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Microsoft Rolls Out Major Fall Update To Windows 10 (windows10update.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the onward-and-upward dept.

Ammalgam writes: Microsoft has rolled out a major update to Windows 10 called the Fall Update, November Update or Threshold 2. The update is now publicly available for everyone to download. Microsoft has confirmed it will be a staggered release. This update is full of fixes and refinements to Windows 10 including substantial changes to Edge, Cortana, icons, the Start Menu, Activation and multiple enterprise features. Here is a full list of changes. Have you updated your Windows 10 install yet? What was your experience?

113 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Major Fail Update by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I may need glasses, or see someone who can help with Freudian slips.

    1. Re:Major Fail Update by luvirini · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The fully things is.. I read the exactly same thing.

      I think it is a perception issue, with windows 10 being a major fail overall, the cognitive process made that association.

    2. Re:Major Fail Update by TomH123 · · Score: 1

      How do you figure it's a major fail? IT's working really well for me and the adoption rate seems pretty good. Where is it failing?

    3. Re:Major Fail Update by luvirini · · Score: 2

      At least in business use.

      None of our bigger customers have any plans to update to windows 10 within next 5 years at minimum(most that I have talked to are hoping that windows 10 is just another windows 8 that will go away so they can get a proper windows as next version when it finally comes time to end using windows 7)

      The only cases of windows 10 update in our customers is the accidental updates in smaller customers. In most such cases the thing has failed somehow(that is something vital does not work) so we have had quite a lot of work from the reverts and in some cases reinstalls of computers to windows 7 after the revert did not work.

    4. Re:Major Fail Update by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 2, Informative

      What exactly is a "proper windows"?

      Windows 10 is a nice upgrade from 7, it fixes a lot of 7's issues and brings forward many new technologies...

      8 was a mess, 8.1 less so, but still not all fixed. 10 fixed what was wrong with 8 and 8.1 and moved the whole thing forward, at least from my point of view.

    5. Re:Major Fail Update by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      It still has the shitty Metro UI. As long as it has that, it will be completely unusable.

      Ummm, no it doesn't. The only thing even resembling Metro is an easily ignored side panel.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    6. Re:Major Fail Update by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      The only cases of windows 10 update in our customers is the accidental updates in smaller customers. In most such cases the thing has failed somehow(that is something vital does not work) so we have had quite a lot of work from the reverts and in some cases reinstalls of computers to windows 7 after the revert did not work.

      What were the specific problems? The worst thing I have seen is Windows 10 thinking that some sound drivers that are not compatible, are compatible.

      A quick trip to the soundcard's website support and a driver install made it all better.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    7. Re:Major Fail Update by davester666 · · Score: 2

      What do you mean? It still has the fucked up UI that spaces everything as if you have a touch-screen. The "start menu" has returned with live tiles, which pretty much only people using Win10 on tablets would possibly want.

      And never mind the new and improved "your keyboard presses are our keyboard presses. no really, we need to know what keys you are pressing and you can't opt out of it. and no, we won't tell you how we are using them."

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    8. Re:Major Fail Update by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 1

      The live tiles are nice, I think they are a good improvement.

      As for the second part, frankly, welcome to the 21st century, if it bothers you, then why are you on the Internet? Everything is tracking you and it would be a full time job to try and avoid it.

      You'd have to live a cash existence, turn off a whole lot of stuff, drive old cars, etc. to try and stop it, all for what?

      There is a phrase for that, it is called "pissing in the wind".

    9. Re:Major Fail Update by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      None of our bigger customers have any plans to update to windows 10 within next 5 years at minimum

      I don't think that any business customer has ever had "plans" to update to the latest version of windows within the next x number of years so shortly after the release of a major version. It took most businesses 2+ years to consider Vista and then reject the idea of updating it. Then widespread adoption started on Windows 7 several years after it's release, but certainly no one had "plans" to consider doing the upgrade.

      For big companies an OS upgrade is an expense line item. It's not a capital investment. It comes as software / licenses requires it or as old systems are nearing obsolescence and then only if you have a very forward thinking CTO. /Typed from my Windows 7 work machine .... which was rolled out AFTER the Windows 8 release.

    10. Re: Major Fail Update by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That is great that you found an OS that fits yours needs. With all do honest respect, no one cares that you move your computers to a Linux based distro, Haiku, or EComStation. The mass majority of businesses are all running Windows as the primary desktop OS due to obvious integration with Active Directory, Exchange, Office, and SharePoint.

      So please stop making immature stupid comments about Linux on an article about Windows. It is pointless and does absolutely nothing to the discussion. Linux is never going to over Windows on the desktop unless something seriously catastrophic occurs. Linux Distros still to this day are unable to provide the integration that Microsoft offers. It would be awesome if that happens and I would love to see the competition but it doesn't exist no matter how many times Fan boys scream I change my desktop to a Linux distro because of XYZ reason. Linux has less that 2% of the desktop OS market. Accept it. There are more important things in life like all those people that died in France.

      -imprezza86

    11. Re:Major Fail Update by LinuxIsGarbage · · Score: 2

      MS has already stated that Win7 sales with new PCs will end in next year, so they are trying to force companies into Win10.

