Windows 10 Fast Boot a Source for Many Desktop Booting Freezes

Microsoft may recommend Fast Boot but it has been source for many freezes to my Windows 10 desktop

If you have Windows 10 on your computer, chances are you have seen your computer crash, freeze, hang or have some other undesirable behavior especially after performing feature updates.  I have seen my computer refuse to boot into the Windows desktop after the Anniversary Update released in 2016 after several attempts. This freezing phenomena again occurred just recently after receiving the Creators Update released in the Fall of 2017.   The reason?  Fast Boot (which Microsoft apparently recommends) was automatically enabled after the feature update (I had disabled it before).   (And in case you are wondering, I have seen this freezing issue related to the Fast Boot enabled on at least three separate computers.  Why Microsoft doesn’t address this issue I do not know. )

So, if you are able to get to your desktop or your computer hasn’t been frozen entering the desktop, the first thing I recommend is to disable the Fast Boot feature ASAP which is found under Power Options.  (Note:  If you know your Fast Boot option is enabled and you have never had any issues with booting into the Windows 10 desktop, by all means feel free to leave it on!)

Disabling Fast Boot in Windows 10

1. Navigate to Power & Sleep Settings in Windows 10.  (Type in Power in the search bar or icon located at the on the taskbar at the bottom on your desktop.)

2.Click on Additional Power Settings (Usually located to the right or towards the bottom of the Settings window under Related Settings)

3. In the Settings window that opens, click on Choose What the Power Buttons Do option located to the left of the Power Options window.  (Note: this will be part of the Power options found in Control Panel)

4. The window System Settings will open.  Four check boxes will be listed with the Fast Boot options listed first.  Usually it is grayed out and the box has been already checked.  To uncheck it, simply click on Change the settings that are currently unavailable.

5. Uncheck Turn On Fast Boot (Recommended)

6. Save the changes.  That’s it! Making sure this little hidden nugget from Microsoft is unchecked has fixed a lot of startup problems on my computers.  Hope it can help you.

 

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There may be lots of bad news out there but see what Hope looks like at FullyFreeFilms.com

Windows 10 Creators Update

Anniversary Update

Audacity Movie

180movie

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Images are screenshots from Windows 10 on my computer

 

The Trouble With Cloud-based Games and Apps

 

In today’s world an internet connection is required to play many modern games or even use popular social and production applications such as a Microsoft Word, Facebook or Youtube.  We refer to these products as being cloud based and it usually works wonders.  However, this access to your game or application on the “cloud” (which is really just a connection to computer servers locked in some warehouse or undisclosed location) does have its drawbacks.  But many people today might be surprised to know that any cloud-based drawbacks that might occur today didn’t always exist.

Are We Being Held Hostage by Online Only services?

For sake of a better phrase, I will call those days the good old days–a time when one could play a game or use a word processor without going online. In those days the user actually own the product they bought and wasn’t at the mercy of any internet connection or online servers.  Of course those days are gone for now but there are reasons why being connected to online play or production simply to type a letter might be a good option but for this particular post I will focus on why cloud based software and gaming is actually a horrible idea for the consumer–and I believe time will bare this out.

When your online connected game or subscription is working things are good. We get to play our game or write our letter. Take for example, the Crew.  It’s a massive open world multiplayer car-driving game.  The playground is open for exploration and this “playground” is a condensed version of the United States mountains and deserts included. When the game works, it’s a blast especially the Monster Trucks but I digress.  However, like many games and services, this game requires players to login into an online server.  In this case the company who controls the server is Ubisoft.  Nothing against Ubisoft as a company but when their servers are down for maintenance or other reason, the player doesn’t get access to a game they have paid for.  (Speaking of down time, I write this post as I wait for Ubisoft’s services to return.  The good news, my blog service Word Press is up now! )

 

