Well...the year deadline is approaching...and so is 2020....

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

....2020 will be here, way too fast.  W10 will be on any new computer I build...

 

I waited to the last few days, for M.S. to sort their **** out....and hopefully the major bugs have been squashed.

 

Going to W10 for all of us, is inevitable....just as being taken along on the Orbx Migration wagon was.

I was forced to do that.  Blessing-in-Disguise.  It works...and works as it probably should have from the get go. It didn't..but it does now. I wouldn't go back to switching regions. Migration works.

 

I am hoping that after my upgrade conversion...so will W10.  I waited, like a lot of folk...for I wasn't actually a fence sitter...but wanted M.S. to have the year to get the jinks out.  I don't see anybody on AVSIM running to a bridge to drop off from...'cause they 'migrated, lol' from W7 or W8 to W10.

 

It is...folks..what it is...and by tomorrow...I will be running it, getting use to it...working with it...or will be looking for the longest drop, from the highest bridge in the area....

 

Wish me luck...

 

Over 'n out...

 

Post Edit:  Just allowed Windows Update to place the files needed to do the W7 Ultimate to W10 Ultimate upgrade.  Am going to do it later on tonight.  BTW...I had to smile, as you all know, when you reboot after updates, you usually get the Please Wait..do not turn off your computer...blah, blah.  Well..got that...but then, before my Desktop appeared, I got this full screen blue background from M.S. saying; "Sorry to interrupt, but the W10 FREE upgrade and life-long updates, will be ending in 8 days, so do you wish to upgrade now, or have us remind you later?"

 

I guess that nobody can say they 'forgot' to get in on the free time envelope.  For all the rest of we hold-outs.  After 2020, you will be in the land of XP....ready to be hacked to death, with no security or maintenance updates...so, you might want to get in, while the 'free' gettin's good.  For all you fellow FS9 users....yes...you can run FS9 after the conversion.  You know...you can...you just have to use...ah..er...'the Force'.....(crack) of lightning....in the background.....as that was typed.

 

Cheers n' beers.

Ses

[HUSSAR 272]

I did the upgrade on my 3 year old laptop late last year, since then I have noticed a steady decline in perf even though it is equipped with an SSD.  The laptop will not boot up anymore, might be a whole other issue like a virus or trojan.  Win 10 has not been good to me on that front but I am looking forward to a new portable system from either Apple or MS.  I am thinking about the MS Surface which has Win10 installed.

 

The conversion for all of us is inevitable. 

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

I did the upgrade on my 3 year old laptop late last year, since then I have noticed a steady decline in perf even though it is equipped with an SSD.  The laptop will not boot up anymore, might be a whole other issue like a virus or trojan.  Win 10 has not been good to me on that front but I am looking forward to a new portable system from either Apple or MS.  I am thinking about the MS Surface which has Win10 installed.

 

The conversion for all of us is inevitable. 

I read ya, Robert and agree....but,...and if I could, I would be very happy to stay with my W7 Ultimate. Seriously...but with it going to be orphaned in 4 years...and those years coming really fast...I'd be an idiot, to pass up not spending $350 or more $$$'s for the Ultimate version.  Looks like there will be no W11, with W10 coming with life-long support, etc.  So...in about ten minutes, I push the plunger.....sit back, sip a coffee and HOPE it goes as well for me, as the Orbx Migration did.

 

I am an honest man.  If it sucks...and things go south...I will state the facts...BUT...if it goes well...people will CERTAINLY see the Happy Dance from me...

 

My main home use of a computer system, is flight simming. I get enough computer time at work...home, is for taking me above the clouds...virtual...but emotionally the same

 

I hope Windows 10, will not interfere in that regard....

 

Crossing fingers, and keepin' the powder dry..

 

Post Edit:  BTW, Robert, SSD's do actually deterioate with clutter as you do not defrag them in the traditional way. You can groom them, though...as O & O Defrag 19 has a great section for just using SDD's.  It keeps them well maintained.  Sounds like your solid drive needs some groom T.L.C'in.....

 

Mitch

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Well, here I am, typing to your from Windows 10 Ultimate.  It is gorgeous, with a ton of new features that I shall enjoy exploring.  Performance in windows logistics is incredibly fast...

 

Here are my suggestions to having an absolutely pain-free installation update from whatever W7 version you run.

