Who's upgrading to Windows 10?

[Harrison]

I've been testing the betas of Windows 10 in VM for some time now and really liking the new OS.

So now it's finally here I decided to go ahead and upgrade.

Instead of waiting for Windows update to download and notify me I used the Media Creation Tool.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

This lets you directly download a Windows 10 ISO, then create either a DVD or USB stick installation media.

The DVD failed to work properly for me, but the USB worked fine. I upgraded one of my Windows 7 PCs to Windows 10 and it worked perfectly, ending with all desktop icons and settings as they were before the update.

I can now confirm that if you have a copy of Windows 7 that you activated using the Microsoft Toolkit KMS activator to make it genuine, it will remain activated and genuine once upgraded to Windows 10. Automatically setting it up as an Admin local account and not asking for a Microsoft account or registration keys. Only downside is you will need to add a Microsoft account to use the Store.

I can also confirm that Cody, the creator of the Microsoft Toolkit, is working on the new 2.6 version to directly support Windows 10 KMS activation and Office 2016 activation.

Others have also confirmed Windows 8.1 KMS activations also remain activated and genuine once upgraded to Windows 10.

:thumbs:

It definitely feels like the true successor to Windows 7. We can now finally forget Windows 8 ever existing and move forward happy.

[Kin Hell]

Nice find Dave.

Downloading Win10 Pro X64 to USB right now. :thumbs:

[Harrison]

It is a slow download. Took over 3 hours to download the 3+GB ISO from Microsoft, and then it needs to create and write the media to the USB stick. I expect the huge demand right after launch doesn't help.

Actual update to 10 took under an hour for me from beginning to desktop, but the system I upgraded was fairly clean as it's my download and test server, so I keep it minimal and only install what I need to use on it. A system with a lot of programs installed will take longer because Windows 10 checks every installed program and application before starting the upgrade and alerts you of all incompatible applications and gives the option to uninstall or upgrade them each. It is the nicest Windows installer I've used to date.

Although it is slower to upgrade than 7 to 8 was, it does more work checking everything currently on the system before it does the update, so it is more foolproof.

But as with everything backup important files before the upgrade as things can go wrong, although in all cases I've read online where the upgrade has failed the installer offers to fully revert to the old OS and this has been successful for all. Some seem to have a problem with the install getting stuck at certain points and not progressing. If you find the installer is stuck at a percentage for over an hour and hasn't moved at all then it probably won't and needs to be cancelled and tried again. Trying from DVD-R the installer stuck at 0% for me, so changing to using a USB stick it didn't stick at all and instantly started to go from 0% upwards without waiting.

[giddyeye]

Hi there I updated to windows 10 when it came but I had a problem as the icon at the bottom still said do you wish to upgrade so had to phone Microsoft to get them to remote my computer but yes it only took about 1 hour to do the upgrade and yes it good its fast but I must say that the new internet brower edge sometimes gets pretty slow but I think its down to being a new thing there be new updates for it at some time but can I say to but it on a usb flash drive or dvd rom you first need to do the upgrade first and after that it will work so you can do a fresh install well this is my first post I have amiga 1200 wit ha compact flash

[Kin Hell]

I downloaded to USB in less tan 30 minutes. :yesyes:

Will be having a play later. Backing up atm. :eyebrow:

- - - Updated - - -

Installed. Pretty slick but almost like Workbench 2.0 default palette.

Activation:

Fresh install from DL to USB drive. Installed but skipped entering a key. Went to log on to my Email account...Password incorrect. (SKY btw)

Funny thing is...I had this issue with Sky last week. Support were as much help as a chocolate fire-guard so I reset my password manually but with an unexpected error @ the end of it; - twice even!
.....but it worked & Outlook 2010 Downloaded & sent from the relevant account.

However, since installing Win10, I can not log into this Email account via Chrome again. Same error as before......

