It seems like no time at all has passed since the launch of Windows 8 and Microsoft’s overhaul of the traditional Windows desktop look and feel and now Windows 10 is here! The official release of the Windows 10 operating system was July 29th 2015 and already users of its predecessors are missing some of the old applications and features that have been discarded. It is usually those nonessential features but the elements that really made your system your own. This article highlights the components removed for the Windows 10 first release and suggests a series of alternatives and work arounds.
DVD Video Playback
Bizarrely Microsoft have taken away the ability to play DVD movies from Windows 10 which is surprising when this is considered such a basic feature these days. It is also a feature that most competitors of Windows can do. You can still explore the files on a DVD disk but the DVD codecs that allow the movie to play have been removed. You must therefore install your own DVD playback software to watch your movies.
Options
Cyberlink Power DVD
Cyberlink Power DVD is one of the best DVD playback software packages on the market today giving you a far greater movie experience than that of the standard Windows 8 playback capabilities. It has an extended list of supported media file types including the very latest HD standards and 3D. The software looks great and comes with so many options but does have a small purchase cost.
VLC Player
VLC Player is a piece of software capable of running many different media file types of which DVDs are one of. The software is feature rich giving excellent DVD playback and allowing you to fully customise your movie experience. VLC Player is an open source product and as a result supports the majority of video file types. Best of all the software if free to download.
Install a Media Center Software Package
The media center scene has grown dramatically in recent years, as has the list of media centre software packages available. All of the best software solutions come with DVD playback capabilities and support the majority of media file types (not just video). A media centre application will extend the capabilities of your home computer way beyond those of a simple DVD player.
Gadgets
Windows Gadgets is by no means a critical feature of your operating system but taking it away from Windows 10 is taking away some of the customisability of your computer. Gadgets allow you to setup your desktop exactly how you want it and you become accustomed to working in a particular way with your own tools. You can take data from areas of your computer or the internet and display it in an easy readable form on your desktop. The success of the Windows Mobile operating system is largely due to this as all of the information you want can be seen without launching the individual applications.
Options
An application out there that will restore your Windows Gadgets is known as Sidebar. Sidebar has the same look and feel as Gadgets and has a whole library in which to choose from. The install is compatible with both Windows 8 and Windows 10. Sidebar expands upon the capabilities of Windows Gadgets and can do a whole host of things that Gadgets can’t do.
Games
The two classic Windows games Solitaire and Minesweeper have been removed from Windows 10. These are some of the most crucial tools in the Windows platform and have been part of the operating system for years. How else will we pass the hours waiting for downloads to finish or software packages to install? For some, it is the only way to get through the working day!
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The two classic games are available to download from the Windows store and can be installed into their rightful place in your Windows operating system. Why stop there? The Windows Store has a range of alternative classic games for you to download and fill your games folders.
USB Floppy Drive Drivers
It seems that after so many years in the computing world the floppy disk drive will finally be laid to rest in Windows 10. All previous versions of Windows that supported USB came with drivers for USB floppy disk drives. For most, this is something that will be missed but believe it or not there are still people who refer back to their old floppy disk archives and need this feature.
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You can still use a USB Floppy Drive on a Windows 10 system but you will have to rely on third party vendor device drivers for it to operate.
Windows Media Center
Multiple versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 all came packaged with Windows Media Center. Windows Media Center is an application that takes away the desktop computer feel of your PC and turns it into a home entertainment system capable of launching movies, music, pictures and eBooks etc. Many build a PC for this exact purpose and have it sat next to their TV in their living rooms. With Windows 10 this is no longer an option and the only way you can restore media center capabilities is to install a new product.
Options
There is now a whole range of media center software packages to choose from with the majority of these being free to download. These include Kodi / XBMC, Media Portal and JRiver to name a few. The good thing about these software packages is that they are far more advanced than Windows Media Center ever was. These media centers are fully customisable with various skins and themes and allow you to install plugins to unlock additional functionality like catch-up TV, social media and gaming.
Despite the removal of a number of classic Windows features Windows 10 is a great operating system with many new innovations and improvements. The good news is that the majority of removed features can be restored in one way or another and in some cases with a product better than the original. Thankfully the list of removed features is relatively small and is far outweighed by the number of improvements. If you liked Windows 8 you will be impressed by Windows 10.
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- License: Image author owned
Lee is the head writer for Home Media Portal and a technology enthusiast. When he’s not reviewing new technologies or products he is building new systems or learning the latest internet craze.