 

1.  First (while you still are running your W7 installation),  shut down your W7 computer.

2.  Turn on all your equipment, ie:  printer(s)  USB 2/3 outboard/removable hard drives like WD MyBooks, any SCSI interfaces, scanners, USB sticks, USB2/3...in other words anything that you would connect to your system, post W10.   You want them all hot and plugged into your W7 computer BEFORE you fire it up for the last time as a true W7 system.  The reason you want to do the above, is that the W10 upgrade is a Parser/Sniffer sub-routine, that will (you will see this as you watch your equipment active lights)  POLL each and every interface that your motherboard registers.

 

This is an important step, as all equipment will be polled as part of the upgrade process, and you will see that no sooner is a 'sniffed/parsed' peripheral accessed by the W10 upgrade routines, you will see a correspondingly access to your Cable Modem, or Sat Modem, as W10 will search out for its required driver for that apparatus, and write the memory locations for the driver in real time.  This will prevent any memory conflicts when you kick something in after the W10 driver burn in.  

 

To start,  the process, you will download 3.9 GB's of pre-groom files, that...will of itself, trigger real-time downloads as you get the message: Preparing to install Windows 10.  A green progress bar will track this download process after the grooming files have identified your particular Windows version.

 

After the green bar goes 100...you will see a (still) W7 'Do not shut off your computer, message with the files being copied to truly trigger the W10 Update D.O.S. routines

 

After this is completed, you will see your system reboot, and clearly can see a couple of D.O.S. (low level) windows execute code, before a black screen shows Updating Your Computer with a round circle that tracks three major areas of conversion.  The first one you will see execute, is :Copy Files with a percentage that will climb to 100.  

 

Your system will once more reboot, and come back to the Black Update Screen.  Then, the second major update routine kicks in...Installing Features and Drivers  This is where you will see all your hot and active motherboard interfaces (with your (right...you never turned off your equipment...right?!?!?) being polled/parsed/sniffed, and then immediate action on your Cable/Sat modem, as the latest W10 drivers are installed for that particular piece of equipment. This is so important at this stage of an upgrade. When this part two of three completes, you will see another reboot, and finally: back to the same screen with the round update meter climbing towards 100, and the final phase of: Configuring Your System is executed.

 

You are almost there....all proper drivers matched to what was sensed by the driver update routines, and you go to a few welcome screens...almost there to your Desktop that you knew...under W7!...

 

.....you will come to a CONFIGURE page...whereby M.S. would LOVE to have you use the Expedite Features button...that will turn on practically every 'report back to the Empire' routine W10 has.   No...you want to look at the bottom left of this screen and see the wee-bitty-tiny ADVANCED word. Mouse over on that and press when it highlights.  NOW..you get to play 'gawd'...with all the reporting features...which by the way are ALL turned on, lol!   Go over the four or so pages, and either keep something on (default) or turn them off, as a pre-run to you hitting the Desktop.  After you blow through the four or so pages of configuration....it will be about a three minute wait, as W10 actually DOES configure your entire system, with of course you having either turned off telemetry, or not...and then FINALLY...you get a warm 'Hi'...yeah...'Hi'..no kidding...and you are at your Desktop BUT...your W7 looking Desktop ON STEROIDS!  

 

Not at my Desktop (as I wanted it..unaltered..and looking great), but ten seconds, when a window from out of the bottom right of my monitor screen, announces that W10 is installing and running a driver for one of my Hard Drives that brings it up to the fastest I/O speed. Dang...didn't even know under W7 that I was NOT running at the most optimal for my 10,000 RPM drive.  This was so DANG COOL!  Not only does W10 parse what you do...in real time, but it is a true 'living' system, whereby it keeps monitoring for best optimal running, and will drop a better, or hotter driver to max out your logistical experience. 

 

I now understand why your Video Driver can be updated on the fly, in the background...it isn't mercurial by any means...but truly a very good feature of a system that is actively 'watching out for your best performance, as drivers become available. I don't have a problem with that, as nVidia has got their acts together...and the drivers are good-to-go.  

 

The interface on the M.S. checkerboard is pretty dang slick. ( GLAD THAT I UPGRADED!!!)  No schlock here...actual intuitive interfaces for a really great experience.  I rebooted my system, and it didn't take 45 seconds from BIOS, to my sitting at my desktop. That folks, is about 90 seconds quicker than my W7 bootup.  

 

I fired up quickly all my sims...and each runs beautifully, with no P.I.T.A episodes.  Also, there are actually new icons that better represent the function of the software, on my start bar.  They were right, (M.S.)  this system is not your grandfather's W7 and backward. It,... as I coin the phrase, (my words...my thoughts) is a while-active, 'living' app, and its driver, ecosystem, that yes...needs to communicate to the net to keep you running like a sub's torpedo just fired; running true, running hot....

