Windows 10 "myths"

[stevem5000]

Ok...I'll stick in my 2 cents worth...
I am a computer tech that does a lot of computer support for musicians...Rebuilt computers...virus and crapware of all kinds etc...
When I rebuild a PC I use Samsung 850 EVO...there are a few better choices out there for speed....but this SSD is a very good compromise for speed vs cost vs reliability....
I have built maybe 200 computers in the past 4 years or so with this Samsung and NO failures......so far.....

Windows 10....when it first came out was a bag full of SH*$...especially M$oft "forcing" the upgrade when W10 came out...

Now I consider 10 to be a good OS....BUT to get it running good....you gotta get out all the crap "spyware" that Msoft puts in the OS...
Generally speaking...I go thru Services > Apps and if it can be uninstalled....I uninstall it UNLESS it is specific Microsoft stuff that HAS to be there...Visual C++ for example...
Do some Google searching for Make W10 effecient....or similar searchies...here's one... 18 Tips & Tricks To Speed Up Windows 10 And Make It Faster ....
Get rid of Cortana...use a local account not a Microsoft account...

Install the OS and your progs on a SSD....say a 256 Gb...you will have plenty of room....then re-direct all your libraries to put documents...downloads etc on the SATA drive...
Set your SATA drive as your D:\drive...CD drive up as E:\...this puts the order in a little better perspective....8 GB of RAM is all most of us will need...but get good RAM...not the first
cheap RAM sticks you find...

There are other things you can do...but this is a start....

In my shop I have running 6 W10 boxes...ALL with SSD's...they are pretty quick and smooth...

 

[DM60]

Ok...I'll stick in my 2 cents worth...
I am a computer tech that does a lot of computer support for musicians...Rebuilt computers...virus and crapware of all kinds etc...
When I rebuild a PC I use Samsung 850 EVO...there are a few better choices out there for speed....but this SSD is a very good compromise for speed vs cost vs reliability....
I have built maybe 200 computers in the past 4 years or so with this Samsung and NO failures......so far.....

Windows 10....when it first came out was a bag full of SH*$...especially M$oft "forcing" the upgrade when W10 came out...

Now I consider 10 to be a good OS....BUT to get it running good....you gotta get out all the crap "spyware" that Msoft puts in the OS...
Generally speaking...I go thru Services > Apps and if it can be uninstalled....I uninstall it UNLESS it is specific Microsoft stuff that HAS to be there...Visual C++ for example...
Do some Google searching for Make W10 effecient....or similar searchies...here's one... 18 Tips & Tricks To Speed Up Windows 10 And Make It Faster ....
Get rid of Cortana...use a local account not a Microsoft account...

Install the OS and your progs on a SSD....say a 256 Gb...you will have plenty of room....then re-direct all your libraries to put documents...downloads etc on the SATA drive...
Set your SATA drive as your D:\drive...CD drive up as E:\...this puts the order in a little better perspective....8 GB of RAM is all most of us will need...but get good RAM...not the first
cheap RAM sticks you find...

There are other things you can do...but this is a start....

In my shop I have running 6 W10 boxes...ALL with SSD's...they are pretty quick and smooth...

This is pretty solid advice.

 

[spantini]

I've got the cover off. Where does the ram go?

 

[radi0j0hn]

Hello Mr. Edison....

I really don't get it - disk speed hasn't;t been an issue for years - HD video, huge samplers for audio - throughput hasn't caused me any glitches with drives for quite a while. My edit machine has windows on the SSD, and the difference between this and the audio computer is not huge -


Spinning media to record and play back has been around since Edison made cylinders and, later flat discs. It's simply time we move on and reduce all the moving parts.

 

[Nola]

Grueling endurance test blows away SSD durability fears | PCWorld

That^ is the same information I have gained from all the sources I trust, an SSD is going to last way beyond any reasonable usage, even audio and video and is more reliable than a spinner. Plus, that was written in 2014, things are even better now.

Dave.

TR recently reported that after a year of testing the durability of six SSDs, four died after reaching between 728 terabytes and 1.2 petabytes of data writes, all of which is far beyond the specified life span for the drives.

But where do they compare it to how many writes a standard drive gets? They're only comparing it with what SSDs are rated for. So that's a bad test. What users need to know is whether SSDs can compete with standard drives for longevity. From everything I've heard and read, they can't at this point.

 

[Nola]

Now I consider 10 to be a good OS....BUT to get it running good....you gotta get out all the crap "spyware" that Msoft puts in the OS...

Yeah. That's good practice for any OS (other than Linux/Unix based). The "bloatware" has to go. A format with a clean install is best. I always disable the unnecessary services, too.

 

[ecc83]

But where do they compare it to how many writes a standard drive gets? They're only comparing it with what SSDs are rated for. So that's a bad test. What users need to know is whether SSDs can compete with standard drives for longevity. From everything I've heard and read, they can't at this point.

AFAICS it is an accelerated life test, run the ***t off something till something breaks. I know next to FA about computers but did it to guitar amps.

