How To Clean the Cruft Left By a Windows 10 Upgrade 205
MojoKid writes: Microsoft may have given you a free Windows 10 upgrade but it's not without some left over file clutter that some folks don't realize is left on a system after migration. It's not rocket science but there are a few key strategies to tidy up the file bloat an OS migration can sometimes leave behind and to further optimize an upgraded Windows 10 installation. The ability to roll back to your Windows 7 or 8.1 installation within 30 days is a very easily overlooked feature of the Windows 10 upgrade process. The feature is a lifesaver if you encounter issues, such as missing or incompatible drivers, and need to quickly recover without starting from scratch. This ability doesn't come without consequences, though. In order to offer this feature, Windows 10 is essentially keeping another completely separate Windows installation on your PC. This will need to go, once you've determined that you are sticking with Windows 10 and everything seems happy enough. These files are scattered throughout your system and include a number of hidden directories, with the bulk of them located in Windows.old and the hidden $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS directories.
The easiest way (Score:5, Informative)
The easiest way is just don't install this craptastic pile of shit in the first place.
Easiest way to do this. (Score:5, Informative)
First there is an easier way. If you install windows10 then do a system restore (logically, a pointless thing to do right after you install an OS) a side effect is that it wipes out the old Win8. Why do I know this? well as you can imagine I installed windows 10, and then within days got suckered by a trojan (than WinDefender and Norton did not stop) that just ate my system alive. So I did a restore.
My review of win 10. I'm a diehard mac and linux user who hates windows and said goodbye to it after XP. But then I bought a computer than had windows 8 installed (factory default restored) and figured why not try the free win10 offer. I have to say that while Win10 is, relatively speaking, the best OS microsoft ever made, and is infact not very painful to use, the installation process was truly a lesson in why microsoft products are pure crap.
The install process took over 8 hours when done without mistakes from a factory install of windows 8 on a screamingly fast i7-3000 series, 8GB, and a 20Gb;sec internet connection. Plus it was not click and wait, but required lots of babysitting, reboots, and even one web search to accomplish. There is no way to go-straight-to-10. Instead you have to walk your system through all the updates of Win8, then install 8,1, then walk it through all the 8.1 updates one of which is not an automatic update, and then finally you can request Win10, a day or so later you get permission to install Win 10. Mine too 164 updates of win8. then another set I lost count of. then a long process to download and install win 8.1. Then about 40 updates of that. At that point it was stuck. Nothing more to do but there was no win 10 install icon. I ran the tool microsoft supplies to guide you through this absurd dance and it told me I was missing some file whose name started with KB. SO I googled that, downloaded it. There was an executable mks file with it so I ran that. When I re-ran the windows tool it once again told me this KB file was not installed. So I re-ran the executable and this time it told me it had already been run. So I was at an impasse. At the time I did not know what a KB file was and the tool wasn't telling me other than that it was missing. Googling I learned this was some update patch. This seemed od to me that 8.1 did not apply this update for me and that I had to download it by hand. But I re-rean the 8.1 updater and this found the file I had downloaded and now updated. At this point I could now request the Win10.
From that point on things were flawless. Win10 has a nice installer. it lists all the ways it is going to monetize your ass with brief semi-coherent explanations, and gives you the opportunity to opt out. It's really nice of them to ask. However you rapidly lose services if you do. For example Cortana requires you to share your addressbook and browser links and history with Redmond, it won't run stand alone without that. They also explain how they will brand you with an indelible advertiser ID so they can sell you to their friends. But at least they asked me unlike the serfs on the google plantation.
Here's what's so great about this OS from a mac or linux user. It just gets out of your way. you hardly notice the OS. It looks pretty much exactly like Linux Mint with some of the more handy applets installed. Gone are the crazy panel desktop with tiles filled with crap you never asked for. It's still there but in a much reduced form in the start menu (yep it's back!) and it doesn't get in your way. Infact it's becomes useful in this less dazzling form.
