I Hate Microsoft !!!

[awemawson]

<RANT MODE ON>

Recently wanted to draw some simple circuits and decided to load 'Designspark' onto my workshop PC which is happily running Win 7 Pro 32 bit (I know -  support is ceasing).

Designspark lets me download a huge installation file for Win7 /32 then part way through flags up - "32 bit no longer supported - install terminated" - why not say at the beginning 

OK I have a 64 bit Win10 machine in the workshop that I use for Fusion360 - download Designspark - all goes well, I even start to be able to learn to use it and get some of the circuit drawn - OK let's print it out.

Now my workshop printer is a network connected HP2100 that works splendidly and has done for years. Windows 10 sees it  but refuses to print to it, and it's trouble shooter is unable to find out why 

OK print to a PDF then print it using the Win7 machine - NO Microsoft won't let the Win7 machine 'see' the Win 10 machine file. Win10 machine can copy file and paste into Win7 directory so EVENTUALLY I get it printed but what a palaver !

Now I know if I load almost any Linux version to almost any hardware it will recognise and use almost all peripherals - trouble is I'm not comfortable in a Linux environment and have loads of legacy programs that I occasionally HAVE to use that run under Win7 but not Win10

. . . did I say I hate Microsoft  . . . argh !

<RANT MODE OFF>

[ozzie46]

Last 3 win 10 updates have resulted in printer issues for me like you had. Had to delete printer then reinstall and it works again. UUUUUgh. Have been told microsoft is aware of issue!

Ron

[Joules]

Hmmm , spending a lot of time working on Linux here.   I am normally OSX (Apple) but hedging my bets against them truly dropping the ball.   I have old hardware that still requires XP or in my case Vista Pro.   Loath Windows 10, I have an external SSD I use to boot it when I really have to troubleshoot for someone else’s problems.   As far as I can tell Win 10 is awfully bloated and with so many updates and abstraction (obstruction) it is a nightmare for problem solving.

Andrew, think about an external drive with something like Linux Mint, you can then play without disturbing your primary boot disk.  KiCad has become very comprehensive these days for PCB work, and lots of online support.  I am trying to get my head round FreeCad on Linux, but just too set in my ways with Rhino, so fully understand your reluctance to start on a new OS.

[John Rudd]

I use EAGLE for circuitry and pcb making....if anyone is interested...

No issues on various pc's running Windows 7/8/10....

[Pete49]

Bill Gates is back as richest man. Can see why now.

[hermetic]

The sole purpose of windows 10 is to make all your old hardware obsolete and unusable so you have to go out and buy it all again, similar things are happening in many other areas of retail business. The rabbit hole is very deep.
Phil

[chipenter]

My windows 10 PC died put the hard drive into an external caddy , My Documents were not accusable by my replacement , all my g-code files are on there , Microshit advised me to replace the hard drive in the new on , but it is all sata no ide  .

[hermetic]

you can get sata to ide adapters, and you will probably be able to access the data on the drive, even though the windows install on the drive is corrupt

[efrench]

I like Windows 10     It's fast and reliable as well as runs the latest versions of programs.  Windows 7 works well for software that was designed for it.  I wouldn't expect the latest versions of programs to work.  It's great if they do, but one shouldn't complain if they don't.

Kicad works well for me.  I've designed several 4 axis boards with it used to drive a rose engine.   

[awemawson]

It’s the lack of backwards compatibility that is the issue for me. Why SHOULD Microsoft dictate when other programs and peripherals are obsolete?

If a particular scanner or printer works under a previous version of th O S then surely it’s not rocket science to have it work with the latest UNLESS you have ulterior motives.

BTW I’ve drawn the cct using   DesignSpark

[efrench]

Usually the printer/scanner manufacturer is responsible for creating the drivers as well as updating them for OS changes.  If there are security vulnerabilities in the drivers or the programs, then it's in Microsoft's and your best interests to update the OS.