Windows 10: Windows 7 Pro or Start Button, Taskbar problems, context menu problems

My Win10_1511_1_English_x64.iso from today:

 

It's not going to let me d/l again. I cleared browser cache and cookies.... Nope. It keeps defaulting to the same answers I entered before.
I tried on my laptop. Same thing. I have Msft VLSC keys - software we got at work for free cuz we're a 501c company.
So my laptop and desktop both have same 'special key'.
Tech Bench says link is only good for 24 hours, so I guess since I jumped the gun, I'll have to wait and try again tomorrow morning after 9:30 central time.
I hope it gives me a chance to answer the prompts tomorrow.
I agree w/you. I wanna make sure I'm getting an updated version.
I'll let u know how it goes tomorrow.
Thanks for your help and patience - cuz mine is about gone after dealing with these issues on two computers!!

 

Oh. Do you have the Enterprise Edition?
Windows 10

 

No I don't have the Enterprise edition. It was an option, but it's more of a hassle to upgrade when you're Enterprise.
I probably wouldn't have gotten the free win 10 upgrade if I had enterprise. And Msft doesn't know what the hell they are doing with the program - unless you luck out and get a good support tech.

I can log on to VLSC and snoop around. But we didn't get the Software Assurance plan with our software, and it limits a lot that you have access to. I know I saw the option for Insider Preview, but don't remember if we can actually get it.

I'll check it out and let you know.

 

Okay. If you would, please run winver and post a screenshot so we make sure to get you the correct ISO.

 

Just for grins I tried the d/l about 45 min ago on my laptop. It had new prompts so I started the d/l. I have been super busy so I haven't had a chance to go to VLSC and look at our options. But if I decide to try Insider preview, I'll do it on my Desktop. I'm on the laptop now.
Anyway, download is very slow, and I usually get 60-63Mbps wireless d/l speed w laptop. It got thru the majority of d/l then failed. Damn.
So I started over. I probably should have put a cable in laptop, but my wireless is really very reliable. And I'm working in the living room and too tired and lazy to go back in the office to hook it to the router with cable. wa
What do you use for your imaging s/w? I have Paragon and Acronis. I've used both of them once each since going to Win 10 Pro.
Before that I was using EASE US but wasn't really happy with it.


On the VLSC situation. It let me access the Insider home page, I didn't even have to login cuz I had been all over the VLSC and Tech Net and MSDN subscription page. Tech Net shut down in Sep 2013, MSDN script - Our company didn't buy a subscription. When I saw that I was afraid it might prevent me from d/l any insider s/w.

I have to call it for tonight so tomorrow I'll try to do insider d/l on desktop. Crossing fingers. I'll update you.

 

Morning!
Real quick, as I will be AFK for several hours this morning:
Imaging: Macrium Reflect Free; mage an image of the entire hard drive, and rescue media. Verify rescue media will boot the system before going further.
How to create an image (not a clone):
System Image - Create Hardware Independent System Image - Windows 10 Forums

Now that you've got the correct ISO, and the image is complete (and verified), right-click the image, select "Mount", and run setup.exe form within the W10 OS. It will proceed same like an upgrade form W7/W8, and it will have an option to keep all apps and files, and also check the box to check for updates online.
That's it.
Oh, and you don't have to do an Insider version of W10 - the standard General Release is fine. But, the Insider release I am on, (14332) does not have an ISO available for d/l yet from MS - and my Insider release is a preview of what will come out at the 1yr anniversary in July - it's got some really nice features and modifications.

Good luck. I have asked another member here to be available for you while I am gone: @essenbe. Please feel free to ask for his help. *Smile

 

I woke up really early and started on my project before you made your post. I used Acronis because it is a DVD that you boot from to do backup/rescue/restore. But I'm thinking positive - I won't need it. But I will check out your s/w recommendation on next go round.

I've had no issues, it is doing the windows updates right now.

You say I don't have to do Insider version - I've been wanting to check it out since I heard about it. But if you had about 3 hours I could write a small novel telling you the horror stories of the hardware issues and software issues I've had with my laptop and desktop. I haven't owned a laptop in probably 10 years. Just didn't care if I had one or not. But a few months ago Microcenter ( Terrific Computer Hardware and Software retailer here in town) had a great sale on several laptops when Windows 10 pre-installed laptops were coming into the store.

I got a great deal on a Dell that had Windows 10 home on it. It has an Intel I-5 (can't remember the chip number, but I know it's the faster I-5) 8GB memory, 64bit, all the bells and whistles for $400. And it's a very good thing I bought that laptop because my custom built desktop crapped out. Bad Motherboard. This is my first and last ASUS. Their support is awful and it took forever to get an RMA. Finally got MOBO back and right after getting Windows 10 installed and most of my programs, the WD Black quit on me. That took 2 months to resolve cuz at first, once they decided the drive was bad, they sent me a replacement - the WD Blue. Dunno if you're familiar with that latest WD HDD line, but the Black is far superior to the Blue. It took over a month to convince them that the BLUE was not the same as the BLACK. I had a supervisor on the phone telling me the specs were the same. Enough whining....... There were about 4 other issues I dealt with since September 2015. Soooooo, just haven't had time to research the insider versions, and whether I'm eligible since I'm the Admin for MS VLSC program for the company.

