I decided "what the hell" and installed Windows 10 on my Win 7 machine. I have a decent connection, but it took hours to download.
My PC had no password on the WIn7 version and no other users.
Win 10 advised me to change my language settings to UK English - I did.
Everything installed correctly and Band in a Box worked.
I switched off and next morning turned on again
Out of the blue, Win 10 demanded my Live ID login password in order to load my desktop.
I NEVER use Live ID and had forgotten my password.
Using my phone I was forced to change me Live password. This is exceedingly tedious, because it involves sending a security number by email and in this email does not have a link to the entry page for the security number. Also, the new password cannot be an old password, or under eight digits or only letters - its fussy, and every entry means a new captcha too.
Having overcome all this and had my new password confirmed, I restarted my Win 10 machine.
Again I was asked for Win Live ID login details.
The password did NOT work. I tried many times, no go. The machine IS connected to the internet.
I tried the same password on the phone - it worked. I tried on my laptop it worked.
I returned to my PC switched it off, started it again, and again it demanded my Windows live password. I typed it in, it did not work. I checked it over and over and did it real slow mo. No luck.
I tried to demonstrate the issue to a friend.
THE PASSWORD suddenly worked!
I don't even WANT a password on this machine, but now, I guess I am stuck with it.
Others are having similar issues, moral is:
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR WIN LIVE ID BEFORE YOU INSTALL!!! You WON'T be told this!
So far, I can't see any good reason for a Win 7 user to upgrade, (I did it for curiosity). It's a little tidier, maybe I shall find some killer features soon. It all seems to work in initial tests, no driver issues.
The password is not working again. I was forced ot logout and cant back in the PC now. The SAME ID for WIndows live works on my phone and my laptop, but not on WIn 10.
Just check that it's not something out of left field like the Num Lock or Caps Lock on by default after a restart.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Got in touch with MS help. They advised wiping the hard drive and waiting 24 hrs!
Eventually my brilliant daughter found the issue. Windows 10 had somehow reset my machine so that num lock was turned on by default!!!. This meant my smallish keyboard subbed some numbers for letters in my password! In Bios, my machine was set up so that num was auto turned off. I have checked the bios and it was not turned on(off). I have reset it so that num lock seems to be turned off for passwords. This is currently working for the password, but when I go into Word or something, number lock is auto turned on (typing on this forum was the same)
Not until you begin typing the password, is it possible to see a little greyed out "eye" icon, that will reveal the letters of your password, ONLY if clicked and held on the mouse.
You live and learn! Took me a day to solve this one
Upgraded wifeys, Win7 to Win10, and as best I recall, when I rebooted it asked for a Windows Live account password, and I clicked, ignore or cancel, and it booted just fine with no password needed to boot the machine going forward.
Not so here Dan, I tried it. Whilst installing windows 10, I was asked a question about wether I wanted a local password, or a "Windows" password. Not knowing what these terms meant, and having no internet to find out, I plumped for "Windows", this meant I needed my WIndows Live ID (though the screen never said this. A local password limit's you machine to only your machine. Presumably a Windows LIve password lets you access your work from any device.
There is a setting in DOS that ensures that num lock is turned off when WIn7 (and previous) is booting up for windows. I remember setting it, but somehow the setting got lost on the re-install.
On larger keyboards the numbers pad is to one side of the alphabet keys, but on my keyboard, when the number pad is on, the letter u gives 4, the letter I gives 5 and so forth. There is no light on this keyboard to tell that it is on. That's what caused this elementary stubling block.
Now, I am going to try and find control panel, which seems to be hidden somewhere and replaced with a "settings" menu which seems cut down to me
I had Num Lock on by default on one computer. There was no setting I could find in the BIOS, but I did find a Registry key that resolved it. Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Thank you folks, I have set the num lock issue in BIOS. It's working. I have also found control panel, I can access it, and a lot of other useful things (Device manager, Program and features, disk manager, file explorer, and a lot more, by right clicking the start button.
Initially, I find WIn10 good. It's tidier, though so far no killer features, just more thoughtfully laid out.
One thought I did have, is what if Win Live ID is hacked or goes down? A lot of users, even most PC's across the world, will not even be able to log on - globally. Seems like an Achilles heel.
Today started with a major crash. When I booted up first all was fine (except windows telling me that I was not connected when I was- in the boot up screen). But anyways
Overnight I had put in a external hard drive I have - 2tb.
Apparently this was not indexed as it was out of the picture when I instsalled WIndows 10.
Win 10 took ages to index. Explorer said "this is not respond, and a green bar showed up incating the job was 95% done, then hanging.
Because of this I had a major crash. I tgried to access oither programs with no luck. Nuthin was moving!
Both screens go black except for a mouse.
I did a hard restart.
Logging in was OK, then it hung. Again a black screen with a mouse.
At first I could not work it out, but then I guessed, the hard drive (which does work!) was being indexed before Win 10 desktop would appear. I pulled it out of the system (USB2) and Windows grinded back up to the desktop.
I checked out the hard disk, its sound. plugging it back in I find that windows has indexed the root folders but when I click on them, things begin to go to road block.
I think eventually I shall be able to index this drive, but it is NOT easy
I might be just talking to myself here, but Spartan seems really poor. No way to import bookmarks, looked like IE with bits lobbed of it, some chromeyness icons, but no real power
If you want to you can roll back to Windows 7 or 8.1 whichever the system was previously. You have 30 days from the install of Windows 10, then the Windows old or previous version will be deleted. More on how to roll back here :-
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
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There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
In this video, we explore the updated Piano Roll, complete with a modernized look and exciting new features. You’ll see new filtering options that make it easy to focus on specific note groups, smoother and more intuitive note entry and editing, and enhanced options for zooming, looping, and more.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
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-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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