Windows 10 Free Upgrade

Security experts hack into moving car and seize control
Reuters - ‎1 hour ago‎


SAN FRANCISCO, July 21 A pair of veteran cybersecurity researchers have shown they can use the Internet to turn off a car's engine as it drives, sharply escalating the stakes in the debate about the safety of increasingly connected cars and trucks.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/21/autos-hacking-idINL1N1011QN20150721

 

But, the thing is that they aren't doing everyone at once. They will be able to adjust things as the rollout goes.

I'm not sure of the planned timeframe however. I just know I'll have it on or before the 29th (the final bits), then wait for Redstone.

 

I don't disagree, but my "trust-but-verify" was sharpened due to the email problem - I figured out the problem was data in that really long link that kicked me to that error screen simply because I remained signed in to my Microsoft Account. It's the little things.

 

I have a 1995 Astro Van and a 2000 Corolla. They can't turn mine off.


BTW, whenever people ask me for a jump start, they rarely need one. Most commonly, they have had their car electronically shut down due to a payment default. If they say they are current, I tell them to turn on their headlights and then try to start it. If the headlights come on strong and don't dim when they turn the key, then most times, it is due to electronic ignition kill.

 

It's also happened that a disgruntled former employee logged in and disabled cars.

 

I thought about that Net connected thermostat and nixed that idea quickly.

Car dealers can actually put in a device that completely disables a car. Don't pay your car payments and the car stops working. How that's legal is beyond me.

Yeah, I agree, too much, too quickly. Gets to be a bit too much.

Rich

 

I know a person that bought a car with one of those things in it. Even got to see a picture of it.

Rich

 

Yeah, and those systems can be hacked. But the one that was just in the news goes way beyond that. Hackers getting full control of the vehicle, though oddly at least now, they can only remotely take control of the wheel when in reverse.

 

Still do a lot of damage in reverse. I'm all for progress, but this is really getting ridiculous. Our whole economy is gonna end up being based on how many Net things we purchase.

Rich

 

Getting back on topic...

We're now up to 5 devices which will be in line for the Windows 10 update. Likely we'll do the update a few months after the formal release at the end of this month.

 

We'll have 6 devices, 5 now ready. I plan to update our two Surface Pro 2's and Intel Compute Stick all running 8.1 after a month. Our HP "desktop" should be fine waiting a few months. Our two HP Notebooks running Windows 7 I'm not so sure. The one purchased in 2010 probably will be fine.

The one with a 20" screen purchased in 2007 I have a desire to upgrade ASAP because Windows 10 should run much better than Windows 7, but it's been quietly sitting shut off for many months and I'm updating Windows now - what a nightmare. When I bought it it was more of an experiment related to streaming TV:



But after I upgraded to Windows 7 it seemed to get kludgy, particularly the video card. Upgrading the video driver made it almost unusable so I had to go back to an old driver. By the time 8 came out AMD said the video card is supported with the use of 1.1 Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Using that with Windows 7 apparently was possible, but there were a lot of file changes involved and I was on to other things so didn't try it. I have hopes with Windows 10. However, I do foresee some fairly extensive setup issues. Even if it bricks it, I won't care too much.



If I seem grumpy here about Microsoft I probably need to mention I'm a cheerleader for the changes that are being made under CEO Nadella including the Windows 10 strategy.

Microsoft shouldn't have focused its business plan on competing with Apple like it did for a period. They're moving back to being an OS/software company that's creating an updated "business ecosystem" (I hate buzzwords but...). That ecosystem includes productivity software, collaboration software, cloud services, and a universal "mobile-ready" operating system. Many of us individual users underestimate the meaning of Office 365 in the multi-national corporate business world. From a news release issued this week:

The reality is Microsoft has learned that Apple iOS and Android are just more platforms for Office 365. Microsoft has become focused as a "platform" company meaning Windows, Azure and Office (I've linked Azure because many of us will never know it exists except by reading about it.). Then there's Continuum which is a product specifically for the heretofore confusing Microsoft phone. They have actually found a way to make a business smartphone a productivity tool.

