Ranting about Microsoft and Tech Support in India

I converted my main PC to Win 10, and it has generally been a positive experience. Took a while to customise it my way, using Google instead of Bing, shutting down the spyware etc, but it does boot up and shut down much quicker.

Only problem that I haven't been able to fix is that it won't let me write to the Documents folder. MS advice is to reset the R/W on Users, "our folder" then Documents. However it then instantly resets as read only for all.
I created a new folder (New Documents) but have to reset it in many programs to save each time, as they default to Documents.

I dont tend to stick to any one site, but use google fu plus advanced booleans and recursive searching using the previous search results to help refine my search, as often part of my problem may be on one site, and the solution on another.

Alternate sites can include the specific reddit subreddits, such as /r/techsupport, /r/windows, etc, anandtech, tomshardware, guru3d, and most other pc hardware/software review sites.



For the Xp thing, was it installed when you brought the machine? if so, unless you have the original recovery disc, it might be time to go sailing the high seas for am iso, as you apparently cant get the official one off digital river now. But if you do, you only need the exact same version, xp home, and make sure its the same version (32/64 bit) as the sticker says. Otherwise wont work.



As for the windows dvd, absent a revert, microsfots policy is again, no, unless you take to the seas again. however, if you dont like vlc, there are other options: xbmc(now kodi) mpc-hc, and others, all free and modifiable to your preferences. I just tend to use vlc because it syncs nicely to pretty much every file type under the sun, and im not using it for a media server, so i dont need to worry too much about extra stuff.



Hope that helps.

Ensign Re-read wrote:Do any of you have any opinions as to which site has been the most useful to one of you in the past? [/b][/size]


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FWIW, here are two sample questions:

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One issue I have is that in order to re-install one of my Windows 7 Upgrade, I have to find an install disk for XP Home Edition, as that's the original license for THAT one machine. PROBLEM: I only have on hand a disk labeled: "XP Pro OEM SP3". Where can I go to get an ISO image to burn a new "XP Home" edition disk? OR Will the Pro version work with a Home license? (I think not, but I'll likely test that within the next 36ish hours.)

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One more topic...
I understand that users of Windows Media Center could have gotten a copy of the Microsoft DVD Player software _IF_ one realizes to do so BEFORE one upgrades to Windows 10.

But some of us (like me) are not that organized. I did not do so beforehand, and I refuse to revert back to an earlier OS, get that software, then reinstall 10 again.

So, If the "VLC Media Player" software isn't satisfactory, how do I get a copy of the "Microsoft DVD Player" software at this point?

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Questions like the above two are, in my opinion, not the best fit for this web site.

Where do you guys go to get your various Windows questions answered?

(Please refrain the Mac comments, we're a multi-OS household. No, that was not a PC pun.)



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Well, i´m sure Microsoft appreciates that you´re doing their betatesting for them.

Don´t believe me? Think about the fact that MS isn´t selling W10 on corporate licenses yet.
The reason for that, surprise, is because W10 isn´t finished yet.



Being a member on a large number of computer sites, my stance is that i wont touch W10 EVER.
Switched to W7 in March with new computer, next upgrade will probably use Linux instead.

shutting down the spyware etc

Daryl, simple sad truth is, even if you change the over 200 settings(that people have located so far, some of them registry hacks(a bit over 100 settings W10 allows you to change "officially")) that affect W10 spyware functionality, you can´t actually turn all of them off, and there´s more that have no on/off switch at all.

And you can´t turn off the adware that is part of W10. Wanna bet how long before that starts popping up in more places than they do now?

They´re already trying to further commercialise the OS, i expect it wont take long before everything costs money, and barely nothing can be done without being online.

The potential security holes and weirdness in W10 are just astounding though... Like how by default, you do not necessarily know if you save a file on your own harddrive, or in an online cloud service. And data just happen to transit through MS servers...

Wanna bet how long it takes before someone finds how to exploit the enforced autoupdate function to hijack systems?
Or how long before the hidden filesharing is used by "not nice" people as proxies?

Compatibility issues not seen since over a decade back, lol, MS states that previous versions of MS Office is "compatible", oh yeah sure, as long as you BUY THE NEW VERSION!!! (that one was a nasty surprise for someone who upgraded early, because he specifically checked with MS that his version was supposed to work with W10, and it only did so if he paid for the "upgrade" for that as well, he has now upgraded back to W7 btw)

Oh right, there´s also the bunch of people with troublesome NVidia drivers, some of which has completely lost all data on the system due to the "upgrade". The lucky ones got away with just having to reinstall the previous OS.

And then there´s the fun with failed updates. MS has already managed to release 3 updates that caused thousands, possibly even millions of computers to enter an endless boot -> update -> reboot to failed patching -> reboot to update and repeat cycle.
And with W10 you can´t legally switch updates off, you can´t even switch it off even if it happens while you´re in the middle of a game or whatever. So much stupidity in such a small package, amazing how many people can screw up so totally.


I suggest anyone who has "upgraded" to W10 to make DAMN SURE that they really want to stay with it before the timelimit for reverting to previous OS expires.

So, If the "VLC Media Player" software isn't satisfactory, how do I get a copy of the "Microsoft DVD Player" software at this point?

Answer is that you don´t. That´s part of why W10 is built as it is, you´re supposed to spend MUCHO MONEY on it.

Illegally, no problem. But legally, MS is doing a complete ripoff.

Where do you guys go to get your various Windows questions answered?

Computer forums.
pcper.com ( pcperspective, used to be amdmb.com and some other site that joined, they used to have official representatives from several companies on the forum as well(it´s a while since i used it last))
anandtech.com
techreport.com
realworldtech.com
arstechnica.com
silentpcreview.com
xbitlabs.com

Questions like the above two are, in my opinion, not the best fit for this web site.