The bad is that it still has the usual hard to navigate directory structure (e.g. the user files are under C: but the my computer files where programs live is elsewhere). It comes loaded with crapware that tries to trick you into installing it like Norton Utilties or HP's keychain and then informs you after the install that after your free month there will be a charge. And then there's the extreme ability to get rooted when you try to install some code. They
Re: Easiest way to do this. (Score:2, Insightful)
Why didn't you just use the windows media creation tool and skip all of that work?
Re: Easiest way to do this. (Score:4, Insightful)
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Why didn't you just use the windows media creation tool and skip all of that work? http://windows.microsoft.com/e... [microsoft.com]
Because you cannot run this tool from windows 8, nor even an non-updated windows 8.1
here's what's at the link you gave:
System Requirements for Windows 10 ISO:
Latest OS:
Make sure you are running the latest version of either Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update.
Re: Easiest way to do this. (Score:2)
Just yesterday I did this for a friend on Win 8 (not 8.1). This is how I did it:
1) Download ISO from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca... [microsoft.com]
2) Burn ISO to DVD (optional? I downloaded and burned from my Linux system)
3) Insert DVD into a running Win 8 system, run via autoplay or browse the DVD filesystem and execute setup.exe
4) Navigate through the prompts and let it do its thing.
There is an option in the UI to do a "clean" install, where you lose your files and applications. I went this route as the laptop in
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here's what's at the download instructions say:
System Requirements for Windows 10 ISO:
Latest OS:
Make sure you are running the latest version of either Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update.
Re: Easiest way to do this. (Score:2)
Well this is how I did it. The system was running Win 8. Not 8.1. In fact it had arouns 180 updates ready to install. Every time I attempted to install them, something would fail and it would roll back all of the updates.
As another user just mentioned, apparently the URL I gave will redirect you to the media creation tool if viewed on a windows system.
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From my experience this page allows to download a .iso if you access it from Linux. When accessing from Windows it redirects to the "media creation tool".
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Okay. good for you. But I had windows 8. and the described story was how to upgrade from windows 8 to widows 8.1 update which is the stated system requirement. You had windows 8.1 update so were talking apples and oranges. So did you have a point?
here's what's at the link you gave:
System Requirements for Windows 10 ISO:
Latest OS:
Make sure you are running the latest version of either Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 Update.
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Can you tell me why should I download a program that is supposed just to download a .iso? And can anybody tell me what is it doing when it is "Verifying my download" and why it needs 10 minutes "Creating Windows 10 media" after the network transfer finishes? And if I run it twice, why do I get a different thing every time?
It does not build much confidence in paranoid people like me.
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Why didn't you just use the windows media creation tool and skip all of that work? http://windows.microsoft.com/e... [microsoft.com]
IIRC That tool only works once you've reserved your free upgrade otherwise your key is not properly converted. If you read his post most of his headache was getting to the point where the Windows 10 offer became available and from then on it was pretty much a single click to install windows 10.
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No you can't. read the page you linked to.
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Were all the computers offered Windows 10? Because from what I recall that was the problem. Once you got the option to participate in the Windows 10 offer you're all sweet, but until the you're not, and 90% of the effort in the original post was issues getting to the point of the offer. Windows 10 is only offered to Windows 7 and 8.1 users, not 8. As such you need to upgrade 8 to 8.1, then install the patch that gives you the offer THEN upgrade.
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I'm someone who likes Windows 10, after hating Windows 8.x. I'm not an Apple user - don't use a Mac, although I do have both an iPhone and iPad. Have Windows 10 on both a Winbook w/ just 2GB/32GB, as well as a laptop w/ 4GB/500GB.
As for privacy, it's dead, and has been for a while now. Compared to the Chinese getting our SS#s after their hack, this is a walk in the park. There is the convenience side of things - the moment I get a new tablet or phone or laptop and simply log in, I almost get everythi
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"As for privacy, it's dead, and has been for a while now." That, sir, is trolling. Basically, 'You aren't completely anonymous, so don't worry about someone snooping your every action.'
