Lightening Windows 10 for Low Power Navigation Computers

[Dockhead]

Cool registry hack to get rid of Cortana:



https://www.howtogeek.com/265027/how...in-windows-10/




I'm generally OK with Win 10 for this use, although Linux is much lighter and more elegant. The problem with Linux is that it is just too much of a faff for those who don't want to lose sailing time by playing with computers on the boat.


Anyone else have any good tips for making Windows lighter and/or more stable?

[packeteer]

search google for the "lite" version. note, this still requires a legitimate copy of Windows

[packeteer]

also, consider using the LTS version (long term support)

[Lepke]

I got rid of Cortana and streamlined Windows 10 by loading Windows 7. And contrary to microsoft bs, 7 does work with the newest CPUs.

[roland stockham]

Totally agree about Linux, it is what I run at home. A possibility I have never thought to look at is to run windows in emulation on a laptop. On the home machine I have Wine installed for the occasional program that wont run on Linux but never looked at how much memory or power it uses, may be more efficient than Windows 10?

[CShawn]

I have to make lean mean Windows versions for Virtual Desktops. Search for "VMware OS Optimization Tool" and give it a try. Free to use. There are community templates that you can download if you don't want to work through all of the options. It gives you a little more information on what the OS is doing. Use it on a new install, not your important machine with data, unless you have a backup.

[Alita49DS]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I got rid of Cortana and streamlined Windows 10 by loading Windows 7. And contrary to microsoft bs, 7 does work with the newest CPUs.

Respectfully, that is the worst possible solution to what in any event is probably a non problem.

Windows 7 is soon going out of support. So you will be at risk.

Windows 10 is far better, faster, more stable and much more secure than W7. If you think that driving around in an old car is safer and more satisfactory than a new one, then Windows 7 is for you.

As for needing to lighten Windows 10, someone would need to convince me that the benefit is worth the aggravation. When on board, I use a Surface 3, not Pro, which is far from new and only has an Intel Atom processor. Under Windows 10 it runs multiple programs just fine without stuttering. It was slower under 7.

[moseriw]

All you need is LINUX (Ubuntu) and OpenCPN..
and... your troubles are gone...

[moseriw]

The problem with Linux is that it is just too much of a faff for those who don't want to lose sailing time by playing with computers on the boat.


Nowadays? NOPE... just install i.e. LXDE or KDE - fire and forget!
And tho OS will not freeze your Unit with updates twice a week.


Hint: install webmin.com and set the autoupdates... they will only consume power you do not need.


One out of a million of goodies..

For openCPN there is an easy ppa install a.s.o.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I got rid of Cortana and streamlined Windows 10 by loading Windows 7. And contrary to microsoft bs, 7 does work with the newest CPUs.

I learned this right here on the great forum:




Windows 10 Update Cancel


From cruisersforum.com

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-149627-2.html

Post #27 page 2:

Here is a solution that will suit whoever has W7. This only applies if you have not already accepted W10.

The updates giving you trouble are 2952664 and 3035583

Search your updates and delete both. At the same time convert your update system to 100% manual. Both updates will return but at least you can ignore them.

Originally Posted by Nicholson58 [IMG]file:///C:/Users/Stu/AppData/Local/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]
I "UPDATED" to 7 because XP was no longer supported. Not only do they require updates, You cannot own the new office suit. My old OFFICE will not load by their $$ extraction plan. You must rent it now by the year. I suppose that when it expires while you are at sea, you will be incapacitated. I am so angry with their exploitation of the customer base. What a business plan. I may be going raspberry pie/Linux or re-loading 95, 98, XP and Office. Perhaps Mac. I think I am done with Mr. Gates knows best etc.
Re Office:

I deal a lot with MS Office of various flavours. IMO, Office 2013 is a classic example of enforcing the "cloud" upon end users whether they want it or not. Furthermore, it is also the most troublesome of all recent Office releases, seemingly suffering a range of gremlins not generally found in earlier versions.

Also don't forget the licensing model has changed. Subscription is indeed pushed, but if purchased outright the license is strictly for a single PC and cannot be transferred forever more to another PC as per the EULA (although this can be gotten around with some hassle). Earlier versions of Office are far less restrictive on use.

My advice if you're stuck with MS Office is to buy Office 2010 or 2007 from Ebay. There's still plenty of unopened genuine versions available at very good prices.

Better still, 99% of users of MS Office do not need to use MS Office. Try one of the many free variants instead like Open Office or Libre Office. Cost is zip and unless you're into macros or documents connected to data sources or MS Access databases or complex MS Office specific documents you'll barely skip a beat in the change over. There's no Outlook, but again plenty of free Email clients abound e.g. Thunderbird.

While your at it, chuck out Acrobat Reader DC. It phones home too, and plenty of lightweight alternatives are available like Sumatra PDF Reader that again will do 99% of what you require without the bloat and phone home "features".

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

Respectfully, that is the worst possible solution to what in any event is probably a non problem.

Windows 7 is soon going out of support. So you will be at risk.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

There are some of us still running XP.


The thieves seem to have given up on us old geezers.


I can still run my copies of Word and Excel on XP and W7. I don't have to pay yearly for cloud BS, or use Open Office (very good BTW) for something I already paid for.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Cool registry hack to get rid of Cortana:



https://www.howtogeek.com/265027/how...in-windows-10/




I'm generally OK with Win 10 for this use, although Linux is much lighter and more elegant. The problem with Linux is that it is just too much of a faff for those who don't want to lose sailing time by playing with computers on the boat.


Anyone else have any good tips for making Windows lighter and/or more stable?

Good to know. My son has a Win 10 laptop, but everything aboard is Win 8.1 or even 7, which is fine on a netbook to run OpenCPN adequately.

[Brian.D]

What you might want to do is instead of downgrading your Win10 machine, just go to eBay and get a fast, dedicated, Win7 machine. This will keep your boat PC dedicated to boat operations and software. If and when you need to move files, SD Cards are great. Or, if you have an older machine, you can remove the harddrive and save it for later.

So many options. By the way, I have dedicated XP machine for my Studio Photography, dedicated Win7 machine for Ham/Boat, and my home PC which is a Win8.1. Each serves a purpose.

[Reefmagnet]

Linux is easier to install than Windows these days. Software is easier to install than google play store. If you don't need specific Windows apps, try Linux.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with Windows 7 for a navigation computer. First thing you do is disable updates anyway. My current navigation pc is win 7 based and it doesn't have a/v installed and spends a lot of time online. If you don't download dodgy emails or surf around extremely dodgy websites you'll find it difficult to install a virus on a nav pc regardless of what OS it is running,

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Linux is easier to install than Windows these days. Software is easier to install than google play store. If you don't need specific Windows apps, try Linux.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with Windows 7 for a navigation computer. First thing you do is disable updates anyway. My current navigation pc is win 7 based and it doesn't have a/v installed and spends a lot of time online. If you don't download dodgy emails or surf around extremely dodgy websites you'll find it difficult to install a virus on a nav pc regardless of what OS it is running,

There may be something to this.


My ship's computer doesn't get internet access except when downloading GRIBs or charts or updating something.


The only problem I would have with Linux is that I do have one nav program which is Windows only.


How well does Linux work with these new multi-core CPU's? Are they able to do the multi-threaded processes which make these CPU's perform well? I think my ship's computer has 8 cores.