A tale of woe

[W2R]

I'd better stop now before I give Apple users more ammo.

I have been a staunch Microsoft/Windows supporter nearly forever, with a brief love affair with the Apple IIe back in 1989, in the research lab.

However, if this new, very-expensive-to-me Windows 10 laptop computer that I'm getting today, gives me too much trouble? I'm NOT going back to Win7 or Win8.1 since I think they will be the XP of the future before we know it. Instead, I swear I'll get a Macbook Pro.

But, that is a last ditch move for a diehard Windows fan like me. I have never had any trouble with any Windows operating system so far, including the worst ones like 8.0, Me, and Vista. So I have no reason to expect trouble with Windows 10, although the reports online are unnerving.

 

[NW-Bound]

I think if you stay with mainstream hardware and add no aftermarket peripherals, your chance of getting hosed is minimized. That hardware configuration means most laptops, because it is with desktops that people can add all kinds of stuff, particularly machines that people build themselves piecemeal. But that is only my theory.

 

[MichaelB]

Ouch. I have been making two backups on two different external hard drives every weekend. That redundancy gives me a (probably false) sense of being infallibly backed up.

Losing everything on one's hard drive is a devastating experience.

Yes indeed.

From my w*rk days I keep a "critical files' backup on CD storage, updated quarterly and yearly, and an external drive that updates whenever it sees fit.

Files that I care about are on 4 devices or more: laptop or desktop PCs, two Windows servers, a Buffalo NAS, an Iomega NAS, and perhaps another USB drive.

Ridiculous? Yes, it surely is. And I have not kept up the synchronizing between them. Darn! I want to be just a computer user, not running IT for the household. Ridiculous! And people think all this stuff is fun?

Not ridiculous, but it might be a bit more than needed. OTOH, if the data is worth it, wither in financial or peraonal value, not at all excessive.

Here are two links to ARS Technica articles on Windows 10.
This is about privacy concerns Even when told not to, Windows 10 just can’t stop talking to Microsoft | Ars Technica

and this says Windows 10 will be free to all Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for all users worldwide [Updated] | Ars Technica

 

[rbmrtn]

and this says Windows 10 will be free to all Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for all users worldwide [Updated] | Ars Technica

I believe this is outdated ( from March ). There have been several iterations from M$ on upgrade qualifications. Non genuine and the Tech preview version don't qualify. Here's a more recent reference ( and it's Myerson again)

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-reiterates-no-windows-10-free-upgrade-for-non-genuine-users/

 

[imoldernu]

Thank to all for your guidance. Appreciate the specifics on recovery... As soon as I've found and saved the stuff I can still recover, I'll take a stab at fixing the 2T drive (maybe to recover many movies and TV series saved there.)
I tried several different ways of assigning a drive letter, including the suggestions here, but sill no answer. Can't understand it. The name (Seagate Expansion) shows up, but no way to assign a descriptor letter. The disk was formatted and the UBCD startup files show on my Sony Media Player, but nowhere else, and using this as my USB boot drive doesn't work.
Gonna be a slow process, but gives me something to do. In the meantime, am reliving some of the past... with the old Windows Systems... gonna try Win 3.11 .


At this point,i'm really happy it's not a $1500 Apple... I can afford to lose my refurbs, so it's not a matter of $$$. In the meantime, turning this into an AZ experiment.

 

[rbmrtn]

I tried several different ways of assigning a drive letter, including the suggestions here, but sill no answer. Can't understand it. The name (Seagate Expansion) shows up, but no way to assign a descriptor letter. The disk was formatted and the UBCD startup files show on my Sony Media Player, but nowhere else, and using this as my USB boot drive doesn't work.
Gonna be a slow process, but gives me something to do. In the meantime, am reliving some of the past... with the old Windows Systems... gonna try Win 3.11 .

You have to use the computer management console under administrative tools to assign drive letters. Here's a more detailed link, Change, add, or remove a drive letter - Windows Help

UBCD that I am familiar with is an ISO file, you burn it to cd and then boot from the CD... not sure what you are referring to "UBCD startup files ". You can put it on usb but you need a tool to create a bootable flash drive.

