Why Microsoft is Unreliable
05-02-2013, 12:26 PM
#21
I don't want to derail this thread too much but I have to take issue with one part though. People say that periodically rebooting a system is a good idea. It is not, with a qualifier: If you are experiencing a problem, yes, reboot for starters (non Unix platform) but otherwise rebooting is a bad idea. Just kill the offending process that's causing the performance bottleneck.
You're stressing the hardware by shutting down and re-initializing disk controllers, etc... If you're running a Windows system, of course rebooting makes sense on occasion as programs that are written poorly may consume too much RAM and/or not free the memory allocated to them upon exit. It's the universal cure-all for most MS related issues. But a blanket statement that rebooting periodically is a good idea needs to die already.
Most likely the reboots are caused by a fatal hardware error, like a double word offset memory or non-correctable memory error, bad RAM, etc... or even a known bug. The O/S has to panic and crash to maintain data integrity. Unfortunately you might need to take it to someone that can see if it logged any errors when it crashed.
You're stressing the hardware by shutting down and re-initializing disk controllers, etc... If you're running a Windows system, of course rebooting makes sense on occasion as programs that are written poorly may consume too much RAM and/or not free the memory allocated to them upon exit. It's the universal cure-all for most MS related issues. But a blanket statement that rebooting periodically is a good idea needs to die already.
Most likely the reboots are caused by a fatal hardware error, like a double word offset memory or non-correctable memory error, bad RAM, etc... or even a known bug. The O/S has to panic and crash to maintain data integrity. Unfortunately you might need to take it to someone that can see if it logged any errors when it crashed.
05-02-2013, 01:51 PM
#23
Senior Member
i have had the same issues, on and off. some days the radio just doesnt turn on, or doesnt respond to pressing any button.
so when i went for my first service, with my pre-paid maintenance plan in full effect, i asked the dealer to look at it and see what they can find / do.
"yes, we'll look at it, however if we dont find anything there's a $150 diagnostic fee"
"excuse f'in me, the truck is under warranty, isnt it?"
"yes, but there's a diagnostic fee if we dont find any problem with it"
"it's an intermittent issue, so sure enough you wont find anything wrong, but it will crap out again tomorrow"
"it's possible, but in this case we'll have to charge you $150"
"ok, just go f**k yourself then (a little more politely, but close)"
"ok, let me talk to our manager... ... ... ok, we'll waive the fee for this one time only"
Sure enough, they didnt find anything wrong with it, so had i not argue the diagnostic fee in the first place, i would have paid $150 for them to hook up a laptop to my Sync system, find nothing, and leave it at that...
i'm glad i got the extended warranty and prepaid maintenance... not...
still acts up now, so i guess i'll just leave with it...
so when i went for my first service, with my pre-paid maintenance plan in full effect, i asked the dealer to look at it and see what they can find / do.
"yes, we'll look at it, however if we dont find anything there's a $150 diagnostic fee"
"excuse f'in me, the truck is under warranty, isnt it?"
"yes, but there's a diagnostic fee if we dont find any problem with it"
"it's an intermittent issue, so sure enough you wont find anything wrong, but it will crap out again tomorrow"
"it's possible, but in this case we'll have to charge you $150"
"ok, just go f**k yourself then (a little more politely, but close)"
"ok, let me talk to our manager... ... ... ok, we'll waive the fee for this one time only"
Sure enough, they didnt find anything wrong with it, so had i not argue the diagnostic fee in the first place, i would have paid $150 for them to hook up a laptop to my Sync system, find nothing, and leave it at that...
i'm glad i got the extended warranty and prepaid maintenance... not...
still acts up now, so i guess i'll just leave with it...
05-02-2013, 02:48 PM
#24
I don't MFT but I do have sync, I've got a 2010. However, My FIL has it with his edge. So take this with a grain of salt. Ford got into bed with Microsoft and now they are paying the price. Forget the apple vs microsoft argument and past experiences with desktops. But look around and how many folks outside of the MFT and sync systems are running microsoft mobile products. I don't know a single person with a windows phone or microsoft tablet. What I see are literally thousands of people at airports and business conferences on IOS and Android devices and tablets. Ford jumped out ahead to the dance with the wrong partners and they are paying dearly for it.
Their rankings plunging in JD power was not engine, brakes transmission, it was sync and MFT frustration. If a dealer needs to have classes on how to use it, its too complicated. My mom is almost 70 and used an Ipad mini within minutes. She uses a Galaxy S3 same deal. Very few if any hardware crashes and she likes using them.
