Windows 10 Technical Preview 3

You probably won't believe this

[IanCP]

I downloaded the ISO file for Windows 10 quite some time back. Unfortunately it wasn't compatible with any of the spare machines I had available.

There was no way I was going to put it on my main Custom Desktop PC.

Happily for me, I purchased last week a new Lenovo Laptop/Notebook with Win 8.1 64 Bit. I cleaned that up, tailored it with Classic Shell and was well pleased with myself.

Today I decided to now finally install Windows 10 Technical Preview on the basis of a dual boot OS. Of course I did some research to refresh the brain on dual booting.

Download new ISO file and burn it. Make note of the Product Key. Shrink the Drive by about 30GB to leave "unallocated" space for Win 10 to install itself once I elect to "Custom" install Windows 10.

Suitably armed? Away we go.

Yes, it takes the usual Microsoft eternity...

End result?

1. Never asked me the expected:

a) Upgrade Install OR
b) Custom Install only

2. Never asked me for the Windows 10 Product Key

I now have a Windows 8.1 Laptop/Notebook - with some Windows XP look and feel, the same desktop as before - but embellished in the bottom right hand corner above the task bar with the words:

Windows 10 Technical Preview Evaluation Copy - Build 9926

At the moment it is having a panic attack trying to update.

Isn't this just so much fun?

[tangor]

Give it two aspirin and check it in the morning. :)

It does sound like the install is capable this time around. Thanks for the note... haven't gone there yet.

[bill]

Build 9926 is a bit old now. I haven't been able to get my VM to upgrade past that build even on the Fast Ring. I downloaded build 10049, which has the new Spartan browser and hope to have that running in a new VM soon.

[IanCP]

Ooops, didn't look at it since it overcame the update panic attack and then behaved. Nah! Still shows Build 9926 - which is the latest ISO file from Windows Insider Program when logged in today:

Download Windows 10 Technical Preview ISO
[windows.microsoft.com ]

Haven't tried many programs yet, but...

So far I can't see any difference between it and my Win 8.1 Desktop PC. IE is IE 11.0.9800 - a slightly later version.

No sign yet of the 'Spartan' browser.

[bill]

The ISO files for the latest preview are here [windows.microsoft.com...] They have Build 10041 which can be updated to Build 10049, which has Spartan.

[IanCP]

I set it from fast to slow updates, so it finally gave up on Build 10049 after a sequence of hiccups and BSOD's. It then settled on Build 10041 which worked - for a time.

Then we went through another sequence of hiccups and BSOD's to the point I had to go to recovery and roll back to Build 9986. Having consumed some seven hours on this I then had to the ask myself the question:

"What are you doing - this is an evaluation, look around, check it out, run a few programmes..."

OK it does all the things I could always do with the Pro versions of Win XP, Win 8, Win 8.1. The games Solitaire and Winmine in System32 folder are still the 2006 versions among files mostly dated 20th January 2015. I suspect they were imported from the original Win 8.1 System 32 which I imported them from Win XP. Maybe not.

OK I look around at the Apps. Not one of them there which I would normally use. For the moment? On evaluation?

Not something I would voluntarily spend money on for an upgrade if I didn't have to.

On balance? Is it better than the Win 8.1 Desktop? Not that I can readily see for the moment.

[IanCP]

Update: Owing to my custom desktop dying this morning - PSU, Mobo or more likely the CPU, I'm waiting on Mr. Intel's warranty procedure - but Easter Weekend? I don't think so.

I've had to migrate a lot of stuff from backup drives now over to the laptop.

Windows 10 Technical Preview is now getting an unplanned, unscheduled 150% workout.

Fine so far, does all my regular daily tasks - even copying over some movies at present from one external HDD to another external HDD - space issues.

IE11 dies on Google Search though - I'll check later as to why [it's NOT using Bing?].