Windows 10: Post First Week Thoughts

[Culbrelai]

So, I finally wanted to give my m.2 SSD a try (since I've been running this new PC since I got it on the old installation from my previous build, the one in my sig)

I figured it would be a good time to upgrade to Windows 10.

So I bought a Pro licence for $40 and installed it.

Pros:

Pretty UI
Cortana
Better suport for newer technologies

Cons:

Discontinuity:

Two settings applications, a control panel, and buried menus, everywhere. Pretty obnoxious.

UAC.

It used to not be an issue. You'd turn it off right away in Windows 7 and that would be the end of it. However, I had spent about 3 days fighting with settings in two different locations before I finally discovered the hidden superadmin account "Administrator" which is basically Windows 7 with UAC off mode/Windows XP. It's unfortunate you cannot run the metro apps with it, but it seems a small price to pay.
I now know the issue is that the "Never Notify" setting in the UAC in windows 10 does not completely disable it like it did in Windows 7. This nanny-operating system that is increasingly prevalent is really getting on my and other superuser's nerves. Off means OFF, microsoft.

Tons of privacy settings:

Holy crap, there are a buttload. Typing, inking, browser data... It's a little ominous, daunting, and downright scary.

Game performance:

Some games in Windows 10 do not run the same as they do in Windows 7. Europa Universalis IV for one. No FPS drops in Windows 7, FPS drops in Windows 10.

Others, however, run the exact same (GTA V)

Updates:

Unable to stop updates/selectively install them.
I'm currently running with the Windows Update service disabled, perhaps that will curtail any unwanted updates (or any at all)


Overall, I give it about a 6.5/10.

Thoughts?

 

[c627627]

Haha. Pages and pages of thoughts on Windows 10 in numerous thought-dedicated threads in this section alone, and more in tin-foil hat threads elsewhere on the forum.
Regarding your issues.
Classic Shell freeware removes the Start Menu problems, if they are problems for you.
http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/

UAC can be disabled. I am on the real Admin account just like you and happily pay the price of not being able to run apps.
Start > type in: msconfig
> Tools TAB > Click on Change UAC Settings > Launch > Slide down to Never notify > OK > Yes >

Let me know what happens on your system after you do that and restart. How is UAC still bothering you after that?

Yes, after thoroughly figuring out all the settings on Windows 10 I could, it is disconcerting to see Windows 10 reset them back, and to hear that it also uninstalls programs (!), claiming they cause problems for Windows 10 stability, a policy which for now only applies to limited # of computers. Soon maybe to more...
Individual game issues often have a fix, not always but often.


And for me, these are additional issues, which may not affect you:

1. Unlike on Windows 8 or earlier, you cannot install any font under Windows 10 unless your Windows Firewall is turned ON, even if you have a better third-party Firewall running and turned Windows Firewall OFF for that reason.

2. Unlike on Windows 8 or earlier, you cannot delete $DATA hidden alternate streams on Windows 10. Most people don't even know what that is. I do.

3. Unlike on Windows 8 or earlier, all updates (even optional Windows updates and [Non-windows-OS] hardware driver updates) begin installing the *moment* you check for updates without you being able to choose to only install critical Windows operating system updates only.

 

[Culbrelai]

Haha. Pages and pages of thoughts on Windows 10 in numerous thought-dedicated threads in this section alone, and more in tin-foil hat threads elsewhere on the forum.
Regarding your issues.
Classic Shell freeware removes the Start Menu problems, if they are problems for you.
http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/

Where did I have an issue with the start menu?

UAC can be disabled. I am on the real Admin account just like you and happily pay the price of not being able to run apps.
Start > type in: msconfig
> Tools TAB > Click on Change UAC Settings > Launch > Slide down to Never notify > OK > Yes >

That's what I did, if you read, just like Windows 7.

However I later read that that does not completely disable it like in Windows 7. Windows 8 and 8.1 have a similar UAC to Windows 10 and it seems to have been carried over.

