Windows 10 preview — little change but some requested.

www.peacebyjesus.com ^ | 10-11-14 | daniel1212

[daniel1212]

Windows 10 preview — little change but some requested.

I have been trying out the Windows 10 Technical Preview, Build 9841, which is a free download here or here after you register.

Note that as explained in “Windows 10: You've got questions, I've got answers,” “The Windows 10 Technical Preview is an instrumented version. It collects information about your use of the product, including some text and voice input, and returns some of that data to Microsoft for use in tuning performance and improving voice recognition and spell-checking.”

Note that this is not a professional review, but it may be of help for some and be a forum for others to thoughtfully express likes and dislikes (and yes, I have tried about ever major Linux distro!). I thank God for the good that computers enable, and I like to tweak and customize things to enable doing tasks quicker (like shortcut keys*) and or increase function (thus I appreciate Firefox/Palm Moon browser extensions), and which desire will be reflected in this review.

I used the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to install the Windows Technical Preview (henceforth WTP) on a USB Flash drive (see here if you need help), and then installed it on a partition of a second Hard drive, leaving the HD with my Window 8.1 (henceforth W/8) OS unplugged until after the Technical Preview was full installed. Thus the boot menu was not disturbed on the W/8 HD, and I was then able to choose to boot from the HD with W/8 on it by tapping the F11 key after starting the PC, which results in a boot menu. Other PCs may have a different key that allow this, if at all.

All hardware was recognized/installed except an old modem I use for PhoneTrayFree (very helpful) that worked under W/8, and it loaded the same desktop wallpaper as I had before, rather than the so-called “Metro” (Modern) default interface in W/8. The interface is not very different to Windows 8.1 for me in functionality since I have been using Classic Shell, and which is still superior for me, and which is a must for me under W/8. But you can apparently choose to boot into the W/8 default interface. Right click on “All apps” in the Start menu and choose Properties. You van also hold the Windows and the c key down (and let go) to see Search, Settings, etc. options. Changing icon sizes on the desktop is easily done by holding down the ctrl key and using the scroll wheel on your mouse. .,

WTP provides a Start menu, but wastes space with some large (as if we were children) and smaller icons of what MS presumes you should often see in a Start menu (People, Windows Feedback, Store,etc.). However, just right click on them and you can choose to uninstall. To change to small icons as here, hit the Start button and right click on all apps and then Properties. A shutdown icon is at the top of the Start menu to the right of your user name, or just right click on the Start menu icon, or use the Windows and x key combo (see further below).

Access to programs (All apps) is at the bottom of the Start menu, and by default All apps shows things like alarms, maps, games, and MS default folders (video, etc.), which I do not use, while only showing installed programs by scrolling halfway down. Again, just right click on unwanted items and you can choose to uninstall or remove.

However, MS does not enable removing OneDrive from your system, even though the language in the MS Code of Conduct (see this thread) basically makes conservative posters into violators, and thus I disable to. See here on how.

As in W/8, WTP, the Windows key and x key combo still pops up a menu for options, and this shows such utilities as Programs and Features, Power Options, Shutdown, etc. which is a definite improvement, and which would have been nice all along.

There were no updates for the Technical Preview ready for download, but I installed a few key programs like Firefox and Pale Moon, Open Office, etc, and can run some other apps that are installed under W/8 HD.

I have created my own default folders on a separate partition, and do things like using the "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-remote -p script (create shortcut) to run multiple profiles of Firefox (and which enables me to do much more than Chrome, and far more than IE), and which I place in a separate partition. This, and migrating user settings for apps like OpenOffice (LibreOffice made some changes I did not like, but I use that as well), means quick navigation is very important to me.

However, File (Windows) Explorer opens up to “Home,” and insists on placing One Drive and Microsoft's default folders on top of list, and places drives on bottom of left navigation pane. Moreover, you cannot eliminate the left navigation pane by a simple X as in windows, and eliminating it so as to have a compact single pane means losing the view of drives, and a normal means to navigate to them.

Also, since like W/8, WTP does not provide a Quick Launch tool bar, and which I like, I created one. Just right click on the Task Bar and go to Toolbars>New Toolbar and paste C:\Users\TypeYourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch, except that TypeYourUserName must be replaced with be you user name.

