My experience with Windows 10

[ComputerWhiz305]

In an attempt to push users onto the newest OS complete with tracking devices, Microsoft offered existing Windows users the "opportunity" to perform a free upgrade to Windows 10. This is something that I avoided, since I really love Windows 7. I've managed to keep my system on Windows 7, despite the annoying popups to upgrade and even the automatic downloading of the large installation file without my consent. Unfortunately though, when I bought my laptop, I didn't have the option and was forced to use the Windows 10 that came installed on the system.

I'm sure that no one really cares about my opinion and I'm sure that very few people will even bother reading this, but I'm bored so I'll share anyway.

My first Windows computer was a Windows 95 before I made the switch to Windows 98. I've also owned various Windows XP computers and I've used Windows 8 and 8.1 at work. I've used most of the Windows operating systems since Windows 95 (except for Vista) and I still think that Windows 7 is my favourite.

Although many users think that the free upgrade to Windows 10 is a great deal... it's really not.

Windows 10 has given me so much trouble and in this thread, I'll highlight some of the many issues that I have experienced while using Microsoft's latest Windows operating system. But before that, here is a nice disclaimer that you should read through first:

DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in this thread are soley those of the original author and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Microsoft, the Tom's Hardware staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

Start Menu:
Of course, the Windows 10 start menu is much better than the touch-screen-style start menu that we saw in Windows 8, but it has a few flaws. Firstly, those stupid live tiles that love to eat your internet connection and kill your battery are still in the start menu. Naturally, those were the first things that I disabled when I got it out of the box.

Secondly, I just don't feel that I have as much control over customizing the start menu, compared to other versions of Windows (even Windows 95). There isn't even an option to move the search bar into the start menu so that it doesn't take up a quarter of your task bar.

Finally, it never wants to open. Anyone using Windows 10 will need to learn that pressing Alt + F4 will provide you with shut down options, since the start menu will never want to open when you decide it's time to leave your computer. Perhaps it's a clever scheme in order to get you to never leave the computer or perhaps it's a massive bug that none of the developers have taken the time to fix. Either way, it is a huge annoyance.

Search Bar:
One of the greatest features in the newer versions of Windows is the search bar. No more browsing through your programs list; just type in the program that you want to open. However, the latest Windows has added some problems to the search bar. Firstly, as I mentioned above, the search bar takes up nearly a quarter of the task bar (depending on your screen resolution) and there is no way to move it into the start menu like it was in other versions of Windows.

Although the news search bar has become more like the Ubuntu search bar, in that it displays your files, settings and other stuff like that, along with your programs, but there doesn't seem to be a way to customize what stuff is displayed. For example, I would like to hide all files from the search bar, but there is no option for that.

And finally, just like the start menu, it just doesn't work sometimes. There have been many times where I have had to either restart my system or manually kill the search process in the task manager because it just doesn't search anything. Instead, I just get a never ending loading animation at the top of the results box.

Updates:
My biggest issue with the new Windows operating system is the complete lack of control over your updates. As I understand it, the Professional addition has a few more options regarding system updates, but since I'm on the Home edition, I have no clue if those added settings would fix the problems that I've had.

Despite having my automatic updates turned off, Windows still insists on automatically restarting to finish installing the updates. This wouldn't be so bad... if only Windows would warn me first. I can't count how many times I've been in the middle of browsing the web, working on a text document or editing photos when Windows just randomly restarts itself without letting me save my files first. I've been in touch with Microsoft many times to complain about this issue and no one has been able to offer me an explanation of a solution to fix it. If I was actually working on important stuff or things that were for work, I know that I would definitely not be a happy customer.

And on a side note, as with every Windows operating system, installing updates often damages your drivers or reverts your settings. I frequently need to reset the resolution and overscan on my Intel graphics settings.

Tracking:
I think we've all heard the stories about Windows 10 having a ton of tracking software installed on it. That's probably why Microsoft is pushing for so many users to make the switch to Windows 10. I have noticed that there are many hidden options within the system settings that allows Microsoft to receive certain data from your system by default. They are hidden within layer upon layer of option pages that most common users may never visit. Although I've never experienced any, some users have also complained that Windows displays some ads within the operating system.

