Windows 10

[Irvrobinson]

Irv: If you want to run windows in a stable way you should employ "proper" windows, meaning the Microsoft windows, OEM versions are full of bloatware and not working well, especially HP is notorious is this sense!

Are you using MS version of Windows or OEM version? Makes a big difference!

MS version, 8.0 and then 8.1. The laptop came with Win7, and I should have stayed with that. Dumb.

 

[Irvrobinson]

You must be visiting all sorts of sites that are vectors for all kinds of issues. All the people I fix these kinds of issues for are either opening and clicking on every email link and visiting sites that are just asking for issues. This is NOT the normal.

No, I'm not visiting risky sites, and I run the Norton security suite. Do you know of anyone else with Win8 who leaves their system powered down for several weeks? I don't.

 

[haraldo]

MS version, 8.0 and then 8.1. The laptop came with Win7, and I should have stayed with that. Dumb.

If you did upgrade of Windows, bloatware is still there !

 

[haraldo]

No, I'm not visiting risky sites, and I run the Norton security suite. Do you know of anyone else with Win8 who leaves their system powered down for several weeks? I don't.

NO, never heard of this

 

[Irvrobinson]

If you did upgrade of Windows, bloatware is still there !

Not that I can see. The HP crap is not there.

 

[haraldo]

Not that I can see. The HP crap is not there.

OK, but no normal Windows installation behaves this way, and I suggest it's something else than Windows that makes this problems .... there may be 3rd party software and drivers that run in kernel mode and if any of them misbehave the system will scr%# up, and then we blame Windows and Microsoft.

Even Internet Explorer runs in Kernel mode and any misbehaviour by IE may potentially give you a blue screen of death, I consider this a major architectural flaw by Microsoft but it's how it is.......

The best thing I can suggest is a clean install of genuine MS Windows (non oem) if possible? I know, I know..... you would rather drink hydrochloric acid than work with windows, but these problems need a rough treatment

 

[jinjuku]

You must be visiting all sorts of sites that are vectors for all kinds of issues. All the people I fix these kinds of issues for are either opening and clicking on every email link and visiting sites that are just asking for issues. This is NOT the normal.

Agree there. 90% of all infestations, infections, what have you are related to running as an administrator account. Going where you aren't supposed to go, not being careful with email or using a service for email that is going to block most the junk.

I'm starting to work on my MCSE 2012 (I did it for 4.0, 2000, upgrade test for 2003. Skipped 2008). So I will probably cert out on Desktop 10.

 

[Topken]

Try removing that Norton crap and installing something like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware? I am pretty sure Norton might be the cuase of some of your headaches it and McAfee have both gotten to be terrible these past few years.

 

[jinjuku]

Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft Malware Removal Tool, Open DNS for your DNS servers and use a Standard user account.

Make a separate admin account and just run with elevated privileges when needed.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Try removing that Norton crap and installing something like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware? I am pretty sure Norton might be the cuase of some of your headaches it and McAfee have both gotten to be terrible these past few years.

I'll believe that, but a big part of the problem is just MSFT updates. Yes, I know an SSD would make a big difference, but I don't want to invest in this computer much.

 

[Hobbit]

I guess I don't get it? I'm running an "older" Windows 7 system and I've had no real problems with it.
I'm running Norton and I've had no issues since I bought this 5-6 years ago. On a holistic level I'm sure Windows is attacked more than Macs. But why wouldn't that be? There's still more Windows machines out there. And to make matters worse, more big companies use Windows based systems than Macs.

I'm pretty convinced, having worked on both systems at home and in the office that the biggest MS issue is past perception - blue screen, locking up, etc. Yet, back when these older systems had these problems the Apple offerings pale. You really needed a Windows emulator to do any real work. In my last office the IT department quit supporting Mac's because of issues they had (an S&P 500 engineering firm specializing in IP). Another oddity is people used to hate MS because they were so big....

IMO, Apple's biggest feat was marketing the past perception people had and that somehow a Mac is easier to use (and you're cool if you have their latest product). They're more the same than different. If you can use one you can easily get on the other and use it too. Sure, some things are easier to do on one system or the other, which is really just a learning curve.