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It is not that privacy is dead. It is more like that a lot of the privacy concerns are overblown.
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To me it's much worse than Win 7
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MarkMonitor only registers the domain, and it is not uncommon either.
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I have to say that while Win10 is, relatively speaking, the best OS microsoft ever made
No it isn't. I tried it out and it was actually even worse than I thought it was gonna be. Obviously there's the whole privacy-invading aspect, but it also just has a really awful UI (at least the desktop version). It's half-mobile, half-Win7 style. And it's the Win7 half that doesn't look like complete crap (monochrome icons, hideous blue/grey/white theme) and it's the Win7 half that will presumably get completely re
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Just about the only thing I vaguely liked was Cortana, which was kinda fun for 10 minutes but I don't care about in day-to-day computing.
And it is Cortana that sends your voice to MS's servers obviously.
Re: Easiest way to do this. (Score:2)
Because it's out of support in 5.
"What went wrong?" (Score:2)
The easiest way is just don't install this craptastic pile of shit in the first place.
Steam Hardware and Software Survey August 2015 [steampowered.com]
Linux, All Flavors 0.92%
Windows 10 64 Bit 16%
I've yet to see a single stat which suggests that Linux as a desktop OS is gaining any traction whatsoever. Which tells me that its competitors are doing most things right.
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No, that only proves that its competitors are doing the popular thing. What's popular is usually inane and stupid.
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What's popular is usually inane and stupid.
The popularity of Kim Kardashian is undeniable proof that you are correct.
For additional confirmation, see Kiss (the band), Dr Who, every "boy band" that ever existed, hipsters, and Charlie Sheen.
(Please note that this list could be much, much longer)
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No, that only proves that its competitors are doing the popular thing. What's popular is usually inane and stupid.
The beauty of this argument is that it spares the geek the need to look at the failures of Linux as a desktop OS critically. "Inane and stupid" is, after all, generally a pretty good description of the futile and unpopular.
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No it doesn't. Perhaps desktop linux has already succeeded: It is a desktop that is perfect for people who actually know what they're doing. The only thing the popular systems have done is create new levels of incompetence and ignorance. The average user has now reached fisherprice levels of aptitude, and it shows. Instead of enabling creativity and intellect like in the 80s and 90s, most of today's cpus spend their time churning javascript from social media sites, ad networks, and content barren sites w
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Hey AC.. You're not out of the woods with 8.1 (or 7 either for that matter).. MS is gonna get their telemetry crap on those OS as well.. Fortuantly, the updates you have to remove are well documented... Of course, since I trust MS as far as I can throw it, I have no hope that they won't try to get them back on, say by putting an update that checks for those telemetry updates and if they're not there, redownloads them... I'm beginning to suspect that MS is working hand-in-hand with the NSA to fill up that g
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YES THEY WILL!! Unless you completely disable updates, which is stupid...
Re:The easiest way? the easiest way (Score:2)
no need to zero the whole drive, just the first 512 bytes
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX bs=512 count=1
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defaults and recommended choices during install of many distros won't do that, will install "along side of windows", or favor an empty partition if it exists
so, best to nuke windows from orbit, it's the only way to be sure. Remember, every time an install of windows is killed, God gives a homeless kitten a good home. Please, think of the kittens.
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You and that person are both wrong, it is difficult in many distros installs to do the correct thing for person unfamiliar with the process. In fact, we can go so far as to say people like you are a big part of the problem
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He's WRONG because the normal distro (e.g. linuxmint) install won't act correctly in that situation, requires advanced knowledge
just like YOU are wrong and ignorant. I am intimately familiar with installs of all major linux distros, bsd's and Unix that is x86-64 capable. Your informed point of view is not helpful
Cleaning cruft isn't the answer... (Score:3, Interesting)
I've found that going from version to version in Windows means reliability issues, because stuff remains from previous versions. In fact, pretty much any OS is like this.
