my laptop running Windows 10 taking forever to boot up or launch an app
By
T-Bone,
in Computer Questions
By
T-Bone,
in Computer Questions
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WordWolf
Hi. I'm not going to challenge you, but I'm going to reply and comment as I deem necessary.
A) Windows went from Windows 8 to Windows 10, skipping Windows 9, because they wanted to continue to sell to the Chinese market. They would have refused to buy Windows 9 computers as back luck. (That's what I heard back when this version was announced.)
B) A piece of advice I once got was to do Windows O/S upgrades by buying a new computer. Each PC can handle its built-in O/S, and may struggle to manage with the new one. If you're using the current PC, keep its current O/S on it. (Obviously, your mileage may vary.)
C) One of the Windows 10 upgrades replaced Explorer with Edge. Some of the upgrades that did that really slowed down the O/S for some of us. (I had to uninstall the update, then manually install Edge, to fix that.) My PC has Edge, but that'one O/S we don't use. (Mrs Wolf prefers Chrome, I prefer Firefox, etc.) Neither of us would want Edge to replace our browser.
D) In lieu of Microsoft Office, we have LibreOffice and OpenOfficeOrg (we use LibreOffice almost exclusively.) Obviously, we think differently than you do. We prefer a non-Windows version of everything, as well as a free version.
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T-Bone
Thanks WordWolf, I appreciate your reply...and I'll respond to each specifically:
A. that's interesting why they skipped # 9 - it makes sense...
== == ==
B. I beg to differ on what you said: keep whatever operating system your computer came with, disregarding the updates and in lieu of that buying a new computer to stay current on latest operating systems...that doesn't seem practical to me for a few reasons:
1.) it seems wasteful like a throw-away mentality besides being more costly in the long run. why not fix or improve what you have. nothing is perfect to begin with - and absolute perfection is only a dream.
2.) some updates are very critical to security or functionality like bug fixes. Nothing is perfect; everything needs tending to from time to time - everything needs maintenance. Anytime my device alerts me of an update, I always review the notes about the update before I install it; there have been a few times I've passed on an update. For instance - I have an iPhone 7Plus and as of right now my iOS is 14.4.2 and the software display says it's up to date. Yet I have a message at the top of the settings screen that says "Finish Setting Up Your iPhone". I ignore that because it wants me to set up Apple Pay. At this point in time I don't want to do that (it involves enabling a feature to send and receive money from friends, make purchases, etc. by enrolling a debit, credit or prepaid card into "Apple Wallet".)No thanks. It's probably the overcautious nature of my security background. I tend to lean toward multiple steps to access something or purchase something - a lot of people lean more toward convenience. Do what you feel comfortable with.
3.) For computers I prefer a Windows operating system - it's what I'm use to. Windows 10 is by far the most stable version yet. (For smartphones I prefer Appple's iPhone - they have it together for securing your privacy.)
== == ==
C. Back when I worked in security - I did find some programs and websites preferred one browser over another - in computing, native software are programs designed to run on a particular operating system - the computer code is written for a certain processor...however I think more and more web browsers are getting similar enough to each other that most of the time it doesn't matter which one you use...Furthermore I'm of the opinion most businesses want to have universal appeal for a broader market so their engineers use a cross-platform design so their stuff can be run on various operating systems.
This open architecture assumes the data will be distributed and seek interoperability between different computer systems. In the security industry technological convergence is a big deal that enables different technologies to interoperate efficiently - over the years I've helped build and maintain several security central stations and numerous satellite security posts - integrating security systems, alarm monitoring stations, facility maintenance monitoring, CCTV, digital video recorders, weather stations and access control so it could all be run from a central console; by the way, I had noticed over time it got easier and easier to integrate different systems - probably because (as I suggested above) nobody wants to be a deal-breaker by saying you can only use our software with this or that system...but I'm retired so now I just go to a handful of websites and honestly for my needs any browser will do...my needs are very simple.
