• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Windows 10

Eric Gibson said:
Microsoft are very helpful when activation problems occur, this page may help.
If you have to use the phone activation you need to be ready with the activation key which you will have to type in using the phone keypad and you will be given a new activation key number to use, it's all automated so as I say you need to be ready with pen and paper.
I've done several of these when I was dabbling at fixing up used computers/laptops.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/950929/get-help-activating-microsoft-windows
Click to expand...
Thanks Eric, i will look into that.
 
Solved it ... I found that the 'Distributed Transaction Coordinator' service was not running. Changed it to 'Automatic', restarted the desktop and I can now set a PIN ... :)
 
Eric Gibson said:
Microsoft are very helpful when activation problems occur, this page may help.
If you have to use the phone activation you need to be ready with the activation key which you will have to type in using the phone keypad and you will be given a new activation key number to use, it's all automated so as I say you need to be ready with pen and paper.
I've done several of these when I was dabbling at fixing up used computers/laptops.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/950929/get-help-activating-microsoft-windows
Click to expand...
I`ve just spent a jolly half hour talking to microsoft support in India & to cut a long story short, my product key has expired but they`ll sell me a new one for £50 ( which will also allow me to upgrade to w 10.) I declined their not very generous offer. If my w7 goes belly up on me in 12 days time then i`ll send it back for a refund. I should have taken my wife's advice & bought a new pc in the first place!
 
Smudger - you can buy W7 keys from ebay for £4.50 or less. The supplier I've used a couple of times (cocotec) has 100% good feedback (and lives in Brum!); see https://tinyurl.com/gud554e This link is for W7 professional - other versions (eg Home) need a different key. On both occasions I have received the key within an hour (both weekdays).
 
jukebox said:
Smudger - you can buy W7 keys from ebay for £4.50 or less. The supplier I've used a couple of times (cocotec) has 100% good feedback (and lives in Brum!); see https://tinyurl.com/gud554e This link is for W7 professional - other versions (eg Home) need a different key. On both occasions I have received the key within an hour (both weekdays).
Click to expand...
Thanks jukebox, i have ordered a key, but if it doesn`t work i shall come down to Brum & throw a brick through your window :-} I shall probably send the wife, she can throw further than me!
 
Smudger said:
Thanks jukebox, i have ordered a key, but if it doesn`t work i shall come down to Brum & throw a brick through your window :-} I shall probably send the wife, she can throw further than me!
Click to expand...
Thanks again jukebox, paid for key & activated in 10 minutes :-}
 
Screenshot (74).jpg
jukebox said:
Easiest is to open the picture in Paint, click the A symbol in Tools, select the colour you want and then click on the picture where you want to type. If you don't want to keep the typing on the original photo, 'Save As' rather than 'Save'.
Click to expand...
Thanks! followed your instructions and herewith first effort. NB never opened "Paint" previously so a whole new world in which to experiment! Comment in white box from MS Web Note

Jim
 
Smudger said:
I`ve just spent a jolly half hour talking to microsoft support in India & to cut a long story short, my product key has expired but they`ll sell me a new one for £50 ( which will also allow me to upgrade to w 10.) I declined their not very generous offer. If my w7 goes belly up on me in 12 days time then i`ll send it back for a refund. I should have taken my wife's advice & bought a new pc in the first place!
Click to expand...

A bit surprised you had to talk to India, Microsoft Europe operates from Dublin.

Good you've got it fixed though. I might even have a 7 disk spare in my pile somewhere.
 
Eric Gibson said:
A bit surprised you had to talk to India, Microsoft Europe operates from Dublin.

Good you've got it fixed though. I might even have a 7 disk spare in my pile somewhere.
Click to expand...
I was a bit surprised too, especially when she kept trying to sell me stuff. She offered to put a fresh copy of Win7 on my pc for £50 & when i said no, the price came down to £40 & then £30! I should have kept her talking & i might have got it for fiver. Eric, as for your spare Win7 disc, as oldMohawk said, it`s probably tied to the original computer & might not work in another one.
 
I started downloading W10 yesterday, but it stuck on 99%. I`ve just read that you have to turn off Windows updates before d/loading. Why can`t they tell you that before you start the d/load? Silly me thought that when i started the d/load this morning it would start from 99%. Windows sucks sometimes!
 