In this day and age it really is not rocket science. Having radio controls and HVAC controls blanking out due to not enough RAM is laughable really. Especially with how much Nav and MFT add to the price of the vehicle. Again forgetting the whole apple has a closed system, Ford would be much better having open source Android and having a tech partner like HTC, Garmin, Samsung etc design the hardware as well.
My wife just purchased a 2013 Nissan Pathfinthder. She shopped the explorer as well, but we both thought MFT was clunky and buggy. The tech in the Nissan just works. Syncs with both our phones, indexes music from any device we've thrown at it plus it has combination of physical and touchscreen controls. I don't even know who makes the software and hardware, but it just works. I do think many people out of warranty are going to be frustrated they cant turn the temperature down or the radio up because the hardware is underpowered and the software is buggy. Just my thoughts
Their rankings plunging in JD power was not engine, brakes transmission, it was sync and MFT frustration. If a dealer needs to have classes on how to use it, its too complicated. My mom is almost 70 and used an Ipad mini within minutes. She uses a Galaxy S3 same deal. Very few if any hardware crashes and she likes using them.
In this day and age it really is not rocket science. Having radio controls and HVAC controls blanking out due to not enough RAM is laughable really. Especially with how much Nav and MFT add to the price of the vehicle. Again forgetting the whole apple has a closed system, Ford would be much better having open source Android and having a tech partner like HTC, Garmin, Samsung etc design the hardware as well.
My wife just purchased a 2013 Nissan Pathfinthder. She shopped the explorer as well, but we both thought MFT was clunky and buggy. The tech in the Nissan just works. Syncs with both our phones, indexes music from any device we've thrown at it plus it has combination of physical and touchscreen controls. I don't even know who makes the software and hardware, but it just works. I do think many people out of warranty are going to be frustrated they cant turn the temperature down or the radio up because the hardware is underpowered and the software is buggy. Just my thoughts
05-02-2013, 03:26 PM
#25
[Something Funny Here]
05-02-2013, 04:19 PM
#26
for fastening fabric
sync is nice when it works.
go over a bump, and it says USB disconnected. start the truck, and it won't even bring up the voice prompt half the time. drive on a smooth road with no bumps or turns, and it'll occasionally say USB disconnected.
i just wish it worked more often
go over a bump, and it says USB disconnected. start the truck, and it won't even bring up the voice prompt half the time. drive on a smooth road with no bumps or turns, and it'll occasionally say USB disconnected.
i just wish it worked more often
05-02-2013, 04:22 PM
#27
^^ not trying to start a microsoft war for the apologists. I still use microsoft everyday on my laptops, however, they dont make the infotainment software for Nissan Pathfinders that I am referring to. I have no experience with the Leaf so I cant tell you what is like. Again, in general with mobile devices not many people use microsoft for a reason. In fact the large majority are using Android, IOS or open source linux or unix. MFT and sync for whatever reason is a big fail. The vast majority of consumer complaints revolve around those complaints.
Last edited by Nckeith; 05-02-2013 at 04:25 PM.
05-02-2013, 04:42 PM
#28
[Something Funny Here]
Blue&Me is an infotainment system for Fiat Group cars based on Windows Embedded Automotive
Kia UVO is an in-car infotainment system with advanced voice- and touch-activated features. Kia UVO, short for 'Your Voice,' provides simple and quick access to vehicle's multimedia and infotainment systems. Developed by Microsoft and Kia, it is much like Ford Sync
iDrive (1st Gen)
Debuted in September 2001 with the 7-Series and was based on Microsoft Windows CE for Automotive.
Debuted in September 2001 with the 7-Series and was based on Microsoft Windows CE for Automotive.
Microsoft Powering New In-Car Infotainment Experiences From Alpine, Honda and Other Industry
Dissatisfied with its Linux-based system, Dongfeng Nissan researched its options and chose a solution from Shenzhen Hazens Automotive Electronics Company based on Windows Embedded.
05-02-2013, 05:44 PM
#29
Op we get it. You love your Zune, Xbox and windows 7. However, mft and sync are border line awful. I drive as an example was considered one of the worst tech roll outs of all time. Kia and fiat. Obviously looking for cheap. And I guess for the time being Linux in nissan except for leaf. What's your point for fords not working reliably
05-02-2013, 05:49 PM
#30
[Something Funny Here]
Not the OP and not a MS lover although I write windows applications. I also run many linux boxes. My point is just there is lots of random blame being tossed about. Why does it have to be microsofts fault vs ford's UI? I dont blame microsoft when fiefox would eat ram.