Windows XP

[depotoo]

The younger crowd knows no different. Us older users tend to read the fine print more often.

Windows X requires you to be on line just to start your PC. WHY? No more innocuously firing up the old bird just to reminisce at old family pictures, OH NO, MSN HAS TO KNOW you, where you are. WHY?Previous editions of Windows operating systems Never required that, ever.

No it doesn't.

Really? Mine does. But I have just had it since last Friday. Cortana is an interesting addition, but still I have sign into MS on line so far it requires an online connection. For me, that is a fact.

There are certain apps that come with Win 10 that want you to sign in to use. My advice is to delete those apps and NEVER sign in. I read the terms of service agreement and found out that when you are signed in they will track almost everything you do on your computer so they can build a profile of you for directing targeted advertising at you. They said they will sell your profile to third parties.

I erased every one of the apps that came in the task area of icons that slides up. They are not necessary. Then I put my own shortcuts there. I simply don't want my profile on a server somewhere. Or if you want your system to look more like Win 7 or XP simply erase all the apps and the task area will go away.

For similar privacy reasons don't use their new internet explorer unless you know how to tame it. Yes, I might be paranoid, but I don't trust big brother (big brother is not the government. It's corporations.)

. Yep, the nail on the head you hit there. I don't understand for the life of me, why people were so willing to give up their privacy for technology that has one goal in mind, and that is to make sheep out of all of us eventually, and then to do it all under the guise of (we as a people) will be better off for it? In no way does letting the tech world create a profile, and then to store it in every way shape or form and/or to sell it to every so called add company imaginable can be a good thing. In fact the law suits ought to be flying left and right over the infringement on our privacy's without our permissions. How can people make money off of us without our permission, and we who are being used (without our permission) get nothing for it ?

 

[Dot Com]

I was watching a broadcast of TV Economic news reporting LIVE from Wall street when I noticed in the background, lo and behold, all the monitors on standby had the windows XP flag flying. Excuse the hell out of me, MS basically forced me into windows 10 but wallstreet and other major businesses gets a pass? What gives?

Wall St are the very last people who should be using that unsupported version because of obvious security inadequacies due to it no longer being supported

 

[MaryL]

Last Friday 6/10/16 I left my pc on standby with permission to update windows 7 overnight. When I restarted my PC on Saturday, I had a whole NEW operating system that I never agreed to download or install, up and running. I missed something somewhere. I declined all other previous reminders, yet to my dismay, I got it ANYWAY. That is why am so t-eed off here. And so far, it's a real pain in the butt to navigate, and I have to use CHROME as my default browser because MSN explorer just....vanished into thin air. Is that normal on WINDOWS X?

As I said a few posts back, you can do a restore and get your old operating system back as long as you do it soon.

Thanks, sorry I didn't see your last post. It's worth a try!

If you have the disc for your old OS, you can also try to format and reinstall that way, if you don't mind the hassle involved in that.

I do have a back up files on a thumb drive and like someone said, that is IS the last resort, system restore is my last resort. Perhaps I am missing the rewards of WIN 10, and then I will wait a few more days before I use that option.

 

[Wuwei]

my problem is I like Live but MS is discontinuing it and forcing me to use win10 mail. I can't print wide emails, I can't save file as anything other than mail. I get my schedule by email how am I going to print it out now. I need a new mail interface.

There are lots of email clients to choose from. I use Opera. It has a print preview, although I never print email.
This site might be useful:
These Are the 12 Best Free Apps for Email (Windows)

 

[MaryL]

I was watching a broadcast of TV Economic news reporting LIVE from Wall street when I noticed in the background, lo and behold, all the monitors on standby had the windows XP flag flying. Excuse the hell out of me, MS basically forced me into windows 10 but wallstreet and other major businesses gets a pass? What gives?

Wall St are the very last people who should be using that unsupported version because of obvious security inadequacies due to it no longer being supported

I was watching broadcast TV (CBS) economic news reporter in front of a bunch of Wall street PC monitors on standby. All showing the well known win XP logo. But I looked this up, and from what I gather, Wall street uses Linux as it's standard operating system, so do I believe my own eyes or the media? I know a lot of businesses still uses XP, even though Microsoft says it doesn't support it with security updates anymore.

