Upgrading to Windows 10?? Don't do it..... STOP!

[Trouble]

With the end of the "free" upgrade offer for Windows 10 ending July 29th and the much anticipated Anniversary Update rumored for August 2nd, I anticipate some folks who have been holding off upgrading may decide to take the leap.
AND even those already running Windows 10 build 10586 Threshold, will probably be going to the newer Redstone release with the Anniversary Update, when it becomes available. This is not going to be a small update and will likely look like a new OS install during the process. It's actually a pretty big deal.

My concern is that, as we've seen on this forum, many will perform one or the other of these two tasks without first, backing up all their critically important data (documents, pictures, music, etc., etc.,) and will find, that for some reason or another the upgrade did not go according to plan.
Panic will ensue and they'll resort to Google to address the issue, where they may find a potential solution or what is more likely, make the situation worse.

I strongly recommend that you Image your disk prior to the going forward with either of these two tasks
With any number of options.... most providing at least a limited free trial version.

Not recommendations or endorsements.... just options.
Acronis True Image http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup/
AOEMI BackUpper http://www.backup-utility.com/
AX64 Time Machine - Snapshot Imaging Backup http://ax64.com/
EaseUS ToDo http://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html
Macrium Reflect http://www.macrium.com/product/7/macrium-reflect-v6-home-edition.aspx
Paragon https://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/

There is no good excuse for not being able to safely and reliably recover in the event of a catastrophic event or if you decide you simply don't like or want Windows 10.
OR....
At least at a bare minimum you make every effort to back up all your critical data to an external resource, like USB attached storage, but even if it means that you have to burn it to DVD..... make sure that you have a good backup.

 

[katalina]

Too late, I should have registered here first

It went well as far as I can tell, I keep my files on USB sticks so removed those first.
My original desktop picture is still there.

At first its said my Eset kernel has an error so I did a restart its now working ok.
Thanks Trouble!

 

[Trouble]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Good to hear that you were successful.

Often this type of advice will come too late for many unfortunately.
I wish Microsoft would place a simple banner at the beginning of the upgrade process as a reminder.... something like "Have you backed up all of your critical data?"
Of course that might be a sort of tacit admission that something might go wrong and might scare off potential upgraders in advance.

It's a very intensive operation and places some serious demands on a system that might have only been used for reading email and surfing the web.
As a result, there's a potential for a marginal hardware component (an older hard drive for instance) to be overtaxed by the operation and decide to take that particular point in time to completely fail.
There's no coming back from that and without a good backup and or disk image your data is pretty much history.

 

[katalina]

Its weird Trouble,

Some weeks ago my son who is computer literate tried to upgrade to Win10 but then MS said my graphic card is rubbish..

We forgot all about upgrading, wanted to get the graphic card but we did'nt. My son is very busy and I usually mess up computer stuff. I had not much to do this am. My blog was updated so on a whim I thought I would go to MS because a news Item had said that MS has been sued by a business person for wrecking her system which lost her a lot of business revenue so she sued them for $10.000..

I decided to go ahead, Could always get my son to format if it all goes wrong but it did'nt. Just the one error with Eset Kernel but even that was fine after a re-start.
For a change I must be one of the lucky people.
I have to learn it all now though.

Thanks Trouble!

 

[Hammer842]

Count me as one of the lucky ones. I've been using Win10 Home 64-bit since July 29 2015 and haven't had a single problem. It runs faster than Windows 7 and Windows 8.1; what's not to like?

 

[Joann]

Upgraded all the computers in our house - three desktops, two laptops and one tablet. All are running great! Love Windows 10.

 

[davehc]

My own thoughts are that persons who use media, where posts and chat is allowed, such as, for example, tend to get an impression that Windows 10 is very faulty. This is a wrong conclusion. Those users are on sites, where they can air their grievances, for that very reason.

If you browse, you will find many contrasting opinions regarding the latest OS, but, overall, with millions of Windows 10 OSs already in place, the outstanding majority are satisfied to vey pleased with it. If the recommended homework and investigation is completed in the first instance, then, in the majority of cases, the upgrade and consequent use should go smoothly.

imho, most faults, to use the hackneyed expression, occur from a few centimetres in front of the keyboard. Referring again to help forums, extraordinary requests are made, with "personalised " requirements. This leads, naturally, to suggestions for possible solutions, often entailing scary things such as diving into the registry. This can have consequences, as, for example, many items in the registry are co-linked to other sections. Not forgetting the more elementary mistyping, which can, worst case, lead to a total breakdown of the OS. AS Trouble suggests, backups/images, are essential if you wish to experiment. This also could include exporting you registry before trying something new. I, like many who use this forum, have enough knowledge to get myself out of most self inflicted problems. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed to say that I do, on occasion, resort to the quicker method of restoring my image.

