Listening to the Voices in My Head

Close to 2 months, I used Windows 10 boot drive.   Stability; good.  Updates; too many, too annoying. Updates have a horrible habit of overwriting/removing anything you might have done.
 
Nannyware/nagware; I so wish Microsoft would understand that people want to control their OS and computers, not have Microsoft do it for them. 

Customizations are more than just a wee bit difficult to do (some impossible), and I can't say how much I dislike..no, loathe that desktop tile layout. It is sloppy.  I installed StartMenuX and got it back to a configurable, cleaner layout. 

Biggest Bugbear for me (and for my husband, too) was not only the total removal of Windows Media Center, but making it so you couldn't even install it even if you had the ability to do so.

I am currently back on my Windows 7 Boot drive.  It took a while to get all the programs and Windows updated after such a long time of not using it.  After that was finished, I can't say how much better Windows 7 is from Windows 10.

It's not just using legacy software that can no longer be installed due to software maker using different authentication service, or legacy hardware (the hardware works in Win 10, but the software for it doesn't. Go figure.

But I find Windows 7 also stable, the updates have only broken one software makers programs (Yes, I really liked ArcSoft MediaCenter. It was better than anything else that has so far followed, but they rather stupidly didn't pay Dolby licensing fees so no updates after v6x, and Microsoft closed off the program's ability to use the kernel for better performance, thereby it no longer would work).

It's not even the desktop layout, because by use of StartMenuX, both Win 7 and Win 10 look the same.

Overall, I find Windows 7 the winner over Windows 10.  So, as long as I can install software on Windows 7 boot drive, I will.  I know that sooner or later I will be forced to move over to Win 10 only as software makers will be painted into a corner of "Make it work with only our latest OS".

I read up on what the Windows 7 Security Rollup entailed, and everything it 'fixed' or patched had nothing to do with my computer.

So, I uninstalled that Rollup that disable ArcSoft TotalMediaPlayer. I will keep using it until there is another viable alternative.

Security? I have security software that will protect me from Malware, RootKits, hijackers etc etc. I prefer to have my computer and the software I bought to work properly.

Another Windows update, and it again disabled TotalMediaTheater. And since ArcSoft is no longer supporting or updating it, there is no solution from that avenue.

I have one option left to keep using is. Try installing it on one of my VMs. Yes, I have Cyberlink PowerDVD17 but it's bloated, and sometimes, even with AnyDVD and Passkey, certain BluRays and DVDs won't play in it, so need another. TotalMediaTheater was the best. Didn't hog system resources, stable, never a problem, and fully integrated in Windows Media Center.

WinDVDPro by Corel is integrated in WMC, but it has issues that Corel support can't seem to figure out. Leawo.. hmm, yeah, it works but is a bit touchy. DvdFab 5 player, also works but has a few problems.

Who knows, maybe someone will figure out how to hack/patch TMT, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

You knew your "Meltdown Patch" was buggy, for Windows v7, 8, 10, but you released it. Not only that, you send out NOTHING to tell people to remove this patch!

I used two DVD/Blu-Ray play back programs (there are always discs that won't play in one program, but will in the other) TotalMedia Theater 6, and PowerDVD17. I had a problem with play back being too dark in PowerDVD about 10 days ago. So, I started TMT6... and it wouldn't start. I checked TaskManager, and noticed it started up, but then just stopped/disappeared.

A few minutes of searching on AV/Tech forums I found out that the patch is what caused it.

• Win10 1709 KB 4056892 Build 16299.192
• Win10 1709 for ARM KB 4056892 the mysterious patch listed in the Update Catalog
• Win10 1703 KB 4056891 Build 15063.850
• Win10 1607 and Server 2016 KB 4056890 Build 14393.2007
• Win10 1511 KB 4056888 Build 10586.1356, the patch that’s only available on Enterprise and Education editions
• Win10 1507 LTSC KB 4056893, Build 10240.17738
• Win8.1 and Server 2012 R2 KB 4056895 2018-01 Monthly Rollup
• Win8.1 and Server 2012 R2 KB 4056898 2018-01 security-only patch
• Win7 and Server 2008 R2  KB 4056894 2018-01 Monthly Rollup
• Win7 and Server 2008 R2  KB 4056897 2018-01 security-only patch

So, if you're having an issue with tried and true programs suddenly just not started, check to see if your most recent update is listed here, and remove it.

Windows 10 upgrade was a disaster. Because both Microsoft AND AMD decided to not make updated graphics drivers for Radeon 7600 (only from 7700 on up) logging into Window could take (not a joke) close to an hour. And woe be to you if you had to restart for any reason what so ever! Almost 3 hours of almost booting into windows 10, only to get tossed back to the horrid lock screen.

I finally did manage to get in, and immediately rolled the system back to Windows 8.1. I have lost my Windows Media Player.. AGAIN. But I have Total Media Player which SHOULD allow me to watch TV.