Windows 7 or Windows 10?

[FixedGear]

Hey guys,

I've been using Windows 7 since it was released. Tried Windows 10 briefly on a home machine for about a month, didn't like some features (like how it made you use a MS account) and it was a bit buggy on my machine, so reverted back to Windows 7 on that machine.

I'm now about to reformat/reinstall windows on a work machine, and am curious if I should stick with Windows 7, or upgrade to Windows 10. Any thoughts?

[Mitsu3000gt]

You don't have to use a MS account, you can get rid of that easily (it's one of the very first options when you reinstall as well). I also hate the MS accounts and have never had or used one - just the usual log-in password.

I also install the desktop versions of things like Skype, and I don't use any MS 'apps' whatsoever.

I would stick with W10, it's also faster and more secure. Up to you though.

This might help if you want to delete an existing MS account:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/delete-microsoft-account-create-local-windows-10-login/

[FixedGear]

Thanks! Maybe I will give W10 another try. I know I'll have to change eventually, W7 will not be supported forever. :)

[Seth1968]

Agreed on W10.

If you prefer a W7 look for the start menu, then install Classic Shell:

http://www.classicshell.net/

I also suggest installing Foxit PDF Reader and VLC media player.

[Stealth22]

Windows 10 for sure. There are things you can do to remove the bloatware that it comes with...aside from that, it's a very stable OS.

Just don't use Windows 8...that thing is a pile of garbage. :p

[sabad66]

Win10 no question. I hated the MS account thing at first but it's really useful now especially to make the onedrive integration work, not to mention backing up settings. I would suggest setting it up with a proper MS account... it's really not that hard and you can even use a non-ms email for it

[HiTempguy1]

I was under the impression that W10 collects and distributes tons of personal information?

I'm running Windows 8 with classic shell and Windows 7 until they are no longer supported.

[jwslam]

Just don't use Windows 8...that thing is a pile of garbage. :p
Literally every other version is garbage

Win 10 great
Win 8 garbage
Win 7 great
Vista garbage
XP great
ME garbage
2000 great
NT garabge
95/98 great
xxx
Win 3.1 amazeballs.

[Mitsu3000gt]

There is a ton of bloatware but almost all of it now can be removed with traditional uninstalls - CCLeaner makes it really easy. I did a fresh build for a friend last weekend and it took no more than 5 minutes to completely remove all the junk. You need to wait for the first windows update to complete before you will see everything available for uninstall.

Don't use a MS account
Use built in Windows Antivirus
Get rid of all the MS junk bloatware (XBOX, One Note, Calendar, Groove, disable One Drive, games, "get office", etc. etc.)
Switch browser to FF or Chrome (remember to install the 64 bit versions)
Switch media player to VLC
Switch photo viewer to FS Viewer
Get traditional versions of programs instead of Microsoft apps (eg. Skype)
Turn off all sharing of data & enable maximum privacy options (you can go much further with this with third party software if you wish)
Install Open Office or use Google Docs/Sheets (unless you have a copy of MS Office)
Set user account controls and preferences to you liking

And you're pretty much done.

Obviously that is not a complete list for everyone or a rule, but you get the point.

[Swank]

I've noticed occasionally that windows 10 updates end up reinstalling the bloatware from time to time, I've had to uninstall some of them 2-3 times now, is that normal?

[hampstor]

Given you're talking about a work machine.... is this in a managed network, or are we just talking about a standalone machine used for 'work' ?

Keep in mind that mainstream support ended for Windows 7 back in 2015 (it's in extended support right now until 2020). https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet

[FixedGear]

There is a ton of bloatware but almost all of it now can be removed with traditional uninstalls - CCLeaner makes it really easy. I did a fresh build for a friend last weekend and it took no more than 5 minutes to completely remove all the junk. You need to wait for the first windows update to complete before you will see everything available for uninstall.

Don't use a MS account
Use built in Windows Antivirus
Get rid of all the MS junk bloatware (XBOX, One Note, Calendar, Groove, disable One Drive, games, "get office", etc. etc.)
Switch browser to FF or Chrome (remember to install the 64 bit versions)
Switch media player to VLC
Switch photo viewer to FS Viewer
Get traditional versions of programs instead of Microsoft apps (eg. Skype)
Turn off all sharing of data & enable maximum privacy options (you can go much further with this with third party software if you wish)
Install Open Office or use Google Docs/Sheets (unless you have a copy of MS Office)
Set user account controls and preferences to you liking

And you're pretty much done.