Meh, so whilst I can't access this Email acoount, (it's the one registered for the free Upgrade to Win10) I'm sat here with an un-activated edition of Win10 & no way of getting an install key as long as the Email account is fubarred! :rolleyes:

[giddyeye]

hi there you needed to upgrade it in windows 10 first then after that you could have stuck it in a usb stick or cd rom its so they can change your windows 8.0 or 8.1 to a windows key that why you need to install it as a upgrade

[Kin Hell]

hi there you needed to upgrade it in windows 10 first then after that you could have stuck it in a usb stick or cd rom its so they can change your windows 8.0 or 8.1 to a windows key that why you need to install it as a upgrade

I did a fresh install. I did read somewhere yesterday whilst trawling the web, your 7 or 8.1 key should get a hash-tag attached when you register for the upgrade. Bearing in mind you have to register a valid Email Address, one would have thought there would be Email notification for the upgrade. - Assumption is of course the Mother of all F'k up's & it would appear I am yet again, ....."Micro-Shafted"..... :eyebrow:

:lol:

*edit*

Pah! - The Hash-tag only occurs for doing an upgrade over 7 or 8.1

Brb. :lol:

[Tiago]

How do you see it regarding games? do they run better? The same?
I have 1 laptop with win 7 and 1 with win 8.
My win 8 is very stable, since i bought it i never had a crash as i remember (no games included)... games work good, 1 in 20 could not work, but the rest is fine. I am afraid to upgrade yet.
How is your experience in games with Win 10 ?

[Kin Hell]

How do you see it regarding games? do they run better? The same?
I have 1 laptop with win 7 and 1 with win 8.
My win 8 is very stable, since i bought it i never had a crash as i remember (no games included)... games work good, 1 in 20 could not work, but the rest is fine. I am afraid to upgrade yet.
How is your experience in games with Win 10 ?

That could really depend on how much Horse Power you have in your GPU/GPU's.....

I'm doing a fresh install of 8.1 since the c0ck-up a few posts ago. I'll make a point of doing some benchies before I upgrade to 10, promise. :)
On second lot of Important updates atm..... Another 173 Updates totalling 1.7GB on top of the first update of 1.6GB...... :rolleyes:

And just for Win 8.1 & Office 2010 with only Excel, Word & Outlook installed. - Meh! :lol:

[Harrison]

The only important thing to remember is that the version of Windows you are upgrading must show as genuine. It doesn't matter how you do this, official, daz loader, Microsoft toolkit etc... The important bit is after that you must visit the Microsoft validator to make it genuine.

Once upgraded Microsoft will make it a genuine authorised copy of 10. They also assign a unique hardware id to your computer so in theory you can then do a clean install and it won't ask you to register, authorise etc, ever. However I want to do a clean install onto a new ssd so it will be interesting to see how that goes.

Although it has been confirmed that using the existing Microsoft toolkit 2.5.3 it activates windows 10. Although this will be as a volume corporate license. The new version 2.6 with direct win 10 support is due any day.

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[Kin Hell]

:rolleyes:

H.... this is "Micr0-Shaft" we are talking about...

I'm there... no built-in back-up with 8.1 like 7 had... do not go there .... pls! :x)

Got the upgrade Icon back at last.......

Benchies to do on Dual 780Ti's under 8.1 b4 upgrade to 10.....

[Buleste]

Just updated from Arrrr Jim Lad 7 Ultimate to 10 Pro and so far I am liking it. Much faster, everything is where it should be so all good.

[Kin Hell]

The only important thing to remember is that the version of Windows you are upgrading must show as genuine. It doesn't matter how you do this, official, daz loader, Microsoft toolkit etc... The important bit is after that you must visit the Microsoft validator to make it genuine.

Once upgraded Microsoft will make it a genuine authorised copy of 10. They also assign a unique hardware id to your computer so in theory you can then do a clean install and it won't ask you to register, authorise etc, ever. However I want to do a clean install onto a new ssd so it will be interesting to see how that goes.

Although it has been confirmed that using the existing Microsoft toolkit 2.5.3 it activates windows 10. Although this will be as a volume corporate license. The new version 2.6 with direct win 10 support is due any day.

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Yeah H. I double-dicked myself now having downloaded some Micro$haft update in a desperate attempt to get the Win10 Flag in Sys-tray, & now I have a f'kin Micro$haft Account that converted my desktop "Hiya Kin No Log On" to....... (deep breath......Hommmmmmmm) "log me into Micro$shaft Account so I can get free Apps & whoopie-mother-f'kin bollocks-sh!t for free ffs"...... (exhale.........)

For the dear life in me, I can't suss out which fricking "Update" is the perpetrating the event!! - Yes folks, Windows 8.1 doesn't tell u Jack about the update it installed unless you look up the KB number it has associated with it! - Well that's fine Bill, excuse me whilst I just trawl through 275 Windows KB #'s @ 3.3GB's of your BS updates! :mad:


Just updated from Arrrr Jim Lad 7 Ultimate to 10 Pro and so far I am liking it. Much faster, everything is where it should be so all good.

