Windows 10 News and User discussion (1 Viewer)

[dvdclon]

Forget the phrase, but there was a physicist or somebody that stated technology would increase in certain increments over time. Although, also have heard we're getting close to the end with silicon based chips, down to the atom level where they physically can't go any further.

To make it official, quick Win10 question. I can do a "shutdown" on my laptop or just let it go to sleep. It reboots from a shutdown faster than it comes back from sleep. Is that a Win10 issue or just a hardware quirk?

Isn't that Moore's Law from Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel?

Also, when your computer wakes up, it has to read all your memory contents from the file it was written to, which could be considerable, especially if you have a bunch of programs open.

Rebooting does the same thing without having to account for open programs, etc. so it's a simpler job.

 

[dvdclon]

There may be more at work than just what you've stated. If I may ask, does your computer have an AMD video card? The reason I ask is that both the wife and I have laptops from HP. Hers is the more powerful, top of the line, i7 box - mine's just an i3. The other difference is that she has AMD video and I don't.

Her computer, from the moment she installed Windows 10, started to come back to life VERY slowly from hibernate mode, while mine is near instantaneous. Long story short, there are YouTube videos out there that can guide you step by step on what to fix in your registry to alleviate the problem. It worked for her.

Do either of those laptops have an SSD? I would expect that to impact waking time as well.

 

[Harry-N]

Do either of those laptops have an SSD? I would expect that to impact waking time as well.

No SSDs. Trust me, this is an error with AMD video and Windows 10. After performing the registry steps, her computer wakes up and boots with proper speed. Prior to the registry change, her awakenings and boot-up time were several FULL minutes of black screen.

 

[Stan]

There may be more at work than just what you've stated. If I may ask, does your computer have an AMD video card? The reason I ask is that both the wife and I have laptops from HP. Hers is the more powerful, top of the line, i7 box - mine's just an i3. The other difference is that she has AMD video and I don't.

Her computer, from the moment she installed Windows 10, started to come back to life VERY slowly from hibernate mode, while mine is near instantaneous. Long story short, there are YouTube videos out there that can guide you step by step on what to fix in your registry to alleviate the problem. It worked for her.

The only thing I can find is a very generic answer, "Intel HD Graphics", probably not much help. Everything with the video also goes back to that mysterious September 13th date of update, reinstall, install, updating driver, etc.

It's not that big of a deal, I can live with it, just kind of mysterious. Do we really run our own computers or has MS taken over?

Don't even know if I have an i3, i7... It was a quickie Amazon purchase out of desperation, but I've always had good luck with Toshiba equipment. Everything is so hidden now, just the basic info of Windows 10 Home Edition, build 1607 (I didn't even ask for updates, just did it on its own a while ago), OS build 14393.0, Intel Celeron CPU N2840. It works, so I'm okay.

I'll check out YouTube, but I'm very hesitant to mess with the registry. I don't have any kind of recovery or bootable disk if something goes wrong. Never even got any paperwork with the laptop, just turned it on, it registered with MS, I was valid, but no serial# or the big code you need to enter, other than a couple labels on the backside, so I don't want to risk it.

 

[DaveF]

Having troubles with monitor syncing. So I ran a Restore Point to go back to last week's configuration.

Windows Restore killed my computer. Now to wipe and reinstall everything.

 

[DaveF]

Or not.
After a few hard reboots, a couple failed attempts to boot from a USB drive, the computer cam up in a recovery page unexpectedly. I tried to unrestored the Restore point. A reboot later and windows booted normally as if nothing had gone wrong.

WTF?

Don't know. But things are fixed. Whew!

 

[Stan]

Or not.
After a few hard reboots, a couple failed attempts to boot from a USB drive, the computer cam up in a recovery page unexpectedly. I tried to unrestored the Restore point. A reboot later and windows booted normally as if nothing had gone wrong.

WTF?

Don't know. But things are fixed. Whew!

That's what I'm afraid of. I got absolutely no software, no DVD, nothing with my laptop last January. Finally started checking into what would happen if it croaked or I had to do a re-install. Apparently I have to buy a USB drive, somehow set it up as a recovery/bootable drive.

I'm still adjusting to Win10, and still find it really annoying, but not much choice at this time.

 

[Stan]

Not sure if this is a Windows 10 or hardware question.

Is there anyway to disable the touchpad and maybe the control key on my Toshiba laptop and just use a mouse?

I can be typing something, posting on HTF, a Word document, e-mail, anything. The cursor will move on its own so I end up typing over things, or I'll look at the laptop, maybe breathe, not even touch a key and an entire post/e-mail/document will vanish. Sometimes a control-Z or an undo on the web page helps, possibly something is saved to "drafts" and I can get it back. Other times, 3-4 minutes composing an e-mail or a document, and poof, it's gone.

I'm about ready to throw my laptop across the room or put it under the wheels of my car and crush it, but I count to 10 and relax.

I've already started using a mouse, next step will be a USB keyboard, then I'll just plug in a monitor. What's the point of having a stand-alone laptop when the only way to make it usable is to plug in a bunch of peripherals.

It's ridiculous when you're typing along and suddenly notice the cursor has moved up ten lines and your keystrokes are meaningless, you have deleted everything, need to move the cursor and re-type everything you just did.

 

[dpippel]

Touchpad customization, including disabling it completely, is usually handled by the manufacturer's driver software. Some are smart enough to only disable it when a USB mouse is detected. You should go to Toshiba's website and see if they offer a specialized touchpad driver for your laptop model.

