Well, after six years, the desktop packed up. But for the ability to use them, I hate the ferkin' things - so bloody time consuming. Windows 10 had an update a few days ago - since then, CPU usage was surging to 100% every five seconds effectively making the thing useless. Couldn't get to command prompt, would click on a program and it would collapse just as the surge happened. Tried booting from the rescue flash drive that I had been prompted to make those six years ago - nothing. After a day of pondering/trying different things, contacted Microsoft - they recommended that I reinstall Windows (by showing me a method of getting to the 'troubleshoot' prompt that hitherto been unavailable) which would result in me keeping my data but losing my applications. Set that process off only to find after four hours or so that I cannot access the drive at all now. At this point I want to take down my trousers and poo on it. So left with a decision, repair the old computer with all the feck squidging that is going to take (compatibility issues, ignorance issues, tearing my hair out issues), get a new one with all the why do I have to pay that much just so that some multi billionaire can masquerade as a benefactor or, not ferkin bother! Not bothering has the additional consequence of making comms very difficult. Have got a back up, my back is right got up, in the cloud, on a couple of disks and probably in some Chinese developers lab. It makes me feel like the way virtue signalling Whatsapp messages do - cos one idiot remembers a friends birthday, all hell breaks loose and before you know it, two thousand people are out virtuing each other with the flashiest emoticon, most hearts or some other bleeding method. At which point you feel compelled to add your tuppence worth of unheartfelt greetings. I don't want to join in because I am compelled to by other signallers - I want to if I ferkin want to. Same goes for the 'puter - I spent a significant a mount those six years ago expecting it to see me out (probably unreasonably) - why should I spend another substantial amount just to keep up with the latest release from the SW/HW manufacturers? I'm on a treadmill I cannot get off. Am off to punch something. If I am not back anytime soon, you'll know how I got on.
I feel your pain been there to many times. Also one of my biggest pet hates is searching for something you type what your looking for and loads of stuff your not wanting pops up (drives me insane) as for the computer itself we sort of get over any problems by having backups. By that I mean more than one ie two laptops and two desktops. Our last desktop I built from scratch (its not hard just screw things together and connect a few wires) although I get a mate to set it up with the software. Build it yourself and you can choose the specification you want. Good luck
I feel for you. A Microsoft update a couple of weeks ago stuffed two of my computers, one I did manage to recover after a lot of effort, but the other I had to do a complete reinstall after ages messing about creating a bootable USB stick etc. If I wasn't forced to use a PC and Windows because of my work, I would just use an Android tablet. Android can do almost everything you need for home day to day use and, if you purchase a decent device, it is generally more reliable and faster than Windows.
Yep been there done that, you have my sympathies @Thripster unfortunately windows updates are notoriously shaky on older hardware and windows 10 is a PITA - I only use it on works equipment though so if it goes pear shaped our IT contractors sort it! I switched to Apple some years ago and got a used 2013 iMac for a couple of hundred quid and for home duty is faultless and still going strong, plus I choose whether to update or not if I think the update would clog up the processor Not much help I know but you have my genuine sympathy
I keep thinking of going Linux or similar but i have been using Windows so long i just cant get on with the interface i usually kill any updates but have let them go and recently ended up with a black screen....sorted now but i think its turn off windows updates time again. As for backup with the cloud its relatively easy these days but i always uses a NAS for backup but even that's not foolproof ...lost all my movies recently because of a problem with a new NAS so you cant win.
Too late for your circumstances this time, but this might help others. Microsoft removed the option to permanently disable auto updates - you can delay it in 7 day steps BUT... there is a workaround. If you go into settings and tell it you are on a ‘metered’ internet connection, the updates can be stopped until you tell it you are back on an unmetered connection. (this is basically to stop microsoft being hit by a lot of legal proceeding because of people going over their usage limits due to not being able to turn off updates. when setting up Windows (I built a computer with my son as a project during lockdown) they ask you for all kinds of permissions to make setup ‘easier’ for you and ‘improve’ their support. Basically it is so they can farm all your usage information. Tell them NO. A good youtube build and setup video is the one Jayz2cents did. How to build a computer which deals with the physical build. His follow up video on that is What to do AFTER you built your computer - which is a great guide for installing all the software while avoiding all the crap and spyware the defaults will load up your machine with.
As above here are a couple of tools that will help with updates and windows snooping. https://www.techspot.com/downloads/6762-destroy-windows-10-spying.html https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 The last you will need to know a bit about what your doing to use. https://github.com/Sycnex/Windows10Debloater
I got so frustrated with the number of Windows updates a few years back I drove a chisel through the hard disk with a mash hammer and bought an Apple iMac. Never looked back.
I've got everything important on the NAS, synced from the Macbook, mirrored across two drives. Safe until the house catches fire at least.
We got fed up with the crap and bought an iMac as well. It's sterling. Now if the clowns I work for would just make the switch.
I've been using an i-mac for years, beautiful things and so far, he says touching the biggest lump of wood available, 100% reliable.
I took a sledgehammer to my last windoze computater. It was very enjoyable. I don't have one at all now, don't use the software I used to, don't use it fir work, and windoze always ground my gears. Soooo bloody slow. I have a couple of android devices, phone, tablet, a chrome book.... And that's it. Graphics tablets don't work with chrome books unfortunately, but they do everything I want them to apart from that. Damty site faster than windoze. I booted up Mrs BS's laptop the other day... Waited nearly 10 minutes for it to finally open the program I wanted, by which time I'd lost the desire to use it anyway! I might put the hammer through that too....
[grumpyoldbastard] I used to be able to make computers do what *I* wanted them to do. They felt like an empowerment tool. (My first computer was an Apple iicx.) Now the feel like I'm empowering someone else just by booting the thing up. [/grumpyoldbastard]