Wish I'd stayed on my " Arrrr Jim Lad 7 Ultimate" & not bothered with 8.1.......
I took an FPS hit on Tri SLI GTX670's for that....... :dry:

NOT a happy chappy atm. :(

[Kin Hell]

I now have a corrupt backup of Win 8.1 with an installed Win 10 over.

I let it do it's thing over the Web via Windows Update. After getting to the desktop for the first time, "Classic Start Menu" (http://www.classicshell.net/) prompted to reconfigure. All good so far.

More drive space, still a dicked log on for a Micr0$haft account.

I decided to run DazLoader 2.2.1 & grabbed the New CD Key under Win 10 Home. It doesn't recognise the OS but the CD key appears ok. It didn't support 8.1 but told me the CD Key spot on.

Next event will be a fresh install from pen drive & use the key DazLoader reported. Hopefully will know this weekend. :shades:

*edit*

This morning, I found an option in Win 10 to revert back to a "Log onto this Computer" instead of a "Microsoft account". - Happy days! :)

[Harrison]

I don't understand why it was so difficult for you. I've not had any such issues with Windows 10 yet.

My general server (seeding, download, test server) upgraded from Windows 7 Ultimate (genuine via Windows Toolkit 2.5.3) upgraded without issue and didn't even need graphic drivers updated. All applications continue to work.

Only think I did do is reinstall sidebar.exe to get back Windows gadgets on the desktop as I like to have Core Temp running in one, and time/date.

And my wife's Windows 8.1 based Sony laptop upgraded fine too.

Plus another PC I use for mostly testing Linux and other OSs and emulation.

I've not yet upgraded my main gaming PC. That's still running on 7 Ultimate. I really wanted to do a clean install of 10 on a new SSD, but I've heard a lot of problems with people trying to do a clean install to a new drive. I will be trying it though. If it fails I will just install 7 then upgrade it.

[Kin Hell]

I'm hoping to do a clean install this next time, but my weekend only really started today. Still struggling to find a suitable & working Hax0rd programme for backing up. Any suggestions H?

[Harrison]

Do you mean to backup your existing OS before the upgrade?

Acronis True Image is still one of the best to create a full OS image to do a direct partition replacement if anything goes wrong.

[Shoonay]

Still struggling to find a suitable & working Hax0rd programme for backing up.EASEUS Todo Backup Free

[Kin Hell]

Do you mean to backup your existing OS before the upgrade?

Acronis True Image is still one of the best to create a full OS image to do a direct partition replacement if anything goes wrong.

Yeah but all is good, of a fashion. I always use to be an Acronis man but the program has always failed for me, even to the point where the front end appears to be ok & you can actually back-up (RAID partitions as well) the image always ended up corrupted....



Still struggling to find a suitable & working Hax0rd programme for backing up.EASEUS Todo Backup Free

Thank's Shoons. Got meself EaseUS Todo Backup Workstation v7 0 Multilingual Incl Keygen. Worked a treat. :thumbs:

- - - Updated - - -

Even a newer 2.2.2 Daz Loader discovered CD Key won't work with the version downloaded to Pen Drive. - Gah! :lol:

Going to try making another USB Windows 10 thing again. I might not have selected the Home version originally. Might have been the Pro.... hence my key not working.

- - - Updated - - -

Yep. It worked!

I'd downloaded something other than Win 10 Home using that Media Creation Tool thingy. :D

One clean install. :thumbs:

- - - Updated - - -

Under Settings, be sure to set Updates to this Local Network, otherwise your Home Network starts broadcasting all your updates to the Internet. :eyebrow:

[Harrison]

Here is an article detailing some things to check and decide if you want to turn off in Windows 10.

http://windows.wonderhowto.com/inspiration/everything-you-need-disable-windows-10-0163552/

When I checked though them all most were already set to off, so I'm wondering if this is how Pro is setup, whereas it would be interesting to know from someone running home if they are all on by default.

Only things I needed to change were:

1, Set Windows to ask when a reboot after updates was needed. By default it will just reboot, even whilst you are using it (I remember this behaviour from back in the early XP days).

2, Set updates to only share locally between my systems and not share "seed" to others online, ala Torrent.

3, Select Background apps I didn't want to start with Windows. Get Office is an obvious one to disable here.

Other areas you might want to change the settings for are in Speech, inking and typing, where Cortana will keylog your system and sent everything to Bing and Cortana to build up a profile. I don't want this and I know many others here wouldn't either.

Again the same for Microphone and Camera. Microsoft and it's Windows 10 apps can access these by default so they could be watching you if you have a camera and this active. 1984 anyone? I'm guessing this is mostly building on the Xbox and the Kinect system which learns about you via the camera and mic.