 

[depotoo]

I just found this from Forbes#

Furthermore, while it is fair to stop providing a free warranty service for a 12 year old OS, Microsoft is offering military and government organisations a paid service to keep their Windows XP computers safe as part of a scheme dubbed ‘Clandestine Fox ’.

Simple Hack Gives Windows XP Users 5 More Years Of Support

 

[MaryL]

I just found this from Forbes#

Furthermore, while it is fair to stop providing a free warranty service for a 12 year old OS, Microsoft is offering military and government organisations a paid service to keep their Windows XP computers safe as part of a scheme dubbed ‘Clandestine Fox ’.

Simple Hack Gives Windows XP Users 5 More Years Of Support

Wow, I still wish I had XP. Perhaps I am a dreamer. But I am not the only one. The business I am working for NOW has computers using win 95 with floppy drives to transfer data to, the peripherals and tools they use are 20 years behind, and they work just fine. Just not supported by Microsoft anymore. A major advance in the first world is realizing not everyone has millions to spend on updates and support past operating systems, it might actually save money.

 

[Wuwei]

Last Friday 6/10/16 I left my pc on standby with permission to update windows 7 overnight. When I restarted my PC on Saturday, I had a whole NEW operating system that I never agreed to download or install, up and running. I missed something somewhere. I declined all other previous reminders, yet to my dismay, I got it ANYWAY. That is why am so t-eed off here. And so far, it's a real pain in the butt to navigate, and I have to use CHROME as my default browser because MSN explorer just....vanished into thin air. Is that normal on WINDOWS X?

As I said a few posts back, you can do a restore and get your old operating system back as long as you do it soon.

Thanks, sorry I didn't see your last post. It's worth a try!

If you have the disc for your old OS, you can also try to format and reinstall that way, if you don't mind the hassle involved in that.

I do have a back up files on a thumb drive and like someone said, that is IS the last resort, system restore is my last resort. Perhaps I am missing the rewards of WIN 10, and then I will wait a few more days before I use that option.

You are right . Reinstalling the operating system is a last resort. The safest first try is a system restore. Maybe you know how to do that already, but this is what I did on Win 7 a few times, but I never tried this on Win 10

Right click the windows start icon.
Then click search.
Type restore in the search box.
Click the top where it says "Create a restore point"
A wizard will come up.
Click "System Restore"

As time goes on I am getting used to Win 10. I have no desire to go back to 7.

 

[MaryL]

I will give X a try for 6 months, perhaps there's weaning period, why not? At least Cortana listens to me. She may be a rip off of Siri, I can deal with that. There isn't anything new under the sun....

 

[depotoo]

Yeah, I've heard many say 10 runs much better than 7 did.

Last Friday 6/10/16 I left my pc on standby with permission to update windows 7 overnight. When I restarted my PC on Saturday, I had a whole NEW operating system that I never agreed to download or install, up and running. I missed something somewhere. I declined all other previous reminders, yet to my dismay, I got it ANYWAY. That is why am so t-eed off here. And so far, it's a real pain in the butt to navigate, and I have to use CHROME as my default browser because MSN explorer just....vanished into thin air. Is that normal on WINDOWS X?

As I said a few posts back, you can do a restore and get your old operating system back as long as you do it soon.

Thanks, sorry I didn't see your last post. It's worth a try!

If you have the disc for your old OS, you can also try to format and reinstall that way, if you don't mind the hassle involved in that.

I do have a back up files on a thumb drive and like someone said, that is IS the last resort, system restore is my last resort. Perhaps I am missing the rewards of WIN 10, and then I will wait a few more days before I use that option.

You are right . Reinstalling the operating system is a last resort. The safest first try is a system restore. Maybe you know how to do that already, but this is what I did on Win 7 a few times, but I never tried this on Win 10

Right click the windows start icon.
Then click search.
Type restore in the search box.
Click the top where it says "Create a restore point"
A wizard will come up.
Click "System Restore"

As time goes on I am getting used to Win 10. I have no desire to go back to 7.

 

[Wuwei]

I will give X a try for 6 months, perhaps there's weaning period, why not? At least Cortana listens to me. She may be a rip off of Siri, I can deal with that. There isn't anything new under the sun....

I don't think you have 6 months. MS only allows you to restore to Win 7 within a month of downloading Win 10. I think it is a month. Don't take my word for it. Look into it to see how much time you have left, and what other rules there might be.

