Any legit reason NOT to dump Windows 10?

[AggieCon]

Howdy all:

I've pretty much had it with Windows 10. The final nail was last night, when it automatically updated my Whistler 1080 driver to some Windows USB storage device crap, even though I had automatic driver updates turned off. I spent an hour or so on it, and I still could not get it to work. Basically, it thought it's driver was better and wouldn't update it to the Whister one. I added a specific driver update block for the device (which I should have done before yesterday), but there is not way to temporarily override it for the driver I want to use. I know the driver I downloaded is recognized, because Windows tells me it is blocked from installing it (while I have the security policy on). Also, the Windows utility for "hiding" driver updates doesn't include the problem driver.

In the past couple of months I've spent way too much time trying to "fix" Windows 10, and I am still nowhere near a smoothly functioning system. And things like poor performance, bugs, and general sloppy product are things I won't be able to fix.

My question: Can anyone think of a legitimate reason for why I should stick with Windows 10 and not move back to Windows 7? I previously used Windows 8 on this machine, which was rather unpleasant, so in a last ditch effort (along with poor advice from Facebook friends and Windows popups every 2 minutes), decided to upgrade. I will have to do a clean install back to 7, but I think the hassle will be worth it.

Here are the considerations I have:

• Most software is actually more stable on Win7 and Win8.
• The massive driver database on Win8 (which allowed for a 5 minute install initially) was nice, but Win10 ruined it. At any rate, I can obtain my own drivers.
• The are really no new groundbreaking Windows utilities or programs with the newer OS.

Am I missing some sort of major reason why I should wait it out?


To seal the deal. Just a few minutes ago, I opened EZ Scan then switched desktops. Because Windows 10 is so slow, it was not open by the time I switched desktops. Instead of opening it in the desktop I initiated the command, it opened it in the other desktop. How annoying!



Here are some of the problems I've had with Windows 10 and why I think it is no good:

• Driver issues. Tons of time spent on this one. You have to do group policy setting changes and, even then, it's nearly impossible. I don't know what those without Enterprise Edition do.
• It's basically a half-assed new OS on top of the old OS, so there's no uniformity.
• Two control panels, and settings scattered everywhere
• Ugly UI that you can't really modify
• Start menu still sucks
• Start menu doesn't open half the time
• When start menu does open, half the time the search function doesn't work
• Software compatibility, even some brand name professional solutions will not work with Win10. I had to uninstall a program to keep Windows Explorer from crashing. Really? I know of no programs compatible with Win10 and not Win7.
• Severe privacy issues, even with most of the settings turned off
• Wifi and volume mixer taskbar functions were essentially killed. There is a registry hack to somewhat restore the volume mixer.
• The speed startup function sucks at shutdown and is generally stupid
• Windows automatically downloads content and software I don't want
• Killed "Sound Recorder" for an inferior "Audio Recorder"
• Ugly icons
• Windows Explorer is not as good and rearranged most of my folder quick find arrangements. To open My Computer initially, you have to go change settings.
• Can't get back to legacy Windows Sounds
• Inconsistency of the appearance of the UI
• Randomly reverts my default programs settings
• Start Menu search doesn't find certain software programs
• It is slower than Windows 8
• And probably a lot more I am not recalling at the moment.

 

[crayon]

Windows 7 has a long enough life expectancy that you can comfortable switch back and not worry.

 

[eaf1956]

I reverted back to WIN 7 64 bit when Win 10 started acting up on me.

 

[AB4BF]

I run win 7 ultimate. When microsoft TOLD me I had to upgrade even though I didn't want to, I cleared the win 10 cache and I have to install win 7 updates manually, watching for MS to sneak one in on me.

Aside, you ever notice that MicroSoft has the same initials as Multiple Sclerosis? I apologize beforehand for giving Multiple Sclerosis a bad name...

 

[N9JIG]

I have Windows 10 on my PC and it seems to work fine. I had to uninstall and reinstall a couple radio programs but it was fairly painless. I also had to disable driver signing for some early driver versions but that seems to have abated. My Windows 10 machine however has decent hardware (3 GHz i7, 9 GB RAM, 1TB SSD) so it doesn't bog down under Windows 10.

I have had no real issues with programming scanners etc. except last week I had to remove a serial driver to get it to recognize the HomePatrol. All my software seems to work fine, such as Sentinel, ARC-xx, AirNav, and the like.