== == ==
D. I can't argue with you on your choice of word processors. When I started getting alerts on my Microsoft Office 2010 that they were not going to support it after October 2020 - I freaked out and looked at not only the cost of Microsoft's latest version but also other processors like Open Office...I don't know if it's me getting cheaper in my old age or just more practical - but I tend to look at things differently now and ask myself do I really need that - and can I do it with what I've already got. Like I said in my previous post - the only cyberspace posting I do now is on Grease Spot and gmail (for my email) - and they both have spell-checkers...noting your preference for non-Windows version of anything, I take it you don't have a Windows operating system. That makes sense...I'm no IT guru and I'm no sales rep - whatever works for you, stick with it.
Me on the other hand - I like the stability and reliability of Windows 10 - and now especially because of my major reset today - only Windows 10...and besides all that, I probably now use my iPhone more than my laptop. I have several photoshop apps, PDF maker, word processor, and other assorted apps on my iPhone that more than just duplicate what I could do on my laptop - many of the apps by far surpass the functionality, stability and reliability of my recently deceased apps and programs that were removed from my laptop today.
Edited by T-Boneformatting & typos
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WordWolf
Obviously, mileage varies, and different users prioritize different things.
"I beg to differ on what you said: keep whatever operating system your computer came with, disregarding the updates and in lieu of that buying a new computer to stay current on latest operating systems...that doesn't seem practical to me for a few reasons:
1.) it seems wasteful like a throw-away mentality besides being more costly in the long run. why not fix or improve what you have. nothing is perfect to begin with - and absolute perfection is only a dream."
{I never said I throw away the old computer. I update it as much as is possible and Keep updating its security with external programs. Generally, one doesn't need "the latest" O/S to have a functional computer -high-demand users excepted. The way I use PCs doesn't cultivate using them for an entire decade, so they're not exactly going to be around for multiple O'/S upgrades. My experience is that I've seen far too many people complain about a software upgrade to the next O/S, and try to maintain one with a PC that's several years old and of lower tech. If the current machine serves you well now, then keep using it. Personally, I'm going to go up in O/S by getting it as a factory install on a new PC. Otherwise, I'll keep using the old computer. I don't throw away working PCs. I knew someone who refused to get a new computer, and whose computer was totally unable to handle MINIMUM requirements for the current O/S. (With Windows, you NEVER want to have JUST the "minimum recommended' hardware, otherwise it will run like a snail.) Eventually, they had to go buy a new computer despite themself- Windows stopped supporting XP for all the Win10 stuff.]
[We're on the same page on critical updates in general, I think. What's necessary should be updated, what isn't is optional. We may disagree on what is in each category, depending on specifics, however. I also was quite happy with Windows 7, but I agree Win10 is stable.]
[As for webpages being built for one browser or another, IE's programmers seemed indifferent to agreements to make standards for compliance for webpages to follow- and thus for browsers to render. So, months after some agreements, IE was still unable to render some webpages properly. It was only after recommendations began to come in to switch to other browsers- for rendering or security purposes- that IE programmers woke up and started to comply. For me, it was far too late- I've used Firefox since 0.9 and find there's lots of browsers I prefer to IE. In fact, I generally only opened IE for Windows updates or Microsoft pages- which were often not W3C standards compliant and so didn't render for anybody BUT IE. IIRC, IE 7 was the last version I actually used. I don't delete it because Windows tends to make it required software for the actual O/S, so deleting it means some stuff will stop working until it's reinstalled, if it works then.]
[I don't know it if applies to Edge, but I'm confident all the current browsers all render pages as they're supposed to be rendered (except for the few flash pages still extant, which need a browser that still runs Flash, but that's generally not a selling-point for anything.) I think that's been a goal since the early 200s.]
[I use a Windows O/S because I like all the software that runs on it. If I had few software needs, I might just use Ubuntu and call it a day. Other than the actual O/S. I try not to rely on actual Windows software, and try to use something else for a number of reasons. Skype seems to be the exception now that YIM and AIM gave up. If I did little actual writing, I'd probably just stick to CopyWriter. Since I have to have software for a family where everybody needs something for work from home sooner or later, I need to have an office suite (LibreOffice) e-readers and other software. I know there's a big push to do everything on one's phone, but I still use mine primarily to communicate (phone, text, WhatsApp, skype) and find it's great for versatile communication as well as very light webpage reading. A desktop serves me better right now for most things. Other times (past, and I imagine, future) a mini-netbook or laptop was (will be?) better for some things. As always, that's down to needs as well a preferences. I'm mostly comfortable with Win10 now, and don't really have any major complaints with it. It's Windows, so certain features are to be expected and planned around.]
