Windows 7 Hacked by Microsoft ?

Off-topic Chatter
61

Yes, though I think that also installs the various crap that computer manufacturers bundle with their machine, doesn’t it?

I prefer to do a complete reinstall from a Windows DVD or USB. I’ve found that Windows 10 usually has all the necessary drivers for most machine hardware, so I don’t normally need to download drivers. And for the updated drivers, Windows scans for them when doing its updates.

I suppose it doesn’t hurt to go to your manufacturer’s website and install their specific drivers. They no doubt have some stuff that Windows doesn’t. They no doubt have some crap you don’t really want, too.

Zapping your drive, removing all partitions, and installing Windows from scratch is the only way to be sure to get rid of any viruses that might have slowed down your machine. I like to do this every year or so, because I install a lot of crap that eventually bogs down the machine. Zapping everything is quicker than removing things one by one and making sure other stuff still works.

Windows suffers much less from bloat over time than it used to in previous releases, but it still happens. A fresh install always seems to run faster (for awhile).

62

Yeah, they did the same thing to WinXP. Killed it good for those who kept up with updates. You could get back to a reasonable state of usefulness by re-installing the OS. :rage:

63

My son has done the upgrade to 10 today after a pop up said his 8.1 wa gonna be upgraded in 15 minutes.
Took half an hour or so.
All works except classic shell that was uninstalled for not being compatible with 10
The rest works fine and he is happy since he now can play the Windows 10 version of Minecraft :wink:

64

microsoft has to make their corrupt dirty money somehow, and Win 7 was great, but their mob bosses needs billions more to feed their bottomless greed for money so they want consumers to pay up.

65

If it would be that I could somehow understand it, but the upgrade is for free. So I don’t see how they make money with making satisfied long term customers unhappy…

66

As I understand it windows 10 include microsoft’s version of an app store. They give you the basics and want you to buy additional software so they can get their cut just like google and apple do.

67

Yes, that’s certainly a big part of it, though the app store was in Windows 8 as well. I think they want to consolidate people on Windows 10, so they don’t have to support multiple operating systems. I suspect they’ll keep support for Win 7 and 8 around for at least a couple more years.

While Windows 10 is supposed to only be a free upgrade for another couple of months, I suspect that is to pressure people into upgrading.

There’s nothing wrong with Windows 7. But my concern is that when support runs out for it, you’re stuck.

68

QUOTE
There’s nothing wrong with Windows 7. But my concern is that when support runs out for it, you’re stuck
ENDQUOTE

well, i think it depends on what you are USING the computer for, and, what software other than OS you want/need/like…

for instance, in my case? i acquired a lot of audio software, as i like to compose classical music. I got into it, when XP=pro was still a decent system, and, lots of my audio software ran on it… i cleaned off a used XP pro computer i bought, and never plugged it into the internet… its just my “music computer”. As long as i never put it on the internet? like nagic nothing ever screws up with it, lol.

also… take THIS old laptop i am currently typing on. I HAD a win-7 laptop i bught new at the store a ways back, but, after several years a burglar stole it during a burglary here at my house… stuck like chuck, and wanting “something” right “NOW!!!”… one of my buddies sold me an ancient XP laptop cheap.

it was considered ancient when i bought it, and its been years. The fresh install of XP he re-did when i bought it? still going strong. I do email, general internet, etc etc.

i really dont mind the “no support for years now” thing… this little workhorse just keeps chugging along.

my music computer could care less if it gets “support” from microsquish, LMAO

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personally? i wont TOUCH a windows version, until after its second or even third “releasse” or “update” or whatever… they are too “buggy” before that… plus gives me a chance to see if its going to be one of the several “nightmare releases” microsoft has inflicted on us over the years, lol.

plus… i ALWAYS use the “last years model” system with computers… because the BRAND NEW EXPENSIVE computer you want? in 2 short years will be super cheap… another year or two, and i can drag one of the “expensive” computers out of someones GARBAGE… like magic, i wipe the hard drive, maybe slap a burner in it… voila, works perfect with a fresh install.

if youre not into “the latest gaming computer” or need something for PAYING WORK or something? i see no reason not to use free and super cheap computers a couple years old, and always stay a couple “os’s” behind whatever is the newest.