I also create a shortcut in the Send to folder to the Send to folder and place it within it, and then I can send shortcuts to any program or folder I want, like the Quick Launch tool bar. The Send to folder location is C:\Users\TypeYourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

► Other things I would think we would see by now (or fixed), or restored:

• There is yet no ability to enable tabbed browsing in File Explorer, without which multiple windows are open for multiple locations. A couple free utilities enable this but are flaky. Tabbed browsing would make it like modern Internet browsers in this regard. Restoring the Favorites bookmarks would also be better than “include in library” I think. I place a shortcut to Favorites (C:\Users\Daniel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Favorites) in the Send to folder for that purpose.

• A “copy to” and “move to” feature should also be standard in the right click menu of File Explorer. You can get a reg. Script to do that here.

• Internet Explorer overall has minimal customization ability and remains out of the running for power users, lacking even the ability to choose multiple tab rows, save multiple sessions, choose from a multiplicity of themes. See my favorite Firefox/Pale Moon extensions below.

• Better personalization options. As with W/8, there is no way to change colors for aspects of applications and menus as enabled under XP and 9x OS versions, and W/8 and WTP has no color wheel for the little color that you can change. Except for High Contrast themes, which is more like XP capabilities, but is problematic in High Contrast themes, due to color conflicts.

As with the Colorful tabs browser extension, an ability to change the color of taskbar items could also help when you have a lot of apps running.

• As with W/8, text from a windows sometimes shows through Task bar, with no way to adjust opacity.

A solution is here.

• As with W/8, WTP still shows shortcuts to folders that are not accessible or do not exist. Also, shortcuts should just show a simple arrow versus “shortcut to.”

• Unlike under XP and 9x OS versions, W/8 and WTP cannot change the icons for different file types, though you can for normal folders.

• Windows default images viewer has minimal capabilities, not even able to provide a slide show.

• You still cannot get seconds shown on the clock. T-Clock 2010 does this and more.

• There should also be a simple meter showing the CPU cycles and available RAM in the system try. A consistently high number (over 20%) of CPU cycles can explain why a PC is slow, and often can be an indicator of virus activity, while low available RAM will also be a cause for slow PC. The simple SysTrayMeter (freeware) here (freewaregenius) does both, with minimal resources and with “no strings” attached.

• As with W/8, the mouse hover over shortcuts does not always show the size or location pop up.

• Right click>Open file location no longer allows browsing to find a missing location.

• Windows should have have a session manager in to save sessions, like the Firefox session manager for browsing sessions.

• Windows Media player automatically makes itself the default player for most formats, even those it will not play, and even though you chose to select them yourself. Then the next window would not allow deselecting.

• Create more restore points, and be able to choose where they will be stored.

Alt and Tab does not work to show open windows in such places as C:\Users\Daniel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

► Technical problems:

Windows 10 had the same problem as Windows 8 did in awaking from sleep by itself. The solution was to go to Network connections (Windows key and X) and right click on the Network icon> Properties>Configure>Power Management and deselect “Allow this device to wake up the computer.” Also check the box “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” if it is not. And under Advanced, deselect anything under Wake-on.

"

Or go to Device Manager via Windows key and Pause/Break and look left, then Network Adapter>Properties and follow the above.

WTP also had the “Windows 8 freezes on black screen after the computer resumes from sleep mode” error on my PC. This was solved by going to advanced settings in Power Options (Windows key and x) and disabling allow hybrid sleep. I also disabled FastBoot in the BIOS.

"

Like Windows 8, Windows 10 still results in the unsolved the error message (error ID 137)that “The system firmware has changed the processor's memory type range registers (MTRRs) across a sleep state transition (S4). This can result in reduced resume performance” when returning from Sleep.

There are also other error messages, but also under W.8.1. Ms tech has looked at them and his response marginalized them.

*And as I want to enable functions to be quickly executed, or locations found, one of my first apps to install is AutoHotKey, which enables you to do many things via scripts for shortcut keys. And as my fingers are increasingly arthritic (so I must lift up my hands to type each letter), one of these is remapping the Caps key to ctrl+c, and Esc to ctrl+v, with NumLock becoming Esc. (CapsLock::^c, Esc::^v, NumLock::Esc)

Favorite Firefox Pale Moon (less political) browser extensions (ad ons):

Tab Mix Plus 0.3.8.6 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tab-mix-plus

