Windows 10 Version 2004 has Significant Performance Boosts

All previous versions of Windows 10 were very intensive with Disc Usage when it came to indexing search results, displaying notifications and using browsers such as Google Chrome. This was particularly prevalent when using a Hard Drive with it being throttled at 100 % Disk Usage. Microsoft have finally addressed this feedback:

Back in the summer of 2018, a small group of Windows Insiders did something that we don’t typically recommend. They quietly turned off the Windows Search indexer on their PCs. Luckily for us, they also took us up on our request to explain why. The feedback they provided led to some of the most significant improvements we’ve made recently to the Windows Search experience.

Whenever a Windows Insider disabled Windows Search, a message would pop up on the screen asking why. Insiders gave many reasons for turning off the indexer, but it boiled down to three key areas: high disk and CPU usage, general performance issues, and the indexer didn’t seem valuable to them.

Windows Insider: Supercharging Windows Search

I decided to take the old low specification OptiPlex 790 I had lying around at home which has:

  • 2nd Generation Intel Processor
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 7200 RPM Mechanical Hard Drive

And compared the performance with Windows 10 Version 2004 with the previous build Windows 10 Version 1909. Both have a clean install and the performance difference doing a menial task such as watching a YouTube video with a Chromium based Browser is substantial:

Windows 10 "Version 1909"

The next 6 month update to Windows 10 is just a small patch that will be delivered via Windows Update. Those in the Windows Insider Slow Track should have it already and it'll be about a week or two until it is released via the Mainstream Track. Although many are calling this "Version 1909", the changes are very minor and the update process won't take much longer than a standard cumulative Windows Update. Moreover the Version remains at Version 1903.

Windows 7 Reaches End of Life in Less than 6 Months! You Can Still Upgrade to Windows 10 For Free

Windows 7 Reaches End of Life in precisely 6 months as of today. This means Microsoft will no longer patch Windows 7. Without Security Patches it will become vulnerable and more susceptible to Malicious software. Obviously with the large market share of Operating System, it is a prime time for hackers to target in order to steal bank details etc when users use online banking or to install randsomware “pay us if you want to access your files again”. In addition to Microsoft not supporting Windows 7, hardware vendors such as Intel have dropped support for Windows 7. This means that newer computers do not have Windows 7 drivers and thus Windows 7 will not run on newer hardware they produce. This is likely to become more and more prevalent as there is little incentive for hardware manufacturers to spend resources supporting a legacy Operating System. Other software companies especially those who make internet browsers such as Mozilla, Google may also drop Windows 7 support soon, which will once again make it even less secure.

Fortunately the free upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 still works as I demonstrated a few moments ago.

Windows 10 Version 1903 Media Creation Tool Released

The Windows 10 Version 1903 Media Creation Tool is now available:

https://software-download.microsoft.com/download/pr/MediaCreationTool1903.exe

The Landing Page for the Media Creation Tool hasn't been updated yet.

Despite the Tool Referencing:

  • "MediaCreationTool1903"
  • "File/Product Version 10.0.18362.1"

It does not give a:

  • "Windows 10 Version 1903 Build 18362.1 ISO"

When I tested this tool I obtained a:

  • " Windows 10 Version 1809 Version 2 ISO"
  • "Created by Microsoft on the "12th of March 2019"
  • The ISO is "Version 10.0.17763" and "ServicePack Build: 379"

Jetpack: Matrix Display Problem

Code



$latex \displaystyle M=\left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 \\ 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 \\ 9 & {10} & {11} & {12} \\ {13} & {14} & {15} & {16} \end{array}} \right]$

Text Block

\displaystyle M=\left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 \ 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 \ 9 & {10} & {11} & {12} \ {13} & {14} & {15} & {16} \end{array}} \right]

Classic Block

\displaystyle M=\left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 \\ 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 \\ 9 & {10} & {11} & {12} \\ {13} & {14} & {15} & {16} \end{array}} \right]

Code



removing the $ signs at the start and end



latex \displaystyle M=\left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 \\ 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 \\ 9 & {10} & {11} & {12} \\ {13} & {14} & {15} & {16} \end{array}} \right]

Display Issue

Tyranny of the EU: Article 13

Article 13 is an act by the Federalist European Superstate to censor the internet. It allows legislation to deliberately give a monopoly to pro-EU companies and pro-EU media and allows political persecution against any dissidents. Jan Krohn author of Heidoc.net writes an article in more detail here:

EU Copyright Reform, Upload Filters, Article 13, and the Death of the User-Generated Internet

We the 17.4 million in the UK have already tried to leave the dreadful EU by voting for Brexit, a decision that looks increasingly likely to be ignored by our political class.