I will check it out before I do the repair update on the desktop. If your current insider version is NOT available on the website yet, does that mean once you're in the program, they send you info with a link to d/l the latest version?
So the insider version currently on the web - is it a later version than what I d/l from Tech Bench?

Thanks for the advice and the referral to your friend if I have probs.

 

Hello Hooked, you should have no problems with the Repair install you are doing. It should go just as the video in the Tutorial shows. If you have problems, just let us know.

If you want info on the Insider program to do the Insider builds, this is the link Windows Insider Program | Get the latest Windows features

 

Positive thinking - yep! Acronis and Macrium function similarly.

Aren't computers fun? *Wink

TechBench will give you the latest GR (General Release) - not Insider builds. Insider builds come through Windows Update. Eventually MS post downloads for stable Insider builds (which I think right now is at 14228). But our builds come through WU, as MS are also testing the delivery method.

Good luck! See you on the flip side. *Smile

 

Well, all seemed to go well with the repair install. Then when Win 10 came up I clicked on the windows start key - all ready to do winver, and the start key didn't work. Now my right - click button does NOTHING except on the Start menu button and the Message center icon. I can right click and it shows 'Display Action Center' but still nothing comes up. I did winver and indeed I'm at the newer build, but I went backwards - I'm worse off - not status quo - things are worse. So I decided to walk away from laptop before I threw it out the window.
Came back and decided to burn img to a DVD and try repair. Same outcome.
So since I have all this time invested, I'm going to go for a clean install with this same DVD.

Thanks essenbe for the advice on the insider program. I was told by msft to check with VLSC about my eligibility since we have enterprise copies of s/w. I sent an email, but they're M-F 9 to 5 support. So that will wait.

I did a chkdsk, simrick, per your advice. All checked out. But before I do a clean install I thought I'd run a couple of other disk check utilities. I'm a wee bit grumpy right now. Don't know if I'll do anything else on the repair tonight. As I rambled on about all my computer probs in an earlier post, and told you that was just 2 issues. There were many, many more. I'm not having fun on my computer. Haven't had fun on computer in about 8 months. That's how long all this crap has been going on - taking turns between laptop and desktop.

But I'm learning. I know I have to take a break if I'm this frustrated. I have this beast desktop I built - best one I've ever built - and I haven't had a chance to just go crazy on it.

So, as she quietly gets ready to wrap up for the night, she wishes her comrades in crime a great rest of the weekend. Really, thanks a bunch to both of you for being there. I have a feeling the desktop is going to be a breeze. The laptop is just being a laptop....

ttyl

*chuckle

 

Yeah, walking away works for me sometimes too. I'm sorry about all the troubles you're having. I am not sure why it would make things worse - it doesn't make sense.

How will you do the clean install? Will you use the ISO or will you use the recovery partition from Dell? Never mind, I see you will use the ISO.

Let's concentrate on the laptop for now. Do a clean install. As soon as it's finished, turn off Fast Startup, set a Restore Point and make an image. Leave it on and running for a while. MS says things have to "hydrate" (LOL - not sure how they came up with that term...) Cortana and search will take a while to function well. Don't install any programs yet. Let me know how it goes when you get to this point.

 

It wasn't straight forward, but I now have a fresh, working, Win 10 Pro. I did have some disk problems. I was sure there was something wrong w/laptop. I ran my ESET AntiVirus scan twice. Ran Malware Bytes twice. I read some good things about HD Sentinel, so I d/l a trial of that. It found a few issues, so I ran chkdsk /r again. This time when I ran it, screen stayed at 12% forever!! Seriously, probably for almost an hour. Then of course when I was out of the office, if finished. So I didn't see if it gave any messages.
When that finished and a restart, I did the clean install.
I entered my Win 8.1 Pro key in, it accepted it. But when install got done, I had Windows Home and NOT the release and build I expected.
While it was doing updates, I went for a visit with my sisters - we rarely seem to be able to get together anymore. So I didn't get home until 1:30am.
Winver showed me Windows HOME and a build # lower than the one I had before the clean install.

























I tried to enter my 8.1 key again, got a numeric error msg. So I did some searching, and I was so tired, I don't even remember what I did. *Sleep But I did something Msft suggested which involved updates and such. I let that run and went to bed.
Got up this morning and Voila, this is my Winver today:

 

Now I will start slowly, methodically, with discretion - installing programs. Clean install is always a good time to clean house, and unfortunately I've done lots of clean installs with these 2 beasts.
So, I'll keep you posted. I'm not touching my desktop until my laptop is in full working order, just in case I have problems with desktop. I have to have a fully working PC to fall back on.
Thanks again for your help. I wish I hadn't been so out of it when I got that advice late last night/this morning. I would have documented it.
I'm going to go thru my FF history and see if I can find the website. I've never had a problem with getting Windows Home on a clean install in the past. Usiung that 8.1 Pro key should get me win 10 pro...

Later.....

 

Great! I'm glad you were able to get it installed. At least you have it the way you would like it. I may suggest you right click the start flag, select command prompt (Admin) and enter this into the window sfc /scannow It is a system file checker and will make sure there are no missing or corrupted protected system files.