Obviously that is not a complete list for everyone or a rule, but you get the point.

Do you know of a list of all the crap I should uninstall? Or bettr yet, do you know of a good install guide for win10? Tweakhound used to write good ones but I don't think he did in for win10

- - - Updated - - -


Given you're talking about a work machine.... is this in a managed network, or are we just talking about a standalone machine used for 'work' ?

Keep in mind that mainstream support ended for Windows 7 back in 2015 (it's in extended support right now until 2020). https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet

This will be a standalone machine used for "work". :)

[Seth1968]

I've installed W10 dozens of times and the only built in program I disable is One Drive.

[Xtrema]

May as well get on the w10 train, patches will stop on w7 in a couple years anyway and new hardware has already stopped supporting w7.

You can be as private as you want with win10 but expect to revisit that from time to time. The spring creator update reset a lot of that stuff and it's quite buggy for some hardware. And sounds like there will be another one in the fall.

Going down the road, with Microsoft now lost the OS market share title to Android and the trend doesn't seems to stop, expect it will become as nosey as Android in trying to collect data on user to offset development cost and use it on future offerings.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Do you know of a list of all the crap I should uninstall? Or bettr yet, do you know of a good install guide for win10? Tweakhound used to write good ones but I don't think he did in for win10


After you install W10 and let it do it's first round of updates, you should see all the programs you need to uninstall (they probably won't all be there immediately). I like to use CCLeaner to do my uninstalling, and it's a program you should have anyway. It's fairly obvious which ones need to go (sort by publisher: Microsoft to start narrowing it down):

Then just start hitting uninstall on everything you don't want, and google anything you're unsure about. DO NOT uninstall anything that looks like a driver (Qualcomm, Realtek, Samsung, Cisco, Intel, Nvidia, Marvell, etc.). DO NOT uninstall anything that says 'Microsoft Visual C++'.

This is a pretty complete list I think:

Open CC Cleaner, go to "Uninstall", it will bring up a big list, sort by publisher: Microsoft and you can get rid of:

- Anything with XBOX in the name
- Anything with BING in the name (Bing Bar)
- Anything with Office in the name
- 3D Builder
- One Note (unless you use it)
- One Drive (unless you use it) (can only be disabled - right click it in the task bar)
- 'Getting Started'
- Everything with "Windows Store" in the name
- Alarms
- Camera
- Films and TV
- 'Get Office'
- 'Get Skype'
- 'Mail and Calendar' (I assume you have a real email account like Gmail)
- Maps
- Money
- Music / Groove Music
- Phone Companion
- Voice Recorder
- Weather
- People
- News
- Insider Hub

You cannot easily get rid of Edge.


Then open the start menu, right click and remove all the games (they are just links for installs - Candy Crush, Solitaire, etc.). If any of them give you the option to "uninstall" instead, do so.

Then type "privacy" in the search bar and max everything out (if you're really paranoid you can go further with third party software).

Then type "user account control" in the search bar and set it to the lowest, or second lowest. This will stop your screen from dimming and being prompted to 'approve' everything. If you still have issues, you can set things to run as administrator. https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/make-user-account-control-uac-stop-blacking-out-the-screen-in-windows-vista/

When prompted, disable cortana as much as you can (cannot easily be completely disabled). Anytime a notification comes up in the notification center about Cortana or similar, right click and disable that type of notification.

It sounds like a lot but it should take no more than a few minutes. Before, you used to have to use Power Shell to get rid of a lot of this stuff, but now you can just uninstall it. You can also get any of this back if you wan't, nothing is permanent.