 

I have no issues with W10's active telemetry..for I understand the motives behind it...and folks, it is NOT spyware, cop-you-out by nature. it is a true advancement in a computer system interaction with the User, and with the logistics of his/her system, and attached peripherals.  Other's might disagree. That is fine.  I like this aspect of Windows now...and will welcome its great advantages over a 'blind' O.S. such as W7 and back.

 

So...another success...a hot rod to work with...and absolutely no regrets in having upgraded (not installed from scratch) ...you don't need to, if you have EVERYTHING that you own, including USB sticks attached to a USB 2 or 3 port up and running as W10 is installed. There will be no conflicts of memory addresses between all your equipment, and nothing to conflict when you try to  run up, after W10 is installed.  This is a trick that I learned years ago from one very good I.T. engineer from I.B.M.  He was one of my accounts, and took the time to really explain in low-level detail, the what's and why's of his suggestions for driver and O.S. maintenance/installation(s).

 

So...just wanted to share with you what occurred over the last hour and a half...and that I heart-felt, recommend that all fence-sitters, or those who outright have decided to pass on the free upgrade, to SERIOUSLY revisit your decision...and get in on the freebie for life, before the next 7 days transpires...

 

The biggest advice from my post...is to have ALL your equipment running, turned on, or placed into USB ports, before you shut down your W7 computer for the last time....and boot it up with downloading W10 and beyond...

 

Do all of the above...and have a very relaxed...happy Windows 10 love-fest...

 

Happy W10'ing, all

 

Ses

[HUSSAR 272]

Wow, great info Mitch.  Thanks for the feedback.  I am almost tempted to give Win10 on my sim PC another try.  Love the fact that it should recognize and configure everything.  Want to try something neat?  Right click on the start button.... pretty cool huh?  Now that's what I call innovation.

 

Rob

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Wow, great info Mitch.  Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

Your're welcome, Robert. I am a detail guy...my colleagues love that...when I present, lol

 

My gawd...this O.S. ROCKS....W7 looks dated, and tired in comparison to this hot rod...and the Ultimate version is so TRICK! ))))))))))))))

 

Nothing is lost...your Desktop is as you left it...like mine for instance...my wife looks over my shoulder..and actually shudders, before she walks away...LOLOL    

 

Oh, about the right click on the MS icon...yeah..right in your face...EVERYTHING...gawd, I love it....this is not a reworked XP, Vista, or W7.  This is a new and fresh approach from the ground up.  Things that are familiar...are there, and comforting...new directions, are also there, for the daring....ones that can adapt.  Again...was a good decision to get in on the Gravy Train.

 

Cheers!

 

W10 Mitch

 

Post Edit:  Windows on apps, open up and close...literally faster than you can blink...and I am NOT kidding.....

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Well...nothing but good stuff...

 

I have just spent about an hour going through all my software, and all runs as though it was still under W7.

 

FS9 runs as though it also is still under W7.  No crashes, goes right to full screen. No finangaling required.

 

So all in all, I can sign off, as a total successful 'migration'...hear that Orbx, lol....from W7, to W10.  

 

Noticed right away, how incredibly fast everything logistically is...windows open up faster than a blink. Program terminate the same time frame.  If a program gives W10 some 'gas'...it will find the drivers or interpreter programs you need as you try to run it.  For FS9, I needed to download and run Direct Play. W10 did so, while the opening screen was still up....and after that...FS9 behaved EXACTLY as it did under W7.  

 

All my P3D stuff needed to reload the license as I guess the license is tied into 'your computer runs W7, but this one does not...new computer...blah, blah. Past that...everything runs great, top FPS...the whole shebang.

 

Last word, unless asked by another user...if you don't update because you fear that your software (flight sims) will no longer work...that is bunk.  FSX, P3D's,FSX, FS9...all work, as well as their supporting software.  Weather engines, texture injectors...and blah, blah.  All work.

 

Fence sitters, or those intent on NOT upgrading...you will kick yourself past July 29th...in the butt....beyond that date. Get with the program before that...for trust me...with the better performance, faster I/O...all sim-related programs working like a charm...you will so regret not getting into it, with no money was needed be spent before July 30th.  Just my P.O.

 

With my suggested method for an update...you will not need to go the route of a clean install, and spend hours installing, or even trying to find programs where discs are long gone...whatever.  An update to your same installed Desktop is a full reality.  Lock and load, and then enjoy....