I got lots of vintage computers, DOS 6.22/Win3.11, OS2, WIN98

 

[target2019]

Thank to all for your guidance. Appreciate the specifics on recovery... As soon as I've found and saved the stuff I can still recover, I'll take a stab at fixing the 2T drive (maybe to recover many movies and TV series saved there.)
I tried several different ways of assigning a drive letter, including the suggestions here, but sill no answer. Can't understand it. The name (Seagate Expansion) shows up, but no way to assign a descriptor letter. The disk was formatted and the UBCD startup files show on my Sony Media Player, but nowhere else, and using this as my USB boot drive doesn't work.
Gonna be a slow process, but gives me something to do. In the meantime, am reliving some of the past... with the old Windows Systems... gonna try Win 3.11 .


At this point,i'm really happy it's not a $1500 Apple... I can afford to lose my refurbs, so it's not a matter of $$$. In the meantime, turning this into an AZ experiment.

With the external drive, what is happening is that Windows has saved information in the registry for USB drives you mounted, driver info, preferred drive letter, etc. I suspect if you clear all of this information, reboot, the USB drive will get a drive letter. I'm not going to tell you how to do that, though. Just explaining what I think may be going on.

 

[Bikerdude]

Found this. Maybe it will help avoid problems going back.

How to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to Windows 7 or 8 | PCWorld

"Keep in mind that downgrading to your older OS requires that you still have your Windows.old folder at C:\Windows.old. If you typically delete that after upgrading, or you’ve done a post-upgrade clean install of Windows 10, you’re out of luck."

 

[ejman]

With the external drive, what is happening is that Windows has saved information in the registry for USB drives you mounted, driver info, preferred drive letter, etc. I suspect if you clear all of this information, reboot, the USB drive will get a drive letter. I'm not going to tell you how to do that, though. Just explaining what I think may be going on.

No guidance to offer but it sounds to me that you are taking this as an entertainment challenge and just as the move to Linux has been fun/challenging to me this sort of thing keeps the juices flowing. I think a lot of us like a challenge ( as long as we can find a way out of the maze!!!)

 

[ejman]

Ups, wrong quote. I meant that as a response to Imoldernu...

 

[imoldernu]

You have to use the computer management console under administrative tools to assign drive letters. Here's a more detailed link, Change, add, or remove a drive letter - Windows Help

UBCD that I am familiar with is an ISO file, you burn it to cd and then boot from the CD... not sure what you are referring to "UBCD startup files ". You can put it on usb but you need a tool to create a bootable flash drive.

I got lots of vintage computers, DOS 6.22/Win3.11, OS2, WIN98

Thanks... I did the compmgmnt.msc thing, and now I can see the drive. Since I had accidentally formatted the 2T drive, I lost all the files, but my son has a complete backup so no loss except time.

So I did load the current UBCD (DVD from the ISOa0. It loads ubuntu files, and PartMagic,

Did this on both bricked computers, so have the linux tools. Using the file manager, on one of the computers I can see all of the windows files, but don't know what to do with them.

On the other computer, the file manager doesn't see anything but the hard drive... no files.

I also have an old Acer laptop on which I have a dual boot... Windows XP and Kubuntu.

Am afraid I don't have the patience to learn linux in fact not that much time left for anything....

....................................................

What really puzzles me, is that Microsoft doesn't offer any help that I can see... the Page that came up when I lost everything said that "C:file/BCD cannot be found. Contact your administrator, or the manufacturer of your computer. "

In looking for help on Google, there are literally dozens of the better known websites... CNet, Lifehacker etc, that offer forums for the different install errors. The first post asks the question, and the answers flow fast and furiously but for all of that, almost no satisfactory answers. Nowhere did I find a program that promised a "fix".

All in all, I'm only out a few hundred dollars and my time which is exceedingly cheap. I can't believe I'm the only one to lose a computer to Windows 10, and I'm guessing that most people who have the problem, have a lot more invested.

I expect that at some future date, faced with crowd sourced complaints, that Microsoft will offer some kind of free file for installation on those computers that have an original 25 digit register code. Personally I'd prefer a few thousand dollars for "pain and suffering".