Free programs you probably want to get right away:
- Firefox or Chrome (your preference, make sure to get 64bit version and install AdBlock add on right away)
- VLC Media Player (music and videos)
- Media Monkey (if you listen to FLAC)
- CCLeaner (you should have this already from earlier)
- Malwarebytes (turn off active monitoring, but use it to run periodic checks)
- Skype for desktop (if you need it and don't want to use the Microsoft app)
- FS Image Viewer (extremely fast viewer and basic editor for all types of photos, even RAW)

After you've installed the programs you want like Chrome, VLC, Media Monkey, FS Viewer etc. type 'default programs' into the search bar and go to where you can set all the defaults. Change your internet browser, media player, photo viewer, etc. away from the Microsoft crap.

Then go ahead and install all the normal programs/games that you use. Windows Defender is fine too, no need to get a third party AV.

[FixedGear]

^Thanks! I also found the following articles at Tweakhound:

https://www.tweakhound.com/2015/07/31/win10-customize-installation-options/
https://www.tweakhound.com/2015/12/09/tweaking-windows-10/

[FixedGear]

Hey guys, should I install Windows 10 professional or Windows 10 Enterprise? Either one is available through work, but I am not sure what the difference is or which one I should install. Thanks!

[Crazyjoker77]

Hey guys, should I install Windows 10 professional or Windows 10 Enterprise? Either one is available through work, but I am not sure what the difference is or which one I should install. Thanks!

79761

[FixedGear]

Cool, thanks! I don't know what any of that stuff is though, is it worth going with Enterprise for that stuff or better to go with Pro to save disk space?

[R!zz0]

Windows 10 hands down. Faster and more secure.

[know1edge]

.

[FixedGear]

windows to go is probably the only one of those features that comes in handy for personal use, everything else is for managing computers in a corporation.
windows to go lets you install windows on a usb. like a portable computer. but you need a license for that anyways, so just go with Pro

Thanks man!

[Xtrema]

Thanks man!

Pro/Enterprise/Education also allow you to run Hyper-V so you can build virtual machines under it. It may come in handy if you have something that isn't quite trust worthy and run it under a VM 1st.

[Gestalt]

Windows 10 is faster than 7?

I can't see that. I hate this 10. Its like nrw cell phones memory full of garbage apps ill never use and certainky dont want.

Im not smart enough how to remove it all. I hate the forced updates. Its seem that everytime i need to send an impotent doc or email, the stupid thing is in the middle of a 20 minute update

I see absolutley no way this is as good as windows 7.

[revelations]

After you install W10 and let it do it's first round of updates, you should see all the programs you need to uninstall (they probably won't all be there immediately). I like to use CCLeaner to do my uninstalling, and it's a program you should have anyway. It's fairly obvious which ones need to go (sort by publisher: Microsoft to start narrowing it down):

Then just start hitting uninstall on everything you don't want, and google anything you're unsure about. DO NOT uninstall anything that looks like a driver (Qualcomm, Realtek, Samsung, Cisco, Intel, Nvidia, Marvell, etc.). DO NOT uninstall anything that says 'Microsoft Visual C++'.

This is a pretty complete list I think:

Open CC Cleaner, go to "Uninstall", it will bring up a big list, sort by publisher: Microsoft and you can get rid of:

- Anything with XBOX in the name
- Anything with BING in the name (Bing Bar)
- Anything with Office in the name
- 3D Builder
- One Note (unless you use it)
- One Drive (unless you use it) (can only be disabled - right click it in the task bar)
- 'Getting Started'
- Everything with "Windows Store" in the name
- Alarms
- Camera
- Films and TV
- 'Get Office'
- 'Get Skype'
- 'Mail and Calendar' (I assume you have a real email account like Gmail)
- Maps
- Money
- Music / Groove Music
- Phone Companion
- Voice Recorder
- Weather
- People
- News
- Insider Hub

You cannot easily get rid of Edge.


Then open the start menu, right click and remove all the games (they are just links for installs - Candy Crush, Solitaire, etc.). If any of them give you the option to "uninstall" instead, do so.

Then type "privacy" in the search bar and max everything out (if you're really paranoid you can go further with third party software).

Then type "user account control" in the search bar and set it to the lowest, or second lowest. This will stop your screen from dimming and being prompted to 'approve' everything. If you still have issues, you can set things to run as administrator. https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/make-user-account-control-uac-stop-blacking-out-the-screen-in-windows-vista/

When prompted, disable cortana as much as you can (cannot easily be completely disabled). Anytime a notification comes up in the notification center about Cortana or similar, right click and disable that type of notification.

