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Question

W7/10??

Aug 15, 2017 4:29AM PDT

Hello Everyone,

Using Lenovo G585 laptop, Firefox 54.0.1. (32 Bit), + Google search.

Last year I installed W10 just at the end of the "free" installation period.

I have encountered a multitude of "problems" with this, not least is the continuous closing down of the programme that I am using to "install updates." something that even my ordering the installing of updates at my decision has no control over.

Amongst my apps on the laptop I have Toolwiz Care. Following a recent check I had the following report - attached - There is no mention of W10.

On checking on the internet, I discovered that W10 is not compatible with my Lenovo G585!! How then, did it become installed?

I then went to the 'computer' and ordered a disc check and a defrag check. The attached document shows the screen shot of the report of this- there is no mention of W10 here either!

Without referring to the many "problems" that I have encountered since installing W10, and if my laptop is really incompatible with W10, I am wondering if I should delete this W10 - if I can find it anywhere - and revert to W7.

As W7 will eventually be unsupported, would I be advised to change to Linux - about which I have read many glowing reports - but in reality there must be problems with that OS also!

The point about it that interests me is that it is supposedly regularly updated, almost free from malware and uses most of the apps that I use with my Windows programmes and has equivalent ones that may be used in the place of those that are incxompatible with Linux. Therefore, I could design a document in Linux which could be opened and read in a Windows OS.

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

I do not seem able to attach a document, so I may only copy and paste the written report of my Toolwiz care:-

C:\
Checking hard disk now...
There is no error found while checking I/O performance in:C:\
Checking File System...
C:\ Volume Label: Windows7_OS, File System: NTFS
Volume label is Windows7_OS.
Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
500224 file records processed.
File verification completed.
24115 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
Index entry CVRCF33.tmp.cvr in index $I30 of file 366207 is incorrect.
Index entry CVRCF3~1.CVR in index $I30 of file 366207 is incorrect.
608064 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
Errors found. CHKDSK cannot continue in read-only mode.
Check Disk Error: Unable to Finish
Scanning Completed


Regards,

Colin

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Install both W7 and Linux in dual boot
Aug 15, 2017 12:17PM PDT

Does your computer have UEFI BIOS and GPT partitioned disk? If so, then dual install some 64 bit Linux distro.

Or is it a 32 bit W7 version? If so, then install a 32 bit version of a Linux distro.

See osdisc.com site for good information and also distrowatch.com for a popularity listing of linux distros. I personally use Linux Mint 17.3

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Answer
Here's a thing.
Aug 15, 2017 9:16AM PDT

Almost all PCs are unsupported in some way. Your post shows some chkdsk errors and if this was mine I'd correct that now.

I'd use CHKDSK /F /R /X as noted at https://neosmart.net/wiki/chkdsk/

This will take hours so schedule it after your backups are complete.

A shorter repair would be CHKDSK /F on the drive letter but it may be time to use all the letters I noted.

-> You bring up a good point. Should Windows advance to the point where users don't have to know or deal with CHDKSK any longer?

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Nothing but good things at the office on W10.
Aug 15, 2017 10:08AM PDT

It's been the least problematic Windows at the office to date. Yes, we did turn off the share updates on all and run the CHKDSK /F /R /X on a few machines but here across dozens and more across the other offices, we won't go back to 7 or 8.

Now a few write about waiting for drivers. W10 has been out long enough that mainstream and more devices have had drivers for some time now. Only those with what you would call dated or legacy items (museum quality?) may yelp.