I am not into hacker tactics, but after this, I might be tempted to consider some retribution. Looking back, I made a mistake by not backing up my system, but looking back a little further... wonder why all computers don't come with a backup disk? How much did the manufacturers or Microsoft save by eliminating this safety factor? Planned obsolescence?

Anyway... up and running with Winows 7 on one computer, and Windows XP on three others. After i get bored with playing, I'll go back to Walmart on-line for another Windows 7 refurb computer for under $150... The last one was 4gig of RAM and a 1T drive for $109. maybe it's still available.

 

[aja8888]

Anyway... up and running with Winows 7 on one computer, and Windows XP on three others. After i get bored with playing, I'll go back to Walmart on-line for another Windows 7 refurb computer for under $150... The last one was 4gig of RAM and a 1T drive for $109. maybe it's still available.

Here's a nice deal with free shipping and Win 7 Pro:



HP Off-Lease, Refurbished Black 8000 Desktop PC with Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB Memory, 1TB Hard Drive and Windows 7 Professional (Monitor Not Included) - Walmart.com

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, these used machines are a good deal. Just Win 7 Professional 64-bit alone is $140 at Fry's store near me.

 

[aja8888]

Wow, these used machines are a good deal. Just Win 7 Professional 64-bit alone is $140 at Fry's store near me.

Yep! Goes to show you where all the off lease office machines go!

 

[rbmrtn]

What really puzzles me, is that Microsoft doesn't offer any help that I can see... the Page that came up when I lost everything said that "C:file/BCD cannot be found. Contact your administrator, or the manufacturer of your computer. "


wonder why all computers don't come with a backup disk? How much did the manufacturers or Microsoft save by eliminating this safety factor? Planned obsolescence?

The BCD error is Boot Configuration Data, it's been wiped or corrupted. It can be repaired but you have to get into a recovery console to run commands, here's is good write up rather than me reposting all of it, How To Rebuild the BCD in Windows [10 to 20 Minutes]

The OEMs stopped providing installation media some time ago. Save a few cents on each PC and it adds up. And most people now just throw the PC away and get a new these days. However most come with an option to make an installation media set but some only provide a recovery partition on the HD with the PC.

When you get a refurbed one, they typically don't have any recover options. I get my refurbs off of ebay and they usually don't even come with the OS, I just install it myself.

 

[imoldernu]

The BCD error is Boot Configuration Data, it's been wiped or corrupted. It can be repaired but you have to get into a recovery console to run commands, here's is good write up rather than me reposting all of it, How To Rebuild the BCD in Windows [10 to 20 Minutes]

Thanks... I'll try that on the one computer that stiil has that data.

This certainly has been an interesting experience.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Thanks...snip..............



....................................................

What really puzzles me, is that Microsoft doesn't offer any help that I can see... the Page that came up when I lost everything said that "C:file/BCD cannot be found. Contact your administrator, or the manufacturer of your computer. "

In looking for help on Google, there are literally dozens of the better known websites... CNet, Lifehacker etc, that offer forums for the different install errors. The first post asks the question, and the answers flow fast and furiously but for all of that, almost no satisfactory answers. Nowhere did I find a program that promised a "fix".



I expect that at some future date, faced with crowd sourced complaints, that Microsoft will offer some kind of free file for installation on those computers that have an original 25 digit register code. Personally I'd prefer a few thousand dollars for "pain and suffering".
How much did the manufacturers or Microsoft save by eliminating this safety factor? Planned obsolescence?

Anyway... up and running with Winows 7 on one computer, and Windows XP on three others. After i get bored with playing, I'll go back to Walmart on-line for another Windows 7 refurb computer for under $150... The last one was 4gig of RAM and a 1T drive for $109. maybe it's still available.

When MS sells the os bare to the oem at rock bottom prices, they have absolutely no intention of providing any customer support, other than updates. Exactly the reason when you purchase a retail version OS from microsoft it is so $$$ , you are then an actual customer and at least get limited support from MS.

PS , AJA , thanks for the link, just ordered a $132 refurb. from walymart.

The machine running XP has now been demoted to offline accounting work.