Windows 10 update broke my computer?

... it is a lottery and I hope your luck continues but it is just that, luck!

Your answer betrays a lack of understanding which unfortunately clouds your experience.

With computers - all computers - the install makes all the difference when an update is released. When a computer is correctly installed and correctly maintained afterward the chances of harm caused by an update are dramatically reduced.

We read about lots of people here who started off with a poor install and then proceeded to make things much worse for themselves by doing crazy things to their computers, instead of spending the time to learn how to use a computer correctly. No surprise, then, that when an update from Microsoft arrives and tries to install itself on that mess, the results can be pretty awful.

And because the same people don't backup, or don't think they should have to, they often end up losing irreplaceable documents, pictures, etc.

Nobody says Microsoft is perfect - nothing created by humans ever is. Nevertheless, there is so much information out there, written at every level, that can teach people how to use their computers wisely and stay out of trouble. To me, learning how is better than relying on luck.

And that's the truth you won't hear from almost anyone here, least of all Directly's so-called Independent Advisors who are only focused on telling you want they think you want to hear, so maybe you'll vote for their answer and they can collect their bonuses.

Where have we read about people with a 'poor' install?  We have read about brand new computers being fried because they didn't upgrade the bios and we have read how people from MS have admitted that the update should never have been released.  This thread has plenty of people who DO know what they are talking about (including myself) and the update screwed up their computer. 

I cannot believe you are trying to blame the end users.  Read some of this thread (as I have carried on getting replies and have read most of it) and if you you will see how ridiculous what you are saying is.

I considered buying just a hard drive, but the Dell Inspiron doesn't seem to play nice with Windows 10 so I wonder if I'd have to go back to Windows 7. That's ok with me, except Microsoft is already talking about ending the support for it.  While shopping for a Dell OptiPlex that comes with Windows 10 for my work, I asked the sales guy if it was going to have problems like my Dell.  He said that he hasn't seen any problems with those Dell computers with Windows 10 having been preloaded. He told me that he remembers that a lot of Dell Inspiron laptops had trouble upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10.  I'll take mine in when I pick up the new computer for the office, and I'll ask the guy what he thinks I should do with mine.  Thanks for passing along the advice. It may turn out to be the way to go.

... it is a lottery and I hope your luck continues but it is just that, luck!

Your answer betrays a lack of understanding which unfortunately clouds your experience.

With computers - all computers - the install makes all the difference when an update is released. When a computer is correctly installed and correctly maintained afterward the chances of harm caused by an update are dramatically reduced.

We read about lots of people here who started off with a poor install and then proceeded to make things much worse for themselves by doing crazy things to their computers, instead of spending the time to learn how to use a computer correctly. No surprise, then, that when an update from Microsoft arrives and tries to install itself on that mess, the results can be pretty awful.

And because the same people don't backup, or don't think they should have to, they often end up losing irreplaceable documents, pictures, etc.

Nobody says Microsoft is perfect - nothing created by humans ever is. Nevertheless, there is so much information out there, written at every level, that can teach people how to use their computers wisely and stay out of trouble. To me, learning how is better than relying on luck.

And that's the truth you won't hear from almost anyone here, least of all Directly's so-called Independent Advisors who are only focused on telling you want they think you want to hear, so maybe you'll vote for their answer and they can collect their bonuses.

Thanks, I already back files up on an external, and then swiped it clean. I do appreciate it though. We shouldn't have to do that. I had tried other things such as rolling it back, taking off the last update, etc...nothing worked, so that is how I fixed mine.

Instead of spending several hundred dollars on a new laptop, just get a new hard drive, for about $100-$200 depending on size, speed and type. Much easier on the wallet tgan $800-$1000 for a decent laptop