 

[MaryL]

My PC doesn't boot up any faster than before, but NOW I have to be connected to the net.That isn't necessarily a problem, but it shouldn't be an issue either. All previous editions of Windows didn't mandate an internet connection. people tell me that this isn't necessarily so, But My version of windows 10 mandates it. If that is an option, so far, I can't find how to turn that off. That Is an issue because I don't always have an internet connection.

 

[depotoo]

From this microsoft link they don't mention a time for reverting from w8 back to 7
Can I convert back to Windows 7....8 has too many incompatibility problems for me right now.

I will give X a try for 6 months, perhaps there's weaning period, why not? At least Cortana listens to me. She may be a rip off of Siri, I can deal with that. There isn't anything new under the sun....

I don't think you have 6 months. MS only allows you to restore to Win 7 within a month of downloading Win 10. I think it is a month. Don't take my word for it. Look into it to see how much time you have left, and what other rules there might be.

 

[MaryL]

I will give X a try for 6 months, perhaps there's weaning period, why not? At least Cortana listens to me. She may be a rip off of Siri, I can deal with that. There isn't anything new under the sun....

I don't think you have 6 months. MS only allows you to restore to Win 7 within a month of downloading Win 10. I think it is a month. Don't take my word for it. Look into it to see how much time you have left, and what other rules there might be.

OK, the clock is ticking and I have to decide quick. Should I stay with 10 or go back to 7?

 

[HenryBHough]

Friends STILL don't let friends......

 

[Wuwei]

From this microsoft link they don't mention a time for reverting from w8 back to 7
Can I convert back to Windows 7....8 has too many incompatibility problems for me right now.

Hopefully that's true for most people, but I got a specific message from MS giving me a time limit. Possibly the history of my updates from Vista to Win 7 to Win 10 puts me in a special category. MaryL should check that out on her computer and not take my word for it.

 

[Dekster]

I will give X a try for 6 months, perhaps there's weaning period, why not? At least Cortana listens to me. She may be a rip off of Siri, I can deal with that. There isn't anything new under the sun....

I don't think you have 6 months. MS only allows you to restore to Win 7 within a month of downloading Win 10. I think it is a month. Don't take my word for it. Look into it to see how much time you have left, and what other rules there might be.

Maybe maybe not. I depends on what you mean by revert. According to the IT geek at my work, once you buy a version of Windows, you have a right to rollback to any earlier version you want. It is just a matter of contacting the right people at microsoft and getting them to send to the software to do it. He had to do it on one of the work computers to keep some legacy software running but it took him awhile to get the disks.

 

[SixFoot]

Stop the Windows 10 Download & Installation on Your Windows 7 or 8 Device

Lots of info and How-to's here. It's annoying, but easy, to prevent the Win10 invasion for those of you still in the fight.

 

[mamooth]

Really? Mine does. But I have just had it since last Friday. Cortana is an interesting addition, but still I have sign into MS on line so far it requires an online connection. For me, that is a fact.

You eventually have to log in once to activate Win10, but that's been true since XP. After that, you don't need to be connected to run the PC.

For privacy, there's a little program called DoNotSpy10 that makes it easy to shut off all the spying features you don't like. Just remember to say "no" when the installation process asks if you want to install some other software, as so many free utilities do.

A Win10 machine will try to get you to buy a full subscription to Microsoft Office. Don't listen. Delete Microsoft Office. Download LibreOffice instead. Free, and without the bloat.

And never sign into OneDrive (cloud storage).

 

[Wuwei]

Really? Mine does. But I have just had it since last Friday. Cortana is an interesting addition, but still I have sign into MS on line so far it requires an online connection. For me, that is a fact.

You eventually have to log in once to activate Win10, but that's been true since XP. After that, you don't need to be connected to run the PC.

For privacy, there's a little program called DoNotSpy10 that makes it easy to shut off all the spying features you don't like. Just remember to say "no" when the installation process asks if you want to install some other software, as so many free utilities do.

A Win10 machine will try to get you to buy a full subscription to Microsoft Office. Don't listen. Delete Microsoft Office. Download LibreOffice instead. Free, and without the bloat.

And never sign into OneDrive (cloud storage).

I looked at the website for LibreOffice. There wasn't too much information there. PC magazine says it's an OK substitute for Win Office. I use OpenOffice which is also compatible with the latest MS Office. That might be worth looking into too. I also think that the home user should never buy MS Office. There are good substitutes that are compatible with all office documents and they are free.