 

[DaveF]

@Stan have you considered switching to a Mac? Your issues of laptop confusion between UI modes, palm-rejection on the trackpad, and overall non-simplicity of management are not problems with macOS.

 

[Stan]

@Stan have you considered switching to a Mac? Your issues of laptop confusion between UI modes, palm-rejection on the trackpad, and overall non-simplicity of management are not problems with macOS.

I'm seriously considering it. My old PC with XP works great. No support, but it's great for games, no wireless, but a good old Ethernet cable fixes that. This laptop, with supposedly "the latest and greatest" sucks.

Have literally never used a Mac, but maybe it's time.

Just a few minutes ago, I accidentally brushed against the perfect mystery combination of keys, my display switched to portrait, and the touchpad movements went totally whacko. Left meant up, down was left, or something similar, I forget. I'm trying to read when the display is sideways, but it was hopeless. Had to plug in a mouse, turn the laptop on its side and could finally return the display setting to normal.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Stan:

I totally "get" your issue with the touchpad when using a separate, wireless mouse. My HP laptop (with Win 10) allows me to go to settings and then navigate to "devices", "Mouse and touchpad" and then, eventually, to "completely disable the touchpad." I find them nothing but trouble for the reasons you cited.

And, FWIW, I would be hesitant to delve into a Mac user experience if I were you. I'm 57 and have only known Windows machines. You've been active in computing for a lot longer than I. My mother has a Mac machine and whenever I am called upon to help her with an issue or need to navigate her machine in any way, I am completely flummoxed. I, of course, recognize that if I committed to such a machine for my own everyday use it would likely be a different story. Just my knee-jerk two-cents on the subject.

 

[DaveF]

I'm seriously considering it. My old PC with XP works great. No support, but it's great for games, no wireless, but a good old Ethernet cable fixes that. This laptop, with supposedly "the latest and greatest" sucks.

Have literally never used a Mac, but maybe it's time.

My mom, a vocal technophobe and avowed computer hater, switched to the Mac around age 60. If she can do it, anyone can.

If there's an Apple Store, or even a BestBuy or Micro Center, spend some time playing with the Macs to see what you think.

If you've got a local friend who's a Mac user, ask for a demo. They'll be happy to evangelize.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've probably shared this before, Dave...but my mom (the Mac user) will be 87 in January. She's not a technophobe...in fact, she considers herself "high tech." She does GREAT with the Mac. Takes pictures on her iPad, transfers them to her Mac, prints them up. She can Facetime with her great-granddaughters. She's on the internet, on Facebook sharing videos, etc.

And my sister works at the local Apple store. So I can appreciate the fact that Macs are easy to use.

My only hesitation for Stan is that he's been neck-deep in the Windows world for so long. But, like I said, even though I can't navigate myself around my Mom's mac, I bet if Stan got one of his own...it wouldn't take long for him to become fluent.

 

[DaveF]

I don't recommend it lightly. My take -- and I could be way off base -- is that Stan spent a career managing computers and taming Windows. But now he is done with that career and just wants his personal computer to work.

Mac isn't perfect. But his issues are wanting a laptop that doesn't also try to be a tablet. Mac laptops are explicitly designed to not try to be a touch computer. With an awesome trackpad.

 

[Stan]

Stan:

I totally "get" your issue with the touchpad when using a separate, wireless mouse. My HP laptop (with Win 10) allows me to go to settings and then navigate to "devices", "Mouse and touchpad" and then, eventually, to "completely disable the touchpad." I find them nothing but trouble for the reasons you cited.

And, FWIW, I would be hesitant to delve into a Mac user experience if I were you. I'm 57 and have only known Windows machines. You've been active in computing for a lot longer than I. My mother has a Mac machine and whenever I am called upon to help her with an issue or need to navigate her machine in any way, I am completely flummoxed. I, of course, recognize that if I committed to such a machine for my own everyday use it would likely be a different story. Just my knee-jerk two-cents on the subject.

Seriously consider the Mac option. It would be a huge learning curve, but I'd adjust.

Until then, still have my Windows 10 laptop. I go into devices, settings, etc. My only choices with the touchpad are "No delay, or short, medium, long delay" I can't disable it.

 

[dpippel]

Stan, what's the model number of your Toshiba laptop? By the way, if you do end up going with a MacBook, you can install Windows 10 via Bootcamp and run both operating systems on the same machine. I have a 2015 MacBook Pro Retina set up this way and aside from the Surface Pro 4, it's the best Windows 10 laptop I've ever used.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Until then, still have my Windows 10 laptop. I go into devices, settings, etc. My only choices with the touchpad are "No delay, or short, medium, long delay" I can't disable it.

Isn't there a "more" link (or something to that effect)? I had to click that to get a pop-up box which allowed me to disable the touchpad.

I'm not at a Win10 machine right now to check.

 

[Stan]

Isn't there a "more" link (or something to that effect)? I had to click that to get a pop-up box which allowed me to disable the touchpad.

I'm not at a Win10 machine right now to check.

There is an "additional mouse options" I can go to. That brings up some touchpad settings, I can adjust it from right to left button and the click speed, but no "disable". The closest thing is to remove the driver, and that sounds a little extreme, so don't want to risk that.

 

[Mike Frezon]

If no one else chimes in, I'll check my laptop when I am at home tonight.

You are in the right place. But there was an option there to "disable" or "cancel" of "turn off" the touchpad. No driver deletion required.