      Windows 10 Pro still includes downgrade rights to Windows 7 Professional, and with larger companies reimaging machines to a standard KMS Volume licence image anyways, it won't pose a problem.

      Up until 2014 we were deploying machines that sold with Windows 7 licence, downgraded to Windows XP.

    12. Re:Major Fail Update by LinuxIsGarbage · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Windows 10 still has the issue Windows 8 has where half the control panels are standard control panels, and half the control panels are tablet style things that slide in from the side.

      Windows 8.1 with Classic shell gives an OS with performance enhancements under the hood on an updated kernel, and mostly restores a usseful UI.

      Windows 10 I don't know of worthwhile improvements, but you get a loss of privacy and forced updates.

    13. Re:Major Fail Update by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 2

      Is there also a control panel again with settings in their own windows, or are some of settings now in that full screen "PC settings" crap?

      It doesn't have the individual folder/file like icons if that's what you mean. But it definitely isn't like the insane whack-a-mole setup that Windows 8 uses. If you can administer a Windows 7 system, you'll be able to work in W10 easily.

      Working in W8X was a nightmare, and there are a lot of websites telling us how to do basic operations to prove that. It was so illogically presented that I had to go to the web to find out how to do a lot of that basic stuff.

      I'm a long time Window basher, and I find the telemetry they are trying to ram down out throats unforgiveable. I mean, despite some folks trying to weasel the definition or claim that Microsoft won't use it, there is a keylogger in the OS. Plus a few other intrusive goodies, like allowing people you don't know to access your wireless via social networks. All turned on by default via their express settings.

      But as for usability and maintenance, it's not bad at all.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    14. Re:Major Fail Update by iampiti · · Score: 1

      Not wanting having privileges you've had up to now (your every keystroke not being spied) being taken away is now being a luddite?
      Gosh, you may not care about it, but why do you justify commercial companies when they do these things to us?
      I don't like that kind of shit on Android which I use because I find it to be the least bad of the mobile OSs, but I sure as hell don't want it on my desktop, work, computer.
      I've been happy with Microsoft products up to now, but they don't suit me anymore. I might have to go to Linux as my next desktop OS where I'll be able to have 20 century features such as: No spying, an OS which doesn't try to sell you something at every step, an OS with an UI fit for desktop usage.

    15. Re:Major Fail Update by iampiti · · Score: 1

      Don't worry about the inconsitent control panels, Microsoft have stated they will migrate everything to the mobile oriented "Settings" app.
      I don't know how they're going to put all the current options there without making a mess. Well, they'll probably remove many of them for "streamlining" the OS.
      Soon we'll have all the "greatness" of Windows Phone on our PCs.

    16. Re:Major Fail Update by MrL0G1C · · Score: 2

      And never mind the new and improved "your keyboard presses are our keyboard presses. no really, we need to know what keys you are pressing and you can't opt out of it. and no, we won't tell you how we are using them."

      This.

      The only thing I want my computer communicating to MS is what updates I need, nothing else. f**k Win10 there's no way in hell I'm installing it.

      --
      Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
    17. Re: Major Fail Update by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Let's hope it will now be installable on more systems. The first version failed to install on the first three low- end PC's I tried it on.

    18. Re:Major Fail Update by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 1

      Well, your statement on the surface is simply wrong...

      You used "anyone", and all it takes is one person to make that an incorrect statement.

      I went from Windows 7 to Windows 10 on all my work computers and I never, ever want to go back, Windows 10 is a great improvement in many ways over Windows 7.

    19. Re:Major Fail Update by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      What exactly is a "proper windows"?

      Something that looks and acts exactly like Win7 so the minimum amount of training, question answering, and redevelopment of programs and workflows will need to be done with the employees. Probably won't happen, but Corp IT can hope because the costs for such are rarely included in computer upgrades (as opposed to application upgrades) and are essentially a drain on resources.

    20. Re:Major Fail Update by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 1

      Don't be silly, no version of Windows has looked like the prior version, expecting Windows 10 to look like 7 is not living in reality.

      People said the same thing about Windows 7 in relation to Windows XP, that the changes were confusing and cost money.

      Now you're saying it about 7 and 10. In 5 years, you'll be saying it about 12 and 10.

    21. Re:Major Fail Update by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

      At the router level. Windows does not listen to its firewall when it comes to their spying.

    22. Re: Major Fail Update by beastofburdon · · Score: 1

      Yes, it is truly sad that these corporations are too ignorant to know that Linux works just fine with Active Directory, Exchange is a terrible bastardization of an email client, and Sharepoint is one of the worst versioning systems ever conceived. I will give them a little on Excell, but the rest of Microsoft Office is garbage.

    23. Re:Major Fail Update by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      True, but IT will hope, and hope springs eternal.

      Business really. Business just wants what they have and they want it to work till they decide it doesn't. They really don't like external vendors telling them they must upgrade at a cost to their business. However, every time there is a bug fix in vendor software, it is in an upgrade that has new features with new bugs because the vendors are in a feature war with their competition over new customers and it would cost them too much to maintain a stable version as well as a version with new features.

  2. Heads up all you telemetry disablers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Who wants to bet that this will turn all the spy stuff back on?

    1. Re:Heads up all you telemetry disablers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But the spyware is there to improve your experience and to share your data with Microsoft's premium partners, why are you being so sarcastic?

    2. Re:Heads up all you telemetry disablers by Cramer · · Score: 1

      It apparently reinstalls windows. So, YES. I've seen several reports of "apps being uninstalled" by the "update".

    3. Re:Heads up all you telemetry disablers by ITRambo · · Score: 1

      I made system images and upgraded four machines using the Media Creation Tool. None of the spy stuff, which was all turned off except for the Basic telemetry setting which is close to XP's "Windows Error Reporting". turned back on. However, Edge replaced Foxit Reader as the default PDF reader. That's some good planning Microsoft, Replacing a reliable PDF reader with a weak browser. I changed the default back to Foxit.

  3. Major fail update. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just getting that out of the way, yw.

  4. I used the Media Creation Tool by ITRambo · · Score: 5, Informative

    I used the Media Creation Tool to get it right away. Download the tool, run it and select Upgrade Now. Went flawlessly on our two laptops. The upgrade did change our default PDF reader back to Edge, which I changed back to Foxit Reader. The options to add color to the title bar is off by default. You can click on Personalization and then Color to change the setting. White title bars suck. Mail client, which is improved, is now called Outlook when it's opened. That seems like an odd choice since Outlook is a full fledged desktop app. Never doubt the capability of Microsoft to confuse. The Media Creation Tool download link is: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink...

    1. Re:I used the Media Creation Tool by klui · · Score: 3, Informative

      Or download the ISOs directly using https://www.microsoft.com/en-u...

    2. Re:I used the Media Creation Tool by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Mail client, which is improved, is now called Outlook when it's opened. That seems like an odd choice since Outlook is a full fledged desktop app. Never doubt the capability of Microsoft to confuse.

      That's just consistent with their move in creating duplicate everythings. An OS that ships with 2 browsers with different names, and when you run office now has 2 email clients with the same name, clearly playing catchup with the default case of having 2 versions of OneNote with the same name.

      My favourite one is that the Onenote app can be run without unlocking the device, the desktop version can not which is very annoying.

    3. Re:I used the Media Creation Tool by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      You're kidding right? You want to run a notepad style interface on a Tablet? To what end? To be a system administrator without a mouse and keyboard? But hey I get it masochistic bastards like you actually exist, so when you're not self flagellating then open up the app store and download "Notepad classic". Then you can feel all the pain you want.

      On a serious note: Metro is not nor will ever be a replacement for power user interface. So while you're complaining about a feature that no one uses defining your view of Windows 10, the rest of us are happily running Notepad (included), Paint (included), and Power-shell (a package that is newly included by default much to the praise of sysadmins everywhere).

    4. Re:I used the Media Creation Tool by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      Just a clarification: The Media Creation Tool is somewhat misleadingly named. It's actually a generic upgrade tool that has the capability to create installation media but is actually more often used for straight, in place, upgrades (the type where the operating system updates, but your files are still there, your applications are still installed, your device drivers are either upgraded or left alone, the registry is patched not recreated, etc.)

      So yeah, you can download the ISOs directly, but you're more likely to actually want to use the MCT as it performs an upgrade not dissimilar to, say, upgrading Ubuntu from 14.04 to 14.10 using Software Updater.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    5. Re:I used the Media Creation Tool by klui · · Score: 1

      Most of the time all I want are the ISOs. With Threshold 2's ability to accept Windows 7/8 keys make the in-place upgrade unnecessary, and superfluous. I really don't want the Media Creation Tool to put crap in C:\$WINDOWS.~BT and C:\$Windows.~WS even if I told it to just download the ISO.

      The only benefit of using the creation tool is if I wanted to have an x86+x64 FAT ISO. Or Windows Update fails in a way which causes the upgrade to stop showing up, and one is forced to upgrade in-place.

  5. it's a recommended update now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Hey Microsoft, I do not want it. Quit forcing it on me. I have recommended updates enabled because they contain fixes for windows usually that aren't security related.

    If you don't want it ever prompting you, download and run gwx control panel. Great program that completely removes windows 10 from ever being installed, removes the download of it if it is there, and even stops prompting you to install it.

    http://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2015/08/using-gwx-stopper-to-permanently-remove.html

    This is what MS should have provided in the first place.

    1. Re:it's a recommended update now by hyades1 · · Score: 1

      Thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart!

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    2. Re:it's a recommended update now by Black+LED · · Score: 1

      Hopefully next year when the "free upgrade" period ends, they'll leave us Windows 7 and 8.x users alone.

    3. Re:it's a recommended update now by hairyfeet · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You honestly think they are gonna end the "free" upgrade? What I find funny as hell personally is they could have already reached their 1 billion goal if they simply allowed the pirates to become legit Win 10 users, did they do that? Nope it allows them to install then nags the fuck out of them for money until they roll back to their working pirate edition LOL!

      What is even more sad is this Win 10 bullshit is making legit users go pirate as I've had several customers come in with the pirate version of Win 7 on their system DESPITE their laptop having a legit key on the bottom, why? Because when the Win 10 update either shat itself or the rolback didn't work they simply used the built in recovery partition and got their legit key marked as bad which would have meant dealing with a phone call to MSFT...or they could just download a Win 7 activator that fixes the problem in 2 seconds flat..../facepalm/.

