Windows 10

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 18 Dec 2015 12:43 pm

I don't use imaging for backups. You hit on my problem. I was using full backups that I scheduled once a week when I'm sleeping. I haven't tried incremental because I have heard it's not so great. One thing I do do is, I will copy any important files to an external drive on each computer. I don't do this for programs, because I have the programs on disk, or in the cloud (like Adobe programs).

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 18 Dec 2015 12:56 pm

Mitch Drumm wrote:Imaging isn't the best way to back up data files, but some people use imaging for that purpose. If you want to recover just one file from within an image, you have to drill into it and copy it out--just as you would in Windows Explorer.

Yep, that would be me. Why complicate life by using multiple backup techniques when imaging works as well as it does? With Macrium's ability to create a virtual drive letter and, with a few mouse clicks, re-create the image on your hard drive for browsing and file retrieval, I don't know how it could be quicker or easier. At any rate, it's something I seldom need to do.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Dec 2015 3:36 am

The full disc image avoids the hassle of having to reinstall and activate individual programs. You can do it that way, but the full disc image is a lot easier. If you have to restore, you do one restore and its over.

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 19 Dec 2015 7:30 am

$580 dollars is a lot of money. Not for what it does maybe,
but still a lot of money. Too much for me. I've had to format and redo 3 drives lately and that backup would have saved me a lot of time, but for that, I'll do it the old fashion way.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 19 Dec 2015 7:54 am

Ken Lang wrote:$580 dollars is a lot of money.

Huh? I searched both pages of this thread for "$580" and found nothing. What did I miss?

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 19 Dec 2015 9:17 am

Ken Lang wrote:$580 dollars is a lot of money. Not for what it does maybe,
but still a lot of money. Too much for me. I've had to format and redo 3 drives lately and that backup would have saved me a lot of time, but for that, I'll do it the old fashion way.

I agree Ken. I just upgraded my old Acronis True Image (2014) to the new version, 2016, for under $40 (3 PCs). New purchases can be had for $59.99 covering 3 computers (current promo sale). It works flawlessly for me and always has.

Some like it, others like Macrium. Either is better than Windows Backup.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Dec 2015 10:24 am

$580??? Not for Macrium Reflect. There is a free version that will do for most people.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Dec 2015 11:05 am

I've been using Windows XP Pro now for so many years I cannot remember, and it's on all my machines except one.

Unfortunately, my main computer, which must be nearly 20 yrs. old, finally gave up the ghost after continually crashing.

At about that time my daughter accidentally trod on her laptop, breaking the screen and fingerboard and messing up the hard disk. She was going to throw it away, and she bought a new one, but I asked her to give me the old one and I would see what I could do with it. I bought a new screen, a new keyboard, and a new hard disk, and it was up and running again for about $100.

It's also a much more recent computer than what I was using, and came with Windows 7, with which I was not familiar. Within days of starting to use it, I was offered the free update to Windows 10. At that stage I figured, why spend time learning an obsolete system like Windows 7? So I updated. I figure that, I'm 70 now, Windows 10 will see me out.

Other than having to get used to the fact that Microsoft move things around just for the hell of it, and even the simplest of tasks has to be re-learned, the only problems I've had is that some of my programs won't run on the new system, and I've had some trouble getting printer driver updates.

I cannot understand why Microsoft are unable to ensure that Windows 10 runs everything that previous Windows versions can run, including going right back to DOS. I don't think they want to. They're in business to sell software, and they probably are heavily-invested in other software developers and in hardware manufacturers.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Dec 2015 12:59 pm

Microsoft used to make new OS's backward compatible. However, as hardware and software has evolved, Microsoft stopped making it backward compatible or only limited compatible starting with Vista. The Operating System "standard" now is 64 bits, most XP hardware is not 64 bit compatible. Back in the XP days, 2GB of RAM was sufficient, now 2GB is really inadequate.

The fact an old printer is not compatible is not Microsoft's problem.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 19 Dec 2015 2:03 pm

Dave Potter wrote:
Richard Sinkler wrote:I have Macrium Free version, but really can't get the hand of it. I thought I would do a scheduled backup once a week. On a 2tb external hard drive, I started seeing it taking up almost all of that drive. It wasn't deleting or adding incremental changes to files. I had many backup files eating up space and had to delete many backup files.
I wonder why it's not performing for you. I've been using the paid version several years now, and haven't had problems. I don't schedule anything because I don't want my external drives running all the time - they make too much heat. But I alternate between my 2 external drives, one 8TB and one 3TB, and make full images always - no incrementals. I look at them now and then and cull out older backups when I need more space, although I know that can be done automatically as well.

It's a solid piece of software, IMO. And it's gotten me out of several "issues" using the images I had available.

Operator error. I just haven't spent much time with it. If I can get the hang of it, and scrape up the money, I will go ahead and buy the paid version. I've done that with other free software, even the ones that don't have a paid version, but will accept donations. I find free programs that are crap. Good thing I didn't have to buy a paid version. I just uninstall it and keep looking.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 19 Dec 2015 3:27 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:Operator error. I just haven't spent much time with it. If I can get the hang of it, and scrape up the money, I will go ahead and buy the paid version. I've done that with other free software, even the ones that don't have a paid version, but will accept donations. I find free programs that are crap.

Yeah, I've had the same experience with free stuff. Some of it is OK, but some is useless.

But the Macrium product is quite well done, IMO, compared to the competition. You do have to take time to become a little familiar with the main process, not unlike any well-written software. But I've had to bring Macrium images I've made to bear a few times to get me out of self-induced crises, and it's come through each time. I just now finished imaging my boot drive - 74GB image file size, completed in under 21 minutes on a USB 3.0 connection. I like it.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 20 Dec 2015 11:01 am

Jack Stoner wrote:...The Operating System "standard" now is 64 bits, most XP hardware is not 64 bit compatible...
...The fact an old printer is not compatible is not Microsoft's problem.