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T-Bone
yeah - I think we're on the same page on a few things - and of course actual mileage may vary.
This may sound odd - but a very real concern I've always had is developing and maintaining a robust skill set. I'm of the opinion if you don't use it you lose it. Math was never my long suit - but a long time ago I had a job as a map sales rep covering three states, providing maps to store chains, convenience stores, etc. I used to carry a small calculator to tally up sale items and figure out sales tax. My calculator broke and I had to rely on figuring that out on scratch paper and after a while I could quickly do a lot of that in my head as I worked up the customer's receipt. That really blew my mind since I've always had an aversion to math. I remember a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher sending a note home to my parents notifying them that I still counted with my fingers.
Back to present day - with losing my word processor, I had a flashback of losing my calculator. Now spelling was always a long suit - but I grew accustomed to the convenience of spell-checker on my computer...this got to be mildly annoying whenever I would attempt to handwrite a quick note about something and couldn't remember how to spell a certain word. Kinda of frustrating too - cuz I would sometimes pause writing while my mind tried to figure out the correct spelling and even argue with myself over why that was so important. Picture Robby the robot from the Forbidden Planet movie when he was given an order that went counter to his programming - all the electronic mechanisms inside his paraboloidal plexiglass dome of a head were chattering and electrically arcing - Robby was immobilized....voila Yikes ! Robby has a meltdown (see it for yourselves at the 2:15mark )
I probably sound like an old fuddy duddy (maybe I am
A more recent movie Save Yourselves - a silly sci-fi flick about a 30-something millennial couple who decide to disconnect from their internet-obsessed and superficial lives by turning off their phones for a weekend and stay at a friend's cabin in the woods. Wouldn't you know it - that's just when the earth is invaded by tribbles (or something like those fuzzy things in Star Trek season 2 episode 15). To me a very funny but poignant aspect of the film was that this couple did not know how to do anything - they had no practical skills! As entertainment goes - it's worth watching at least once - the only disappointment for me was the ending - it just didn't make sense the way they wrapped it up too quickly. My wife and I loved it though and we had a brainstorming session for about 20 minutes on how they could have made the ending better.
A more recent incident in Texas brought self-reliance to the forefront of my thinking. You may have heard about the February big freeze and how most of Texas lost electrical power - some folks for days. Lots of folks experienced major damage from frozen pipes bursting. Plumbers were coming in from out of state with Texas waiving the need for a state license to handle all the problems...
Did you know freezing water can exert an expanding force between 25,000 and 114,000 psi? Most copper or PVC plumbing pipes maximum pressure rating are only in the hundreds of pounds per square inch. Fortunately for us the plumbing in our home is well insulated. But our pool equipment outside did not survive. Pool equipment does have anti-freeze features - but they need power to keep the water circulating. There were cracks in the pool pumps and salt cell chlorine generator. Now the pool industry is not a necessity - since having a pool is considered a luxury. There's a lot of folks in Texas who have pools. Pool techs are swamped and backlogged - I can't even get a company to come out and give me an estimate to show my insurance company. Replacement pool equipment is scarce - companies I've called say parts are on backorder for months and months - I'd be lucky to have parts by August...
As weeks went by I was getting upset watching my pool turn murky green. Years ago I have worked on pool equipment at my house and for a CEO I worked for. So, I decided to repair what I could, to at least get circulation and filtration going...and I did it - making a plumbing bypass around the cracked chlorinator and disassembling the main pump to apply marine epoxy on the biggest inside crack (on the outside it was a only a hairline crack but covering the outside crack alone did not stop the leak); a booster pump was a little easier to fix with epoxy on some hairline cracks on the outside of the pump...It's all working now - I have to hand chlorinate but the pool water is crystal clear!
Knowing I still got it is a satisfying feeling.