      MSFT, c'mere....WTF are you DOING man? Are you TRYING to kill yourself? I mean for fuck's sake Ballmer ran the place better than Nadella is running it, Good Lord is there NOBODY there that has a functioning brain? I mean you could have knocked it out the park, made Win 10 into the next 95 and all you had to do was LISTEN, it was soooo simple, just 1.- Make Win 10 Win 7 with the faster backend of 8 like WIMBoot, 2.- Set a sensible price like $40 for Home and $60 for Pro for the first year with Win 7 3.- Sell Family packs at 4 licenses for $100 for Home, and TADA! Home run! Everybody is singing your praises and talking about how fucking great you are!

      Instead you fill Win 10 so full of spyware any company that has to follow HIPPA or SOX will treat it like plague blankets and the rumors has home users treating it like a malware infection...sigh. I never thought this day would come but now I'm, I swear to God, actually RECOMMENDING Windows 8, because at least with 8 you can kill the telemetry and with Classic Shell you can make it into Win 7...THAT is what you've done MSFT, you have made an OS soooo damned shitty it makes Win 8 a recommendation.....ARGH!

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    4. Re:it's a recommended update now by unixisc · · Score: 1

      I don't mind the updates themselves per se: my biggest problem is the forced reset every 24 hrs. I do not have my laptop always plugged in, and sometimes, I have it on sleep mode w/ certain work apps on. Last thing I want it to do is reset itself after an update w/o my permission. But it does it anyway, and in the process, I lose data that was there associated w/ the open app.

    5. Re:it's a recommended update now by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Steve copied Apple, Satya is copying Google. Who else do you think Microsoft should be copying?

    6. Re:it's a recommended update now by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Also, since the Chinese can penetrate our computers and get the records of government bureaucrats right up to penetrating people at the State Department level, does HIPPA or SOX make any more sense? Since they'll get that info anyway

    7. Re:it's a recommended update now by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      Thanks for that link, I'd been manually scraping the Win10 crapware dropper out of various systems using a cheat sheet of notes, but it's much easier just using an app to do it all for you.

    8. Re:it's a recommended update now by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      I never thought this day would come but now I'm, I swear to God, actually RECOMMENDING Windows 8, because at least with 8 you can kill the telemetry and with Classic Shell you can make it into Win 7...THAT is what you've done MSFT, you have made an OS soooo damned shitty it makes Win 8 a recommendation.....ARGH!

      Scary but true. I use Window Blinds and Start8 rather than Classic Shell, but same thing, they've actually made an OS so godawful that it makes Win8 (with mods) seem good in comparison.

    9. Re:it's a recommended update now by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      Just because one place got owned doesn't mean all did, or do. The fact that China has state level hackers who score coups from time to time doesn't mean that they always get what they want, nor does it mean that we should bend over for less powerful adversaries.

    10. Re:it's a recommended update now by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      If you set your connection to metered, I think. it won't download the updates, or something. I think this only works if you wifi to your router.

      Failing that, there's script workarounds and if you have Pro you can use some group policy editor to disable them.

      Then you can grab the updates when you want to.

      Windows 10 is still all manner of spying on you, but if you browse this board and use Windows 10, you are fine with all that I assume.

    11. Re:it's a recommended update now by Blaskowicz · · Score: 1

      In Windows XP days too it was easier already to install the warez edition over a legit one so you 1. get rid of OEM crapware and 2. have a more sensible partition scheme. 3. recovery CD/DVD are not shipped with the laptop or desktop. Blank media is expensive when the price includes a tax to the local RIAA equivalent.

    12. Re:it's a recommended update now by Blaskowicz · · Score: 1

      What if you wired-ethernet to a router or proxy that uses a 4G or satellite connection? Or use a VM? In principle you ought to be able to declare any connection as a metered one.

    13. Re:it's a recommended update now by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      That's your takeaway? How about "you ought to be able to turn off automatic download, installation, and checking, as you can in Windows 7 and all the real OSes"?

      Who cares that their "metered connection" setting is fucked. Of course it is fucked. The whole thing is fucked.

  6. Disable Telemtry by vux984 · · Score: 1

    "Disable telemetry. As promised, the November update includes the ability for enterprise IT to disable telemetry feedback to Microsoft. âoeWe strongly recommend against this, as this data helps us deliver a secure, reliable, and more delightful personalized experience,â Microsoft explains."

    Does this mean the disable telemetry group policy settings can now apply that setting to Pro? (Like the majority we get our PCs with OEM Windows and then join them to the domains.)

    Or is this still restricted only to the actual Windows 10 enterprise SKU?

    If the former... awesome news... if the latter? WTF... I thought the enterprise sku already had the option to disable telemetry?!!

    1. Re:Disable Telemtry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      We strongly recommend against this, as this data helps us deliver a secure, reliable, and more delightful personalized experience,â Microsoft explains.

      I love how they feel entitled to get free beta testing. If they want "telemetry" they can pay for it.

      I won't consider using Windows 10 unless they strip all of the advertising and spyware out. I don't mean adding an option to "disable" it, mean stripped completely from the code. They also need to give back user control over updates.

      Microsoft is so fucking stupid. They could have released a free version that had all of the spyware and ads alongside a pay version that doesn't have any of that shit.