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all my buddies have a 600 dollar phone… a 600 dollar ipad… and a 1000 or more dollar desktop, and a laptop worth even more… i dont see the point, if all they do is browse the internet, check email, pay bills, and buy stuff on ebay and amazon… its insane.

they get a couple uhndred dollar GPS… i bought a brand new on clearance 20 dollar android phone… paid 5 or ten bucks? and i have GPS, and the GPS automatically updates the GPS program everytime i park near WIFI somewhere, lol… and in a pinch my “gps phone” can check my email or pay my bill when i am out for coffee.

i have 2 desktops, one newer than the other, got both for free or really cheap, fixed them up myself. (old=xp, newer=7)
i have 2 laptops, one newer then the other, (old=xp, newer=7)
i paid 50 bucks for a tablet, android, works fine.
bnoth laptops and both desktops run LINUX (several versions)for dualboot, and, even can run off of THUMBDRIVE live if i want to.

it ust doesnt PAY me to get a new computer or upgrade an OS thats working… lol

the only thing i admit i “skimp on” is i dont get a cool new phone? i use my tablet for that stuff.

69

The push to win10 could also be part of a deal with hardware manufacturers to cull older computers and force users to buy new when they find their hardware no longer performs as expected. They’be done it before. DirectX 10 is one example. Video cards that performed well, even top level cards that were considered the best were suddenly obsolete when Vista was released. People with high end cards were stuck with a partially functional desktop until they upgraded to new cards designed to meet microsoft’s requirements. I suspect the same kind of forced upgrade will occur when win11 is released and they’re consolidating users in win10 to maximize resources for its development by reducing resources dedicated to supporting older versions.

70

Supposedly there will be no Win11.
Win10 and updates is the last of it, if you believe the marketing. There are rumors of a subscription service, whatever that’s worth.

71

It works!I did it yesterday evening.Briefly….
About 6 weeks ago,I managed to get Linux Mint on to a usb key with LiLi(linuxlive) and a virtual machine :slight_smile:

A week later,having Mint,I decided I could try the free upgrade to Win 10 from my Win 7 on the 2010 Acer PC.It installed no problem :smiley:

Another week later and I decide that Mint will run faster installed on the hard disk(maybe try to get that 64GB SSD from Ali Express to work)rather than the USB stick :sunglasses:

So…boot up from usb,choose full install,click the wrong button(not the “replace with”,nor “side by side” nor “something else”,the other one,something to do with partitions :smiley: ….and totally wipe Win 10 from the computer :person_facepalming:

I’ve got a perfectly legible Win 7 product key stuck to the side of the PC,but it came with the Acer,so MS sends you to Acer and round in circles you go!Basically,you have to become an illegal hacker to get past the hoops and ;…er…I’m not that good :beer: Linux it is!

Move on a couple of weeks and you drop the casual”couple of keystroke on bootup” quote and pique my curiosity.15 minutes on Google,and the Acer keystrokes on bootup are Alt(lhs) and F10.Choose bare install or with data backup and go do something else for 3 hours :beer: :beer: :beer: .All on C drive,D drive gone,but it is there in Linux (500GB each so plenty).

So,just to say a big “thank you” :heart_eyes:

Now I’ll wait to see if MS will let(or force)me to upgrade to Win 10 again.If yes,fine,if no,could be a solution for those who want to be left in peace with Win 7,I’ll let y’all know.

72

Vista was really bad, no comparison with 10.

The subscription idea is their holy grail, look at Office 360
I have read internal reports for this long before they publicly did it.

And the key is the cloud, get those customers to put their data on your computer instead of their own. Remember there is no cloud it is just somebody else’s computer.

Funny sidenote, once the cable connections for TV were government owned in Holland. People could buy extra channels and the companies tried to take over the market.
In Amsterdam there was this guy who made TV for a very small network always ranting on those companies, nobody took it serious.
He said the company then called UPC only bought others to be able to squeeze f50,- (gulden pre Euro) per connection out of their subscriptors. Everybody laughed.
Now internet and TV easy set one back €35-€50 meaning f77-110,-

The big boys need $10 a month
Nice right
$25-50 internet
$10-$20 media (netflix etc)
$??? mobile phone and or internet per family member say $10
$10-$20 use of software within family
$85 a month minimum for family of four can easily be $130+
$1020-$1560 a year not including hardware to run it on.
And that is when we are lucky and unlucky at the same time.
If monopolies come to be this is it, if one needs more sibscriptions to cover needs due to competition this will be much higher (I mean subscription Microsoft for OS and office, Adobe for photo editing, data storage at for example Dropbox, mail and agenda and mobile cooperation Google, Netflix, Amazon and Apple for your media, and the list goes on and on)
The internet, information free for all turning into a locked down situation as happened to radio.

