Windows 10

Since MS won't even let me upgrade my Lenovo C440 desktop ("Give us your email and we'll get back to you), I don't yet have a dog in this fight.

In the meantime, I'm transfixed by Rich's aside comment that he successfully used Xmodem. Xmodem--now that's a word I haven't heard in a while and it brings back memories of happy, simpler times

Jake

Don't do it Jake...or even try.

Don't even try to upgrade. Those all-in-one computers are "finicky" to say the least. And the C440 is not on Lenovo's website as being one of the computers that supports Windows 10. You may end up creating a brick or something...

I see too many mentions of the C440 not working after attempting to upgrade to Win10.

XModem also shows my age...I mean how many people on HPCFactor are drawing and living on old age retirement? Heck, I even start drawing social security in 10 months....

Rich, that is very helpful. I had no idea that an upgrade would be problematic; I thought it was only legalistic. I have that glowing upgrade icon in the systray, so naturally I've kept clicking on it, and getting the same give-us-the-email response.

Glad to be saved from an-almost-certain death. Our family desktop is the least of my concerns, anyway. Much more concerned about the handhelds, netbooks, etc...

Thanks again,
Jake

I think a 'brick' is a bit extreme, you just format and start again if it goes really wrong or uninstall back to Windows # if it's not behaving.

If the system tray icon won't let you have the install, just pull the ISO maker from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and DIY.

It is extreme I admit, and the worst case scenario I imagine would be a clean install of the previous OS...I mean most new machines come with CDs for recovery and fresh install anyways, so that is all you would have to do.

But you sure wouldn't want to lose any important data you had on your hard drive to do something that might not work or is impossible. Especially if it is the family computer.

After Rich's warning, I do find a lot of C440 upgrade despair. In fact, one machine does look bricked since the user can no longer access the video, even at boot (the joys of an all-in-one). The systray icon says check back while we validate your machine, so maybe there'll be official workarounds.

C:Amie--thanks for the link. I hadn't know MS would be so giving with Win10.

Jake

So this was you while writing the Cease & Desist PM to me, six years ago.

I installed Windows 10, had graphics driver issues, and rolled back to 7. I agree that it's still not 'traditional' enough in the start menu for my tastes.

If you're looking for a nice start menu replacement, classic shell is great. I use it on Windows 7, and it works on 8 and 10 too.

I meant to post this picture earlier...I am running Windows 10 now, and getting used to it. I've got it set up so that it pretty much looks and works exactly like XP and Windows 7 did. Anyways, I've been learning about Oracle Virtualbox...and have gotten it down to where it works nicely too. In the screenshot below, you can see my Win10 desktop with an open window of VirtualBox running XP Pro. You can see that I am running ActiveSync 3.8 in the virtual window and have a USB connection to my MP900C.

While I could have used a dual boot between XP and Win10...this is far easier to migrating the files between the two operating systems or virtual computers. Plus I can easily click back and forth between the operating systems at will to use whatever other application I so desire....and I don't have to use two computers now to do everything I want, nor do I have to reboot to use the OS I want...





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Very impressive. You aren't, by any chance, able to sync Outlook over that virtual connection?

Jake

Sure,as long as you keep Outlook in the VM.

Rich, I'm glad you finally got into virtualisation. How are you finding VBx's USB passthrough? I found it to be sketchy.

I'm not sure how it used to be C:Amie...this is all new for me. I'm using version 5 of VBx. It took me a few minutes to understand how it worked.

Initially, no USB devices would show up at all in the VBx...if I plugged in an HPC or USB memory stick or USB device...it would be active in Windows 10, but not the virtual PC.

Then I figured it out...before opening the virtual XP window, but after running VBx, you have to go to USB settings. Also you need to have your USB items plugged in. Then in the USB settings area you click on the second icon down on the right...the one with the plus sign. That allows you to add USB devices that you want to be recognized in the virtual window.

My pocketpcs and HPCs all show up initially as unknown devices. But I selected them anyways. Then when I opened up the virtual XP window, they are now available to use in XP. All I had to do was install the 900C's USB driver in XP and it worked like normal.

During my virtual session, the 900C is no longer available in Windows 10...that port is closed off to Win10. If I unplug my 900C and plug it into another USB port, then Win10 can access it...but the previous port is now configured to be used with VirtualXP. Since I have 6 USB ports on the front of my desktop, (4) USB 3.0 and (2) USB 2.0 ports, it isn't a problem for me. I just use the 3.0 ports in Win10 since they also are downward compatible and use the two 2.0 ports for VirtualXP.

So far it is working well. I can use my Actisys Infrared with Virtual XP and ActiveSync via the USB port for any of my old handhelds...and I can use the serial port on the back of my computer with it as well using Com1:

Once I close and end my virtualbox session, the port is released to be used again in Windows 10. Screenshot below shows how I selected what USB devices I wanted to be active.

Note in the screenshot that I did not choose my wireless USB mouse. No need since the virtualization carries over the pointing device with its own built in mouse handles. If I select the mouse, then it is locked for use only in the VirtualBox screen under XP....cannot use it on Win10 simultaneously. And it remain unavailable until I end my virtual session.

Oh, and you see 2 generic mass storage devices...my CF card reader is mapped to XP, my SD card reader is not...





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