    2. Re:Disable Telemtry by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

      Given that my chances of getting my wife on Linux are always going to be slim to none, I bought her a MacBook Pro.

      Now I can drink coffee from my "Friends don't let friends run Windows" mug in good standing. 8-)

      Do I trust Apple? Not a hell of a lot.

      But I distrust Apple a hell of a lot less than I distrust Microsoft these days.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    3. Re:Disable Telemtry by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 4, Informative

      Note that Disable Telemetry, at least on the non-business editions, doesn't actually disable telemetry, just some of it. To actually get rid of it all, open Task Scheduler, go to Microsoft > Windows > Application Experience and delete the AITAgent, Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser (that's for Win7/Win8), and ProgramDataUpdater tasks, and then in Customer Experience Improvement Program, delete all entries. That seems to take care of things at the moment but then keep an eye out for further spyware that'll be added in future critical Windows updates.

      There's also a list of several dozen phone-home domains you can block at your router floating around, but that only helps if you're sitting behind your own router that you've set up for blocking.

    4. Re:Disable Telemtry by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      > "thousands for Apple, but not one cent for Microsoft"

      I'm pretty angry that it's kind of coming to this. I hate that I need 7 for many games- some work on OS X, and a few work on Linux*, but it's just so much drama I don't need.

      *The few that work on Linux do so due to WINE. The fault lies, not with Linux, but with application developers who only support Windoze.

    5. Re:Disable Telemtry by Blaskowicz · · Score: 1

      There will be a version that MAYBE does not include the shit, called Windows Server 2016.
      Pay version, sure : a $800 OS to install on a $400 PC is something you dearly pay for.

    6. Re:Disable Telemtry by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      To actually get rid of it all...

      ...and make sure that it never ever comes back, reformat your hard disk and install Linux instead. It's the only way to be sure.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
  7. Took longer than expected by Fencepost · · Score: 1

    I have a test laptop set up with Win10 and triggered the upgrade/update through Windows Update. The entire process took longer than I expected - possibly almost as long as the original Win10 install. The system can be used during the initial stages (download and some file updates) but then it reboots and you're at the black screen with a big white progress circle for quite a while.

    I was working on other things, but it feels to me like it probably took more than an hour to complete, though I think it was likely less than 2.

    --
    fencepost
    just a little off
    1. Re:Took longer than expected by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Informative

      Same here. The really annoying part came after logging in and being greeted with what looked like a full screen ad to tell you the system had been updated, but was actually the installer continuing to run (which meant no end of hitting Escape, Space, Ctrl-Alt-Del, and so on until after two or three minutes it finally admitted the installer was still running.

      Thus far, on my test laptop, I can't really comment. Things look mostly the same, some minor style changes aside. CPU usage seems dramatically lower (it was pretty much permanently 99% previously on this old X-series Thinkpad with just Mail and Firefox open, now it's generally under 20%, but until I've used it for a few days I really don't want to assume this means they've fixed those problems.)

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    2. Re:Took longer than expected by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      That's funny that you say it took longer than you expected. When I was upgrading an old laptop to windows 10, it displays friendly messages like "We're setting up your system", "This won't take long". Then after that, it displayed "Ok, this is taking longer than we expected". That cracked me up!

    3. Re:Took longer than expected by TopherC · · Score: 1

      It said something like "Don't worry, your files are exactly where you left them."

      I started to worry a lot when I saw this. Either MS was being fantastically condescending, or someone had hacked into my network and was encrypting my filesystem. It was taking a long time, so I was leaning toward the latter possibility. I expected the next message to be a ransom notice and I was reminding myself of how to restore from backups, how long it would take, and what I might lose. I finally thought to google the message on my phone. Phew, it was just MS being condescending. But honestly why would they even say this?! It's a cruel joke I think, and it worked brilliantly.

  8. My experience is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    that archive extraction and file-copying is still extremely sluggish, and that Windows in general spends an enormous amount of time grinding on the harddrive for no apparent reason other than being able to show you the desktop. Did you know that Windows' internal copy-buffer is so tiny that if you have a mechanical drive, 2/3 of the time it takes to copy a file is spent flipping the drive-head back and forth? One-hundred thousand employees, and collectively they can't figure out how to fix this. (you fix it by increasing the copy-buffer)

    1. Re:My experience is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Don't blame the buffering, it just takes some time to send the files to MS service as part of their telemetry data collection scheme. How did you think MS financed the free upgrade to Win 10?

    2. Re:My experience is by Rainwulf · · Score: 1

      Teracopy is your friend here!
      Shame it takes a third party to fix something that they should have figured out a good 20 years ago.

    3. Re:My experience is by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      Hahaha I love that someone had to rewrite windows fucking copy. That is absolutely fantastic. In Linux it's just drag and drop.

  9. Re:Best update ever by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    Windows 10 requires SecureBoot, so you can't dual-boot Linux Mint with it.
    Since Microsoft made me choose between them, I updated to Linux.

    It does not require SecureBoot. Windows 10 is enough of a failure all on its own without the need to spread FUD.

    ** Posting anon so as to not undo moderation

  10. major fail upgrade by someone1234 · · Score: 1

    >Have you updated your Windows 10 install yet? What was your experience?
    I've been sofar successfully fought back Microsoft's insistence on breaking my working Win 7 setup. I know someone who was less lucky.