Post was last edited on August 15, 2017 10:10 AM PDT

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Answer
Wait to upgrade...
Aug 15, 2017 10:06AM PDT
Well the simple solution...
It would seem that the simple solution should be to uninstall Windows 10 and use Windows 8? Or perhaps 7 if that suits you. I have heard nothing but bad news about Windows 10. Reminds me of Windows Vista and what a trainwreck that turned out to be. I used to get every new version of Windows as soon as they came out then a good friend of mine, who is probably the best programmer I know and certainly is the best multimedia guy i know and that is saying a lot, considering I work for Adobe. Anyhow, my buddy, Michael Pereira, said he never updates until the following version comes out. Meaning, he would install 7 when 8 came out if he heard good things about 7. I asked him why he did this and he said that when a new version of windows comes out, you have to wait on the drivers to come out for all the little peripheral devices and odd software that wasn't considered during the initial programming phase of Windows. This way all the bugs are worked out and drivers are there and you get a much smoother transition without worrying about bugs and incompatibility issues that early adopters have to deal with. I started following his lead on when to install Windows and I will never go back to installing when released. If you work in corporate America you will see that they wait two or three versions before upgrading? Why, well cost is certainly a part of it, but also for the same reasons we mentioned here. They have to check and be sure that all of their mission critical peripherals work with the new OS. So, take your lead from corporate America, one of the best Developers I know and me. Wait to upgrade and save yourself the headache!
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Answer
You are correct, kind of.
Aug 15, 2017 10:52AM PDT

It's not incompatible with your machine, it's just not supported by lenovo.

That means lenovo won't supply any updates or fixes.

If you go back to w7 you have a little over 2 years of support left from msft.

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W7/10??
Aug 16, 2017 2:37AM PDT

Thank you to everyone who has replied.
Excuse me if I don’t reply to each individually, but make it one (long) reply!
With regard to James Denison, I have no idea if it is a partitioned disc as you ask, I know that there is a “C” and a “D.”
“C” shows “Windows 7 OS_(CHappy 334GB free of 420GB. and “D” shows “Lenovo ( DHappy 23.2GB free of 25.4GB.
Although I installed W10 last year, I cannot find it or any reference to where it is installed! Checked in Programme Files, and Programme Files (x86) and under Microsoft. – Coincidentally, I cannot find W7 either!

It seems that I have a 32 bit and would download the 32 bit option. But if as my laptop shows, I have W7, could I just install Linux, if I decide to go ahead with that idea?
The CHKDSK /F /R /X suggestion by Rob is good, but I shall wait until this issue has been dealt with before doing that “long” job! You ask “Should Windows advance to the point where users don't have to know or deal with CHDKSK any longer?” – Probably not as there would be bound to be something that some user would not wish to be deleted!

The remarks of Adobe Evangelist are very interesting. I must admit, the problems that I had with 7 were easily and rapidly sorted out in the past times when I came here for help, as Rob will probably remember! My reason for upgrading was part financial and part due to my thinking that W7 would soon be unsupported and have no updates. Obviously not a very good idea if all you say is true. I might easily be persuaded to revamp my W7 if I can find a way to do it and get rid of W10! Even though Rob gives it such a glowing report! But, as Rob says, I would have another 2 years of support and I really think that I would like to go back and re-instate my W7.

So, when this thread has been closed, I shall likely return to seek detailed guidance on how to uninstall W10 and reinstall W7. At a later date if unsatisfied I may well take James Dennison's advice and have a dual boot of W7 and Linux if my Lenovo will allow me!

Once again my grateful thanks for all your replies and, I believe, that the combination of these have assisted me greatly to make up my mind on my future course.

Regards to you all,

Colin

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Re: W7/W10
Aug 16, 2017 3:18AM PDT

Can you tell more about the program you use to install updates? And can you tell us what's in the log of recent updates? That's this way:
- Go to the Windows 10 settings app (via the gear wheel or by typing settings in the search box
- Go to Update and Security
- If necessary, click Windows Update in the left column
- Click the "Update history" link

To go back to Windows 7 you need the Windows 7 recovery discs that came with the Lenovo or you made yourself or bought or buy from Lenovo. Unless, but that's a big 'unless', the recovery method detailed in the user manual (booting from a recovery partition) still works. You only know until you try. This will bring back the laptop to the factory state, so exactly as it was when you bought it. Everything else is up to you to reinstall or restore. It can be quite a big operation.

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W7/W10
Aug 16, 2017 3:51AM PDT

Hello Rob,

Thank you for your rapid response.

The computer automatically installs the updates, even though I have it supposedly set to inform me first and let me decide whether to install them or not. It seems to have a mind of its own!