 

Back to exploring the new features...

 

Cheers n' beers,

 

Post Edit:  Important to impart.  I have a very old Sound Blaster (an X-Fi-Titanium) and found out an hour ago, that all of the support programs no longer worked, even if using the compatibility mode of W7.  So...that was a bummer.  Remember, this is a sound card that is now many generations old.  I went to the Creative.com site and typed in my Soundblaster model. Lo and behold, there was a Windows 10 Software and Driver update file...that after I downloaded and installed, got back all my 7 or so Creative programs, that are vital to me.  So...just wanted to point out, that even quite old equipment, if backed by a great company like Creative, will have in the support sections, most likely, all updated drivers specifically compatible with Windows 10.  A year has gone by since the RTM W10 launch......and allowed most credible companies, to get their updated programs and drivers out. 

 

So now, I can honestly say that I have a fully functioning pre and post W7 migration to W10....everything working, all software, games as well as utility working, so there should be no fear to update from Windows 7.

 

 

Ses

[HUSSAR 272]

 

 

O & O Defrag 19 has a great section for just using SDD's.  It keeps them well maintained.

 

I'll keep that in mind.  Do you have any older controllers installed?  I have a set of Simped Vario rudder pedals that connect with the old socket type game port and plugs into my Thrustmaster Hotas Cougar which has USB to connect to the PC.  I use it enough that I would miss it if Win10 didn't recognize it.  Really want to take the plunge again though.

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

I'll keep that in mind.  Do you have any older controllers installed?  I have a set of Simped Vario rudder pedals that connect with the old socket type game port and plugs into my Thrustmaster Hotas Cougar which has USB to connect to the PC.  I use it enough that I would miss it if Win10 didn't recognize it.  Really want to take the plunge again though.

I do not, but other than my Creative Soundblaster...needing true dedicated W10 drivers from Creative themselves, everything found what it needed in the update process. My Logitech thrustmaster updated to dedicated W10 drivers as well. I have to also tell you that water in both P3D v2 and v3 has never looked more real, when the shaders rebuilt under the nVidia W10 driver.  They have never looked like real water with reflections like I have now. FSX looks basically the same.  Sound...my THX module is deeper, more 3D depth than I have ever heard, and believe me, nothing Placebo here...

 

This was a fantastic decision on my part.  Everything is sharper, way faster, The I/O leaves W7 and Vista in the dust.

 

All the fear mongering, disinformation out there is legion about W10 being a cripple with M.S. 'spying' on you..(what a crock!), and dysfunctional compared to W7.  In my two hours of usage...I'd have to say that W7 is the grandfather looking to put its feet up, lol...with W10, running circles around the chair...LOLOL.  

 

Have all your peripherals running and hooked into your motherboard interfaces...and it will be a cake-walk to update, hassle-free.

 

I saw that my Ultimate version has the deferral for W10 updates that can be deffered for a year, from the time of release, but with my now understanding exactly what is under the hood of Windows 10, I want the real-time second-by-second optimizing that I have seen since installment.  I mean...hot dang...W10 has already optimized my SCSI and scanner drivers...and like I said, this is live time...as you enjoy your system.  I have never seen the like.  In fact...Direct Play was injected into the RUNNING FS9, without it needing to be shut down, or that it caused a forced shut-down or crash of the program. I have never seen anything like that, from any O.S.  W10 is SUPER stable!

 

Robert, you couldn't take W10 off my computer, without a fist fight ensuing, LOL.   It's that good....  Goodnight W7, goodnight Vista, goodnight XP....bye-bye...bye-bye...see ya.....enjoy your retirement, for I now understand what W10 is...why is does what it does...and why Microsoft wants everybody to migrate. It's a 'living', acting in real-time, operating system, and I have no fear of any in-the-background telemetry. It's what is making W10 such a stand out from the past....  Thank you M.S.....W10 rocks...and goodnight.

 

A happy converted.

Blog over.

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

nVidia driver suite W10 368.81 working like a charm with Windows 10.  