I upgraded (?) to Windows 10 right after I replaced the hard drive with the SSD and retained the Windows 7 installation on the hard drive. If I want to switch back I just have to unplug the SSD and plug in the hard drive. I don't have to worry about file loss with rollbacks except for anything created since then.

I heartily suggest buying a new hard drive or SSD, then copy your current Windows 7/8 over to it before going to Windows 10. If things go south just revert to your old hard drive, erase the new one and start over.

I still run Windows 7 on my iMac and that seems to work even better, so I will keep it that way. Of course I have even better hardware, and 4 times the RAM so it runs great.

 

[iMONITOR]

Windows 7 has a long enough life expectancy that you can comfortable switch back and not worry.

You're counting on Microsoft not messing that up for you!

 

[iMONITOR]

I've been experimenting with Windows 10 on an HP Z400 workstation, and a Dell Precision T7810 workstation, for about three months now. I have also used Windows 7, and Linux Mint, on both systems for yeaers, and off and on during this time as well.

When Windows 10 first came out, I was very critical of it, but today, I like it, and I like it a lot! I have a vast mixture of hardware, and software, and I have no problems of any kind! Everything just works, and works well!

I've seen the same scenario, over the years, with every new release of Microsoft Windows since 3.0! It's natural for people to be reluctant to change. It's also normal for any new operating system have some bugs, and compatibility problems when it's first introduced, for some time. Eventually they get resolved, people get used to the change, and things settle down.

Windows 7 is old. Most of the people that developed it, have left Microsoft. It is burdened with old obsolete code. Much of it resides stagnate, and unused, as it was replaced with hot fixes, patches, updates, with portions replaced with complete re-writes on top of the old code over the years. It has become unmanageable, and expensive to maintain.

For those of you fear that Windows 10 is spying on you, you bet it is. So is Windows 7, Mac, Linux, your cell phone, your home security system, your roads, and highways. There is no privacy anymore. Just live your life, and conduct yourself, in a way that noting obtained by covert methods, will come back to haunt you! That's the best you can do, unless you just crawl in a hole and die!

Much of the invasive behavior of Windows 10, is in an effort to make it smarter, more user friendly, and interact with the Internet of Things, just like your Smart Phone. Have you ever paid attention while installing apps on your Smart Phone, all the things it wants/needs access to? It should terrify you!

 

[AggieCon]

My hardware consists of Intel SSD for primary, multiple HDD, 32 GB of the fastest RAM I could find, i7, fairly nice Nvidia video card, etc. (too worn out from the storms to pull up the exact specs).

I agree completely with the tip about upgrading in a way that would preserve both. Supposedly, the upgrade allows a revert. I am coming from Windows 8, and I knew if I didn't stick with Windows 10, I would go back to 7.

I suppose I need to find a resource for which Windows Updates are safe for 7 (without downloading MS's adware), otherwise I'll spend forever researching them (and there will be a ton once I do a clean install).

"Just live your life, and conduct yourself, in a way that noting obtained by covert methods, will come back to haunt you! That's the best you can do"

I think the more prudent approach for each of us who realizes this is a problem should be to take action to correct the problem. It is actually you and I who stood by and allowed this to happen. It's up to you and me to fix it.

Here's an interesting read about why privacy does matter and how it has 1st Amendment implications: https://robindoherty.com/2016/01/06/nothing-to-hide.html

As I stated before, I do have problems and it doesn't "just work" for me. I've had Windows 8 since March 2013, so it's not like I haven't given it a shot. Sadly, some of the things I actually liked about Windows 8 were killed by 10. My computers are tools, not toys.

Here's another perspective, which I suppose is somewhat similar to mine: Why Windows 10 sucks or Everything Wrong with Windows 10

To summarize so far, it doesn't appear anyone has a substantial reason to need to stay with Windows 10 (such as hardware limitations and support, older OS being killed, software compatibility, substantial feature additions which substantially improve productivity). I'm thinking I'm probably safe, but I appreciate you for double checking me on this. Have a good weekend.

 

[slicerwizard]

For those of you fear that Windows 10 is spying on you, you bet it is. So is Windows 7, Mac, Linux, your cell phone, your home security system, your roads, and highways. There is no privacy anymore. Just live your life, and conduct yourself, in a way that noting obtained by covert methods, will come back to haunt you! That's the best you can do, unless you just crawl in a hole and die!