OH! WOW! My laptop spent an hour or so two nights ago – as it does on various occasions and also cuts me off to install updates when I am actually using the laptop - installing updates. Following your advice I get this response:- “Update History – No updates have been installed”!!!

I have never checked this before, as I don’t know what should be there or not. So not having any record of updates, what in the heck was my computer doing when it was spending so much time before closing down and opening up in sorting the programmes out, and instructing me not to close the computer down’?

I bought my laptop with W7 already installed and I have no discs or anything with which I can “reinstall” anything!

Unfortunately, my ‘friendly’ technician is in the south and I shall not be there for a few weeks, I shall go to see him when I get back and get him to remove W10 and check if my W7 is actually “present” in my laptop and if it can be “woken up” to function.

At that time, I shall ask if the programmes that I have installed can be “moved” over to W7.


Regards,
Colin

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Re: updates
Aug 16, 2017 4:40AM PDT

That "No updates have been installed" can actually be correct. Once in a while (twice a year) Microsoft offers a BIG update (the last one is called Creators Update, the next one will be called Fall Creators Update). It's so big it erases all update history, and starts all over with "No updates installed". Talk about confusing ....

And that "inform and decide" is no more in Windows 10. Microsoft doesn't want you to say "no", so they totally removed it. Updates are forced now, if you like it or not.

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updates
Aug 16, 2017 8:14AM PDT

Hello again, Kees,
Nice to "see" you rushing to my aid once again!
Your reply answers a lot of questions!
The last time - about 3 days ago - I got "shut down" whilst it updated itself, it was busy for over 1.5 hours! I was seriously thinking of manually shutting the power off, but waited and it finally started up. Maybe this was the big "Creator's Update that you mentioned!
I have raised this point before and I do so again - I do not like the "You must tell us this or let us do this with your 'private' details, or you can't have an account with us" attitude of both Microsoft and Google. However, I do not get to have a choice.

Thanks again, I'll come back if I get this W7 change sorted out - or not - after I return to the south next month! (Where my desktop computer is running on "Beautiful W7"!!!)

Regards,

Colin.

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Re: account
Aug 17, 2017 4:37AM PDT

That's not true for Windows 10. You can install and use Windows 10 without having a Microsoft account. Then you login with just "Colin" as a user name, like you did in Windows 7, and that's it. There's nothing at all you need to tell Microsoft.
There might be some (paid) apps you can't download from the store, but that's all. And there are so many other programs you can download and install that not having some apps is not really a nuisance for quite a lot of people.

Using a phone without other apps than came with it (yes, I'm talking Android and Google now) is a lot less attractive. Practically everybody here uses Whatsapp, for example.

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W7/W10??/Re: account
Aug 18, 2017 1:08AM PDT

Thank you for that, Kees,
I also use WhatsApp as much as possible, but my contemporaries, who are also well past their sell-by date, do not yet aspire to smartphones! (Mine, which was a gift, is of a very poor standard of storage and will not accept further apps, so I cannot obtain all those that I would like!)

Regards,

Colin.

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Answer
Linux is nice, but...
Aug 19, 2017 8:54AM PDT

I love Linux. My native tongue is Unix, which I have used from the beginning (and before, with its forerunner Multics), so using Linux is second-nature to me. My current Linux box runs Debian.

Linux is very different from Windows, however, and there are many complications for things that are so automatic with Windows that many users aren't even aware of them, like device drivers and whatnot. There will be a steep learning curve if you are unfamiliar with Linux.

Indeed, Windows 10 is compatible with your computer, but the problem with your Lenovo G585 laptop may be that you have not installed your device drivers properly or updated your ROM BiOS. Indeed, for older computers, this can get a bit dicey, as the drivers sometimes have to be installed in "compatibility mode" or even obtained from third parties.

All things being otherwise equal, Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 in nearly every way a computer operating system can be, and is MUCH easier to use than Linux. Furthermore, there is something to be said for using what everyone else uses -- compatibility is nice! But my first suggestion to you would be to get a new, more capable laptop -- even doing basic tasks like web browsing and email reading can bog down on an older, largely obsolete machine.