WordPress

I made a video tutorial of creating a website/blog with WordPress using the Block Editor.

I go through:

  • Discussing blocks
  • Text Block
  • Images Block (Images Inline)
  • Gallery (a Gallery of Images)
  • Slideshow (Pictures as a Slideshow)
  • Text and Image
  • A GIF
  • Download Link, Button and File
  • Uploading YouTube Videos
  • Making a List
  • Making a Table
  • Adding Social Media Links (Not Working Properly)
  • Adding Custom HTML e.g. an Advert
  • Adding Code
  • Adding Symbols using Windows 10's Emoji Panel
  • Adding a Map
  • Adding Open Hours
  • Adding a Contact Form
  • Discusses Permanent Pages and a Wall of Posts
  • Creating/Updating a Table of Contents (Pages)
  • Changing Theme
  • Adding a Widget to the Sidebar

Windows 10 Insider Preview (Version 1903) Slow Track Build 18343 Released

The Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18343 (Slow Tracks) ISOs have been released by Microsoft:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windowsinsiderpreviewadvanced

You can use Rufus to make a Bootable USB:

https://rufus.ie/

The English Checksums are.

Windows10_InsiderPreview_Client_x64_en-gb_18343

  • 7374b4f3778b087e6f53c292d7f0b17c
  • 653128ac43a7c6ac277fd21da60d3971b7d8ee2f
  • d526ec62af91cfddd94aba1f09c6676e262a58f827672d69e9f12ea864f2f467

Windows10_InsiderPreview_Client_x32_en-gb_18343

  • 262f3500430602b0d100fa32678c8da0
  • 2d2de656a68ab62e8096f07cdbb72dcc509671a6
  • d7fd83786fda6195f89f76859ca0a776ded6bdac6b568ce9ff709613416a8eb6

Windows10_InsiderPreview_Client_x64_en-us_18343

  • f80be41cdf8066cd2a0d9a57a061c943
  • 0ffd1ed658d0235768ff8b9c12714c9f1fcd1545
  • 774944d68ab14371d37a119e714adc4edd337b780017bd3924920ba4c4df26a7

Windows10_InsiderPreview_Client_x32_en-us_18343

  • 7ee9823c6f7b22d81ca55526258912a1
  • 1f9e12f0a91e97abf3cd860f99de938f7aa6131b
  • 008bbdd76253522c920452912bc28292a590515c5e08d308e74ee28a0af4209a

Windows 10 Version 1903 Keyboard Input Methods Update

Video

Windows 10 Version 1903

Microsoft have changed the Version Number on their latest Windows 10 Insider build to Version 1903 suggesting a Late March 2019 Release date. They have update the keyboard input methods:

Enabling the Paste Clipboard

Enabling the Touch Keyboard Button

Symbol Support in the Touch Keyboard

Symbol Support in Emoji Panel for Keyboard/Mouse Usage:

Paste Clipboard

Paste Options for Pasted Data from Paste Clipboard:

 

 

 

 

Creating a Windows 7 or Windows 10 Bootable USB with Dell System Drivers

I have put together some new installation guides which instruct in the slipstreaming of Dell System Drivers and in the case of Windows 7 Updates into Windows 10 and Windows 7 Installation Media Respectively:

This can be both be used to leave the system in a state which is very similar to a Factory Image.

These guides are only applicable to Dell Business Models such as the Dell OptiPlex, Latitude, Precision and XPS ranges. Dell Driver Packs are not available for the Home Models such as the Inspiron or Vostro Ranges. The Windows 10 guide can possibly be modified for other OEMs such as Lenovo using the Lenovo SCCM Driver Packs.

Some New Guides…

Microsoft Office

I will create more Word Guides later:

Video Capture

I will also write one on the Windows Gamebar.

Drive Encryption and SSD Guides

I will create a video on updating the firmware of a Crucial SSD via the UEFI BIOS – a video has already been released.

An Introduction to Scientific Programming

I have spent quite some time learning how to use Octave/MATLAB. I am still learning and put together some videos but found some better ways of doing things. So at present am working on writing written guides before remaking the video tutorials: