Windows Technical Preview  

1031 members have voted

  1. 1. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being worst, 5 being best. What do you think of Windows 10 from the leaks so far?

    • 5.Great, best OS ever
      156
    • 4. Pretty Good, needs a lot of minor tweaks
      409
    • 3. OK, Needs a few major improvements, some minor ones
      168
    • 2. Fine, Needs a lot of major improvements
      79
    • 1.Poor, Needs too many improvements, all hope is lost, never going to use it
      41
  2. 2. Based on the recent leaks by Neowin and Winfuture.de, my next OS upgrade will be?

    • Windows 10
      720
    • Windows 8
      20
    • Windows 7
      48
    • Sticking with XP
      3
    • OSX Yosemite
      35
    • Linux
      24
    • Sticking with OSX Mavericks
      3
  3. 3. Should Microsoft give away Windows 10 for free?

    • Yes for Windows 8.1 Users
      305
    • Yes for Windows 7 and above users
      227
    • Yes for Vista and above users
      31
    • Yes for XP and above users
      27
    • Yes for all Windows users
      192
    • No
      71


Recommended Posts

I want my start screen back!

(On my tablet, as it was in Windows 8.1).

 

I loved:

- The charms bar swipe from left, and the full screen start screen.

- The swipe down to close an app

- Metro Internet Explorer (swipe to go back)

- Auto full screen Metro apps

 

On a tablet, 8.1 was approaching total ease of use. Sad that they chose to abandon this paradigm.

 

But I guess the majority vote counts. I doubt these abilities will be back.

 

Build 9926 is unusable on a tablet (and mine has an 11.6 inch screen)

 

We'll see what happens in future builds, I guess, but it seems as though Microsoft is overcompensating for desktop users.

 

FYI, Windows 10 has a tablet mode that brings these back:

 

Full screen Start

Swipe down to close (now includes legacy x86 applications)

Auto full screen apps

 

Metro IE is removed, and will be replaced with the new Spartan browser in the next couple of builds. You can activate tablet mode by clicking the button on the Action Center.

You all are driving MS crazy because:

 

On Windows 7 > Windows 8.. you complain about Start Screen and wanting Start Menu back.

 

Windows 8 > Windows 10 you complain about Start Menu and wanting Start Screen back..

 

 

Windows 10 has 2 modes; compact menu and Full Start screen.

 

Full screen is available via 4 arrows icon on the start menu (upper right corner).

 

Or use tablet mode... that works as well.

FYI, Windows 10 has a tablet mode that brings these back:

 

Full screen Start

Swipe down to close (now includes legacy x86 applications)

Auto full screen apps

 

Metro IE is removed, and will be replaced with the new Spartan browser in the next couple of builds. You can activate tablet mode by clicking the button on the Action Center.

 

No it doesn't.

 

Swipe from the right brings up the notifications.

Swipe from the left brings up the task switcher.

 

That "tablet mode" does nothing except expand the start menu to full screen.

  • Like 3

I want my start screen back!

(On my tablet, as it was in Windows 8.1).

 

I loved:

- The charms bar swipe from left, and the full screen start screen.

- The swipe down to close an app

- Metro Internet Explorer (swipe to go back)

- Auto full screen Metro apps

 

On a tablet, 8.1 was approaching total ease of use. Sad that they chose to abandon this paradigm.

 

But I guess the majority vote counts. I doubt these abilities will be back.

 

Build 9926 is unusable on a tablet (and mine has an 11.6 inch screen)

 

We'll see what happens in future builds, I guess, but it seems as though Microsoft is overcompensating for desktop users.

I am very disappointed that the option to use the Start screen is absent from build 9926. That was the feature that I loved in the previous builds - with it, both parties could use what they wanted.

I have already left feedback and hope other Windows Insiders do the same. The decision reminds me of other situations where Microsoft reversed course due to complaints.

I am very disappointed that the option to use the Start screen is absent from build 9926. That was the feature that I loved in the previous builds - with it, both parties could use what they wanted.

I have already left feedback and hope other Windows Insiders do the same. The decision reminds me of other situations where Microsoft reversed course due to complaints.

 

How many times has it been said in this thread that this build has a a new from the ground up Start menu/screen coded in XAML that doesn't have all the features finished yet ? 

I was going to install this on my Miix2 11 tonight though, but with the broken html video on youtube and other sites and apparently no swipe to go back gesture in the current IE I think I'll wait for the CP with spartan which hopefully brings back the back gesture. 

How many times has it been said in this thread that this build has a a new from the ground up Start menu/screen coded in XAML that doesn't have all the features finished yet ? 

I haven't counted.

All I am saying is that the current build suggests that Microsoft will phase out the screen for a, well, full screen menu. "Time" will tell.