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W7/W10 . "Linux is nice..."
Aug 20, 2017 2:27AM PDT

Hello Flatworm,

Many thanks for your post.

If you read my reply to Zouch's post, I said that I might not take the Linux option. However, from your words it might be that my initial “fright” was a result of ignorance and might not have been properly thought out!

Many people have said words similar to those that you used and if I were to go down the “Linux Road” I would certainly require some expert guidance.

In the reply by James Dennison, (August 15th) he suggested a Dual Boot of Linux and Windows. This might be my best option in that whilst learning how to use Linux I would still have the recourse to carry out my present use of Windows that is of paramount importance as I have an administrative position in my club and need to contact members on a regular basis with one of my email accounts and my main email address which I use for everything else.

Regards

Colin.

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Re: Linux
Aug 20, 2017 5:18AM PDT

Linux comes with an e-mail program indeed, and if you now use that same program (I think it's Mozilla's Thunderbird) in Windows it's not too difficult to transfer your mails and settings and contacts and continue as you did. But if you use another e-mail program now, it's much more work.

And, of course, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) don't run in Linux, so if you use those, you'll have to learn to use LibreOffice. And iTunes doesn't run in Linux, so you can't use that to manage and backup your iPhone. And lots of other programs don't run either. Even your printer and scanner might not be fully supported.
Better check all that before even considering a switch.

Installing Linux on an existing hard disk - if it's fully used by the current partitions - is impossible. So for a dual boot situation you must either change the partition scheme on your hard disk, or install Linux on a second hard disk.

I can't advise anybody except a computer hobbyist to do it. And such a person doesn't need my advice.

Post was last edited on August 20, 2017 6:08 AM PDT

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Answer
Some suggestions to confirm what is in this machine
Aug 19, 2017 9:20AM PDT

Hi Colin,
reading your post, it isn't entirely clear to me what exactly you have on this machine and your description of where you are looking to find out isn't clear. If you upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10, then you will certainly recognise that the home screen has changed with tiles and a different start menu. If it still looks like Windows 7, then it probably is. I'd also be surprised if you only have Firefox and Google search installed over and above what came with the machine.

Your machine is certainly capable of running Windows 10 but it is no longer marketed by Lenovo, which means they won't be supplying any updates for it. The Windows 10 update should have provided the drivers necessary or flagged the missing drivers in Device manager (look for the yellow triangles with an exclamation point but I've found it normally does a reasonable job of finding a generic driver, if a specific one is not available.

I think you should definitely fix the file system errors using all the CHKDSK options that R. Proffitt mentions - yes, it will take a long time but hopefully, you will only have to do it once (It will not do it directly when you request it, it will run at your next boot.

Next, my personal preference would be to download Belarc Advisor (Google it) and install it and let it scan your computer. What you will get is a very detailed list of everything installed on your PC with version numbers and product keys, where appropriate. This will confirm what release of Windows and each product you are using and what patches, if any, are missing.

If you have a Home edition of Windows10, then basically, you don't get a choice on updates from Microsoft, they will push them to you automatically. You get to choose when it restarts your machine to complete installation, though your Active Hours specification. Some of these updates are, as you have discovered, huge! But what it does mean, is that mostly, your machine will be kept up to date and should be more reliable as a result. Nobody is perfect, including Microsoft, and there will be afew glitches but what I've seen from "Family Support" that it can be more reliable than individually picking the updates.

Assuming you are actually running Windows 10 from the free update programme, then your machine will have a digital entitlement registered with Microsoft and if you can't get the machine stable, you could re-install it from a DVD ISO that you can download from Microsoft. That Belarc listing will be useful if you go down this route because you will know what you need to re-install beyond the OS and what the product keys are. Not that this is a lengthy exercise and perhaps in the "last resort" class.

As far as Linux is concerned, James is a bit of an evangelist, nothing all all wrong with that but be aware there is a learning curve, which, depending on your experience, can be a tad steep. Generally, Windows programs do not run under Linux, unless you use an emulatoer of some sort, such as Crossover Office or wine. But many , such as Firefox and Thunderbird do have Linux versions, which run exactly the same as on Windows but you do need to install the Linux versions. For other programs, such as Microsoft Office, it is possible to run them on Linux under wine, there are alternatives - most Linux distros include LibreOffice, which has equivalent programs to MS Office and the files are compatible both ways. But the commands are not identical.