CONCLUSION:
Although Windows is certainly not the worst operating system (*cough* Mac), it certainly isn't my favourite and there are many issues and bugs that make it just unusable at times. There are times that will make you question how Microsoft ever let software with this many issues ever go to release.

So if you are looking to upgrade to Windows 10, I would just wait for Windows 11 (or whatever they call it) to come out... I'm sure that it will be better.

 

[Shaun o]

Like you,

I chose to stick with windows 7.
I find that using it is more productive, having grown up with windows versions like you from 95 to windows 7.

When I tried to use windows 10 what put me off, or got me annoyed was that i found trying to do something on windows 10
Involved a lot more steps to get something to run,or to get to a feature or program withing windows to run it.

Where as with windows 7 it in fact took less steps to get to a program or location, and was much quicker to find launch, and run.

And as you have outlined no user control of downloads and updates, or the option of selective updating.
And the main bugbear Privacy, and snooping.

Your other main comment, how stable is windows 10 vs windows 7.
Windows 7 wins every time with me.
I don`t much care what people say about still choosing to use it, and not upgrading to windows 10 ComputerWhiz.

Windows 7 does what I need it to do, and does it well, and is more stable.
And works.

Why would I need to change, for the sake of something that is just dressed up like windows 10 with limitations on it to set it up or control it how I wish it to be.

As for forced updates, that is a dangerous thing, get it wrong and disable or cripple a system due to it.
With no option to turn it off, or choose selective updating.
Is about the stupidest thing that MS chose to do with windows 10.
Because make no mistake, it puts you right in the cross hairs, and firing line.

With an OS flexibility is the key, not limitation.

 

[Chicano]

Start Menu:
• Windows 10 Stgart Menu can be fully disabled and a third party Win 7 type start menu (Classic Shell and similars) can be used instead.
• The search bar can be removed... it's part of Cortana that can be disabled along with the start menu.
• That the Stat Menu doesn't want to open is a common bug and there is a fix for it.

Search Bar:
• Search bar can be removed as I said before, and can also be hidden (without disabling Cortana)... I can't recall how at the moment but I have done it and restored it. A third party search application named Everything is what normally use to instantly find files and application executables, shortcuts, etc.
• Hiding files from the search bar I'm sure can be done... there is a solution for every thing you want to solve, it's just a matter of searching for it. I'm guessing it's in the registry.

Updates:
• Windows Update can be disabled in Pro Edition from System Properties and Services and can probably be disabled the same way in Home Edition.

This program can get total control over Windows 10's automatic updates
http://betanews.com/2016/02/22/control-windows-10-updates/

Tracking:
• You can disable all the tracking settings manually or with third party tools.

Windows 10 has many things going in it's favor.. two I can mention right of the bat are it's speed and improved graphics... and all it's bugs can be solved if you take the time to find the how-to's, and those you can't find solutions to, will eventually be ironed out.

I have used all Windows versions starting from 98 and to me the only trully bad Windows version was Millenium... Even Windows Vista can be reliable with the right processor and amount of RAM... it's minimum system requirements were demanding and when it came out, available hardware was slow and expensive, so trying to make it run on systems made for Windows XP was probably what made it unstable and such a failure.

 

[notuptome2004]

Ok to the orginal poster the Search bar in windows 10 can be disabled or shortened to an ICON right click the task bar click on cortana and select show Cortana icon and ther ya go problem solved .


Start menu is fully customizable as you can disable or take off the Live tiles on it and or disable the Live tile function so it is a static icon and you can also add your own stuff to the start menu and rearrange sytuff as you wish . i have never had the start menu not work for me and the search as always worked for me

Privacy or so called tracking you can use Spybot Anti-beacon to disable all of that


Also be sure you are running the latest version of windows 10 and that would be the Anniversary update windows version 1607 it has many improvements and many more customizable option in settings for the look anfd feel