And finally really make sure you check the General tab, privacy options.

[Kin Hell]

Yeah H, mine is Home 10 & most things were on by default. One would think they would be off by default on the Pro, huh! :eyebrow:
Cortana....... almost sounds like an Old Ford Car fs.... I have turned everything off to do with this & Bing can do a crosby for me!

So after turning off as much as possible, most things appear to be running okay. I've not had anything throw a pink one for the upgrade.

I did promise some benchies but just haven't had the time with lifes hectic pace atm. I did manage to get some Far Cry 4 action going for about a half hour yesterday. It's quite a demanding game graphically & feels much more Laggy for windows 10 over 8.1. Graphically in the game, colours appear more vibrant (shhhhhh! - I'd only had half a bottle of Henry Westons at the time) but there was a definite hit in terms of FPS & I didn't feel like LPB-boy anymore.

I might go back to 8.1 but one thing that has gob-smacked me is the much smaller footprint Win 10 has over 8.1.....
Perhaps this will become fubar in the months ahead. Most of Bill's releases always do!

The only saviour here is it was free & only cost some of my spare time. I'd be somewhat upset had I paid for this but then it's an OS for the masses & those that want their PC to behave like a Tablet or an Android phone! - Sheesh! :rolleyes:

[Harrison]

I've not done any gaming in Windows 10 yet as I've still not upgraded my main gaming rig to Windows 10 (doing so this week), but for some of my other systems I've so far found the OS faster to boot, and smoother to use. It also seems more stable that 8, and less likely to do strange things on a laptop.

Regarding graphics and taking a bit compared to 8.1, I'm wondering if this is a driver issue and not an OS issue. I wouldn't be surprised with nVidia and maybe AMD too have been lazy and just thrown the current Windows 8.1 drivers out with OS requirement changes, and will actually optimise them later. Time will tell, as will DX12.

Regarding behaving like a tablet, 8 was the big one for this and the reason for its failure. M$ actually listened to it's userbase and reversed that in 10 and I really like the return to much of Windows 7, but with the best bits of 8.1. I also like the new notifications bar. Much nicer than popup notifications and you can go back and see what they all were in a handy list. Also like the new start menu and changes to the file manager.

I do however still have a fondness for Windows 7, as I did for Windows 2000. My 2 favourite Windows versions to date. I do think Windows 10 might overtake them as I use it more. Especially once it is on my main PC.

Buying a new Samsung SSD today for the Windows 10 upgrade to happen tomorrow. :)

[Kin Hell]

I nearly returned to Win8.1 yesterday based on the poor 3D performance. There is a massive hit when using the nVidia 353.62 WHQL Win10 drivers. I saw it in rthdribl benchmark & felt it in Far Cry 4.

rthdribl use to give me aaround 1050 fps under 8.1 right @ the start of the benchie - Win10 was getting as low 850. Far Cry was laggy & stuttery..... bah! :mad:

This morning, I installed nVidia 355.60 WHQL drivers & everything now, .......is as it was .......& I see rthdribl now pushing 1160 fps in areas where it use to under Win8.1...... :shades:

1037


....On another note, the Securities appear to have been tightened right up! - Either that or some dork went for a coffee break whilst writing the code for this part of Win10.....
"Even though you have set UAC to the lowest setting possible (Never Notify) when you try to manually write files to your C:\ partition, you are prompted to provide Administrative Rights in order to proceed"..... :nuts:

[Harrison]

That must be a home "feature". In Pro I've been happily editing things like the Windows Host file without so much as a sign from UAC.

I also noticed a huge improvement with nvidia drivers 355.60. Initially it was installed with the same drivers as Windows 8.1. I updated to the latest Windows 10 drivers later night. The benchmark in GTAV was half the framerate it had been in Win 7. New drivers and it's back to normal.

One strange thing I noticed in the GTAV benchmark though. The Ferris Wheel is missing. It's the only object that appears to not be there. The parts holding it up are there, just the wheel is missing. Any ideas?

[Shoonay]

W10Pro here too and UAC turned off stays turned off.

[ruthan]

Windows 10 for gaming sukcs, there are only 3 DX12 only games and much more other old games which are running fine in Windows 7, but dont in 10. DX12 is dead too, Vulkan looks much better and even now with multigpu support..

[Harrison]

I disagree. I don't think I've found a single game that has issue with Win10 if it was working in win7. Yes some really old games have trouble but they did in 7 and Vista too. One of the few I can think of that refuses to run is X2.

