From 7 To 10 To 7 ---- And all in 48 hours

Hi All,

This is just to provide my recent experience(s) with the "Free" upgrade "Gift" from Microsoft, in the hope that the information may prevent others from wasting their time as I just have.

I run my Broadband on monthly data allowance from 3 Mobile, so have to be a bit careful about my usage.

I read somewhere that, instead of remaining on-line and having the machine upgraded, I could create a Flash-drive setup arrangement of a setup.exe format by downloading the relevant files and doing the upgrade off-line. This is the option I chose.

The download was about 2.6Gb in size, and took quite a considerable amount of time too.

However, I then set out to upgrade and, about three hours later, received a message that the installation had failed in a "SAFE_OS Phase" and I was returned to Win7 with no alternatives.

Thinking my download might have become corrupt, I went through the process again --- at a cost of another 2.5Gb of my data allowance, and a lot more time.

Another attempt at upgrading, with the new download, and yet again I was faced with the same error message, and another failed install.

Searching the Net, I came across someone who was reporting a similar experience, and he advocated the disconnection of any and all, USB devices from the main machine, so this I did.

Now why couldn't Microsoft have indicated that at the time of offering our Free upgrades ----- It worked, but I had still spent another 3 hours in the process.

So, thinking that all would be fine, I embarked on a "tour" of the new OS.

1 On start-up there is a screen with a huge Time/Date display (which serves no other useful purpose) which, by pressing a key or clicking your mouse, vanishes and leaves you with a Logon-Password entry screen. This cannot be removed or altered --- Microsoft have decided they want us to have it ---- so we shall have it.
2 Tried to configure Edge (Internet Explorer) but found that neither my Laptop keyboard, or my USB attached keyboard would work.
I tried the keyboards in Notepad and Outlook 2007, and there was no problem. The only programme in which there was a problem, was Edge. Mozilla was fine too.
Yes, I did uninstall/reinstall/update all keyboard drivers. Microsoft actually found me a Lenovo keyboard driver --- Ideal for my Cherry keyboard I (NOT) thought
3 I then decided to defrag my internal drives, after all the work they had just been asked to do, but despite having been assured by Microsoft (prior to upgrade) that my machine and applications were all fully compatible, my defrag utility was now deemed incompatible.
4 I then decided to attach my external drives to the machine, all of which contain my most used, and most important, data and are encrypted with TrueCrypt.
Guess what ---- Again, harking back to Microsoft's assurance that my hardware/software was fully compliant with Win 10, they suddenly decided that TrueCrypt drives wouldn't be allowed any more.

It was at this point I decided to quit and return to the, certainly not perfect, but much more professionally put together operating system of Win 7 Ultimate ------ IT WORKS !!!!

So, in the space of less than 48 hours, I have gone from Win 7, to Win 10, I have been prevented from typing my requirements into applications, I have been prevented from carrying out maintenance work on my system, I have used a phenomenal amount of my monthly data allowance, I have wasted a lot of my personal time, and I have been prevented from accessing all of my own data ----- And all in the name of "progress" from Microsoft.

Anyone recommend a good Linux operating system please ??

i recommend an internet provider with no caps

Weejocky:

Do you have a friend with fast wired Internet Connection like using Ethernet cable?
Perhaps you can hard wired to his/her router? This will eliminate your Internet charge and after all what is a friend for

Sound like you have USB device problem. Do you know what level of USB connectivity used?

Truecrypt is something I have not tried, but to my understanding, it is no longer supported since 2014.

TrueCrypt is a discontinued source-available freeware utility used for on-the-fly encryption (OTFE). It can create a virtual encrypted disk within a file or encrypt a partition or (under Microsoft Windows except Windows 8 with GPT) the entire storage device (pre-boot authentication).
On 28 May 2014, the TrueCrypt website announced that the project was no longer maintained and recommended users to find alternative solutions.
Alternatives include two freeware projects based on the TrueCrypt code, VeraCrypt and CipherShed, as well as numerous commercial and open-source products.

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt

Are you currently a Linux user? If not, please consider learning about Linux before your migration.

Hope you have a better experience next time whether is on Windows or Linux!

Good luck!

TrueCrypt works with Windows 10/11, including Whole Disk Encryption and the protection of Host Protected Area, etc...
1) Use Legacy BIOS, turn of SecureBoot and etc
2) Use MFT/MBR/IDE rather than GPT/UEFI/etc

But if that is a problem, I'd recommend decrypting your drives and using microsofts built in encryption.

Defragging of hard drives is really a step that was primarily meaningful back in the caveman days of computing. Unless of course you are talking about a relatively small drive that is always very close to full, a problem which is no longer a problem now that drives are measured in terabytes rather than gigabytes. The chances of file fragmentation are pretty much nill. I can't see that being an incentive to backtrack to 7, but to each their own.

As to your keyboard difficulties in Edge, that's a puzzler. Still, for me at least, Edge is not yet fully enough baked to be edible. I use combo of internet explorer, which still comes in the OS, and firefox. You are not forced to use edge, so were I in your shoes, I'd just tuck that one on the back burner until an update comes along and fixes it.