Ultimately they're just boxes to use to do work. In that respect I don't understand why people are such fanboys or haters of either system. The only reason I stick with windows is I can get a powerful box for a lot less that does everything I need.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Windows 7 is fine os. Really.
I will eat my words and say this: Windows 8.1 on the desktop is not that bad. In fact it feels a bit smoother. Besides start menu annoying (but slowly getting used to) and right click to shut down, it's not terrible at all.
Win10 supposed to fix these last few annoyances and for free. Why should i complain?

As for MS os at the office : i said it before many times : there isn't much biz software for Mac (outside creative)
Just a fact : all of companies i know of use Microsoft email systems.

 

[haraldo]

I think Norton is crapware
I used avg-free in many occasions and it works fine ...
I would suggest avg free as a better choice than Norton
http://free.avg.com/eu-en/free-antivirus-download
Run full scan and rootkit scan

Before doing reinstall, you can try SFC ....
SFC is a windows tool that actually verifies that the core windows executables are not messed us, at least it's what's being claimed that it should do
From an administrator command prompt run following: sfc /scannow

The problem with windows is not windows, but
- 3rd party programs that 'mess up'
- 3rd party drivers that 'mess up'
- infections coming via Internet based on the fact that 99% of the world run windows from an account with administrator privileges, this is by itself an architectural flaw, you should not do this ....

It's very very easy to protect yourself from this, just run Firefox, Chrome or IE from an account with only user privileges and with no write access to system files, it's then practically impossible for system to get infected via Firefox, Chrome or IE

 

[Rickster71]

Try removing that Norton crap and installing something like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware? I am pretty sure Norton might be the cuase of some of your headaches it and McAfee have both gotten to be terrible these past few years.

This is bad advice.
Norton and Malwarebytes are two completely different animals. Norton works in real time and prevents intrusions from viruses. Malwarebytes is a manually run anti-malware and works after the fact on, (just as the name says) malware.
They work differently and at different times on different things.

 

[lsiberian]

I think Norton is crapware
I used avg-free in many occasions and it works fine ...
I would suggest avg free as a better choice than Norton
http://free.avg.com/eu-en/free-antivirus-download
Run full scan and rootkit scan

Before doing reinstall, you can try SFC ....
SFC is a windows tool that actually verifies that the core windows executables are not messed us, at least it's what's being claimed that it should do
From an administrator command prompt run following: sfc /scannow

The problem with windows is not windows, but
- 3rd party programs that 'mess up'
- 3rd party drivers that 'mess up'
- infections coming via Internet based on the fact that 99% of the world run windows from an account with administrator privileges, this is by itself an architectural flaw, you should not do this ....

It's very very easy to protect yourself from this, just run Firefox, Chrome or IE from an account with only user privileges and with no write access to system files, it's then practically impossible for system to get infected via Firefox, Chrome or IE

AVG had heavy CPU usage issues when I last had it and it would not be uninstalled.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Just bit the bullet and do fresh OS install. Backup important files to external disk/usb key
It will guarantee to fix any software related issues.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Just bit the bullet and do fresh OS install. Backup important files to external disk/usb key
It will guarantee to fix any software related issues.

You guys aren't very good listeners! The problem is that I leave the computer powered down for weeks, and then when I do power it up Windows needs multiple updates applied, often that require multiple restarts. Since I have an HDD the process can take 40min or more. A system software rebuild will do exactly nothing in this case. Yes, the security software is annoying too, but that's a second-order effect. I suppose I could turn off updates and the security software, but that's probably not a good idea, since my apps access the internet. I don't do surfing on this computer.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Just set auto updates to download but let me choose install. Result : updates will be downloaded. Tyey will NOT be installed on startup. Instead on shutdown you'll have an opportunity to install them and shutdown

 

[Irvrobinson]

Just set auto updates to download but let me choose install. Result : updates will be downloaded. Tyey will NOT be installed on startup. Instead on shutdown you'll have an opportunity to install them and shutdown

Agreed, and I thought of that, but then I'm getting on the internet without the latest security updates. (The automotive apps I use require an internet connection.)

 

[Topken]

This is bad advice.
Norton and Malwarebytes are two completely different animals. Norton works in real time and prevents intrusions from viruses. Malwarebytes is a manually run anti-malware and works after the fact on, (just as the name says) malware.
They work differently and at different times on different things.

You are so wrong there mate Malwarebytes acts like any other Anti-virus software and does real time scanning with the premium version. I have the free version of Malwarebytes installed to run as a secondary anti virus incase Microsoft Security Essentials misses anything or if my pc is acting odd.