Session Manager 0.7.5 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/session-manager/

savewithurl - 0.2.11 version for Firefox 2.0 - 5 https://nic-nac-project.org/~kaosmos/savewithurl-FF5-0.2.11.xpi

Menu Editor http://menueditor.mozdev.org/

Googlebarlite https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/492/addon-492-latest.xpi?src=search

FindBar Tweak https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/findbar-tweak/

ColorfulTabs https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/colorfultabs/?src=search/

Send Tab URLs https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/send-tab-urls/?src=ss

Copy as HTML Link https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/copy-as-html-link/?src=search

Google/Yandex search link fix https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/google-search-link-fix/

Xmarks Sync https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/xmarks-sync/?src=search

BBCodeXtra is an extension, which adds to the context menu new commands to insert BBCode/Html/XHtml codes in an easy and fast way... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/bbcodextra/

Converter https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/converter/

FlashGot https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flashgot/?src=search

Count Word Professional https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/count-word-professional/contribute/roadblock/?src=dp-btn-primary&version=v1.4.rev342

Stay-Open Bookmarks Menu https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/stay-open-menu/

Profile should be in /home/your-user-name/.mozilla/firefox

In Linux Ubuntu, Firefox program should be in /usr/lib/firefox

To add another profile under some Linux distros, drag icon from Applications launcher (Start Menu,) to Desktop, r. clk and hit Launcher and change to firefox %u --Profilemanager and click close. Then launch and choose Create new profile.

The most important files to migrate are cert8.db

formhistory.sqlite

key3.db

persdict.dat

places.sqlite

signons.sqlite

Do all to the glory of God. Hope this helps.

11

[rockrr]

When the beta builds of Windows XP were first released it caused some raised eyebrows over the hardware requirements. There were Windows 98 and Windows 2000 machines running on 64meg RAM platforms with Pentium 100 processors (admittedly not very briskly!). XP prerequisites doubled that - as minimums. Lots of folks feared the hurdle required to run the new OS.

As it turned out you could load XP onto sub-spec platforms and have a fully functional computer (if not exactly a sprightly one). I know lots of people who did this instead of running out and plopping down big bucks for new machines until they had had a chance to “test drive” the new OS.

The same largely held true for upgrades to Win-7 when it came out. One could load it onto legacy platforms if they were willing to accept the performance hit.

With Win-8 the prerequisites were harsher and far fewer platforms were eligible for upgrade. The installation simply failed on lots of machines and the resolution was to buy new. Couple that with the “downgrade” option (being able to downgrade from Win-8 to Win-7) and the buyer resistance to the problematic metro-app desktop and it wasn’t hard to see that Win-8 was going to suffer a similar ignobility as Vista.

In my tests with Win-10 I’ve gone back to pre-Win-7 Vista platforms and run the install. It loads fine, even on machines that choked on Win-8. When examining the prerequisites I found the requirement that Win-8 processors had to support PAE, NX, and SSE2 (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/what-is-pae-nx-sse2). I found no mention of this requirement in the Win-10 Prerequisites (They just say “look at the specs for Win-8”). I don’t know if this is by design or an omission from the Windows 10 Technical Preview.

At any rate thanks for the review - I (obviously) read it with interest. With the ever-narrowing support schema from Microsoft I find myself doing more to try to stay ahead of them (migration to Win-7 was particularly brutal for us).

[daniel1212]

No one in industry, manufacturing, government, military, business, or the enterprise will care one whit about Windows 10 unless it’s a more productive operating system for the vast majority of their PC users. That really will be the sole metric of the success of Windows 10: is it compatible with the hundreds of millions of current PC applications and their users and is it substantially BETTER than Windows 7.

Very true, and XP works fine for many. W/10 is not an XP, and W/7 should serve the rest just fine. A area that Windows could much improve is in speech to text. Imagine a PC that would recognize your voice, awake from sleep, and does much better rightly recognizing your voice (speech training should use your own documents) and with which you could create custom commands (command: PC sleep;go to... etc.) as easily as you can with shortcut keys. And comes with a real mic to do it. I think that would sell an upgrade, but i left it out of my list.

Dragon (besides my hating the name) basically has a monopoly for PC users and thus only makes small improvements for which the want $100+ more for, and still is very immature.