Online Subscription Services

Now had such a game as The Crew been downloadable or installable on ones personal computer not relying on another’s server for access later as games once were, there would be no down time. We would also be able to own the product instead our being involved in a sort’ve lease agreement with the game/software developer and the product.  Maybe you remember the days when Microsoft Word was a standalone product that could be paid for one time and installed on your home or business computer?   Now Word is called Microsoft 365 and it is an endless subscription service rather than a standalone product.  Google Docs and anything Google is cloud based. Many other company’s have gone the same way because in this cloud-based system we as customers don’t require a physical drive for storage and our account is always accessible across many devices.  This is a convenience when it works.  Internet connection not working?  Too bad for you.  Your online based report isn’t getting done today.  Game or application company server down for maintenance?  The only thing to do is wait until it’s up again to get access to our service. Yes, this is the future. And unfortunately it’s the only future many adults and kids will ever know.

Cloud-Based dependency

I believe we have lost our way when it comes to our dependence and reliance on cloud based computing and subscription services.  This system works in a developers favor to be cloud-based because of the control they have.  They control when the customer gets access or when they don’t.  They get our money regardless of our access to the product or satisfaction of it and maybe most importantly they get paid for however long we want to use it!  Brilliant plan for them, not as great for the user.  If you have Windows 10 running on your computer you may have noticed that Microsoft has been pushing for users to use the operating system online rather than having a local only account.  Why the push for online use of the Windows 10?  Because we get access to our data on multiple devices? Okay, sounds great but that should be my own business if I wanted such a convenience or not.  I believe the push truly comes because someday soon everything we use related to computer will be a subscription.  YouTube use to be free and it still is, kind of.  Currently adverstisments abound but ever heard of YouTube Red?  It’s Google’s way of shoving users away from unlimited free access (with adverstisments) to a product only subscription service.  Software developers are brilliant and we customers will pay–literally.

Now, perhaps it’s true that the company or developer who starts selling software again that can be owned once and installed once,  without the need for a subscription will become famous again. Of course, it would take a major breakdown of cloud-based services for this to happen but by then the world might be completely gone.

 

But there is Hope. And it’s not based on the internet’s or some software developer’s reliability or security. His name is Jesus. Of course, one would need to know the need for Jesus in order to be really concerned. Have you consider it?

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See what hope looks like. Watch these films before it’s too late – FullyFreeFilms.com

My Review of The Crew Ultimate edition on Steam

The Crew

Fullyfreefilms

Audacity Movie

Police 1013

The Crew 2

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images are personal in-game screenshots from The Crew except Ubisoft Maintenence Notice

Ubisoft image source

Would you be interested in a family-friendly version of Grand Theft Auto?

The question was once raised, “Would you be interested in a family friendly version of Grand Theft Auto?”

And my response is, absolutely.  By now, there are mods available which turn GTA games including GTA 5 into a similar family friendly gaming experience.  Yet I believe there is money to be made for any game company/developer who developed a GTA 5 style open world game without the extensive profanity, sex and violence (specifically against others) which GTA games are known for.  Essentially it could be GTA 5 lite.  This game would feature the same map, same natural environment including AI traffic but different gameplay options.  Police patrol? Yes. Catch bad guys? Yes.  Cause explosions? Sure.  Fly?  Drive?  Run? Yes, yes and yes.

In-game options are always good

Another option would be for Rockstar games to include a filter(s) within their games.  Simple on or off options for language.  Street dialogue profanity on/off.  Assassin’s creed Black Flag includes a similar option to remove blood.

We already see games which feature beautiful scenery but do not focus on swearing, sex and violence at every turn.  The CREW Wild Run is a perfect example.  However, The CREW only features a driving mode.  No running, walking, doing police patrols, exiting your car, etc.  In fact you can’t get out of your car at all.

Just Cause 2 is another example of a great open world game without sex and extensive swearing. In fact, the swearing can be virtually eliminated by lowering the volume for dialogue.  However, Just Cause 2 does not feature a modern American style city nor a map or vehicles like GTA 5.  Additionally, there is a lot of violence in Just Cause 2 (explosions and commando style shooting)—against the bad guys.

Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption outside of missions doesn’t even feature all the sex, violence and swearing one can find in GTA 5.  Red Dead Redemption isn’t available for a PC nor does the map feature a modern American-like city.  In fact, RDR is a western game.

Modding GTA games

An open world game that virtually eliminates swearing, sex and allows the player assume the role of a good guy or as a cop will get my business.

At this point I will note the mod for GTA 5 called LSPDFR. LSPDFR is a police mod essentally allowing the player become a cop in the GTA 5 world.   The trouble with mod’s is how they cause GTA games to crash.  In the meantime, I will be waiting for a permanent solution to LSPDFR or even the family friendly mod for GTA 5.  Is Police 10-13 going to be that game?

 

Would you like to see a GTA 5 family friendly version or similar?

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The Crew and the state of open world games

Third Person Open World Games Miss the Mark

Police 10-13

Audacity

180movie

Athiest Movie

 

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Image source

The Crew and the State of Open World Games

If you haven’t heard of it, The Crew is a massive online open world type game for PC and gaming consoles centered on driving cars and motorcycles.  The game allows the player to drive and race cars and motorcycles (2015 version) across a modified map of the United States.  Did I mention the map is large?  When the The Crew was released at the end of 2014 it was nice but was limited in its gameplay features and visual detail. It received criticism for it’s less than stellar graphics and static weather among other things. The game at that time did not feature dynamically changing weather as it does now in the most recent version of the game from 2015 (The Crew Wild Run).

It is now 2018 and The Crew has been out for a few years but it still has many exciting elements to it.  For example, the world has been injected with a vibrant living world including people, animals, aircraft, balloons, and new and improved jumps and ramps.  I find this game a great rediscover since the original release of the game.  And if you purchase the expansion pack called Calling All Units, players can play the game from the cop’s side of things–with limitations.   Now it’s the limitations to The Crew  which make this game another great example of an awesome open world style game falling short of its full potential.

Game Limitations (and frustrations)

Let start with the police player limitations.  When playing as a cop in The Crew (Calling All Units) the player must gather wait for a notification enter a chase with another player.  Did I mention this game is online only? (I will get to that later.)   But seriously, why do I have to wait for a notification to chase another player?  And the chase isn’t a typical cops and robbers police chase either.  The driver you are chasing must take a crate from one point to another before the live police player can catch up to them.  It’s fun but it could be better.  What happened to patrolling the streets and pulling over speeding drivers, other online players and Ai drivers on a regular street?  In my opinion that would truly make for a great (and perfect) police expansion to The Crew.  There are limitations on the vehicle you get drive.  Opening up the number and variety of police vehicles would make things more fun too.

Online Only (sometimes stinks)

When playing the Crew, other driver players must sign in to play the game.  Live people are playing alongside you as you explore and race in this massive driving world. Sounds fantastic, right?  Sometimes this is great fun and sometimes it would be nice to be able to drive and explore the game with only AI drivers and without drivers who insist on trying to run your car off the road or engaging in demolition derby.

The Crew has been improved, visually since its first release.  But like other open world style games, there is great room for improvement especially in the realistic department.  In GTA 5 for example, we find many limitations and annoyances.  The game might feature a visually stunning map of grand proportions but a lack of realism and it’s over-the-top gratuitous elements ruin the game.  While it is great fun to blow things up and see large explosions I find types of games that feature disgusting profanity at every turn and on nearly every street corner as does GTA games ridiculous and unnecessary.  A simple profanity filter in the settings could fix this.  And as to the violence and sex, I do not play a game to kill bystanders or to have virtual sex.  I play open world games to mostly be able to explore the map and see the scenery whether it be by foot, in a car, boat, plane, train or motorcycle and have some fun with explosions, killing bad guys and playing as a cop in the process.  Oh, and did I mention the graphics and map should be at least as stunning and expansive as GTA 5.  I have yet to find this type of open world game but perhaps Police 1013 will be that game.

 

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The Crew

Fullyfreefilms

Audacity Movie

Police 1013

The Crew 2

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images are personal in game screenshots