Does anyone know how to get the OneNote updated version to work on Build 9926? I have the old version and there doesn't seem to be any way of getting the new version? Someone suggested looking at the new Store Beta, but there isn't any option in there that lets you update the app.

Does anyone know how to get the OneNote updated version to work on Build 9926? I have the old version and there doesn't seem to be any way of getting the new version? Someone suggested looking at the new Store Beta, but there isn't any option in there that lets you update the app.

Should be installed by default.

Gave this thing 3.35Ghz and 16 GB RAM in VM. Still feels slow.

And, yep, they removed the ability to see what files you have in OneDrive and, for that matter, the one drive modern app AFAIK.

I found a way to restore the Start Menu from the previous build (which restores Jump lists for pinned apps, and allows you to resize the Start Menu)

  1. Start Regedit.exe
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Explorer>Advance
  3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value, call it "EnableXamlStartMenu" Keep its Value at 0
  4. Restart Explorer

 

I found a way to restore the Start Menu from the previous build (which restores Jump lists for pinned apps, and allows you to resize the Start Menu)

  1. Start Regedit.exe
  2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Explorer>Advance
  3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value, call it "EnableXamlStartMenu" Keep its Value at 0
  4. Restart Explorer

 

The purpose of this would be...?

To restore the functionality of the Start Menu from build 9679.  The new Start Menu is a little messed up, frankly; the Search and bottom of the menu is down below the taskbar, you don't have jumplists for any apps that you pin to the start menu, you can't drag and drop anything from the Apps area to the pinned area on the right.  That's the purpose.  If you don't want to do it, just don't.  There's no need to try to sound smarmy about it.

To restore the functionality of the Start Menu from build 9679.  The new Start Menu is a little messed up, frankly; the Search and bottom of the menu is down below the taskbar, you don't have jumplists for any apps that you pin to the start menu, you can't drag and drop anything from the Apps area to the pinned area on the right.  That's the purpose.  If you don't want to do it, just don't.  There's no need to try to sound smarmy about it.

 

You're testing a beta, if you're not going to help test, well then don't...

To restore the functionality of the Start Menu from build 9679.  The new Start Menu is a little messed up, frankly; the Search and bottom of the menu is down below the taskbar, you don't have jumplists for any apps that you pin to the start menu, you can't drag and drop anything from the Apps area to the pinned area on the right.  That's the purpose.  If you don't want to do it, just don't.  There's no need to try to sound smarmy about it.

This is the nature of beta testing. Microsoft is working really hard to provide one hell of an OS to users. Restoring old functionality, when newer functionality is forthcoming isn't going to help them with that. Patience, Microsoft has already confirmed that jumplists, and other functionality will be coming back.

Does anyone know how to get the OneNote updated version to work on Build 9926? I have the old version and there doesn't seem to be any way of getting the new version? Someone suggested looking at the new Store Beta, but there isn't any option in there that lets you update the app.

KB3034229 enables the updated OneNote app. You can get it only through Windows Update.

Quick thoughts from using the TP for a bit inside a VM:

 

- Immediate complaint number 1: they ditched the well-integrated OneDrive code in 8.1 in favour of the standalone client used in 8.0, Windows 7(/Vista?), etc. I very much liked the ability in 8.1 to have my entire OneDrive folder accessible from all apps without the files being present (so a 30 GB folder translates to <100 MB worth of metadata or so). Hopefully they'll bring it back in future builds else it's a step backwards. How it was in 8.1 update 1 was almost perfect (whereas pre-update 1, you couldn't select your OneDrive folder for inclusion in File History)

- I get they want to bring back KB+M users to the fold but something feels... off... about the taskbar being the primary switcher in both tablet and KB+M modes. I can't test whether they've preserved the left edge swipe gesture, lacking a Windows tablet. (edit: guess left edge swipe is still there.. does it bring up Task View in that case?)

- For the new Start Menu, if they're going back to the thin vertical list of apps (which for KB+M users is much better for navigation versus spilling all possible icons in 8.x), it could do with slightly more width. Or maybe they can bring back the full tiled view in tablet mode.

- Caption buttons for Win32 apps look off but understandable given WIP - on Metro apps it's fine. I do like the default title font going back to 9 points. 

We all new the charms menu was on the way out, even for tablets (phone never had it). There's still more things to come, they've said as much. The expanded menu option you get now is something users wanted, so they added it. That doesn't mean it won't change more, just keep giving feedback or voting on things others posted.

 

The "tablet mode" we get now is meant for hybrids , 2-in-1 devices, that means it's a UI that will be more of a halfway point between desktop and pure tablet. Let's see what changes the next build brings, I expect more changes to live tiles and other things.