    --
    Patents Drive Free Software as Hurricanes Drive Construction Industry
    1. Re:major fail upgrade by The+Real+Dr+John · · Score: 1

      Just had another Windows 7 machine here pop up with the start menu indicator that an update was going to install on shutdown. Checked, and it was Windows 10 upgrade, which I have shut off twice previously on that same machine. Now I am on "notify me, but do not download or install" on all Windows 7 machines. Still it seems to sneak through occasionally. So no more optional updates ever. Now it is security only. And even then I have my worries that MS will try to sneak it in that way at some point. I don't want the Windows version with the ad banner and app store bolted to the start menu, reminding me of Windows 8. Not going there. My Windows 7 Ultimate copy is paid for, and so far ad and Metro free (and Cortana too).

      --
      A brain is a terrible thing to waste... Mind? That's debatable.
    2. Re:major fail upgrade by jonwil · · Score: 1

      http://blog.ultimateoutsider.c... seems to be a good way to stop the update from installing by mistake whilst still allowing you to have Windows Update set to "automatically install everything"
      Saying no to kb3035583 (and setting it to "hide this and dont install it") also helps stop Windows 10 from being installed.

    3. Re:major fail upgrade by The+Real+Dr+John · · Score: 1

      That one I hid right away back when it first popped up. This was one of the other later ones from sometime in October. Uninstalled all the recent optional updates (last 5 weeks), and finally got rid of it. Very disturbing practice. A complete change in OS with major changes in the EULA do not seem like an update.

      --
      A brain is a terrible thing to waste... Mind? That's debatable.
  11. Heh heh update by cfalcon · · Score: 1, Insightful

    > Have you updated your Windows 10 install yet?

    Windows 10 is more of a downdate.

    On the bright side, Microsoft is now claiming that the present-from-launch "disable telemetry" option for Enterprise, not present on anything you or I can buy with dollars, will actually disable telemetry. Previously, disable telemetry did not disable telemetry, only scripts from Russians disabled telemetry. Perhaps now it actually will- though, as always, I'd suggest you use wireshark on an intermediate device to be sure- after all, previously disable telemetry continued to send telemetry.

    Spying continues unabated on home and pro- enterprise is corporate only. Corporations can now get some privacy. It would be madness to extend that to individuals, I guess.

  12. Hrm by cfalcon · · Score: 1

    > a major update to Windows 10 called the Fall Update, November Update or Threshold 2
    > Fall Update, November Update or Threshold 2

    Get your "FU NUT 2" today!

    1. Re:Hrm by LVSlushdat · · Score: 1

      Isn't that actually the "Fail Update"?????

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
  13. When will it hit WSUS? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    When will it hit WSUS?

  14. Staggering by roc97007 · · Score: 2

    Staggering update. Just staggering. I saw so m... wait, I'm still on Windows 7. Never mind.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    1. Re:Staggering by TomH123 · · Score: 1

      Staggering update. Just staggering. I saw so m... wait, I'm still on Windows 7. Never mind.

      Did you have a point? Or are you just staggering?

    2. Re:Staggering by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

      It'll come to you too. So far they've only pretended to force you to "upgrade". :P

      --
      thegodmovie.com - watch it
    3. Re:Staggering by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      It'll come to you too. So far they've only pretended to force you to "upgrade". :P

      That may be true. By then there may be enough "staggering updates", and inevitable fixes-to-fixes that it'll be in some way usable.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  15. Working password now is invalid by TheDarkMaster · · Score: 1

    I have Windows 10 on a VM for testing, and after the last updates it now do not accept my password as valid. Fail

    --
    Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
    1. Re:Working password now is invalid by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Is that the same as ReactOS?

  16. Microsoft Telemetry by Rainwulf · · Score: 1

    Please enable it! Please keep sending us all your activity so you can be more secure!

    What?

    1. Re:Microsoft Telemetry by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      It's Microsoft servicing their users in the sense of "the farmer got a bull in to service his cows".

  17. Just wondering..... by LVSlushdat · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I wonder what items I've turned OFF that will *magically* get turned back ON by this.... hmmmm, MS?? Sooooo glad I don't use Windows as a daily use system any longer. I "upgraded" the OEM Windows 7 that came with my laptop over to Windows 10, just to get familiar with it, as I'm kinda the neighborhood tech support, and wouldn't want to look all derpy when neighbor with Windows 10 comes knocking on my door for assistance....

    --
    THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    1. Re:Just wondering..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Don't be silly, Microsoft isn't going to turn items back on after you turn them off. They don't pay any attention to anything you set in the first place.

  18. Re:Photo shop by corezz · · Score: 1

    Downvote for no ass

  19. Autumn by AbRASiON · · Score: 2

    The season is called autumn.

    1. Re:Autumn by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Thank you

      Regards

      Other side of the Pond

    2. Re:Autumn by Irate+Engineer · · Score: 1

      It's called "Spring" in Australia, you insensitive clod!

      --

      Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!

      Vote for Bernie in 2016!

  20. Technically true but completely wrong. by cbhacking · · Score: 4, Informative

    I take it you not only haven't used, but haven't even *seen* Win10?

