Leaving Windows 8

joinerjohn · Post by **joinerjohn** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:03 pm

Liam2349 wrote:
I use 8.1 Pro on my Surface Pro 2

Now there's a surprise. A computer made by Microsoft, running an OS made by Microsoft. Who'd have guessed

Liam2349 · Post by **Liam2349** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:48 pm

joinerjohn wrote:
Liam2349 wrote:
I use 8.1 Pro on my Surface Pro 2

Now there's a surprise. A computer made by Microsoft, running an OS made by Microsoft. Who'd have guessed

It comes with 8.1 Pro pre-installed, but there's nothing to stop you from loading Win 7, or some version of Linux.

Puma · Post by **Puma** » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:04 pm

I think you can now mess around with Windows 8.1 so it looks similar too or the same as Win7 - certainly you can get the old start button menu system back.

Win 8.1 has crashed a few times on me. And one of the updates has mashed up millions of computers around the globe. You have to do a long press reboot after it hangs during the update process - I think 3 times before it will come back to life (and not install the update!)

I do like the way it automatically installs things. For example I just plugged an old Epson printer in to the USB and 10 seconds later all the drivers had been sorted and it was ready to go.

JohnPhilips189 · Post by **JohnPhilips189** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:08 pm

Puma wrote:I think you can now mess around with Windows 8.1 so it looks similar too or the same as Win7 - certainly you can get the old start button menu system back.

Win 8.1 has crashed a few times on me. And one of the updates has mashed up millions of computers around the globe. You have to do a long press reboot after it hangs during the update process - I think 3 times before it will come back to life (and not install the update!)

I do like the way it automatically installs things. For example I just plugged an old Epson printer in to the USB and 10 seconds later all the drivers had been sorted and it was ready to go.

There's a skin you can download that basically changes all of the Windows 8 menus back to the ones resembling Windows 7. Think it's called Classic Shell?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 7:40 pm

JohnPhilips189 wrote:Think it's called Classic Shell?

It is, but I mentioned it a few days ago, and folk seemed wary of it, works for me though. Clicky

Puma · Post by **Puma** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:42 am

Thanks. I haven't got around to it quite yet thinking I might start to come around to it. There's quite a funny article on the issue here:

http://betanews.com/2013/10/28/windows- ... ts-new-os/

Fourth Protocol · Post by **Fourth Protocol** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 8:28 pm

I see nobody's commented in UEFI - not sure if that laptop has it, but if it does, UEFI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Ex ... _Interface) needs to be disabled before it'll allow another OS to be installed.

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:53 pm

No problems as I done the same myself last year.

Use Dariks boot and nuke which you can get free from the web to remove Win8. then install Win 7. Easy peasy

Win 8 is pish in my opinion anyway.

BillyGoat · Post by **BillyGoat** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 6:11 pm

8.1 UPDATE is getting better quality consumer scores than Windows 7 now.........

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:44 pm

BillyGoat wrote:8.1 UPDATE is getting better quality consumer scores than Windows 7 now.........

I disagree, as usual they've changed the format of something for changes sake and it's totally different to windows.

Have you considered installing the shell on win 8 that operates like win 7?

Liam2349 · Post by **Liam2349** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 2:38 pm

8 is a huge improvement on 7, and the start screen is really good if you learn to use it. I also prefer the new square ui.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk

Puma · Post by **Puma** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 5:56 pm

Argyll it was for touch screen devices in the main. The real mistake they made with it was not including an option for Win7 like interfaces or a Business interface.

It does have some noticeable advantages - it is terrifically easy to install - no faffing around with graphics card drivers etc, it boots up super quick and has better security.

BillyGoat · Post by **BillyGoat** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:31 pm

Disagree all you want, it's a fact - if you dislike it, that's something different.

Windows 8 was designed around touch. 8.1 update improved the desktop experience. Windows 8.1 UPDATE (My emphasis on the name.....) Resolved the gripes of users who use it on a non touch device.

Easier access to swipe based features, boot to desktop, etc, etc.

BG

Edit.....in answer to the shell question - NO WAY.

Puma · Post by **Puma** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:29 pm

Apparently more of Win7's modus operandi is coming to Win8 as time goes on. It's a shame they did not delay the release until they had Win8 highly configurable - then it really would have suited everyone and would not have disappointed so many.

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri May 02, 2014 5:59 pm

BillyGoat wrote:Disagree all you want, it's a fact - if you dislike it, that's something different.

Windows 8 was designed around touch. 8.1 update improved the desktop experience. Windows 8.1 UPDATE (My emphasis on the name.....) Resolved the gripes of users who use it on a non touch device.

Easier access to swipe based features, boot to desktop, etc, etc.

BG

Edit.....in answer to the shell question - NO WAY.

Pish

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