The OneDrive placeholder feature will come back in a later update. The team said this in a blog post, they took it out for now because the sync engine in 8.1 was different from all the other versions. They're going to be using the same engine going forward on everything, which helps in the end. Don't worry, placeholder option is coming back.

The OneDrive placeholder feature will come back in a later update. The team said this in a blog post, they took it out for now because the sync engine in 8.1 was different from all the other versions. They're going to be using the same engine going forward on everything, which helps in the end. Don't worry, placeholder option is coming back.

 

Awesome, glad to hear that. I imagine now that they're unifying the codebase across desktop, tablet, and mobile, it's easier to keep code the same and perhaps on phones, force the entire OneDrive folder to remain placeholders by default given limited storage.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
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    • BATorrent 3.0.2 by Razvan Serea BATorrent is a lightweight, open-source BitTorrent client built with modern C++ and Qt 6, offering a clean, fast, and privacy-focused alternative to traditional torrent apps. It supports magnet links, .torrent files, resume data, sequential downloading, per-file priorities, and even imports from qBittorrent. Power users benefit from integrated RSS auto-download with regex filtering, duplicate detection, and automatic tracker lists from Stremio. Streaming is seamless thanks to auto-detected players like VLC and IINA. BATorrent includes robust VPN tools—interface binding, auto-detection for WireGuard-based services like Mullvad and NordLynx, kill switch, proxy support, and IP filtering. A full WebUI enables remote control, while integrations with Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby automate library updates. 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BATorrent features: Core .torrent file and magnet link support Resume data — picks up where you left off after restart Import torrents from qBittorrent Create .torrent files from any file or folder Sequential download mode Per-file priority control (skip, low, normal, high) Seed ratio limits with auto-pause DHT, PEX, UPnP, NAT-PMP RSS Auto-Download Subscribe to RSS feeds — automatically download new torrents as they appear Regex filters — match only what you want (e.g. 1080p|720p, S01E\d+) Per-feed settings — custom save path, check interval (5–1440 min), enable/disable Auto-download — matched items are downloaded automatically in the background Supports magnet links, .torrent URLs, and tags Tray notifications when items are auto-downloaded Duplicate detection — never downloads the same item twice Stremio Stremio Addon System pre-installed — works out of the box Auto tracker list from ngosang/trackerslist Streaming Play while downloading — stream video files before the download is complete Supports mp4, mkv, avi, mov, wmv, flv, webm, m4v, ts Auto-detects installed players (VLC, IINA, system default) VPN & Privacy Interface binding — lock torrent traffic to a specific network interface (e.g. tun0) Auto VPN detection — identifies VPN interfaces (tun, tap, WireGuard, Mullvad, NordLynx, ProtonVPN) Kill switch — automatically pauses all torrents if the VPN interface drops Auto-resume — resumes only the torrents paused by the kill switch when VPN reconnects Proxy support — SOCKS5 and HTTP proxy with optional authentication IP filtering — load P2P blocklists to block unwanted IP ranges Protocol encryption (enabled / forced / disabled) WebUI Remote management — control torrents from any browser at http://localhost:8080 REST API with JSON responses Add torrents via magnet link or .torrent upload Pause, resume, remove torrents remotely View peers and files per torrent Dark theme matching the desktop app HTTP Basic Auth with SHA-256 password hashing Configurable port and remote access (localhost vs 0.0.0.0) Interface 3 themes: Dark, Light, Midnight (bat/vampire aesthetic) Real-time speed graph Detailed panel with tabs: General, Peers, Files, Trackers Filter bar: search by name, filter by state (Active, Downloading, Seeding, Paused, Finished) Drag & drop .torrent files and magnet links Drag & drop reorder in torrent list System tray with notifications (download complete, kill switch events, RSS auto-downloads) Splash screen with bat animation Bilingual: English and Portuguese (BR), auto-detected from system locale Bandwidth Scheduler Alternative speed limits — set different download/upload limits on a schedule Time range — configure active hours (e.g. 01:00 to 07:00), supports overnight ranges Per-day control — choose which days of the week the schedule applies Automatically switches between normal and alternative speeds Media Server Integration Plex — automatically trigger library scan when a download completes Jellyfin / Emby — same automatic library refresh via API Configure server URL and authentication token/key in Settings System Cross-platform: Windows, Linux, macOS Auto-shutdown — automatically shut down PC when all downloads complete (60s cancellable countdown) Auto-update system (AppImage on Linux, installer on Windows, DMG on macOS) CLI arguments: pass .torrent files or magnet: URIs directly Keyboard shortcuts: Space to toggle pause, Ctrl+A to select all, Ctrl+O to open BATorrent 3.0.2 changelog: Phone pairing & WebUI The browser WebUI was reskinned to match the desktop app — same dark palette, Inter font, flat surfaces, the real BATorrent logo (it was a random bat before), and a proper magnet icon. 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