Windows 10 Update

[blue_bird]

I have reserved my upgrade. I think it's coming at the end of July, if I'm not mistaken. I don't like Windows 8, since I've used it on someones laptop. I just assumed Windows 10 would be better than the Windows 7 I have right now, which I have to say I'm pretty happy with.

 

[wyverary]

I have reserved my upgrade. I think it's coming at the end of July, if I'm not mistaken. I don't like Windows 8, since I've used it on someones laptop. I just assumed Windows 10 would be better than the Windows 7 I have right now, which I have to say I'm pretty happy with.

July 29th. Supposedly there's a lot of back-end stuff that has been improved over both 7 and 8, and it is definitely lighter and faster. The user interface is significantly improved over 8, though in some ways I still prefer 7. I can't see Windows 10 being eagerly adopted for enterprise use, though, (our CIT class uses 8 but everyone else in the school is still on 7), but who knows? There's still a couple of computers where I work that are running XP (don't get me started, heh).

 

[paloftoon]

A concern I have with upgrading to Windows 10 is that if I need to reformat my computer, and if all the information is in the hard drive only, would I have to try to revert Windows 10 back to Windows 8 first before reformatting? This is what I had to do when I had to reformat my computer, upgrading 8.1 from 8.

 

[Judge]

A concern I have with upgrading to Windows 10 is that if I need to reformat my computer, and if all the information is in the hard drive only, would I have to try to revert Windows 10 back to Windows 8 first before reformatting? This is what I had to do when I had to reformat my computer, upgrading 8.1 from 8.

Good question, if I truly understand what you're asking. That would be my assumption, that you'd have to reinstall with your original Windows 8 disk and then upgrade all over again accessing Microsoft online.

Technically installation files whether from a new upgrade or old OS are kept on a hidden partition. So the reformatting of the disk wouldn't likely impact them unless you did the reformatting independently of a boot or install disk.

In that regard, if your Windows 10 installation files are still intact within that hidden partition, I'm just wondering if they could be re-executed, having been accessed with a Windows 10 boot disk you already made as a safety precaution. So that it would just execute the installation process, and reformat as a part of that process, but continue to draw upon those same installation files in that hidden directory. But of course I'm only speculating....

I gave up on upgrading OS files on general principle with Windows XP. Sure "free" is nice...provided you never have to reinstall the OS again. Which for any number of reasons isn't all that practical.

Interesting article related to some of this....

How to turn your Windows 10 upgrade files into an ISO disk image | ZDNet

 

[WildCat]

I'm sticking with Windows 7 for as long as I can, if possible. If the driver support wasn't so shaky for Linux variants, I'd definitely switch over to that in a heartbeat (I run Mint on another computer btw). Funny how everyone got a notice for the Windows 10 upgrade, I don't see jack but if it's as bad as everyone claims it to be I'll gladly put off any OS upgrades until MS gets their crap together!

 

[Spiller]

I'm in mourning, having just had to install a new hard drive when mine died last week - I've just spent 2 days locating a downloadable copy of Win 7, trying to boot from USB, then trying to burn to disc and boot..
Found a copy of Win 8 for £3.50 on ebay and will have to endure it.

How does Microsoft stay in business unless it's signed a contract with the Devil?

 

[Judge]

I'm in mourning, having just had to install a new hard drive when mine died last week - I've just spent 2 days locating a downloadable copy of Win 7, trying to boot from USB, then trying to burn to disc and boot..
Found a copy of Win 8 for £3.50 on ebay and will have to endure it.

How does Microsoft stay in business unless it's signed a contract with the Devil?

Don't you have an original disk pertaining to the OS that was on the hard drive that died? I can't imagine running a PC without the independent ability to reinstall the OS and all pertinent drivers. And forget backup files stored on hidden partitions. If the whole drive dies, you're SOL. Yeah, full versions of OS disks are expensive...but it's a form of insurance.