Edited by T-BoneLike you said it all comes down to needs as well as preferences. While I am able to still use my skill set I prefer to handle some technical needs myself.
formatting & typos
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T-Bone
Like I said in my first post - this thread is for computer users like me who know just enough to get by...I guess I was spoiled when I worked for companies that usually had a very robust IT staff to support the technical needs of the company...being retired and on my own now - it's sort of like the dilemma I've faced on other topics - I find myself saying I wished I paid more attention to that when it was covered in school.
As a technician I used to pride myself on being competent - given enough time I could fix just about anything. The operative phrase is "given enough time" - keep in mind the learning curve, as time goes on - it will take you less time and fewer mistakes to fix a similar problem that you've already solved 20 times before...But something I've enjoyed even more than using tools and working on stuff was interacting with the customer. My mission was always to demystify technology and to alleviate any fears they had about it...Nowadays it depends on who you talk to for your computer needs. If you find someone who gets into being almost like a liaison between you and your computer needs and is not just a pushy salesperson - stick with that person!
I'm not a total idiot on computer stuff. Back in 1987 I bought a Zeos mailorder computer - and if memory serves it had a whopping 250 megabyte hard drive (wow wee wow
To this day I am still more of a hardware guy than a software guy - for a couple of reasons. Electronics and hardware are usually a lot more reliable and stable than software. Electrical engineers have worked a lot of the bugs out of components and designs and have established industry standards. Stuff is easier to troubleshoot because you can do things like physically inspect the equipment and use specialized meters to measure functionality and integrity of stuff.
Software can be a little more mysterious. Software programs are usually very complicated and may not be completely compatible with software from other companies. I don't know if there is an industry standard for creating software products like there is for testing the safety of physical technology with the Underwriter's Laboratories. Software needs updates to fix bugs and security issues and improve functionality. A typical end user can't physical inspect what was written in the source code of a program.
One of the reasons I started this thread was to inspire do-it-yourselfers. The internet and You Tube can be your friend. Framing your question correctly is critical to finding some viable options to solve your problem. In my Google search box I literally typed in the title of this thread "my laptop running Windows 10 taking forever to boot up or launch an app".
Edited by T-BoneComputers do NOT run on magic - but follow programs (instructions) written by really smart - but imperfect- people. Troubleshooting a computer issue involves the 3 basics: investigate, isolate, eliminate. That's why another handy feature mentioned in the link I gave in my first post has to do with booting up in the safe mode. That method launches only the basic operating elements of your system so you can determine if some software you added later caused the problem....well, all I can say for now is good luck and remember simple pictures are best.
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T-Bone
Hi WordWolf
just wanted to thank you for mentioning other free word processors in your posts...I looked into LibreOffice but decided to go with Neat Office which was also free in the Microsoft App Store...It works great with opening/editing existing files from my old Microsoft Office 2010…After using the bare-bones WordPad for just a few days I realized I do a lot more writing offline than I thought and without a word processor it was like going back to a Ford Model T after being used to a 2010 Ford F-150 Pickup...thanks again – you got me thinking outside the box.
Edited by T-Boneformatting & typos
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Rocky
I've been using OpenOffice for years. It works well with MS Office file types.
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T-Bone
I just may try Open Office - and maybe sooner than later...I’m having some issues with Neat Office - like occasionally “not responding” but that’s not to say there’s a problem with it...i may have a bigger issue with my laptop - it’s 10 years old and a couple of times since “the big reset” ScanDisk found some errors and attempted to repair them...I’m probably going to get a new laptop this year anyway and will give Open Office a shot...can it make a document into a PDF ?
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Rocky
You can "export a file as a PDF" with Open Office.
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T-Bone
I uninstalled Neat Office and then downloaded Open Office...it works great !
I have not seen any "not responding" messages with Open Office like I did with Neat Office.
My laptop is still having disk error issues - same as before I did the big reset - now every so often I get an alert to restart my laptop so it can run scandisk...I think it's probably about time I replace this old laptop (I'm thankful it's lasted this long - 10 years and starting with Windows 8 and upgrading to Windows 10)...maybe if it can hold up for another month or two.
Rocky and WordWolf I appreciate your input!
Thanks!
Edited by T-Boneformatting & typos
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