October 2015 – Mike's Windows

You might see these improvements soon..

If you look here at blurb about the latest Windows 10 build, you will get some idea of what to expect in the mainstream updates which will be piped through. To be honest, it leaves me cold, and I don’t see any of it as improvement because they are not the kind of things that I do or am ever likely to do. I would say that Windows 10 is as good as it needs to be for what I do now. I would also say that a good few Windows 10 users will feel the same way as me.. … Continue reading You might see these improvements soon..

Do you need Windows 10?

By Mike

Probably not at the moment you don’t, no real pressing argument other than Windows 10 is free until next July. Ed Bott argues the case for Windows 7 in areas where upgrading is not one machine but may run to thousands, and where critical processes are not likely to change any time soon. I don’t disagree with what he says. However, for the public it is different. The public is fickle and subject to want to change at a minutes notice, and many like the latest and greatest if only for the bragging rights. Developers of fun stuff will be … Continue reading Do you need Windows 10?

‘Something else’ worked on the NB305..

By Mike

I installed Windows 7 Home Premium, activated it, used a download of Windows 10 via the Media Creator Tool, and ‘hey presto’, we have Windows 10 running on the NB 305. I don’t know if Toshiba and Windows 7 Starter were responsible for ‘Audit Mode’, or if it was the installation of Google Chrome. Either way, it would not let itself be disabled and it became the #1 liability which had to go. My grand-daughter will be pleased as Punch with the Netbook, even though it has all the fire and panache of a damp squib. Toshiba Netbooks are cute … Continue reading ‘Something else’ worked on the NB305..

Have you ever heard of..

By Mike

.. AUDIT MODE? I must admit that I hadn’t, haven’t.. 🙁 Anyway, something called ‘Audit mode’ in Windows 7 has been stopping Windows 10 from installing. So, this is how to eliminate Audit Mode. To turn OFF the Audit Mode in the Windows 7, follow the steps : Go to the Start -> Run. Type “regedit” and press the Enter. Find and press right-click on the related registry key’s for your an operating system: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\State Select Modify. Remove the value and Press the OK button. Re-boot your computer system for the changes to take an effect. Did the registry edit work? No, … Continue reading Have you ever heard of..

Testing my patience..

By Mike

It’s a Toshiba NB305, Windows 7 Starter, upgraded 1 to 2Gb RAM, a fan which is allowing the base to get quite hot, and a hard drive which has seen better days. Guess how you get to the fan in a Toshiba NB305? The same way as you get to the fan in almost every Toshiba. You have to pretty much strip the ENTIRE machine down, the fan being the very last component which can be removed. Criminal design is what it is.. Anyway, it changed hands recently and the previous owner kindly re-installed Windows with the new users name … Continue reading Testing my patience..

Coming to Windows 10 soon.. maybe..

By Mike

Cortana will have extra features except for those living in Canada (and other places). Great, super, can’t wait. Cortana is available in English US only, not English Canada, and no I will NOT change my local language or locale away from anything other than Canada.. GPS location is another useful feature for every desktop owner. I know where my computer is most of the time if I just look forward and down in the vicinity of my desk. I guess phone users will find it more useful, assuming that they can get hold of a phone running Windows 10. Improved memory management is … Continue reading Coming to Windows 10 soon.. maybe..

Just a phone OS..

By Mike

This is an argument frequently used by people not wanting the changes that Windows 10 brings. These same people probably had or would have had the same problems with ever-changing name conventions over the years. I have Windows 10 and would be in serious trouble if the title was true as I neither have a smartphone or touch-screen computer of any kind. If you are wondering how I have managed since the beginning of the Windows 8/10 era, I did it by adding a third party start menu and using the older and more classic versions of programs and applications. It really … Continue reading Just a phone OS..

Windows Start Menu ads..

By Mike

You can see this feature off when it appears on your computer. At the moment, I think that it only appears in build 10565, so you are safe for now. How to turn the ads off is explained here. Personally, I hate ads, fliers, all of the crap that is distributed in a bid to make me buy. I will research stuff and buy when I want to buy and NOT BEFORE. No amount of coercing will get me to buy anything that I don’t want or didn’t know that I didn’t want. I like to see what I am buying too, … Continue reading Windows Start Menu ads..

Windows 10 pre-checked update..

By Mike

You may have had this happen to you recently, but it was a mistake on Microsoft’s part. See here. You might also want to avoid reading the comments if time is important to you. I still believe that you should update to Windows 10, assuming that ALL of your computer equipment is Windows 10 friendly. It is easy enough to check. Just go to the computer/printer/scanner manufacturer website and if you see Windows 10 drivers (or in many cases Windows 8 drivers will work too), you are good to go and won’t be left way behind. 🙂

Update Tuesday and other stuff..

By Mike

All four computers updated without issue as expected. Not too much more that I can say on this subject, is there. 🙂 Other stuff.. Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. All of the help sites on this topic are years old, and one of them talks about the ‘poor souls’ using older versions of IE. The news is that I am using the LATEST version, and it is still doing it. Fortunately, it doesn’t do it every day. Video drivers.. Every now and again, there is an error reported that … Continue reading Update Tuesday and other stuff..