Linux isn't targetted by malware as much as Windows, basically because its penetration is too low to make it worthwhile. It is inherently more secure, since it was designed for a multi-user online environment, rather than a single user offline desktop. Ald pretty much all Linux distros incluse a firewall and antivirus programs, all for free.

Linux updates are mostly done in the background, even updates to the kernel and don't need a reboot . I run a Linux machine as my daily workhorse, running OpenSuSE Leap (64 bit only) and when I installed it, it found device drivers for everything except my scanner.

So some suggestions on how you might proceed from here, at least to establish exactly what you are running. Good luck!

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W7/W10 - "Some suggestions..."
Aug 20, 2017 2:07AM PDT

Hello Zouch,
Thanks – lots of detail!
Firstly, Yes, I noticed the difference, I am now looking out of a cave at the sea and rocks and the start menu changed dramatically.
I have IE, Chrome and Firefox. I chose Google search engine as that had been on my W7. I think that either Rob or Kees mentioned that my Lenovo could run W10, but doesn’t support it. You say that Lenovo will not supply updates, but as far as I understand, in my ignorance, W10 updates itself so that can’t be a problem, can it?!
When this thread has ended – unless it is advised to do so before – I will carry out all the CHKDSK operations that Rob suggested.
Your mention of Belarc Advisor reminded me that I had been advised to run this some years ago and on looking, I find it is still in my laptop! So I have opened it, updated it and it has done a check of my laptop. The results are, to me, amazing! It seems that my W7 has now been replaced by W8, even though W7 still shows when I go to “My Computer”! There is no mention of W10, which is visible on my screen and in its controls.
I don’t know if this is correct thing to do, but I shall copy and paste some of the main results here:-
Note – I have not copied the part about “Users,” being the only one and, supposedly, the administrator even though there is a red “x” against it indicating a ‘disused account’!!
Operating System
Windows 8 (x64) (build 9200)
Install Language: Spanish (Spain, International Sort)
System Locale: English (United Kingdom)
Installed: 15-Nov-16 2:12:38 PM

Processor (a)
1.70 gigahertz AMD E2-1800 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
128 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (2 total)
Not hyper-threaded

Drives
478.93 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
383.82 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

PLDS DVD-RW DS8A8SH [Optical drive]

ST9500325AS [Hard drive] (500.11 GB) -- drive 0, s/n S2WK1CYG, rev 0011LVM1, SMART Status: Healthy

System Model
LENOVO Lenovo G585 Lenovo G585
System Serial Number: 2891241300953
Chassis Serial Number: CB16797932
Enclosure Type: Notebook

Main Circuit Board (b)
Board: LENOVO Lenovo G585
Serial Number: CB16797932
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: LENOVO 6CCN14WW(V1.01) 04/10/2012

Memory Modules c,d
7786 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
Slot 'DIMM 0' has 4096 MB (serial number 3C25F013)
Slot 'DIMM 1' has 4096 MB (serial number 3C35F013)

Local Drive Volumes
c: (NTFS on drive 0) * 451.58 GB 358.83 GB free
d: (NTFS on drive 0) 27.35 GB 24.99 GB free
* Operating System is installed on c:

I am not sure what details you might want to enable you to do an analysis, or whether the whole report should be added but I don’t see a way to download it in total, apart from the tedious ‘copy & paste’ method!

By the way, as Linux has been mentioned in the thread, a part of the Belarc Report actually mentions Linux – see below - does this have any significance?
Device Type = Linux System – Device Details = Tc7210-dms (in WORKGROUP) – Device Roles = Web Server, Samba Server, Print Server, Browse Master.

As I have enough problems climbing the steep learning curve of what I previously understood to be my W10, I rather think that I might not try Linux, unless I get it in a dual install and I could then “play” around with it and try to master any problems, whilst keeping the whatever windows programme I have as a reserve to dodge back to!

Kind regards
Colin.