You can bypass the login screen in windows 10 if you want to:
http://betanews.com/2015/02/08/how-t...-login-screen/

just download the ESD file
Windows 10 ESD Download Links
and update your windows 7, if your windows 7 is a genuine one then Windows 10 will be genuine too. this is not a pirated thing, you still need to buy a Windows 10 key or windows 7/8.1 Key. downloading from here is easy because it's small and you can pause/resume while downloading and if something goes wrong while downloading, you can resume from wherever it stopped.

iceman0870 said:

i recommend an internet provider with no caps

Hi Iceman0870,
Well if you can find an ISP with cables that float on water, then I'd like their name please.
Regards,
Ian

snoopy51 said:

Weejocky:

Do you have a friend with fast wired Internet Connection like using Ethernet cable?
Perhaps you can hard wired to his/her router? This will eliminate your Internet charge and after all what is a friend for

Sound like you have USB device problem. Do you know what level of USB connectivity used?

Truecrypt is something I have not tried, but to my understanding, it is no longer supported since 2014.


Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TrueCrypt

Are you currently a Linux user? If not, please consider learning about Linux before your migration.

Hope you have a better experience next time whether is on Windows or Linux!

Good luck!

Hi Snoopy 51,
I do know someone with a connection I could use, but I now have to ask the question ---- "Am I bothered??"
I don't think my frustration comes from the amount of data allowance which was consumed, nor the time I wasted, but more from the probable unreliability of Win 10, and the apparent invasiveness of Microsoft in their personal detail capturing/using, and their dictatorial attitude in forcing us to have things we don't necessarily want.
As they say --- "If it ain't broke -- don't fix it", and at present my Win 7 ain't broke, whereas I think Win10 is, or might be.

Yes thank you, I am aware that TrueCrypt is no longer supported, which I think is a real shame.
In my opinion it is far superior to that of BitLocker, so I fully intend continuing to use it, at least for as long as possible.

Fortunately I do have a friend who has been with Linux since about day one, so I should be able to get some good pointers there.
Who knows, I may even become proficient by the time Microsoft pull the plug on Win 7.

Thanks again,

Ian

musiclover7 said:

TrueCrypt works with Windows 10/11, including Whole Disk Encryption and the protection of Host Protected Area, etc...
1) Use Legacy BIOS, turn of SecureBoot and etc
2) Use MFT/MBR/IDE rather than GPT/UEFI/etc

But if that is a problem, I'd recommend decrypting your drives and using microsofts built in encryption.

Defragging of hard drives is really a step that was primarily meaningful back in the caveman days of computing. Unless of course you are talking about a relatively small drive that is always very close to full, a problem which is no longer a problem now that drives are measured in terabytes rather than gigabytes. The chances of file fragmentation are pretty much nill. I can't see that being an incentive to backtrack to 7, but to each their own.

As to your keyboard difficulties in Edge, that's a puzzler. Still, for me at least, Edge is not yet fully enough baked to be edible. I use combo of internet explorer, which still comes in the OS, and firefox. You are not forced to use edge, so were I in your shoes, I'd just tuck that one on the back burner until an update comes along and fixes it.

You can bypass the login screen in windows 10 if you want to:
http://betanews.com/2015/02/08/how-t...-login-screen/

Hi MusicLover7,
Well if you reckon that TrueCrypt works with Windows 10, then you'd best let the programmers at Microsoft know so that they can remove the error messages generated when trying to access TrueCrypt drives.
In my practical experience, and I am a user of TC over several years ----- It does not work with Win10.

I entered my bit about defragging, just as I mentioned other items, so that people would become aware of not only the incompatibility issue with programmes, but the unreliability of Microsoft's assurance of compatibility prior to installation.

You possibly didn't fully read my bit about the keyboard issue, insofar as you suggest I put it on the back burner and wait for an update.
That would mean my not being able to use either IE or Edge during that waiting period --- Not a good suggestion at all.
I do not like the functioning of Firefox to even contemplate its use as an alternative in the interim either.

Again I don't think you fully understood about my first screen issue.
I have no objection to a login, which you are suggesting I by-pass, it is the preceding screen I want rid of, and that, according to Microsoft experts, is not going to happen.

Regards,

Ian

Mumbai said:

just download the ESD file
Windows 10 ESD Download Links
and update your windows 7, if your windows 7 is a genuine one then Windows 10 will be genuine too. this is not a pirated thing, you still need to buy a Windows 10 key or windows 7/8.1 Key. downloading from here is easy because it's small and you can pause/resume while downloading and if something goes wrong while downloading, you can resume from wherever it stopped.

Hi Mumbai,
No thanks. I already have too many downloads of Win 10 to contemplate any more.

My post was intended only as a warning to others about the potential time element of downloads, installation, error messages, workarounds etc.

Thanks,

Ian

snoopy51 said:

Sound like you have USB device problem. Do you know what level of USB connectivity used?

+1 to this. I'm wondering if some sort of driver issue might have been the source of your Truecrypt problems too? Maybe the external drives weren't being accessed properly due to the USB issue, perhaps?