Updated 10th September 2016
Not got the anniversary update yet? Don’t worry, you are not alone, like the introduction of Win 10 itself it is being rolled out in stages worldwide, so we may just have to wait—which may also provide the time to patch things which are not working, which is seemingly the function of those rolling auto updates many object to to: How to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (blogs.windows.com).
Updated 15th September 2016
And is it just Windows that has these sort of problems from time to time? One may wonder had Linix as much a lion’s share of the not as restricted as the app store can make it desktop market if suddenly more problem and issues come to light:
Apple’s iOS 10 update freezes some iPhones—including mine (cnet.com).
You know, I recall there was an issue with it “bricking” older iPads and phones not long back too (bgr.com), but I must be mistaken, it’s based on Unix after all.
“ Another iOS update, another round of glitches. Apple on Tuesday released the latest version of its mobile software, iOS 10. The problem is some users—including me—had issues downloading the update. … After going through the download and install process over Wi-Fi, the iPhone showed an error window and indicated you needed to plug it into iTunes on your computer. Connecting it to the computer brought up another error window that said, ‘There is a problem with the iPhone ‘iPhone’ that requires it to be updated or restored.’ The message indicated you might have been able to fix the problem by updating your phone, but if the update didn’t work, you might have had to restore your phone to factory settings, which erases all content and settings.”
Allow you to use that Apple Cloud backup as long as the update coming down again does not put you into a loop I assume.
Updated 17th September 2016
The issues reported are not affecting everybody, suggesting that it is as much a combination of what they are running on their Windows in conjunction with Windows’s update itself, as it has always been so as those who have gone through major Windows updates before can attest; this is the downside of not restricting what can be or not be installed via a vetted store repository, the upside of course being far greater choice, as anyone who has tried to install programs that they can on other Androids on their Kindle restricted to Amazon’s own store will know:
Kindle ebook readers are crashing Windows 10 PCs post-Anniversary Update (extremetech.com).
“So far, the problems seem isolated to the Kindle ebook readers rather than Kindle Fire tablets, and, like many problems, it’s not affecting everyone. Some readers have reported that the issue only hits USB 3.0 ports, while others have issues across the entire system. It’s also been reported that some devices work perfectly if you connect the Kindle while the system is off, then turn it on again. Disconnecting and reconnecting the Kindle post-boot will still cause a crash and booting the system with the ebook reader connected doesn’t solve the problem for everyone, either.”
A process of trial and error for sure, and one that I feel being aware of the difference with powered and non-powered USB ports may enlighten:
“If your Kindle is refusing to play nice with Windows 10, we’d suggest trying a different type of USB port, rebooting with the device already plugged in, or even using a USB port hub (some individuals have reported this resolved the situation).”
Especially if those “USB port hubs” are powered, having a plug you can put into the mains I mean, an issue which effects how well your devices—be they Android or Apple or anything Windows portable—will charge:
The iPad’s [and other devices I stress] USB charging caveat (neowin.net, Apr. 2010).
“… analysis from Apple’s statements indicate that the iPad can only be charged off of USB connections that provide near 1 amp of current. The majority of USB ports on most older Macs and PCs only provide 500 mA and thus can’t be used to charge the device. ”
Perhaps device in question was accessible before from a lower powered USB port but that the update of Windows now makes it not so, whereas a USB port receiving more power (those are usually those on the reverse of your PC connected to the motherboard rather than those on the front or a hub which is also plugged into the mains) will. For sure, I’d hate to be anyone’s tech support at the moment. 😜
Updated 21st September 2016
The promised to be continually updated Getting Started app may help show what the Anniversary edition brings, such as Cortana Reminders, although I’m positive it will give equal opportunity for curmudgeoning:
Updated 22nd September 2016
Indeed, the roll on of problems and issues continues, as indeed does my sense of Win95/98/NT/7/8 déjà vu:
Windows 10 software condemned by Which? (bbc.co.uk).
“Microsoft has been criticised over its Windows 10 software by consumer rights group Which?. The body said it had received hundreds of complaints about the upgrade, including lost files, emails no longer syncing and broken wi-fi and printing. In some cases, it said, users had had to pay for their computer to be repaired. Microsoft defended its software and highlighted that it provided help online and by phone.”
