Windows 10 problems

[hawker9000]

I had a few similar issues. Mouse, sound, general instability. A clean install resolved the issues. Now that you got your free upgrade and the machine is liscenced with 10, I'd recommend wiping the drive and doing a clean install. Can create an install USB from that machine, or another. Just make sure to use the same version and architecture that is liscenced to the computer.

Wouldn't Resetting the PC be like a clean install??

I presume he's talking about a factory reset (some laptops come with a maintenance partition with which the machine can be returned to its out-of-the-box condition) vs a clean install from a Windows OS DVD (with which most laptops no longer even come). A 'clean install' using a Windows disk not shipped with the laptop itself may or may not provide you with all the needed drivers for your particular laptop (but neither does it come with all the bloatware many vendors put on their products). So, if doing a clean install, obtain all the drivers you think you might possibly need from the manufacturer website and store them on a flashdrive or DVD before you start as a precaution against any drivers the Windows install might be missing. Even if using a manufacturer-provided Windows disk, you might want to check for & download any updated drivers from the manufacturer website to have available during the install process.

[johnnynmonic]

I had a few similar issues. Mouse, sound, general instability. A clean install resolved the issues. Now that you got your free upgrade and the machine is liscenced with 10, I'd recommend wiping the drive and doing a clean install. Can create an install USB from that machine, or another. Just make sure to use the same version and architecture that is liscenced to the computer.

Wouldn't Resetting the PC be like a clean install??

I presume he's talking about a factory reset (some laptops come with a maintenance partition with which the machine can be returned to its out-of-the-box condition) vs a clean install from a Windows OS DVD (with which most laptops no longer even come). A 'clean install' using a Windows disk not shipped with the laptop itself may or may not provide you with all the needed drivers for your particular laptop (but neither does it come with all the bloatware many vendors put on their products). So, if doing a clean install, obtain all the drivers you think you might possibly need from the manufacturer website and store them on a flashdrive or DVD before you start as a precaution against any drivers the Windows install might be missing. Even if using a manufacturer-provided Windows disk, you might want to check for & download any updated drivers from the manufacturer website to have available during the install process.

I meant clean install. But factory reset is just as good I suppose. In the year or so since 10 has been out, I've put it on a number of machines. Only a couple had problems that a clean install couldn't resolve. Both were from old audio hardware that wasn't supported anymore. But an old 7 driver, or in one case an old Vista driver from the manufacturer sorted it out. The days of combing the internet for drivers is [pretty much] a thing of the past, these newer versions of Windows mostly have at least a generic driver for everything.

[bubba]

My dear old mum phoned me last night:

"What happened? When I looked at my computer this morning, it says Welcome to Windows 10...what do I do now?"

To be honest, I have no idea, but she now has a non-functional PC as far as she is concerned, at least until she can find someone to come round and sort things out for her.

I am incredulous that Microsoft would do these updates without clearly informing users and obtaining their consent.

[hawker9000]

I had a few similar issues. Mouse, sound, general instability. A clean install resolved the issues. Now that you got your free upgrade and the machine is liscenced with 10, I'd recommend wiping the drive and doing a clean install. Can create an install USB from that machine, or another. Just make sure to use the same version and architecture that is liscenced to the computer.

Wouldn't Resetting the PC be like a clean install??

I presume he's talking about a factory reset (some laptops come with a maintenance partition with which the machine can be returned to its out-of-the-box condition) vs a clean install from a Windows OS DVD (with which most laptops no longer even come). A 'clean install' using a Windows disk not shipped with the laptop itself may or may not provide you with all the needed drivers for your particular laptop (but neither does it come with all the bloatware many vendors put on their products). So, if doing a clean install, obtain all the drivers you think you might possibly need from the manufacturer website and store them on a flashdrive or DVD before you start as a precaution against any drivers the Windows install might be missing. Even if using a manufacturer-provided Windows disk, you might want to check for & download any updated drivers from the manufacturer website to have available during the install process.

I meant clean install. But factory reset is just as good I suppose. In the year or so since 10 has been out, I've put it on a number of machines. Only a couple had problems that a clean install couldn't resolve. Both were from old audio hardware that wasn't supported anymore. But an old 7 driver, or in one case an old Vista driver from the manufacturer sorted it out. The days of combing the internet for drivers is [pretty much] a thing of the past, these newer versions of Windows mostly have at least a generic driver for everything.

That's what I thought about Windows 7, but there seem to be so many more easily found reports on the web and among acquaintances who've upgraded to Windows 10 (not all knowingly or voluntarily, btw...) who seem to think their problems are down to issues with drivers. I'm not sure I agree wholeheartedly with your last statement. I've chosen to ignore Windows 10 for now, at least until my next build.

[chiang mai]

Previously I have always waited at least eighteen months before installing a new MS O/S, Windows 10 was the exception and I installed last week. Have to say it was the easiest and most trouble free upgrade I've ever done since 3.1. Can also say that I am thoroughly pleased with Windows 10, it's truly excellent, albeit there are a couple of cosmetic bugs to iron out, certainly not major issues or show stoppers. I highly recommend the upgrade.

[johnnynmonic]

I had a few similar issues. Mouse, sound, general instability. A clean install resolved the issues. Now that you got your free upgrade and the machine is liscenced with 10, I'd recommend wiping the drive and doing a clean install. Can create an install USB from that machine, or another. Just make sure to use the same version and architecture that is liscenced to the computer.

Wouldn't Resetting the PC be like a clean install??

I presume he's talking about a factory reset (some laptops come with a maintenance partition with which the machine can be returned to its out-of-the-box condition) vs a clean install from a Windows OS DVD (with which most laptops no longer even come). A 'clean install' using a Windows disk not shipped with the laptop itself may or may not provide you with all the needed drivers for your particular laptop (but neither does it come with all the bloatware many vendors put on their products). So, if doing a clean install, obtain all the drivers you think you might possibly need from the manufacturer website and store them on a flashdrive or DVD before you start as a precaution against any drivers the Windows install might be missing. Even if using a manufacturer-provided Windows disk, you might want to check for & download any updated drivers from the manufacturer website to have available during the install process.

I meant clean install. But factory reset is just as good I suppose. In the year or so since 10 has been out, I've put it on a number of machines. Only a couple had problems that a clean install couldn't resolve. Both were from old audio hardware that wasn't supported anymore. But an old 7 driver, or in one case an old Vista driver from the manufacturer sorted it out. The days of combing the internet for drivers is [pretty much] a thing of the past, these newer versions of Windows mostly have at least a generic driver for everything.

That's what I thought about Windows 7, but there seem to be so many more easily found reports on the web and among acquaintances who've upgraded to Windows 10 (not all knowingly or voluntarily, btw...) who seem to think their problems are down to issues with drivers. I'm not sure I agree wholeheartedly with your last statement. I've chosen to ignore Windows 10 for now, at least until my next build.

Whatever works, I guess. In most cases 7 should probably suffice for the life of the machine. I rather like 10, so I go ahead and put it on machines I set up. Also, the free upgrade option goes away in July, so it'd be nice to have a machine liscenced before that runs out, even if one prefers 7 for now. My desktop is a Hackintosh, but I swapped a spare hdd in a while back and got it validated on win10, in case I ever want it to run windows again.