Hello fellow lampers, is anyone else here using Windows 8? I'm gradually understanding it, but I miss the start menu, Jeff.
...you should upgrade to Windows 8.1 (to be found in the Windows Store, free of charge), they added it again. There you can also set the desktop boot as a default: Select start menu option "skip Metro" once you managed to go to the standard desktop. Otherwise you can use freeware tools such as "Classic Shell" Good luck, Martin
Yes I use windows 8.1 both at home, on my laptop, and at work on my even more expensive laptop - money being no object when I'm not paying for it Once I managed to get it looking like real windows I was happy with it. I still hate the way it tries to open everything in crappy aps until you install some decent software but that's progress for you
...that's why I finally decided to switch to Ubuntu Linux with Gnome desktop. No problems at all so far, everything works well. And all of my favorite programs are available: Firefox, Thunderbird, Libreoffice, XNview, Inkscape, etc, etc. Even multimedia is fine: DVD, MP3, DVB-S HD... The best: Much faster start, desktop looks familiar, no more fight with virus scanners that don't really protect, everything gets updated automatically, no annoying reboot procedures, "true" file system etc. And for sure I'm not one of those guys who spend all their time configuring the system with cryptic shell commands! These times are by. BR, Martin
Hello fellow lampers, Windows 8 is more complicated that is for sure, but it works smoothly and it's fast. I have tried several Linux operating systems and they are okay, Linux Mint seems to be a good one, Jeff.
My professional advice to people is to buy a Windows 7 machine. All of the major manufacturers are still building 7 machines because of the backlash against 8.x 8 was a user interface mistake since they essentially put a tablet UI into non-tablet machines. I'm doing quite well keeping XP machines running safely.
My neighbour, who is a certified MS engineer, told me that every second MS engine is a bad one. He told me this while repairing the new ! laptop of my daughter. Which crashed during an update.
Just one of the many reasons they very quickly offered a free upgrade to 8.1.... There are still some things I hate though like that pointless b***** sidebar. But it's a solid enough system.
WimVe, your neighbor is spot on. "9", or whatever they call it, will likely be worth spending your money on. I'm going to upgrade to "7" for the time being. Gneis, I totally agree. P.S. to all: I'd buy Macs if I could afford them! My first Mac had a PowerPC chipset, and that didn't last long
Hello fellow lampers, I took my time about it, but i have finally upgraded to Windows 8.1 and it is an improvement on Windows 8. Jeff.
Punch "upgrade to windows 8.1 for free" into your search engine. I sampled 8 on my brother-in-laws PC - awful. But then it took me a while to adjust to Windows 7 from XP.
I'm sticking with Windows 7 on the old laptop, and use a lightweight version of Ubuntu (Linux) on a very old 'backup' laptop thats too slow with anything else... Really don't like what i've seen and tried with Windows 8, so my next laptop will be a MAC...
Thanks Derek. I did that and it wanted me to mess about with 'File History Settings' first followed by more messing about with all sorts of other things. No danger of me doing any of that in case I completely ***k something up. I give up...
Most if not all of the technology we use like smartphones,tablets, internet, email, TV sets, PVRs broadband routers, internet servers and much more, all run Linux inside. If Linux were to disappear today, civilization as we know it would pretty much grind to a halt. Post Tenebras Linux, perhaps?
I punched in to Duck Duck Go and got a list of websites with upgrades to 8.1 straight off. Here's a few: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-8/meet http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-download-and-upgrade-to-windows-8-1-for-free/ http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/3474235/how-upgrade-windows-81/ http://www.gizmag.com/upgrade-windows-8--to-windows-81/29394/ There's more - many more, but in essence lead to what looks like the same process. I have no experience of any as I'm sticking with 7.
Hello David, if you already have Windows 8 then there should be a tab on your desktop which says upgrade to Windows 8.1. Microsoft kept sending me reminders about the upgrade and when i clicked the OK tab in the reminder message then it was all done automatically, it does take a while to upgrade though and when the upgrade is happening then you cannot use your computer, Jeff.
I think it's worth the effort David, I really couldn't have lived with 8. If 8.1 had been no better then I would have installed Windows7 over the top...
Well I already have Windows 8 but there's no tab on my desktop to upgrade to 8.1 like Jeff suggests. If I go to the Store then I can't find Windows 8.1 to download. If I try to download an app thingy(?) it wants me to start a Google account or a Microsoft one. It won't let me default to the browser I want to use, instead giving me a choice of five (Opera, Safari, Firefox, IE and Chrome), none of which I want. In short, it's shyte...
I'm waiting for 10. All but one of our machines are XP, and the cost of replacing everything is kind of high. We're down from 8 machines to 4.
David, I don't think you are alone. Read some of the comments below the blurb on this page: http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-download-and-upgrade-to-windows-8-1-for-free/ Speaking (or swearing) about Windows, I keep getting a pop up declaring I am not running a genuine version of Windows and that I should validate it by clicking on 'this' link. This is tosh, as it has been with the machine since new 9yrs ago - nothing's changed other than the usual updates that Windows does on shut down and restart. I'm thinking this is a scam, but Googling for it comes up with as many microsoft validation pages as there are comments and moans. Methinks spybot needs a dust off. Using Avast as the only barrier to bugs. I can close the 'validate your version' down, but it pops up again at random moments.
what I've been told you can only update your version windows. To upgrade to a new windows you need the correct disc not a copy either the new disc tells you your new registration number etc . i had a copy of windows xp worked for 4 years they kept asking for disc but ignored it till windows sent me there virus shut me down . Bob .
Disc 's ? I have win8 for more then a year now. Came with the new pc. No disc's. You must install all updates and then you will get an pop up when starting up, with the message that you can download a newer version.
No - no discs involved - not even from new, though I do still have a disc for my old XP system (obsolete, as we have no XP OS any more). And the updates are those sent by Windows for my current version which instal automatically and are configured on start up, not any upgrade to say - Win 8. That's a different ball game.
If I remember correctly this was an old bug that was fixed ages ago. I think it was an issue with an update but I'm afraid I can't remember the fix now...
FYI: Here in the States, new machines come with a use-once utility to enable you to create a set of system restore discs. I highly recommend you look for and use the utility. DVDs are also strongly suggested since DVDs just don't have the capacity for a newer 0/S.