As for DX12 exclusive games, remember how many stuck to DX9 way after dx10 was released? It really doesn't matter as long as a game is good.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Tiago]

I never had a problem with Win 10 games. Don't even remember if Win 10 did ever crash in my laptop.

[Kin Hell]

WinXP kind of set a Micro$oft winner. - 8.1 was sort of OK but had USB issues everywhere & now that I'm on a Legit 10 Pro, I can't complain other than the shite front end.... :eyebrow:

However, a quick Install of Classic Shell (http://www.classicshell.net/) & life is good again! :thumbs:

[Harrison]

8.1 sort of ok? I hated 8 to the point where I owned it but never installed it as a main os on any of my systems. Ended up just using it as a legal upgrade route to 10.

It was horrible to use on a laptop too as the touch pad gestures would keep dumping back into the tiled start randomly whilst doing things. And the slide out side menus were really annoying.

For many, including myself, 10 is the proper successor to 7 and has a very similar feel with many of the nt system menus restored.

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[Harrison]

Regarding xp. I never liked it as much as 2000 Pro. That was my favourite windows os until 7. I only had to upgrade from 2000 to xp because adobe forced it due to some software such as photoshop, premiere and After Effects requiring it.

XP definitely got better after sp2. Before that it felt as stable as 95. However I moved on to Vista as soon as it came out, and unlike others really liked it. Mainly because I built a new system just for it which had enough cpu power and ram; the 2 reasons people really couldn't get it to work well, which was the same problem when xp was released.

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[Kin Hell]

8.1 was sort of ok for me. Not entirely happy with it & so nearly went back to Windows 7....

Win10 Home is not as good as Pro. We know it's always been the same with every M$ OS release, though why there is any need to short change the customer is beyond me! :eyebrow:

[Harrison]

Very true, but you kind of see their idea. Home is always more locked down to try to prevent the average user tinkering, breaking something, then blaming the os. Such as the idea to force auto updates because so many people never updated XP meaning security issues were never patched, but they still moaned when the exploits were breached.

Whereas pro/ultimate gives you the keys and let's you disable or decide when. You still have to do updates but can defer them for up to a month.

Probably the most annoying thing about 10 home are the auto updates. Why do m$ insist that as soon as they have downloaded it takes over and installs them regardless of that you were doing? My wife has 10 home on her laptop and can be working on school stuff, when suddenly it switches to the installing updates screen and then reboots; wasting 10+ mins sitting there waiting. Why not do the older method of installing updates when you shut down? With pro you don't have this issue and I keep meaning to update her laptop to it.

I normally run the update check and install just before going to bed so it can be left to get on with it.

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[Stephen Coates]

Who's upgrading to Windows 10?

Not me :cool:

[Harrison]

You on windows 95 yet Steve? Or still planning the upgrade from dos to 3.11? ;-)

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[Kin Hell]

You on windows 95 yet Steve? Or still planning the upgrade from dos to 3.11? ;-)

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:lol: :D

@ Harrison

Try God Mode for Windows 10.

Create a New Folder on your Desktop called "GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}"

I did it on my C: Drive & pinned it to the Start Menu. :thumbs:

[Harrison]

What does it do?

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[Stephen Coates]

You on windows 95 yet Steve? Or still planning the upgrade from dos to 3.11? ;-)

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I understand Windows 10 doesn't support floppy drives anymore, so that could well be an issue :D.

[J T]

What does it do?

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God mode causes a lot of conflict, particularly over unprotected I/O events


I quite liked Vista too, but 7 is a great OS. Then again, I quite liked the last few Mac OS versions so YMMV

[Stephen Coates]

Well, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to install Windows 10 in a VM. It seems rather slow, and for some reason Clippit has a pink background :D.

1157

[Harrison]

What hardware are you running the VM on? Need at least 4GB ram dedicated to Win 10.

I've not had any slowdown in win10 on any of the systems I have it on. Slowest is an i3 540 though.

And clipit? That hasn't existed in Office for over a decade! Lol. Could be the issue if really old Office. Office 2010 runs fine in 10.

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[Stephen Coates]

I only allocated 2GB to the VM as the machine only has 4GB. I'm not going to be using the Windows 10 VM. I might keep it around just in case I get any "Stephen, can you fix my Windows 10 PC please?"

Interestingly, the Windows 10 Task Manager uses more memory than Word 2000 does. Although Word would probably use a lot more if I opened a big document.