Returning to my original comments, the majority, possibly, have accepted the upgrade as is - it is running to their satisfaction. They have no wish to dive into deeper customisation than the very extensive settings already laid out for the lowest common denominator.
I am sure those same users will, over time, as has happened with all previous OSs, slowly learn new tricks at their own pace - shortcut keys, mild "hacks" to eliminate, or improve, one or two functions. So be it.

 

[Joann]

"imho, most faults, to use the hackneyed expression, occur from a few centimeters in front of the keyboard"

I agree wholeheartedly here. As a Windows 10 instructor for a computer club with a membership currently at 737 (one of the largest in the state of Florida), I see a few bad installs taken place but, by and large, the vast majority are having little to no trouble. Most 'problems' concern old peripherals that should have been replaced a long time ago; and graphics cards in older computers. Also, many people do not take the time to do maintenance to their computers before upgrading. Clean out old files, run virus scans, defrag - all good to do before installing an upgrade. If you are having problems with your computer, get them fixed first.

 

[Trouble]

If you are having problems with your computer, get them fixed first.

Yep.... upgrading a problem computer will almost never do the trick.
It will likely either just bring the pre-existing condition along with the upgrade or worse case..... compound the problem.

 

[katalina]

One bugbear,
signing with password...I don't want that option but hope to get help to prevent that. I did the option no password but its insistent.
Other than that its gone smooth.
Only upgraded this week so all is new.

 

[davehc]

Ian has posted a tutorial on auto login

https://www.windows10forums.com/articles/log-in-to-windows-10-automatically.19/

Follow the instructions carefully. This does not eliminate the password. It is still required, but is rendered automatic.

 

[katalina]

I'll try that, many thanks Dave.

 

[Joann]

I always tell people not to do this. The password is for your protection. If you have sensitive data on your computer and it gets stolen, it's accessible to anyone and everyone. For those who have desktops, don't feel you are safe. Ever heard of burglary? If you've never experienced this great! But many years ago, my home was broken into and the big technology of the day (not computers yet in homes) my CB base station was taken among other things.

 

[katalina]

Hmmm. Its just not something I have been used to doing Joann.

Thanks!

 

[Trouble]

IF someone steals your computer.... a password isn't going to prevent them from doing anything.
IF they have physical access to the device, there are a multitude of password hacks and cracks, not to mention that they could simply remove the drive and attach it to another computer and do anything they want with the contents.
Encryption may provide some security to the data under those circumstances.

 

[katalina]

I have set a new sign in now less tiresome.
I am a security conscious person around the home. If I go out it takes me ages to go out the door for making checks.

 

[Joann]

IF someone steals your computer.... a password isn't going to prevent them from doing anything.
IF they have physical access to the device, there are a multitude of password hacks and cracks, not to mention that they could simply remove the drive and attach it to another computer and do anything they want with the contents.
Encryption may provide some security to the data under those circumstances.

Kind of depends on who got it. The cops usually have a pretty good idea of who the break ins are. When they see what was taken and what was left behind, they can make a pretty good guess. In our case they took the base station and portable tv. Apparently they tried to take our stereo equipment but dropped it, it was on the floor all banged up. My good jewelry and hubby's hunting rifle were left behind.

 

[davehc]

Kind of depends on who got it. The cops usually have a pretty good idea of who the break ins are. When they see what was taken and what was left behind, they can make a pretty good guess. In our case they took the base station and portable tv. Apparently they tried to take our stereo equipment but dropped it, it was on the floor all banged up. My good jewelry and hubby's hunting rifle were left behind.

Possibly a little irrelevant to the point made by Trouble?

As he rightly says, a password to login to you computer is only there to stop meddling from, at home, family or, in an office environment, colleagues. It would take just a couple of minutes to access the OS installation and have a look art everything in it.

 

[Joann]

Yes and no. I just wanted to make the point that a password isn't just there for what the obvious, as stated here, is. Yes, the pros can get into anything, but most home break ins, according to the police, are NOT the pros. And, the police can tell by what is taken and what is left behind as I stated above. You find this stuff out, unfortunately, when you are the victim. The bottom line is, protect your computer's contents.

 

[Trouble]

You seem to have a very narrow focus, when it comes to the actual attack / threat vector.
Sure in small towns, in the case of home invasions / burglaries / robberies, the police may have a head start on a possible solution (if their good at their jobs), BUT....
Everyone is mobile and the vector is much wider than your focus, your car, your hotel room, your shoulder bag, your phone, your laptop, your tablet, etc.
Physically securing your device(s) in all environments will often require something a bit more robust than a password.
http://www.howtogeek.com/260507/psa...ablet-now.-youll-regret-it-later-if-you-dont/
I'm not promoting encryption.... it presents its' own complexities and pitfalls. It needs to be approached with caution and a thorough understanding of what you are doing and how to undo it if need be.

I'm not sure how this thread got hijacked from a discussion of making sure you have a backup in-place to protect against a problem upgrade to a broader discussion of overall data and device security, but....
It's interesting enough, I'm thinking about moving some of it into its' own thread.