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Your safest way to use Linux
Aug 20, 2017 6:18AM PDT
https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/linuxmint/linux-mint-173-mate-64gb-usb-flash-drive-64bit.html

Linux Mint 17.3 with the MATE (most stable desktop and version currently in Mint)

You can boot from the 64GB very fast flashdrive, and it has "persistence" set up which means the OS only uses about 2-3 GB of the drive, and the rest of it is for saving files to. Also can switch and use on most any computer, it's not bound to just one, so can be used for troubleshooting other computers. You can on compressed OS like this with "persistence" method, still add and remove programs, just like a version installed to the hard drive.

Even without the linux, it's not to pricey for just the fast flashdrive. This is the 64 bit version. If you NEED the 32 bit, then you can find it here.

https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/linuxmint/3
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Re: Windows 8 build 9200
Aug 20, 2017 6:50AM PDT

That's amazing indeed. That's still a version of the original Windows 8, not even Windows 8.1 (that came in 2014). I wonder why anybody would install the original version on 15-Nov-16 and not upgrade. Hardly anybody would upgrade from Windows 7 even to Windows 8.1 then. Nobody liked 8.1. They just stayed at Windows 7 or upgraded to Windows 10.
Can you remember what happened on that date (it's 9 months ago)?

That you still see "Windows 7" in My Computer is quite something else. That's just the name ("volume label") of the c:-drive. You can change it to anything you like ("My hard disk" or "Colin's c-drive").

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linux in the LAN
Aug 20, 2017 6:56AM PDT
"By the way, as Linux has been mentioned in the thread, a part of the Belarc Report actually mentions Linux – see below - does this have any significance?
Device Type = Linux System – Device Details = Tc7210-dms (in WORKGROUP) – Device Roles = Web Server, Samba Server, Print Server, Browse Master."


That means someone on your LAN (labeled WORKGROUP, from older windows install previously) is/was using a Linux operating system.

Check your current LAN and see if that's still there and if so, try and contact or open it's Public folder, or any shared folder on it.
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W7/W10 - linux in the LAN
Aug 20, 2017 12:07PM PDT

James Dennison,
Thanks for your post. it all seems a little ‘technical’ to me at this moment, but I shall keep the words and study them and try to follow them at a later date, and when this thread has been completed!
I have just seen your second post. Sorry to appear to be so dense, but how and where would I check my LAN and, if it is there, how would I recognise it and then how to contact or open a public folder. If I manage to get that far, what would I do with the result?
Kees,
I personally did the install last year - I don’t remember it being as late as November, all I remember was that it was just before the free installation offer closed - and at that time I had W7. I was told that it would be done “automatically” and I had nothing to do, so being computer illiterate, I clicked it and it all happened! W8 has never been loaded onto my computer, to my knowledge, unless it was already there when it was bought and it called itself W7, as it does now and W10 is supposed to be “in residence”!! I have no memory of that date, all I know is that I was in the north but the date has no special significance. I did have a WiFi ‘reception’ problem with my neighbour’s WiFi (using it with their permission, by the way!) ever since I installed W10, and the local tech had a look at it and had a perfect signal with his shop WiFi so he suggested I buy a signal enhancer, which I did. But all that time I stayed in the shop alongside him and he did not seem to do anything else but check for the signal, which was right up to the top on the laptop.
I have Firefox as my principal browser but I do not use Thunderbird, I mainly use Yahoo mail and I use Gmail for my club work. I have W7 on my desktop in the south, and I have Microsoft Office with Excel, Word, Publisher etc on. I use Word all the time and Excel is used to keep details of membership etc for the club, which I duplicate for my laptop. I also have Open Office - I presume that that is different to the Libre Office that you mention. I have no printer here in the north, but in the south it is an HP all-in-one and, of course, I cannot remember the number of it! (It might be 4520, but that is just a guess!) Reading through all your words, it seems that this might not be such a good idea for someone like me with almost Zero computer skills, so thanks for your advice!

My thanks to you all for your expert advice. I seriously think that none of the “work” suggested above is capable of being done by myself and to move on any further it would appear that I must seek professional help!