 

32 FPS out of a locked 33 in all my sims.

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I am not even tempted. When I purchase a new PC at some point in the future (and it will be less than four years from now), I will purchase the latest OS for it at that time. Windows 7 works just fine for me on my current PC, and that means more to me than any free upgrade. Thanks for the report though :wink:

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

I am not even tempted. When I purchase a new PC at some point in the future (and it will be less than four years from now), I will purchase the latest OS for it at that time. Windows 7 works just fine for me on my current PC, and that means more to me than any free upgrade. Thanks for the report though :wink:

No problem, Chris...but with 100 percent success and usage of all my equipment and every software on my system, with respect, it is my 100 percent view, that you truly are missing out on great performance and usage gains all around, with that decision to bypass.  My Creative Soundblaster X-Fi-Titanium has never sounded as good, now under a new and updated W10 driver.  It's like being under the W7 driver, it had a severe 'head cold', lol.  

 

My WD 10,000 rpm Velociraptors have the updated and faster I/O drivers, that were sniffed out, and found by W10, without my even being aware, that I was NOT running to prime optimum for these drives under W7 and earlier O.S. versions. When even forcing W7 to see if there were updated drivers for my Velociraptors...it never found them, but reported that I had the most 'current'.

 

Within 12 minutes of first coming up to my W10 Desktop, a window from the bottom right of my monitor screen flashed out, that W10 was installing the newest faster driver that optimized my I/O for the three of them! Now seeing truly what, and how W10 differs from any previous version of M.S.'s O.S.'s...I wouldn't trade this format for the world. The O.S. is constantly grooming and priming itself on the second.  Fantastic!

 

All the new stuff, the new Cortana, the new Edge (I really like this!!!!), the updated Explorer 11 (very fast site loading, etc), I/O that is faster than a blink (BTW...not kidding) software execution now extremely fast and crisp...many, many performance improvements all around.  In all my sims, top notch FPS performance, and since now running under nVidia's W10 driver family...great clarity, texture composition in all Orbx migrated portfolio.

 

Yes in my opinion, after having used the O.S for flight simming and general use for many hours to date,...you are missing out, but if the upgrade (and boy...is it!) is beyond your comfort zone, then that is the right decision for you, Chris.

 

Your choice, but W10 Pro (I upgraded from W7 Ultimate) has no issues for a flight simmer....for I am living it, since yesterday afternoon....

 

I guess, that  with myself as the main contributor to this thread, it is sort of my blog and Windows 10 conversion, journey, and progressive discovery/experience....lol.  Not much more to personally add, since all is better than my W7 experience, hardware-wise, software-wise, and of course system performance-wise.  Not one negative experience to comment upon, with flight simulation as the focus, as well as general system and software usage.  

 

I guess with that last statement, what more is there to add, so I won't, and will leave further posting off here, unless asked a question from a thread poster, about a particular software performance/accessibility,  or hardware query.

 

Post Edit Comment:  Where in my earlier posts, I used the term; Windows 10 Ultimate, that is in error.  I assumed that I would go from Ultimate, to Ultimate.  There is no Ultimate version with Windows 10.  The counterpart is the Professional version of Windows 10. So...after parsing my system, and finding my W7 Ultimate version, my conversion progressed to the Professional version.  I lost no features, from Ultimate to Professional.  Just a different series moniker.

 

Cheers, :smile:

 

Mitch'er

[HUSSAR 272]

 

 

SSD's do actually deterioate with clutter as you do not defrag them in the traditional way. You can groom them, though...as O & O Defrag 19 has a great section for just using SDD's.  It keeps them well maintained.  Sounds like your solid drive needs some groom T.L.C'in.....

 

Still on the fence regarding W10 but I have dealt with my other issues.  Installed O&O which has the SSD trim feature, used O&O for years on my mechanical HD's, set them up as per Nick N's instructions.  My HD's never ran better.  And the first issue raised has been resolved, I just bought a Macbook Pro for non FS related things... going to the dark side and check things out.

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Still on the fence regarding W10 but I have dealt with my other issues.  Installed O&O which has the SSD trim feature, used O&O for years on my mechanical HD's, set them up as per Nick N's instructions.  My HD's never ran better.  And the first issue raised has been resolved, I just bought a Macbook Pro for non FS related things... going to the dark side and check things out.

Yes, I use O & O Defrag v19 for all my hard drive maintenance.  Stellar program.  In fact I use Stealth Defrag before Windows loads in..each boot up. Another of the secret weapons for top notch system performance.

[AviatorMan 253]

Still on the fence regarding W10 but I have dealt with my other issues.  Installed O&O which has the SSD trim feature, used O&O for years on my mechanical HD's, set them up as per Nick N's instructions.  My HD's never ran better.  And the first issue raised has been resolved, I just bought a Macbook Pro for non FS related things... going to the dark side and check things out.

Hi

 

Have you decided to upgrade or not? Thinking of doing the same but still unsure.