[daniel1212]

In my tests with Win-10 I’ve gone back to pre-Win-7 Vista platforms and run the install. It loads fine, even on machines that choked on Win-8. When examining the prerequisites I found the requirement that Win-8 processors had to support PAE, NX, and SSE2 (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/what-is-pae-nx-sse2). I found no mention of this requirement in the Win-10 Prerequisites (They just say “look at the specs for Win-8”). I don’t know if this is by design or an omission from the Windows 10 Technical Preview.

Thanks for the substantive input. Yet i read that W/8 was better on older HW than Vista, while so far WTP seems to use less ram than W/8.

With the ever-narrowing support schema from Microsoft I find myself doing more to try to stay ahead of them (migration to Win-7 was particularly brutal for us).

Yes, but this upgrade should not be much of a problem, yet it hardly seems worth it. See my above comments on speech to text/commands, which i think has lots of potential.

[Alex Murphy]

PFL

[daniel1212]

It was only installed on certain IRS hard drives and can no longer be found?

[rockrr]

It is my opinion that Windows 8 is at best an entertainment operating system. It is a failure as a business class OS. Unless ones inclusive use of the computer is to surf the internet and read emails it isn’t going to cut the mustard. From my preliminary tests Win-10 might possibly accomplish what Win-8 can’t and will be the next major platform for business.

IMO Microsoft’s missteps have given Apple and Linux some great opportunities to make inroads on their monopoly.

[daniel1212]

From my preliminary tests Win-10 might possibly accomplish what Win-8 can’t and will be the next major platform for business.

But why? Install Classic Shell on W/8 (and maybe add a Quick Launch bar and teach a few navigation shortcuts) and what substantial difference is there?

[daniel1212]

IMO Microsoft’s missteps have given Apple and Linux some great opportunities to make inroads on their monopoly.

From I have tried the Linux route, which has potential, but if changes and a learning curve are problems for MS, much more Linux.

From the home page of ShadowAce:

"... being a Linux user is sort of like living in a house inhabited by a large family of carpenters and architects. Every morning when you wake up, the house is a little different. Maybe there is a new turret, or some walls have moved. Or perhaps someone has temporarily removed the floor under your bed." - Unix for Dummies, 2nd Edition (Found in the .sig of Rob Riggs)

[dennisw]

bing

[zeugma]

I’m convinced MS skipped Windows 9 in order to be “equal” to OSX. So that the masses won’t think the Mac more advanced because of its higher release number

The explanation I saw that made the most sense, was that many programs looked for the windows version as 9*, for windows 95/98 and such. This caused problems. Lazy programmers IMO.

[daniel1212]

Running W/9x was a science! illegal operations, system resources low,... etc. But i used it for years with much 3rd party help, and got lots done. And only experienced one virus despite intensive Internet use, thank God.

[daniel1212]

Classic Shell makes the Win 8 machines bearable.

Understatement. Thank God for those who write 3rd party apps, where would windows be without them.

[Elsie]

I noticed the desktop image and icon placement...

[Elsie]

My first home computer had 256 BYTES of ram.

It's still in the basement...

...somewhere.

[minnesota_bound]

Windows 10 is 97% Windows 7 with some added Windows 8 bits.

When using a theme I want to change the color of the icon text or get rid of the fuzzy drop shadows.

In Windows 7 you can fix this:
You can go to the Control Panel> System> Advanced system settings> Performance> Uncheck “Use drop shadows...
and “Animate controls and Elements Inside Windows” to get rid of the white letters and drop shadow. This happens when you click Apply.

I ended up switching to the Classic theme and using a program called Iconoid to have black text on the taskbar program buttons. It is found at http://www.sillysot.com

You lose the Aero popup preview from the taskbar program buttons if you use classic theme. White is hard on my eyes and the themes all have white text.

That does work in Windows 10 but you have to restart the computer. There is no classic in Windows 10

[VeniVidiVici]

The explanation I saw that made the most sense, was that many programs looked for the windows version as 9*, for windows 95/98 and such. This caused problems. Lazy programmers IMO.

:) Could be. That would be pretty bad. Especially as a call to winver should result in version 7 for the next release regardless if MS called it 9 or 10.

[cva66snipe]

Thanks for the ping

[usconservative]

Very thorough! Bookmarked.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Back in the Windows 3.1 and 95 days, Visual Basic was a godsend. There were tons of 3rd party utilities and games as a result and people could knock out programs to handle one-off problems for themselves.

[Elsie]

Yup.

Now the excess baggage to actually PROGRAM something these days is horrendous!