I'll never understand some of the major hardware manufacturers who do that, and deny their customers an original OS install disk... Yeah, I've always paid retail for a full version- not an upgrade for the OS. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Spiller]

I do have a copy of Win7, I've been trying to boot it all afternoon and no joy. I suspect corporate conspiracy to suck all our money away by any and all means possible, so all I can now do is wait for my copy of Win8 (boo!) to turn up

"I'll never understand some of the major hardware manufacturers who do that, and deny their customers an original OS install disk"

There's no reason in the world for Microsoft not to have older, free, unsupported downloadable OS's available except that so many people end up having to go out and buy a new machine when their OS fubar's.

 

[Judge]

I do have a copy of Win7, I've been trying to boot it all afternoon and no joy. I suspect corporate conspiracy to suck all our money away by any and all means possible, so all I can now do is wait for my copy of Win8 (boo!) to turn up

"I'll never understand some of the major hardware manufacturers who do that, and deny their customers an original OS install disk"

There's no reason in the world for Microsoft not to have older, free, unsupported downloadable OS's available except that so many people end up having to go out and buy a new machine when their OS fubar's

That's a fine point when you use the term "copy" of Win7. I mean, technically if that particular disk has already been installed on a previous computer, it's not supposed to work on another. Microsoft Genuine Advantage and all that...designed to kill any copies of the OS not expressly authorized by MS.

Did you not receive an original install disk with your computer? I'm just thinking that whatever "copy" you obtain must be for a numbered disk that has never been installed on any computer before...

So did you subsequently purchase a legitimate full version of Windows 8?

 

[Spiller]

I see what you mean - no I had no original OS with the PC, just the w7 download from a microsoft mirror that should work with an OEM, plus another copy I've just got from a repair shop.
Can't really tell if that's the issue at the moment though, I'm getting a "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device" message, I've checked the new hard drive connection several times now too.. and still nothing.

Bring back the abacus!

 

[Judge]

I see what you mean - no I had no original OS with the PC, just the w7 download from a microsoft mirror that should work with an OEM, plus another copy I've just got from a repair shop.
Can't really tell if that's the issue at the moment though, I'm getting a "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device" message, I've checked the new hard drive connection several times now too.. and still nothing.

Bring back the abacus!

Access your system's BIOS to check two things:

1) That it's recognizing your hard drive

2) Your boot sequence

If the boot sequence has changed, that might explain it all....you may have to reassign it.

 

[Spiller]

Yep, it recognises the hard drive and I've tried booting from CD-ROM and USB-HDD, just keep getting "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device"..

.. Hmm, now I just get "Check cable connection"

 

[Judge]

Yep, it recognises the hard drive and I've tried booting from CD-ROM and USB-HDD, just keep getting "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device"..

.. Hmm, now I just get "Check cable connection"

So when you tried booting from the CD ROM you made sure to check that the CD Rom at the time was listed as your formal boot drive in the BIOS boot order ? Can you post here what your boot sequence looks like per your BIOS ?

Assuming this is SATA, check to see your primary (HD) and secondary (CD) cables are in order. They might be loose in some way....and when you have them daisychained...this can happen.

 

[Spiller]

CD Rom at the time was listed as your formal boot drive in the BIOS boot order

You mean moving the hard drive up the list to position #1, yes?
Did that.
I also tried the HDD CD-ROM option as the ribbon cable has USB printed on it..

Am I the proud owner of another expensive doorstop, I wonder..

 

[Judge]

With regards to the boot sequence, make sure you configured the actual BOOT MENU in your BIOS. (Your "main" menu will likely show all your devices in terms of masters and slaves, but it is your boot menu where you need to show your CD ROM as the first bootable device.)

Another thing to check. Did you make sure to property assign master and slave connections properly, relative to your hard drive and CD ROM ?

Or are you telling me you're using an external CD ROM that uses USB? That device if so must be listed first in your boot menu in terms of sequence.

