Windows 10: Windows 10's upcoming Device Usage feature is unfortunately not very spectacular

Microsoft is working on a new feature called Device Usage that it plans to integrate in future versions of the operating system. Device Usage is available in the latest Insider builds for testing.

When it was discovered initially by Twitter user Albacore, its scope was not clear immediately. The description revealed some information, that Windows would use the information to create personalized experiences, such as "customized suggestions for tools and services", but some hoped that Microsoft would turn device usage into more than just basic categories for its tips service.



Found under Settings > Personalization > Device usage, it turns out that Device usage is not a very spectacular feature. All it does, in essence, is to give users an option to select how they plan to use the device. The operating system uses the information to display recommendations to the user.

The Insider version lists six different categories, from gaming and family, to entertainment and business. Users who enable the feature and check the options may get suggestions based on the selection, e.g. the checking of gaming could result in Microsoft Store game recommendations, or the selection of Creativity, that the Paint 3D app is now found in the Store and no longer included on the device.

All the feature does, at least at this point in time, is to display tips to users about tools and services that fall into one of the selected categories. The nature of the tips is unclear at this point; it is possible that it will include suggestions to use Microsoft services and tools, or Microsoft partner apps.

It appears that Microsoft won't use the information to provide useful customizations, e.g. by adding tools or services to the operating system by default, optimizing the system for specific uses by applying tweaks, or even removing some tools or services that fall into a group that has not been checked by the user.

Closing Words


I can't see Device Usage becoming a particularly useful feature for Windows 10 users. It may prove useful to Microsoft, but users may want to keep it turned off or skip it during setup, if it is displayed there, as it is likely that it won't be of much use.

Now You: what is your take on Device Usage? Would you use it?

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Is it time for Windows 10 already?

Here's a good step by step guide on doing a fresh install.

How to clean install Windows 10 from a USB drive - Software - Feature - HEXUS.net

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Data usage on Windows 10

THE ANSWER YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WANTING

Windows 10 includes a feature to let you view the network data usage of the PC from the last 30 days. The data usage is itemized per type of network (ex: Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and by app usage.

Kindly follow the below steps to reset network data usage back to "ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO" as needed in Windows 10.

Note: You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to reset network data usage.

• Temporarily disable your active network adapter(s), or start Windows into safe mode.
• Open File Explorer, browse to the C:\Windows\System32\sru folder, and open it.
• Delete all contents inside the sru folder.
• Enable your active network adapter(s) again, or start Windows back into normal mode.

This will reset all COUNTERS, I suggest copy pasting the directions into a wordpad doc or the like and keep for whenever you wish to reset manually.

Only counters I used in Windows 7, were the right click properties of my network device. Disconnection of the device deleted all of that sessions counter data, and CC Cleaner was used to clean all cache files from windows etc.