Just make a thread, i really doubt anyone is going to howl at you for creating some extra activity on the forum as long as you don´t put it in the wrong place.

Tenshinai:

Thanks again for your input.

Tenshinai wrote:Well, i´m sure Microsoft appreciates that you´re doing their betatesting for them.

-- CLIP --

I suggest anyone who has "upgraded" to W10 to make DAMN SURE that they really want to stay with it before the timelimit for reverting to previous OS expires.

Hmmm... You made some good points. Maybe I will revert on my second PC, and hold off on my third PC.

Kodi (formerly XBMC) and Plex seem to be fine products, but they're also overkill (for OUR needs) versus Windows Media Center 8.1, which did the job just fine. FFI, see:
* http://www.howtogeek.com/132462/5-alter ... windows-8/

The reason why I made the (below) comment about VLC is that it crashed on me when I inserted a DVD into the laptop that I "upgraded". This laptop is just the first of the three I've set up for the W10 upgrade, and I likely will not revert that one.

The 2nd is the Front Room's PC that we use for our DVR/"Tivo" box. That is the one box that I'd be most likely to "REVERT" back to Windows 8.1.

The 3rd PC, for my daughter, is all set to do the "upgrade" to W10, that one is running "Windows 7 Home Premium".
{Hmmm... I wonder if I can still get a 7-to-8.1 upgrade done on this one, and how much it would cost?}



ONE MORE QUESTION:
Does anyone know how to "turn off" the Windows 10 upgrade notification/question/alert/whatever-it's-called ???
UPDATE: Ooops. As usual, all one has to do is to "Google" the question. Heh.

Tenshinai wrote:

So, If the "VLC Media Player" software isn't satisfactory, how do I get a copy of the "Microsoft DVD Player" software at this point?

Answer is that you don´t. That´s part of why W10 is built as it is, you´re supposed to spend MUCHO MONEY on it.

Illegally, no problem. But legally, MS is doing a complete ripoff.

Where do you guys go to get your various Windows questions answered?

Computer forums.
pcper.com ( pcperspective, used to be amdmb.com and some other site that joined, they used to have official representatives from several companies on the forum as well(it´s a while since i used it last))
anandtech.com
techreport.com
realworldtech.com
arstechnica.com
silentpcreview.com
xbitlabs.com

Questions like the above two are, in my opinion, not the best fit for this web site.

Just make a thread, i really doubt anyone is going to howl at you for creating some extra activity on the forum as long as you don´t put it in the wrong place.

Thanks for the other site recommendations.
Now to pick one (or two).



ERR




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Thanks for the other site recommendations.
Now to pick one (or two).

Nah, don´t pick, just register on all/most of them and any questions, ask them on at least two forums, sometimes there´s someone on just ONE forum that knows your problem exactly, and noone on two others, and sometimes there´s incorrect information floating around for various reasons, and at worst, it might take too long for YOU for someone on the forum you asked to find out that it was wrong.

Essentially, computer problems today are so complex that it´s rare that you can find all the answers in just one place.

ONE MORE QUESTION:
Does anyone know how to "turn off" the Windows 10 upgrade notification/question/alert/whatever-it's-called ???
UPDATE: Ooops. As usual, all one has to do is to "Google" the question. Heh.

Short and simple answer, unless you have W10 Professional version, you don´t.

Tenshinai:

Thanks again for your input.

I wish you good luck on your windowy adventures.

Heads up people, if a person has a 64 bit motherboard and processor then do a clean install of windows 10 64 but iso on a USB hard drive. My parent's computers downloaded w10 but it installed the w10 32 bit version. What a pain in butt because I have to back up the hard drives again and start a clean install.

Edit: If a person is running w7 32bit or older 32 bit os, they must go to the windows store and download the iso file for w10 64 bit os. Windows upgrade will only upgrade 32 bit os to w10 32 bit os. I hope that clears up the confusion! As a result, the parents computers will be backed up again and I will do clean install for w10 64 bit os. Plus, the main computer will be upgraded to 16 gigs of ram from 4 gigs. That should take care of upgrading the computer for a few years!

FYI: my older dual core laptop running w10 64 bit version was upgraded with ddr2 ram from 4gb to 8 gb. My laptop is running great. No problems with movies freezing on netflix.

I reset the browser of mozilla back to default settings after I saved all my browser settings and bookmarks. Second, I downloaded k-lite video and audio codecs. Now, I can play videos in Netflix in my mozilla 32 and 64 bit browsers.

Anyone have PCI Express 3 ssd drive. How reliable are they? Do you notice a difference in speed using these types of drives? Mainly, my computer is used for fun and business with a couple of video games on it.

I've got a 500gb one. With Win10, bootup and shutdown are very quick. Response in all things is better, even uploading web requests is better. My large Outlook email files load instantaneously.
The are said to be very reliable, very slowing losing capacity over time. Never defrag them. I then use a 2tb drive for data and video etc.

smr wrote:Anyone have PCI Express 3 ssd drive. How reliable are they? Do you notice a difference in speed using these types of drives? Mainly, my computer is used for fun and business with a couple of video games on it.

Better idea, DONT install Windows 10 at all.

Spyware, malware, adware and a big bag of bugs, no thank you.

I use tronscript, noscript, ublock origin, blur, random agent spoofer, https everywhere, and a few other tools, and thats helped a lot, along with host file blocks and some reg edits to 'encourage' both windows 7, 8 and 10 to work how I want them to...... And they work great now.


No infections seem to have managed to get out of my temp folder yet, and if they do, thats ok, I have multiple sys images and restore points...... XD


Little overboard? probably? useful? oh yes.

Tenshinai wrote:Better idea, DONT install Windows 10 at all.

Spyware, malware, adware and a big bag of bugs, no thank you.