Planned Obsolescence?

[Acorn]

The obsolescence of computing equipment is something I’ve not really considered. The arrival of Windows 10 has brought this into reality on a laptop that was only produced in 2014, a Lenovo B50/70. Not only have I an insurmountable problem with screen brightness adjustment but I suspect it’s also had an unwanted impact on my Spyder 4 Pro calibrator. In short I can no longer adjust screen brightness and neither will my Spyder operate. In both cases the latest drivers are installed.
Lenovo’s answer to the problem is to opt for a factory reset that will effectively take the laptop back to Windows 8 performance. There’s progress for you! A chat with Microsoft identifies the cause as a component on the motherboard that is incompatible with Windows 10.
Whilst Lightroom, Photoshop and other installed programmes work perfectly well, the problems are annoying and I wonder if other members of this forum have possibly encountered similar failures?

[DanK]

I suspect Windows 10 may have changed something in color management, because the old X-Rite calibration tools don't work with it either.

[Manfred M]

Adobe CC 2019 is only compatible with Windows 10 and beyond, so my Windows 8 laptop is "stuck" with Adobe CC 2018.

As my ASUS laptop is even older than yours and will have to be replaced one of these years. I only use it when traveling or teaching, so I can make due for now.

[Shadowman]

I've been going through this for the past few years, both at work and at home. In the past at home, I've had printers/scanners which no longer functioned because OS drivers weren't available or were promised further in the future. Fortunately for some equipment the upgrades aren't too expensive or if you have to use an older OS driver not too much of an issue; unless I lose some functionality.

At work, we have a photodensitometer used for L*a*b* and density measurements which will no longer be serviced by X-Rite after 2020, the replacement cost of the instrument is $6,000 and the trade-in on the still functioning device is only $600, the device has long been depreciated but the thought of obsoleting a workable instrument irks me somewhat. From a business standpoint upgrading is the optimal choice as any expenses incurred with the old device don't offer any tax benefits.

[davidedric]

I suspect Windows 10 may have changed something in color management, because the old X-Rite calibration tools don't work with it either.

Not sure what counts as Old, but my ColorMunki bought in 2012 still works fine

Dave

[rpcrowe]

My wife has been having significant problems interfacing with several dog rescue programs that we base out rescue work on. They no longer mesh very well with the Windows 7 computer she was using. She as bitten the bullet and ordered a new computer running Windows 10.

OTOH: The new Lenovo computer brings new power that we would not have dreamed of not too long ago and the price was $900 USD... Ten years ago, I spent three times that amount for a computer nowhere nearly as capable... It has 16 GB of Ram and a pair of hard drives.

[John 2]

And then there is the NIK software which hasn't worked for fully me since the introduction of Windows 10 - or was it PS CC?

[billtils]

And then there is the NIK software which hasn't worked for fully me since the introduction of Windows 10 - or was it PS CC?

Works fine for me, but then I'm on a Mac (and not on the "latest but far from greatest" OS update).

[tao2]

The obsolescence of computing equipment is something I’ve not really considered. The arrival of Windows 10 has brought this into reality on a laptop that was only produced in 2014, a Lenovo B50/70. Not only have I an insurmountable problem with screen brightness adjustment but I suspect it’s also had an unwanted impact on my Spyder 4 Pro calibrator. In short I can no longer adjust screen brightness and neither will my Spyder operate. In both cases the latest drivers are installed.
Lenovo’s answer to the problem is to opt for a factory reset that will effectively take the laptop back to Windows 8 performance. There’s progress for you! A chat with Microsoft identifies the cause as a component on the motherboard that is incompatible with Windows 10.
Whilst Lightroom, Photoshop and other installed programmes work perfectly well, the problems are annoying and I wonder if other members of this forum have possibly encountered similar failures?

For Lenovo users, see below, (though the method should be virtually the same for other machines). Most problems arise from software producers failing tae update drivers etc, timeously ,not (normally) from the hardware.

Ah used this work method for my neice's Lenovo laptop...https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/solutions/ht500157

[Rufus]

I have an old HP Laserjet 1022n which I used for mono printing of office documents. It is really quick and has small footprint as it only prints (no scan or copy). It worked well with my previous Windows 7 PC and still does.

When I bought my new Windows 10 PC just over a year ago, I found the old printer would not work with it connected directly to it. Then I found a way to get it working with my Win10 PC via my home network if the printer was attached to the Win7 PC.

Unfortunately it no longer works that way after I had to restore my Win10 PC. I am still trying to remember what I did to get it working!

[JohnRostron]

And then there is the NIK software which hasn't worked for fully me since the introduction of Windows 10 - or was it PS CC?

Nik works fine for me on Windows 10, using it as plug-ins for Affinity Photo; both the old, Google ones and the new DxO versions.

John

[Rufus]

I have an old HP Laserjet 1022n which I used for mono printing of office documents. It is really quick and has small footprint as it only prints (no scan or copy). It worked well with my previous Windows 7 PC and still does.

When I bought my new Windows 10 PC just over a year ago, I found the old printer would not work with it connected directly to it. Then I found a way to get it working with my Win10 PC via my home network if the printer was attached to the Win7 PC.

Unfortunately it no longer works that way after I had to restore my Win10 PC. I am still trying to remember what I did to get it working!

Today I had a fiddle around with my computers and the ancient printer. Manufacture p the HP1022n commmenced in 2005 and no doubt ceased after a couple of years. Once again I am not sure what did the trick, but the printer now works when plugged directly into my Windows10 PC so I don't even have go via my Windows7 PC. It means that when Windows 7 is no longer supported I will be able to dispose of it with no regrets; but is not going just yet.

[Ken MT]

Today I had a fiddle around with my computers and the ancient printer. Manufacture p the HP1022n commmenced in 2005 and no doubt ceased after a couple of years. Once again I am not sure what did the trick, but the printer now works when plugged directly into my Windows10 PC so I don't even have go via my Windows7 PC. It means that when Windows 7 is no longer supported I will be able to dispose of it with no regrets; but is not going just yet.

Pity you can't remember what you did as I can't get printer driver for my Canon MP930, so can't scan but can print but colours are a bit off. Have bought a Canon Maxify MB2160 that I use for "good" printing until I use up all the old cartridges for the 930