Windows 10 - speed-up tip

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Fretless
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Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Fretless »

I have just discovered that in the latest major update of everybody's favourite Windows 10 (version 2004) the 'virtual assistant' Cortana has been switched on - even if you don't use it.

This uses a lot of computing power, even when idle and you can turn it off.

Next to the search bar at the bottom of the screen is a round circle that activates Cortana. Right-click on that brings up a menu where you can hide that button.

Going into the App Settings and then the advanced settings for the Cortana App gives you the option to turn it off completely.
Do that and you will suddenly discover that your annoying Windows PC is actually working faster.

Sometimes I hate computers. :techie-hiding:

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by slinger »

I'm still waiting for 2004. Apparently I've got a driver somewhere that Win10 2004 is not a fan of.
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Fretless (Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:56 pm)
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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by valvesRus »

Fretless wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:45 pm I have just discovered that in the latest major update of everybody's favourite Windows 10 (version 2004) the 'virtual assistant' Cortana has been switched on - even if you don't use it.

This uses a lot of computing power, even when idle and you can turn it off.

I turned Cortana off well before the update 2004, and I just checked to see and it's still turned off.
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Geoff.R.G (Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:44 pm)

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

valvesRus wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:27 pm
Fretless wrote: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:45 pm I have just discovered that in the latest major update of everybody's favourite Windows 10 (version 2004) the 'virtual assistant' Cortana has been switched on - even if you don't use it.

This uses a lot of computing power, even when idle and you can turn it off.

I turned Cortana off well before the update 2004, and I just checked to see and it's still turned off.
I only use Windows for car manuals, I never activated Cortana and it remains that way. I don't have Siri activated on my Macs either.

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Fretless »

Even if you think you have disabled Cortana - you might want to check that the 'run in background' switch is set to off as well.

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Lindsayt »

The whole philosophy of Windows 10 is that "We at Microsoft are clever and our Operating system is clever. Whilst you lot are complete idiots."

Which results in Windows 10 being OK for idiots and annoying for everybody else.

There's loads of other crap that Windows 10 has running / installed by default that could and should be turned off.

Starting with Automatic Updates. :angry-screaming:

And going on to all the bloat running in the background including the intrusive spying stuff. :angry-steamingears:

And on top of that, it's not even a particularly secure and stable operating system.

The default interface is also annoying - eg how all the applications are in a vertical pop-up box that's annoying to scroll down.

Microsoft have always been a company where their marketing is better than the technical ability of their products.
Their best software - eg MS Word - was originally created by other companies which Microsoft bought out.
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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by valvesRus »

Well, I must say, I actually like Windows 10, and although I search manually for updates (daily security updates mostly) I like to have my machines up to date, and secure.

I also disable things in "start up" if I feel I don't need them on a daily basis.

I have 3 PCs and 3 laptops in the family and none has ever given me a problem using W10. I do regular scans with the free versions of CCleaner and Malwarebytes, so keep the crud of old files
lurking to a minimum.

I have tried Ubuntu on several occasions, and whilst it's relatively easy for simple things like net browsing I find it hard work for anything else.

If that makes me an "idiot", so be it. ;)

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

Vignette.

Ubuntu is an African word.

It means, I am me because all of you.

It should be a founding principal of life.
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savvypaul (Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:50 pm)

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by valvesRus »

“Ubuntu”

"is the capacity in African culture to express compassion, reciprocity, dignity, harmony and humanity in the interests of building and maintaining community with justice and mutual
caring. "

Ubuntu is not just an African philosophy but a spirituality and an ethic of African traditional life.

Just think how good life would be if everyone followed this.

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Re: Windows 10 - speed-up tip

Unread post by Geoff.R.G »

Lindsayt wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 10:53 am The whole philosophy of Windows 10 is that "We at Microsoft are clever and our Operating system is clever. Whilst you lot are complete idiots."

Which results in Windows 10 being OK for idiots and annoying for everybody else.
Sounds about right, "if you run Windows 10 Home you are such an idiot that we won't let you turn off Auto Update"!

That Microsoft think you need to be encouraged to buy apps, if you don't register for points they tell you that your computer needs attention. Likewise with ransomware protection, there is nothing on my Windows computer that is worth ransoming, honest gov absolutely nothing.
Lindsayt wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 10:53 am There's loads of other crap that Windows 10 has running / installed by default that could and should be turned off.

Starting with Automatic Updates. :angry-screaming:

And going on to all the bloat running in the background including the intrusive spying stuff. :angry-steamingears:

And on top of that, it's not even a particularly secure and stable operating system.

The default interface is also annoying - eg how all the applications are in a vertical pop-up box that's annoying to scroll down.

Microsoft have always been a company where their marketing is better than the technical ability of their products.
Their best software - eg MS Word - was originally created by other companies which Microsoft bought out.
Not just Windows 10! When I was working we had a corporate version of Windows that had all the dross stripped out. I was surprised that it was extremely stable and never did I see the blue screen! Domestic, unadulterated, Windows was another matter, though I have an XP machine that just seems to keep going. If Microsoft stopped trying to bundle every possible driver and widget with Windows and stuck with producing an operating system they could probably come up with something pretty near bomb proof. It is the junk that lets the OS down.

I had an email the other day from a friend who had learned that a group of us wanted to swap a church computer from W10 to an iMac. He appeared positively scared at the prospect, suggesting that having to learn how to use a Mac would put off potential volunteers. I converted in a matter of a couple of hours and managed to switch between company Window and home OS X without difficulty, I still cope with XP, W10, OS X High Sierra and MacOS Mojave. As it happens we all went away for a weekend a few years back and the computer I had packed for video projection decided it wouldn't talk to the venue projectors. I had a MacBook Air with me that we pressed into service. The friend who did all the projection happily used it all weekend despite not liking, or wanting to even try, Macs.

Neither Mac or Windows OS is perfect but swapping between them is well within the capability of anyone who can switch one on.
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