If you want a reliable machine, back the thing up (image backup, so it is easily restored), save all documents, format all drives, install the OS, image the OS (so you have a blank, activated copy to roll back to), reinstall applications, and toss the data back on.
Major version upgrades always have issues. Only real exception used to be RHEL where an OS "upgrade" was just a point in time of patches, but even this died with the 7.x release.
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Because there's such a huge change between windows 10 and windows 8?
If you're that paranoid, do the upgrade then run a refresh. At least then you don't lose all your documents and you end up with an otherwise vanilla windows install. Why would you go through all the hassle of formatting the drive?
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Except when they don't. I upgraded all my machines from 7 to 10 and all of them run faster and better with no problems.
If you understood how the Windows 10 upgrade actually works, you would see that this is already what they do during the upgrade.
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My experience has been different. My two machines at home are essentially work machines for me, and as such, have a huge number of development tools, or audio/music tools, both of which together would probably take nearly a week of work to bring back from a clean install. On each machine, there are dozens of programs installed, all of which are important for my work, not to mention a few for entertainment (Steam, etc)
As such, I decided to try in-place upgrade, and it was absolutely flawless. I've seen ab
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AIX also has a "preservation install" which saves /home and non-OS logical volumes, but blows away everything else.
The ironic thing is that I have yet to actually need to have to use that feature with Linux. Usually it is some subsystem that gets trashed, so that is rebuilt. The exception is a security breach, and from there, I copy the data files off to removable/remote media, erase the machine completely, and install from scratch, so the chance malware remaining is extremely low.
Windows 10 "IS" the cruft (Score:5, Insightful)
Stay with Windows7. You ain't losin' nothin'.
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Why would you not accept such privilege?
Got something to hide, citizen?
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No they won't, those are being backported to win 7 and 8.
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If you're aware of the problem, of course.
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Until they are snuck in with another update like the Windows 10 installer download was.
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The fact there's likely always more security patches coming in the future means it's likely your machine is an insecure piece of crap whether it has the latest updates or not.
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Losing nothing is the key. I'd have no problem updating every year to keep up to date and supported, even for coin, so long as I didn't lose features that have been commonplace for 20 years.
Interestingly, it was Windows 7, not Windows 8, that convinced me to stick with XP for so long. The various, minute details of the Aero desktop, control panels, and context menus drove me nuts (and still do after updating this year). Windows 8 was obviously a mistake, but Windows 10 is more or less Windows 7 in extrem
SubjectsInCommentsAreStupid (Score:5, Informative)
If you're upgrading from Win7\8\8.1 do an in-place upgrade just to pass your product key on to win10 then format.
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So in order not to waste time, you suggest wasting even more time by installing twice? Uh oh.
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If you already have a decently upkept system (like i had) i could agree with you but it is a rare case.
In fact i almost kept my in place upgrade but then my clean system obsession kicked in.
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Why? Going from 8.1 to 10 is not much different than installing a service pack. Do you reinstall windows every time a critical patch comes out too?
You're comparing a 1 hour activity to a 2+ day activity (reinstalling all your software, changing all your settings etc).
Also you're suggesting a format? Why? So you can clobber all your personal files along with the windows drive? Why not do a system refresh, at least that will leave user documents intact.
They self remove (Score:4, Informative)
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We can verify that after September 29th.
With 500GB of disk space, I don't have an issue w/ cruft on my laptop. On my Winbook, that just has a 32GB flash drive, it was a different issue. So I took it to the Microsoft store, had them upgrade it (since I was struggling w/ it given the resources, and Microsoft too doubted whether it could be done) and after I got it back, I removed the Windows 8 part of it, since I needed the space.
One thing where Windows 10 is worse than Windows 8: you can't sha
Thanks, that explains it (Score:2)
Windows has a tool that does this. (Score:2)
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It gets better. The article is nothing more than a guide on how to run disk cleanup.