The report says ....."all of which is far beyond the SPECIFIED life span for the drives." If something lasts far longer than the maker says it should, what's not to like?
We most of us have had spinners fail (one of mine was dropped 1/2 mtr. SSD would not mind that) so where is the evidence from users so far for the frailty of SSDs from HR members?

Dave.

 

[Nola]

The report says ....."all of which is far beyond the SPECIFIED life span for the drives." If something lasts far longer than the maker says it should, what's not to like?

I don't think anyone is questioning that, though, just weather they last as long as standard hard drives. You have to compare a new drive to the old technology it's replacing to say it's better. You can't compare it against how long a manufacturer says it should last and declare success if it's longer then they say. It has to last longer than the old technology to declare success, IMO.

 

[ecc83]

I don't think anyone is questioning that, though, just weather they last as long as standard hard drives. You have to compare a new drive to the old technology it's replacing to say it's better. You can't compare it against how long a manufacturer says it should last and declare success if it's longer then they say. It has to last longer than the old technology to declare success, IMO.

I covered that*. Where are the hordes of disgruntled HR users (and at least 2 other audio forums I infest) shouting what a crock of it SS drives are?

HAVE you ever had a spinner die on you? I have had two and one was weirdly indeterminate. I replaced it because it was said to be faulty but in another PC it worked fine!

I have but one SSD a Samsung 240G drive in a tower in my living room. Transplanting W7, Samplitude etc was fairly easy even for a PC numpty like me. That was 2 years ago and I have had zero bother.

I will say, the new drive DOES get to login screen PDQ and hence to a stable desktop but, hand on heart, day to day internet and other work does not seem any quicker. The drive IS however cool, silent and, from ALL the information I can glean, will last me out even if I get another 20yrs (92).

*I would also assume a mechanical drive could not get close to the write/read speeds done in the tests?

Dave.

 

[Nola]

Actually, I have never had an HDD die on me, and I've been involved with PCs since 1985.
I do know they die based on stories from others, and recovery is relatively simple.

When SSD is faster and lasts longer then HDD, then is the time to switch, but I don't think sacrificing speed for reliability makes sense. If you do, use an SSD. We live in free Countries, man! I want SSD to succeed. It's better technology, in theory.

 

[violent grey]

idk, i just switched from win 7 to win 10 and my computer sucks now...

 

[JimmyS1969]

idk, i just switched from win 7 to win 10 and my computer sucks now...

Refer to post 41. I have friends that have successfully gotten W10 to behave after having initial issues. I'm still not switching til I absolutely have to...

 

[ecc83]

Actually, I have never had an HDD die on me, and I've been involved with PCs since 1985.
I do know they die based on stories from others, and recovery is relatively simple.

When SSD is faster and lasts longer then HDD, then is the time to switch, but I don't think sacrificing speed for reliability makes sense. If you do, use an SSD. We live in free Countries, man! I want SSD to succeed. It's better technology, in theory.

As I say, I am not in any sense a PC guru. I can only go by my experience and from my reading. You have been exceptionally lucky IMHO to have gone over 30 years and not personally had a HDD failure.

In about 1/2 that time I have had maybe 5 desktops and 3 laptops through my hands. One of the DTs was a spanking new HP 3.2G with 1G ram on XP, pretty good in the day. When I had it setup HP recommend running their diagnostic and everything was fine except the HDD reported a fault. The machine seemed to work fine, it just failed this particular test.

HP were sufficiently interested that they sent me a new drive and a set of recovery discs. With HUGE trepidation I swapped out the drive and ran the discs..PhEEuw! All was fine, I had never done that before.
Snag was, again, all worked fine but the HDD diagnostic still failed! HP said "don't worry then, just send the original drive back. You can keep the discs". Great relief that they did not want me to sap them back!

Years later I built a PC but used a drive from another machine, after a time the drive started to "click" for a minute or so on boot up. All the advice I could find said it was dying. Bought a new drive (Maplin) did the bizz, all cool. Odd thing was I put the dodgy drive in another build (my L room PC) as a backup, never a problem! Still there today.

Last story, son's "studio" backup USB drive fell off the desk to a carpeted wood floor, all it would subsequently do was click and the PC could not find it. Had read about the freezing trick. Wives tale? No, it worked, we got a 20 min "window" when he managed to pull most of his music off.

Moral? IMEx spinners fail and I would say WHEN they do, recovery is FAR from simple and in many cases not possible.

Dave.

 

[ecc83]

Refer to post 41. I have friends that have successfully gotten W10 to behave after having initial issues. I'm still not switching til I absolutely have to...

Me neither but, maybe you could follow my idea? I have put W10 on a clunker I had around and learned a bit about it (mainly that I hate it!). As you say Jimmy "one day you will have to jump" but having a W10 PC around you could have a play, do the updates and then the big switcharoo might not be so painful?

Mind you, I have not touched my W10 "test bed" in weeks but then atmo I do not have a place to have it permanently setup. Working on that but "things" intrude, mainly health issues but today got to get the 'king jam jar mot'ed.

Dave.

 

[spantini]

I'd like to contribute 3 myths...

"Bigger; Better; Faster"