How’s Win 10 treating you?

[GotMetalBoy]

I've got a Win7 classic start menu shell installed.
I love that like in XP and Win7 I can pin my favorite programs to the start menu.

You can pin to the start menu in Windows 10 by right clicking any app and selecting "Pin to Start". You can also group icons on the start menu and name the group.

 

[GotMetalBoy]

How many Axe-Fx II owners aren't upgrading to the Axe-Fx III because it's features, physical size and menus look different?

I think a lot of people complaining about Windows 10 are confused with Windows 8/8.1 but if you really hate the Windows 10 Start menu, download an alternative like:

+ FREE - Open Shell - https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
++ Download from https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases
+++ Open Shell was originally called Classic Shell - http://www.classicshell.net
++ GitHub Link - https://github.com/Open-Shell

+ Do a Google search for: Windows 10 Start menu alternatives

 

[plexi59]

Let me guess, you heard this on The Gear Page.

Nope. I live in Redmond WA, and I spent 8 years at MS in the 00s. I'm actually pretty sure we discussed guitar-related things on the respective internal mailing list back in the day.

 

[unix-guy]

Doesn't happen here...

Same... Never encountered that.

 

[Stratman68]

Windows is visual... Many people are looking for an app icon and may not know the name.

Many Windows admins and power users don't bother with control panel when they can just start the applet or snap-in for a particular thing... But you have to know the actual command name to do that.

Exactly and it's very easy to find the commands on line. Very easy to learn them and commit to memory. I guess I just assume that folks know you can do almost "everything" in win 10 with the keyboard. That's what I do. Somethings of course you cannot.

 

[USMC_Trev]

How many Axe-Fx II owners aren't upgrading to the Axe-Fx III because it's features, physical size and menus look different?

I think a lot of people complaining about Windows 10 are confused with Windows 8/8.1 but if you really hate the Windows 10 Start menu, download an alternative like:

+ FREE - Open Shell - https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
++ Download from https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases
+++ Open Shell was originally called Classic Shell - http://www.classicshell.net
++ GitHub Link - https://github.com/Open-Shell

+ Do a Google search for: Windows 10 Start menu alternatives

Shouldn't have to do ANY OF THIS. Other than for work and literally one game Windows is dead to me. Mac forever. I lived a Windows-free existence from January 2015 to November 2019 and it was fkng amazing.If it weren’t for the constant need for Office during that time, I would haven been completely Microsoft-free. A boy can dream....

 

[lauke-lux]

What nerves me most is those sudden slowdowns on Office files word or xl, mails in Outlook, typing that suddenly will take seconds to appear on screen and updates that decide to download and install themselves when you quit the office. The UI that has been developed without taking into account that 99% of screens used in companies are no touchscreens. Sometimes you have to force a shutdown and restart to get the machine going again. But have no problems with publicity directly in Windows, other than the usual internet crap.
It's not that it's more bad for me, but it is more nerving than befire and I don't see any advance towards previous versions.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Same... Never encountered that.

That's what makes me think it's a hardware problem

 

[Piing]

Windows 10 users with the Axe-FX III, could you please make this test?

• Shutdown the Axe-FX (or unplug the USB)
• Play media at the PC (e.g.: YouTube)
• Start the Axe-FX (or plug the USB) while the media is still playing

In my computer (Asus GL552VW) the Axe-FX doesn't play from the PC anymore. To solve the issue I have to stop the media and unplug/plug the USB or restart the Axe-FX. Sometimes one, two or three times. Sometimes that doesn't work and I have to reinstall the drivers.

I am wondering if it is a Windows thing with the Axe-FX USB drivers or if it only happens at my computer.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Windows 10 users with the Axe-FX III, could you please make this test?

• Shutdown the Axe-FX (or unplug the USB)
• Play media at the PC (e.g.: YouTube)
• Start the Axe-FX (or plug the USB) while the media is still playing

In my computer (Asus GL552VW) the Axe-FX doesn't play. To solve the issue I have to stop the media and unplug/plug the USB or restart the Axe-FX. Sometimes one, two or three times. Sometimes that doesn't work and I have to reinstall the drivers.

I am wondering if it is a Windows thing with the Axe-FX USB drivers or if it only happens at my computer.

Works here, the media is played on the axefx only if it's set to be the default playback device though

 

[Piing]

Works here, the media is played on the axefx only if it's set to be the default playback device though

Sure, it is set as default playback device. But it is not working until restarted several times or fully uninstall (including hidden Axe-FX III devices) and install again the drivers

 

[plexi59]

constant need for Office

Office is available on the Mac though. Looks and works about the same. I have a subscription for this reason: lawyers don't use Google Docs.

 

[don_joe]

Totally unhappy with Win 10. Never had more problems than now. I won't even start to list them...and troubleshooting and problem solving has costed me a bunch of time. Thanks Microsoft!