I shall copy and paste all these replies for studying later and, who knows, I might be using Linux - or not – along with one of Windows’ versions in the not too distant future!

Kind regards,

Colin

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If you see a Linux computer on the LAN
Aug 20, 2017 5:08PM PDT

clk on it and see if that's true, but I suspect it's a windows computer but with the drive or folder named "Linux".

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W7/W10 ... If you see a Linux computer
Aug 21, 2017 1:07AM PDT

Hello James Dennison,
Not completely sure about this, but I r-clicked on the network connection “fan” strength indicator on the taskbar, then on the Wireless Network Connection. I then clicked on Properties and it informed me, from the drop-down list, that all items were checked and apart from being written in Spanish, I could not see "Linux" written anywhere. The only unchecked item was “Microsoft network adapter multiplexer protocol “
Regards,
Colin.

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wifi connections
Aug 21, 2017 6:03PM PDT

Is it possible on that day you were looking at some other nearby neighbor's wifi broadcast and it was named "Linux" something?

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W7/W10 - wifi connections
Aug 22, 2017 2:59AM PDT

Hello James Dennison,
I have no idea, if that is what could happen, then it is obviously possible!
I just did another Belarc check and it still apears -
Linux System Tc7210-dms (in WORKGROUP) Web Server, Samba Server, Print Server, Browse Master

Regards,

Colin

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W7/W10 - I may have found it
Aug 23, 2017 1:34AM PDT

Helo James Dennison,
Many thanks yet again, for your information.
On this occasion, however, it will serve only as information as I am allowed to access my neighbours WiFi - with permission, I repeat! - so the router will be in his domain. As we "exchange favours" he makes no charges and I therefore, make no complaints if there is a 'problem' with the connection!
I would say though, that since I went through the Free Installation of W10 - which appears to be visually on the laptop, but as will be seen from the Belarc report above, W8 seems to be the only OS that is recognised! - the signal has worsened and I have had to move the location next to the window to get the weak signal.
Regards,
Colin

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Get one or two of these
Aug 23, 2017 9:42AM PDT
The second one for a spare. I share internet when I go to Florida in winter and I can get 50 Mbps from 100 feet away at my desk near a window, from his router. I give him $25 a month which then helps us both while I'm there.
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Re: W8/W10
Aug 23, 2017 10:03AM PDT

If you don't trust Belarc, ask Windows. In the W10 searchbox, type MSINFO32 to run that program.

The top 2 lines of the output with me say:
Name of Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version: 10.0.15063 Build 15063 [that's the current version, the Creators Update with all updates].

And what does it say with you?

By the way, the free update via Windows update officially ended in July 2016, although I could still download and install Windows 10 for free in May 2017 to upgrade an old laptop of my son without doing anything special. So if you did it in July, it's even more mysterious Belarc says Windows 8 installed in November.

Post was last edited on August 23, 2017 10:07 AM PDT

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W7/W10 - Get one or....W8/W10
Aug 24, 2017 1:29AM PDT

Hello James Dennison,
My signal, even though I am perched next to the window shows, on the “fan” signal strength indictor, shows just the “dot/period” at the bottom and the first of the three curved “fan” lines.
As you mentioned your speed, I did a Speedtest just before writing this for you and I have at this moment - 0.57mbps Download; 0.33mbps Upload and 34ms Ping. Strangely enough, although there are many different “points” to chose from, it appears that the “best” is at Barcelona which is over 1000 Kms away!
Hello Kees,
I have no reason not to ‘trust’ Belarc, but for my own interest I ran the test that you suggested. I was suitably surprised as it showed –
OS Name - Microsoft Windows 10 Home.
Version - 10.0.14393 Build 14393.
Your Version number appears to be more recent than mine, even though my Windows did a “compulsory self-update” only two days ago, when I was in the middle of dealing with my emails!
So, as I thought, W8 is not actually shown to be present. If it had been I would be in the same state of surprise, as I was when Belarc showed it as having been previously installed in November, because to my knowledge there has been no possible time when it could have been installed, except by the “normal” update process and I think I would have been “informed” or found out if that had happened since then.

Regards,

Colin.