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Sorry – but don’t you need to set the location of Documents also? Just moving the files to the standard location – especially if it doesn’t yet exist – may not match system settings. Then it will just be a random location. It would certainly be in an easier place to back up though.

I would also review document properties after such a move as they may have Hidden or other such set due to their prior location.

Have no idea what did it, but after Win10 updates, my computer started to crash after about 5 minutes of up time. Attempted to figure out what was going on, then ended up copying the minidump files to a thumb drive and looking at them on my tablet.

Turned out to be the driver for Intel’s “Extreme Tuning” utility for overclocking. This is something I’d installed originally, then uninstalled. But it turns out the uninstall left the service installed and starting automatic. Something in the new updates didn’t like it.

I ended up uninstalling a few other related motherboard utilities that I didn’t use and where not designed for Win10.

Just mentioning this in case anyone has the issue – Intel is pretty common.

On AV – I did my research some years ago and decided on ESET. I’ve found it low impact and very reliable. Kaspersky has certainly been top of the ratings most of that time but is also twice the price and not as intuitive. I used to use Norton and McAfee at the office but we stopped using both when they became dogs and caused major problems. The specialists do it better.

Agreed airline pricing is a nightmare. They now use demand algorithms to determine price, so it’s become like the stock market.
However, I certainly favour certain airlines like Alaska. Some of them have become unpredictable in multiple ways, like canceling a flight 1/2 hr before departure after moving it to 4am. I avoid Delta now.

On the Nondestructive Reinstall of Win7 SP1, would it not be worth the time to make a slipstream version of Win7 SP1 and try a nondestructive reinstall that way?

I did this for XP and Win7 to maintain our office computers more easily.

I also find the LinkedIn purchase worrisome. Like other social sharing sites, it’s packed with information about who we’re connected with and our backgrounds – but in this case professional.

I’ve found it a useful platform for connections. But now many companies are competing to collect as much demographic info as they can about users. People don’t want this, the resulting ads have proven to be less than effective, they’re offending customers as the article notes, and people are responding by installing blocks. But the race continues.

It’s useful to network but too much connectivity is not in our interest when it’s driven by companies treating us as commodities.

I’ll see what happens before I decide on LinkedIn. I’m certainly not dependent on it and will delete the connections and content if they abuse it.

I got Pinnacle Studio with some hardware and found it really easy to use compared to some. I don’t edit too often though so didn’t end up upgrading when I migrated OSs but would certainly also recommend it.

I’m a bit spoiled because I learned on some higher end software like Avid. Most consumer software has glaring deficiencies – needing a workaround to edit 2 cameras? Nope.

My fallback is Adobe Premier. I have an older version of that with a suite so I used it last time. Once you understand the process, it’s pretty easy to step back into it.

The mention of Magix is interesting. I got notice from Sony today that this company has bought their “creative solutions” software and I’d not heard of them. This includes Sound Forge, ACID, and some related software. If interested:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/news/pressreleases/2016/sony-creative-software-sell-products-to-magix

After some time using a spreadsheet then encrypted database (which corrupted), I’ve now been using LastPass happily for some years. I did do a very successful CSV import. I spent some time after that upgrading some of the lame passwords I’d been using.

It doesn’t work automatically on 100% of sites but I suspect thats because they’ve used non-standard form ID – nothing any automated tool can fix. I always copy the new password to the clipboard, then check it saved correctly. But thats still so much easier than the old way. I also export the data periodically as a backup.

There are a few things I don’t want filled automatically ever, like bank account info. So I don’t enter that. Simple. And I make extensive use of Secure Notes for text bits like offline passwords.

Interesting article, but I’ll agree it is incomplete.

I have run into sites that wouldn’t let me access content unless I turned off the ad blocker for their site, and sites that posted large notices requesting a donation in lieu of accepting ads. I hadn’t realized the Cookie announcements where related as I use a different tool for that.

I’ve now settled on AdBlocker and Privacy Badger. The second does mess up the occasional site but isn’t as aggressive as some I’ve tried. And both are easily disabled on specific sites. I don’t find clearing all cookies useful.

But I fully agree with many of the above sentiments. I started using an ad blocker because some sites where so riddled with obnoxious ads, including loud noises, large download buttons overshadowing the actual download button, etc. etc. I know this is not all sites but they’ve abused our trust. Suing the software designers isn’t going to repair that trust. And these tools never block their own ads, just third party ones.

I would add that many small business sites today use modular tools like WordPress plugins. They come with things the site owner may be oblivious too, like the beacons in some social sharing tools. I’ve seen articles on tech sites talking about such issues where the tech themselves was unaware of what their own site hosted. Most review sites are oblivious to it too.

Sadly, the trend has migrated into cell phones and now with Windows 10, the operating system. Customers are now viewed as a product to be exploited. Try finding ad-free software on Android. Or having data usage not dominated by advertising. I was amazed what a difference in data usage I had after I moved to hard-to-find ad-free apps.

OH – I use ESET NOD32 AV. After the Win10 upgrade, a few things kept locking up briefly in weird places. I discovered I needed to update to v9 – Then all was fine.

I migrated both machines from Win8 to 10 when I realized the free period was ending, the major issues where addressed, and I didn’t want to be in the last minute rush. I reviewed recent WinSecrets newsletters for tips.
It went quickly and smoothly. I then upgraded a friends computer – that one was dog slow but was fine once upgraded.

I found it didn’t change the look a lot, aside from the Start menu. It left almost all my customizations intact aside from program defaults. I was using Classic Shell which it disabled. It told me it had been “removed” twice but was not. I’m trying it out – I don’t find the mix of apps and desktop programs very useful so I may go back to Classic Shell. But theres a couple of things I do like, once I’d unpinned the junk.

The big change in Win10 is how much it connects to MS servers. You REALLY want to review Settings (the gear icon in Start). Do you want an advertising ID? To have your local searches also search Bing? If you don’t sync across multiple devices, turn off Sync. etc etc.

Also check Cortana settings. You can reduce it’s size too: right-click the Taskbar, select Search, and then box, icon, or hidden.
And turn on System Protection in Control Panel, System for your boot drive. It’s goofily off by default. Given updates are automatic now – you want this.

On Auto Win10 updates, I have to wonder if Microsoft is using some past action as “permission”. For example, if someone long ago “reserved” Win10 when requested, then later got concerns and didn’t go ahead with the process. Is MS taking that reservation as approval? I have to wonder if they have some fall-back excuse like that.

But I fully agree. Making major changes to someones computer is something that should have explicit current permission.

I had no trouble controlling when I upgraded my machines but discovered by accident that a friends laptop had a scheduled update they where not aware of initiating. If they hadn’t happen to open it for me then they would not have been aware it was about to take place and likely it would have happened the next time they booted it. ie: you have to boot the computer prior to the scheduled time to get the scheduled notice. People who use their computers only ever few days may not get a notice.

I was in no rush to upgrade to Win10 (from 8.1). But as it’s become apparent that the free period is likely to end and I didn’t want to do it during a last minute rush, I scheduled the time to upgrade my 2 systems.

Basically, I worked while it downloaded, then had lunch while it upgraded. Most of the settings and appearance where retained, although it has re-asked for some of the default programs. I then went through all the Settings, adjusted Cortana, and turned on System Protection.

My only decision now is if I keep the new Start menu or go back to Classic Shell.

On Win10 upgrade, a friend asked me about it when I was visiting. When opened, their laptop immediately popped up a window as illustrated saying the upgrade would take place shortly. She was running Win8.1. We discussed it and I began the upgrade. However, it took vastly longer than on other systems. Although it had already downloaded the update, it did so again, it also installed some other updates (slowly) even though the computer was clearly on automatic, and so on. Otherwise, it went smoothly – just slow.

I had gone through prior Win Secrets and compiled a list of settings to change after install, like with Cortana, Settings, and System Protection.

Interesting detail that you can just copy files out of the Windows.old folder and they’ll then behave normally. Taking a look a recent version, it looks like they’re virtualized somehow. You can browse all the files but they’re associated with their original location, not their current location so can’t be opened normally.

This also points to why I still use the old technique of a separate data drive for all my files. And a dead-simple file copy backup. It’s untouched by OS upgrades/ changes/ corruptions, etc. Always accessible. Worst case, I can move the drive to another computer.