...but they could have made it possible to run old software in 32 bit mode or less. They chose not to.
Yes, old printer's ARE Microsoft's responsibility. After all, they are the ones who gave the hardware manufacturers the standards to use. It would be very easy for Microsoft to make EVERYTHIMG that ran on previous systems run on every future system. They chose not to.
Imagine that an airline decided that you were too old to travel because you were not up to modern standards.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 20 Dec 2015 11:40 am

Alan Brookes wrote:Yes, old printer's ARE Microsoft's responsibility. After all, they are the ones who gave the hardware manufacturers the standards to use....Imagine that an airline decided that you were too old to travel because you were not up to modern standards.

Meh, I presume you're being facetious with your last comment, but hardware obsolescence is a fact of life - everything wears out eventually, and manufacturers sooner or later cease supporting their obsolete products. Any specifications MS provided to manufacturers for older products were valid back then, but have likely long been superseded.

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 23 Dec 2015 4:19 pm

Simple question. When I upgrade from 8:1 to 10, will it save all my passwords for Groups, E-Bay, etc? Plus, where is the best place to download from?
Cheers.

Arch.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 23 Dec 2015 5:55 pm

Archie Nicol wrote:Simple question. When I upgrade from 8:1 to 10, will it save all my passwords for Groups, E-Bay

I can't give you a direct answer to your question.

But, I'll say this: I use several applications that offer "password save" options, including the Firefox "Blur" Add-on, which does that, and much more. But, I don't depend on anything external to save things that are important to me, and I keep my own local file of account information, including saved passwords, usernames, etc, in a local application, which is included in the backups I make to external hard drives frequently.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 23 Dec 2015 10:22 pm

Archie Nicol wrote:Simple question. When I upgrade from 8:1 to 10, will it save all my passwords for Groups, E-Bay, etc? Plus, where is the best place to download from?
Cheers.

Arch.

Chrome saved all of my passwords when I upgraded.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 23 Dec 2015 11:35 pm

Archie Nicol wrote:Simple question. When I upgrade from 8:1 to 10, will it save all my passwords for Groups, E-Bay, etc? Plus, where is the best place to download from?
Cheers.

Arch.

Both Chrome and Firefox carried over all logins and passwords when I upgraded from Win 7 to Win 10. I only lost a couple of sound event assignments and those items that are no longer supported under the new OS (e.g., gadgets, etc).

My desktop icons remained in place, including the previously pinned taskbar icons. The woes were few and not insurmountable. They are far exceeded by the benefits and new stuff.

One has 30 calendar days to revert back to their previous version of Windows. I did this twice before due to incompatibilities with important web development programs I use. All is well this time around.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Dec 2015 2:49 am

Alan Brookes wrote:I figure that, I'm 70 now, Windows 10 will see me out.

I wouldn't bet on it. A lifetime OS? Doesn't sound like Microsoft. Planned obsolescence is a fact of life you're familiar with.
Who knows what's built in to 10 that will make me obsolete? Arch's avatar has good reason to fear.

I'm just kidding! I didn't lose anything when I went to 10 or switched back. Who knows; maybe I'll get bored someday and do it again.

But--based on MS's track record: why would they break pattern and build a system that has nothing that they wouldn't want to do over?

If 10 is the gateway to their next OS, why would they drop from their customer list all those who didn't get 10?
Is anything they do really that predictable? Or aren't they still winging it? Only The Shadow Proclamation knows....
Just some thoughts for the new year. Merry Christmas!

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 24 Dec 2015 3:12 am

Thanks, lads. I'll get into it in the New Year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Yew to all our readers.

Arch.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 24 Dec 2015 3:23 am

Its not just Microsoft. Apple keeps introducing new OS versions (and problems in the new OS version) and there are many Android versions/updates.

I didn't lose any passwords when I upgraded from 8.1 to 10, either in Edge or Firefox. Edge took a little bit to get configured and used to.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 24 Dec 2015 4:26 am

Archie Nicol wrote:Simple question. When I upgrade from 8:1 to 10, will it save all my passwords for Groups, E-Bay, etc? Plus, where is the best place to download from?
Cheers.

Arch.

Arch:

Take a look here for how to download:

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9230 ... nload.html

The tutorials at the above site are generally reliable and legit.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 Dec 2015 5:33 am

Arch: on the start screen, search for Windows update.
If the Win10 upgrade is on your computer, it'll be there.
Cheers.

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 24 Dec 2015 9:56 am

Thanks, again.

Arch.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 24 Dec 2015 11:09 am

Can you imagine the announcement from Microsoft, "The latest version of Windows is perfect. We shall therefore discontinue issuing updates and new versions. This will, of course, mean laying off most of our staff and an end to new revenues, but, being altruistic, we're sure that our shareholders will be happy with that. We shall, of course, be keeping on a core of staff to service our existing software and to sell new copies."

It won't happen.

Georg Sørtun · Post by **Georg Sørtun** » 24 Dec 2015 11:16 am

Alan Brookes wrote:Can you imagine the announcement from Microsoft, "The latest version of Windows is perfect. We shall therefore discontinue issuing updates and new versions. This will, of course, mean laying off most of our staff and an end to new revenues, but, being altruistic, we're sure that our shareholders will be happy with that. We shall, of course, be keeping on a core of staff to service our existing software and to sell new copies."

It won't happen.

They tried that with IE6 ... caused plenty problems for a few years.