A long random vent re: Win10 Upgrade the reality vs the Dream.The Download process etcVery deliberately I have avoided all the 'Insider' beta testing phase and reporting.
I wanted an untainted experience of Windows 10 as MS see it should be when it goes RTM/GA or Gold.
(Although these are no longer meaningful terms as it is
'Windows as a Service' and constantly being updated (
read as 'fixed' ))
I have waited very patiently for my main PC to get 'selected' for the Win 10 Lottery Update.
It has just happened !
I just so happened to reboot my PC due to a hardware change and on coming back checked Updates and Voila 'Win 10 is Downloading'.
What a busy beastie it is.
I want the download to happen BUT
not to update just yet as I still want to get a handle on the changes Win 10 makes, usability and how invasive MS is now.
Aside: I am just starting playing with Win 10 on a Test Machine that can be 'nuked' if necessary.The download is quite fast but the processing afterwards is intensive.
MS have expended huge efforts into the migration process and it shows.
The Download runs neatly into the 'Preparing your PC' phase, which is rather surprising as I had set my PC to download updates but
NOT install them until I say so !
The processing as stated is huge.
It performs an analysis of your machine and all the software/drivers.
The hidden Directory called '$Windows.~BT' in the root of your boot drive fills up with lots & lots of files including the 'Install.esd' which is the equiv of the contents of the Windows 10 .ISO.
(Same delivery format as used by the Select licensing of old)
Nosing around these files etc could take days if you wanted to fully understand the process. (I am a nosy Techie and this
would entertain me no end
)
Once the processing is complete it again runs neatly into the 'Install/Update Phase'
This is yet again ignoring the 'Don't Update yet' option I had set.
(A bit naughty of MS really as the upgrade is very time consuming and may lose you access to some software as well, as certain S/W is not migrated for compatibility reasons etc)
MS really want to 'push' you towards Windows 10 !
I declined the start of the Upgrade and hoped it would not delete all the files so I would not go through this all again later.
It appears to be OK but have not rebooted yet
Update:On re-boot the PC is very busy on start and ....... it is going through the same process again and setting itself up to install again.
(So the files are NOT deleted if you abort the install ! )
I am dropped eventually into 'Ready to install .... just press OK' screen.
I aborted this and set the update to hidden in the Windows Updates listing.
I am not in a hurry to see if this is also ignored on re-boot. Apart from the over eager run towards upgrading my PC, it has performed an upgrade on the same hardware spec OK.
General comments on Windows 10.I did lose access to Daemon Tools for .ISO mounting etc but MS have relented a bit and are apparently for a 'short time only' giving a free piece of s/w to give access to DVD's as Media Centre is gone.
This is one of the updates that are performed automatically when the Win 10 Upgrade is first installed and running.
My test PC has very little installed, so I expect I will have lots of pieces of s/w that will not migrate.
(I have collected a huge number of tools/utilities over the years that are probably not considered 'Win 10 friendly'.)
Re: Upgrades, they come thick and fast.
It very quickly demonstrates the process but also highlights the downside.
The updates start of their own accord with no warning and can slow your PC to a stop if busy.
This is not useful if you are doing something critical and cannot wait for updates to finish.
Imagine you are trying to close-down your laptop to get somewhere in a hurry and MS/Win 10 decides to install a few updates before you go !
1st impressions are a little Meh!
It is quicker but you lose some speed because it is a hybrid of Win 8.x & Win 7 and you are having to translate 'what you did' to the new UI.
The 1st thing you notice is the UI is not Windows 7 or Windows 8
, it is a strange middle ground between the two.
The start button is back but 'Oh dear!' is the only response. The Start button replacement business has nothing to fear, business will boom ... thanks MS.
The next thing you notice is the jumping between the UI design of Windows 8 and Windows 7 as you do things especially using the Control Panel.
The merging of the functionality of the 2 OSes has been very clever but obviously getting a consistent UI was never making it to the top of the 'Must Do' list.
Will this happen? ..... I will not hold breath on this one.
The one thing that is immediately noticeable during the setup is that MS really want to emulate Apples approach to Customers/Consumers and the whole Apple Ecosystem Idea.
I mean by this that they want to emulate having total control over all the analytics from your PC.
They collect no end of information as standard from Windows 10 and it includes what you run, when you run it, where you go, who you communicate with etc etc.
Some of the things that are switched on as standard are not controllable unless you read all the small print and go to a few MS sites to opt-out of things you have agreed to by virtue of installing Windows 10 and agreeing to the EULA.
Nice of MS to persist with the 'Opt-in automatically' paradigm, where you have to find out you have Opted in first before you work out how to Opt-out.
You are giving MS total access to your life to enable them to target advertising and spending opportunities your way. (For a better Experience and your ongoing convenience !
)
There are mad things like giving automatic access to your wi-fi to your contacts, who can in turn give it to others.
WTF!
Rather like a web/circle of Trust gone wrong. !
In passing I will mention the MS Store.
Meh! ..... which is more than it deserves.
It is as bad as I expected, full of unknown junk from unknown developers.
I was one of the people who owned a Blackberry Playbook, look at their app store and it will look familiar in terms of the volume of junk.
They need to throw a lot of money at people to fill it with something worth buying.
Quite a big miss for launch time I think.
I am of a mind to wait for the 1st Upgraders to take all the pain and see how MS responds to the feedback.
My gut feeling is that MS are banking on the many millions of people who have just swallowed the 'MS variant Blue pill', being very reluctant to back out to the old reality.
(Which you only have 30 days to do ..... some reports are that it does not work 100% ... Quelle Surprise)
I still can see nothing wrong with Windows 7 but it will have a very limited life if MS have their way, I know
Welcome to 'Windows as a Service' it will run & run ........ and you will pay & pay. (You did realise that didn't you!!!???)
Update:[See here for more details of what you can and cannot opt out of: http://www.howtogeek.com/224616/30-ways-windows-10-phones-homeAlso report on Windows 10 throwing away previously setup Child Safety settings:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/05/windows_10_wipes_child_safety_settings_upgrade/