Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Home Edition

[Ron Duke]

I'm posting this just in case anyone else runs into a similar problem.

A while back, (I can't find the thread) I had reported problems with my Windows 10 after an individual reinstalled it because of concern that a virus had infected my hard drive and my antivirus programs couldn't detect it.

I found out the individual installed, NOT Windows 10 Home Edition but, Windows 10 Enterprise. This caused all kinds of problems later on.

What I found out though is this:
1. Most PCs sold now with Windows already installed DO NOT come with a CD OR A STICKER ON THE MACHINE! (which was the case with my HP 3in1 pc)
2. There is a way to identify your original Product Key which is hidden on your hard drive.
3. Microsoft Online help was really great about helping me to get Windows 10 Home Edition installed back on my PC. It took a few hours, but it's done and I can move on now.

To achieve this they had me install Windows 8.1 from an online download, used the product key found on my hard drive to activate it, and then downloaded Windows 10 and installed it.
PLUS, I get to keep my free life-time ownership of Windows 10 with all future updates. So I was so happy and relieved.

[handrawn]

glad you got it sorted Ron

no - new PC's [ie windows 10] don't use licence keys, activation is done by uniquely identifying your computer and flagging it on their servers as valid

but if it's an upgrade, then you need that original key - it's good that you were able to get the help from MS - there are some third party utilites that will extract keys for you, but I would be reluctant to suggest anyone use them; better to go down the MS route as you did, I reckon

[Great_Machine]

It was great that you got life time ownership. Mine need to buy new windows 10 since my old one got unlicensed because i change my motherboard and it failed to verify my PC.

[Ron Duke]

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I was fortunate things worked out for me, but as in your case, things don't always work out as they should. ��

It was great that you got life time ownership. Mine need to buy new windows 10 since my old one got unlicensed because i change my motherboard and it failed to verify my PC.

[Ron Duke]

I've discovered that with the latest updates, you can no longer do an "offline scan" with Windows Defender.
I don't understand why they would leave that capability out, but they did.

As it turns out, my TotalAV antivirus doesn't do offline scans either ad it has to have a connection to the internet to run.

I just don't get it...

[handrawn]

is windows defender active?

it is my understanding that defender does not run at the same time as a third party AV that runs continuously in the background, on the basis that more than one AV running that way can cause more harm than good

to check go to windows settings/update and security / windows defender if it's not active you will see 'turn on windows defender':



if that is so and you turn it on and you get this:



then some thing else presumably TotalAV has control of your security - to check click on the 'view antivirus providers link'

....

if on the other hand defender is running then offline scan should be under the advance scan feature:



I have to take those instructions on trust because I cannot start windows defender on the computer I am using without removing eset first which I am not in a position to do at the moment

I also understand that windows defender runs offline scans from 'outside' of windows and so it will need you to be in administrator mode for this, if that is so...

As you might know, MS [and others ] are developing windows 10 on the basis that most devices are on the net at least regularly if not all the time - on that basis you could argue that manual scans are only needed if there is an actual problem to be sorted, otherwise continuous background scanning with frequent cloud based definition updates is the protection offered

relevent or not I hope that helps

if you have the full TotalAV internet security I would imagine that it has control of your security - I am not familiar with it so I can't say why it does not do offline scans.. it may have a similar approach to defender, you may again need to be in admin mode, there may even be a conflict if, somehow, both are running continuously at the same time.....

[Mark321]

Just as a side note here: Handrawn, which do you feel is better - vipre or windows defender (I'm using vipre)?

[handrawn]

you got me Mark.. I don't and never have used either...

[Ron Duke]

Thanks for that info. Steve.

I've attached my version of Windows 10 Home Edition, Windows Creator Update.
BTW, it's not an issue of whether or not Windows Defender is on, it is. The function of "Offline Scan" simply doesn't do anything.

In my conversation with Microsoft's Help Desk, they told me that the "Offline Scan" function is no longer available with this latest update. The reason the subject came up is that I had tried to perform an "Offline Scan" but after selecting the button to perform the action on numerous attempts, NOTHING happens. So that's why I questioned them about it, thinking that something was faulty in the download or installation. So, I don't know what to think or where to go from here, or just to forget about trying to perform any kind of offline scan.

is windows defender active?

it is my understanding that defender does not run at the same time as a third party AV that runs continuously in the background, on the basis that more than one AV running that way can cause more harm than good

to check go to windows settings/update and security / windows defender if it's not active you will see 'turn on windows defender':



if that is so and you turn it on and you get this:



then some thing else presumably TotalAV has control of your security - to check click on the 'view antivirus providers link'

....

if on the other hand defender is running then offline scan should be under the advance scan feature:



I have to take those instructions on trust because I cannot start windows defender on the computer I am using without removing eset first which I am not in a position to do at the moment

I also understand that windows defender runs offline scans from 'outside' of windows and so it will need you to be in administrator mode for this, if that is so...

As you might know, MS [and others ] are developing windows 10 on the basis that most devices are on the net at least regularly if not all the time - on that basis you could argue that manual scans are only needed if there is an actual problem to be sorted, otherwise continuous background scanning with frequent cloud based definition updates is the protection offered

relevent or not I hope that helps

if you have the full TotalAV internet security I would imagine that it has control of your security - I am not familiar with it so I can't say why it does not do offline scans.. it may have a similar approach to defender, you may again need to be in admin mode, there may even be a conflict if, somehow, both are running continuously at the same time.....

[handrawn]

well there you go Ron - that's something I did not know, but as I said to Mark I don't use Defender, never have, and this is not going to encourgae me so to do... I prefer a security suite that allows you to what you want - did MS say why offline scanning has been removed ?

guess as far as TotalAV goes you'll have to ask them