หลายวันก่อนซื้อ Lenovo IdeaPad 3 laptop ใหม่เป็น test machine configured default Windows 10 และติดตั้ง 2 fresh Linux distributions triple-boot setup cushty original review บอกว่า process โดยเฉพาะ Windows piece went smoothly quickly แต่ได้ somewhat undone เพียงหนึ่งสัปดาห์
~1 โหล reboots позже突然 saw new icon pop up system tray Windows 10 Meet Now styled "modern hipster" cartoon design annoyed instantly because nothing hate more than random low-IQ attempts software vendors entice me use things zero need desire และ whole bunch other things happened
Artificial Intelligence, you keep using that word...
Many problems how vendors desktop mobile try do things big issue lack real intelligence how new features peddled example on system many clues might not remotely interested instance: using local account disabled all app features Settings (background app, access resources etc) removed Skype UWP (if anything use desktop one) and then some
Why would you then offer someone like me this thing? Isn't it obvious not using any "modern" features? Simple check would suffice: IF LOCAL && NOT-USING-UWP THEN NOT OFFER MEET NOW very easy alas ham-fisted approach only breeds antagonism Microsoft brilliant products ideas then random bursts salesy nonsense this thing easy get rid right-click hide or registry tweak safe(r) side
Then noticed Lenovo.Modern.ImController.exe processes back! removed service uninstalled Lenovo Vantage and Lenovo Utility apps yet still running against explicit action
Autoruns to the rescue!
Run superb Sysinternals Autoruns tool carefully thoroughly inspect everything runs on system disable delete anything don't want need not surprisingly discovered whole bunch things
Services tab: ImControllerService and mcafeeintegration service both there and running even though explicitly removed these two apps/stubs when configured machine 15 years ago what call program refused to uninstall? hm today this part of "modern" desktop experience
Drivers tab: McAfee OS Switch Detection Driver why here if removed app how does this help anyone? think I'll ever buy this software? likely never buy another Lenovo machine after this legendary Thinkpad line notwithstanding
Scheduled tasks: tons tasks related ImController PLUS installer dead tasks Mirkat and OneDrive removed why not remove scheduled tasks too? how bad whole UWP thing if can't do simple software removal clean way
SMB1 nonsense and Edge updates speaking of Edge and Internet Explorer two Browser Helper Objects (BHO) DLLs make IE forward queries specific websites/pages to Edge not bad per se but whole thing wrong more elegant less antagonistic ways make people actually switch or if cannot don't want offer smart workarounds help security oh well
The cleaning frenzy
Should probably thankful if not Meet Now thing would probably left things relaxed state decided untick tons things via Autoruns do extra purging first remove various optional Windows components like Internet Explorer but need reboot after that
Defender anti-virus turned itself on...
Another thing noticed Windows Defender real-time protection reactivated don't know what did it not encountered on any other Windows instance no problem removed still more things run ExecTI disabled several extra services don't ask much just basic respect computing wishes skills
Windows Administrator account & standard account
Part of healthy security decided convert account to standard but also means enabling built-in Administrator account so have something elevate privileges if when needed opened whole new Pandora's Box when logged into Administrator account first time had to redo 80% privacy-focused setup from scratch
Had to tell Windows not use typing etc not do personalized ads disable location uninstall same set apps already uninstalled before and then some comes down to things like promotional messages in Settings let that sink in logged into Administrator account probably only ever need really deep-down admin stuff yet have stupid messages shown guess that's why Control Panel not good enough
Menu search after disabled "online" features IE no longer on system Firefox default browser how does Recommended message help any shape form how does this win me over?
Launched Edge do tweaking spent lot effort cleansing New Tab page another example temperature shown Fahrenheit why? region set to country uses Metric system like 99.92% world besides why even show temperature right there how does this help browsing experience any way how does this make me want use Edge?
Inside Edge settings page discovered tons things first bad ergonomics pale gray font on pale gray background second so many options permissions sites can ask access USB devices serial ports clipboard and then some all missing kernel running inside browser done from what see no option block media autoplay automatically all content big no-no in my book autoplay worst thing in history
Eventually sorted Administrator account two rather unnecessary hours
AMD Radeon software
Tried AMD utility provided system one of few modern apps not removed lets you tweak gaming experience primarily comes extras like Virtual Super Resolution display color calibration not chance test former but latter nice theory didn't work practice changed color temperature hue saturation none tweaks helped defaults best if still not ideal given screen overall quality but end ain't bad tool
Other Windows things...
Noticed Hotkeys function re-enabled had to go BIOS disable again not all software plays well with 150% scaling some programs look decidedly fuzzy commented how Plasma desktop does it must say does better job than what you get here first chapter of adventurous saga!
The Linux affair
Here things quieter far far more predictable not encountered super-major issues except one playing videos VLC would not quit once done system tray icon left process in process table player refused go away even though remained responsive
Soon learned this some sort of bug workaround disable hardware acceleration in VLC but ruins battery life if not outright playback performance not good thing not something should have happened but told you don't think encountered many distros/instances where Linux plays 100% well with hardware whatever it is
Had to disable Secure Boot tried boot half dozen other random distros couldn't turns out list Linux distros actually support Secure Boot tiny so if want meaningful testing on this laptop have to disable functionality sad reality plus side few major players you know do have support not likely Linux-less on platform uses Secure Boot unless no switch turn it off all testing endeavors desktops laptops included not encountered case where can't turn Secure Boot off
Keyboard remains sub-optimal primarily Enter and arrow keys thing but soon little tutorial shows how to remap individual keyboard keys custom values help erratic backslash vs Enter presses stay tuned arrow keys no real remedy
All said experience Kubuntu rather pleasant so far so good
สรุป
Initial satisfaction laptop's default offering gone down some quite disappointed how Microsoft chooses promote Windows 10 yes rules desktop market can do pretty much pleases but long game in long game not winning themselves loyalty if Linux ever achieves functionality parity off I go same goes Lenovo don't mind vendor offering tools solutions fine but if choose have those tools removed then no two ways about it most likely not buy any Lenovo machine again because don't appreciate being treated like a potato
In this regard Linux does much friendlier job be let down by random erraticism talking sound config had to handle plus VLC quirk and not forget Secure Boot even though doesn't affect two installed distros at moment hardware wise keyboard quirks annoying screen can do only so much other than that laptop robust neat fast CPU fans don't rev too much battery life pretty good but need more data verify original numbers hold true
Well there you go satisfaction report a week into laptop's usage certain more lovely surprises twists turns along way but part of experience figuring out issues early this way if when deploy software production setup have all right workarounds place seven-digit IQ not affected stay tuned more good stuff see ya
Cheers.