That's strange Smudger,
I downloaded W10 on Saturday and the January updates came in after installation as they normally do.
My newest desktop computer with the PIN problem was bought by me, I'm the only user and therefore it's Administrator, but W10 would not let me delete a system file to reinstate the PIN option. I had to find the 'hidden' Administrator and then claim ownership of the file and now have a second entity on my lock screen which can log in to MY computer.
:)
 
oldMohawk, you certainly know your way round a computer. As for me, i just know the basics which usually suffices. There is one thing puzzling me. I did a system image which supposedly copies the entire contents of the computer, which i my case was almost 40gb, yet it said task completed after only 4 dvd`s which doesn`t equate to the total content of my computer? As for your pin option, is that the same as a master password which i use?
 
It is the password I use to log in to my computers since I had XP and Win 7 but with W10 there is an option to use a PIN.
I have a 2 year old W10 laptop and I can have a PIN on it.
I have an old W10 laptop with a broken screen (shares the kitchen telly for a screen) but I can have a PIN on it.
I have a 6 months old desktop came with W10 but it won't let be have a PIN but will let me log on with an image.
I'm posting this with a nice sensible iPad which just works with no fuss ! ... :D
 
oldMohawk, I envy your know how on PC,'s, like smudger I have a limited knowledge but it's enough for my needs, bought myself a book 'Windows 10 for Seniors for Dummies' to try and increase my PC knowledge but gained very little, its to technical in content for me, I think after a certain age it becomes harder to absorb new techniques, but I cope with on line banking (very useful), operating our Forum, spend hours on You Tube and find Google very useful, so am reasonably happy, and you have sorted a few problems out for me which I appreciate. Eric
 
Microsoft offered me their new Spring 2017 Windows 10 Creaters Update so I said ok and 1hr 20mins later I had got it. OS Build 15063.13 Everything works and I notice the 'Paint' app can now work in 3D if required.
It's got a 'nightlight' which takes some blue out of the screen before you go to bed !
 
Last year Microsoft issued the big Anniversary Update (AU) which made some noticeable improvements and changes and most people have it by now although probably some do not. You can tell by viewing the version number 1607 (OS Build 14393.969).
The AU seemed a significant improvement to me.

This year Microsoft are about to roll out the Creaters Update (CU). I used the 'Upgrade Assistant' to get it and the process was very smooth but took about an hour. Apart from the 3D gimick in Paint, most of the changes appear to be 'under the bonnet' with improved security and improvements with the Edge browser. Windows Defender seems to have changes and now 'plays nice' if you use another anti-virus. All my existing programs continue to run ok so I'm happy.

A brief look at it here
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/06/windows-10-creators-update-7-best-new-features
 
Note the Creaters Update is a complete replacement of Windows, as was the Anniversary Update last year, therefore the download and install could well take a couple of hours (depending on your broadband speed).

Note the Creators Update is not officially released yet (though you can get an early copy if you wish) and my guess is they are going through final testing as we speak.

Rumours are it may come on out Tuesday 11th April though I would be surprised if they released it just before Easter.

If it does not come out on 11th April then expect it in the next couple of weeks.

And if you have Windows 10 Home then everyone will get it, you cant stop Windows Update downloads nowadays (unless you know some fancy way round it or have Windows 10 Professional)
 
Last edited:
Following on from my update above, one of the nice features in Windows 10 Creators Edition is the ability to pause Windows Update for 7 days.

So if you have some important work to do and do not want to be disturbed with a major Windows update, or are on a slow broadband speed while working away from home or on holiday, you can pause updates for 7 days.

However you then have to let the updates install before you can pause them again for another 7 days.
 
I've been running Creators version 1703 Build 15063.13 for half a day and it is very stable. The Edge browser seems slightly faster.
 
Last edited:
In post#363 I've added another chapter to the picture history of Windows which goes back to 1985.
Some of our younger members have probably never seen or used the early versions shown in the post ...:)
 
Last edited:
With '3D Paint' being part of the latest Windows10 update, I had a play and could look behind the forum page! I think the dogs do the forum searches ...it gave my old brain a good workout ... don't think it does anything useful ...:D
roundtheback.JPG
 
Takes me back to the days when the kids thought there were little men inside the TV !! :)

Maurice
 
A neighbour had a neurotic dog that was fascinated by snooker. It used to watch avidly to the point when the balls dropped in a pocket that was near the front of the screen the dog bit the side of the television set in an attempt to, presumably, retrieve the ball. :eek:
 
Ha ha , Phil! Anything that rolls or moves without any apparent means of propulsion (kinetic energy discounted), seems to keep cats and dogs entertained for ages, balls of silver paper, of course, being the cheapest. A bit like young kids with the empty cardboard boxes that their expensive plastic toys came in!

Maurice
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top