If you are a company IT manager, struggling with your CEO who likes shiny iObjects, in order to keep every "tech implementation challenged" employee with an Android phone or iPhone full of apps from being able to facilitate a hackers backdoor into your company's data, you might embrace Continuum. It does what I and millions of others are already doing with our Surface Pro's. It allows the user to effectively hook his Windows phone to a larger monitor, keyboard and mouse to actually use an Excel spreadsheet or any other productivity software (no "apps" here) file saved to the cloud for business.

Fortunately for me, I no longer have to think about supporting employees in the business environment. Management at GE does. An integrated computer/device system where you can provide mobile employees with rechargeables including a phone which connects to a mobile system mouse, keyboard, and decent size monitor giving them usable access to the business-provided Office 365 software and related work product files seems pretty marketable over the long term.

 

They'll pry my 7 from my cold, dead CPU.

 

For any that are afraid to upgrade, this might be of interest to you.
This is from the Microsoft Forum and it is about setting up a Dual Boot system so you can Keep your old, what you have now and have the new Windows 10 on your machine at the same time.

Welcome to Microsoft Community. Your interest in Windows 10 Technical Preview is much appreciated.

You can dual boot Windows 10 with the previous versions of Windows. Refer to the below Wiki article by one of our MVP Andre Da Costa on How to dual boot the latest Windows build with previous versions of Windows and check if that helps:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki/insider_wintp-insider_install/how-to-dual-boot-the-latest-windows-build-with/9695dfc7-1c13-4d8d-b10b-587e78c6ac36

Windows 10 is designed to be compatible with the vast majority of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices, so your device is most likely compatible.

For details on your specific device and apps, you can use the Get Windows 10 app to do a compatibility check. Click the menu in the upper left of the app, and select “Check your PC” or “Your PC is good to go.” This displays any compatibility issues we find and recommends a resolution; while we don’t have info on every app or device in existence, it provides a comprehensive list of all known potential compatibility issues.

Some Windows 10 features will require advanced hardware and not all features and services are available on every device, nor in every market. For instance, Cortana is not available in all markets.

Keep us posted if you face any issues on windows in future. We will be glad to help you.


Edit / Add / Important to posted above !



I want to dual boot instead of replace my current version of Windows.
If you need to install Windows 10 on a separate hard disk or partition, you will need to purchase a full license.

Retail pricing information:

Edition Pricing
Windows 10 Home US $119
Windows 10 Pro US $199
Windows 10 Pro Pack US $99

 

Those who are against 10, I would at least look at some of the extensive reviews once it's final, though this is a case where it's really not "done" at any particular time. As an example, the new Edge browser doesn't yet support extensions.

If "Redstone" does release in June 2016, it may be valid for some to wait until it, but I wouldn't miss out on a free upgrade due to it.

 

What about Media Center or an equivalent?

 

Not included in WIN 10.

 

This probably is the one big reason someone might not upgrade. It is a tiny (but vocal) market, and I believe Microsoft's official replacement is XBox One.

 

Is Media Center supported in Windows 10?
No. Persons who need to use Media Center should consider carefully before upgrading from their previous version of Windows. The Windows 10 upgrade will automatically remove any installations of Media Center.

So what are the alternatives if I need Media Center?
Your best option is to continue running your existing version of Windows with Media Center.

• Windows 7 editions that include Media Center will continue to be supported until January 2020.
• Windows 8 Pro with Media Center will continue to be supported until January 2023.

Will Windows Media Center be available in Windows 10?



Windows Media Center is not part of Windows 10 and won’t be available after upgrading to Windows 10. If you use Windows Media Center, we will alert you during upgrade that Windows Media Center is not available on Windows 10. We know that some users use Windows Media Center to play DVDs, and we are providing a free DVD playback app in Windows 10 for Windows Media Center users.

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq




Are there any alternatives to Windows Media Center?
If you need the PVR (personal video recorder) features in Windows Media Center, then Media Portal is one alternative. If you just want a simple video player, I like MPC-HC (Media Player Classic – Home Cinema), but VLC will do the job. All three are open source and free.

 

On my old desktop which I don't use on a regular basis I did a dual boot install of Windows 8.1 with Windows 7. Right now I have the automatic Windows 10 upgrade set for the Window 8.1 partition. Presumably because I'm not creating a new partition for installation the upgrade will work. But who knows? And I don't really care. But I will try it as soon as they let me.