    If your computer has an attached keyboard and you don't go well out of your way to do so, you will never see "Metro" in Win10. No full-screen Start, everything runs in a window, no Charms bar, no App Bar, etc. Windows Store apps (including the Store itself) now run in windows on the desktop. Title bars are visible at all times and can be dragged, edges can be dragged to resize, apps can be snapped with desktop apps, and so on.

    Now, if your computer is a tablet without an attached keyboard, then yes, the OS will default to "tablet mode" with the full-screen apps and so on. You can tell it not to do so, though; it's a simple setting (Settings -> System -> Tablet Mode). You can change the current mode, the default mode, and whether it automatically switches depending on the hardware configuration.

    --
    There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
    1. Re:Technically true but completely wrong. by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Now, if your computer is a tablet without an attached keyboard, then yes, the OS will default to "tablet mode" with the full-screen apps and so on.

      The Surface series of Tablets default to desktop mode and prompt if you wish to switch to tablet mode when you undock the first time. One of the options is to "not ask me again".

      As a tablet user I too haven't seen metro.

    2. Re:Technically true but completely wrong. by cbhacking · · Score: 1

      Whoops, thanks, you're right. Three options for what the machine does when the configuration changes, including do nothing, switch automatically, or prompt. That's even better than needing to set it beforehand or trusting Microsoft to get it right. I primarily run Win10 on a desktop, so I hadn't seen the prompt.

      --
      There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
  21. Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon... by westlake · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... in a tacit admission that it is time to stop feeding the trolls.

    Like that would ever happen.

    I would argue that telemetry is the only way to get objective, meaningful, data about how well an operating system succeeds or fails in meeting the needs of hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of non-technical end-users.

  22. Driver issues by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    On one computer I upgraded, the two external monitors turned themselves off in the middle of the install, and wouldn't come back on. Only the laptop's own monitor continued to work. Worse, the ethernet driver failed to work. Reinstalling the drivers did restore network and displays, but it had me pretty concerned for a while.

  23. Cortana still wants to take over your login by Tony+Isaac · · Score: 1

    On home versions, if you want to use Cortana, it replaces your desktop user name with your Microsoft account. On pro versions, it works as you would expect, you log in to Windows with your domain account, and Cortana separately keeps track of your Microsoft account. Sorry, I'm not switching my local login to be my Microsoft account!

    There were rumors that Microsoft was working on a patch to fix this, but apparently that is not in SP1. (Oh, wait, it's not called SP1!)

  24. Re:Upgrade from 7 to 10 failed by unixisc · · Score: 1

    Lucky you!

  25. I'd rather lose a major body part.. by kheldan · · Score: 1

    ..than install Windows 10 on anything for any reason. They can shove their so-called 'OS' and their updates up their collective ass.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
    1. Re:I'd rather lose a major body part.. by MrL0G1C · · Score: 1

      Seconded. I've turned off updates because I've lost all trust in Microsoft not to install telemetry to windows 7 or other shenanigans. I'd rather risk a virus (small risk IMO).

      --
      Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
  26. Slow install, changed all file type assignments by Guspaz · · Score: 2

    My experience is that I let Windows install some updates and it took an hour and a half (on a modern SSD-backed system)... and it changed all my file type assignments. Every single file type that is supported by a Microsoft program was replaced with the Microsoft program. HTML files were changed from Chrome to Edge, TXT files changed from Notepad++ to notepad.exe, PDF files changed from Acrobat to Edge, all image files changed from Photoshop to Windows Photo Viewer, and so on. I was not amused.

  27. Re: Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows ico by Jerry+Atrick · · Score: 1

    Its not useful feedback if you cherry pick only the things you want to see or worse, use it to work out how to discourage use of the things you want to kill.

    Left it on for the insider programme and they still went ahead with all that shit i never used but never fixed the stuff i did use. If telemetry was being used to improve win10 they'd have bought Classic Shell and built it into the os.

  28. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by cfalcon · · Score: 2

    > I would argue that telemetry is the only way to get objective, meaningful, data about

    Don't care. My computer, my rules.

    The problem isn't that they have telemetry. Honestly, the problem isn't even that it's on by default.

    The problem is that you can't turn it off. That's massive and ludicrous.

  29. Re:SHILLS MOD DOWN FACTS EH by cfalcon · · Score: 4, Informative

    You did not get modded down by shills. Shills rarely have accounts and very rarely have mod points.

    Your post was incorrect. You stated that "Windows 10 requires SecureBoot, so you can't dual-boot Linux Mint with it."

    Windows 10 requires SecureBoot. SecureBoot pre Windows 10, as part of the spec, required that you be able to disable it in the BIOS.
    The latest update removes this requirement.

    This is terrible news- but it does not mean that "you can't dual-boot Linux Mint". What it means is, any BIOS that offers SecureBoot- either the type you can set to "off" or the new type that pretty much literally just boots Windows- will be required.

    If you buy a motherboard with SecureBoot, you can check to see whether it will allow it to be turned off or not, and not purchase it. This means you can still dual boot to Mint.

    Now, obviously, this is a terrible policy on Microsoft's part, and it creates incentives for Microsoft to favor in some way manufacturers that make BIOSes that don't boot Linux. This is a worthy cause to rant about, and Microsoft is clearly trying to close ground with Oracle for Most Evilist Fuckers In Tech.