Pffft, which is indeed the sound I’m uttering at the very idea of “help online and by phone” by Microsoft rather than the online trawl for solution sometimes on official Microsoft sites which is what generally all do to resolve if possible, which, I will stress again, is not something that Win 10 has ushered in.
Presently friend and I are trying to pinpoint exactly what and where has left PC upgraded from Win 8 rather unstable for the past month or so and an older machine on our home network upgraded from Win 7 that seems rather crash prone. But something to bear in mind though before heaving all blame on the upgrade is that friends PC is indeed reaching the end of the 3-4 year workhorse PC lifespan and the other on our network has long exceeded it; said friend was an early adopter of but hated Win 8 and could not wait to get away from and, indeed, things had been a lil’ clunky for her under Win 8 already and other said machine on network was downgraded a fair few years back from workhorse machine as it had started to rather ominously unreasonably crash usually while playing World of Warcraft under Win 7. Had we perhaps put more hope than should in Win 10 upgrade being a panacea?
And curiously for some the issue of what Microsoft is ignoring with regards privacy of data is the same lack of respecting they pay liitle heed to Google much more widely reported ad revenue doing:
“In July, the French data authority said Windows 10 gathered an ‘excessive’ amount of personal data about users. By default, the software collects information on how it is used—including installed apps and how much time is spent using them. ‘[Microsoft] is collecting excessive data, as these data are not necessary for the operation of the service,’ said the National Data Protection Commission.”
Indeed, but probably not as much as Mark Zuckerberg gets after logging into F’book lets it sit on your shoulder to see where you go to allow it to tempt you with relevant choice ads for ever on after (Latest Picks 1st Jun. 2016). But some tech sources it seems remember the ol’ upgrade shuffle as it has always been:
“Stuart Miles, founder of gadget news site Pocket-lint, said: ‘With a roll-out of this size, it is always likely there will be issues and problems experienced by some users. On the whole, Windows 10 has been received well, and was a notable step up from the previous Windows 8, which did not go down well with many users.’”
And if you did not choose to go 10 despite constant nagging reminder for whatever resons—for which alongside worries regarding incompatabily software another that un-upgrade rational raised in speaking is worry that it will report or otherwise monitor any dubiously licensed software or features you may be watching—your nagging is at an end and you can sit in peace to await its end of life cycle as many did with XP, and indeed are probably still using:
Microsoft finally removes its scummy Windows 10 nagware from Windows 7 and 8.1 systems (betanews.com).
“While this tool was innocuous enough to start with, it soon turned into something much more akin to malware, becoming harder and harder to kill, and employing all manner of scummy methods in an effort to trick users into installing Windows 10 against their wishes. While it could be argued Microsoft had its users’ best interests at heart—pushing them to upgrade to a modern operating system before it went from free to paid—there’s no question this was one of the company’s most shameful moves, likely ever.”
Updated 27th October 2016
Microsoft is now “more innovative” than Apple (businessinsider.com.au).
Blimey! I can hear the vitriol bubbling over.
“On Wednesday, Microsoft held an event in which it showed off a whole bunch of 3D software baked into Windows 10, a new Surface PC that competes with the iMac and an interesting new device for the Surface line of PCs called the SurfaceDial. … Now add in Microsoft HoloLens, its augmented reality device that costs about $3000 (with other new VR accessories starting at $300), and all the cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) services Microsoft is offering developers, and you’ve got a company that is truly impressing people with a new wave of innovation.
“Contrast this with the company previously known as the monarch of innovation: Apple. Apple is the company that brought us the iPod, the iPhone, the tablet, the first verbal digital assistant, Siri. On Tuesday, after reporting its first decline in revenue since 2001, with shrinking shipments across all products, an analyst asked Tim Cook the unthinkable question: Was the company now just a follower of other’s innovations? (Cook was none too pleased with the question, or the implication.)”
Indeed, even The Woz seemed to agree… back in 2012 (GoogleTube, @ 2:00). And Linux? Yeah, Linus Torvalds’ Unix-like and mostly POSIX-compliant masterpiece is still open-source powering Ubuntu et al. sale of technical support and other services and Chrome OS and Android for Google which, although gives a lot of free service too, makes it pay with ad-revenue and purloined privacy (Wikipedia).
Recent/related stories
- Microsoft’s most loved operating system, Windows 95, is 20-years-old today (Latest Picks 24th August 2015)
- Create a Windows 10 Account picture (Blog, 5th September 2015)