No thanks.

 

[iMONITOR]

As you just demonstrated, you can block them, or turn them off. You don't think Windows 7 is doing any of this?

 

[slicerwizard]

What? Why would I care about Win 7?

 

[iMONITOR]

What? Why would I care about Win 7?

I was asking if you don't think Windows 7 is spying on you, just like Windows 10? Or are you running Linux?

 

[Kb2Jpd]

I was asking if you don't think Windows 7 is spying on you, just like Windows 10? Or are you running Linux?

Linux/Android/MacOS could be spying on you. Unless you go thru all the code and compile yourself, you won't know until you monitor the Internet ports and full understand what your box is doing.

Why would you trust your router or cable modem? All can be rooted.

It's tough when you are paranoid.





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[crayon]

You're counting on Microsoft not messing that up for you!

All windows hosts in my house are joined to my Active Directory domain and get updates via WSUS. Microsoft does not mess anything up for me.

 

[Kb2Jpd]

All windows hosts in my house are joined to my Active Directory domain and get updates via WSUS. Microsoft does not mess anything up for me.

The bigger they are the harder they fall.

You trust Microsoft and their code? I'd put a network monitor on that network and snapshot any traffic.

Usually you find out about a hack after its been found and neutralized but until that happens how safe is your data your work your stuff really?

Ask the hard questions before the big hammer falls.


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[NYG]

you can prevent windows from updating drivers selectively: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930

 

[Kb2Jpd]

you can prevent windows from updating drivers selectively: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930

But do you really have a pristine copy of Windows running first? Are all your copies on adjacent machines clean as well?

Beware of OS handmedowns. Malware has been found on sneakernet copies. I had a co-worker get a "free" copy of Windows and I had him scan it first before installing. A dozen viruses and suspect signatures were found. And he got it from a cop.

Some of those even hide in the controller's ram of hard drives resisting detection and system flushing.

That's why I run Microsoft in Virtual mode. Let it blow up a virtual machine instead .


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[Project25_MASTR]

I upgraded my wife's computer to 10 but never upgraded mine. Watching new Dell XPS laptops rolling off the line without on board LAN and still having need for serial controlls, it really just made me want to stay with my Windows 7 and OSX computers. Planning on buying a new computer soon, but it will be a 7 downgrade.

7 will be supported until 2020. Mainstream support for 10 ends in 2020. Microsoft will have a newer, business/industrial OS about that time I would bet. I still don't consider 10 a business a solution, fine for consumers though.

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[crayon]

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lol. nuff said.

 

[Rred]

Microsoft has never "told" any licensee that they HAD TO upgrade to a new OS. No one. Never. Microsoft knows very well that some legacy equipment "has to" keep running as it is, on old hardware with obsoleted OSes. I kept a company's dedicated faxback server running on DOS long after Win9x had come and gone and everyone in the company was running on NT. (And yes, Window 7,8, and 10 are still WindowsNT versions.)

So if anyone thinks MS gave them an upgrade ultimatum...either you were hacked or you misread something.

As to the new OS being new or not. Having some rough edges, or not. The rule has ALWAYS been that you don't upgrade unless the upgrade gives you a benefit. Supports new hardware, like CD drives or USB ports or bigger hard drives. Runs new software, like 64-bit image processors. SOMETHING.

And there are a number of new things that Win10 does, you can find them in the tech forums. But there is one issue that the average user cannot see at all. Win10 has a more secure code base, and pretty much all the techs who actually read and right code agree that Win10 is a more secure OS.

So while Win7 is nowhere near dead and security patches will continue to issue for it for a long time...it is still going to be less secure from the very start. You'd need to dig in the tech forums to find out if there's anything else that might matter to you.

As to backing up or copying your boot drive as insurance? Eh, not always possible. For instance, using Windows' own native "backup and restore" will often fail when you're trying to restore on a changed root drive. And some of the "cloning" software, which should be better, has also been known to fail for no good reason at times. By all means backup before upgrading--but make Real Damn Sure that backup CAN actually be swapped in and used if you need it. Another little unfinished rough edge in many products, including all of the recent Windows versions.

Upgrade? Only if it gets you something. Or if you just MUST buy the latest style of socks, simply because the nice salesperson tells you the old ones are passé.