73

I don’t think a subscription service to a consumer OS would fly. Maybe in the Enterprise market.

MS will make people pay for apps. They also might make some updates and other stuff a premium service. Some things people are willing to pay for, such as virus scanners. But I don’t think the average Joe will rent an operating system. They don’t for Apple, Android, or anything else. Making users pay a yearly subscription fee to use Windows would kill it for the the consumer market.

74

Billy X —-

ha, thanks. Glad it worked out for you… i’ve been the “computer guy” for everyone that knows me for many years now. Now that “windoze” no longer comes on a CD or DVD anymore?? its still THERE… its on the “small partition” on the hard drive, lol… googling the keystrokes unlocks the magic. The BEST thing about it? is that its usually a easy process, and, it always has JUST the exact drivers the machine came with when you took it out of the box brand new, you know, “back when everything worked”

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i honestly cant BELIEVE what computer repair shops have the audacity to CHARGE for re-doing a “slow” or “stopped” couple year old computer… These places have “100 dollar minimum” charges and UP… PLUS they find stuff to charge more for at the drop of a hat…

honestly? most of the time, these rip-off places (which is about all of them) are doing nothing more than lining up all these laptops and desktops, and googling the “keystrokes” to re-install windows form the partition.

its a cash cow for them.

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the sad truth is? from a “BLF computer” perspective… with an emphasis on B-U-D-G-E-T…?

MOST people really cant tell the difference, in everyday computer situations… between a 6 year old computer, and a brand new computer, side by side… as far as “what they can do with it” performance wise.

browsing the internet? playing minecraft and candy crush? email? watching youtube? posting on BLF?

theres really no “performance difference”… unless youre into something “demanding”, like… high end gaming, intense photoshop layout, really high end music production, video editing…

=

whats ESPECIALLY funny? is when they see one of my “extra” desktops laying around, and i break one out… i mean, its got a “fresh install” on it, so… its fast. It almost never SEES the internet, so… it never gets “crudded up”.

they always think this is some “new, fast” computer… because THEIR computer at home? is S-L-O-W…

and the TRUTH is? me, the “computer guy”? I got this computer out of the GARBAGE PILE, and re-did it… LMAO… its ust “fast” because its a fresh instal and doesnt see the internet much, lol… THEIR computer? them and their kids are on the internet all day long, and, its picked up “internet crud”, and… they download “anything” the internet tell them to download, LMAO.

THEIR computer = 2000 dollars at the store, brand new last year. Slow as MOLASSES
MY computer = free, garbage pile pickup… several or more years old… seems “fast” to them…

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90- percent of these everyday “casual” computer users? that arent into gaming? really dont “need” much…

PS - heres a parting shot that will get someone screaming and flaming me, i am sure… will you guys all just STOP with all the heavy duty virus protection CRAP already??

if i had a nickel for every computer i “fix” that has weird slowdiwns and lockups with the “premium virus protection” crap they pay for and comes with the computer?? geezus…

i have an ANCIENT laptop running xp i use for everyday stuff… every once in a while i run “free” malwarebytes, and it keeps it running fine… out of microsoft updates for YEARS, and i manage to just run “malwarebytes” now and again and it keeps it chugging along…

on my newer computers? yeah, i like “free zone alarm”, and i turn OFF all the CRAP that comes with any computer and wont use it… just sucks up resources and slows the computer down and creates problems.

maybe once a YEAR if even that, uaually every couple of years? i get something truly “weird” like the fammous FBI VIRUS, i have to breaqk out another computer and find instructions to go in and get rid of it, lol…

you dont NEED all this “crap” they sell… its a scam… all it does is slow the computer down and lock stuff up.

