept it) will be expedited. My advice? If you currently have Windows 8, by all means update to Windows 10 -- it is, indeed, much more like Windows 7 than Windows 8. If you have Windows 7, it's more of a toss-up.

I updated because I know my school will be moving to Windows 10 sooner or later, and I wanted to be comfortable with this version of the OS before I'm asked to teach about it. I also went against my usual policy and was one of the early adopters, since I knew that once the school year started, there would be no way I'd have times to deal with the headaches should the installation process not go smoothly. As it happened, there was only a very minor glitch -- minor enough that I don't even remember the details any more. I like Windows 10, but I must admit that IMHO there aren't really any must-have features.

If you do decide to upgrade, though, I would strongly encourage you to read the articles I linked to earlier in this thread. Windows 10 in its default settings really is a privacy nightmare and it also will consume your bandwidth to spread their updates to other people's computers. (No thank you, Microsoft -- I do not want to have my computer used as your file server!) The articles I linked to let you know ways to tame the Windows beast.

Joy,
Lynn