 

[holgar]

After having printing problems with different win10 laptops and different printers for two years, I deleted win10 and use now two linux distributions. Machines work fine since then.
I hope to make the fractal software work, when I get the FM3 soon.

 

[6L6C]

Windows 10 users with the Axe-FX III, could you please make this test?

Although I never had the problem (with win10) ran the test out of curiosity on two of my machines one workstation the other laptop both behave as according to their settings.

Here is a screen shot of the workstation, as you can see have the Realtek set as default, if I turn the Axe III on, still remains on my Realtek. No glitches drop outs or anything like that. With the “Select Playback Device” can flip flop all day long with no problems. If the USB cable is pulled while media is playing just goes back to the Realtek, if the Axe is plugged back in still stays on the Realtek but the Axe is available and can still flip to it.

 

[6L6C]

Doesn't happen here...

Same here never had that problem with USB ports releasing on either of my win10 machines. Even if not using the "Safely Remove"

Actually a little shocked reading all these complaints, I liked Win 10 from day one I started using it.
Maybe I got lucky with the hardware lottery? I really don't know??
USB ports not releasing, printer problems, never had any of these problems.
As for printers remember installing the OS on my new machine found all the printers on the network and could even print with the MS default drivers.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Same here never had that problem with USB ports releasing on either of my win10 machines. Even if not using the "Safely Remove"

Actually a little shocked reading all these complaints, I liked Win 10 from day one I started using it.
Maybe I got lucky with the hardware lottery? I really don't know??
USB ports not releasing, printer problems, never had any of these problems.
As for printers remember installing the OS on my new machine found all the printers on the network and could even print with the MS default drivers.

Same here..
Of course it could be Pebcak problems...
Not installing Intel drivers and using generic ones could lead to such behavior for example.

 

[GotMetalBoy]

Same here..
Of course it could be Pebcak problems...
Not installing Intel drivers and using generic ones could lead to such behavior for example.

I think 90% of the issues are Pebcak or all the crapware that gets pre-installed on store bought PC's. I always wipe out the OEM Windows 10 and re-install a non-tainted fresh version of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

One of my friends recently bought a new HP laptop that had great specs but was super slow and had tons of issues. For some reason the hard drive was a 1TB 5400RPM which doesn't make sense when all the other specs are above average and it had tons of crapware. Installed a 1TB SSD for under $100 with a fresh version of Windows 10 and it's seriously 10 times faster and has no issues.

What I find strange is that I usually have bad luck and have issues with a lot of stuff but have never had any issues that made me have to go back to Windows 7 from Windows 10. I have over a dozen Desktop and Laptop PC's ranging in age from 13 years old to a couple months and they all work with no tweaks but as I mentioned above I do re-install the non-tainted Windows 10.

The tweaks I almost always apply are the ones in post #31 https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/how’s-win-10-treating-you.157728/post-1881716

As I said in my earlier posts, I'm going to share all my windows 10 tweaks. I'm re-installing Windows 10 on my newest PC and documenting every change I make. It's probably going to take me a few days bc I have limited free time but I hope to have ready "soon"

 

[GreatGreen]

It doesn't cause the computer to reboot. You HAVE to reboot to get the port back. Do this: insert a USB drive into a USB port. View the contents. Pull the USB drive without ejecting it using "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media". Now the port is locked. The only way to use it again is to reboot.

Something might be wrong with your OS installation, mine doesn't do that.

However, it can be a pain, but it might be possible to avoid having to reboot by opening Device Manager to refresh/re-enable the USB ports if they become disabled.

 

[FractalAudio]

Three week update:
tldr: Still sucks.

No continuity. Some programs have a colored title bar when active which turns white when it loses focus. Other apps have no discernible title bar and they're just white on white or various shades of light gray. Still other programs (Office for example) have a colored title bar that's a different color than the theme and doesn't change regardless of whether the window has focus.

Dialog boxes are a mish-mash of different styles. Some are a Chrome rip-off that use far too much real estate for a handful of settings. Others are the traditional Windows dialog boxes with traditional UI elements while others (Office again) are something altogether different.

No consistency in interface. Most programs you can right-click them on the task bar and choose close. But not Groove Music. Why? It's frustrating expecting something to happen and it doesn't just for one program.

File Explorer. WTF? Why do I need a 3D Objects folder? Just show me my directory structure, is that too much to ask? Yes, I know the registry hacks to remove it but I shouldn't need to hack the registry to do that.

System settings are a lesson in how not to design something. Trying to find the performance settings is enough to drive someone mad. Do I click System? Nope. Settings? Uh, that's the same thing as System apparently. Why is it even there?

Apps and Features has a link to Programs and Features. Why? Just put it all in one place.

It all works but it feels cobbled together like a bunch of different teams worked on different things with no unified vision or guidance.

There are some good aspects. Audio handling seems improved. The kernel seems stable. Device support is good. Everything works. It's just the UI that is such a letdown.