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You read the article?
Don't get too excited. I only looked at the pictures.
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and I think it's socially acceptable to watch a video.
Unless it's one of Slashdot's video posts. If you get caught watching those all hell will break loose :-)
Oh look a windows feature is news (Score:2)
Sorry but why is a windows feature that has existed since Windows 7 front page Slashdot news? The cruft is removed by running disk cleanup which windows will prompt you to do if your drive space runs low. If you ignore it 30 days later Windows will clean the files up automagically without prompt just like it does with any uninstall information for downloaded windows updates.
Up next We'll show you how to turn off your computer using only a switch on the wall!
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Or the obvious choice... (Score:5, Interesting)
This isn't meant to be a troll. Last year I bought a laptop with Windows 8 from Staples as a [cheap-ish] backup computer for my Mac. The *very first* update after turning it on rendered it a brick. Of course it didn't come with a recovery disk, so I decided that I would try Linux Mint on it before taking it back to the store. That was one of the wisest things I've done recently. It works perfectly, and since I don't play games on it (just regular development) it does everything I want/need it to. There are no stability issues at all (though I do shutdown/startup when I close the lid, but I think every Linux has that problem).
And I don't have to deal with the abomination that is Windows
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The *very first* update after turning it on rendered it a brick. Of course it didn't come with a recovery disk, so I decided that I would try Linux Mint on it before taking it back to the store.
You're perpetuating the problem by showing vendors that users tolerate shit that breaks out of the box.
The best course of action would have been to take it back to get replaced, and then when you get your replacement ask for the cost of the windows licence back (which you're entitled to according to the EULA) and then to install Linux Mint.
You are sending the wrong message to the vendors which is why we are in this shit to begin with.
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Any ideas about Microsoft management? (Score:4, Interesting)
Maybe Microsoft wants to imitate Google. Microsoft can use the information collected by Windows 10, apparently, to sell to advertisers. Perhaps Microsoft is also paid by secret U.S. government agencies.
Google's tracking is extremely widespread because people use numerous Google services rather than software that they own. Google tracks Slashdot users. The Slashdot home page allows Google to track users 3 ways:
1) google-analytics.com
2) googleadservices.com
3) googletagservices.com
Maybe Microsoft wants to be even more complete about tracking users, to try to take business from Google.
Windows 10 is not "free" to owners of Windows 7 and 8. Installing Windows 10 means that, after 1 month, owners lose what they bought. If someone offers you a "free" car, but then takes away the car you have now, that is not free. Those who switch to Windows 10 pay a high price for something they cannot evaluate fully in 1 month.
Microsoft management thinks it is okay to remove features from Windows. For example, those who switch to Windows 10 from Windows 7 and 8 will lose Windows Media Center. Removing features allows Microsoft to ask users to pay for them again in the future.
Maybe, in the future, Microsoft intends to imitate Adobe Systems. Maybe Windows will eventually become "cloud" software, and users will be expected to pay monthly. Others on Slashdot have suggested that.
Also, it seems to me that Microsoft is extremely badly managed. I'm not the only one who thinks that. Others called former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Monkey Boy [businessinsider.com] and said [forbes.com] "Without a doubt, Mr. Ballmer is the worst CEO of a large publicly traded American company today."
It seems to me that Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO, is incapable of managing a large corporation. He apparently was picked because of his ability to avoid being involved in conflicts, rather than because he has an ability to resolve conflicts. It seems to me that Nadella does not have the social sophistication necessary to coordinating the company.
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I wouldn't mind so much if all of this was optional, but must things aren't. I would be fine is the
Profit now depends on abusing customers. (Score:2)
Agreed. But I think Microsoft will not "make it big" with mobile software.