My suspicions were confirmed when I attempt to write in System32, Program Files and a few other locations when I had no issues writing in any of these locations in Windows 7 with the UAC slider down. Even with the slider down in Windows 10, it still would not let me edit files/write in these locations even though I was the only administrator on the damn computer, which lead me to discover the Superadmin account that's hidden.

 

[c627627]

I misunderstood the menu issue. Apologies.

As for UAC, right so with super Admin acct, no UAC issues on Win10, correct?
But yes on regular accts "with Admin priv." there are limitations, that is true.

 

[BoundByBlood]

Pretty good post, yea Win10 is something else altogether.

On UAC, it has always been a pain in the *** and I've actually told MS that in the feedback form they left behind in the OS lol. What makes it even more annoying is not only the fact that it is still here, but how they hid it within the interface. They tried to counterbalance people turning off UAC by disabling Edge and the Store if you do. For a lot of people, particularly those concerned about privacy, the sentiment becomes...who f**king cares about those apps, right?

Tons of privacy settings:

Holy crap, there are a buttload. Typing, inking, browser data... It's a little ominous, daunting, and downright scary.

Yea and the good thing is anyone who takes the time to wander into the privacy settings menu can still manipulate them and manage which apps are being used within each setting as well as how they are being used and how they are acting over the network. At least MS hasn't taken that away from us...yet.

Also, other than the privacy settings themselves there are other common sense approaches we all can use to protect ourselves from MS if anyone is truly concerned about their privacy. It all boils down to how much time someone is willing to spend to learn the OS so they know what they are doing.

Some games in Windows 10 do not run the same as they do in Windows 7...Others, however, run the exact same (GTA V)

I, personally, am impressed with all the modern D3D titles. I've noticed a big jump in performance. Europa Universalis IV...lol, I wouldn't expect titles a few years old with a large amount of content to run all that great since Win10 is focused more on the 14/15/16 titles. Europa has been known to slow down pretty good rigs because there is a lot to load.

Updates:

Unable to stop updates/selectively install them.

Expect this to be the new norm with future windows releases.

Overall, I give it about a 6.5/10.

Putting all personal biases towards microsoft aside and give a truly objective score based upon on a wide range of factors including the UI, how the OS operates, how easy or difficult it is to add administrative privileges back to your user account, etc., then you are going to have to re-evaluate your score.

To be fair you can't judge Win10 too much on performance because you might not even be running the latest version with automatic updates disabled since Microsoft has released a sh*t ton of updates since launch. One of which is the version 1511 that changes a lot. It actually isn't even an update, it's a whole new build so it's more like Win10 2.0...other updates aside, it takes about 30 min. to install 1511 by itself because it adds that much to OS.

 

[c627627]

They tried to counterbalance people turning off UAC by disabling Edge and the Store if you do. For a lot of people... the sentiment becomes...who f**king cares about those apps, right?

Correct.
You are by far not alone with that exact sentiment as a result. That is exactly what a lot people said after Store and Edge have been made inaccessible.


Those new updates to resemble a reinstall because they reset so many settings. I am willing to spend time to modify settings but Windows updates do reset some of those and it becomes a never ending game of set/reset.

When I do a new install just before the July 2016 free upgrade deadline, I will save every registry change I make so I can batch run them after a Windows update. Then make a list of non-registry changes if I catch any resetting themselves after a Windows 10 update.

 

[Culbrelai]

I did not intend for this to be a long in depth review, I was more expecting people to add their own anecdotes of their experiences.

I, personally, am impressed with all the modern D3D titles. I've noticed a big jump in performance. Europa Universalis IV...lol, I wouldn't expect titles a few years old with a large amount of content to run all that great since Win10 is focused more on the 14/15/16 titles. Europa has been known to slow down pretty good rigs because there is a lot to load.

Well, I think it's something people should know. Not everyone plays triple A titles all of the time. When I went back to Windows 7 (identical hardware, see sig) , EU IV's FPS is a near constant 60 even with a mod that has 1,200 countries on the map at the same time. Windows 10 also hurt performance on Audiosurf 2, an indie rhythm game of mine.