It sounds like a lot but it should take no more than a few minutes. Before, you used to have to use Power Shell to get rid of a lot of this stuff, but now you can just uninstall it. You can also get any of this back if you wan't, nothing is permanent.


Free programs you probably want to get right away:
- Firefox or Chrome (your preference, make sure to get 64bit version and install AdBlock add on right away)
- VLC Media Player (music and videos)
- Media Monkey (if you listen to FLAC)
- CCLeaner (you should have this already from earlier)
- Malwarebytes (turn off active monitoring, but use it to run periodic checks)
- Skype for desktop (if you need it and don't want to use the Microsoft app)
- FS Image Viewer (extremely fast viewer and basic editor for all types of photos, even RAW)

After you've installed the programs you want like Chrome, VLC, Media Monkey, FS Viewer etc. type 'default programs' into the search bar and go to where you can set all the defaults. Change your internet browser, media player, photo viewer, etc. away from the Microsoft crap.

Then go ahead and install all the normal programs/games that you use. Windows Defender is fine too, no need to get a third party AV.

There has to be a script somewhere that does all this. Were talking about an hour of just fiddling around otherwise - and thats for a TECH person.

[Gestalt]

There has to be a script somewhere that does all this. Were talking about an hour of just fiddling around otherwise - and thats for a TECH person.

Wow good guide. Intimidating and frustrating. They should make bloatware illegal

[Seth1968]

I don't see any need to do most of that.

Again, just disable One Drive if you don't want to use it, install other programs you want, and that's about it.

[Seth1968]

And as far as privacy goes, it doesn't really matter what operating system or browser you use. Nothing is really private when you're on the net.

[firebane]

Cool, thanks! I don't know what any of that stuff is though, is it worth going with Enterprise for that stuff or better to go with Pro to save disk space?

Stick with Pro.

- - - Updated - - -


Windows 10 is faster than 7?

I can't see that. I hate this 10. Its like nrw cell phones memory full of garbage apps ill never use and certainky dont want.

Im not smart enough how to remove it all. I hate the forced updates. Its seem that everytime i need to send an impotent doc or email, the stupid thing is in the middle of a 20 minute update

I see absolutley no way this is as good as windows 7.

People who have issues with updates are those who push them off over and over then Microsoft says nope gotta do it.

[Gestalt]

Stick with Pro.

- - - Updated - - -



People who have issues with updates are those who push them off over and over then Microsoft says nope gotta do it.

Thats the other thing i dislike is being forced to update. I dont want it or need it. Please stope messong with my stuff lol

[firebane]

Thats the other thing i dislike is being forced to update. I dont want it or need it. Please stope messong with my stuff lol

You do need it and should want it as that is what keeps your system up to date. If updates didn't exist things like the Blaster worm could still be prevalent.

[revelations]

Thats the other thing i dislike is being forced to update. I dont want it or need it. Please stope messong with my stuff lol

Its a lose/lose thing for MS. If they update your PC automatically, people bitch about the constant barrage. If they DONT update your PC automatically, people bitch about the exploit malware infestations they got from MS not doing updates.

[Seth1968]

Thats the other thing i dislike is being forced to update. I dont want it or need it.

If you really want to disable updates, then just disable it in services.

[Xtrema]

Thats the other thing i dislike is being forced to update. I dont want it or need it. Please stope messong with my stuff lol

Then why the hell would you buy a Tesla?

Anything tech, you will get better support if you stay with the mainstream. Too far ahead or behind is asking for trouble and require much higher level of knowledge to support. Ideally you can stay on Windows 7 forever with your 2016 or older PC. The minute update to hardware that is from 2017 or newer, windows 10 is your only choice.

You can stay on whatever OS you want on old hardware. I still see a lot of critical machines running XP. But if anything breaks on those system, good luck finding support as the industry has already moved on.

[carson blocks]

I came across a lightweight little gui app called W10Privacy which manages all the W10 settings related to sending your whole life to Microsoft. A nice one-stop way to click 'nope' to the 100 things it would like to do with your data.