    But your post was modded down because it made an incorrect assertion- that Windows 10 can't dual boot with Linux. It can.

    And check my post history if you think I'm a shill. If I am, wow am I playing the long con.

  30. It would be more interesting to know by koan · · Score: 1

    How many of the "spy" and "ad" settings were changed back to on after updating.

    I started thinking about how difficult it might be to keep something the way you like it on Windows 10.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  31. Re:Best update ever by tsqr · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Windows 10 requires SecureBoot, so you can't dual-boot Linux Mint with it. Since Microsoft made me choose between them, I updated to Linux.

    Wrong. Win 10 does not require Secure Boot. I have Mint 17.2 dual-booting with Windows 10 on a Dell Inspiron. You just have to turn off Secure Boot and install grub in the EFI partition.

  32. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by edtice1559 · · Score: 2

    I would agree with you. And a large percentage of user would agree to provide telemetry if it were really opt-in and they were sure that the data were properly anonymized. (i.e. it could be audited by an ordinary person) However, *force* telemetry is quite another issue. The very fact that it is forced implies that there isn't a benefit to the user (otherwise why not explain the benefit and make it optional) and so the negative knee-jerk reaction to want to disable it is the correct one. When tools (like Eclipse) ask for telemetry, I usually agree because I want the tools to improve. When telemetry is forced, I do my best to opt-out as there is good reason to believe that the purpose is nefarious.

  33. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by edtice1559 · · Score: 1

    Software is an infinite space problem. It means that there's no way you can test every possible input. No matter how good your QA is, users will do something that you didn't expect. Rather than try to test an infinite number of things, the focus should be on what users actually do. There's only one way to get this information. Microsoft might be willing to pay you to fix the bugs at contractor rate, but this is an automated tool to guide the process. I have no idea what motivates this type of thinking.

  34. Re:Best update ever by obsess5 · · Score: 1

    I recently got a Toshiba Satellite laptop with Windows 10 factory-installed. Installed Linux Mint Mate 17.2 a week ago. At first, the laptop wouldn't boot either OS, but disabling Secure Boot brought up Grub like a charm (no pun intended) and I now dual-boot Linux and Windows 10.

  35. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by avandesande · · Score: 1

    Then give technical users an option to turn it of.

    --
    love is just extroverted narcissism
  36. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by iampiti · · Score: 1

    Exactly! I wouldn't be so pissed off at Microsoft if they made all this shit optional, but making it mandatory I feel pushed around by a bully and also that they get so valuable from that that they can't allow users to disable it.
    If they made all the things I dislike about Win 10 optional I wouldn't care they were offered, I might even use some of them

  37. Re:SHILLS MOD DOWN FACTS EH by rastos1 · · Score: 1

    If you buy a motherboard with SecureBoot, you can check to see whether it will allow it to be turned off or not, and not purchase it. This means you can still dual boot to Mint.

    If I'm reading your post correctly, then it can happen in future that the choice of motherboards, where you can dual-boot, may be severely limited. Sort of like currently choice of notebooks with some Linux pre-installed is severely limited (mostly to low-end models). Did I understand you correctly? If yes, then it isn't really comforting.

  38. Re:Slashdot retires its stained-glass Windows icon by Waccoon · · Score: 1

    Economics implies that they will heartily ignore the needs of the millions in favor of the billions, anyway. Extremely detailed information isn't much use when your market share is this large.

    Remember, the ultimate end result after a decade of telemetry was... Windows 8.

  39. Re:SHILLS MOD DOWN FACTS EH by cfalcon · · Score: 1

    Correct, and it's not comforting at all.

  40. Re:Upgrade from 7 to 10 failed by ntshma · · Score: 1

    I experienced [upgrade failure] on 2 different computers and it turned out to be that the reserved system partition was nearly full. I used a partition manager and increased the size a little and the upgrade ran just fine. Ref: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/buckh/...

  41. not in your face by tannhaus · · Score: 1

    I like Windows 10. It's the Windows that finally made me switch from Linux. 8 was a travesty. 8.1 was barely better. Windows 10 made a good desktop which didn't make you wonder if you were supposed to be on a tablet. I have a new i5-6500 with my OS on a SSD, so it took about 10-20 minutes to download and upgrade. It seems to boot faster, but honestly, if I didn't have a list of things that had changed, I wouldn't have noticed it. It didn't change my app associations, didn't mess with my OpenSuse Leap dual boot... things go on as before.

  42. Re:Best update ever by donak · · Score: 1

    You don't even need to turn Secure Boot off: I have a laptop originally with Windows 7 installed, dual-booting with Lubuntu 14.04, and then did the upgrade to Windows 10 from within Windows 7. No problem, still boots Grub first, then if I select "Windows 7" on the Grub menu, it boots Windows 10.

    I also installed Xubuntu on another laptop, which had been running the Windows 10 Technical Preview. All you have to do is use a x86_64 distro, and start it from the update/recovery setup where you can tell it to run a USB or CD ... installed no problem at all, since AFAIK Ubuntu variants are properly "signed".

    --
    Don't blame me, it's usually 2 in the morning when I post ...