Products that face low sales because of abuse and foolishness:
Windows: If you have Windows 7, why get a new version? At some point the version you have is enough. Apparently there aren't any new features in Windows 10 that are attractive to customers. Apparentl
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I also agree that most software is good enough by now but that's one of the reasons they're trying to move to selling subscriptions (Office 365, extra space on OneDrive, etc.). Also, we can't keep using Win 7 forever because eventually new hardware and software will stop being compatible with it. A new version of Win 7 is exactly what I
Habitual method of abuse, in my opinion. (Score:2)
That's Microsoft's method of abuse: Designing abuses that the majority of people can't understand and must accept.
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I saw that behaviour from the add-on in Win 10, but in Linux Mint it does not make changes to the cookie whitelist list as near as I can tell.
The ability to roll back to your Windows (Score:2)
Is there a straightforward way of cloning the Windows system to another harddrive such as this Linux command-line utility: dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb
Use Cleanup Manager (Score:4, Interesting)
Open Administrator Command Prompt
> cleanmgr /sageset
Tick every option, then OK
> cleanmgr /sagerun
Go away and have a cup of tea.
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Easier solution:
Get on with your life. If you run out of disk space you'll be prompted to click a message that does all that for you.
Install Linux (Score:2)
1) Install Linux
2) Problem Solved!
I couldn't find this exact post, and Slashdot is contractually obligated to host it (with this wording) in any Windoze "solve a problem" thread. Mods can thank me later!
Cleaning cruft is dangerous (Score:2)
"Cleaning" anything in Windows can be dangerous, whether that's just your registry, or the OS. Cleaning methods sometimes snag items that aren't really trash, leading to an unstable operating system.
Are you really using so much space on your hard drive that you feel the need to clean house? Just leave it alone, unless you're prepared to wipe the hard drive and start over.
WTF is up with the graphics drivers issues?? (Score:2)
I'm running a laptop with a sandybridge i5 and an optimus setup and both video card drivers load and then before the login screen appears they error out and give error code 39. I have a machine at work that is doing the same thing and it has an nforce chipset with a nvidia 8xxx series chip. The current solution is the #1) never reboot, and #2) when windows forces you to reboot, simply reboot and uninstall the drivers after windows loads without deleting the drivers. The rescan the hardware from the device m
A whole article about opening Disc Cleanup (Score:2)
That seems almost as ridiculous a waste of time as all the "wipe the drive and install linux. Derp!" crap.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
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Before updating/upgrading, make an image of the system with wbadmin (wbadmin.exe start backup with the usual options.) This way, you can recover not just the C: drive, but the recovery partition and others with ease.
Of course there is other Windows backup software, but virtually all of it is junk, except the enterprise stuff like NetBackup. Main reason is that most programs are unable to back up open files or make a usable snapshot image without booting from offline media.
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Possibly because you have a Microsoft account and it's storing stuff on its servers?
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Is it possible that MS has fingerprinted your machine's hardware and is using that as an alternative to you having to manually enter a product key, much the same way as it already requires you to re-authenticate Windows if your hardware changes significantly?
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So you have to be online to upgrade to Windows 10? What is this, Steam?
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Oh well. When I've put windows in VMware, I make sure to not have the network. Otherwise it's a long set of annoying upgrades.
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If it's an OEM Windows 7/8/8.1 install, you don't need to handle the key at all.
FIRST - y
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
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1. Download Linux ...
2. Confirm its not Ubuntu
3.
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My upgrade plan is to migrate Ubuntu 16.04 desktop. I will not tolerate spyware as a part of an OS
In that case, you've got quite a few months to wait... In the meantime, Ubuntu 14.04 desktop is waiting for you... I'd move there now, if I were you....
Re: There is a tool for that (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm honestly sorry to be rude but I seriously could care less what you did on you home computer and what your reasoning was for installing a Linux distro.
Windows is installed on the majority of computers so this information is important for those of us who run Windows. Any information to help clean up various old data from an upgrade is welcome as is the various techniques for shutting down all of Microsoft's tracking. If I need to use Linux for something which is very rare, I can just fire up VirtualBox an