75

I want to run it =

Win 7 - Virtual Box 5 - Mint - Steam - Games
Problem is VB does not emulate your graphics card , but rather much more basic graphics that steam may not run on …

So far I got steam to run , but WT ( war thunder ) locked up at the start …

I have a unused SSD in my puter , and I may install mint on it , and then do steam ( might be the only option ATM )

76

Win 7 = Best Windows ever ! ( well ? )
Problem is not just MicroRubbish !
Browser developers , anti virus , etc . Wont be long before it goes like XP / VISTA ( Yes many 3rd party developers are dropping VISTA = Chrome is the latest )
I installed Win 95 on a puter a while ago ( VB ) …
And while it run fine in VB , I could not find a browser to run on 95 that would support the internet … as it is today rather that 20 years ago …
Looks like I need to start looking at emulators …

Unfortunately time does not stand still , neither does the internet … So it wont be too long before there are no up to date apps that allow you to use the old OS’s to their potential …
I still run XP in VB because I have to ( many apps dont run 64bit ) …
XP had a hell of a lifespan … And it would be sweet if 7 came close …
Same goes with NT , I tried many flavors of NT ( Pre 2000 ) and they ran sweet ( VB ) but the lack of internet browsers …
Virtual Box lets me get nostalgic , unfortunately the internet brings one back to reality in a hurry …
So I might as well cling to 7 like a drowning man clings to his life vest …

Win7
Mainstream Support End Date 13/01/2015
Extended Support End Date 14/01/2020

After that you have ?? to chose from …

Maybe Apple will vise up and make their Os ported to PC’s ( ?? ) … Well , you never know !
Or Linux might put on some big boy pants ( ?? ) … Well , you never know !

I tried Ubuntu a week or so ago , darn its rubbish when compared to mint ( just my 20c )

77

hahaha and my son is back to 8.1
funny reason, on Win 10 the special Minecraft 2.0 Win 10 version worked fine but regular mineraft kept on crashing
i find t highly amusing that the game Microsoft is owner of is the reason for bth the upgrade and the downgrade

78

I’m a Network/Server Admin and currently take care of 32 virtual servers in our organization… we just purchased some licenses for Windows Server 2012 R2 and found out that the new licensing model is going to be pay for a license/per year. So it already is that way in the Enterprise/SMB market. I can see it happening with the Consumer market as well, but it’ll be a long process to ween people over to that. It starts with Office 360 and Outlook.com … people will get used to that and accept it. Then it will become the “new OS” from MS that starts off as just an optional upgrade from Windows 10… until they drop support and obsolete Win10. Then you’ll be forced into it. The price will seem like peanuts at first… like Apple’s 50Gb of iCloud storage for 99 cents/month. Then it becomes $3 for a single user, $5 for family… years later, it becomes $7.99… then they pull a Netflix and up it to $10/month for each install of this magical new OS.

Look at how they are already trying to tie your Outlook.com/Hotmail/Windows account login into your OS; started with Win8/8.1. People who knew had to Google how to use a dang local pc account and not one tied to an internet system.

It could happen. Who’d ever think that we’d be spending good cash on bottled water? It’ll be a pay once/per year, or for a 5-yr license at first… then they’ll reduce that time and add additional fees/month for additional users… then it’ll be real money every month just to keep the OS going. So long as they don’t implement a $49.990 reconnect fee if you let it lapse…

And don’t even get me started on Microsoft’s CAL’s… turns out, buying a server license for $680 isn’t good enough for them; you also need to buy a $35 CAL for each and every user or machine that accesses that server. Using it as a Domain Controller and print server? Need a CAL for every user and each networked printer you have connected. 150 employees with 10 shared printers? There goes another $5600 of your money into their pocket.

79

Hmmm, I don’t know why people would have to google how to set up a local-only account; it’s pretty clear when you create a new account. But, yeah, MS definitely wants you to set up an Outlook account, since that’s the only way you get most of the apps.

MS just downgraded their free Onedrive storage from 15GB to 5GB. I’m not sure why they would do this, as storage is always getting cheaper. I prefer Google’s free drive storage, which is 15GB + unlimited picture storage. Great for off-site backups.

I’d never rely on cloud storage being free forever, so I’d never use it as primary space. I’m happy to use it for backup, and I can jump around to another free service if Google ever starts to charge for it.

80

Good points. I just remember when Win8 was released I had to set up two new Surface Pro tablets… and it was NOT clear, at least then, how to set up a local account and opt out of having to use a Microsoft Account. Later I found out how and that you could (I think it was in a C|net article), and went back and adjusted those two tablets to not use the cloud account. It was a pain in the butt at the time.

I havent set up many Windows 10 machines lately, but I think you are right in that it is more obvious now… which is shocking, considering we are talking about MS.