(Sorry, my frame of reference always defaults to desktop systems with internal devices.)

 

[Spiller]

Yep, I configured the boot menu in bios with the CD ROM as first bootable device.
Master and slave connections are for towers, as I understand it - there are no such options on my laptop bios at least.
Still just: "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device"

 

[Judge]

Yep, I configured the boot menu in bios with the CD ROM as first bootable device.
Master and slave connections are for towers, as I understand it - there are no such options on my laptop bios at least.
Still just: "Check cable connection" and "No bootable device"

I'm running out of suggestions. Not good.

Have you given any consideration to the condition of the bootable disk itself? Can you test it on another computer just to see if it was formatted properly?

One thing you might consider is to remove the BIOS battery and then put it back and cold-reset your BIOS. Then amend the boot order...

How good is your BIOS battery? You might consider replacing it too...if your amended BIOS settings aren't holding and you aren't aware of it....

Might be a good choice to replace that battery now. Is the USB cable of the CD ROM completely removable? You might try using it with another device to check its integrity. But then I've never even seen a USB cable fail.....

And you're certain that your SATA cable is connected properly on both ends? The HD drive and the laptop motherboard? Try reseating them on both ends. But then a on a laptop you probably have only real access to the connector to the HD itself....

One last question- Are you certain the hard drive you installed is perfectly compatible with your laptop? LOL...I know...I'm getting desperate!

 

[Spiller]

How do people make a decent living doing this stuff?
You might as well have a sign over the door saying:

"Abandon hope all ye who enter here.. but let's have a look, ye never know"

I've checked the disc on another pc, that's ok and I'll have to get a CMOS battery.. I've never seen a "Check cable connection" message before though and I checked all the connectors while I had the back off.. several times.
Thanks for the help though Judge, was much appreciated.
I'll just hope it's new paperweight status is a temporary one..

 

[Judge]

How do people make a decent living doing this stuff?
You might as well have a sign over the door saying:

"Abandon hope all ye who enter here.. but let's have a look, ye never know"

I've checked the disc on another pc, that's ok and I'll have to get a CMOS battery.. I've never seen a "Check cable connection" message before though and I checked all the connectors while I had the back off.. several times.
Thanks for the help though Judge, was much appreciated.
I'll just hope it's new paperweight status is a temporary one..

I've gotten such error messages before a few times. Always simply the connection itself being loose...or improperly connected. And RAM chips....oh my are they tempermental! Yet resetting them always seemed to fix the problem.

But sometimes something stuck in memory in your BIOS can cause such things too. That's where resetting and changing the CMOS battery might help....but it's a stretch. Kind of analogous to a corrupt file that creates an error that won't go away. To clear the memory so you can delete the offending file.

 

[wyverary]

It's my understanding that, currently, as they stand, Microsoft licenses are for the most part transferrable, though I could be misunderstanding, and it might not apply to more outdated systems.

For what it's worth, I'm hating Windows 10 a little less every time I use it. It sort of tries to be the best of both worlds between Windows 7 and Windows 8...and it sorta, kinda succeeds, with some caveats. Microsoft Edge is doomed to fail, I'm sure...it's like Chrome, except quite inferior in functionality and compatibility.

Then again, much as Apple has been making so much money off of their hardware that they can basically give their newer OS's away for free, Microsoft has certainly been making enough money in enterprise systems (where it far surpasses Macs in terms of functionality) that they, too, can afford to give their typical, home-users some freedom when it comes to paying for their services. Not that they're perfect in that regard...Office is switching from a plain-old "you buy it, you own it" license to a yearly "lease" program, much like companies such as Adobe have started doing. So it's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

If nothing else, I would encourage upgrading to Windows 10 purely for the fact that I think it will last further in the future than Windows 7, which is already 6 years old--we saw what happened eventually, inevitably to XP, where they finally hammered in that last nail in the coffin and ended support for it. Despite its many flaws, it's not nearly as awful as Windows 8, I can safely assure you.